Two sick babes

Mira took ill too yesterday, so I abandoned plans of coming to work... and blogging :0
Ash seem to have passed on the viral infection to her, and so V and a dishevelled Kala (my partimer) took her to the paed at noon, while I stayed home to take care of a loose-bowelled Ash.
A diapered Ash (he is fully toilet-trained otherwise, but not in a health crisis like this) was sent home from school half an hour before closing time. He had seemed somewhat ok after 4 days at home and I didnt want the teachers saying that he was absenting himself too much, which was why we sent him.
A semi-toilet trained Mira also had to kept diapered to prevent too much mess around the house. As it is, I had a hard time cleaning 2 tiny bottoms at frequent intervals.
The only plus point was that I got to snatch a quick afternoon (if 4 p.m. can be called afternoon) nap before the door bell rang to herald the arrival of a guest. My first worry was: What am I going to conjure up on the dining table the next 2 days while the Boy is here? A guest means you have to have decent menus for each meal and not manage with leftovers or a lil of this and that.
It reminded me of the days I, a half-starved hostelite, would invite myself to friends'/ relatives' (of the latter I hardly had any in Madras) houses for a good lunch (Thanks Usha, for all those lovely lunches your mom gave me). Indian hospitality is such that a guest is equal to God and can drop in anytime and for as many days as he/she wants to without the host even murmuring a protest. Things are slightly different in cities, especially in a household where both husband and wife are working, but I have heard my ex-landlady say how she played the perfect host to countless relatives and acquaintances from Kerala who come to procure a visa at the US Embassy or a college admission etc.
I mention this, because my dad was telling me how in the UK they found that people came visiting after informing the date and time days in advance. They also took a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers for the hosts. Even Indians, and Keralites too, adhere to the rules.
Well, I have managed to make some decent meals, the kids are feeling better today and my live-in nanny is coming tomorrow (though she gave us a scare yesterday when she said she had fever and might have to cancel her journey today) - isn't life wonderful after all?
I have nothing to complain - until I reach home today evening.