Little bathroom stories

 Bathroom stories:

The '30 per cent free' is a must see in the corner of the bath room.  It is a usage seen these days in all malls and supermarkets.  The eyes goes to such flags on the covers in the shops.  As prices go up the search also intensifies.  

There are other kinds of attractions too, '50 per cent off', 'buy one get one free', and the ubiquitous 'sale, sale, sale'.  Coming back to my bath room this is only a shaving cream tube with its cover with 30 per cent free.  

The shaving puff always gave a cosy feeling every time the eyes fell on the 30 per cent free.  As all common people I also fall into it.  The shaving lather with the lemon fragrance is an add on or extra.

The prices of things kept on went up, so did the shaving creams.  It is a matter of nostalgia to have the old shaving round back.  The old Godrej round was the lowest in prices and best in usage.  Then came the great TV entertainments and eye catching advertisements.  The Godrej went out and came in shaving cream tubes at a very higher cost.  We have to go with the advertisements in the TV.

After a long time I came back to the old Godrej round and it is a special feelings, my friends! 

Back pain and back

     It is not easy to get back from back pain.  As long as one does not have it, one does not know the pain of it.  It is like people going to church not understanding the pain of the one on the cross.  

The day I got it is vivid in my memory.  Can't move in the bed either to the left or to the right.  Next is the pain to get up  It will hurt at the girdle joining the backbone and shoot up to the right shoulder.  I can't sneeze or cough.  Careful me avoid doing both.  Slowly I crawl out of bed and move around with pain at every step.A long search brings out the ayurvedic oil in my stock and it is applied in the area of pain and gives some relief.  Quick relief.  Then is some hot water treatment which alleviates a little more pain.  At that point I am exhausted and crawl back to my bed and take rest.  Reason enough for not writing or sitting at the computer.

    Of course, walking and driving is out of question.  Can ruminate, read and watch the rains which is plenty in Kerala this time of the year!

The rain slowly stopped. Slowly my pain also got off. The sallaki tablets and the dashamoolam kashayam were working on me along with the oil massage which was done at the point of pain to alleviate the painful catch. 

The hot water baths after the massage also helped. Now I am some what back on the rail.

Thank God! It is really something to be in pain and be back.

Funerals make us sad, sick and Reviewing!

 The father came to the end. The situation was pensive and people including the family members of the departed old lady sat around  her coffin.  The perfume of frankincence wafted from a thurible being swung for the occasion.  Most of the known people men, women and children kept on standing around.  Those who were around the coffin took part in the prayers which was led by the priest. 

The short service ended in a few minutes and the coffin was lifted to be put into the hearse van which is mostly available in churches in Kerala these days.  In earlier days the dead body is carried by people, generally the family members and near and dear.  Now only procession is attended by all attending and the body goes in the hearse and the priest and a few people follow is the church is near and in other cases they follow in other vehicles.

My wife and I attended as theirs were a dear family near to us and the deceased were well and good when we settled in the area.  But after a few years, her health started to dwindle and slowly she was bed ridden.  Many women in Kerala go down the lane in health once they get bed ridden.  Here also, it was not different.  Of course, friends and neighbours make visits from time to time but that is not enough for a good recovery if at all a recovery is possible.  Many a time, these days, a recovery is not possible due to high sugar, blood pressure or heart stroke etc.

We started walking to the church which is near by.  Within half an hour we were attending the service in the church followed by the burial.  All ended in a few more minutes.  All prayed for the departed which is now a relief as this was not possible in the last two years which just passed due to the Corona pandemic.  Now, God's grace, all are able to take part in the services! All returned home after the services.