The trip home - III

My aunt's house is close to the Buchanan's group of schools. The campus looks huge and mysterious. Someday I must walk up there - I hear chain snatching and other minor theivery is not uncommon in the school's vast rubber plantation. The place also reminds me of that little schoolgirl who burnt herself to death inside her beloved school unable to bear the torture of her drunkard father and scheming grandma. The girl's mother now works for my aunt.
Kottayam town where we went for lunch looked festive - Christmas decorations rivalled for space with party (read CPI-M) banners.

One thing about Christmas in Kerala is that every house, be it a Hindu's or even a Muslim's, has a paper Christmas star in front. Shops displayed the 2007 innovations in star designing - some looked funny, even horrendous. Christmas trees seem to have gained popularity with many houses having a decorated tree in front. Catholics of course never forget to have a nativity scene in place too.
My cousin Renjith landed the next day, and we all went on a boating expedition on the Vembanad lake off Kumarakom topped by tea at Radisson Plaza, the latest in 5-star luxury at Kerala's most happening tourist spot (the chalets here charge Rs.60,000 a day, when the Taj - Arundhati Roy's History House - charges Rs. 10,000 for a day's stay. The lake was too weedy for the motor boat to navigate at will, but we did get to see many migratory birds resting on the 'African' weed - cormorants, snake birds, sea gulls etc. Tourism is taking its toll on the lake - plastic bottles in the lake, waste from the houseboats... We hopped off the boat near the bird sanctuary area and took the long beautiful and serene path through dense foliage to reach the entrance. The kids walked all the way back.
Robin and Tulika arrived on 23rd but I could not go back to Chandanapally until Christmas noon, since we had planned an outing at Veegaland near Cochin on the 24th with V's brother and family. It turned out to be a fun day though the holidaying crowds were daunting. The ride from Changanachery to Ernakulam on the Aleppey road was smooth but the Cochin-Kakkanad road was real bad. Kakkanad should have better connectivity and the "Smart CM" who made Smart City possible should look into this considering the real estate boom the god-forsaken place is now witnessing. The only thing that spoiled our Christmas day revelry was an accident we witnessed on the road - a woman who jumped in front of a car in a nervous attempt to cross the road and broke her nose and lost consciousness. The car that hit her had to rush her off to the hospital. I hope she survived.
We went once again to Kizhakevayal and the Kodumon rubber plantation, the biggest in Asia. Encroachers and land grabbers of yesteryears now live in harmony with Kerala's money-minting tree.
V also found time to take us along on his usual pilgrimages - to the Parumala church and to his many relatives, distributing plum cakes to each like Santa. And we did not have time to rest until we boarded the Chennai Mail on 26th evening, running an hour late.
The end.

xmas 07 - kerala

The trip home - II

The next day morning it began raining, an offshoot of the heavy rains in Chennai. So we abandoned plans to go for a walk in the morning. But in the evening, we took Ash along as we went to the church kurisumoodu (each church has a cross junction on the wayside where devotees and passerby can pray and make offerings) to light candles. I love this idea of lighting candles in twilight - it makes the whole place so beautiful. Unfortunately fixing the candles - not to mention keeping it ligted - on the wet cross base was a feat in the drizzle.
Braving the rain and the darkness, we decided to trek to our old and ailing manservant's house nearby (incidentally, he passed away today morning). The Pulaya dada had served our family for some 35-40 years I guess though towards his later years boozing got the better of him and he would come only to collect his quota of tip from us non-resident Keralites in the family. He saw to it that the fields and premises remained quite spick and span - and the present, poor state of the fields and other property made me realise his worth.
We couldnt walk the next morning either but by evening, the skies had cleared and we visited my elder aunt in Adoor. V came home that night. When dad and Karthikeyan went tapioca digging in the Eastern Fields near the church, we (me, V and aunt) went along hoping to do our morning jog on the way back - I mean we drove up and walked back. Kizhakevayal would make an ideal tourism spot for those looking for some peace and quiet.

We passed a stream - and a man performing his ablutions - and a small coffee shop on the way back.

We were not in our best attire, so we desisted from visiting our numerous kith and kin on the route, stopping only at the government primary school where my aunt studied nearly 50 years ago.

Moreover we were short of time since we had to leave for Changanachery, V's place, and drop aunt at her husband's place in Pallom, Kottayam.
To be continued...

The trip home

I like to plan my holidays in advance and pack my bags in advance too. This time too, I managed to book my tickets two months in advance but the packing couldnt be done until 16th Sunday morning, the day I was leaving.

