I’m in the park to wish Manjula happy birthday and hang out with billet-Doux, butterflies (messengers from Madam) and too many mosquitoes!
Here’s the lovely video created by Faizan through which many old and new friends have met Manjula.
My ulterior motive on being here was to be security for the flowers and stop people stealing them.
I failed
But it can’t affect our celebration of her wonderfulness.
As I completed a video call to my son Oliver in Vancouver, —and realised I was due back to make breakfast—three sets of neighbours walking in the park saw Manjula’s poster and wanted to know her story. I’d never met them before a mom her son , another young woman and an elder.
Maria checks that I’m properly equipped for the day ahead.
Maria first visited Mysore five years ago, a few months after I lost MAnjula.
I’m on my annual trip to the U.K. but Maria had noticed I was coming and sent an invite for me to visit her in Italy
This wonder puts me up at her house, ferries me around, provides simple sophisticated food, takes me on day trips, guides me on walks, introduces me to her fab friends, provides happy insights into her own life and Italianeeeeez.
Maria is a good example of the lovely people that visit Mysore Bed and Breakfast but she’s even more special.
I’m trying to emphasise BK with Kaveri who can quickly tell me what it means: Be Kind.
Well Maria is overflowing with kindness.
Not just in hosting me…
That’s nothing by comparison with the total package …
…. she goes way beyond the stereotypical caring mama … to be a caring precious friend.
She has a social conscience reflected in the life she leads and her work in helping others to flourish through the organisations she sets up and the services they provide. She lives and breaths this throughout her living.
She’ll be revisiting Mysore again in August to undertake training as a yoga teacher and look forward to her becoming Kaveri’s Italian auntie.
I’m honoured to count Maria as an important person in my life, a cherished friend.
Footnote
She claims I photograph her as much as her dad (I think mine capture her essence as I’m certain her dad does) but she’s tolerant and I love that she’s my friend.
….
Thank you Maria for a happy time and the closeness we’ve established. I look forward to more to come.
Years ago I returned from a trip to the U.K. to find the tree outside was decimated. That’s maybe an exaggeration but I was shocked. As the taxi pulled up I could now see most of the front of the house.
A branch had broken and MAnjula had had the tree trimmed. Not quite pollarding but a shock nevertheless. It was like a no 1 haircut.
What had happened to our tree!?
It’s now recovered and dominates.
It’s a beautiful tree that we both loved. The Indian way is however to hack them back. Its a process that needs managing.
Today
A couple of branches had come loose in a recent storm and so it needed a trim—— carefully supervised to ensure they didn’t go too far.
I didn’t want the same hacking so both SB and I supervised and approved each branch to be cut.
Micro-management in action.
The security guy from the local school doubles as a tree chopper. He did the duty. Later we’ll have someone do a more precision job with a circular saw.
There was a keystone cops element to it.
Thankfully we didn’t pull down any of the wires
Manjula once declared her wish to be reincarnated as a tree as it supported, protected and sheltered people. That’s just like her
I think our strong beautiful tree was in her mind.
We now have symbolic trees in our life, in the house, the car and our real beauty outside.
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.
Me and MYCycle 