Surprise start to the New Year. Brother and I started the day with a 7K run. Dragged my sister and brother in law for the first 2K too! Not sure whether my dad was inspired or got terribly worried about us but when we came back found out that he had grabbed his new walking stick, left the bed he has been confined to after surgery and went downstairs for a few hundred feet walk. The security guy downstairs had to help him back in the last stretch but what the heck – I will take that anyday over he complaining about dragging my sister and brother in law for a run 🙂

After the video of our (me and my sister) music session, here are a few songs with two different generations – on either side – my sister’s daughter and my mom…

You probably remember from previous blogs about the surprise visit I paid to my ailing dad last year end. I also had mentioned that I sat down with my sister for a music session on New Year’s eve and we played till the New Year rolled in. After three decades I sat down with her. Three decades back, it was the fear of our parents and our teachers that got us to practice music. This time we sat down because we wanted to. (We have always regretted that we did not stay closer to music than we did – although she did a better job than me in that department). I recorded it for our families. (How I had to get myself a tripod in a small town like Kalyani is a hilarious story I will share with you later). If you are so inclined, here they are…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOgCyo8-6hg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBW0NTD5lg0

If it is all about how it ends, 2012 was one of my best endings. In a dream come true event, played tabla with my sister singing for over five hours. And that is when we realized that the New Year was upon us.
It has been at least 30 years since I sat with her for a music session. Every Friday when I play at home by myself, I always remember her as that small sister I had that I wish I could sit again some day for some music.
And that day was today!!

Stopped by the roadside for some coconut water…

After the run, my brother and I stopped at a roadside tea stall and had some awesome tea sitting on the – what is refered to here as the “footpath”!

So my dad wants to know why my socks are so short (just over ankle). Look at the disdainful look on his face. He concluded that in India you get more value for money. Evidently because socks come up almost to your knees here 😉

During dinner yesterday, I gave my family the puzzle I had posted before about the three cannibals and three monks trying to cross the river. The discussions were hilarious. You can see here how my sister, mother and sister in law are using three shoes as cannibals, three slippers as monks and trying to solve it on the floor at home. The yelling and shoe throwing was to die for!!

Took the whole family out for dinner. Dad ventured out after a long time of being in bed after surgery.

One of the best parts of India -meeting the siblings and their better halves over a glass of wine!