Trying to Keep Busy on a Sodden Wednesday

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Bombay

Trying to Keep Busy on a Sodden Wednesday

     Namaste from Bombay!

      It is still pouring--mostly cats AND dogs...sometimes just cats and sometimes just dogs! It is amazingly transformative in terms of the landscape and mood. Magically, everything is clean, green, fresh and pure. The air feels like Hawaii does after its frequent short showers. There is virtually no dust now and everyone's mood has lifted as the wretched heat is now history. 

     I awoke at 6.00 am and began reading to make headway with my book The Cuckoo's Calling. The problem with these detective mysteries is that there is always such a plethora of characters and what the author has done is devote one chapter to each of them and their witness-statements. I am finding it hard to keep track of what each character saw and said!

     I also read a bit of my magazine (In Style) on Flipster (my Library magazine app) and then decided to get my breakfast organized. I had the last two slices of my raisin-walnut bread with spreads and coffee and watched Couples Come Dine With Me as I did so. 

     I then sat down to draft a blog post and noticed that there was a lull in the rain. It seemed like a good time to get out to the bank to pay my electricity bill--and that was exactly what I did. That was when I discovered how delightful the air is at the moment. And because my mood felt so uplifted, I walked into Candies en route and went straight to their Salad Bar. I did not expect anything to be ready so early (it was just 11.00 am), but, in fact, all the salads were laid out there and I decided to get some. 

      They give you a foil container and you can fill up as much of it as you like (or as you can fit!). The cost is Rs. 200 per container and with tax it comes to Rs. 236 (about $3)--which is really good because if someone like me shopped for such a large variety of ingredients, it would cost me thousands of rupees and I would be left with a lot of waste! 

    I picked up Hawaiian Chicken Salad, Mexican Chicken Salad, Waldorf Salad, Russian Salad and German Potato and Sausage Salad. Yes, all of them fit into my foil container but I very carefully placed them inside so that they would not run into each other. Oh and I have to say that going at that hour was brilliant because for once I saw the food cases filled to capacity with freshly baked and prepared foods: there were freshly-baked crispy croissants and pain au chocolats, just-baked pastries (every possible cake from Fresh Pineapple to Black Forest to Dutch Chocolate Cake and Pineapple Upside Cake too), an abundance of patties (veg puffs, mutton patties, chicken patties), lots of cheesecake and eclairs and plenty of prepared meals--roast chicken with stuffing, meat lasagne, spaghetti Bolognese...you name it). All neatly packaged for about Rs. 210 a meal (about $3). Really awesome. 

        The rowdy college kids from St. Andrew's who crowd the joint had not yet made an appearance and the place was quiet as another day began. Again, so good to know that this place is only a few minutes walk down the road from my place. It truly takes a full year of living in a new place to come to grips with what is available in the vicinity to add to the quality of one's life.  

      Next, the bank. My work there was literally done in minutes and I paid my electricity bill (by check) and was able to walk out in no time at all. On my way back from the bank, I walked along the street which has such a load of new eateries and food places that have recently mushroomed that I just wanted to see what was on offer. And I found a tiny little shop called The Baker's Dozen. This is the company that makes artisinal bread and my sourdough raisin-walnut loaf that I had finished for breakfast in the morning is made by this company (except that I had picked up the loaf from Nature's Basket on Hill Road). This is terrific because it is just around the corner from where I live! Who knew? Of course, then I had to buy another loaf (Rs. 145 or $2) and what's more, she had the machine that allowed her to slice it for me as well! Result! They also made a blueberry-cranberry loaf but I did not see an olive loaf. It is amazing how Bombay has caught on to all these gourmet trends and is keeping up, one step at a time. It is such a great time to live in Bombay if one is a foodie!       

     Then, right across the road was Birdys, the cake shop that has the best and most reasonably priced chocolate croissants. I love the dark chocolate topping on them which is utterly flavorful. So in I popped and out I came with chocolate croissants and chocolate eclairs in two separate boxes. I thought I would give one box to Dad and Russel and keep one box for myself. So armed with all my goodies, I got back home. This bakery too smelled just incredible as I walked into it. Truly there is quite nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread (and I am surprised that no one has created a candle that replicates this aroma--how about it, eh, Jo Malone???) 

