I’m in tears as I prepare to walk to the photo shop. Sowbaghya and I have sorted through many photos
We want photos for outside the house and the planned puja — as many people are asking where’s Lucie?
As I set out I pass her leads and then notice her water needs filling.
My dear Lucie.
We met when someone had dumped you, your brother and sister at the end of our street.
We’ve had so much fun together. Almost from the very first moment I came to live in Mysore.
It didn’t take long for you to realise where the kindly Firangi, — who fixed your skin problems and regularly fed you — came from, so you all followed.
The man who lived downstairs was less keen on the black — India street dog and her siblings— setting up home under our tree. This was… Exactly where you came to rest on Saturday when you were feeling ill and went back to that same tree.
We’d chase and roll around in the park, with Vis another street dog becoming a friend.
In time I found homes for your brother and sister. You had the op at People for Animals, with a neat ‘bite’ taken out of your ear so you wouldn’t be re-captured and spayed again. (When I first visited India I wondered why many street dogs had a bite taken out of an ear. — it wasn’t another dog! ) 🤭
You became part of our wonderful family
Whenever neighbours saw me without you, they’d want know where you were. I even went to a hotel miles away on the other side of the city where a waiter asked where you were! He also lived in Siddarthanagar
It’s not surprising that you were so well known as we walked through the layout four times every day.
Now I have to go to the bakery, cafe and chai shop on my own.
When Manjula’s spirit moved on we had a lovely portrait painted of you both
I miss you both so much, hope you find each other, in your new lives. I’ll catch up with you eventually but in the meantime, I’ll now introduce you and share you both with even more people.
Friends from around the world are sending their love and sharing their memories.
Billet-Doux is still looking for you here and expects our walk last thing at night with the owl flitting above us
Missing you. Our life was ….
What a Wonderful family and friends we had. .
Until the next time
love
from us all and especially Sowbaghya, Billet-Doux, Kaveri, and Stephen.
Last Sunday was already busy.
The BnB was full.
Two sets of guests leaving and two more arriving. Four of us visiting Kaveri’s school for the republic day celebrations.
Kaveri was superb as the narrator of the skit.. surely a coincidence that it had a demo against the English, demanding they leave the country.
🤪🤔🤭
Of course it was.
It was not to be a quiet day.
Mailis kindly agreed to go with our driver Akram to take Lucie to the vet hospital, whilst I fulfilled my Kaveri duty.
…
Lucie has attended daily for the past week to be put on a drip (clean out her kidneys?) and be pumped full of drugs. It was worth a try but it’s not made much difference and then on the Saturday evening she seemed far far worse. She had difficulty standing or walking or did endless turns to lower herself and sit down. She even slipped out of the house and through the gate, which has not been allowed for some time now.
I looked all over to for her. Eventually finding her at the front of the house, beneath our lovely tree on a pile of leaves.
Exactly the sort of tree that MAnjula imagined being reincarnated as, because it sheltered and supported people.
She was always — attentive, present and above all — kind
I expect it was looking for the comfort that attracted Lucie but I imagine her collapsing as she’d lost the energy to do much else. She knew and had gone to ground.
And … Manjula continues to support us all.
…
I thought I just heard Lucie clicking as she dragged herself up the stairs.
Not to be.
I explained to Kaveri that her good friend was finding life too much. I left her in tears — but comforted by each other —-at the end of her star performance
We grow closer with every shared experience
I leave for Leela the animal hospital. Madan, the founder reveals that we could continue to wash out her kidney (or liver? I’m already in a daze) but that seems pointless. He’s being kind.
It’s time.
She’s even had a couple of fits.
I sign the document. I continue to hold and comfort her. I want to be with her as it’s best. She relaxes and her eyes glaze.
Goodbye my precious friend.
It’s been a year since she’s found the stairs a little challenging. I would joke about installing a stair-lift! — we’d worked it out, but for no longer.
…
We all have to adjust, again
Sun 26 Jan
I get home to less.
An abnormal day, amongst the multitude of such days.
But today another family member departed
As I returned home I slowly realised Lucie would not be here to greet me.
Sowbaghya had earlier invited our team to pay their respects and fill the house with love, as Lucie began to reach her last legs. This was, while I was being an attentive ‘parent’ to Kaveri at her school.
That’s two.
I’m missing too much …
… there’s a gap which far exceeds their size. Their imprint is ginormous
Radhika was 17 this week so with Kaveri back for a skating race we made Sunday into an extra celebration.
Happy Birthday
Radhika B Radical
Kaveri grows fast.
It started out as a joke.
Manjula complained about me filling the house with art and books —- and we were running out of space.
She decided that when I was seventy-five (that’s right, i’m —not yet) and stopped leading MYcycle tours (big assumption there) we’d open the house as a library.
In her memory I closed one of the bedrooms to reopen it as ‘Manjula’s Library’
There’s now hundreds of fiction and non-fiction books in English, including those about education, India, history, philosophy, for adults and children.
It’s an idiosyncratic mix already used by our guests, the members of ‘reflective space’ and the time I spend with young people.
My own favourites are the picture books.
It changes by the day ….
… check out the new arrivals.
Yes, it’s not JUST books, we now have a selection of cool badges.
Well if ‘last’ years birthday is anything to go by I’ve fully localised.
31st December can seem a weird day for a birthday. Or maybe not.
Endings and beginnings
There’s always multiple celebrations
It was wonderful.
A steady stream of lovely friends making it a day to remember.
Plus my girls were here (kaveri and Radhika) having missed Christmas together, we shifted Christmas to the morning and began my birthday at noon 12.35 sharp 🤭
and Rinkal and Sheetal are seriously becoming an integral part of the team. Welcome to you.
Next morning
Happy New Year.
Me and MYCycle 