Nothing like the eleventh hour to put the finishing touches on this project. Anju a lovely 21-year-old showed up right at 9:00 and worked all day with us. I think we probably exhausted her with all the information that we threw at her. I forget that most of the world doesn’t talk “sewing”. Having been brought up in a dress factory words like bolts, yardage, cones, bobbins and salvages just roll off my tongue. Having to explain these things isn’t easy but again with my newly found “show and tell” skills, gestures and a little help from the other sewers I think I made my explanations fairly clear. I think Anju can do this job. Now I have to sleep with my fingers crossed hoping she wants it.

We got a fair amount taken care of today and once the cording and shoelaces show up tomorrow we should be able to teach the last little piece.

 We stopped for dinner at our favorite little cafe and chatted with our now familiar waiter who tells us he will be returning to Alaska on December 23. This seemed so funny to us. It’s mostly hot and sticky here. How is he going to manage the cold? But he says he likes it and loves working there. He insisted we have our picture taken with him so that he could remember us and be remembered. I love these chance encounters.

On the way home, we bought boxes of sweets for each of our sewers and will hand them out when the chai guy comes tomorrow. It’s almost Diwali so sweets are given to celebrate the holiday. We wanted to honor that.

After chai we’ll say goodbye and head off to the airport to head home. I’ll miss these women that I’ve been working with these last two weeks. They are remarkable, strong souls. It’s been an honor to get to know them a little.

Good bye India!