January 29, 2008 by Soma.

Presidential Preference Primary today in Florida

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Tallahassee, Florida

Today Democrats, Republicans and Independents are going to polls to cast their preference for the presidential contest. The independents and along with the party voters will also have chance to vote on Amendment 1 that is related to property tax on homestead and portability. Please don’t forget to vote!! Express your choice whatever it is!!!

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January 25, 2008 by Soma.

International Dinner (Italy) and Silent Auction
Betton Hills Preparatory School
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Friday, January 25, 2008 5-8 PM

Today we had international dinner and silent auction to benefit the BHPS-PTO. It was a cold evening with temperatures dipping to high forties by 6 PM. The kids seemed to enjoy the crisp evening. The turn out was okay, less than last year. But last year we had it around November rather than in January.
We will know soon how well we did on the auctions.

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January 14, 2008 by Soma.

Bogi or Boghi Festival

Monday, January 14, 2008

Tallahassee, FL 32317

We started to clean our house on Sunday in order to prepare for the Bogi and Pongal festivals that are on Monday, January 14, and 15, 2008 respectively. Since this was the second week after we reached US from our vacation to India, it gave another reason to throw away old items and clean the house.

Historically the day before and the day of Bogi we cleaned our house at Vedaraniam and occasionally even white-washed it during that week. Usual cleaning meant removing cob-web (ottadai adipathu), deep sweeping the brick floors, then washing it with plenty of well water. Going up the attic and throwing away old magazines, newspapers, and other stuff.

So we more or less did the same thing except there were not that many cob-webs to clean out. We collected old clothes for donation, we did lots of laundry, we swept and moped the wooden floor and tiles at our home. We also did pooja with VTS doing the aarathi with incense stick. Then we ate sweet pongal and vadai.

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January 3, 2008 by Soma.

Crocodile Bank and Kovalam Beach

ECR Road, Chennai, India

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Karan, Nivi, Vivek and I visited the Madras (Chennai) Crocodile Bank and near by Kovalam Beach. We spent about an hour at the Bank watching hundreds of muggers (salt water crocodiles), Ganges gharials, American alligators, and caymans.

Then we went to Kovalam Beach and played there for half hour before heading home to Tambaram

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January 3, 2008 by Soma.

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

Tuesday, January 1, 2008, 5 PM

Thiyagu’s family, Usha’s family and I visited the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary maintained by Tamil Nadu Government. Since it was winter and the season was in full swing with thousands and thousands of storks, herons, spoonbills, cormorants, and other birds. Since we reached late in the evening, all the birds were heading back to their nests and settling down for the night.

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