Story time!

A German Shepherd named 

Barnaby was kicked out of

police K9 training for being

too friendly. He wouldn't 

bite. Only cuddled.

Then a storm hit. A 3-year-old

girl went missing in the woods.

Rain erased the tracks. Other

dogs lost the scent.

They tried Barnaby as a last

chance.

He found her under a fallen

log - soaked and shaking.

Instead of barking, he lay beside

her and warmed her up...

licked her face until she

laughed.

That laugh led rescuers to her.

He didn't fail training.

He was built for saving.

Tailpiece.

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

Sajish comes and gives me a good haircut and massage.

Morning cuppa.

Walked within the house and recited my prayers.

Worked on my laptop and sent my January mail at a 7' past 1.

Lunch and siesta.

A quiet evening thereafter!

A day of medical probes.

My discomfort had reached my eyes - the right eye, to be precise - with conjunctivitis! Got up at 5, sent all 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.

Walk within the house, recited a part of my prayers.

Bath followed by breakfast. The maid was on leave today due to the "Chandanakkudam Festival".

A nice lunch of rice and fish curry. Sukesan had bought the fish for us!

Watched the television.

To Rani Menon's eye clinic to show my eye and get treatment.

Siesta.

Off to Jimmy for the review and he has put me on antibiotics for three days!

A quiet evening.

10 places...

.....you should stay silent at all costs :- 

  

  1. Be silent if you don't know the full story.

  2. Be silent if you feel unable to control your emotions.

  3. Be silent on the heat of anger.

  4. Be silent if your words can destroy an amazing friendship or relationship.

  5. Be silent if you are unsure about the topic or lack knowledge.

  6. Be silent when someone is sharing their struggles and vulnerability.

  7. Be silent if you can't talk without yelling.

  8. Be silent if your silence can save your bonds.

  9. Be silent if speaking will only serve to boost your ego or seek validation.

10. Be silent if your words can betray someone's trust.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all 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 within the house; recited my prayers.

Bath, followed by breakfast.

Worked on the laptop, had snooze.

Lunch of prawn biryani by Lekha; it was lovely.

Saw the afternoon serials; siesta.

The evening chores.

Adani-Embraer to set aircraft-making facility in India.

India and the European Union signed the Free Trade Agreement. 

The Adani group and Brazilian major Embraer announced a strategic tie-up to set up a regional aircraft manufacturing facility in India.

On the road to manufacturing hub

Embraer makes commercial jets with up to 150 seats. Details about the investments and the location of the proposed facility were not disclosed. Civil Aviation Secretary said the collaboration is not just about assembling a regional aircraft but also about technology transfer, skilling, supply chain and making India a manufacturing hub.

India will need 500 aircraft in 20 years

* The Indian market is expected to require at least 500 aircraft in the 80 to 146 range over the next 20           years, Embraer said.

* The venture with the Adani group will be a major fillip for the Brazilian major in India's civil aviation

    space. Adani Defence & Aerospace President & CEO called it a "watershed".

50 aircraft from Embraer's stable in service currently in India.

My take

A great leap for India's aviation industry!

Tailpiece.

A quiet Wednesday.

 

Back at The Quarterdeck.

The day had started at 4 for the two of us. Got up, went through the chores and was ready by 6 when both, the caretaker and Monish were at the gate. We'd kicked off at a quarter past 6, going to the Nagaraja temple at Randaalumoodu and the Maha Ganapati kshetram at Kottarakkara.

It was on our return leg that I realised that I'd left my reading spectacles at Raj Nivas; so we sped back, collected the item and resumed our journey through Pathanapuram. Reached Mallan's clinic by a 20' past 9, had a quick breakfast of idlis, chutney and sambar before Lekha went across to the toothy's chair!

Lekha's dental setting took an hour or so and after a briefing from the toothy, we resumed our journey to Guruvayur. Lunch was at Gokulam Nandana and we reached The Quarterdeck by a half past 3. The PUC was renewed short of Chovvalloorpadi.

After unpacking and paying off Monish - he was given the car which needed repairs and will be returned by 03 Feb - we began opening up the house and took an hour's siesta. A piping hot cup of coffee and I was off to Jimmy to show my cough to the doctor at 6!

After collecting my medicines, a saline gargle and steam inhalation, we'd settled down for the evening. Hit the sack at our usual time. 

The 77th Republic Day.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, spruced in the morning itself, opened up the house for the day, lit up the puja room lamp and switched on the hymns on the television.

Had an early breakfast of idlis, chutney and sambar, was ready by 8 in my sports togs, Kunjumon dropped me at the ex-serviceman's bhavan for the flag hoisting ceremony and dropped me back at my home, on completion. 

He took me again around a half past 9 to 'thekkey mukku' for our flag march. It let the people of Nadutheri know that the organisation had 'arrived', what with crackers, vaadyamelam and all. On reaching the venue, everyone was provided with light refreshments and the meeting began in right earnest, soon after. 

I'd the honour to inaugurate the 18th anniversary celebrations of the organisation. Lekha joined us by a half past 10. 

Lunch was served at a half past 1, we enjoyed it thoroughly and we returned home by 2.

Was about to have my 40 winks when Thulasi and Vijayan came in to inquire about my contribution for the 'Kusappilli temple's annual festival' during mid-March. Lekha and I have zeroed in on the 'noorum paalum' for the snake gods and a final decision will be taken soon.

Lekha went across to Kottarakkara to meet her Anandan chittappan-Sujatha kunjamma and Venu, his family. Returned by 6 as the Malayalam news was on.

Started up the packing for tomorrow's return.

Hit the sack at our usual time.

At Raj Nivas.

Our day had begun at 4, when we got up to my cell phone alarm. Went through the chores and were ready by a half past 6. Kannan, our chauffeur, came in on the dot, our luggage was loaded into the boot and we set off for Thalavoor soon after. 

We took the NH 544 route and being a Sunday, the traffic was sparse and we got no bottlenecks enroute. Breakfast was at the Aarya's at Chalakkudi. It was crowded and we took almost a half an hour plus to finish our food.

We resumed our journey, passed through Perumbavoor, Muvattupuzha and entered the MC Road as we continued our journey southward. had lunch at the Padma Cafe at Adoor.

Sent off Kannan back to Guruvayur and I drove toward Raj Nivas; stopped at the More outlet to facilitate Lekha to pick up grocery over the next 48 hrs.

Reached Raj Nivas by 3, quickly facilitated Lekha to have her siesta and I, too, had my 40 winks!

Babu George saab and Rajasekharan Nair saab dropped by to hand over the program notice for tomorrow and briefed me about the sequence of events.

A quiet evening when we went about our chores as usual. Hit the sack at 11.