St. Louis Despatch No 5. 

……….and it’s time to say “Goodbye” !

Oh the vagaries of weather! Last week, (11/3), the mercury went up to 92 F and we had to actually switch on the AC (Cool). Everyone was making the most of it &  the parks were full of jogging enthusiasts. The Malls/Shops were also pretty crowded. This reminded me of the story of the ‘Ants & the Grasshopper!!! Sure enough, at night, we had rains accompanied with strong winds & today, the sky is dark & snow is imminent! Plunging one from the heights of ecstasy into the depths of dejection!!  

It’s just a Two days left, for us to get back, so the pre-packing bouts of nerves are emerging! The mind is again flooded with mixed feelings of returning home, to Samruddhi, our lovely grand-daughter, Anshuman & Reshma & our respective extended families. Leaving Janu & Jenny is equally a not-too-happy feeling. But then, let’s take solace in the saying, “Home is where the heart is”.(In that case, the heart would be in more than One piece…..  .”mere dil ke tukde….!!)  That makes things much easier. Talking about family & ties that bind, one lady, where Janu works was  surprised to know that “you haven’t got tired of your folks”!! Sadly, (my thoughts), this ethos has slowly crept into our thinking, back home. There are pros & cons of the issue, & I wouldn’t want to start a debate on this. Everyone is welcome to their opinion.

Jenny has been busy as usual, besides travelling quite a bit. Janu’s part-time job with the County Library assures a steady supply of mags, books & DVDs. And of course she has been ‘whipping up’ (literally) such lovely desserts. And needless to say, the desserts have been preceded by generous   portions of  all that the dietician said to stay away from!

Orange Fluff Jello (Yum!)

Janu in kitchen, Jenny at hand!

                                                                                           

As usual, this trip has been very enjoyable, although much shorter than before. And the weather too has been a restricting factor. But in spite of all this, we have grabbed our moments of fun & laughter, of shopping sprees, cooking up something new (food, that is!)  &  of course, watching our  favourite channels. Heading the list are the Food Channels, the same players still going strong (Barefoot Contessa, Giada at Home, 30 Minute Meals & of course  Cup Cake Wars). The last mentioned has assumed epic importance to us, as Reshma (Reshoo) has become pretty good at it.. I saw the beginning of her venture before I came here & judging from the photographs, I can tell that they must be great!!

Reshoo's Cup Cakes

‘Season 8’ of 24 has been very riveting, with more twists & turns, than a mountain road! The basement is primarily the ‘home theatre’ & with a 60” screen, it’s super. Now, there is the Ultra HD too & believe me, it’s almost as if we can see inside the  room!! And of course Google Glass now being the talk of the town/country etc.  All these are going to make us lazier than what we are, naturally. Augmented reality!  Some people may have laughed 20-30 years back at “Scenes we’d like to see” in MAD magazine, but there was one such that ‘predicted’,  one day, Man will have no use of his limbs due to mass automation & voice control, and will be just a blob of flesh with tiny remnants of his limbs!! What a thought? (Shudder, shudder!)

‘Restauranting’ has been limited to a few new ones like PF Changs, O’Charley’s, an ‘odd’ Indian Restt, the odd really qualifying it!!  But there are favourites like Red Robin (Radhi, Radhi!) for their Gourmet (read “Giant) Burgers, St Louis Bread Company & good old Wok Express for SMT* Chinese!

*-SMT ‘Sasta, Mazboot & Tikaoo’. (very much like ‘Indian Chinese’ prepared by Nepali & Garhwali cooks, masquerading as Chinese!!)

For  a small city, (according to ppl) there’s lots to see in St Louis. And the French influence is definitely there.(it was founded by 2 Frenchmen in 1764 & named after one of the many Louis’, who ruled France!)  Streets & localities have names like Lafayette, Des Peres, Ladue , Laclede Ave. and so on.

