My water tank flew away....

Monsoons have set in and my lawn is absolutely green. The pebbles along the walkway pose a striking contrast to the brick tiles and the green of the grass. Every leaf and blade of grass exude how happy they are to be drenched in the rain.. And I love the rain drops sliding into my balcony from the arching palm leaves... The weaver bird's nest is a spectacle to behold. Its interesting how the rain runs down the fibrous wall of the nest without penetrating and how mirculously it leaves the inners cosy and warm...

And from my friend's tenth floor apartment, there is nothing more divine than the heavenly drops dancing on the grey backwaters of Kochi...That's from the tenth floor, please!

Ground reality??? The last 12 years in Kochi has been a revelation of what exactly not to do during the rains. Most importantly, stay away from the City! And sadly, but true, no amount of pampering civic bodies, cajoling peolple's representatives or threatening the very essence of the political system can bring any change to the roads that invariably transform itself into muddy, filthy rivers during the ugly monsoons in the city. The seasonal epidemic outbursts are another fright to chill the spine... Well these are the dark sides of the beautiful rain that lashes left, right and centre of Kerala... the one element in the natural supplies calendar that singularly charts the GDP of the state!

This year the water works in God's own Country arrived a week after schools opened for the fresh academic year as efficiently forecast by the MET.

Well, I don'tknow if it was Laila or Katrina that came with a bang day before yesterday. Neither did I check the soaked newspaper for details on Sunday... While we were discussing what the huge thud could likely be, my neighbour from the opposite building rang up to disclose the fact that the twirling frenzy had carried with it one of the blue sintex water tanks from my terrace to the terrace next door... Thank God, none of us were out at that time and thank God, it rested on the terrace without wanting to fly any further...

Another monsoon lesson, keep the water tanks full!

Puttu kadala

Saturdays are for puttu and kadala. Ria loves puttu and kadala and specially the ones Ammaamma makes.

Ammamma is her nanny who has been with us from the day Ri came into this world, 10 March 2001. A nice woman, who today knows what each of us like to eat, when we are angry or sad, when we need space and when we prefer her company. Best of all, she makes really nice sambhar, fish curry and stew.

She finds our home a home as she spends most of her wake up time with us. It was she who taught Ria how to pray and my little Ji to wish elders in the Christian way... Eso kodukku .. (folding hands and seek blessings from elders).

She discovered a million ways to feed Ria fish and chicken when she was developing her eating habits as a kid. And she introduced the morning breakfast regime of porridge from home, snacks like idli, puri or chappathy for tiffin break at school, full rice meal with omellete (riiz favourite) when back from school and special breakfast on Saturday. Riiz choice Puttu and kadala and sunday, masala dosa!

The morning whiff from the kitchen says puttu and kadala is ready... Come on let's wake up for another beautiful day in Kerala!

Tintu mon

Representing the Kerala cadre of humour at its heights, is Tintu Mon... The very mention of his name would spread a natural smile across all who know this very popular name by now. Well he stars in every joke site, online, on mobile and off line sourced from malayalee hearts.

No wonder he is hailed as the Malayalee or regional incarnation of Sardarji with an extra rib to tickle... A recent sample in line with the Kasab's verdict, is of how the Judge passed one on Tintu Mon.

" Tintu Mon, you will be hung to death at 4.00 am tomorrow" to which Tintu Mon gleefully replied, "No problem Sir, I know that won't happen as I usually wake up only at 6".

Shared here are some more forwarded by my friend Ashok:

TEACHER : Tintumon, go to the map and find North America.
TINTUMON: Here it is!
TEACHER : Correct. Now class, who discovered America?
CLASS : TINTUMON!


TEACHER : Why are you late, Tintumon?
TINTUMON : Because of the sign.
TEACHER : What sign?
TINTUMON : The one that says, "School Ahead, Go Slow."


TEACHER: Tintumon, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
TINTUMON : You told me to do it without using tables!


TEACHER : Tintumon, how do you spell "crocodile?"
TINTUMON : K-R-O-K-O-D- A-I-L"
TEACHER : No, that's wrong
TINTUMON : Maybe it s wrong, but you asked me how I spell it!


TEACHER : Tintumon, what is the chemical formula for water?
TINTUMON : H I J K L M N O!!
TEACHER : What are you talking about?
TINTUMON : Yesterday you said it's H to O!


TEACHER : Tintumon, name one important thing we have today that we
didn't have ten years ago.
TINTUMON : Me!


TEACHER : Tintumon, why do you always get so dirty?
TINTUMON : Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.


TEACHER : Can anybody give an example of COINCIDENCE?
TINTUMON: Sir, my Mother and Father got married on the same day, same time."


TEACHER: Tintumon, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when
people are no longer interested?
TINTUMON : A teacher.