Tomato Plants Planted

We've had this section of yard that's been laying fallow as I've been getting rid of all the residual vine in that section. We could have planted it a while ago, but I just haven't made the time.

A couple weeks ago Sarah's neighbor gave me 5 tomato starts that she's not going to use. And today I went to the farmer's market and picked up two more tomato starts, albeit different kinds.

Having those tomato starts sitting there all unhappy in their tiny little plastic containers motivated me to get them in the ground. So I dug out these holes and added good soil and these plants. I hope they do okay. I've never really grown tomatoes in clay soil before.

In this picture the tomato plants are on the bottom right side. You can see how crazy our non-food garden is doing too. All this, and we're not even watering this year due to the drought.

Anti Ergonomics

It's friday now and I've been working here in India for a week. My goal is to teach the two developers here enough that they could manage a particular code base on their own. They've been "working" for the past several months on this project, but have been unable to successfully make any changes. Admittedly, the code is very complicated and I think it was unreasonable to expect them to figure it out on their own, without much real-time assistance.

I spent the early part of this week going through examples of our template system, and giving them all the information they need to do work.

It's been very interesting to be doing this because of the bizarre dynamics I've experienced. One of the employees is very engaged and seems to be very excited about learning how to work on this code base. I think he's going to work out great. The other one, who happens to be senior to the first one, hasn't done anything except pretty much ask unrelated questions and request that meetings get pushed back (which I finally stopped doing). Supposedly he's a good developer, but I haven't seen any evidence of that. My judgment is that he likes to waste time and not work, if he can help it. If it were up to me, I think I'd get rid of him.

Everyday, after work, my co-worker and I have done some sightseeing or shopping.

Tuesday we went to Dilli Haat Market - which is this very cool market where each state in India is represented in terms of what's for sale. The variety was really impressive to see.

Wednesday we went to Karol Bagh Market (image on right) - another crazy market with less variety, but lots of interesting things to look at. I ate Puri Chaat from a street vendor here (picture below). I'm fine, I've had no problems.

Thursday we went to Akshardham, a swarinarayam temple that was built recently. (That's the picture above). It opened a year ago! It's amazing.

Tonight we have plans to go to this other market near our hotel and hang out with one of my co-worker's friends formerly from Cupertino, CA.

Tomorrow we're leaving at 5am (!) to make the trek to Agra to see the Taj Mahal.

Thinking of Cherries

I went to the farmers market this weekend and rediscovered I really enjoy the experience. It's not exciting per se, it's a simple pleasure, an activity that links the memories of living in Amsterdam (were I woke to the sounds of the Albert Cuyp Market setting up every morning) with my life in quiet Oakland.
Indeed, I find myself daydreaming about what I might find the next time I go to market. Lately, I have a reoccurring daydream about cherries. As it warms up here in the Bay Area, the names Brooks, Tulare, Rainier, and Bing dance in my head. I can't wait for July when they come into season. I feel a little silly but I will admit that I have already bought canning jars to make jam in anticipation. In the early morning light, while drinking my first cup of coffee, I catch a glance of a leg of duck recipe that I have pined to the wall above the cutting board. Complete with brownish red finger stains from years past, it's ready to be of service when the first fruit of summer arrives with its glorious brilliance.