Goggles In Space

Jan 22, 2021 was a particularly happy day. While the husband was coming to monitor the "Sreerekha" house renovation work, i slipped into the car for a quick visit to Ameda Nagaraja temple. It was the last temple visit in my list . Though very close to both our homes, i hadn't gone there in a long time, hence the wish. It was very peaceful at Ameda. After a quick stop by at the goshala, we sat near the backwaters just behind the temple. The waters brings in so much peace and tranquility. This time's Kerala visit included several backwater and lake sighting but it never ceases to bring the same positivity and peace as it did the first time.  After Ameda visit, we both went to the renovation site and then he dropped me at amma's place. Plan was to visit ammuma , stay at chitta's place , attend the utsavam at Ernakulam temple and return the next day. The cab came around 3:30 pm and we were at her place at 4pm. Ammuma's memory was clearly deteriorating exponent...

 Life has changed a lot - pre US and Post US days.  We live in surplus. There are more clothes , shoes, cosmetics and so many other material things than our need. While returning from US. There are more watches than we need. Ecodrive watches which i had gifted to amma and Hari were not even working because of lack of sunshine /any light for that matter (Each one would be easily worth more than $100) . Many things in this house are unused and we don't even know about it. The Harman Kardon Onyx speaker which was one of Sreettan's fav in US has become a showpice . Coach and Kate Spade handbags which i fancied for a long time while in US lay unused. There are so many shoes and sandals for each of us. There are collectibles and fridge magnets which we have forgotten about and are lying i boxes unopened. A whole knife set which we bought from US lies in Kerala. There are so many backpacks -Columbia, Nike etc safely nestled inside shelves. Even after giving to Sreettan's nephew an...

I can never forget that Black Day when i revealed that i had an affair in college. Of course, it was nothing like the kind of girl friend - boy friend type seen these days but I didn't want to hide anything before marriage. Your next question was should i tell your dad and i was dumbfound.  Soon after college, i had presented this at home. He was placed from campus in Chennai and was drawing a good salary but he was an ezhava. Achan got so angry at me that my whole body literally was shaking. He even called P's dad and blasted him also. Amma thought either me or achan would get a heart attack during that whole incident. I cried like never but realized this will not happen because he was compassionate and a kind person at heart. We used to talk about keeping part of whatever we earn for sharing with the needy etc. Later on when i went to Bangalore, he came to see me 2 times from Chennai. Short meeting in park or temple and I would come back to ammai's house. He used to call ...

Jan 22-23 : Weekend spent at chitta's house. Jan 23 : Chitta and uncle test COVID postive, ammuma negative Jan 24 : We are kept out of the family boating trip arranged from Poothotta. agrahavum nirbandhavum enteyayirunnu but othathu bakki ellarkum. Full day boating , lunch , resort chuttal and then high tea. Jan 25-30 : chuma, neerveezhcha starts for amma. kanji rasam in the house. njanum Hariyum valya asukhangalillathe kazhinju pokunnu. Everday i cried, virtual orphan feeling. Jan 30 : went to DDC COVID collection lab for RT-PCR test. I cried a lot today also. From Day1 of marriage, I have only thought about husband and later about kids but i am virtually no one for them other than a meal provider or cleaner. Everyone has becomes independent except me. Jan 31 : akshamarayi resultinu kathirikkunnu. Labilekku pala thavana vilichenkilum result vannittilla enna utharam. I even packed my bag to go to Poothotta thinking it will just be flu and test will come negative. samayam uchakku or...

 My posts wouln't be complete if i don't talk about my inlaws. Ours was an arranged marriage and I knew very little about Sree before wedding and almost nothing about his family. After marriage , we haven't stayed here for long except the weekend visits. Probably the first time i spent time with them was in 2006 after Cheeku was born. My mother in law has taken extremely good care of me and the baby after 40th day (Till then we were at mom's place). Cheeku was a cranky baby and mother in law would walk around with her for long so that i get rest. Food was just awesome, almost everything from the backyard. The next time I spent time with them was after Appu. She took great care of Cheeku who was left with in laws during and after my delivery as amma couldn't handle 2 kids in spite of having a full time home nurse and our regular servant. Again, by second month, I was brought to in laws where i spent the next 2 months under extremely loving care of my in laws ,especia...

 "Sreerekha" was the first house we bought in Choorakkadu very close to my house. Mu dad and Sree's dad saw it and finalised the deal. I couldn't come for the deed ceremony in Feb'06 as I was carrying Cheeku. This deal made us first time loaners too ,the positive being that from Day 1 it always had tenants. It was in a closed residential layout but apart from these nothing great to brag about. 13 lakhs was our loan amount and EMI started. It was a very huge amount for us at that time and with an addition in the family, I had my doubts on being able to pay EMI regularly. It was a simple 2 BHK but due to an issue, the path which lead to the house was such that the entry was towards the back of the house.  This made me very sad right from the beginning and I wanted to modify it and make it face the road. We didn't touch it due to multiple reasons - Tenants were always there and also, no one to monitor the renovation as we were in Bangalore. Meanwhile we bought an...

Today is India's 72nd Republic Day Parade. Kaithapram Damodaran Namboodiri awarded Padma Sri. Now that I have a lot of free time, i am watching lot of TV and Youtube videos. All the more this week as i am in self quarantine along with amma and Hari as Chitta and uncle tested COVID + and we were there over the weekend !  Yesterday, i happened to watch a very interesting interview with Kaithapram along with his father in law Unnikrishnan Namboodiri (who passed away few days ago at the age of 98) and son Deepankaran. A very touching song done by him from the 25 year old movie "Deshadanam"...still touches my heart and brings tears rolling down the cheeks. Every word is so meaningful and which every mother feels for her children..My salute to thy greatness ! Kaliveedurangiyallo Movie Deshadanam (1996) Song Kaliveedurangiyallo Movie : Deshadanam Singer: Yesudas Music : Kaithapram Lyrics: Kaithapram Director: Jayaraj ******************************************************* Kalive...