I miss..........

Preamble.

* I must apologise to my readers for the melancholia that I've been churning out.....but I'm sure you      would understand my predicament.
* Today was the first Sunday, after the ill fated 04 Sep, that we spent at 'The Quarterdeck'.
* Mom seems to have traversed only a short distance away from us.......from the chair opposite us 
   into the new photograph on the mantelpiece with that naughty smile on her face! The consequences
   have been painful, to say the least.

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Smt Chandramathy Nair(Chandramathykutty Amma)       1934 - 2016.

I miss:-

* Her chirpy 'Good Morning' in return to mine as I draw the curtains aside.

* Her insistence on my staying on till she moved into the bathroom, had taken in her fill of the hot water in the bucket so that I switched off the geyser on her bidding. 

* Her call to accompany her from the bedroom, down the stairs, with me carrying the small cloth bag that contained her essentials. I lead the way to ensure that I could block her fall in case of a misstep. Her first chant of 'Udaya suryanume' followed by her queries.

* The daily practice of touching the 'Drishti Ganapati', her dad's image on an enlarged postage stamp and a 'pranaam' to her mom in a photograph, among the collage, at the first landing.

* The walk to the puja room where she said her daily prayers to Guruvayoorappan and ensured that Muthachhan's face was not obscured by any of the books and publications placed on the coffee table.

* Her morning cup of tea with two rusks, followed by a bit of sprucing up of her appearance and then, getting to read the day's newspapers from the first to the last page.

* Breakfast, when we broke bread together, a habit that was followed till the third. (She'd only the morning tea and biscuits on the fourth after which we'd proceeded to the hospital!)

* Her regal sitting posture on her favourite sofa from where she monitored each and everyone that came through the gate and insisted on knowing everyone's identity!

* A snooze followed by a glass of plain water/juice/coffee around 1030 hrs. Occasionally, she needed application of the Voveran Gel for the pain on her right knee which, of course, had become frequent towards the last few days and would insist on my doing it!

* Our exchanges between 12 and 1, after I'd finished my work and completed issues on the laptop.

* Lunch at 1300 hrs and we used to have it together. She used to look forward to the ice cream and a toffee after that, which was her favourite dessert.

* Back in the sitting room and a pause till 2 o'clock - we used to continue our exchanges - before we dispersed for siesta. 

* Her wake up call for tea, around 4 and a light snack was a must along with it.

* The walk holding her hand in the courtyard at a half past 5 and she used to pray to the setting sun by calling out, 'Aditya bhagavaane' followed with a conversation that used to cover any topic. Meanwhile, she stopped and talked to anyone and everyone that passed by that way, then. Pushpaakaran, the farm hand, was her favourite.

* Her watching the 6 o'clock news on the Asianet, along with me. She'd have had her medicine that
was supposed to be had between 6 and 7! 

* Her silent prayer with folded hands as I lit the lamp in the puja room at the stroke of sunset.

* She used to say her prayers loudly - the 'Harivaraasanam' - sitting at the dining table while monitoring my take off/return from the walk!

* Our fruit time at a half past 7, before I went upstairs for a wash and change. She used to wait for me to return to pick up the thread of conversation. I used to provide her a small basin of warm water to sponge her eyes as  advised by the ophthalmologist in our neighbourhood.

* Supper at 9 o'clock and after the water was pumped into the overhead tank, we used to walk up the stairs to her bedroom with me following her closely, usually around 10.

* Her pause at the top landing to watch the television - I used to put soothing music for her on the home theatre - by sitting for about 15 to 20 minutes on her favourite chair!

* Her move into her bedroom to go about the elaborate plans, preparing herself for sleep. She was a stickler for keeping each and every personal effect of her's at the appropriate positions be it on the bedside table or on the side shelf of the embedded almirah.

* Her soft snore, when I paused for a look, before I turned in to bed by a half past 11.

 Tailpiece.

Every space in this house has an association with my mom. How can I let those wonderful memories
go?

22 Sep at 5:31 P