We  have seen quite a bit in the last 2 visits, but every time, something new comes up. We’ve seen the Zoo, Museum, Confluence of Mississippi-Missouri, Parks (about 100 in all!) & Malls/Stores. This time, we added more parks, ancient sites & more lakes.

At Stacy Park

Kalpana 'Stone skipping'

Last week, we took a drive to the Horseshoe Lake, a huge water body, located within 25 minutes driving time, with boating & fishing facilities. The weather was good, a slight wind though & we all travelled  back in time, to our childhood & participated in “Bhakrya”, or ‘Stone Skipping’ to see how many times it bounced. The Champ Bouncer  results are awaited!! As usual, there were many cars,  still enough space for each family, as always.

Talking about the French influence, there is also the ‘Spanish’ presence in the form of  the  Mexican population. Spanish is almost a second language here with most, in fact all English notices/instructions, repeated in Spanish. Other than Hola! & Rapido & of course Piso Mojado, it’s quite confusing. Pronouncing the Xs & Js correctly is as difficult/easy as pronouncing the K in DMK or the Z in Kozhikode, correctly! As I discovered  some years ago, the confusion is compounded all the more when Hola is Hola, but Jalapeno is Halapeno!! Ditto for Mojito. But  the same undergoes a 360 degree turn when Mohan becomes Mojan in Chennai!! This is understandable, due to the vast distances separating the two countries,

But then, the J in Germany & maybe some other places is pronounced Y. (Ja Ja). Thousands of miles across, in parts of Northern India, I’ve heard guys say ‘Jes’ for Yes &  ‘Mayer’ for Measure!! This proves that all the Continents were definitely fused together millions of years ago! It’s time we have a language that binds people, rather than  distance them ?

J & J at  Gracelend

The highlight of this trip, was a visit to Memphis, home of Elvis Presley, the idol of millions, during the 50s-60s. Graceland Mansion, his house, has been converted into a museum of sorts & there are conducted tours of various sections. To me, his Pink Cadillac was the major attraction! Of course, all this for a price! Again, I must confess that I was ‘impressed’ at the strategic location of the Souvenir Shops, in almost all places. The exits are through these, so you were a few pounds & a few dollars lighter! (they still use the lbs,miles etc.).

Graceland Mansion

                                                            That night, we decided to have a bash at the BB King Blues Club, Beale Street. BB King is a well-known American blues musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist.  The wait was about 30 minutes, but we paid the entrance fee & found ourselves in a typical, crowded but vibrant hall. Lots of people sitting all over enjoying their drinks & the  music. 

These guys really have it in them & their performance was very inspiring. And of course, there were those who couldn’t keep themselves from the floor. 

Rhythm & Blues.

BBQd Ribs (Drool!!)

If the music was super, the food was ‘super se upar’! Besides the Bud Light, there was the Chicken & Ribs platter & another Memphis Style Sausage and Cheese Platter!


We then stepped out to Beale Street, on which this & other restos are located. The two squares are blocked by cop cars & plenty of cops, some on horses. This is a daily ritual, more so on week-ends, when everyone is on the streets, the food & drinks shops doing brisk business, music all over & people generally having a blast. The cops do not interfere, so long as “all is well” & we saw them chatting with         whoever went up.                 

Mounted Cops!

The way to the parking was exactly as they show in movies. It was fully deserted, & one guy suddenly  appeared from nowhere, startling the s---s out of you. Ideal place to ‘take out’  a guy!  

One of the shops on Beale St

That day started off on a bright note, but gradually, the sky became overcast & there was rain from the night onwards. This is quite a regular feature, when a “Sunny” day turns into “Snow” or “Rain with High winds”, within hours! Our return trip was quite an experience, as besides the rain, the spray (almost a mist) from the preceding vehicles, made visibility poor. 

Snowfall, seen from inside the car!

