SB was all prepared for todays big puja.
After our ‘family’ weekend, that’s Me with the girls…. Kaveri, her mum Chandrika, sister (aka auntie) Radikha together with Lucie at Chera Rocks in Kannur,
We introduced body boards to the beach, work and play. A fun weekend together.
Goats surf the net to find scrumptious garden.
One or two we can tolerate. But a whole bunch aka tribe, trip or flock munching on Manjula’s garden is a bite too far.
I don’t know how they found the garden or got inside. Maybe they did find it on the net or the two that found it last week, passed the message on.
They were chased out of town (ok the garden) with my big stick and shrill whistle. They conveniently led me straight to the owners.
Who knows how the ‘farmer’ can stop it happening. I’ll use the same aversion therapy if it happens again but I’ll complain to the council/Corporation. Their neighbours know this and have passed it on. Any more problems and they may have to shift them.
As part of this year’s illuminations.
Our house is also full of plants.
The next night in its stormy rain glory.
I’ve just finished reading.
Brian Selznick combines art and words to provide a surprising and insightful story. Strongly recommended
Some might consider them children’s books. If so, this child loves them. we have all his books at Manjula’s Library at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.
I liked it!
Manjula appeared behind my cycle as well as in our hearts on what would have been her 50th birthday.
We celebrated with 100 children at Kaliyuvamane
Today I brought her home.
We cycled through the countryside, along the national highway, through the suburbs and on my cycle route around Chamundi Hill.
Stopping to chat as people wondered what it was all about.
It’s about our love and her kindness
… and now we’re back home at Manjula’s Garden
Manjula once told me that she wished to be reincarnated as a tree
This book reminded me of that
So if you ever see me talking to a tree….
You know.
… her, as she’s back at school
A nine year old and a sixty six year old being together for over two months is a wonderful mix of experiences and emotions.
At times it’s been a challenge but wouldn’t change it…
On the way to school she asked if I’d visit this Sunday; within minutes — after being greeted by friends — it had changed to ‘a’ Sunday.
I will visit this Sunday and exchange pictures.
Here’s mine.
Thank you Kaveri for being you and invading my life.
Poor Sowbaghya has to listen when Lucie has shown me the paw and Billet-Doux treats the place like a hotel.
Are they giving me a not-so-hidden message?
OK, I’ve bored her, explaining how (she knows) I read a lot, so have a broad knowledge (superficial) of many things.
That includes what to do about my current situation.
The problem is : we know stuff but do we act on it? We may have received the information but it’s not sunk in or led to the necessary change.
It’s as if I’m in an automatic Photo Booth that’s lead lined or surrounded by an (iron) curtain that stops the information getting through. I get it but not enough as it does not lead to action.
For example Kanchana gave me the ‘secret’ book and Tom has provided all sorts of positive insights—many others have helped— but it’s not led to the realisation of awareness and ‘action.’
You know the sort of stuff.
Well it began to fall into place this week. The timings right on the fourth anniversary of losing MAnjula
For more than four years there’s been a volcanic reaction, starting with the denial, then the acute shock of loss followed by the slow constant grinding down of grief.
Leading to anger and intolerance, to myself and others. it’s all so wrong… that negativeness is not what MAnjula (aka Full Full) and I are about.
It’s had its ups as well as downs and I’m generally quite robust (or so I thought) but the biggest challenge is the blame, the guilt, the what-ifs, wrapped up in depression. I have the overall feeling that I’ve let Manjula down and now I can’t do anything about it as she’s not physically with me anymore.
But I can …
learn to forgive myself, let the past be there, continue to celebrate MAnjula and as Louise says
“Life is really very simple. What we give out, we get back”
I really believe that but now need to act on it.
I remind Kaveri to ‘be kind’ and I need to listen and act on it myself and with myself
Hay’s book appeared in Manjula’s library, on the 23rd March, a gift from Rakesh
Farrell Factoid
Goes without saying, listening is an integral part of this process. This popped up today.
Fresh from todays Mycycle tour
To art
A critical (focussed on wish fulfilment) part of our growing team set out on a search today
Satish was captain, Sowbaghya was translator-leader-investigator, Stephen was only half there.
Behind the scenes were Sarvesh (the facilitator) and Radhika (auntie) offering support.
The subject was an increasingly well known girl.
I returned to Mysore almost three weeks ago and last week went to visit kaveri.
I was a bit confused finding their house but eventually got there with the kind help of a shopkeeper.
Only to find they’d moved. What?!
They’re estranged from grandmother, grandfather, auntie and uncle who live in a room opposite our house who had no idea where they’d gone. The area yes, but the specific house, no way Jose. To top it all chandrika’s phone wasn’t working, so they weren’t contactable.
So what to do?
Rhadika knew she was at school through a friend who’s sister attended the same school. She couldn’t help on action day as she was ill.
So SB volunteered for mission impossible.
To Infiltrate the school.
The aforementioned team set off across the city after sorting out the confusion of where and what time to go to find Kaveri as she finished her school day.
The white old man waited discreetly in Satish’s auto rickshaw. It’s not done for old men to be hanging around school gates, even in India.
Got her
She arrived at the auto, with a steady stream of her friends passing by with her declaring ‘foreign uncle,’ as if this was the necessary proof as previously they hadn’t believed her.
Any low profile was lost.
But what a result. We’d found her, went to their new home, met up with mum and dad got agreement for her to spend the weekend over with us and the about to arrive Ina.
She’ll also stay with grandma on the Saturday
So my reward is seeing my adopted granddaughter and we’re tentatively building bridges between family break up.
Triple Result
Me and MYCycle 