Our refrigerator finally departs. It was 26! It was a garish muroon or I think magenta. It was a shade I cannot name.It got that color because our kitchen has pink tiles and mom thought the contrast was good. Mom thinking about colors and how they will compliment each other was surprising enough. In my family, homes were only required to be warm, welcoming happy places. Colors and interiors werent thought as adding to the appeal of a house. The fridge ( I am now regretting not having a name for it ) was less than 5 feet high. It is the only one my house has seen and I saw until I moved out. We had it when I could barely walk. It was there when I started school. Mom would place our tiffins on it and I couldn't reach up to collect mine. Top of the fridge was a mysterious place on which a lot of things lay. It was mysterious by virtue of being inaccessible. We had it when I grew as tall as it. We had it till I could finally stand, my elbow resting on its top, chatting up with mom. We had it till I didnt have to peer upwards once I opened it. I had to bend down to peek! We had it for a quarter century and little more.During exams, last minute cramming would happen with me resting my back against it. Morning tea before I left for college each day would happen there as well. If it wasn't mom, it was the fridge we turned to for food. It always had something. It was well-behaved. I mentally go over all the "things" in my house. My house is the " HOUSE family head" and the fridge was one of the family members. It was 26. The sofas are 22 years old. The living room "showcase" is 23 years old. The black table is 26 years or more! The tiny stool is 27 years old. The kitchen cabinet is 20! The washing machine is 20 years old too! This house aint no home without them members.Me and my blog pay homage to my fridge that went without a name. I have busied myself naming the others.
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
In My BAlcOny's ShoEs
Wooden shoes hardly seem like a great idea for one's feet. A few thousand people in and around Holland continue to wear them regularly. These are people who work in swampy grounds and in farms. Needless to say, these shoes offer protection. I can picture myself wearing wooden shoes, trudging through swampy farms and I wonder how much strength it would take for me to pull my foot out of the mud, LIFT IT up, not leaving the wooden shoe stuck in the swamp and take the next step forward. I think I can imagine what this guy from STOMP featured in the brand ID film for Dolby
( played before many movies in most theatres ), walking on painted black drums must feel. Now, THAT is a guy who would want to be in someone else's shoes!
While in Amsterdam, a bright idea struck! Today the idea stands "acted on", has seen the light of day and makes us immensely proud! We paid a a bomb buying 4 large-sized wooden shoes from a shoe factory. With no heed to how they might be packed in suitcases bursting at the seams and the weight they shall add to our baggage! I am glad we didnt think much.
This is what we have done with the shoes.....They are now in my balcony....and it is the prettiest change in our house this Diwali!
As of today morning, each of them plants in each of those shoes has pink, yellow, white and orange blossoms. It was the FIRST time I wished someone (HAS to be a kind soul, or someone who CANT say NO ) was going to Amsterdam and I could ask for 4 more shoes! I am on the lookout.
This Diwali, my Balcony found its shoes :)
( played before many movies in most theatres ), walking on painted black drums must feel. Now, THAT is a guy who would want to be in someone else's shoes!
While in Amsterdam, a bright idea struck! Today the idea stands "acted on", has seen the light of day and makes us immensely proud! We paid a a bomb buying 4 large-sized wooden shoes from a shoe factory. With no heed to how they might be packed in suitcases bursting at the seams and the weight they shall add to our baggage! I am glad we didnt think much.
This is what we have done with the shoes.....They are now in my balcony....and it is the prettiest change in our house this Diwali!
As of today morning, each of them plants in each of those shoes has pink, yellow, white and orange blossoms. It was the FIRST time I wished someone (HAS to be a kind soul, or someone who CANT say NO ) was going to Amsterdam and I could ask for 4 more shoes! I am on the lookout.
This Diwali, my Balcony found its shoes :)
Monday, July 21, 2008
CRowFeLLOw
Visited Thane after lectures on Thursday. Walked it up from class to Mulund station. Got into a running train...those things pick up speed mighty fast! Note made to self: Do not repeat behavior. Shall not be! Walked from Thane station to home. Discovered that a very old and frequently taken lane from station to home no longer existed! They have demolished the buildings lining it, filling up the lane with rubble. So no lane. I walked to it, wondering where it had disappeared looking for familiar buildings and landmarks until I realized the buildings were gone and so had the lane. A helpful soul enquired "kidhar jaana hai?" to add to the feeling of "I have been out of touch with Thane". Pch! Kidhar jaana hai my foot...in a place where I lived for 24 years! Grrr...
Visit to Thane serves a lot of points. Discovering lost lanes or lanes that are now lost amidst other things. That day the point was LUNCH! Aai rolled out hot chapatis while i sat on the floor my back rested against the refrigerator. The only one we have had, the only one that the house has seen. It has been 27 years :) Point of being in Thane was lunch and that day's lunch has given this post a point! As aai started with her second chapati, the crow came. For how many years do we have him visiting us now? She takes a while to think, gives up rolling rotis, turns to face me, head tilted to one side, squinting, wiping the beads of sweat with the back of one hand while holding the latna (belan) in one and says.... 5! Now that is a very long time i say to myself. This crow has been a part of my mother's life for 5 years now. I was wondering how long they lived these crows and how many more years will he visit us. The first time he came, aai says, It was raining and I could see he was wet and cold. I gave him a few soggy Marie biscuits which he ate happily. Since then his visits started! He comes everyday, somewhere in the afternoon, yes, around this time. Having said that aai looks at my empty plate and gets back to rolling rotis. Aai isnt always in the kitchen. Sometimes napping in the bedroom or watching television in the living. The dear crow would create a ruccous calling out to her through the kitchen window. He gradually learnt to go near the balcony if she was in the living or the bedroom window if she was napping. He demanded food! Woken up by his constant cawing / crowing one day, mom looked for Marie biscuits and couldn't find any. There were bourbons though. She opened a fresh pack and gave him two! THAT was the day the crow stopped eating Marie. He gave his opinion on which was the better biscuit. He would ONLY touch Bourbons after that day. No amount of Maries would stop the crowing / cawing. Only Bourbons would! Our household stopped seeing an inflow of Maries and Bourbons could be found anytime...all the time. Soggy Bourbons were not frowned upon anymore! They had an unfailing demand.