And as we neared St Louis, we encountered snow, soft & fluffy in the beginning but then came down very strongly. Ice on the road can be quite hazardous, so one has to watch the speed. In minutes, the countryside turned ‘as white as snow’!. Kalpana was hoping to see one more snowfall before leaving & the weather Gods didn’t let her down. As we reached St Louis, ‘chamatkar’! No rain, no snow, but some lovely celestial artwork in the sky!

One thing that really stunned me, was the abject ignorance about India, of some people that I met. Obviously, there’s a lot of confusion about the name Gandhi, from the Mahatama to RaGa (as has been coined by the media). Even howlers like, ‘ Mumbai is the capital of the country!’. I told him, most of the country’s ‘capital’ is here, but it is still not our Capital. And the changed names have been more confusing than ever!

And so to bed! It’s been a good holiday and as usual, Janu & Jenny have really spoilt us thoroughly. And it’s been made even better as we celebrate Janu’s birthday, with her, after ages! Their threats of moving to Dallas seem to be real, so this may be our last visit to St Louis. We have grown fond of the city over the years & are quite familiar with the roads, especially those going to Macy’s, Bed Bath n Beyond, JC Penney & the lot! The parks have been fun too. To revert to my blog on Sanitation (“Dignity to all”), I saw a sign in the park, which is self-explanatory. 


There are similar rules in quite a few Societies (the building ones, I mean!) in Pune, making it compulsory, as it is a health hazard & the owners of the dogs are fined heavily! When will we apply these rules to our bretheren??

It’s been a pleasure writing these little happenings & I have loved sharing them with you. I have either received some very encouraging responses or no responses! I presume  your silence speaks a thousand words!!

In front of  123111 Wild Turkey Court

See you all soon & TC of yourselves & yours… and of course our planet!

Cheers! Ashok

(Papa) 'Bear' Hug!!

St. Louis Despatch No 4. 

IF WINTER COMES, CAN SPRING BE FAR BEHIND?

Hi Folks,

A Pair of Cardinals

As most of you have  mentioned, birds & animals  have been central to a lot  my ‘ramblings’. The best quality in them is that they never ever think they are on display (incl PDA!)  and are unpretentious about whatever they do. And unknowingly, we learn a lot from their actions & sometimes, just their presence. E.g. 2 days ago, while getting out of the complex, I saw 4-5 Robins on the grounds. Their sudden appearance told me that Spring is around the corner! Yeah!! Remember what I said in my first blog? “When Nature calls, listen!”

New shoots..heralding Spring!

It’s been a long dreary winter, confining us poor humans to the indoors. Isn’t it uncanny that weather actually ‘influences’ our moods? A dark, overcast sky makes one feel really ‘blue’ (whatever that means), but bright sunshine, birds chirping and a clear blue sky makes us feel so “bright” (nice & comfortable!!) Tiny shoots  have started making their appearance on the trees & officially, the time has been set ahead by One hour from today, (9th) as a change  in Daylight saving!.

Last Tuesday, the temp was in the 50’s (F, naturally) but an overcast sky & cold winds were prevailing throughout the day. Yet, we made a bee-line@ for the World Bird Sanctuary, about 30 mins from home. This place is a haven for birds, especially raptors. And the smaller, wild birds were there in plenty, robbing food from the display cages. The Bald Eagle+ was there in numbers, but what impressed me was the Chilean Condor, what we call Vultures & the N Americans call Turkey Buzzards. It has a wing span of 12 feet & once airborne, can travel upto hundreds of miles in search of food, & mostly riding on the thermals. Wow! 

Bald Eagles

The Chilean Condor

                                         

The Sandhill Crane too was seen, one of the most endangered crane species. And of course, there was a good representation of hawks, kestrels, owls. But what made us feel very very nice was a cage which had the ‘Cochin Bantams’, a short stubby species of the fowl. I have not seen these in India, but the fact that they have an Indian city in their names (& the one to where our son-in-law belongs) was enough reason to celebrate. (Actually, they are of Chinese origin!!)

@-Bee Line- Supposed to be a ‘direct approach’. Have you ever seen a bee fly straight? For that matter, “as the crow flies” is another confusing phrase.

