Lalith Mahal Hotel

Stefan from Germany asked how often I visit this hotel.

Less than 30 mins walk from mysore BnB it’s an obvious place to walk Lucie and drop in for a drink.

What a bunch

It’s a wonderful place.

Fact is it’s infrequently that I visit

When guests are into the idea and I show the way, and Lucie appreciates the walk.

But what a fab place.

The car returns in bits.

The velvet padded roof from inside has been retained and brought back home. Later we’ll decide if it can be repaired and used.

The seats, floor covers, windows, window mechanisms are all now here, so they’re less likely to get lost or damaged.

Our new team member, whose team will do the work, seems detailed enough, checking each step of the way. The carburettor needs replacing, the battery will be shifted as part of installing disc brakes.

Duty Done

Not satisfied with one, here’s number two

Kaveri and I appearing yet again.

Her alter ego altered from Christmas girl to Elfie.

This time for the 100 children at her school Kaliyuvamane.

Elfie leaped ahead, to translate the mumbles of Santa to explain the most important gift we can give is at no cost, which is to care and be kind.

We jointly prepared 100 bags of sweets for the students.

A great opportunity to apply the times tables (bits of them anyway) working out systems to fill them, fold them, then pile and pack them.

Adam Smith would have been proud of our ingenuity and innovation.

A combo of system, specialism and adaptability. Ok it’s small and simple but helped me realise —- Doing projects is the learning way forward.

So I could explain that there are thousands of us helping share his caring message, as there’s too many daytime events for him to get round them all, all at once. I’ve never met him I just get requests to appear so I don’t know if he’s real or not.

Don’t ask me how he manages go fill so many stockings in one night.

As Kaveri doesn’t get a holiday from school our Christmas Day is postponed to New Year’s Eve, when she’ll be on Sunday holiday. Coincidentally it’s someone else’s birthday.

A new career begins

I’m helping out at Kaliyuvamane, the alternative ‘free’ school where Kaveri attends.

Our morning session with members of the teaching team

Then I was hijacked by Kaveri and some of her classmates

to cover a lesson as their teacher was on leave

Did someone set me up?🤭🤔🤪

It was an education! To put it mildly. I now promise to properly prepare for when a similar situation arises again.

I’ve facilitated workshops for adults for many years — that’s nothing compared to working with young people.

I realise what a challenging job the teachers have and how difficult it is to make a class interesting and responsive to the diverse needs of the students. ….. as a one off, let alone day-in-day-out!!!

Well done all.

It was a fab day, helping me realise I’m right to support Kaveri and now the school itself to meet the needs of 100 children.

All in Manjula’s name

Great conversations.

I collected Kav from school to visit the dentist, followed by a treat and a shopping trip.

I have no control

I love our conversations. Her English is developing at a pace.

This week we discussed: ‘I’m being positive not negative’. I’m not sure where that came from — probably from one of mother hen nags.

Separately.. Coming of age, old man (grandad/dad) ‘going round the houses’ eggs, mammals, babies, pregnancy, (not too much detail mind) eventually using the local term ‘date’ only for madam to say: ‘you mean period.’ I’ve so much to learn

Careless treeless.

When is someone going to get a grip and do something about the wanton destruction of our wonderful trees?

We’ll regret it but by then it will be too late.

This teams job is to trim trees but were stopped removing it. The house owner needs some advice to check that the tree roots are not irreparably damaging his house beyond his driveway.

If we get it wrong people die and trees are unnecessarily destroyed.

Unfortunate tragedies like this are used as grounds to destroy perfectly healthy trees

What’s the answer?

Specialist advice?

Education of the benefits of retaining trees.

Tree protection?