My mother is still unable to sit up long enough without pain. But she was read out all the various comments that people have left. So she told me she would definitely write a post to put up. We asked her write about a picture she has of Malabar Hill in Bombay which was probably taken around 58 years back. Let's see what she writes about.
Just now my sister is with her. So there's someone with her all the time. But I get to go there only around 4 p.m or so because I work all morning. Just now, because she is confined to bed, I feel so guilty sometimes. Anyway, I do hope she gets well enough to be able to slowly sit up for a bit at a time. Unfortunately in an old person it's a Catch 22 situation--she needs to lie down for the pain, but the more she lies down, the faster she loses muscle and bone mass, which is not easily replaced.
I feel so proud of my mum. Please pray for her all.

No computer for a week is hard!

My mother's not been well. She had a really bad backache, which totally upset her. She was staying with me for about a week. She then went back to her flat when my sister arrived day-before yesterday.

Anyway we now know that it's not anything earth-shaking, but just things she has to live with. She has bad osteoporosis. Then she had a fall 3 years back and had broken her thighbone near the hip. That bad been repaired with a pin put in. But because of her osteoporosis, the pin has sort of travelled in. That coupled with age related degeneration in her spinal column is what caused the pain.

What led upto it though, was that she sat for around 3-4 hours, in one day, at her PC! She said she was so busy playing sudoko on the comp that she didn't think to lie down, even though her back was hurting! She was quite relieved when the doc told her today that she could get up when her back felt a little less sore and sit for a bit at her PC--20 mins. She figures at least that. She's waiting for that. She's also missing writing her blog. I told her to write it out in a book and that I would put it up. I guess now that she's feeling better she might.

Just wanted to share this hymn with everyone. I came across it when teaching my kids at school singing and just loved the words.

"Stand up, clap hands, shout thank You, Lord,
Thank You for the world I'm in.
Stand up, clap hands, shout thank You, Lord,
For happiness and peace within.

I look around and the sun's in the sky,
I look around and I think, oh my!
The world is such a wonderful place,
And all because of the good Lord's grace.

I look around at the creatures I see,
I look around and it amazes me,
That every dog and bird and cow,
Fit in a special place somehow.

I look around at all the joy I've had,
I lood around and it makes me glad,
That I can offer thanks and prasie
To Him who guides me through my days."

The first is the chorus and is sung between each verse. It has a lovely beat too. So you can imagine the kids and I have a glorious time singing it.

Thanks

'Thank You for the world so sweet,
Thank You for the food we eat,
Thank You for the birds that sing
Thank You God, for everything!'

Thank You for the colours that You paint,
For rainbows, sunrise, sunset and rain,
Thank You for my loved ones so dear,
Thank You God, for another year!'

An ode to the senior generation

I just read a post over at Hip Hop Grandmom's and I so wanted to write off a post immediately.
I have interacted closely with "old" people, who were my family members mainly. I guess I was lucky because many were very strong mentally and very 'all there'. I just want to share a few lines about each of them.
There was my maternal grandfather, (my paternal grandfather died before I was born). He died at the age of 97. He was such an interesting personality. He had been an engineer and a planter. He retired from service maybe when he was 60. His wife died maybe a few years later. so he was a widower for around 30 years. But he was such fun to talk to for all us grandchildren, always interested in the world around him and a very tolerant man. Even now I remember him so often and feel it was such a pity my children couldn't get to know him--he died 27 years ago when they were still small.
Then there was my paternal grandmother. What a woman! She too became a widow quite early. Besides she had to see the death of 3 of her children. Her elder daughter died when she was 38, leaving behind 7 children and my grandmother brought up the two youngest, 2 little girls 18 months and 6 months old then. Later, she came to stay with us very reluctantly, when it was impossible to manage on her own. She too was interested in the world around her. I remember her avidly reading the Reader's Digest, an occasional Time magazine and the newspaper and wanting us to show her in the Atlas where each new place she read about was located and this almost upto the time she died at 90.
Then I have to add my mother. She is now 89. My father died in May this year and she keeps going as best as she can. She is busy doing sudoko, or playing chess on the computer and has recently taken to blogging. Her spirit just thrills my heart.
Well there are too many I see, when it comes to remembering. But I just want to tell anyone who reads this, that it's in the eyes. Look at the eyes of an old person. They always reveal the person's inner mind, even when they seem helpless and can't seem to remember which day of the week it is. I hate to see and old person treated like a small baby. It's true that their body controls may have become like that, but inside their minds they are not like that as the poem at Hip Hop Grandmom's said. The next time you see an old lady--or old man--being treated like a recalcitrant child, just look into their eyes.
Bless you all these older people that I did not even mention who have obviously added to my life in more ways than even I thought.

I want to add--a little late in the day maybe--but hope all of you had a lovely time during these Puja days. Sitting in the heart of Syrian Christian world, I'm far away from the Durga Puja of my high shcool days in Cal!

I've been tagged.

I was tagged by Hiphop Grandmom quite a few days back. I didn’t take it up till now. ‘cos for one I was down with flu and besides I was thinking hard about what to write.

Anyway, here goes; 9 things about me—weird or otherwise.

1. I find it very difficult to lean on people. I can talk to anyone and ask about their problems and help out if necessary. But I find it extremely difficult to lean on anyone else—including my husband!
2. I realise I’m pretty happy with my life as it is now and with me as I am now. I am really glad I’m no longer a teenager/growing young woman, who’s still in the process of discovering herself fully. I realise that I am still learning and changing. But I’m pretty grateful that youthful angst is over.
3. I love animals and can relate to most animals, though mammals more I guess.
4. I’m never bored if I’m alone.
5. Like Hip Hop Grandmom, I have to make an effort to think about my appearance. Getting dressed up is one of the biggest hassles in my day I think. By preference I’m a very casual dresser.
6. I think I’m happiest when I’m surrounded by young children. I feel one can truly be oneself with small children.
7. I find it very, very difficult to talk about myself, which is why doing this tag is taking me so long:)
8. I am not into cooking. I do the barest minimum and the faster the better. Lucky for me my husband isn’t too much into food!
9. this makes me sheepish to say it but I love dancing—the freaking out, shakin’ it up kind—which I did when I was young and now do mostly in the privacy of my room to the lovely oldies music you get on the Net or Worldspace Radio.

Oh boy! What a relief to get that over. Now who to tag? Beks will you do this tag? Dotm, again! Momma knows best will you take it up? Maybe Baby Powder. That’s only 4. I don’t know who else to ask!