The boys in the band were playing hide and seek with me today. When it came time to put Gandharvika's choli on her it wasn't there. i looked and tried to make it appear but it wasn't to be. Then i went to the clothes room and looked through all the hangers three times until i found it hiding under the Tulasi skirt of the Havirbhu dress. hmmm. After that i was able to finish dressing them in their Sue Nila Vasana. The garlands today are wild. Star gazers in all of them, Mahaprabhu's has leaves, Giridhari's has roses and mums while Gandharvika's has stock flowers that reminded me of bunches of grapes.
The days are getting longer so pedaling is getting better. Today the road took me past the bike shop to make an apointment for a tune up. Along the way some powerful people were celebrating the new lane for pedalers on one of the main roads in town. That's the power of the people. After i passed that it was back between the twin lakes down by where in warmer days there will be sufferers, lovers and theives. But now there are only the driftwood fire makers. The chill is still in the air.
The Lotus Nails this evening. Bhakta Blade says one of his team just couldn't figure out the hanger system and that's why Gandharvika's choli was hidden away. This evening the heat is still on so they may dance indoors all night.

"The Deities wear this on the second Ekadasi of each month" i'm telling on of the folks who've come for darsana. "Because it's Ekadasi?" the folk asks "Yes, the queen in days of old" Mums, petals, roses and a few narcisuss are featured in today's garlands. They're of normal length. "Do you say days because of the flowers on Giridhari's chodder?" the folk asks. "No! It's d-a-y-s" i answer. This is one of those multi color dresses, each and every color from the rainbow in it and yes, Gandharvika's dress is a little like gold.
In the morning the sun was out and the sky was blue. But then the afternoon came and so did the rain. Back on the nowhere trail again. Journey through a song of my senior year that keeps me pedaling and not concentrating on the water torture provided by the raindrops on the roof.
The lions club. There's a chill so they wore the velvetized dress tonight. Also since i'm too much lazy to build a fire i put on a heater so the chodders won't make it over warm. The rain keeps comming every few minutes so maybe they have to stay in again tonight.

Yudhisthira and the evil Sukuni. Red and purple, the only one the seamstress let go without comment in the days when she read the names. The garlands have been extemely long the past couple of days so today's seem extremely short. A dress that they've worn for so long i can't remember when it was offered. It was one of the first red ones the Deities got, that's how far back it goes. Today it has the same swirling, dancing feeling that it did when they wore it for the first time.
If it keeps on raining, my trainer's going to break. How much rain can the land take? How long can my mind take the pedaling to nowhere leaving any place? Till the winter turns to summer it seems like i won't leave this place.
They call East Bengal the Radhadesa, that means the land where the Ganges doesn't flow. Call this one baby blue, this dress was offered last Radhastami, Mahaprabhu and Gandharvika are baby blue with white trim. Since Giridhari's body is baby blue, he wears white with blue trim. What an outfit, "this is a night dress?" many people ask this on Tuesday morning when they see it. "Yes, it is. Elegant isn't it?"

"In my house my clock said one time and in my car the clock said another" The garland maker said that today. "And you couldn't dial the time on the phone could you?" i thought but knew i shouldn't say that out loud. The aruna har posse rides again today. The hanging beads on Giridhari's chodder and jacket make a sparkle like a crystal chandelier. The garlands were wonderful even though they came so late. Narcissus and roses along with pompoms.
More rain and more pedaling in my mind. Is it jetlag or is it India that has me feeling so beat? Or is it just a cold? Whatever it is the trainer has a spell on me.
In the ninth there'll be no chodders or heater this evening. The rain outside keeps the temperature warm enough not to need either. The rain will also keep them inside tonight unless they have umberellas. hahaha.

"What color is Mahaprabhu wearing today?" The garland maker asks, "Deep blue" i answer. "And Giridhari is wearing white?" "No, yellow" "What about Gandharvika?" "She's wearing red flame grape color" "That's purple" "No, it's .." "Oh that's not maroon or red, that's a good description" Then later the seamstress wanted to watch me take measurements for the new dress so she stood peeking through the curtain. All in all it was quite a morning. The Cutty Sark today. Mahaprabhu's garland went below his toes. "I was taught to measure from my chest to my fingertips. Maybe the Deities have gotten smaller" "I'm going to have to experiment more" Giridhari's gracefully flowed around his knee and hung over his heal and tickled the sole of his right foot.
Gandharvika's was of star gazer lilies and roses that formed everybody's favorite, a heart.
We were busy watching the old raindrops fall and so i had to pedal in the barn again today. My legs are slowly comming back into shape, my mind flies like an eagle on these days, if you can't pedal the one you love, pedal what you can
the most blessed event. The raining makes it warm enough that no chodders or heaters are necessary this evening. They're free to trip the light as fantastically as they please.

