Sometimes.....

Up since 4 am since Monday ...In my dictionary 4:00 am is a strange nether-time of. the day, which is way too early to wake up with the singing birds or the noise of the morning walkers heading to the garden nearby. I can often hear them discussing recent news, daily routines, recipes, stock market tips, investments....I can't pinpoint to the concern was the night before, maybe it was a sudden attack of grim thoughts and existential realities that broke my sleep that I found myself tossing and turning since 3:30 am and this worried me a bit. Considering I used to be one of those who never lost sleep over anything...

The next day, the 4 o' clock call came from lil G who complained of  stomach ache and then we made so many trips to the toilet....exhausting...followed by a visit to the doctor. School was given a miss, of course, also impacted my own schedule for the day. And poor Big G who has half days at school and planned to spend time at lil g's school, which is so much fun, had to miss that too. By afternoon we were all at home, with the kids burning up their energy in chasing each other and the teasing and playing and fighting and complaining which they are usually up to. I did not have enough dopamine levels to focus on work in hand.

In the evening, we went downstairs where the kids frolic around, talking to their Ajji and Muthajji (great grandmother). We were deciding on what to do for Ugadi - purchase of new clothes, a tradition which would be nice to start here. Though it is only an upstairs-downstairs thing, Muthajji's house is a journey in time. The old and the new, an amicable co-existence. Till some time ago the heaters were just for show and the gurkae (bath water pot) was fired with coconut shells and fronds. One of the must-carry things for her to USA for a long stay was the wet-grinder. It is out of her "adige-mane" that I came to know of traditional Kannadiga food.

I remember borrowing her Women's Era to read everytime I came down here. She loving her silks especially the Kanjeevarams and pink and yellow being her favourite colors, At home, about Muthajji, everyone says, she will kill you by feeding you and nobody will ever suspect her. That and her love for watching crime serials.

For the last 3 years though, because of the no, of health issues she has been going through, she has been scolded and threatened into taking it easy which her independent person did very reluctantly and almost grudgingly and only when she realized her mind was far more nimble than her body.
Only 3 days ago, after her evening  Muthajji had a fall in the evening and she has been diagnosed with hip fracture. She is in great pain and today is her operation even as I write this. Praying she gets through it given her heart condition.

It's been 3 days since I started writing the post and I should do a "One day at the Passport Office" and experiences there, which I will after my visit yesterday. So, Muthajji's operation was successful, and she is under less pain. She will need to remain there for another 10 days or so. My parents (both this time) are here for a day or two to spend some time with us (kids and me). Today, I hope to get back to my attempts to do some work from home.

This post has no message, just a time and phase in my life. Tomorrow, Saturday,  I look forward to sleeping in an hour later than usual. Life is to be lived fullest and  to one's best, I hope I don't continue losing sleep over it, just live it....