Of Christmases Past

This is a little Christmas ornament given me by our librarian, Daphne. Daphne is Anglo Indian, about 70+ (she wont’ say), has to work to live and spends a large part of her salary on make-up and regular trips to the hairdresser. I guess you can’t take the well-dressed out of some ladies. A spirit I admire. Occasionally I say ’ Wow Daphne, what a great sweater / bead chain.’ In exchange for all which she bestowed this gift on me. Made with her arthritic hands.

It took me back to Christmases celebrated with great gusto in my childhood. Maybe I’m really getting old turning my thoughts backward. But I thought I'd relive it before it all escapes me.

We lived in a colony with most of the girls going to a ‘convent’. So naturally, Christmas was part of our lives. Come December, we would spend days sticking together long strings of crepe paper, cardboard Santa Clauses and whatever else we could find in the ‘things to make and do’ books .All the planning took place in the single large room upstairs in our home which was so messy that no adult came in for a couple of weeks.

A few days before Christmas, we would stand up a pathetic looking branch of a fir tree from our neighbor’s garden on our verandah in a bucket of sand and transform it into this glamorous tree with cotton snow, lights and all our carefully made ornaments. A star was mandatory.

Then we would rehearse for the Christmas programme. All adults had to pay to come and see this variety entertainment. Everybody brought in ideas from whatever had been done recently in their schools and this was their chance to take the lead part after being shunted away in school. Of course the pecking order was dominant and the younger ones got to play the strong silent roles like baby jesus, or the angels or the donkeys in the manger. The elder ones got the singing roles – no matter how badly we sang.

I don’t think any religious significance entered our heads even for a minute. Or the parents’. They were just happy to keep us out of mischief and boredom. A wonderful way of spending holidays.

Stray Thought

'Even looking at images of greenery can improve mental processes leave alone spending time in the midst of nature, research has proved. '

Then, we in the Nilgiris should be mentally asizzle and doing mental gymnastics most of the time.

Why does the reverse seem to be true?

Starvation

I was chatting with a friend on the phone.
"Are you eating lunch ?" she asked wistfully.
"Yes" I answered.
"I' m drinking mine, " she said in a sad voice.
I had to laugh and say "Think of all the kilos you are losing, " encouragingly.
"Yes" she said happily " I've lost 2 kg in 3 days."
Instantly, I thought ' that's only water'. I don't know whether this is true or not or just made up by jealous people like me.

She was cheerfully enconsed in an Ayurveda treatment place drinking her toxins out. And getting pampered with treatments like oil massages and mud packs which made her feel like a princess she said.
But hearing her drool over my simple lunch made me feel lucky.

Erma Bombeck said somewhere 'My way of losing weight is to go to one of those spa places. I lose a few kg, then I come back home and drink a glass of water, and it all comes back. "
That's what I hear about these terrific weight loss programmes. They are supposed to be teaching you new eating habits but can habits change so much unless we are threatened by ill health?

I decided to try the liquid diet for a day. Probably very good for my digestive system. The power was off and I couldn't even make any juices. Had to drink stuff like black tea. By afternoon, I was dreaming of rasam sadam which normally I don't even eat.

Truly, staying off good stuff you like may be good for digestion and those blood vessels but it makes one very bad tempered. And focused on what you are skipping.

Has anyone found die-hard habits which help keep weight way under control? Without making yourself unhappy?

Worth Watching

WATCH THIS BEFORE IT'S TAKEN OFF THE WEB
It is extremely surprising that the Arab financed TV in Dubai would
allow this to air. Be sure and watch this, it is so powerful I have
no doubt she now has a very large price on her head. I also have no
doubt it won't be on the air long .
She is one impressive woman. Here is a powerful and amazing statement
on Al Jezeera television. The woman is Wafa Sultan, an Arab-American
psychologist from Los Angeles .
I would suggest watching it ASAP because I don't know how long the
link will be active. This film clip should be shown around the world
repeatedly!
http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ai=214&ar=1050wmv&ak=nul

It was sent me and its really impressive and powerful.Food for thought

Gift For Living

On my way home, I passed three young boys out on a walk of their own. Within the neighbourhood, I tend to give young kids a beady eye and ask sternly, why aren't you in school? But these were from some other area. So I passed on.
But then, one of them stopped to offer me some wild fruit. I was taken aback and touched. They had cut class to go loafing around. Can I really say its a waste of time or life on a rare fine day?

After class yesterday with the worst lot ( some of them don't know even the alphabet properly) one of the boys gave me piece of bubble gum. I notice too that its the not-so-bright girls who offer to carry my books or bag.

The spontaneity with which they make a connection is touching. Maybe they are blessed with the greater gift - for living .