Roses mixed in with narcissus for today's garlands. The Chipmonks were here along with the hoops in Gandharvika's skirt. Purple, creamy white and silver are the colors in this outfit. One of the first dresses to be a short cut Janmastami (slash) Radhastami one. It has been the best one so far. This one has enough piecies that it all but looks like two separate outfits. That made it passable better than some of the ones that came after'
The rain stayed away today. Lots of pedalers were out today squeezing a chance to pedal in between the raindrops. The tour came through early this morning so the plastic jerseys were around town from the natural bridge to the fish hook and down along the beach up to the opal cliff. another finely fancy ramble.
Tell me lies is the night dress this evening. As the chodders came off the vase flowers dropped petals all over. The chill in the air made me bring in a heater in case the chill turns into the freeze of a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps they'll stay behind the curtain this evening instead of venturing out for external frolicking.

The narcisuss garlands were the stars today. Sweet smelling, lovely white and spun four around they caught everyone's eye and imagination. The follow the angles is the dress that Giridhari has a big green belt over his yellow jacket and dhoti while Mahaprabhu has green kirta and dhoti with yellow chodder and sash. Gandharvika has a yellow choli under her green sari with a yellow boarder. The garland maker was afraid the Mahaprabhu's would be short. Weeelll it didn't touch his toes but it did reach his knees, quite long enough. Giridhari's followed his tribanga from his neck bending at the waist, knee and resting on his ankle.
The rain came today. There were a couple of hours of sun but it was puncuated by heavy rain showers. Yeah, the nowhere bike got the call today. Surprising how much i'd lost in the trip to Navadvipa. Somehow i was able to pedal nowhere long enough to begin to regain some of what i may have lost. And Ian sounds as good as ever.
A lion on the chase this evening. Green and purple to give them shelter from the storm. Offer up our heart and get repaid in preme.....

Saint Valentine has been merciful to us or rather engaged in the Deities service by causing the merchants over order flowers and new they give them for the service. Now there aare lilies, roses, mums and narcisus. The garlands had all those today, a pleasant change from the usual carnation Wednesday. Superstar is the first turban to come to the new cabinet. Some leprechauns brought some cut glass vases that are between each Deity small enough to decorate nicely.
The nite rider was back for the first time since before the great expedetion. So much better than the land so far away where the pedalers don't use lights and blend in with the dark of the night very well. Today it was down by the fancy flower salesman and his parking lot attendant. The behind the bank and hopsital cross over the bridge to the park round the health food store and back to the asrama with a new bulb for the altar.
This evening Bhakta Blade dressed them in their O deer doe. i made a few suggestions but he dressed them. He marveled at the new cabinet and how it would work. They went off into the night happily dancing and dancing. Hopefully with a smile from the talk between bhakta blade and mp

The blue and gold, blue and gold remembering them in this dress keeps mundane thought out in the cold. One swami once told me that this outfit was the colors of his alma mattar where the basketball coach told them to "be quick but don't hurry". That's how i felt today. A late start made it necessary to heed those words of wisdom. "For the first time I like the garlands" today's garland maker said viewing them on the Deities. The color and combination of roses, petals and leaves did look very good with the dress today.
Racing with the rain and darkness reminded me that the tour of California has begun and top pedalers from around the world have gathered here for the competiton. The locals are also training for their races alongside all the rest of us who pedal for errands or just the love of it. Around by the bear's place to the trader's where their hair is perfect. Then back through the park of tennis players, joggers and baskteball fans.
The lions club this evening. The chill is returning so along the velvet in this one they wore chodders since the air comes through the crack in the door. They go out dancing and their way divine.

