Tag: family

New friends, which name?

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People for Animals appealed for people to adopt their rescue dogs

We know PFA from when Lucie was a pup. They spayed her and made the tell tale notch in her ear so she wouldn’t be picked up in the street and operated on again.

We chose two new friends

and appeared in the ‘Star of Mysore’

But what should we call them?

….

We’ve had the following suggestions. (Some more than once)

Ging (Ginj)

Luce (Luca)

Edwina (teddy bear)

Kappu 

Shunti 

Ginger (Rogers)

Fred (Astaire)

Inji (ginger)

Kari (black)

Tom

Hebden and Bridget ( a play on Hebden Bridge, where I’m from in the UK)

Amy and Vince (amor vincit omnia)

Blackie and Cinnamon

Black and Decker 

Karrupa or Karuppan

Inji —- Together becoming …. Karrupinji 

Pepper and Paprika. 

Black and Tan 

Ranelot and Bufolet 

(french children’s book names for Frog and Toad) 

Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont

(from Dangerous Liaisons to match Billet-Doux, our cat’s name)

Paddington 

Spike 

Summer

Shadow

Biscuit

Cheech and Chong

Luca

Lucia

Babu and Bibi 

Ping and Pong

Jean-Philippe and Marie-Chantal .

ginger

Venus and Pluto

Bingo 

Tofo

Coco

Tango

Momo

Milti

Millu

Broono

Blacky

Browny 

Pancho

Jasmine

…

Thanks for your thoughtful suggestions

If there’s any strong favourites, let me know.

I’ll discuss with Captain Kaveri, ably assisted by General SB 

Update on names

Luca (Lucka)

Tom

….

Jasmine (jas)

Gingee, Shingee or a variation.

More clutter?

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Of course not 🤔🤭🤫

I bought the moon, water (aka as Earth) and sun a few years ago from Etsy.
Since then I’ve been looking for the full family group, to make my imagined set. It’s small but to get them all together and with such detail, particularly on their faces, is great

They’re for use as props for an adapted story.

I’ll adapt another tale with this Ashoka Column. An unplanned purchase.

The storyteller in me is happy, as is the shopper and the gatherer of clutter.

More to come ..

Our special friend

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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

Our friendly owl

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. 

Farewell Lucie

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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. 

and singing

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

Slow realisation

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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

Let them eat cake

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The third cake saw the gang celebrating Manjula’s birthday at a Mysore micro brewery.

Maria can’t believe we’ve devoured so much cake.

We continue to celebrate Manjula’s birthday for a whole week and onwards.

and recognise our support for our Tibetan friends through decorating our house

The family grows

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No not (just) the car.

It’s important to recognise and realise how much my adopted family here in India as helped me survive the most difficult years in my life.

Sowbaghya is so critical to my life here in Mysore

She’s project managed and coordinated the rejuvenation of the radical red, that is now attention seeking in and around Mysore and Srirangaptnam

That’s the tip of the mountain of help she has been.

Sowbaghya is important to me and has kept me and the business going.

Thank you Sowbaghya for all your help.

I firmly believe that grief is always with us but becomes more manageable as we fill the space around it with important valued people and ‘things’ we do.

The next member of the family, everyone knows, the irrepressible Kaveri. Grief manager extraordinaire.

I can’t begin to list what she does for me.

She makes me smile (and cry.)

She’s cool.

She’s a big thing.

Our mini team is complete with Kaveri’s ‘sister’ Radhika, a wonderful young woman.

I look forward to witnessing her develop and we growing together through the years.

Oh ….. Trishalla and Eregowda, have been a great support through difficult and remembering times, you’ll have to wait to see where that leads.

A special mention for: Sarvesh, Vasanth, Satish, Tanuja and their families.

We’ve all worked together to cherish and continue Manjula’s radiance through our projects: events, school, community meals, creativity days, supporting Kaveri, and making Manjula’s garden in the park.

Not to forget our guests who have become family and my very own DNA family folks in the U.K. and Canada

Ina, our every-year guest who was a big buddy of MAnjula and now me, in front of the banner created by other guests.

There’s not only humans in my family…

You know who you are.

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Friends, Romans, Countrymen .

Welcome

No it’s not another posting about Shakespeare or Caesar —- it’s about a different inspiration —-

Manjula

As we approach the anniversary of Manjula’s partial departure five years ago (she is of course very much with us) I want to remember her beautiful wonderfulness and recall the good we’ve done together, in her name.

And so it’s also about you: ‘Manjula’s Kind’ friends who have given cash or help-in-kind or moral support to help me through the grief gravy and to take action.

Amongst these are (please follow the links for more information):

– granite benches and garden in our nearby park in Siddarthanagar in partnership with the MCC

-creativity days for 40 visually impaired young women, 

– five events/workshops at Kaliyuvamane, (a ‘free/alternative school) for 100 children, there’s many mentions on our sites, here’s two … 1 and 2

One of our creativity days, this one facilitated by Antoinette.

– sponsoring a young girl who now attends Kaliyuvamane. The famous Kaveri who’s peppered throughout our sites and dominates my life.

– donating cycles

And many more actions 

Thank you so much

Stephen

With Manjula

Weekend visitor

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Fourteen hours continuous sleep

After a busy Saturday providing drink, snacks and art at a Padma farm event as member of a team of students from Kaliyuvamane.

Waking to breakfast with our guests from Switzerland

Even earlier, in the morning, Sarvesh had facilitated a meeting between me and Chandrika, Kaveri’s mum to try get her -back on track- to keep Kaveri at the school.

Fingers crossed we’re getting there.

The absolute helpful stars being Radhika,

Kaveri with grandfather, grandmother and Radhika.

who Kaveri calls her sister (actually Auntie and a wonderful friend to us all), and Sarvesh

Saying farewell to Amanda from Switzerland.

Next grandmother travels by bus across city and takes her shopping.

And finally Anni becomes hair stylist.

It feels like I’ve seen Kaveri for about five minutes this weekend (as she falls asleep again in my lap when we go back to school in the auto) but I’m happy that she’s had a great time.

She joins the pantheon of stars in my life.

The brightest star at our first wedding anniversary.