From The Quarterdeck to Raj Nivas.

Our day began 4, this morning. Went through our chores and were ready by a half past 6. Kannan had made it by that time and we set off at a quarter to 7. Returned soon after, from Chavakkad, to open up the servants' bathroom for Ramesh and his co-workers, who were cleaning the well.

Had breakfast at "Elayathu" at Mathilakam.

Took the Thrippoonithura- Thannermukkam Bund road to reach Kottayam by a half past 10. The traffic was easy and we had lunch at the Padma Cafe of Changanasserry by around a half past 1. It was nice.

Reached Lekha's sister, Letha's house to collect our dinner. 

Sent Kannan back and I drove to Raj Nivas with Lekha. Reached there by a half past 3.

As Lekha caught up with her forty winks, I spoke to Mom and dad - briefed them about my illness, set up the puja room draping our ''pattu" on Guruvayurappan and got the lamp ready.

Lekha goes to the Kottarakkara Maha Ganapati kshetram to view the lighting in lieu of the ulsavam and to drop in on her chittappan-kunjamma and Venu-Vidya-Vivek to hand them over a handful of mangoes from our mango tree.  

A quiet evening.

Limbering up!

Got up at 5, sent the messages, opened up the house for the day, lit up the puja room lamp and switched on the hymns on the home theatre.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked on the courtyard, went through my exercise regimen: recited my prayers.

Bath followed by breakfast of poorie, bhaaji.

Lekha goes to the ration stand to buy our monthly dues and sundry purchases.

Selvam comes in for pressing clothes as he was going to Pondicherry to cast his vote. He'll return after a week.

Lunch, watched "Snehakkoottu" followed by siesta.

The evening chores.

Shut down The Quarterdeck, systematically.

A boisterous Sunday.

Got up at 5, Aniyan and ammaayi were off to the temple to have the 'darshan' of the good Lord. Sent the messages, opened up the house for the day, lit up the puja room lamp and switched on the hymns on the home theatre.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Walked on the courtyard, went through my exercise regimen; recited my prayers.

Bath followed by breakfast of poories and bhaaji ordered from Hotel Welcome.

Maalu and Paaru went to the Mammiyoor temple for the darshan of the good Lord.

Lunch from Hotel Welcome again.

Aniyan and family left home for Kidangoor by a half past 2 and they reached their house at 1950 hrs.

A quiet evening, watching television.

The Quarterdeck is all quiet again!

Aniyan and family arrive.

Got up at 5, sent the messages, opened up the house for the day, lit up the puja room lamp and switched on the hymns on the home theatre.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Had bath; recited my prayers in the process as I didn't want to be late when the guests arrived.

The maid was well ahead of time and commenced her work so that she could leave early after preparing lunch and dinner.

Spoke to both Sreedevi and Saumya of AIMS, to take clearance from Dr Rajesh Jose, my cardiologist, regarding substitution of Carvidas 6.25 in place of BetaOne XL 25. Got the approval by lunchtime.

Worked on my laptop.

Yakkitiyak with Aniyan and his family(Usha ammayi, Maalu and Praarthana). The dress bought for Paru, yesterday from Seematti at Kochi, was ill fitting. So, Lekha took Malu and Paru to the Trends outlet and bought a new dress for the little one. And weren't they happy?

A boisterous lunch followed by siesta.

Aniyan and his family, along with Lekha, goes to the temple for the darshan of the good Lord @ a quarter to 5, after tea.

A long evening with full of yakkitiyak!

They return past 9, fully satisfied with their outing. Lekha had come in much earlier as she prepared the main dish for dinner!

And a boisterous dinner!

Our quarterly medical reviews!

Our day had begun at 4, went through our chores and were ready by around 6. Earlier, we'd recited our prayers!

We kicked off for Kochi at a quarter past 6, reached Aaryaas at Idappalli, had breakfast and reached the Diabetic Care of India by a quarter to 10. I entered the clinic on the dot at 10. All the girls were there and the doctor fetched up an hour late after his tryst with the auditors along with Meera.

Satish Bhat has given me a course of six injections around my tummy to enhance my Haemoglobin - over a period of six months.

We, then, went across to Chellakkili's office and we had tender coconut water!

By a quarter to 1, we were headed for Shenoy Care. Had a quick bite of vegetarian lunch and went through Lekha's registration formalities. She went through the tests, we met the junior doctor, Aswathy an hour later. By the time we met Dr Padmanabha Shenoy it was a half past 5. Lekha will go through the biopsy, we've decided.

And after a quick cup of tea and 'ullivada' at the canteen, we're on our return to Guruvayur.

Reached home by a quarter past 9. Settled down quickly. 

TMC's shameless lie exposed!

"Bengal was never a manufacturing hub and never can be", thus spake Mahua Moitra, the party's MP during her election rallies.

Then how do you explain the legacy of Hindustan Motors, Burn & Company, Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, Dunlop India and more?

Under Mamata Banerjee, corruption, strikes, violence and a broken business climate pushed 6,668 companies out of Bengal. First they destroyed the industrial backbone. Now they deny it ever existed.

They lie. They deflect. They deny. But Bengal remembers. And Bengal will respond.

Mamata Banerjee has been unusually silent on this and many more!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter to 5, sent the messages, opened up the house for the day, lit up the puja room lamp and switched on the hymns on the home theatre.

The Rajah team had come by to draw my blood samples for tests.

Had breakfast to be in time for the 'post prandial blood sugar' test.

Worked on my laptop.

Lunch, watched "Snehakkoottu" followed by siesta.

The evening chores. 

Vishu '26.

Got up at 4, got the Vishukkani ready, brought Lekha from our first floor bedroom down below to our puja room to view the kani. "Kanikaanum neyram, kamalanethrante......", the iconic song that characterises Vishu, the festival always, was playing on the home theatre! It was a perfect beginning to Vishu '26!

Sent all the messages.

The Wednesday "aarathi" of the house was carried out.

Morning cuppa with Lekha.

Handed over the 'Vishukkaineettam' to Ramakrishnan, the newspaper boy.

Walked on the courtyard; recited my prayers and followed it up with the ground exercises.

Bath; handed over Lekha her Vishukkaineettam. A lovely breakfast of Aval nanachathu, uzhunnu vada and paal paayasam.

Wished Maman, Suma kunjamma and Aniyan, Vishu wishes.

Dismantled the Vishukkani, threw away the old flowers and put each of the items back into their respective places.

Lunch, watched television for a while followed by siesta.

The evening chores.

Watched a few of our favourite Malayalam serials. 

Hit the sack at our usual time of a half past 11.