The previous night the church carol service visited our house and we just about managed to reach home some 10 minutes before it arrived. Consequently I couldnt retrieve my camera to capture the carol singers and the Santa Claus - who terrified the kids no end though he gifted them Kitkat bars - with the result that Ash had a new demon other than Spiderman to be petrified of. (That's Ash watching the carol singers drive away.)

The journey was uneventful save for the racket the kids made in the train but the other ladies in the compartment had been sporting enough to tolerate them. For once, both kids ate their dinners without prodding but getting them to sleep was a feat for me.

On the first day home, we rested our weary bodies but on the second day, my aunt and me decided to do our early morning walk. Dad suggested a route that had less traffic and it suited us fine. I had been wanting to trudge the path we cousins once took to our vacation classes, and it suited my aunt fine too. We went as far as there was a decent pathway and then headed back.

We then decided to walk up to the Kuttikunnu school, where my aunt studied. I had never been to the school that had been the alma mater of most educated (and half-educated) Chandanapallians. In olden days it was the only high school in the area though now there are two other secondary schools in the village. It belonged to the Therakath muthalali, one of the richest men in the place. But apparently the school has been bought by a Gulf-returned entrepreneur from Pandalam now.

The school hadnt opened as it was early morning but the school bus drivers were in. One of them came up to us to check why we were clicking snaps. Old students, we said. "Would you like to meet the Principal?" he asked. "Not really. We wont be here that long," we said and went on our ways.

To be continued...

A multifaceted personality

Ash the artist, keeping himself busy scribbling in a colouring book I got him from a hawker in the train. In the absence of crayons he had to make do with a ballpen. Ash the bookworm, distracted for a minute when I snapped this shot. But it is not often that we get him to sit down quietly at a place.

Ash the student, pretending to do his ABC's at home in Changanacheri, Kerala.
Ash the brat, wriggling himself free from my grasp in a motor boat on the Vembanad lake near Kumarakom.
Ash the athlete, at play in Veegaland, an amusement park near Kochi (Cochin).

Hi again

We are back in Chennai after a wonderful Christmas in Kerala... The only spoilsport being the maid's announcement that she was indisposed and would not return with us. (Even before she left, we had our doubts whether she would return though she promised us she would. I, knowing maid psychology better than V, did not actually believe her. V, the ever-trusting good heart, said we ignore the few things she pilfered from my kitchen and stashed away in her bag - our desperation for the continued service of a babysitter meant that we had to ignore minor thefts that she and some of her predecessors have indulged in.)

So right now I am on extended leave and babysitting the duo. The quest is on for a new maid.

I for icecream

The dessert after a Chettinad dinner at Karaikudi with our guest of honour.

Ice cream is something that both kids take without fuss. They have their preferences when it comes to chocolates, but ice cream in any form is welcome any time of the day.

Ash of course is a fast eater when it comes to ice creams; Mira takes double the time.

***

I WILL BE AWAY ON VACATION IN KERALA FROM DEC. 17-26 with my family. Best wishes for a happy Christmas to all who celebrate or at least love to partake in the spirit of Christmas.

Cheery me!

Yesterday Vinod caught me smiling at myself in front of the mirror - not once, but twice. "What's wrong with you?" he wanted to know. Yeah, all was well at home as long as I was grumbling and scowling. I didnt have the time or inclination to smile at anybody else, let alone myself. So he had a reason to be suspicious.
It must be the BP tablets, I tell him. I feel a bit more relaxed now. Ash's tantrums doesnt make me feel agitated so much now.
But I wonder how my aunt, who came down yesterday from Nigeria, is taking it. I was very embarrassed until she told me today morning that her son had been like this until he was some 7 years old. (Renjith, are u listening?) She tells me that boys are like this. I still remember my aunt whacking her son for not eating when he was Ash's age.
She happens to be one of my favorite memories of my childhood. I still remember eating from her plate or her making balls of rice for me to eat. I call her kochammama (little aunt) and she was there at home the first three years of my life - then she got married. She was probably at home a few years later too, because she used to take me by bus to the primary school I joined in Class 1. I used to cry myself hoarse when she dropped me and went off home.
And today, I had my kids going up to her to brush them, feed them etc. Mira, who generally doesnt go to strangers, seems to have taken to her right from the beginning - blood is thicker than water, I must say.

p.s. I know what you will say: "Ahem, another picture of Mira." But she likes to pose, whereas Ash likes to be behind the camera - to see the images on the camera screen. Maybe someday he will become a cinematographer/director?