"When will my eyes be decorated with tears while I chant your holy name?" Mahaprabhu asks in his eight verses. Today the outfit's name is that since Gandharvika wears blue velvet. The garlands are full roses and spider mums unusual for Monday since petal garlands are the order of the day.
Another bulb for the the altar, yeah that was the call for pedaling today. Around by the hopsitals, over the bridges making the left at the condominiums. Breezing by Ken's auto body and the frog's gym. Catching some air (no i'm not a skateboarder) by the brommer park and floating by the birdhouse mailbox. Through the jade street park and then turning back to the sandhya arati.
The chill is back in the air so the chodders are back on the baby blue dress of Monday nights. The jewelry goes on over the chodders. Mahaprabhu's is scarlet, Giridhari's white, and Gandharvika's matches the baby blue of her sari. Warm, dry and ready for what might come their way.

The amyavasya then it cannot but be "Madhuvrata". Yeah, the yellow with black trim featuring bumblebees on Gandharvika's skirt and veil. Garlands of yellow and white roses with narcissus studded throughout. Black onyx beads and Giridhari's bamboo flute. The new cabinets still a factor, since most of the morning was spent transfering jewelry and Sila and small deity outfits.
Pedaling through the town on the Giant OCR1 going wharf to wharf spinning all the way. The teams are preparing for the Tour of California which starts tomorrow. Past the cycle shops, the shopper's corner, and the sufferer's meeting places. The sun is out and the sky is blue, pedaling all day who could ask for more to do?
Chinese silk, the touch that kills. The tirobhava of Jagannath dasa babaji saw a Chinese silk handkerchief offered to dry the Deities after their arati bath. The air is cool but not enough to keep them from dancing the night away.

"There are too many choices! I just can't decide" That's what today's garland maker said this morning when seeing all the flowers there. "Look how long Mahaprabhu's garland is. I'm going to have make Giridhari's really long" That it was. Mahaprabhu's went from his head right down to his toes and Giridhari's how could it be longer? Well it went down to his toes also but it followed the three fold bends in his form, "tribanga", dude(haha) it swept back up around his ankle that crosses over his left leg. It all went to set off the "Nadia Sasadhara" dress. The white ganga-yamuna from Gaura Purnima. At first the seamstress wanted to use silver crowns but they got a little lost, so i tried the gold ones and they pointed up the silver portion and complemented the gold part.
Another day practically perfect in every way for pedaling. One of the recumbent riders had a cover over himself and his rig. He must have been trying to break the sound berrior or something 'cause the temperature is plenty fine. Myself i went down the opal cliff and rattled the sunny cove, crossing over seventeenth and laughing as i passes up from the sea on my way back for waking the Deities and the evening service.
The most blessed event tonight. A new set of cabnets kept everybody up late but it also makes the jewelry neater and everthing more organized. Now they sleep behind the doors of the cabinet, it'll be more private for them and keep them warmer in the chil of the night

Saint Patrick's Easter comes fashionably late. Hyacinths were featured at the mangala arati today, a little later than they usually come. The purple and yellow dress that Giridhari wears a purple cape with yellow boarder. The garlands have roses, tulips and lilies in them. "They look so good with this dress" the garland maker said seeing the combination.
Someone in Navadvipa had a special request for things from the pacific. So i pedaled from the eastside to the westside and all around the town trying to fill the order. Well, you can't be successful at everything now can you. At least i got to see the sun and in that way help get over some more of my jetlag. The sun has dried up all the raindrops, pedalers are out in force now. Families, recumbents, racers, commuters, erranders, and those who just love to pedal. The geese are returning to the twin lakes along with the sufferers. My search even took me by the snob hill. Quiet a tour of this portion of the pacific coast.
No chodders this evening. The warm day gave way to the cool yet pleasant evening of Mahadeva. The Deities dance the night away but in order to get out they "tell me lies"

Mayur, the peacock feather dress. Many people put in long hours making the peacock feathers for this outfit. Bhakta Blade was on hand this morning to assist in the dressing. As he put the pants on Giridhari he left the kaupins very loose. When i pointed it out he replied "I don't know how to fix them". i had to fire back "Yeah, up to you, he'd wear your boxing shorts" "That would be totaly cool" he laughed. A petal garland for Giridhari today while the other two had whole flowers. Therre were roses, tulips and a few daffodils. Even though some folks thought that there was new jewelry today, they've had all this jewelry for just about as long as they've had this dress.
Along the opal cliff there and back. Around and around the beach today until i came back to be asked "what should we do for Sivaratri? In Navadvipa they stay up all night chanting?" "i've just about gotten over jetlag and during my return flight from Navadvipa i pulled two more than twenty-four hour stretches, and i know i'd make lots of advancement by doing one for O he vaisnava thakura, Mahadeva, i don' t think that;s what i really need to do right now" i responded.
This evening "I saw Vraja kissing Santa Claus" and even if the Deities stay awake all night dancing or whatever, i'm going to be taking rest in my usual location.
'

