“A dog reflects the family life. Whoever saw a frisky dog in a gloomy family, or a sad dog in a happy one? Snarling people have snarling dogs, dangerous people have dangerous ones.”
―
We will try and get back with a proper post soon.
Till then, HAPPPY YAAPPPY WEEKEND, Friends
Are we?
If you indeed have forgotten us, it’s really not your fault. It has been so terribly long since we last posted or visited any of you…
We have had a very busy time in the recent past.
Mummy’s hospital suddenly decided it needed to change the person running it and went ahead and got a brand new CEO whose sole purpose in life is to work, work and work!
We haven’t yet figured it out if he is just a workaholic or assumes the hospital is a life-giving star (read ‘Sun’) and he needs to revolve all around it to sustain!! Thankfully, even though his whole life is about work, he hasn’t been pressurizing anyone to work over-time. The only change is the quantity and quality of work at the hospital is improving in many ways which is why Mummy is just too tired at the end of the day.
We needed to chose between long walks and blogging and naturally we chose the former.
We hope you understand.
Things have been pretty much the same at our end. Only the weather is changing rapidly. Mr. Rain seems to have taken Shadow’s letter seriously. Today’s newspaper, in fact, officially declared that the monsoon is retreating.
Thank Dogness for that!
Ginger hasn’t been feeling very well for the last four days. Dry cough and reverse sneezing. She had us all rather worried for a couple of days. Mummy took the day off on Monday. It was unthinkable to leave her alone the way she was sounding so distressed. The only good thing is she has been as active as ever and never refused a single meal.
It is such a relief that she’s so much better since today morning and she’s coughed just once since the evening. The antibiotics and allergy sprays are still on though. It’s that time of the year when you need to be extra careful again.
Shadow too is on allergy sprays once again. He is extremely allergic and his nose gets all runny after his morning walks. This added to some vigorous reverse sneezing is enough to freak Mummy out.
No cough or fever, so don’t you go worrying!
We have been trying to catch up with our reading a bit. Remember all those new books we got at the sale recently? We really do not know when we are actually going to be able to read them all!
Daddy, we think, has found a rather nice way of catching up with what he wants to read. Audio books! He just gets them on his (read ‘Mummy’s’!) Kindle-fire and listens to them on his way to work! And since he has almost hijacked the Kindle ( we’ve forgotten when we last saw it, it’s always inside his bag.We just know it’s not lost or something because he keeps talking about the books he’s listened to!) we have no other option but to read the printed word.
Oh! Don’t get us wrong. We PREFER the printed word any day. Only we are so short of reading time.
Talking of books, did you know how knowledgeable most of those road-side book vendors are?
You find these little book shops all over the Delhi streets. Most of them are concentrated on the footpaths in busy market places like Nehru Place and Connaught Place and near the University campuses but you do find them in isolated housing colony markets as well. You’d think they were just selling pirated copies or worn out give aways to make an easy buck.
That simple, un-educated looking guy certainly can’t be expected to know much about what he’s selling. But oftentimes, you’d be surprised at how widely read they most are! They would suggest to you the latest John Grisham best seller, the all time favorite Jane Austen classic, the best Osho Zen book or the most interesting book on business strategies!
Guess we who live in a sheltered world always tend to under-estimate all those who are less privileged. Just a few minutes spent chatting with them heartily and they lead you into an entirely new world…it’s quite incredible, actually!
A tad pensive,
Buddy
Place: Northern Hemisphere
New Delhi, India
Time of the year: 17 Sept 2012
Season: Autumn
Dear Mr. Rain,
I know you are extremely busy these days but I’m addressing a subject of extreme importance here and I hope you’ll pay attention.
A few months back our country was staring at the worst possible draught in history because you happened to get delayed in the traffic over the southern seas. Prices of all goods including our treats skyrocketed. Everyone was talking about the sorry state of the economy and dreading further damage. Farmers in the far off villages were terrified they would have to sell off their livestock and land and head for the cities in search of livelihood.
And then, you arrived!
In just a few months, with all your exuberance and enthusiasm typical of an Indian monsoon, you set things right. The grass turned greener, the pastures fuller, the dust settled (literally) and we could see the emerging dawn!
Everyone was grateful to you for bringing the country out of a certain economic doomsday. We all relaxed and began enjoying the soft, wet grass, the fresh air and talked of nothing else but the amazingly beautiful monsoon season.
Even I, Shadow, who unlike my siblings Ginger and Buddy is not a water dog enjoyed getting wet and muddy.
But of late, I’m beginning to wonder if you are taking this hearty welcome a tad too …errr…seriously.
If you haven’t noticed, it is mid September now. In the northern hemisphere it means the beginning of Autumn.
Though I have experienced just two Autumns in my life yet, I know for sure this is not the time you’re supposed to be around. At least not so exuberantly and full of purpose! .
I think it’s time you come to terms with the fact that you are overstaying your welcome.
Look what you did the other day!
You flooded half of our city, held up traffic (Well, yes. I do agree it’s not all your fault and the Public works department need to work on improving the sidewalks but your being there exuberantly filling up the drains beyond capacity didn’t really help) and uprooted many trees (OK, that was your friend the Wind but then again, he couldn’t have been so unbeaten without your help!)
I do not even want to discuss the way you ravaged our beautiful easterly state, Assam. What is it that you have against Assam anyway? I mean, do you have to overfill the mighty Brahmaputra river and make it wash away everything? It is already mighty, if you remember?
So many lives lost, so many homeless, priceless animals in National Parks, dead…it deeply pains me….
And have you forgotten all about Jaipur?
Yes, Jaipur the capital city of our neighboring state, Rajasthan. Wasn’t it you who poured incessantly the other day like you’ve never before done in the past decade? Those poor, unprepared people in that peaceful city were stranded without vehicles and even a proper road to walk on for days just because you had to prove yourself.
You have made your point. I absolutely agree that you are powerful enough to make or mar the economy of a country (at least till a dim-witted Government keeps depending on nature to determine it’s fate).
At a personal level, I also heartily appreciate that you made our parks greener and the grass softer but you see, it is time for you to move on.
I am no longer amused by the puddles you make right in the middle of the park and how everything is just too wet all the time.
I am not a water dog and unlike my sister Ginger and my brother Buddy who turns super silly at the sight of the smallest collection of water, I get very distressed. I can’t enjoy my walk and am often forced to take refuge on a bench and wait out the time while everyone around seems to enjoy the water.
Also I do not appreciate that the mud sticks to me each time I go out so I need to have a bath ever so often so I can cuddle on the furniture later.
I do hope you understand my predicament.
Please understand that it’s time you get your priorities right. We do not need you here any longer but I’m sure you’d be more than welcome somewhere out there in the Southern hemisphere where drier pastures and hot, panting dogs are awaiting you.
Isn’t it always better to be someplace you’re wanted and valued?
Adieus,
Shadow
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive- to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love-then make that day count!”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
We are skywatching at ‘ SKYWATCH FRIDAY’ and also admiring some greens at ‘ RAINDROPS AND DAISIES’.
Please do go visit them for some more fun and pretty pictures…
Wags,
Ginger, Buddy and Shadow