Salty pill

I started on the hypertension tablets today - a mild dose. But I had a mental block about going for medication - thanks to all the advices from friends, relatives and blogger friends - and worrying about it woke me up earlier than usual today. But when I at last popped the tablet into my mouth after breakfast I had no hesitation - I generally love taking tablets but to accept that I am going to take them to keep my BP steady was what was bothering me (did I get the tenses right?).
V backed me and so did his father. I havent told mine (father, I mean) as I will have to be prepared for a lecture about my wayward eating habits - "eat more ice creams and pastries", he'll say. He thinks the way I am feasting on sweets, I will be a diabetic soon.
Mom and mil thinks it is the tension of managing maids. I tell V that he shout at me less and he tells me I shout at the kids less. Ash and his tantrums and pranks gets me overcharged; I keep threatening the boy that I am going to leave him at his granpa's if he doesnt behave.
For a week I had been monitoring my BP levels at our clinic. I zealously avoided the doctor I met first and went to the Chief Medical Officer, who didnt seem keen on putting me on medication. He said 130/90 was something manageable on exercise and diet.
Just getting the BP checked increased my BP. I would look at the syringe bottles, wash basin and curtains and so on in the mini-treatment room hoping it would help me relax and not think about the checking.
But yesterday I met one of my favorite doctors there, who thought I had to be put on medication. He checked with the CMO, who then seemed to agree. It is only a small dose, they console me. They recommend an ultrasound too.
So I went to our family physician, my last hope. His reading confirmed that there was no escape. He told me about the dangers of not going for medication - it could affect my heart, my kidneys, my eyes and the nerves. A high BP could also mean that my hypothyroidism or my cholesterol or my sugar levels were not under control. Maybe I could stop the BP medicines after a while if the others are under control.
That has had me damn serious about controlling my food habits at last. The maid needs to cooperate too - less salt, less oil in her culinary efforts.

p.s. Henpecked husbands in Kerala are referred to as having BP - bharyaye pedi (fear of one's wife)!

Eczema

Google searches for creams/ointments for relief from eczema seems to throw up my blog at times. (It is interesting to note the kind of searchwords that throw up my blog.) So if it helps people, here is what I know from our experience in providing relief to our eczemic son.

Atogla: a skin emollient that soothes and nourishes the skin. We apply it on his face and body soon after bath, without towelling him too much. A dermatologist told us that eczemic people have less moisture content (than the usual 10% ) in their bodies, so moisture retention is a must. Not all medicals shops have it though it is manufactured in Chennai. I get my stock from 7 Hills Medicals in Anna Nagar. It costs Rs.100 for the cream; the lotion is more expensive. The cream is what Ash's dermatologist has recommended.
Eumosone M has also been recommended by paediatricians but I guess it has steroid/cortesone content and not too good for long-term, daily use.
Right now we use an ointment called HHsone, mixed in liquid paraffin at bed time or if he itches real bad. There is also a teaspoon of a syrup called Lormeg to be taken at bedtime.
Ever since we found this wonderful doctor called Patrick Yesudian on PH Road (behind Kumaran hospital, though getting his stupid secretary to give an appointment is a feat), Ash has found great relief from his affliction. Until then he had been a dermatologist's delight. He told us not to stop any food - seafood, egg, citric fruits whatever - unless he shows an allergy/itching within two hours of consuming it. So nowadays Ash takes everything except cocoa products. He still itches when he takes chocolates but I cant deprive him of the pleasure of having them once in a while, itching or no itching. When he is old enough to understand that it is not right for him, let him stop of his own accord.
Ash's skin condition had flared up sometime back - probably caused by the Bournvita and other cocoa-based health drinks we were giving him. I think there has been a miraculous change once we stopped that. But it must be a different thing that causes allergy in another eczemic person.
The doctor also recommended that we let him wear full-sleeved shirts and trousers - something like a night suit so that he wont scratch himself pink. We are yet to do that - still looking out for night suits. We also needs to prevent him from playing in sand/mud - which is not difficult living in an apartment.
And I didnt know until recently that eczema was the same, age-old disease called karappan in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. That means there will be a cure in Ayurveda too. To think I had baffled elders in Kerala by calling it eczema!

Xmas tree

We got an apology of an Xmas tree this year, for the first time. This should serve us till the kids are old enough to suffer a bigger one on the floor. That is, if this one doesnt get ripped apart in a week's time!

I need to get a few more decorations for the tree. The shop we got the tree from didnt have much of a choice. Landmark would be the best place to scout for Xmas decorations, though most stuff without a listed price/MRP on it are priced at 2-3 times their real cost at the swank shop. But then these are only a one-time investment. That little star under the chandelier has been making an annual appearance for the past two years.

Ash was all excited to see the tree and bells when he woke up after a late evening nap. He particularly loved the little Santa soft toy we got and calls him Jingle Bells.