That day, mom was rolling out rotis, i waited for more and so did he! He only wants garam garam rotis nowadays this fellow. So Jamna, this one i have rolled out is for him! You get the one after this ok? What is next aai, garam rotis with ghee for the cawing / crowing glutton? Elaborate Thali spread? I couldnt help smiling...aai and her ways :) Her occassional glances at the window at lunch time, her rolling out of that extra chapati...for whenever the fellow comes...her references to him! Dad being a willing helper....Aye, here he is the crow. Come fast and give him the chapati! Dad does not bother himself with serving the crow, he is most likely to frighten it away for life. Mom has even asked him to inform her in hushed tones and not yell in his stentorian voice!
Mangal, the maid ( with us now for 17 years ) says its the soul of a departed beloved. Mom rolls rotis, Mangal keeps a pela of water!
I LOVE Thane house and the way life goes on there, everyday.
Visit to Thane serves a lot of points. Discovering lost lanes or lanes that are now lost amidst other things. That day the point was LUNCH! Aai rolled out hot chapatis while i sat on the floor my back rested against the refrigerator. The only one we have had, the only one that the house has seen. It has been 27 years :) Point of being in Thane was lunch and that day's lunch has given this post a point! As aai started with her second chapati, the crow came. For how many years do we have him visiting us now? She takes a while to think, gives up rolling rotis, turns to face me, head tilted to one side, squinting, wiping the beads of sweat with the back of one hand while holding the latna (belan) in one and says.... 5! Now that is a very long time i say to myself. This crow has been a part of my mother's life for 5 years now. I was wondering how long they lived these crows and how many more years will he visit us. The first time he came, aai says, It was raining and I could see he was wet and cold. I gave him a few soggy Marie biscuits which he ate happily. Since then his visits started! He comes everyday, somewhere in the afternoon, yes, around this time. Having said that aai looks at my empty plate and gets back to rolling rotis. Aai isnt always in the kitchen. Sometimes napping in the bedroom or watching television in the living. The dear crow would create a ruccous calling out to her through the kitchen window. He gradually learnt to go near the balcony if she was in the living or the bedroom window if she was napping. He demanded food! Woken up by his constant cawing / crowing one day, mom looked for Marie biscuits and couldn't find any. There were bourbons though. She opened a fresh pack and gave him two! THAT was the day the crow stopped eating Marie. He gave his opinion on which was the better biscuit. He would ONLY touch Bourbons after that day. No amount of Maries would stop the crowing / cawing. Only Bourbons would! Our household stopped seeing an inflow of Maries and Bourbons could be found anytime...all the time. Soggy Bourbons were not frowned upon anymore! They had an unfailing demand.
That day, mom was rolling out rotis, i waited for more and so did he! He only wants garam garam rotis nowadays this fellow. So Jamna, this one i have rolled out is for him! You get the one after this ok? What is next aai, garam rotis with ghee for the cawing / crowing glutton? Elaborate Thali spread? I couldnt help smiling...aai and her ways :) Her occassional glances at the window at lunch time, her rolling out of that extra chapati...for whenever the fellow comes...her references to him! Dad being a willing helper....Aye, here he is the crow. Come fast and give him the chapati! Dad does not bother himself with serving the crow, he is most likely to frighten it away for life. Mom has even asked him to inform her in hushed tones and not yell in his stentorian voice!
Mangal, the maid ( with us now for 17 years ) says its the soul of a departed beloved. Mom rolls rotis, Mangal keeps a pela of water!
I LOVE Thane house and the way life goes on there, everyday.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
PoWErLess
I spent the week before last getting security alarms fixed at home.
My washing machine conked off the very next day! Still getting it fixed.
Microwave went dead that night! Ditto!
The guestroom tubelight doesnt light up anymore! How to get that fixed now???
Phone's playback stopped. Not playing. No energy to get that fixed.
Laptop has become a snail....a snail which is a prototype of all snails! The slowest of all! Not even thinking of getting that fixed.
I am at that stage of wondering.......do electrical appliances communicate with each other through unseen circuits? Do they commmunicate soundlessly, in the form of electric blue jolts passing here and there? The blue streaks visual seems appealing!
Anyways, this is a revolt of its kind! I am "powerless" ;)
And this is why i love my blogspace! I smile irrespective of anything ;)
Hmmm.........I still hav my sun and my sunshine :)
My washing machine conked off the very next day! Still getting it fixed.
Microwave went dead that night! Ditto!
The guestroom tubelight doesnt light up anymore! How to get that fixed now???
Phone's playback stopped. Not playing. No energy to get that fixed.
Laptop has become a snail....a snail which is a prototype of all snails! The slowest of all! Not even thinking of getting that fixed.
I am at that stage of wondering.......do electrical appliances communicate with each other through unseen circuits? Do they commmunicate soundlessly, in the form of electric blue jolts passing here and there? The blue streaks visual seems appealing!
Anyways, this is a revolt of its kind! I am "powerless" ;)
And this is why i love my blogspace! I smile irrespective of anything ;)
Hmmm.........I still hav my sun and my sunshine :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)