+- ‘Balde’ in olde English means White Haired (That qualifies for me too, either way!)

  

This was followed up by a visit to the Lone Elk State Natural Park, which is a vast expanse of wooded areas,

Our Lone Elk, without antlers

home to the American Elk or Wapiti, one of biggest deer found in the USA. BTW, like a lot of places/’things’ in the USA having names of Indian (Red) origin, Wapiti, means “White Rump”. The photo justifies the name. Since  they shed their antlers each year, (unlike antelopes who don’t) our elk were bare. Presently, the trees are in winter ‘mode’, but yet have a different appeal.


The photo of the River Birch is an example of “the old order changeth, giving way to the new”, with the previous year’s bark peeling off, exposing the smooth new one (in turn, to wither away) . In fact, this is common in animals (skin/fur), birds (feathers) & trees. Exception? Us!!

I could only imagine how the forest would look in summer, in all its greenery, and also in fall, with the leaves donning various shades, from Yellow to Crimson! I leave it to your vivid imagination to visualise the transition from Green to Yellow ..... 

We came across a small herd of Bison, (referred to as the ‘Buffalo’ here), & one of them ‘honoured’ us, if you get me! (see snap).


It was sad to see these magnificent animals restricted to a sanctuary, when there was a time when they roamed the plains here in thousands & were a source of life to the native Indians. But senseless slaughter of the beasts have dwindled their numbers to a few hundred & all in the safety of National Parks.
Thankfully, their numbers are slowly increasing. I hope we can do something  more than similar to our magnificent wild life!!

Sunday was as though God himself had decreed, “Let there be sunshine”! The day started with the  temp starting at 30.2 & gradually going up to 59 (F- of course!). As they say, on a clear day, you can see forever. (Look left!)

48 Poles of Woodhenge.

So a quick lunch & not wanting to waste such a beautiful day, we headed out to East St Louis, to a preserved Red Indian Site, actually in Illinois, known as the Cahokia Mounds State Historic  site. This is an ancient site, dating approx to 1400 AD. Apparently, these mounds had some structures on them, & probably used as Observatories. 

There is a Woodhenge, something like the Stonehenge, comprising 48 wooden poles, placed in a circle, used not only  to tell time, but seasons, climatic changes etc. of sorts. Just proves, like Machu Pichu, that there was a race or races, who had developed scientific techniques, far advanced for their times!! 

'Aso'. I am one of those 'Nature' guys & not necessarily a "freak", i.e. what I write, is for you to enjoy & to add it to your 'info bank', that's all. Of course, it is also written with a view to let all who care to know, that we are not isolated from what we call Nature. We are a part of her & I am not talking about the eco-cycle etc etc. The connection with "All things Bright & Beautiful, All creatures great & small", is more on a temporal level. {B4 some ppl feel this is sermonizing. NO, it's not}.
In our day-to-day 'existence'(?), we are either thinking of the past or 'what will tomorrow bring?'. Nobody thinks of 'today'. Even I didn't, till a young boy told me, "it's what you do today, that will affect your tomorrow"!
So, today, let's talk about what we did 'Today'. The list will not only be impressive, but give a lead ahead, Don't think about 'Kal', as in, "Aaj nagad kal udhar".

Signing off now. This has been written over a couple of days. In fact, the last piece has been written just after we returned from Memphis. Yes, a nostalgic trip for us folks, who say (& heard) the emergence & popularity of Elvis (the 'Pelvis') Presley. And an evening at the BB King Club of R&B!! More of that in the concluding episode.

Till then, TC all of you!
Ashok

St. Louis Despatch No 3. (08 March 2014)

"Dignity To All"  (& Save the Earth!)

Hello Folks,

Before I begin, I would like to dedicate this piece to the memory of Kevin Mellifont, who had come down from the US to Pune, to share his vast experience of over  40 years, in the Portable Toilet Industry. In a short period of 6 months, he had grasped not only the intricacies  of the industry in India/Pune, but  had identified  himself with everyone in 3S and the results of his directions have already begun to show. His tragic & untimely demise  last month has left us the poorer for guidance.