See that T mark on his forehead? That is not a birth mark - just accidents around the house!

playmates

The kids at play tonight, after the colony special prayer meeting and dinner. The prayer meeting is a second saturday event every month for all Kerala Christians of our colony, and today's was a special one being Christmas time. There was carol singing and the Christmas message from the priest of the Chetpet Marthoma church.

***
Two cups of milk wait the intended beneficiaries, who have not been keen on milk ever since the bottles went into hiding.
One thing I have forgotten to mention is that Mira has been fully toilet trained. I cant remember the exact date but for sometime now I have not been diapering her at night even - she has acheived night-time contol. I still diaper her when I go on our longer outings in the city though she makes me undiaper her when she wants to pee. So what's the point?

Password 'protection'

My brain is jammed - with passwords and User Ids of innumerable sites I subscribe to/become a member of. And it is not seldom that I have to rush back for Help to retrieve my password and in a worse possible scenario even my user id. So there have been occasions when I sign in afresh again because I cant remember in which of my umpteen email accounts I have stored the information. I try to limit my choice of passwords but that doesnt seem to help.
It is worse when I go on vacation and return - my brain returns fresh and pure but alas! minus all the passwords and internet paraphernalia that has become so much a part of my life. I must remember to jot down each password in a notepad then - only I wont be able to remember which notepad it is.
I will soon need a password to protect the scattered bits in my brain now. From a somewhat methodical and alert person I have disintegrated into a total, virus-corrupted mess - I cant remember to pay my bills on time and often end up paying a late fee/fine; I cant remember where I keep things or I cant remember what I wanted to write a minute ago.

p.s. My BP is coming down to 130/90 and I am making an effort to walk - at least yesterday I did braving the rainy weather.

Torrential misery?

A very wet day in Chennai today. A heavy downpour that catches you unawares as you head out for work. Waterlogged roads, half-submerged vehicles, drenched bikewallahs running for shelter at bus stops, leaky roofed buses with some shutters missing, share autos with missing window panes, wet seats, wet bottoms, folded but dripping umbrellas, traffic jams, traffic lights that go blink, pools of oil dazzling like rainbows on tarred roads... and then, the sun peeps out of the clouds and smiles while a rainbow arches up the sky and make you forget that one hour of misery you went through.

Pressured

"You would qualify for a BP patient," tells the doctor at our welfare centre. "How come you are not on tablets? Are you averse to taking them?"
I look at my BP record in the medical file - 150/100, 150/90, 120/80 (which is not often).
I tell him that no doctor has recommended that I take medicines for my varying blood pressure. He tells me it is high time I went on tablets though today's high recording could be because of an upset tummy. I had gone to him in the first place because I was still nauseous after a minor bout of food poisoining we (me, V and Mira) all had yesterday.
Probably caused by the parotta and assorted beef delicacies we had for dinner on Sunday night after a trip to the beach and Santhome Basilica (unfortunately I forgot to take the camera along, so no pictures of the renovated church and the tomb of St. Thomas. It was an ideal day for shooting pictures as there was no evening mass inside the church but outside. The church looks really grand to me with its wood panelled ceilings though a correspodent here who loves churches rues the renovation. He says the Archaeological Survey of India should have prevented the defacing of the historic church. Anyway I hope I can come back with some good photos of the church another day).
Back to the doctor's room. I confess to the doctor that I had non-veg fare at a restaurant, and he prescribes a non-veg free diet for one week for me (apart from an array of medicines). That's the greatest punishment for a fish-eating, beef-eating Syrian Christian from Kerala.
"Less salt, no pickles, daily walks," he recommends. My daily walks (not mentioning the trek to the bus stop when I am not taking an auto) are limited to once a a week right now.
"Which department do u work?" asks the dr, trying to figure out the source of my tensions.
I tell him I have more tensions at home.
"I have two small children..." I explain, hoping the doctor will understand.
"Come on. Dont say that. Children are a source of pleasure, not tensions. They are a divine pleasure," the dr cuts me short. He tells me he needs to monitor my BP levels for a week before putting me on medication.
My mom began her BP tablets just 6 years back and here I am qualifying to be a BP patient so early. Lifestyle changes, fast food, lack of exercise...

Say cheese!

My husband tells me that I should refrain from posting when I have nothing interesting to say. But I am a compulsive writer - of trivia, that is! So here I am again.
Ash seems to be on the verge of another stomach infection. We had been getting a bit ambitious about making him a bit chubby in two weeks' time - when I leave for my hometown and present the kids for the scrutiny of neighbours and relatives, who usually loudly wonder if we dont feed Ash at all. Well, ambition had made me feed him a cheese slice a day the past two nights - so it was probably indigestion that caused the puking.
On Monday, Ashwin's school is getting shifted to a place that is not as close as the present one- which means we have to wake him up earlier than we do now.