Birthday Bash Relay. Excited on Second Place! Now for various WDC contests and activities |
Team Ahimsa ▼ My Turn ▼ For
Thanks! " ![]() ![]() ![]() "Note: They came, they ran the race, they conquered! ..." "Congratulations November 2021 Winners!" ![]() ![]()
|
For "The Bard's Hall Contest" ![]() ![]() ![]() Family Time Yesterday, my uncle from Mumbai (Bombay) visited my city, Bangalore. I have an aunt and uncle living here in Bangalore, whom I meet often. So we decided to meet up at their place for tea. Well, it was quite a little adventure as it turned out! I went to the post office on the way to my aunt's place. I'd carried an umbrella, but didn't put it up as I only had to go from the PO to the vehicle (a three-wheeler known as an auto riksha) which was parked just there. There was a very light drizzle and I didn't think the umbrella was needed, I could quickly duck in. However, as I stepped out of the PO, a big blob or rain fell on me! That's the only way I can describe it, a blob or rain. ![]() When I got to my aunt's place, she hugged me and immediately said 'you're wet'. Being the sweetheart she is, she gave me a kaftan to don and ironed my shirt so it dried out! In the meantime, the visiting uncle was delayed getting there because he was caught in traffic (there was a big religious procession, I think). So there was time for me to be all ready when he arrived. We had a great time after that. The two uncles haven't met before and talked a lot, and my aunt had made my favourite snack (bhel) and favourite cake (cold cake, with Marie biscuit and chocolate) and a good time was had by everyone. Oh, and there was tea to drink. |
For "The Bard's Hall Contest" ![]() ![]() ![]() Technology I need to get my smartphone serviced. I've overused the memory and now it's only letting me make and receive phone calls, not access anything else. With my weak eyes I can't see the message it's giving, so someone has to help with that. I hope I don't need to lose the pics and videos I have on it, I have some of my Dad. Also I hope I can access whatsapp again on it soon. I've got on to whatsapp only very recently but now some interactions there are important. I feel old. I sometimes look wistfully at the days when things were done by hand. But then I remember I have WDC and You Tube and so many other things because of technology! ![]() |
For "The Bard's Hall Contest" ![]() ![]() ![]() Teaching Memory Today I'm going to share a highlight from the early days of my teaching career. I was reading the chapter called 'Spotty Power' from 'Charlie's Secret Chocolate Book' by Roald Dahl with a bunch of nine year olds. According to Roald Dahl, Spotty Powder looks and tastes like sugar and can be added to the morning glass of milk. In about five minutes, spots appear on the drinker's face and the doting mother, thinking her offspring has measles, doesn't send that offspring to school. However, the spots disappear after the school bus has left and before the doctor can be telephoned. I asked the kids if Spotty Powder should be available, and if so, if they'd buy it and how they'd use it. Those who thought they had to be teachers' pet looked horrified at the very idea. A few said yes, they'd buy it and use it for emergencies like a math test. It wouldn't do to use it too often or Mom would get suspicious. One kid was deep in thought and raised his hand almost at the end of the session. "Yes, I'd buy Spotty Powder," he said. "I'd take it to school, sneak into the Staff Room at tea break and put it in my teacher's cup of tea." |
For "The Bard's Hall Contest" ![]() ![]() ![]() What a busy day! Had a nice busy day today. 1. Post office - went and collected the post mark creating awareness about 'child labour'. Mailed some cards to members of "The Snail Mail Group" ![]() 2. School - taught Grade 4 about post marks. They responded really well. 3. Visit with a friend. Visited my friend Amruta who is a poet and a jewellery designer. She made a necklace for me as a gift! Had a long chat with her over tea and chips. 4. Chores: a. Chemist b. Tailor (collected the outfit he has made for me. It looks good. Haven't tried it on yet). c. Groceries. Now am winding down. Going to put my eye drops, maybe have a warm shower, then zzzz ![]() It has been a lovely, blessed day. |
