Category: our friends

Anjali gets married.

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Since Punith introduced us I’ve realised how much Anjali is a real star

She got married today. Every wedding is same but different, down to caste, experience, attitude and get-on-ableness of the generations, so it’s not unlike absolutely everything else in consistently inconsistent India.

Even in the midst of planning a wedding and balancing the interests/preferences of in and out laws Anjali was instrumental in making our creativity day for the children at Kaliyuvamane.

Thoughtful dad.

There was a great mix of people and more recently found great friends.

They were obviously also having fun

Guess which twit forgot to put his kurta on?

Congratulations to Anjali Sakleshpur and Veethahavya Kootanoor Sheshadrivasan

Any ideas why we share our home?

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You’d be correct in assuming it’s to celebrate MAnjula and help more people meet her.

It’s also ..

.. because it’s life affirming and fun.

… meeting new lovely lively people,

what’s not to like?

Thank you to our latest new friends from near Barcelona (one of my favourite cities) for spending time here and we getting to know you….

… that’s Martina, Jana, Marta and Angel

Jana created a lovely image and wrote a beautiful message, for me. Fab!
I’ll need to learn Spanish. Those who know me, realise I’m ace at languages! 🤪

My Indian sister.

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Radhika called round with a gift

It’s a special day (Raksha Bandhan) when sisters give a bracelet known as a Rakhi

It symbolises brotherly love and a promise of protection, bringing good fortune.

I broke my no-sweet-things rule.

Radhika is Kaveri’s auntie but they’re really like sisters.

I’ve got to know Radhika quite well over the past year, especially during the school holiday when she came with Kaveri and I for swimming, skating and often stayed at the BnB.

Fresh from swimming

We’ve all been on holiday together to Kerala. Twelve of us, the first time and we’ll return in October with Kaveri, her mum Chandrika and Radhika. .

Radhika’s real brother gave her a giant pink teddy that’s now moved in here.

Radhika passed her exam this year, got a high-scorer award and is now at PUC- Pre-University College.

Award winner.
Saree gift from me on Lakshmi’s big day
I’ve also promised to help and protect as her ‘godfather’.

WOMAD.

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The world music festival in south England

There’s a group of us that meets and camps together each year. Sharing cooking and news of our lives, supporting each other.

WOMAD 2023

Some of the same group eighteen years before… on the front row from left … youngest son Oliver, me, friend Louise, Liz mum of my boys, Ben, my eldest.
July 2023
My son Oliver was visiting from Canada with his partner Rachel. Wonderful and rare opportunity to catch up.
It often gets muddy
This year I’ve been fortunate to meet a few friends, who are previous guests at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.

We’ve lost two from our group that’s MAnjula and Peter but they’re still in all our hearts.

‘Til later…

Manjula after cooking one of her gorgeous meals and overcome by the appreciation from our group. Wonderful memories from 2016 and 2017
There’s always time for new friends and stories.
Cool things to buy for the forever shopper. You’ll see this and similar around, as they’re significant.

Manjula’s Library

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Somewhere to stop, read, reflect and remember.

The opportunities are not only in the library itself, but every space in and around our house offers a place for quiet reflection or when it’s not so quiet, meeting old and making new friends.

Join our family, including the birds attracted to the greenery bursting from our house, our pets… Lucie, billet-doux and

…. our garden.

Originally in pots on our roof, it’s now shifted to the park opposite with granite benches or hammocks available from the house.

Please come and enjoy.

Have we got it right? As in this article on how to nurture a personal library, “according to Cicero, if you have a library and a garden, you have everything you need.”

Vancouver Island

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I’m visiting one of the Sari Sisters, a group of women cyclists from Vancouver Island.

Thank you Lise

They came to India stayed with us and cycled from Mysore to Cochin.

This is my third visit. Lise and Michael kindly ‘put me up’

And Michael and Benson.

I’ve had a wonderful few days exploring Victoria, the capital of BC and cycling along the Galloping Goose Trail.

Victoria and the island (as long as England!) is a great place

Appreciating difference.
Guess who’s is the biggest?

Cyclists are catered for with cycle routes, great maps, considerate drivers and safe secure places to leave your cycle

With random deer, not cows.

Great places to eat.
Subtle reminders of troubles elsewhere

Trixie was with me all the way.

Making Connections

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Meeting people, making new and celebrating old friends is what it’s about.

We’ve missed that over the past two years but things are changing.

This lovely family who look after a construction site, live over the other side of our park and have become good friends.

Their teenage daughter Radhika is dressed up for ethnic day at school.

Occasionally the bundle of fun, Kaveri, their granddaughter, also visits from the other side of Mysore and brightens our lives.

We look forward to more ….

A visit to Kannur

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I’m sitting with Lucie in our room, at Chera Rocks, which opens directly onto the beach.

It’s been another hot day which cools slightly as we pass 4 0’clock.

We have been visiting our wonderful friends Sally and Shabaz, before Eastenders Sally sadly returns to the U.K.

Together we’ve retraced Manjula and my steps during previous holidays, including Manjula’s deep desire 😉 to visit the drive-on-beach.

Just Walking on the drive-on-beach.
Making New friends

This morning Sally and I walked along the beaches to visit Rosie and Nazir of Kannur Beach House and share my photos of Manjula.

Rosie, Nazir and their family became good friends after we visited many times.

Manjula and I in Kannur to celebrated our engagement in 2015

Manjula’s look of absolute bliss laying on the beach by Kannur Beach House on that first holiday together.
Our very last trip exactly three years ago, shortly before she died, here we’re catching up with Rosie and Nazir.
with me in many ways

It’s time for a last swim. We return to Mysore tomorrow.

We’ve bonded on this trip after I’d been away for almost three months

We did it, followed by a shared shower, Lucie thinks it was all too much. She waits until carefully positioned next to cascade her water drops on my clothes and bag. Ha bloody ha …

and a final walk before dinner.