General Update

This has been a long absence from the blog. When this happens, it is difficult to decide where to start from and inevitably, as it happened yesterday, one postpones writing. I shall try and not stay out for more than 3 days.

The incident of falling in the well in my last blog generated quite some interest. I sometimes wonder what would people reading my blog be expecting. As a generation, we’ve got used to ‘breaking news’ and if events in my life are not sensational enough, I may lose readership! If that is to happen, so be it.

Some non-sensational events since I wrote last: 

1. Our household goods arrived here on 19^th. Unloaded them and stacked it in the room that we’re staying in. The room is approx. 22’ X 12’ and after the stacked goods, there is a double bed, a single bed and about 30-40 sq ft of open space in the room. Since the space outside the room is quite large, and that is where we spend a lot of our time, the room isn’t wanting in space at all. In fact, we’re quite well settled, except the odd rat, which keeps entering the room once or twice in the night.

2. A day before leaving from Mumbai Rekha realized that the backlog of films to watch is quite a lot. We decided to watch one movie on the day she returns (Feb 22), but that wasn’t enough. So, we watched one movie (Special 26) on Feb 21 (the day she left) – she in Mumbai, I in Bhopal. Then after she arrived, we watched Kai Po Che together. One movie (Any Body Can Dance) is still pending. On the same day, we also went to Indira Gandhi Manav Sanghrahalaya in Bhopal, which showcases the lifestyles of many tribes in the country. It was an interesting visit. We plan to re-visit as we could not go around much.

3. We experienced the first sickness at Barkheda. Shreya caught some cough & cold in Mumbai and it worsened after coming here. She had fever going as high as 102^o F and though the doctor insisted that she be given antibiotic, we persisted with the tulsi+honey, saying that if she was not ok by day 3, we will start with the antibiotic. The fever was gone on day 3 and though the cough is still there (today is day 6), the anxiety isn’t.

4. The mason I found is facing some work at home and has said that it will be at least 10-12 days before he can begin work. I’m looking out if I can find someone, who’s as good and can begin soon enough. The house construction is thus still on hold.

5. We decided to start off with our farming. We’d earlier decided to begin after the house, but now it seems better otherwise. As per guidance from Rajesh Gupta, we began with preparing the farming beds. Got some mud, manure and straw, mixed it well and spread it on a large piece of land. By weekend, we should sow the seeds for few summer vegetables. I Spent the last 2 days doing some hard manual labor.