Report of 30 Sept 2018
Good evening!
There is a nice breeze about, the blue Bay of Bengal has boats on it and I have a theory that the recent rains might have settled the ambient dust, as the picture in front of me is crystal clear, with vivid greens and bright blues. Like someone painted it.
I swam this morning at a nearby hotel, as our apartment's pool was being cleaned. The hotel normally charges a heap for this privilege, but our young neighbors upstairs work there and granted us a favor. It's a lot more difficult for folks in the U.S. to use a hotel's pool if they are not guests - liability, and all that. After my exercise and shower and breakfast, we Skyped with the boys and I was in a simply splendid mood; Scott enlightened all - "Amma just swam."
It's nice to start the day with a workout, especially a fun one. It's also nice to sleep in, and that happens on a Saturday. Fun workouts include zumba, which I don't get to do very much here, swim, and any form of dance. "Don't give me people who want to dance, give me people who have to dance," said a sign once.
Work is fabulous. Kovalam remains busy. We have a cadre of workers called Nalam ("Health") workers, recruited from the community for various purposes, such as accompany a fellow citizen to a Government office, and help them traverse the maze that is the standard Government office here, etc. One of them, who actually assists at our clinic, came to me with belly pain and stated that her mother had died of uterine cancer. That was enough; I referred her to the Cancer Hospital, and she was very quick to agree to go. I will find out tomorrow what transpired.
Adaikalam is also nice. One of our patients, Ms. X, was admitted in the ICU; she is a beloved person, alternately cranky and quiet, and I went to see her in the hospital + talk to the ICU doctor. It was a good visit, with the doc tolerating all my questions. Ms. X has recovered, but has a urine infection that is resistant to most antibiotics. That is the bane of our existence here: resistant bugs which wreak havoc on all bodies, frail and not-so-frail. I am hopeful that Ms. X will continue her course of recovery.
The young lady whom my nephew married 2 years ago regretfully lost her father last week. We went for the funeral, condoling with extended family. Many of my extended family met for lunch yesterday. That was nice; all enjoyed the get-together and it was fun to see family. Indian custom actually demands a period of mourning, but our niece and nephew joined us for lunch and we were grateful. They are very sweet people, and I simply love getting together with the next generation. A good time was had by all, talking and eating and healing.
Today, we Skyped with the boys and there was a lot of talking and laughing there, too. The call lasted 1.5 hours and that was grand fun. After that, Scott and I were industry incarnate: there has been an ant infestation in our chest of drawers (as you'll see, no pun intended), where "inner wear" is stored, and we had to de-ant (you can well imagine the complications of ants in one's pants - ooooh); then I washed all my non-color-fast clothes by hand; we washed bed linen in the machine; Scott cleaned; I cooked, which I absolutely enjoy, making my red and yellow pepper and cucumber salad, and fish; then Scott took a nap and that was incentive to me to stop and read the paper. I have not yet finished the paper, but it is a fine piece of journalistic excellence and I enjoy it. We went to a cotton fabrics show held by rural personnel yesterday and it was great: some non-profits help these folks design and produce fine clothing, beautifully designed and nicely tailored, and I bought some clothes plus linen. It is a nice feeling to directly benefit the artisan, not the middleman.
Hope you have a good week!
Unw -
R
There is a nice breeze about, the blue Bay of Bengal has boats on it and I have a theory that the recent rains might have settled the ambient dust, as the picture in front of me is crystal clear, with vivid greens and bright blues. Like someone painted it.
I swam this morning at a nearby hotel, as our apartment's pool was being cleaned. The hotel normally charges a heap for this privilege, but our young neighbors upstairs work there and granted us a favor. It's a lot more difficult for folks in the U.S. to use a hotel's pool if they are not guests - liability, and all that. After my exercise and shower and breakfast, we Skyped with the boys and I was in a simply splendid mood; Scott enlightened all - "Amma just swam."
It's nice to start the day with a workout, especially a fun one. It's also nice to sleep in, and that happens on a Saturday. Fun workouts include zumba, which I don't get to do very much here, swim, and any form of dance. "Don't give me people who want to dance, give me people who have to dance," said a sign once.
Work is fabulous. Kovalam remains busy. We have a cadre of workers called Nalam ("Health") workers, recruited from the community for various purposes, such as accompany a fellow citizen to a Government office, and help them traverse the maze that is the standard Government office here, etc. One of them, who actually assists at our clinic, came to me with belly pain and stated that her mother had died of uterine cancer. That was enough; I referred her to the Cancer Hospital, and she was very quick to agree to go. I will find out tomorrow what transpired.
Adaikalam is also nice. One of our patients, Ms. X, was admitted in the ICU; she is a beloved person, alternately cranky and quiet, and I went to see her in the hospital + talk to the ICU doctor. It was a good visit, with the doc tolerating all my questions. Ms. X has recovered, but has a urine infection that is resistant to most antibiotics. That is the bane of our existence here: resistant bugs which wreak havoc on all bodies, frail and not-so-frail. I am hopeful that Ms. X will continue her course of recovery.
The young lady whom my nephew married 2 years ago regretfully lost her father last week. We went for the funeral, condoling with extended family. Many of my extended family met for lunch yesterday. That was nice; all enjoyed the get-together and it was fun to see family. Indian custom actually demands a period of mourning, but our niece and nephew joined us for lunch and we were grateful. They are very sweet people, and I simply love getting together with the next generation. A good time was had by all, talking and eating and healing.
Today, we Skyped with the boys and there was a lot of talking and laughing there, too. The call lasted 1.5 hours and that was grand fun. After that, Scott and I were industry incarnate: there has been an ant infestation in our chest of drawers (as you'll see, no pun intended), where "inner wear" is stored, and we had to de-ant (you can well imagine the complications of ants in one's pants - ooooh); then I washed all my non-color-fast clothes by hand; we washed bed linen in the machine; Scott cleaned; I cooked, which I absolutely enjoy, making my red and yellow pepper and cucumber salad, and fish; then Scott took a nap and that was incentive to me to stop and read the paper. I have not yet finished the paper, but it is a fine piece of journalistic excellence and I enjoy it. We went to a cotton fabrics show held by rural personnel yesterday and it was great: some non-profits help these folks design and produce fine clothing, beautifully designed and nicely tailored, and I bought some clothes plus linen. It is a nice feeling to directly benefit the artisan, not the middleman.
Hope you have a good week!
Unw -
R
posted by Renu at
5:20 AM
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