When you've just come back from Navadvipa and jetlag causes you to fall the std chaiwala is helping you to call, When the Deities dhotis are made backward and offered on the lion's day you can guess it's Wednesday and the dress is orange. Mahaprabhu and Giridhari's garlands were of daisy pompoms today while Gandharvika's is daffodils.
My jets were lagging today so the pedaling was short, only from the east side to the park, just a quick and fancy ramble to the shops.
Bhakta Blade was back on the job this evening. Giridhari's coat this evening has gold buttons and looks green from one angle and green from another. He says that "I'm totaly taking this one when he's finished with it"

Today the folks might have also thought that Giridhari had been to the pizza parlor 'cause while i was dressing him today the nose jewel came off and it was too late to find so i got another. Tuesday the thriteenth, the Venezuelan version of Friday the...On top of that it's Ekadasi so they wear don't tug on Superman's cape. Giridhari's cape with the blue stars and blue tear drops on the neck piece. Gandharivka of course has a ruffled skirt of multicolors and a blue choli. Mahaprabhu has orange pants with a basic blue kirta but over the basic blue are a whole host of colors. One pink in the center of Giridhari's garland today but it fell out and no matter how i tried i couldn't to get it back in.
Pedaling along today as the sun was slowly sinking i could feel that the front tire was flat. Lazy as i am i didn't want to waste the time to fix it so every couple of miles or so i pumped it up. It sounds funny but it allowed me to limp back to the asram before the light needed to come on.
The lotus nails did come out this evening though. The nose jewel reappeared from just where i thought it was, that is in the fold of Giridhari's elbow. Chodders agian this evening, the Russian angora type that keeps them warm even if they sneak out to dance under the moon light.

Out of the mouths of babes come the stangest things. Like the colors for today's dress. One young lady who i've known since she was very young suggested the yellow, red and orange combination that this dress is. The Deities wore it for Gaura Purnima a couple of years ago. The jewelry made for this dress is kind of quartz crystal that looks good and goes on quick and easy.
A couple of weeks ago someone saw the way the pujaris were not washing up as they thought that they should and so on the board wrote "All the pujaris are fired" Another person questioned "What's the number for the pizza place, in case Giridhari gets hungry?" Then a few days later Giridhari's nose jewel was lost and the question on the board read "Where has Giridhari's nose jewel gone?" The answer was "Maybe he left it at the pizza place!" These were the moods of exciting Krsna consciousness here while i was in navadvipa
The rain was back again today. So it was back to pedaling nowhere leaving any place. One day, though, the winter will change to spring and all this will just be a memory and the long summer pedaling will be here.
They call east bengal the radhadesa, this one's baby blue. Chodders were necessary this evening since with the rain came a chilly breeze. Everyone likes to talk about the black of the chodders.

White and gold with rose embroidery. A tuban for Giridhari with large yellow jewels hanging over his right eye and the peacock feather over his left. Offered on Vyasa Puja about two years ago, it still is recalled across the universe. The back drop has the same yellow jewels hanging at the valences as in the turban. Todays garlands have the first hyacinths of the season. Jaya Gurudeva.
The rain let up today and the pedalers were celebrating. Around the curve at the hospital over the bridge to the stop sign before the park. Stop at the pedaler's shop to see what's new and on to the opal cliff all the way to the deity of the sufferer. Swing back around to the sandhya. It seems so long since i've been here.
Gurudeva has blessed us with Deities so lovely, they steal our hearts from mundane filth. And tonight they wear the red and cream Chinese silk called the touch that kills. Since it was first worn on Nrsinghacaturdasi, the name came from the touch he gave to Hirayana Kasipu.

