God works in mysterious ways

Now, I had mentioned in my previous post about how Karthik undertook a solitary drive over 360 KM to reach Kachi and kautu to the safety of their Grandma's house. He reached at 7 last Thursday evening and left from there at 6 in the morning the next day. Left for office in half an hour after reaching here and by evening, his left eye had begun to swell. And by night, it was oozing water and had turned bright red. My right eye that had swollen to the size of a cherry was just begining to allow light through the tiny slits. Both husband and wife lied down that night, each holding a towel to the eye and slept grateful that they were the ones suffering and not their kids, imagined the kids playing happily with their grandparents and thanking god that they were saved from this pain.
Next morning, I got a call from mom saying that Kachi's eye had begun to swell too! Ah..for all the well laid plans! They had booked tickets to take the kids to Kerala that day evening, now all that was thrown out of the window! Amma and Appa, along with kachi and kautu took the train that night from Chennai and reached here the next day morning, by which time, Kautu's left eye too was beginning to look red and kachi had just slits for his eyes! Mom's eye looked suspicious and were sure she had succumbed to it as well! Appa was the only one left out. He remained in the kitchen the entire morning, cooked enough food to last us a week and left the place with just a toothbrush in hand! Got the afternoon bus back to Chennai..and last I heard from him a while ago, he's absolutely fine! But, the kids managed to give the red eye to the driver in Chennai, who has a new born in his house, so, I am praying day in and out that the baby is alright.
In all, theres now a house in Bangalore (may be just one of many, looking at the sheer number of red eye cases here) that has all its inhabitants pouring drops into each others eyes, towels hanging out of every corner and everyone looking like pictures out of the gross horror flicks. Still, on the brighter side, Karthik n me get a whole week with the kids..no ones gonna come and interrupt this wonderful interlude for the fear of infection and my mom has a few extra days with us as well!! So, exclude the pain out of the equation, we are all fine...infection and all, kids are recovering fast, I am almost through it and mom and karthik's eyes do look red, but they too are in the last stages..and we still have three more days at home!!!
God's ways are not known, what we propose, he often disposes, but as I have seem ample times in the past, what ever happens, it always has a reason, a purpose and works out for the best. It is up to us to work out the reason and to draw our conclusions from it. There might be a few hidden lines in this post that might show what the reason might be, but, for now, let it just remain in my thoughts alone!!

The missing kids...

I have contracted the dreaded conjunctivitis, and so, Kachi and Kautu have been packed off to their grandma's place in Chennai. More miserable than the pain in the eye is the pang of being without them. Hubby started on his long solitary drive in the afternoon today, and is yet to reach Chennai. Last I heard from them, both of them are being absolute gems, not cried once the entire trip and remained in their back seat like the great guys they are!! So, till tomorrow afternoon, am home alone..and letting my poetic skills wild and free...heres an ode to my kids...


It takes but a wink
To obliterate an entire link
What was before you a while ago
Is just now just a small memory or so.

Walking about the lonely house,
Devoid of both children and spouse
I hear their laughter, I hear their cry,
I feel them talking to me and sigh!

This is their book and that is their chair,
These are the toys they just won't share.
This is the bear with the missing drum,
And thats the doll which used to hum.

I am sitting by the table writing these lines,
They would have climbed on me like the clinging vines,
If I ignore them for a minute or two,
They would turn on each other to bite and chew!

They are funny, they are sweet,
They are a pure visual treat.
The biggest thing I right now miss,
Is hugging them close and giving them a kiss!!!

..I miss you guys!!!

Hip Hip Hurray!!!!

This Monday was the D day. Packers and movers came at a real late 11.00 in the morning. We had earlier gone to the new house (a pretty old one, actually) and finished the 'Palkachal'. My mom and dad were with us, so, things moved at a very fast pace. Once the P & M got things started, dad, mom, me and Kachi and Kautu moved over to the new place and started cleaning it head to toe. We saved the owner so much trouble that when he came to fix some pipe, his eyes literally popped out at the cleanliness of the place!! By afternoon, Karthik and the P & M arrived and then, started the work! Dad and I sorted out the kitchen (this is smaller than our previous one, so, had to dump out loads of vessels to the loft) while mom took to taking care of the kids and doing the kids room. Karthik busied himself with the living room and would you believe it, by tuesday afternoon, the house was looking spic and span and it felt as though we had been living here the past few years! The curtains were up, carpets were down, all the paintings and wall hangings were in place and we even got the carpenter to finish the extra grill on the railings to make it children safe by the afternoon!!
We even had guests that day (dad's elder sister and her family had come visiting) and they said they couldn't imagine that we had shifted in just the day before! Every thing was fine, except that I got a severe back and abdomen pain by the evening. All the bending and folding took its toll on me and there I was....lying down for a good part of the evening. Still not too bad, by the time dad left on Tuesday night and mom on Wednesday night, we were all settled. Theres just our room to get done, my items (Karthik calls it "Make up and stuff"!) to be unpacked and then we'll call it a week!! Shall post the pictures of the house soon. Right now, I am just soaking in the light, the trees, the breeze, the sound of birds chirping and waking up to the gentle ruzzle of the leaves. Leaving you guys with a rozy picture to imagine...

A cup of tea at 6.30 in the morning on the big wide balcony, facing the neem and mango trees and Kautu standing nearby talking to the cat that still hasn't woken from its sleep. It takes me a solid half and hour to get back to reality.