Just Do It

I imagined you said that, and did. What, you ask?

Eat oranges.

Yes, I am actually enjoying oranges almost every day. Until, of course someone says it is not good for me. These days, as soon as Vidur and I return from our walk, we wash our feet and hands and settle down together, sometimes joined by Sury to have an orange party. Discussing tastes – since each orange tastes different. Recalling old memories.

Remember how we used to buy a big basket of oranges for Rs.6 a kilo during those summer months and literally finish it off in a day or two? Well, the price may have gone up by ten times, but the oranges continue to be loved. I am glad Vidur enjoys them. I secretly feel it is sacrilege to eat oranges without you!

Summer also makes me think of those long afternoons when all of us at home would sit in a circle with some newspapers spread at the center to collect the seeds, our cache of sitaphals next to us and gorging on the fruit. What wonderful ways to pass the time. Power cuts would follow in the evening and we’d hang around near the portico and sing songs. We would always wonder – what was it about darkness that made us speak louder and sing.

The other day, when we saw the full moon, looking like a massive silver platter, I was telling Vidur how, when he was little, we would eat in the moonlight. He doesn’t remember. Then we decided we should do it again one of these days.

I promised to make besan halwa for him last week, but Ugadi intervened and we went with our family paruppu payasam instead. Much enjoyed by both of them. I had a spoonful and felt super-guilty. Silly, I know…but you know how it is. Sh*t scared of upsetting the balance now.

By the way, we went book shopping for Vidur’s 12th std. I felt so sad to think this might possibly be the last year when we cover his books in brown paper. So we just did it, again reminiscing over past years. Oh, I remember how we were all sitting together and chatting while I covered his 1st standard books. Then, after I stuck the labels on the books, marveling how we didn’t have to deal with messy gum, thanks to the sticker-type labels, I methodically wrote Vidya Sury on all the labels..until Gopmama noticed and laughed his head off. So I stuck another round of labels on all the books! And you’all never let me forget it!

Can you believe how the time has gone by? Seems like yesterday when he was trotting along by our side to the 1st std! Hmm.

Incidentally, after the book shopping we came back home via that Namdhari and I got a packet of green fresno chilies. So another round of homemade jalapenos for Vidur! I also got a couple of cute butternut squashes. I don’t have the heart to cut them now. Last time I got a big one and kept cuddling it – it was just like holding a little baby! This time, I was stunned to see the two little ones.

Cute, aren’t they? I am planning to roast one. Oh gosh, it makes me feel like a meanie to even say that! I also have a disco pumpkin.

I always have the vision of a tiny Vidur making off with it under his arm with a security guard in close pursuit. Although, come to think of it, what kind of guard who can’t keep up with a running three-year old, eh?

Oh well. Memories, memories. Hmm.

Life goes on, eh?

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