Letter from Home -8 (#SOL 2019)

19-02-19

Dear Doddamma,
We are all fine here. I was happy to talk to you the other and glad that you and amma are enjoying each other’s company.
When our grandchildren were her my husband had made our grandson plant rose plants. He loved watering them. Now they have started flowering. We sent photos of the flowers to Advaith. He was very pleased. He asked about the pineapple plant, we told him it will take more time to get a fruit in it.

Last week, one evening, Aravinda (our son) did not have to take German class. He teaches German certificate course in his college. That evening we went to the temple of Goddess Mahishamardini (Goddess Durga). This temple is not very far from our home. We like going to the temple and we always attend the evening puja which is performed at 7.30. The peaceful and quiet atmosphere of the temple is soothing to the mind.

Doddamma, the sloping land behind our house has been levelled. We heard the builders are going to build a ten storied apartment complex. So, every day the mud is being transported in lorries to some other place. This will go on for quite some time now. There is so much of dust, it is quite unbearable, but we have to bear it. Our backyard touches that ground. So, this year when the rains start we are planning to plant some saplings of some trees. We hope it will be screen for us. In our place the leaves of all the plants in the front of the houses have become so brown. It seems as if it is difficult for them to breathe. We have to wait for the rains to see green leaves again. It is very sad.

This is the time when bulbuls all around are busy building nests. And one couple are trying to build one on the tubelight in our enclosed sit-out. They keep getting dry twigs and leaves which they try to insert between the bulb and the holder. The leaves and twigs keep falling. This has been going on for more than a week and they are still trying. We have tried to prevent them from building there but they are still trying. I hope it will not be too late for them to build another nest.

Yesterday morning I was in the kitchen when I saw a sunbird feeding from the hibiscus flower. I was able to take some photos and even a video. I will send them on WhatsApp to my cousin. She will show them to you.

On the 16th Aravind’s department conducted a workshop about literature in a post graduate college not very far from our place. He had to give a lecture. There were other guest lecturers too. He liked the experience. The same evening he attended a lecture on Urdu literature. It was organized by one of his friends in his house. It seems many had attended.
We are going for our evening walks regularly. Yesterday, before returning home we went to our local library. I read some magazines. This library called Nehru memorial library was started more than forty years ago. It was renovated two years ago and there is a collection of books in different languages. There is a children’s section too. I became a life member long back. It is a nice place.

Today morning my husband has gone to Maikuri to see his father and brother, He will return tomorrow evening.
It is now 10.45 in the morning. Aravinda has gone to college.
With lots of love,
Lakshmi
[My letters to my Doddamma, my father’s elder brother’s wife, have made letter writing a part of my life again. She lives in Mumbai with her son and family. Both of us enjoy the letters. Doddamma literally means elder mother. She is my favourite relative. She is 88. She cannot go out and is not able to hear well. So, I started writing to her in November 2017. Earlier I used to send a mail to her daughter-in-law, she used to read it to her. My cousin’s wife told me Doddamma enjoys the feel of letters and re-reads them often. I edit the letters and post them in Slice of Life hosted by Two Teachers. I enjoy SOL. We, bloggers live in different parts of the world. Our lives are so different but there is sameness which is fascinating. The different posts and photos bring the world to my home. Thank you dear friends. 😊] 

Letter from Home -8 (#SOL 2019)