Tuesday, September 4, 2018
An Almost Unproductive Day: Shopping for Bed Linen with Shahnaz and Dad
Today was all about waiting—and I am beginning to realize, more than ever, that a very good part of one’s time in India is spent waiting for something to happen, waiting for someone to show up, waiting for somewhere to open, etc.
I awoke at about 5.00am and started blogging. It seems to be the way my days will begin. Outside, I hear the cawing of crows looking for their first meal. From my bed, I can see greenery—tall trees—mainly mango and coconut palms—and the fluttering of pigeons as they fly from one branch to the next. It is a soothing sight. Thankfully, I get no traffic sounds, no sounds of a convent school and its ringing bells, so negative sounds of any kind. I have been blessed!
I fixed my first proper cereal breakfast in my new studio—I grated an apple to make birchersmuesli—a breakfast that I could gladly eat everyday for the rest of my life. It went into a bowl with yoghurt (freshly made and picked up from a local dairy—except that it is probably made with full fat milk and might defeat my intentions of trying to lose a few pounds), vanilla flavored almond milk, almond and cranberry muesli I bought and a couple of tablespoons of my own muesli. I have taken to reading the biography of Prince Charles while eating my meals seated on the two night stands (that ought to flank my bed but for which there is no room) that have been moved together and now form handy seating in a studio that has none.
That done, I decided to go for a walk along Carter Road Promenade—except that I made the decision to go rather too late—it was already a tad too warm and most other walkers had left. I had the place to myself. However, by the time I reached the end of the Promenade, I decided on impulse to climb up Pali Hill and return to my flat that way. This would give me a good hour long walk in varied terrain—lots of climbs which would make the exercise worthwhile. This would also mean that I’d be passing by the building of my friend Shahnaz. I called to find out if she’d be home. She was and invited me to join her for breakfast. I declined. She then asked me to join her on a couple of errands—she had to get to Apple. I thought it would be a good way to get some of my supplies and I agreed. Except that I had left without intending to shop and had not carried my credit card or any cash with me! She said we would swing by my place and pick it up—that sounded like a plan.
Except that once we were in her car, she said that Apple was much closer to where we were—so we ought to go there first and then get to my flat for my card. Again, I agreed. End Result? I spent more than 45 minutes waiting in her (thankfully air-conditioned) car while she attended to her chore at Apple. While in the car, I made calls to the passport man (to get my Dad and Russel’s passports renewed) and to my internet man to set up appointments to get installations in my studio. After Shahnaz got back, we decided to go and get my bedspread from Fab India. But then I realized I did not have my credit card or cash with me. Meanwhile, Shahnaz needed to get back home as she had a call from her son to attend to something. What we did do was survey the stock available at Fab India and see what would work for me. It turned out to be exorbitant—more than Rs.10,000 (about $150) for bed linen seemed criminal to me. We left and then spent ages on some essential oils that Shahnaz wanted to buy. So basically, it had been an utter waste of a morning and a wild goose chase for me.
Back at my studio, I had lunch and called Dad to find out where he did his bed linen shopping. He told me he would take me to Variety Emporium on Hill Road where he and my Mum had shopped for years. We made plans to meet in the evening.
Then my internet man called to tell me that he’d be sending someone to my place at 4.00 pm. More waiting. He did not show up till 5.00 pm! Anyway, he surveyed my place and told me that he would get me connected by tomorrow evening. But I had to pay him a 50% advance amount and I had neither check book nor cash with me. I then raced for a shower and to get to Dad’s to pick up my check book before we set out on our shopping spree.
That was the most successful part of a really fruitless day. We got to the store and I was very fortunate to find the white flat sheets I need for this King sized bed and a bed spread that perfectly blended with the very busy pattern of the flooring in this house. I also got a bath mat but forgot to get floor swabs! Anyway, now that I know the store, I can get there on my own.
We then took a rickshaw and went straight to the 7.00 pm Mass and from there went to the passport man to hand over documents, to the internet man so I could give him a check and then I got home. I eagerly made my bed (which was tough as it is so huge and against a wall which makes manipulating one end of it really difficult). Then, I was able to eat dinner at well past 10.00 pm and went to bed at 11.00.
What a day!! A bit crazy and while it began so unproductively…it did not end too badly. Getting my bed linen and setting up my bed saved the day.
Until tomorrow…
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