For "The Bard's Hall Contest" ![]() ![]() ![]() Writing In Hindi Recently, I started writing to my cousin in Hindi. I haven't used that script in a while so I have to remember how to form the letters and spell the words. But I enjoy the lilt of the language and so I make the effort. My cousin (age 77) phoned yesterday to say she reads the letters to her Mom (age 100 in July! ![]() My cousin also corrected a small error that I had made and told me which spelling was correct when I didn't remember and put two alternative spellings of a word. So there are some obvious differences between the Hindi script and English script. There are no upper or lowercase letters in Hindi, all are the same. It's basically a phonetic language, and there are half-letters, so you can have one half-letter and one full-letter join up. Also, vowels are written either by themselves (full vowels) or as symbols when they go with a particular consonant. The letter 'r' can be shortened to a symbol and there are various versions of the letter 'd' one of which gets a dot under it to give a slightly different sound. The letter 'j' with a dot under becomes 'z'. Just felt like writing this down today! |
For "The Bard's Hall Contest" ![]() ![]() ![]() Students and post marks I re-started my library activities classes with Grade 3. There are 32 students per section, and three sections, so ninety-six students. I taught them about PICTORIAL POST MARKS. They were fascinated with the concept and asked many questions. For next week, they have to design their own post marks. I had a lovely day! |
For "The Bard's Hall Contest" ![]() ![]() ![]() Pickles Yesterday I visited my aunt and cousins and the whole family was making PICKLES! Here's the acrostic I was inspired to write. Prakash and Sneha are my cousins. 'Keri' means raw mango, 'Kanda' means onion and 'Limbu' means sour lime. ‘PICKLES’ – An acrostic poem PRAKASH AND SNEHA, WORKING AS ATEAM INTENT ON BOTTLING INGREDIENTS AND CREATING A DREAM! KERI AND KANDA, CUT SO FINE LIMBU ADDING THE TANG DIVINE EATING IT ALL WAS A PLEASURE OF MINE SUCH A JOY TO VISIT YOU AND DINE! |
For "The Bard's Hall Contest" ![]() ![]() ![]() Coffee Tasting Yesterday I accompanied my friend Maitrayi for a coffee-tasting event. I didn't participate because I'm not a coffee drinker usually (Yes, Sis Lilli ☕ - I confess I'm not a regular coffee drinker ![]() So she had to taste these three types of coffee marked A B C. She then had to vote for the one she liked best. She didn't like A at all, liked B quite a lot, but voted for C because that was what she'd like to drink regularly. Then they gave her information about how A was Arabietta, not dark roasted (hey don't ask me what all this means) and due to increase in natural enemies would soon be replaced by B or C. After that we went to her house where we had a lot of tea and some veg puff and some samosa! ![]() It was a good day. Words: 151 |
For "The Bard's Hall Contest" ![]() ![]() ![]() Enid Blyton's books As with many Indian kids of my generation, Enid Blyton's books were an integral part of my childhood. When I look back, not only were the tales themselves delightful and exciting, but there was a lot I gleaned about life, many lessons learnt, from those books. Here's a sampling: Family life As in 'Six Cousins at Mistletoe Farm' and many other books. The roles played by parents, siblings, cousins, spouses ... how families can live in harmony if members understand one another ... Teamwork How the team matters more than the individual, as in the school stories. Giving up one's place on the team for someone else because individual glory isn't a priority ... Friendship Sticking by each other through thick and thin, being loyal, poining out a friend's faults where necessary ... Responsibility Being responsible for your own actions, and, if in a position of authority, using that authority wisely ... This and a lot more I have understood while all along following the plot of a gripping tale! Thank you Enid Blyton! |
For "The Bard's Hall Contest" ![]() ![]() ![]() Meaning no disrespect to Dolly Parton - I love this song! Soap of Many Colours ![]() Now I have a lot of soaps they surround my sink and there is no better fragrance than soap bubbles, I think. They're pink and blue and yellow and they shine against the light and when I wallow in my bathtub My imagination takes flight. I dream I am a princess Bathed in rich perfume And when I'm done bathing I'll don a gold costume I dream I'm in a garden With flowers all around And butterflies a flitting Their wings make not a sound So there's no end to dreaming When there are bubbles in the air and my soap of many colours Leave me without a care! |