Many happy returns to me!

Today's my 66th birthday. Am reminded about the story of my birth when I'd given a lot of problems to my mother. During those days, usually the doctor or the midwife came home and performed the delivery; pregnant-would-be-mothers were seldom taken to the hospital. Delivery by Caesarean section was a rarity. My mother was howling with pain and her father couldn't bear the tension.

Meanwhile, the doctor seems to have told him that she could save only one of the two - the mother or the child. Her father seems to have exploded, "What do you mean by child? Just cut it out and remove it, we don't want it, I want my daughter, safe".

Well finally, both the mother and child were retrieved from the precarious situation, safe and sound by the expert doctor. My Muthachhan used to tell me, always rather wistfully, "You're the child that I didn't want when I saw your mother going through a lot of pain". He loved me unconditionally and was very fond of me; moreover, I was his first grandchild.

My Ammachi, pregnant and carrying my younger uncle, used to take care of me and give me my morning baths. I think the special bond that existed between her and me developed during those tender moments! 

My Appooppan was equally happy and used to visit my mom's house at Thiruvananthapuram quite often, those days from Thalavoor, for carrying me around. His wife - my Ammoomma - also used to accompany him. She used to be amused with my mannerisms like sucking the tongue and my willingness to go into anybody's arms!

My father was quite happy - like all dads - and I think he was pretty sure as to what he expected me to become when I grew big. He was a happy man when I'd joined the National Defence Academy, years later!

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The Red Velvet cake from the nearby Mango Bakers, arrived by lunchtime. To match the shade of the cake, we both wore red upon Lekha's insistence and from the photos taken, during the cutting of the cake, looked quite appropriate and cute.

It was a continuous pouring of greetings from friends in the form of calls, What'sApp messages and Smses which did excite me no end!

The cake was also had by the gas cylinder-delivery-boys, who'd fetched up around that time and Latha, our maid.

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Today's was my English date of birth and the first to wish me were my sisters, brothers-in-law, my nephew, his wife, my niece and her husband. They were followed by Bunty and Babli, our helps while we were at New Delhi. My relatives will wish me on 04 Dec which is my birthday by the Malayalam calendar.

Adieu Aniya!

Lekha's classmate from school, Lekshmi's husband, Parameswaran - known among us as Aniyan - had passed into the mist of time yesterday morning, at Kollam. He was all of 60 years. Stricken by cancer in his duodenum and diagnosed a year back, he'd succumbed to death. The last month was really bad, it seems, with his condition deteriorating steadily.

Adieu Aniya. Your kind heartedness, helpful nature and infectious laughter were your USP. Om Shanti! Sadgati. With tears and prayers. May Lekshmi and your children have the strength to tide over this terrible loss.

Will have to look up Lekshmi and the children at the earliest.

Tailpiece.

Lekha had given me my 'Many happy returns' peck past midnight. Got up at a trifle past 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 10. 

A quiet day otherwise.