Off to Kidangoor.

After working hours, we'd set off for a function in the family being held at Kidangoor, short of Kottayam.

Enroute, we'd stopped at Ettumanoor to look up and spend time with my grand aunt who's 92 yrs and in fine fettle, though she has problems of locomotion. Her mind is sharp and I was really bowled over when she gleefully announced my arrival, to the others in the house, on sighting me. She was insistent that I sit next to her on the sofa and had her right hand intertwined with my left, as she picked up the thread of conversation and narrated quite a few anecdotes.

Chiding me for not making my visits more frequent, she narrated the happenings of the day when I was packed off to the Sainik School. My great grandmother seemed to have been extremely sad that I was being sent away. And she went on to narrate as to how upset she was when I'd returned on my first vacation in a pair of jeans that was faded at the right places. She just couldn't comprehend as to how I could be wearing faded clothes and was sure that the school authorities(she'd surmised that the trouser was issued by the school) had given the requisite quality checks the short shrift, despite my fervent explanations! She'd even given me money to buy new clothes before I went back to school!!

Wonder what my great grandmother would have had to say if she saw the current vogue of wearing torn jeans?

The chatty coffee evening - spread over a couple of hours - that I'd with my grand aunt prompted me to take a resolve that I would drop in more often. And I hope to stick to that!! God, do please take care of my grand aunt!