In Return Home Mode Now

Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Bombay

In Return Home Mode Now

     Namaste from Bombay!
     Now that I am in Return Home Mode, there are so many things of which I am thinking that have to be done before I leave. There are still some people I would like to meet and contacting them, at this stage, is taking a lot of my time.
     That said, I awoke and read my Twitter feed and the last of my novel. I finished Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan and cannot say that it was one of his best. It is an easy read but the plot was not to my liking and there was a lot I did not understand as it deals with artificial intelligence. Also, I kind of knew what to expect and was not surprised by the sting in the tail. I also read my Twitter feed and then stopped for breakfast.
     As I am trying to finish things in my fridge, breakfast was muesli with apple (the last one) and coffee. Next I had a shower and called Dad to find out how he was doing. He is still feeling poorly and has been resting. Having very noisy work go on in his apartment (as the floor of his bathroom is being leveled and re-tiled to make it more Russel-friendly) is not helping. Today was particularly noisy as the cutting of the tile is going on in the living room. Still, he and Russel and Rohit seem to be coping remarkably well.
     I also made a call to my church office to find out if they could keep a copy of my marriage certificate ready for me to be picked up in the evening. They could--so that was sorted.
     I spent most of the morning transcribing the interview I did with my friend Fiona who is a chorister with the Paranjoti Choir. I also made calls to my computer therapist, Himanshu, as I have still to go across and pay him for the recovery work he had done on my laptop--he did not succeed in recovering anything, but I guess I still need to pay him for his time.
     I stopped for lunch (paneer tikka masala with mashed potato, garlic bread, grilled vegetables) and had fresh mango for dessert. Just as I was looking at the last mango in my fridge, the fruit man rang my bell and ended up selling me about half a dozen Chausa mangoes which he says are very good. I bought them and got back to my lunch. While eating, I watched Wycliffe--a detective show set in Cornwall. I recall now that I have seen this show--several years ago--as the plot of this one seemed familiar to me.
     I did not have the time to take a nap today as Dad requested me to come over to his place at 2.00pm to go over the sheaf of medical insurance papers that need to be sent out by courier today. I was there at 2.00 pm, but I found Dad fast asleep. I left him sleeping there as I knew he needed the rest badly. It was only at 3.00 pm that he awoke--so I had to endure the unbearable din of the cutting of tile in the same room in which I was seated!
     Anyway...after Dad awoke, we went over the papers. I ensured that everything was in the right order (we had to make a few adjustments) and then the package was all ready for Dad to send off with the courier. I left as soon as I could as the din was simply unbearable.
     Back home (it was almost 4.00 pm), I made myself a pot of tea and had it with a slice of delicious chocolate-almond cake and a Fruity Flapjack Biscuit. I continued watching Wycliff as I munched.
     Not too long after, it was time for me to go to the church to pick up my marriage certificate and to attend the Novena. This was followed by Mass. I had to wait for about 10 minutes for Father Savio to sign the certificate and I am happy to say that he did oblige me. A few minutes later, with the certificate safely with me, I climbed up Pali Hill to get to the market to give Llew's watch for repairs to Faiyaz, the watch-repairer who is known to Dad. I have had my watches often repaired at his store, He is a lovey man and it is always a pleasure to do business with him. He took one look at new Llew's watch (which keeps working in fits and starts) and told me that it is motion-activated. He has to keep wearing it for it to continue working--it does not need a battery!     
     With that matter sorted, I walked back home via the Bandra Gymkhana just to deposit a few books that I wish to donate to the library--sadly, I got there just after 8.00 pm and the library at the Gymkhana had just closed. I will need to return there tomorrow to complete that errand.
     Back home, I finished watching Wycliff as I ate my dinner--the last of the veg biryani, the last of the potato chops and the last of the subzi kohlapuri. I ate another mango for dessert and then, for some reason that I could not fathom, I felt so sleepy that I dropped off just as soon as I brushed and flossed my teeth.
     It was another one of those busy days...but I guess everyone of them will be the same from now on.
     Until tomorrow...