Report of 30 Nov 2023

 Good evening!

The Bay of Bengal is clear and pretty.  I am sick and battling a virus picked up on travels.  Tenacious tiny bug - has lingered for days now.  It's always good for doctors to be patients on occasion.

We returned from Madurai last week, having attended the wedding of a Banyan child.  The wedding was fun, and being in a part of Tamil Nadu that we have never seen (Ambasamudram) was also nice.  Lush, green, unsullied.  We took a drive in the pre-dawn hours (since the wedding was at 8.30 AM) to a nearby dam and the vista was spectacular.  The wedding was thickly attended by Banyan folks, and was nice.  We finished that, got home to Madurai, had lunch with my Dad and watched  (on TV) India regretfully lose the World Cup in cricket to Australia.  

We returned to Chennai and then undertook travels to Mysore, Coorg and Bangalore.  Relatives had to be notified of the wedding, in person.  Respectful tradition.  So we went.  It was great to see everyone and tell them of our daughter's wedding next month.  We were received warmly, which was nice; there have been family feuds galore and I want no part of any of them.  I think I gained a couple of pounds in travels and did manage to get a workout in on one of the days, which was great therapy.  The weather in Mysore was cool and pleasant - conducive to a brisk walk.  We also visited my former school principal, which is unfailingly grand.  We have a long tradition here of respecting our gurus (teachers).  

Exercise is quite the panacea.  As an article said a few years ago, if exercise were to be a pill/tablet/capsule (i.e., retail medication), it would be a bestseller.  

We lost a brother-in-law this week.  He had been on Hospice and so the end was not unexpected; still leaves a void, though.  He was opinionated, candid and appreciative; naturally, I loved him dearly.  

We met with friends for lunch this week.  They will also cater Nat's wedding, and I am glad of this.  

I saw a sensational movie today called "A man called Otto."  I used to watch movies ad infinitum and then stopped as they were a drain on time; this one was worthwhile and had stellar resources for thoughts of self-harm.  The movie had Tom Hanks and his son Truman, and a host of folks whom I was happy to see as I had not seen them before.  

We are well, grateful to be doing what we do and to have fine people in our lives.  Such as yourselves.  For me, working with marginalised people is heady and fun.  I hope you have grand fun, yourselves.

Unw -

R