up to 1994-05-13 - Friday - back to Brindavan tomorrow

Condensing multiple days into a single post.

1994-04-19 - Tuesday - I don't know how to descrive today's start. Amma (Mother) called, I got up. Suprabhatam, toilet. Yesterday's shower bath removing the dressing (in the evening) gave some confidence, but then ... Achan (Father) went to Nirmala while I stayed at home as 'Mother's helper'. Did some potato peeling, cutting, etc. Achan's news that Dr. R complained that he was undercutting by charging low - that's how they see it. Read 'Genius' when not doing "work". Machettan's son Krishnachandran chettan (one of my 32 paternal first cousins) + Shanta chechi + Madhu + Radhika came around 4 pm. Anch (sister) phoned, her University exams may be postponed, practicals postponed, so she's coming home. So, drove through the traffic with Amma (to pick her up from Medical College Hostel). They went to New Top Bakery - a long wait - then Mavoor Road. Decided not to buy transistor in the rush. So, around Mananchira square. Only reading 'Genius' till slumber.  

1994-04-20 - Wednesday - What a sour Ramanavami! Totally out of Shruti - 5! (Out of tune, in the sense not in tune with Swami). Nirmala hospital problems. Changed dressing from there. Then went on the bicycle to pay electricity bill. Achan, "ഇപ്പൊക്കേ പഠിച്ചു പോയി അല്ലേ, ഹരി?" (Now you've learnt everything, right, Hari?) about my driving. The steering wheel is a good stand for books while reading (when parked and waiting for Achan to return). Afternoon bath. Gokul (maternal second cousin) came, went after lunch around 3:45. Pak big score vs NZ in 2nd semi - Australasia cup at Sharjah. Yesterday India 7 wicket win (!) over Australia. Feynman lectures in earnest, evening. But many interruptions. So only up to Chapter 25.

1994-04-21 - Thursday - A day of "successes". But slept 2 to 4 pm. Heard Thrimadhuram in the bathroom when got up, after Suprabhatam at 5:30. 9 o'clock - the Comtrust hotplate (repair) - rotary switch required. So, shopping after cricket highlights Pak vs NZ record 327 total. Rs. 55 for the switch! Asoka Electricals, SM Street. Also BC148 transistor and remote pin for the flash recharger. Then, repaired hotplate before lunch. Returned from SM Street via 2nd (railway) gate - beach - Mohan's lane. Attractive, but dirty beach. Neglect. Evening - kneaded chapati dough. Too much water - sticky. Then, stereo amp (troubleshooting). Discovered 3 shorts by simple continuity tests. When removed them, worked fine! Foolishness. Tum sa nahin dekha as Rafi sang on testing. Recharger, microwave oven, are left.

1994-04-22 - Friday - Unnichettan came in the morning, went by evening. Dr Jayakrishnan, son of Rajappachettan (who is my paternal first cousin) - I recognized him as "Kapish". (He used to read the "Kapish" comics for us when we were very young, during our Thrissur visits). Working in some hospital in Cochin, came for Saudi interview. Made holes in the stereo amp cabinet most of the day. Morning trip to Therattil for milk powder etc. along with file. Flash recharging all right, but not flashing. Remembered just a bit too late, Vazhipaadu (ritual offering) for the stereo amp's working. So, tomorrow onwards, get up with Anch, bath, Feynman lectures, when drowsy after breakfast exercise, and so on. Car returned after a day at Indus Motors - Rs. 450 - bearing in the differential + servicing. Achan's patient took it and brought it (the car) back. Thrissur Pooram on radio. Absence of STAR TV ⟹ Achan listened. Also, we didn't have to see India losing to Pak again in the final. 250 for 5, 211 all out. 

1994-04-23 - Saturday - Remembered Vazhipaadu, so day OK. But idle thoughts of an idle fellow - the Mephistopheles connection. Morning 5:45 to 7, then 8:30 to 9 newspapers, again Feynman lectures, after lunch SM Street on bicycle for gasket, also puffs (not available at Delecta bakery), cornflakes (Gold), electrical goods. Morning 11 to lunch stereo amp PCB holes, also RD jokes (of one issue). Leg mostly healed. Achan says tomorrow I can remove the bandage and take bath. Tomorrow kitchen electricals. Achan is helping Amma quite a bit - Chapati rolling, kneading, plates, etc. They're thrown more together, so better rapport. Amma is also more trim, more efficient, getting praise for her cooking, looking more handsome, eating less, more mobile, so surely shedding fat. Lack of servant Urvashi Shaapam Upakaaram!

1994-04-24 - Sunday - Morning woke at 4:20 after Anch's brushing of teeth. Read Feynman a little bit, then newspaper, Feynman again, cartoons on TV. Hindification takes away half of Disney's charm. Sitting in guest room and reading with Anch - Microbiology for her, Feynman for me, problematiques. While taking bath in the evening, decided to live as He would like. But the problem is with forgetting. Want to ask Achan for air cooler - Anch's room is too hot. Finished off 'Genius' in the afternoon. 

