Pre-Launch Adventures in San Luis Obispo

How many people do you know that have been kicked out of a cemetery? I wasn't even peeing or turning over stones - I was just cleaning a few interesting headstones and taking pictures at the San Luis Cemetery on Higuera. The manager came over and read me the riot act for being in the cemetery and not having family there. When I explained that I was taking pictures for folks on a website for genealogy hunters, he really went ballistic.

MAN! He yelled at me, telling me what a liability it was for me to be there, for taking pictures of stones without permission, doing "business" without any payment to them (I TOLD him I was a volunteer AND apologized for breaking his cemetery rules!) I asked him what I did wrong and he said that I should not be running my "business" out of his cemetery. He also said that I should be asking permission before I go on private property. Maybe I took too many pictures or they had some weird terrorist threat or something. (Back in Iowa, heck - we had picnics in the cemetery just cause it is nice to include folks no longer with us and also gives you time to pick out a good permanent spot.)

 I dunno -- I just thought it was very bizzare to be kicked out. Hurt mah wittle feewing, too.

So I went to another one and went to the office to ask permission. The folks at Los Osos Memorial Park were great. Not only did they say I was welcome to take what ever pictures I wanted, they also got out their books, told me where the 6 people were buried and gave me a map of the cemetery with the spots marked. I loved them to pieces, and did my pre-planned funeral (which is transferable to any member cemetery in the USA.) I'm really glad I got that done. I am going to write my will tomorrow night. That way, if this Great Adventure goes south, so to speak, the boys just pretty much have to pick out the plot and show up for the party. THAT Anita was a sweetie.

Then I got to see my friend Tara (WELCOME TO THE TRIBE, GIRLIE!). We had a nice chat, I found a home for the kosher meat I had in the freezer and all my jars of kosher chicken and chicken soup. I'm glad I have her cell and email address. 

To cap off the day, I went to dinner at Tuviya's and my favorite restaurant, Taj Palace on Foothill Blvd. Raj Singh is the very nicest man. T was worried about him a few years ago because he lost A LOT of weight very quickly. (Yeah , we ate there that often.) They have a really great buffet for lunch, that always include naan bread, some kind of spinach dish (saag batata or saag paneer -- T's all time favorite vegetable!), pakora (deep fried veggies in a spicy garbanzo bean batter), mint or cilantro chutney and tandoori chicken (so NOT kosher - chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, then baked in a special clay oven).
Here is a picture of us on July 5, 2009 at the Taj Palace.

However, did I eat any of those things? Sort of. I had MY favorite dinner -- a Fish Combination Dinner, called a thali plate. There was fish curry (*swoon*), tandoori fish, saag batata (spinach and potato curry), naan bread, basmati rice, raita (yogurt and cucuber salad), bean curry and dessert of rice pudding with fresh strawberries. We talked about the Grand Adventure, my nephew Neelesh (whom he remembered from Neelesh's CalPoly days) and he went back and got me the URL of the Indian Consulate. I am really sorry to have to say farewell to Raj. He is just such a nice guy. They make great chai tea, too. And I love budeshep (the candy coated fennel seeds that Indians serve after dinner.) I am really looking forward to seeing my nieces and nephews in India. Well, it will be another fabulous place to visit when I make it back to SLO.

Last, but not least, I packed the trunk of the car. Yup. I may need to send some of this stuff to Anil's house through the USPS. And to think I got rid of a bunch of stuff. Guess not enough. (I can just see T jumping up and down on the cloud going - "No shit, I told you that BEFORE I died.")

Time to watch Lie to Me on the Internet at FOX.com and try to digest all my yummy dinner.