Think I will post some Sunday and some Monday.
All of the furnishings in two of Sombay's rooms were pushed to the sides and just the rugs adorned the centers. Some with food and the ceremony room was just for kneeling to pray on.
Can't figure out where to begin..The ceremony takes an hour or more with a break in between that everyone except the monks leave the room row by row and go out to fill ceremonial bowls with different foods for offering to the monks.
Oh, I am getting ahead of myself. Before that there is a room set up with offerings of mostly dollar bills that people tape to a place on the ceremonial type altar ...after kneeling to make a wish.
There are also some rolled up blankets and other things the monks can use given as offerings to them.
Click on any picture to enlarge them.
The drinks in front of them were also ceremoniously gathered by the women in the house and set before them.
The older man seen in the second picture is a temple member and he did alot of the prayers which sound like chants with the rise and fall of the voice .in some language other than Laos.
I could not quite catch what the name of the language was and didn't want to ask to be repeated.
Other prayers are in Laos.....everyone sits/kneels on the floor or as in mine and 2 retired women that worked with Sombay we sat in a chair. I did kneel when I made my wish in front of the alter, only because there was a heavy low bureau at my side that I could pull myself back up by....It's Hell to get old.........sigh!
And I did try to kneel for the ceremony. Got down on one knee,,,,went to put my second leg behind me and WOWEE what a Charley Horse . It started in the back of my right leg....no,no,no..... up,up,up.
Even little 2 year old Ryu was on his knees, hands clapsed in prayer and would bend forward lowering his head to the floor in front of him at the appropriate times....am sure he was watching those in front of him.
It was so nice as been the case to see the children learning and being involved in the customs.
They are American's, most were born here...........speak it well ...but are passing on the old ways of their countries ceremonial customs to the younger ones.
This was Sombay's Mother. It would be nice if i remembered her name.sigh!
She was a tiny lady like her daughter Sombay is.
My son Larry, Sombay's grand daughter Krista Lily and her son's mother in law.
Larry playing with Krista
Enlarge this picture as big as you can.This is what I would call over cooked angel hair pasta. You take as much as you want and put it in a small bowl, go to another bowl where there are bean sprouts and finely chopped veggies and then ladle some type of soup over it that is sitting on the stove to keep warm. Even the soup is eaten with chop sticks.
There were many foods prepared in ways not known by myself. Things ( food ) wrapped in uncooked grape leaves. Any number of things could be inside when you unwrap them. Rice,beans, ?
Colorful sashes are worn by the men and women. Most of the women wear skirts made of beautiful material . Simple in design, but colorful and rich cloth.
Color, color, everywhere. My eyes always drink it all in............The family is everything to the people I have met, including Sombay.
Everyone who can, will gather at the Temple the July 4th weekend where there will be sort of like what is a family re-union to us. Except most of these people won't be kin. I hear their Temple is beautiful.
Monday I will show you some of the pictures on Sombay's walls. All family....and there are lots.
Jill came home while I was at Sombay's and Larry's.
Did not have to leave for work until 3 p.m. Yard wedding to cater. Hot, muggy day... ugh!
Ran to the grocery store for a few items and came home with $74. of stuff. Only 1 package of 2 chicken breasts for meat. Got the coffee.....yessssssssssssssss, but was too late to hit the chocolate store for diabetic chocolates for hubby. Father's Day being tomorrow....When this gets posted it will be Fathers Day. A happy day to all the father's out there.......in our part of the woods in MA we will get some rain. The Lord's way of saving on my water bill. I can dig it !
Tracie's brother Marty was over at his mom's when I pulled in my driveway. Came over and asked if he could help me bring them in the house. Yessssssssssssssssssssssss.
Then Tracie pulled in her driveway as he was leaving and came over to borrow 3 stamps and helped me unpack the bags and sit a spell.
Made known that I was beat about 45 minutes later and she got up to leave.
Last minute check on the animals food and water levels and here I am back sitting at my computer. Hubby has just nodded off.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz It's 10 p.m. .............good Nite
It's Fathers Day
Looking good. Our favorite OutBack wait/person Lydia comes on duty at 2 p.m.
Things are quiet on the homefront. yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!
Be back tomorrow with pic's of Sombay's pic's.
Spied a Barbie Doll in her china cabinet.....thought it looked familiar....was wearing a red, heavily beaded gown. Asked if it was one I made and gave her many years ago...doll,gown, accessories and stand. Yep!
Took a picture. Have many beaded gowns I designed up in the attic .....somewhere. sigh!
Will show you it tomorrow.
I see typo's ...too lazy to make corrections. Don't see any I shit you nots! ....I shit you not!
That's All Folks!
wonderful picture...i like learning about other cultures and customs
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