1994-04-25 - Monday - Two ads reported by Achan - Teltronix helical ASIANET receiver Rs. 3,000, Electronic phase changer. So, going to Kannankandy to get Little Cooler from Videocon. Read a little Feynman - Physiology of the Eye! Readers' Digest. 2 pm Anch to Medical College Hospital, to get her hall ticket. 4:30 Mavoor Road for cooler, Amma's shopping, too. Achan said driving OK except for clutch hastiness. The cooler didn't live up to expectations. Not much better than a blower, 125 W. Very directional, so only one person benefits. If swing (only less than 90 degrees) alternately hot and cold! Very slow swing. But good finish. Rs. 3000! Fussing over the directioning (kept in Anch's room) didn't read much Feynman. Around 9:00, fracas Amma and Anch - latter said tummyache, former said consult Achan, "No time". Finally brought everything back to senses by forcibly removing Amma, telling her very calmly many psychological things - Anch is the one who tries to make you happy most, ... etc. Finally OK. But couldn't get the feeling that You are the motivator. Bhajans - yesterday with Anch, today with Achan + Amma - couldn't concentrate on You.

1994-04-26 - Tuesday - Morning toilet - more than one hour - "enjoyed myself". But no thought of the bad Samskaras it will entail. Read "For all practical purposes" Math book continuously till lunch. Anch's chauffeur to University - "Micro" exam, next is "Patho" on Friday. Malli from Mallissery return. Fixing a bulb at the back of the house (Western corner) and kitchen tubelight connection to inverter with bulb-holder connectors, took till evening. Puffs today too. Continuously 3 days - Bakery near overbridge, Orma and now New Tops. Bath time again. Saw "Hum Panchi ek chawl ke" two episodes + "Surabhi" one. 

1994-04-27 - Wednesday - Morning inertia - got up only at 6.20. After early breakfast, newspaper - "Top Quark found". Microwave oven checked - no problems, slight transformer smell. Thangamani is still here - Ravi is going to Kannur. A quotable quote from Readers' Digest - "If you can spend a perfectly useless Saturday in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned to live". Today only RDs - morning to night, finished off some 5-7 that were left unread. Amplifier work completely stalled. Feynman too. Not to mention "Microverse" and "For all practical purposes". Didn't see too many RD ads in view of tomorrow's declaration of absistence which I had decided on yesterday. Exercise before bath - pull-ups on the concrete slab in the bedroom, push-ups.

1994-04-28 - Thursday - Sankashta Chaturthi (as written on the diary) so finally rid of Kashta! Woke up on my own, telling Amma yesterday not to wake me - 5:30 am, surprising Amma and Anch (who had not got up when I woke at 5). Went to Nirmala - "Microverse" to read. Saw "Turning Point" (recorded yesterday) while eating breakfast. Absistence oath Naamam chellumbol - in thought, word and deed. Driving - the gear should match the speed, not vice versa. So, relaxing drive for Achan. Reached upto Quarks in "Microverse". Took Amma to Railway Station at 5 - rounding Mananchira Square as I had to park elsewhere for Dry Cleaners. There, met Radhika chechi who got married to Devarajan - daughter of Mr. Nedungadi of Parthi, whose son is T.M.Gopalakrishnan. Mr. Nedungadi is Ammamma's cousin late "Radhashmaman"'s sister-in-law's husband. The groom's sister is Manju chechi, Unnikrishnan chettan's wife, with tip-tilted nose. Unnikrishnan chettan is Radhashmaman's son. In jeans. Wrote this after dinner, when Amma told me who the people at the Station were. Bhajans - couldn't concentrate on You, struggling to sing. Saw Sports Meet 1992 a little bit n the afternoon while reading "Microverse". Only Brindavan, ATP and up to Adityahridayam. First Chitrageetam song too - Jayaram's dreams as a hero. Next song too less clothes, so I came upstairs. Rain in the evening. 

A still from this video - Annual Sports and Cultural Meet | Jan 11 1992 - a few frames of my carrying Shanthi house placard, the photo of which is seen in this post, are also seen here.

1994-04-29 - Friday - Took Anch to her exam. Went to Minerva Tailors after her exam. 

1994-05-01 - Sunday - Cleaning up the house begun. Continued guest room in the morning, just finished after lunch. Bath, bhajan at Ajay's place. But a coconut tree fell at Thyagarajan uncle's place, taking our electricity line down. So Achan went to KSEB office and then drove us to the bhajan, 20 minutes late. 3:50. It was actually 3:30 to 4:30. Sat on chair outside, speaker very loud - 10W+. Laddoo (ate two from home too) and lime juice. Sudeep and Ajay - Ajay doing temp job before MBA in September. I drove back, May Day Congress rally near Mananchira. Cold from house dust. Saw 30-40 minutes of Malayalam film Balagopalan MA, then fed up, decided to do (cleanup of) the room next to A2 (parents) bedroom. Giving lots of magazines for sale - A2 finally agreed. Did till dinner. 7:30. Then bath again, slept early. 

1994-05-02 - Monday - I think I slept around 9:30 last night, got up at 5:15. But inertia, slept off again. Took Anch to photograph her in Assamese costume worn as Mundu Veshti at Phototec - both of us together.   

1994-05-13 - Friday - All these days (nothing written in diary for the earlier days of May) were back in penitentiary. RD morn to dusk. Unseemly revels. Didn't feel like getting up, anything. Occasional drives. You were furthest from my mind. Both seemed to like it. Pretty grey. Yesterday and today Nevil Shute's Rainbow and the Rose, then Pocket full of rye, Miss Marple. Packed in the afternoon. 

Next: driving to Brindavan and Trayee 

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