     All the food I'd bought and the shops I'd visited made me hungry so I had a cup of mushroom soup with crackers and blue cheese when I got home. This was a fine preview to the rest of my lunch: meatball curry, carrots with green peppers, peas with paneer and a chapati with fresh mango for dessert. I have really enjoyed eating all these tropical Indian fruit (guavas, papayas and now mangoes) for the past year and I will dearly miss them when I get back home. I watched another installment of Inspector Wexford: A Guilty Thing Surprised which was very good(a Ruth Rendell Mystery). 

       I barely got home and the heavens re-opened. The thing about the Indian monsoon is that you never know when the next downpour will come. One minute you are walking jauntily on the pavement and the next minute, you are soaked--the downpour is never gradual--always swift and sudden--and oftentimes you have no warning at all! It just comes down in sheets. Of course, needless to say, I am so grateful for my oversized red and blue Nautica umbrella that was a gift from my friends Jonathan and Diana Thomson of Fairfield, Connecticut, who presented it to me when I was leaving the US to live in the UK, ten years ago.  Funnily enough, I never needed to use it in England as I had a small folding umbrella then which suited me fine. Here, with the fury of the monsoon, you need a sturdy oversized umbrella--no flimsy made-in-China parasol will do! I also carried my red heavy-duty plastic raincoat which I have had for years to India--and it too is doing a grand job keeping me dry--although, truth be told, I do not venture out when it is bucketing down! Period! 

     Lunch done, I continued reading my novel and then, when my eyelids drooped, I took a nap. Only my usual '20-minuter' turned out to be a good one hour 45 'minuter' today! I shut my eyes at 2.15pm and I opened them at 4.00 pm! What the....? How the heck that happened, I have no clue.

     When I did awake, I began watching a film that I had downloaded on to my Ipad through Hoopla, the library app that gives access to a wide range of films and TV series--but get this...only allows you five skinny selections per month. I cannot believe that they have such a slim allowance. 

     Anyway, this film is called Lad and it is amazing. Set in the Yorkshire Dales, it tells the story of a family trying hard to cope following the sudden death of the main breadwinner, the father. The member of the family who is hit hardest is young Tom, all of 13, who must find a way to deal with his grief and the departure of his older brother Nick who decides to join the army. The best performance, however, was by the young female actress who plays his mother, Mrs. Proctor.  Tom comes under the influence of a Yorkshire Dales park ranger named Al Thorpe who, in an attempt to take him under his wing, rehabilitates him and gives him the love and understanding he deserves. A really heart warming movie that I loved.

     This took me up to 5.00pm when I did brew a pot of tea and had half a chocolate eclair before I left for Dad's. I spent about a half hour with Russel and tried to get him to sit in his wheelchair but he simply refused. All I could do was get him to stand with his walker. He keeps saying that Doctor has told him not to walk (which is true) but it was hard to get him to understand that I will not be making him walk--merely wheeling him around in a wheelchair which requires us to try to shift him as skillfully as possible for his bed to the wheelchair. I will try again tomorrow as I do not want to cause him any agitation if I can help it.

      Dad and I then left for the Novena and for Mass. It came crashing down when we were in church--so heavy that, despite the mikes, we could barely hear father at the altar. But, by the grace of God, the rain stopped completely when we were ready to leave church to go home! Dad had also told me when we were walking to church that Russel's doctor at the dispensary had approved the dispensing of the new drugs he needs to take for his irregular heart beat and as a blood thinner. These drugs are exorbitantly priced--so I put it down to prayer again--to the Lord helping us in ways that we can only be amazed about. Naturally, I offered the Mass in thanksgiving and also thanked our Blessed Mother profusely for Her generosity. It is only my devotion to Her that is bringing us all these mercies. 

     After Mass, I walked home and got ready for my dinner. I finished up the last bits of my meal delivery of Monday as I will be receiving another tiffin tomorrow. This does mean that I am eating larger portions than usual and it does show on the weighing scale (I weigh myself every single morning). So I will need to do some cutting down--doesn't help if I have come home with a container full of salads made with mayonnaise and all manner of baked goodies!
     I did no culling of my belongings or packing today--I shall make up for my malaise tomorrow. 

     It was about 11.00 pm when I went to bed after saying a quick Hi to Llew.

     Until tomorrow...