i'm so happy to have my Aunt Geeta here!!!  Traffic made getting across town about an hour's drive,  but it meant an hour's conversation with her and my pup and my Aunt Kath called before heading to bed (she is currently doing research in London during her two year long fellowship/sabbatical in Edinburgh) so got to talk to her a little too!  (Aunt Geeta is Aunt Kath's wife,  they've been together longer than I've been alive and they got married when it was first made legal in Boston, where they lived til I was about 25 or so. Geeta is Hindu (Kath is Buddhist), born in India sent to boarding school in the UK - disowned and the relationship not acknowledged to most of her family.  She has one of the prettiest accents and speaking voices I've ever heard, a refined British drawl with a slight purring Mumbai lilt to it and then a smoker's rasp layered over it. And both my aunts are wicked smart academics (Kath was a professor at Harvard and Geeta a professor at Wellesley,  Kath now heads the women's studies and asian studies departments at UV Charlottesville) who are keen socual justice fighters always on top of everything going on around the world....  Tonight at dinner with her and my parents,  we definitely discussed Bolsonaro,  Modi, Kashmir right now, the Kurds,  and the Uighers. Light dinner conversation,  lol. Aunt Geeta (who is a very dark skinned Indian) was actually in Charlottesville two years ago,  scared for her life some of the threats she was getting but she was one of the leaders within the interfaith leadership group that stepped up and protected each other and made sure everyone on student/faculty/religious communities who might be a target of hate were never by themselves. She was also in the crowd,  not even 10ft from Heather,  when the car ran Heather down.... Aunt Geeta was avtively triaging the minor wounds and emotional needs in that immediate aftermath....)

I'm very excited to bring her a stack of fantasy/YA book reccomendations and some teas for us to drink on Sunday!! I mean,  I believe she brought me tea from her niece's estate in India as usual,  but that doesn't mean we'll drink it.... She's at SEAC,  South East Asian Conference,  which has been bringing her to Madison in yhe third week of October since the 90s and thus I will always plan to not travel far from home then. But it runs Thurs thru Saturday.  So we'll be picking her up for brunch on Sunday then hanging out at my parents house chatting while my aunt,  mom,  and I watch dvred football (Packers game on Sunday and tonight's Broncos game Geeta's football team is the Broncos so she asked if we would since she has a dinner with colleagues.  Geeta's team is Broncos, Kath's is the Bears,  everyone else in my family who has opinions on football it's The Packers, although Sarah has the Cowboys as tie with Packers because she grew up in Texas so ehen they play eavh other she cheers for both teams,  lol) and dvred figure skating while my dad goes weight lifting.  My dad doesn't like watching sports - neither do his siblings. So Sunday and then most of Monday before her flight back to Charlottesville.

But,  before then.  I'm rather glad she has SEAC!  because tonight I'm headed to Chicago to see Frank Turner (EEEEEEEEHHHHHHH!!!!!  one of my forever favourite musicians. For over 15 years now!!!)  and then tomorrow night is symphony tickets! Next week also a bit busy....  Geeta's here through Monday evening, then Mikaela us off school on Thurs and Fri,  AND tickets to the musical Matilda on Thursday with her!  And then next Saturday The Drowsy Lads are at ICHC in Milwaukee - the converted Catholic church with the altar made a stage and a permanent bar in the back because it's the IRISH cultural Heritage Center,  lol. This concert is gen ad,  cheap tickets haven't picked up yet but in the calendar.  

But o it's so delightful to get to see Aunt Geeta again!!!!!  😁 And to know I get to look forward to seeing her more on Sunday and Monday!!!!  😁