Today it is the small Deities turn to something new. Multicolored crowns with matching necklaces to go with the Hiranya Padma dress. That's the beige one with orange trim and blue, yellow, and red flowers embroidered on it. Gandharvika's skirt is made of fifty petals interlocked. Offered on Radhastami, Radharani appeared under a golden lotus and that's how this dress got it's name. Today's garlands have the first daffodils of the season along with some large orange spider type mums, white lilies and another kind of small orange flower that no one knows the name of.
If it keeps on raining the nowhere bike just might break. It's the kind us pedalers seem to love to hate. If it weren't for it during these long rainy days we'd be climbing the walls at the same time the monatany of it all drives us nutz. On to nowhere full speed ahead.
The most blessed event. Green pants and deep blue kirta for Mahaprabhu, Giridhari has a green dhoti, fushcia kirta and purple cumberbund while Gandharvika has a deep blue sari with gold boarder. If they plan to go out dancing this evening i hope they take an umberella or as they do in Navadvipa, cllimb in a big wok as a boat.

There she is miss america. Gandharvika has become an American girl says Gurudeva. Today she was wearing a new monatika and nosering with chain to her hair. New from a trip to Navadvipa. Also Giridhari has a new silver flute. An elephant head painted red and green with small rubies from a couple of chains from the head. The deep purple coat and light purple dhoti of Giridhari's is trimed in silver and red buttons. Mahaprabhu has smokey blue and silver trim also. Gandharvika has a white sari with multicolored flowers with silver sequins along the boarder.
i'm still watching the raindrops and the wheels go round and round. It so easy to sit and spin listening to the words of the fools and sages. They say we'll have some fun even it keeps raining.
And all know that the sages won't tell me lies and that's what the night dress is this evening. So Krsna says "You declare it boldly" since he has lied from time to time. But his devotess don't lie. They may stretch the truth a bit but they don't lie.

The teal fabric in this dress is called 'paper silk'. It must be since it's so sheer a newspaper can be read through it. Coupled with this is the pink choli for Gandharvika along with the pants and putka for Giridhari. Mahaprabhu's dhoti is pink along with a gold chodder and teal sash with pink sequins for the boarder. Carnation garlands today again. Wow these die fast, by the end of the day they were past ready to be taken off. The hair is decorated with little purple flowers today that look so much like garlands that someone might think that Mahaprabhu, Gandharvika and Giridhari were on their way to San Francisco.
The rain has been comming all week. This afternoon was no exception. i was looking out my window pane watching the drops fall. So i had to hop the nowhere bike and pedal away fast.
It's a miracle mom! The Deities wore the puple and beige dress this eveing for Friday morning. They've been taking rest a little earlyier lately maybe the rain makes them just want to lay back and enjoy their pastimes in a mellow mood.

T.Rock, the day i went to Navadvipa they wore this one and today, the first time i've dressed them since i've been back they wear it. One of the simplest dresses they have, a pink so deep it looks red along with purple. Today, though the silas' new thrones were the show stopper. Brass seats with little umberellas over them. From now their dresses will have to made smaller and all different sizes. "The Deities look very happy that you're back" One of the folks told me. i don't know if i can believe that one. Canation garlands as usual for Wednesday. There also was much cleaning to be done or else Bhakta Blade will fire me.
Pedaling through Navadvipa where all the roads are little more than walking paths and all the house, shops and fields look so much the same to this untrained eye led me to be lost for a few minutes. Fortunately i was able to find my way back to the temple in the water.
This evening they wore the green and silver "O deer doe" dress. A Radhastami offering of a couple of years ago. The reader of that morning came to a verse that said "Oh, dear doe" and so he spelled out the 'dear' thus naming the dress. Giridhari will have a new flute for this one bought on the trip Navadvipa. It's sliver with a painted elephant head on the end opposite the blowing one painted with green and red around the eye.

After a month in navadwip today it's yellow and blue combining as green. Other hands today saw the difference with their hair and all. Even though the same jewelry was there with Mahaprabhu's green and purple, Giridhari's yellow, purple and turquoise and Gandharvika's red to go with her blue sari, they do look a bit different. Today's garlands were an interesting mixture of flowers and stems. Some of the stems were put on through the center and between those were two or four put on sideways. hmmm.
Pedaling in navadvipa is much out of my league. There are walkers, riksaws with people and riksaws with hay stacked to the sky, buses, cars, motorcycles and sumos. Not only do all them use the same road but everyone travels in the middle. i believe that the left is the side they are supposed to use. There it's horns that determine who has right of way. Each form of transportation has it's own horn. So trying to squeeze through all the traffic, horns, stares that white folks always get it's way out of my league.
Back on this evening, the lions club which has jewelry. Giridhari must have been trying to either test my memory or play a joke on me by having another apprentice dress them up in day clothes and then asking if i was sure when i pointed it out to him. It's great to be back.