April Showers

Two days to April, Mi. Remember what a feeling that used to be? We’d talk about the New Year, your birthday, menus for vacation time, time tables for Vidur, school lunch box ideas, spring cleaning, anticipation of the vacation in May and getting ready for april showers.

Right  now I am trying to spring clean. At least this time I am actually doing it in “Spring”. Except we don’t have spring. We’re in hot summer already. We wake up with a headache every morning, because we can’t live without the fan. It is a damned if we do, damned if we don’t situation, you know.

We went to the Seva Sadan yesterday to drop some bags of clothes. I also had a brilliant idea the last time I was there – to give them the files I received every week! What is exciting is they were excited to receive them!

I remembered what Paati and You always said – generosity by itself is not enough. It is all very well for the giver to want to give. But what about the receiver? Case in point: as I stepped out the other day to go for my weekly meeting, and waited by the gate to hail an auto, the watchman came and chatted me up. So I asked after his family. Sadly he informed me that one of  his daughters, who is in her early twenties, passed away – and showed me her photo.  Pretty girl. Health problem. His older daughter is married with four kids and lives with him because her husband is an alcoholic and rather useless when it comes to support. Son is in college.

So anyway, in course of conversation, I asked if I could give him some clothes and other stuff. He was eager. And said he would drop by at home after his duty hours to pick them up.This was about a month ago. He hasn’t turned up.   But I see him every day, even chat, but nary a word on picking up that stuff. Now you might ask me, why not remind him? And you know the answer. I won’t remind. So – even if I want to give, the recipient must be ready to accept no?

The good news is there are lots of other recipients! It is not lightly said that when one door closes, another opens.

Hmm. By the way, the “elip” days are here, too. Challenge days with the bananas – the poor things’ skin turns black quickly and the top shrivels – so we can’t peel them off. I cut the tops off and find that the fruit is as good as new. Talk about outward appearances with a heart of gold. Snicker! But how I miss the paalum pazhamum you made for me all the time! I still make it and enjoy it.

By the way Vidur wrote you a lovely letter the other day. In Tamil. He put it in a plastic sleeve and hid it in his shelf. 🙂

Look! I found this banana art:

So cute no?

I just got my second tumbler of kaapi. I had a lovely dream about you yesterday and woke up laughing. I don’t know where we went but I know we had a great time.

Hugs,Mi! I know you’re an Angel watching over me.