Wednesday, May 24, 2006

To Kerala and back

Got back today after a 2-week sojourn in Chandanapally, my hometown (to be precise, home village) in Kerala. Vacation was good though the last 2 days were of great tension as our maid-cum-au pair said she was not coming back. M-i-l somehow managed to coax her to come; not until she came did we relax. She came at 4 pm to catch the 5 pm train!

Never felt so tense and deceited in my life. We had given her so much apart from the salary that we couldn’t believe she would do this to us – but I guess most servants are like this.
If she hadn’t come, we were planning to send Ash to my parents and Mira to my inlaws until we found a suitable alternative. by the way, mil wants to call her Kripa, not Mira, at home.

Spent only the last 2 days at my in-laws’ place. This time since I had to do physiotherapy I spent most of the holidays at my place. Inlaws came to the railway station at Chengannur to see the kids when we landed.

It was our church perunnal on 7-8 May. Got to see the midnight Rasa on 7th night, Ash was bewildered by the lights, crackers and band mela. Mira slept despite the din. St. George seems to be the favorite saint among churches in our part of the country since he is the safest best in terms of revenue. So most churches in our region are dedicated to him, and hence the Chandanapally 'big' church's prerogative as the sahada's church has gone.

My physio was for 7 days of 15 min duration - but the back pain still persists, have to do the exercises they suggested and see how it helps.
Was taking the bus for the half hr ride to the hosp. It was like being going back to school - the crowded buses, rude conductors, same route but not the same fare - as a student i was paying only 25 paise (!!) as against Rs. 6 now as an ordinary commuter. Bus fares are so high compared to Chennai. Only one day when I got my wisdom tooth extracted did dad chauffer me. I dropped in at my aunt molymama’s on some days and had lunch with her on a couple of occasions. Her meals are traditional and classy. Love that special taste like at Ammachi’s.

Everybody wanted me to leave Ash behind. As for Ash, he had apart from our lab Bruno and mom's hens and granny's geese (in picture above), Karthikeyan’s goats and kids for company. He would run round the house (that's our house repainted recently) some 25 times a day. His energy is amazing for someone who eats so little. Should have sent him with my brother's friend Pete on his marathon run from Kasargod to Kanyakumari (see the website heels on fire)
The painters also kept him occupied. The last day when V came, ash managed to get wet paint all over his body, so we rubbed kerosene all over him him and gave him a bath.

When Vin and his dad came on 20th Saturday they wanted to see dad’s crops in kizhakevayal, so went there before heading for changanachery. He has yam and tapioca and beans now. The place is so tranquil, i envied the people who had their houses near those fields (see photo of paddy fields near my house, and pineapple bush). I was seeing the field for the first time in my life too !
Once upon a time, Kizhakevayal and Kollayi met most of our grain requirements, though the latter had a reputation for getting flooded during the rains killing the crops. Now Kollayi has been sold and Kizhakevayal no longer has paddy crops - it is just not feasible with today's wage rates for workers. With other field owners switiching to cash crops, we have been left with no other option but to follow them.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Summer & Chennai

Just got in to work after a trip to the bank. So got in 45 min late.
The scheduled banks seems so slow compared to the private ones. Typical white elephants, and modernisation doesnt seem to have done much to improve employees' mentality.
Wanted a cheque book; so I had to wait as the guy who was to stamp the leaves was absconding. With the private banks I bank with, I request for cheque books online. I dont mind if they charge me extra for the service - at least u dont have this hassle of waiting.
Got my insurance moneyback 2nd instalment. With the first instalment 4 years back we had made the Bangkok trip. This time Vin is planning to buy some land somewhere in Kerala. Maybe Kakkanad-Kochi, where an IT park called Smart City will come up soon, so real estate prices/ rents are going up like crazy there.
I think I am getting a headache after walking in the sun. The katthri heat has started in Chennai. Glad I am leaving for Kerala on 6th - not that it is much better there.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Miriam

My weekly newsletter from Babycentre.co.uk says:
Hello BabyCentre member, from BabyCentre!
Your 7-Month-Old, First Week
Has your baby turned into a bouncing machine? This game is fun for him now if he can support his weight on his legs.


Miriam is just about doing that, even making faces and waiting for our attention. By the way, we still havent decided what to call her at home - Mira or Kripa (that is the latest suggestion from M-i-l). In the end we will just call her Miriam.
I call her sundu, short for sundarikutti (beautiful girl in Malayalam).

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Beach...

On sunday, we went to Elliots beach and sat for a while, after the trip the church nearby. Now even that beach is v. crowded - earlier only Marina was crowded - and there was no breeze when we went!!
Went and had noodles and fish fingers at the Wangs Kitchen in Planet Yumm restaurant there – they have various restaurants offering diff. cuisine under one roof.
There was no power when I left for office today - looks like major repair work. Thought of sending kids to sil’s place. TNEB staff came and said it would come in one hr.
Ash’s xray shows chest infection, the cardio gave him antibiotics - quite tough making him drink that.

Monday, May 01, 2006

Weekend

My friend in the US, Usha, says they are planting saplings. Which reminds me that I have 2 pots with some withered plants, must root them out and plant something in them. Guess I should wait till summer is over.
The heat is unbearable. Vinod has leave today – May 1, Labour day. For me it is overtime & double pay being a holiday. We just look forward to these paid holidays - we try to work hard on those days if we come to work, the rest of the time we hardly work!
Yesterday we went to Besant Nagar church and beach - a mini Velankanni it is. Got home to find there was a power cut. Came soon after we got in but went again in the night. Guess the overload with all ac’s running in houses is causing it.
Have to start packing for the trip home. We always travel by Third AC ever since kids were born – even in winter. It is so much neater and the crowd too better. Also no office-going commuters occupying our seats in the Kerala stretch of the journey.
Now most people who can afford it take 3rd ac – costs 830 per head till my place, Tvm Mail has replaced its first class coaches with 2-3 third ac coaches. First AC fare is as high as airfare, it is mostly govt dept heads who take it. Now in India too airfares are getting v. cheap with many flight networks coming into play - Kingfisher, GoAir, Jet, Spice Jet etc. Deccan has fares starting from 700 if u book early but you have to pay for meals/drinks.
A guy came to sell vaccum cleaner today, V is planning to buy one now. I am no great fan of vaccums and washing machines, but guess the v.c. will help clean the cushions more effectively.
V is into saving mode ever since Miriam was born. He made the gold dip yesterday being Akshaya Tritiya, an auspicious day for buying gold it seems.

On the penultimate day of reporting duty at the photography festival, the boss of the English writing dept, came and told me: When we both a...