Life is ...not a bed of roses.

It precisely 4.27pm on this 27th day of March and the evening sun is streaming into the living room bringing with it the scent of summer.  How

lovely it is to hear the cuckoo call in the

early hours of the morning. 

I feel bored, disturbed and restless. The results of a job interview were not as I had hoped for. I try and tell myself that whatever happens happens for the best and there could be something better in store for me.

A cheat meal was in line.  I treated myself to a yummy banana and peanut butter smoothie a while ago. That is hardly something you have when on a diet. Since my head is all messed up, I might as well take refuge in comfort food. 

The maid is in the grip of wedding fever. A nephew's wedding is on the horizon which will be followed by the weddings of her own son and daughter. She will go on leave and is keeping a substitute. The substitute is another young girl. I can hardly tell her age. She could be 14 or 15 or even younger or older.   What pains me is their ignorance and illiteracy. The mothers are subject to a life of hardship, usually supporting the entire family, while the husbands waste their time drinking and gambling. The children especially the daughters follow in the footsteps of the mother. 

My maid has still not quite found a groom for her 20-year-old daughter but is anxious to get son and daughter married at the same time to cut costs. The girl has been through two broken engagements. I pray that she is lucky the third time. 

I wish that those in authority would do more for these hapless victims of circumstances - change mindsets and take education to the remotest corners of the country. It is the need of the hour. 

Flower Power

I have not had the Monday blues this week, instead, a deep purple has been the colour of the day. Two lovely deep purple Portulaca flowers greeted me this morning and set my heart aflutter. I bought the plant last week in Pune and carried it all the way to Mumbai. Luckily it survived the journey and now shows off its blossoms in all glory and splendour. The younger son who is quite a pro helped me transfer it from the little packet of mud that it travelled in to Mumbai to a medium-sized pot. 

My gardening skills are improving slowly but steadily. I do not have many gardening tools, in fact, I get by with just a broad blade knife at the moment.  I have learnt a little about mulching and watering and compost and manure. It is nothing but exciting to watch a plant sprout tiny leaves and then watch the leaves grow. You impatiently wait for a bud to open, checking on it every day and when it opens you are thrilled to bits.    There is

a pale peach  Hibiscus bud unfolding and a tiny orange rosebud that will add to the riot of colour in my balcony. The Periwinkle continues to thrive, the branches and flowers growing right outside the balcony.   A

plant bearing deep crimson flowers keeps the purple variety company now.

Age is just a number and here I am to prove the adage true. It is never too late to cultivate a hobby or pursue a passion. Just go with it and let it light

up your life...