This is more of an informative piece, as compared to the others, which were ‘travelogues’ & more chatty .

The Pumper & Cleaner Show  

And thereby hangs a tale! And it came about most casually but spontaneously. Before  leaving for here, Kevin  strongly suggested, that since I was going to be the in US, I should attend the Pumper & Cleaner Show at Indianapolis. This is the biggest Expo of  the Liquid Waste Management Industry in the world.

“Go Greyhound -- and leave the driving to us" says the slogan.

 I had heard about the Greyhound Buses for years, but never ever thought that I will be riding one of these. So I found myself on the US version of Neeta Volvo/Shivneri travelling from St Louis to Indianapolis. Honestly, I was disappointed to say the least. My comparison above was justified. No details here!!  TCALSS, I found myself at the Embassy Suites & caught up with Rajeev.

The  Expo  was not just an eye-opener, it was a revelation, an insight into the Industry, but most apparent, it brought out the  importance that Portable Sanitation has  been accorded the World over. The equipment on display was straight out of a Sci Fi movie. The suction (vacuum) vehicles, fitted with the most efficient systems,

A dismounted unit (Tank+ vacuum pump)

 the various models of Rest Rooms, Trolley- mounted “suites”, deodorizers & the overall coverage of so many allied issues through lectures/seminars, Adm & logistical back-ups & above all, the enthusiasm of attendees, exhibitors (with a large number of ladies present), was , to use a cliché, mind boggling!!

A Portable Rest Room

Rajeev had a session on  the “State of  Global Sanitation”, which was very well received.  I want to digress a bit to drive home a point. I understand Aamir Khan’s 2^nd Season of ‘Satyamev Jayate’ is being aired. In season 1, he had touched upon various  issues, plaguing us & the overall perception towards these, of  our fellow countrymen. There are cynics & cynics and people with a myopic view of anything that can be a  called   a “Trailblazer” & I understand that they are  already at work, picking holes in the subject matters!!

Rajeev interviewed for a TV channel.

 In the same spirit, Rajeev has taken it upon himself  to provide Portable Toilets, with a view to  bringing, dignity to millions of people in India,  who are bereft of this basic need. The impact of non-availability of toilets has got far-reaching ramifications, too long to enumerate!

A 3S Suction vehicle on duty.

Servicing a Rest Room at a Constr Site.

Remember the brave village girl to refused to get married till a toilet was  built in her future in-laws house?  

While it is not possible for everyone to visit these Expos, I think everybody should at least try to grasp the importance of the subject & specifically, the role that Rajeev & his Team 3S  is playing in a very noble, but “unusual” (by Indian standards) vocation. A  synopsis  of  Rajeev’s session is also attached.## .

Pressure Washing.

 We hear of delegations  visiting far-off places to see the “hows” & “wheres” of  subjects that would improve the infrastructure and basic amenities,  available for the asking, to the public at large. We also read news  of their  leaving  on  these jaunts, but no news of return, the outcome of these visits & most important, whether the lessons learnt have been implemented!  Isn’t it shocking that a lot of people    (who ‘matter’[?] ), are not even aware that in good ole Pune, we have an Organisation dedicated to affording this value added service. !! An irony is that Rajeev was invited by former President Clinton to attend the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City, 2010,2011.(Anyone listening there?)

Imitation is the best form of flattery..blah blah..!  So what is so difficult about picking up something from others  that is of positive value & use? Sure, everyone is welcome to  swear by the Big Mac/Big Apple  or speak with that twang acquired in just over 2 months! To each his own.  But look at what else is also  happening out there! The importance the rest of the World has given & rightly so, to Sanitation is nothing short of colossal. True, it is not possible,  as yet, to compare the quality & standards that are prevalent there , especially given the fact, that this ‘Industry’ is in it’s infancy here, besides  other intangibles. (Mindset, ignorance of such a facility being available, etc. etc.)There’s a lot to be achieved. We have to make a start somewhere, but fast! There are Brand Ambassadors for almost every product in the country. Can someone take this on, please!! And I really mean ‘Championing the cause’. Thank you.

