17-11-2020
The last two days have been very cloudy and the weather very hot. Humidity is very high in coastal Karnataka. I remember our vacation in Amritsar in January this year and it seems like a different lifetime. It was so cold and we thought the heat was better than the cold and now we are longing for the cold 😊.
Today evening we went to my husband’s cousin’s home, we were visiting someone after a long, long time. He completed chemotherapy two months ago but he is not well now. We used to meet them regularly earlier. My mother is having an operation this Saturday. She will not have mastectomy but the lump will be removed. She will be in the hospital for two nights. My sister-in-law will be with her. We are all praying for her recovery.
On the 11th my husband started watering plants in the garden. The rains have stopped completely. One morning I prepared everything to bake wheat flour masala buns and there was no electricity. I searched in Google 😊 and found that I could bake in non-stick pan. The taste was good but the buns were not round and fluffy. And I also made tomato chutney pickle. It is tasty with dosas 😊. The original procedure to make this pickle is a lengthy one, I prepare a faster one but we cannot keep it for long.
One evening we went the lake after many, many days. There had been a lot of rush and we were apprehensive to go there for a walk. A few days ago my friend told me there are only a few people walking. It was after 5.45 when we reached the place. And by the time we walked more than half way around the lake the sun set, the atmosphere is so different at that time. There was breeze and waves. The birds were resting on the branches of the trees on the island. Many other birds were flying in v-formation. It is fascinating to watch them.
On the 14th we offered monthly prayers to my father-in-law’s departed soul. We do this till the first death anniversary. We invite a guest for lunch and prepare certain dishes that have to be prepared. My husband cuts the vegetables and I do the cooking 😊.
The whole country celebrated Deepawali. We heard some crackers around us but not like other years. We lighted ‘Diyas’ on three nights. Deepawali is the festival of lights. On the 15th evening we went to the temple of Lord Shiva. We were going there after a long time. It is one of our favourite places. This year we have not been doing many things which we usually do.
The river Swarna flows towards the sea not far from our place. We love to watch it from EndPoint but this year that place is still closed to public. We had seen a bridge being constructed across and we decided to see the bridge. Earlier people used to come by boat to this side for work, now they use the bridge. The river looked so serene and soothing.
Whole Wheat Masala Bread Rolls | Healthy Indian style
https://www.tarladalal.com/Whole-Wheat-Masala-Bread-Rolls-Healthy-and…
https://hebbarskitchen.com/tomato-pickle-recipe-tomato-pachadi/
https://www.deccanherald.com/state/wood-sculptors-lost-in-the-jungle-of-uncertainty-915741.html
https://www.deccanherald.com/sunday-herald/sunday-herald-books/mythic-hues-to-free-will-915174.html
https://www.deccanherald.com/sunday-herald/sunday-herald-melange/inking-a-rich-culture-915208.html
https://www.deccanherald.com/sunday-herald/sunday-herald-melange/a-sweet-playmate-915229.html
Mukhamani 
Lots of people here have been very disappointed that they could not celebrate Diwali in the way they usually do. Still, if these new vaccines work, then next year everything should be back to normal.
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I do pray for AJJI’s recovery.🙏😊
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Happy Deepwali to you and yours. The photos are lovely.
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I must try the masala bread some time. SAN
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Once before you wrote how it doesn’t matter where we live in the world, our day to day lives are very similar. I always enjoy reading your stories; though, I’ve not written much lately…kind of in a writing funk. I’m wondering, is it a custom or convenience to place the food pots on the floor?
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For these rituals, we always sit on the floor to eat. Maybe long back there were no tables in most houses. Till about twenty years ago even in social and religious functions the guests sat on mats on the floor and were served food on banana leaves. Then tables and chairs were used and now only the priests and family members sit on the ground on mats . Banana leaves are still used but plates are also used now.
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