Ina from Adelaide was Manjula’s closest friend., amongst our guests
It was as if there was an essence of MAnjula wafting back here with me, as she regaled me with the stories of the times they’d spent together. More dimensions of my wonderful were revealed.
They’d sometimes, maybe usually arrange for Ina to visit when I was away.
I can’t think why.
After first visiting in 2014 she was back in 2015, shortly after we got engaged and then each year with breaks solely due to the pandemic.
In 2018 we had a great time (yes I was allowed to be here) celebrating Manjula’s 45th birthday, also hosting our first ‘ workawayer ‘ Willian from Brazil.
During this visit which lasted two months! The longest ever. 👍🏽🤔🤭🙂
We went to a traditional dance to share with MAnjula. Then made a special celebration of Manjula’s Birthday as Ina had missed our big event in August on her birthday itself.
Helped out with the kittens
Led Lucie astray.
… revisited places on Srirangaptnam close to MAnjula and I, that had featured in our wedding.
Ina together with reading ‘a pocketful of happiness’ by Richard E Grant has helped me realise — as oddball in Kelly’s Heroes would say: “less of those negative waves man,” —- that I’ve allowed the grief gravy to engulf me leaving angry bitter negativeness in its forever trail.
So I’m going to sort it and get myself back on track to rewrite our story with one or two innovative tweaks.
Ina’s farewell note:
Stephen having Manjula in my life was one of the best things that happened to me, I still think of her a lot and she continues to be a great inspiration.
Tears again
Thoughtful as ever. She even finds time to wash and leave behind clothes as bedding for the kits.
Lucie is exhausted after reading too many of the children’s books in manjula’s library. Some of our favourite authors are Oliver Jeffers, Neil Gaiman, Michael Foreman.
Interested? Contact Stephen, Sowbaghya or Survesh tours@mycycle.co
Lucie is increasingly impatient and frustrated while waiting for me to find my specs, mask, hat, her lead and then all jobs that meed to be done before we get out of the door onto a walk….. four times a day. I can feel her telepathic shouting AT LAST when we do eventually: ‘leave the premises.’
But I noticed today it’s catching. She stopped at the top of the stairs and before descending looked through the doorway into the library and then to me as if to say ‘have you checked the balcony door is closed?’
Just as Manjula would insist to stop the monkeys getting in.
Sowbhagya prepares the house, the Pooja room And finally all the Gods and Goddesses including MAnjula get a turn with a agarbati and flaming camphorLucie is sad, as she probably misses MAnjula doing the puja rituals.
It’s times like this we miss our closest. It’s also why they also remember us and send a love message.
This time the messenger came to my bedroom window. It’s probably why I felt out of sorts this morning.
We went to the vets again today as Lucie was sick a few times last week.
She loves her trips out in auto and ambassador.
She has problems with her liver and kidneys maybe due to Tick Fever she caught a year ago.
It’s a chronic condition, just medication to help her organs function but not cure.
It’s very serious.
We stocked up on specialist renal diet from Austria (!) and now two drugs, probiotics and two vitamins. It’s not cheap but who cares? I’ve been here before.
It’s been a difficult few years.
The ox fell off and lost his horns. But let’s no loose sight of the positive. The Bul Bul returns. This is the fourth time a Bul Bul has nested here. First on the roof, next on the middle level, then in the drive and now in our back yard. This made MAnjula so happy.