 To that effect, Rajeev’s talk threw a lot of light on a subject which, in India,  one would not talk  about much, leave alone  be a part of it! Another irony. Remember Gandhiji's Tolstoy Farm & the issue of cleaning  ‘toilets’(have used a more sober word!)  Here is a young man, with a dream  & with his Company, manned by an equally motivated staff,  wanting to provide a basic but vital necessity to his countrymen. Someone told me once, long ago, that ‘when you dream, you are also given the power to make it come true’! 

Personally, it was quite an education for me & I  have definitely come away,  better informed & with a ‘focused direction’.

 In- between   breaks / end-of-day, we met a lot of Exhibitors & Operators, most of them on first-name & back-slapping terms with Rajeev. The Hotel where we stayed hosts  a “Manager’s Cocktails” from 5:30-7:30 pm. EVERYDAY. So you can imagine  the scene at 5:30!. Major difference? Everyone  standing quietly in line for his/her turn.

 Followed by dinner. Remember my comments on the Sparrows here being stouter than their Indian cousins? Ditto for the Chicken!! Next time onwards, I am going to order a “kids meal”!

Three days later, I was back on the Greyhound, ably driven by a lady, who brought me back home in good time. That reminds me. In India ladies, are more comfortable  at running  (steering) Organisations, homes & the like, but not vehicles.(there are a few exceptions, but limited ). I think we need to break new grounds here too. It is my dream to see a All-Lady crew on a Suction Vehicle, servicing the Rest Rooms at various sites. That will be the day!

##  State of Global Sanitation

 Speaker: Rajeev Kher, 

Description:
It is clear that portable sanitation protects billions of people around the world from sickness and deadly diseases. However, there are many areas of the world where portable sanitation is under used or non-existent, and billions of people suffer on a daily basis. Thankfully, there are operators in these regions who are making a difference. Come hear their stories, and be inspired as you learn how valuable your business is to the community you live in.

Till then, TC. Hope you guys take a deep hard look at this issue & at least spread the word, if nothing else.
Cheers & TC
Ashok Gune 

St. Louis Despatch No 2. (13 February 2014)

Homecoming

Richard Armour has observed that , … “ not much is known of Shakespeare’s home life, because he rarely went home”! (Twisted tales from Shakespeare)

In more or less the same logic, I have not written much, as I have not moved out much! That apart, it was a good feeling to be back with the family, especially the kids. Although there was no culture shock this time, I still could not  overcome the feeling of awe, admiration, whatever you  want to call it, at the orderliness of everything.

After tanking up the car & grabbing a Mac, we were on our way home. Much is not chronicled of the trip, as I was catching up with a much needed sleep. (dozing in the aircraft  is not really the same!) Home was reached by 11 pm, & it was dinner straightaway & off to bed. This was my first visit here after Janu, Jenny shifted from their previous home, in the same complex. This is what they refer to as a ‘Town House’, that is a basement, hall & dining & bedrooms, in ascending order.

The mercury was still way below 0 /32, yet,   the starkness of the trees & bushes, denuded of their foliage, standing in the thick of milk-white snow, was  equally a pleasure to see.

 My movements have been restricted due to the weather & body clock adjustment. !  It’s quite a wonder that migratory birds, travel thousands of miles, to the same spot, and there is no sign of any kind of lag. Are their systems more advanced than ours, or they are of a very rudimentary nature ?  The other thing that struck me again this time, was the similarity in physical characteristics of birds. I had observed last year that the House Sparrow found here is identical to what I have seen in India, except that these appeared a little ‘healthier’ in size. Same with the Grey Tit (aka Titmouse- sounds like a biological puzzle!), Red Headed Woodpecker and so many others. These species /sub-species have been separated by not only eons, but distances also. And yet they have retained their generic qualities for years on end. Conversely, humans have distinct features, which keep changing every few miles or so. Brings the same question to mind, “Is it easier to be simpler & survive or be complicated (DNA wise) and fight for survival”.

