Wednesday, January 19, 2011

New Year: Rants and more

Ladies who brunch!
Such lovely flowers, in the same garden.
Winter plumage!

I spent most of New Year's day ranting and grumbling and muttering under my breath, because some misbegotten people in one of the neighbouring buildings were celebrating what might have been a wedding, with shrill music, all day long. The following weekend, the little Hanuman temple at the head of our lane was the site of a marquee and loudspeakers, half the road was blocked, and there was noise all through the day. A political party here decided to celebrate Swami Vivekananda's birthday week with various programmes, including a blood donation camp. Besides this very worthy cause, they also install loudspeakers on all the electric poles in the area, playing the Swami's speeches, and on this weekend we had no choice but to listen to them. You wouldn't believe that I chose to rent a flat on this particular road because it is very very quiet, almost a cul-de-sac. I say almost, because one end has a very very narrow path between high walls, and only two-wheelers can ply there. Today it is, thankfully, normal, and my brain is relaxed enough to write!

Rant over! A new species of morning walker has been spotted on XXXX Avenue. No, it is the same old walker, but with new winter plumage- I present to you the Red-scarfed Woolly Headed Dipali! Yes, the early mornings in Kolkata are actually that cold, especially when we are out there by six a.m at the latest! Late mornings are bright and sunny, and there are beautiful flowers abloom everywhere. Being out in the sunshine in winter is really a pleasure.

I love winter, and I do hope it doesn't vanish too soon.

9 comments:

  1. LOL, really liked the new species :) Ultra-cool!

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  2. Red Scarfed Wooly Headed Walker, what compels people to celebrate every single thing with loudspeakers. Why, oh why?

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  3. I am in total agreement with you. I hate the noise that accompanies any kind of function. Don't people realise that music is when it is played softly, otherwise it can only be noise.
    And the new species is good looking!

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  4. Way cool new look :) I am impressed you can get out of bed that early in the cold. I am still trading a few extra minutes of sleep with the OH at that hour :)

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  5. So, I came back just to say -- I love the new species of morning walker!

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  6. @starry eyed: Thank you!
    @Banno: If only I knew:(
    @radha: Thank you! And of course you are a kindred spirit!
    @Arundhati: The new species thanks you:)
    @Sands: Thank you. Early mornings are the one time of the day which is mine and mine alone:)
    @Sue: Thank you kindly, my dear.

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  7. I love your Red Scarfed Wooly Headed look!:) and I hate the noise created by loudspeakers x-(

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  8. @yasmeen:Thank you! It has actually warmed up a bit, so the plumage has reduced to one of my father's mufflers.
    Loudspeakers are really a pain:(

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