Anyway, a few short trips to the local  stores restored my confidence(!) & re-set the body clock. After the kids returned from Church , Sunday saw us headed out to town, in the hope of painting the town Red/Blue etc., anything other than White!  

Having driven through town to pick up our daily needs, it was time for lunch. This time, we headed to O’Charley’s, a typical American Diner. The décor was typical, comfortable seating,  warm ambience, made warmer by the servers, as they went about their chores & lots of Baseball memorabilia from  the 60s .

The ladies settled for a Coke, Jenny aqua pura &  for a change, I decided on a Sam Adams, Boston Lager ‘on tap’. They served us the warmest & softest of buns (repeated !) & “Potato twisters… The photograph is highly misleading and the pile that you see, was polished off by all. The other 3 being Veggies, they settled for a pasta, seeped in  a cheesy  sauce & a salad. I went for a Petite Steak (well done), with (a mountain of) fries & a coleslaw, as sides. Truly, a well-deserved tuck-in after being locked in for a while. Shades of  “Man vs Food”!

The hall in Janu-Jenny’s house has two  big  sliding glass doors, providing an excellent view of the ‘forest’ area & with a hopper being placed just outside the house, I have been able to spot Sparrows (identical to ours, but as stated, ‘healthier’), Chikadees, Nuthatches, Mockingbird (only 1), Blue Jays, Red-Headed Woodpeckers & of course my favourites, the Cardinals. 

Very shy & elusive, so it has been quite an effort to try to get them on camera. I found a lot of  Blackheaded Juncos, for the first time here, and a Hawk, but couldn’t see the markings well. Most probably, a Red Headed Hawk (?) And of course, the  squirrels. Amazing  agility, as they play ‘tag’, & taking pretty long leaps from tree to tree. The deer finally made an appearance, two days ago, on their search for some food. I was able to spot the deer (White Tailed) crossing through the thickets on 2-3 ocassions. Janu says that they’ve seen Racoons at night (raiding the trash container) but I’ve yet to see them. A Cottontail has been seen just twice. But seeing all these animals right in the middle of a residential complex, is heartening. The Robin alsomade an appearance yesterday.

But what I enjoy the most are the TV channels showing old favourites like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, & musicals. In school, History was more ‘live’ with heroes like Shivaji Maharaj, Rana Pratap & the like, being ‘shown’ to us through pictures, cinema or plays. But guys like Davy Crocket, Lone Ranger (in short, Cowboys & Indians) were restricted to what they referred to ‘Comics’& these were banned! So seeing the re-runs in all their glory, is still enjoyable. Each generation feels that “theirs was the best time”; so be it. But, whether it is India or the US of A, how do you explain the recall value & the popularity of such shows. No amount of the latest technology/CGI can give you the same feel, that you get when Ben Cartwright & his sons, let “them varmints” have it or when you see Premnath, yes, Premnath, the villain of sorts, serenading Madhubala in “Badal”.

  

Anyway, time to sign off on a bright note. The sun is out after playing hooky for the past week & the temp is on the + side! Last night, we celebrated Janu-Jenny’s wedding anniversary, with  a dinner at P F Chang’s, authentic Chinese! 

So, as I was saying, the sun is up, the hopper has been refilled,

 the birds are back…and I have a chore on hand; to shovel the snow from the patio!  There’s another small thing left to be done. My medicine box is kept in the shelf of the sideboard & right above, is a small tableaux of  “The Last Supper”! Must remove it from there!!

Cheers. TC

Warm wishes from a snow-bound  Wild Turkey Court!!

Ashok Gune