Day to day in dehli

Dear studious student
Remember it is the journey that is enriching. You will have learnt so much. I look forward to hearing about Islam. Interesting the driver here uninitiated said the Muslim religion is not a good one as they are only interested in jihad.

I too have noted the gang rapes of foreign women in the city. It all sounds rather alarming as they take place in major areas not in the backwaters.

I was surprised how strict the security is going  into shopping malls. Emily does not rule out an incident similar to Nairobi.

I had a trip to the local market today which was fascinating. The huge bags of  different varieties of rice was a sight to see. Three goats were trotting down the street trying to scoop up what they could from the stalls with smallholders shooing them away.

I had an email from Steve the builder to say he had sorted the post and tree and the bay window.

So martino is back in circulation again. That was good to hear.

Well life in some respects is not that different to England.
Looking forward to seeing you
Love marketseeker

Tummies and tummies

Dear uphiller

Dehli greeted us with a ride to the medical centre. Emily has been suffering for the past couple of days and is no better and now Charlie has succumbed. We think it is because he's walled the swimming pool water.  So hey ho both boys are asleep as is Emily, Simon is at work and I am holding the fort.

Our driver overslept this morning. We should have left at 5 but did not turn up until 5.20, so the ride to the airport and the subsequent check in was an anxious one particularly with people not feeling well. Luckily anything goes in India and our agent queue hopped us.

Welcome back to the fog of dehli though it has cleared up now and is sunny.

We had a ride in a small yacht yesterday and the captain let Toby and Charlie steer which delighted them no end.  Health and safety lax, security very tight.

I do not expect to be doing much over the next couple of days as Charlie will not be able to go to nursery so I expect to be looking after him.

I was wondering about the weather and rain etc. have you been to haulcon to check the leak recently. Did you have any joy getting in touch with dan re Steve the builder. I have not had an email from him.

Noise and persuasive talk leaves a gal quite weary.

Have had your assessment mark yet?

Love the weary one

Rats

Dear uphiller
I have just written a reasonable post and it has disappeared
Love the weary one

Uphill, in Uphill

Dear Travelling Lady,

1  On Saturday I travelled easily and comfortably to Weston-super-mare, there to have lunch with Pauline Simonis, there to travel with her to the residential home where the onetime navigator lives.  He was one of some 12 residents in the room.  Like them he spends his days sitting in a chair.  Yet when I came into his view he greeted me by name straightaway.  For a while, we three chatted amiably.

2  However, the visit differed markedly from previous ones.  At Pauline's behest, he was hoisted from his chair into a wheelchair.  My Lourdes skills were then called into play.  At the gate, we turned left up the steady incline.  I was pushing uphill in Uphill, a local district, towards a disused quarry, which is now the location of what turned out to be a warm and welcoming cafe.  So I pushed steadily with Pauline as auxiliary.  Up we went, in the warmth of a sunshine day to the cafe.

2.1  In the cafe, we settled ourselves eventually.  The pot of tea was delivered together with the cup of coffee (for the navigator).  Carrot cake followed.  Shabby sofas, stout tables and chairs, a general sense of 'Take your ease and your time'.  The conversation continued.  Hons seemed at ease, settled.  He enjoyed the cake, he took his coffee.  All was well.  By the time we left, we had spent a companionable time in the companionable place.  The ride back, of course, was easy.  I hung on to the hand-trips whilst Pauline continued to act as look-out.  

2.2  A simple excursion but a notable one.  Hons has been in the home for about two years.  During that time he has not been out of the home.  So it was a pleasure for wife without a doubt and, so far as one could judge, for husband as well.  According to Pauline most of the residents were not visited.  One was being visited at the time we left with Hons in the wheelchair.  The elderly woman's middle-aged daughter was showing her mother some photographs which were installed on her iPad.  One photograph was of the mother was a member of a cycling group.  There they all were, not a lycra garment to be seen.  No helmets.  No cycling shoes as we understand them.  A cycling group from long ago.

3  Ah, I have the clear sense that I have been repeating and was about to repeat myself.  So I will conclude with a mention of my fourth visit to the detainee.  We continue to to get on.  He has a job so he is now able to telephone his eight-year-young daughter.  We talked about G(od's) W(onderful) R(ailway) and about the merits of having a word with his solicitor.  

4  As I missed swimming earlier today, my thoughts turn to a swim later this evening.  In any case, I will call into Haulcon in order to watch the second programme about the lives of the people who live in Benefits Street, a street in B irmingham where the proportion  of those who live on benefits is high.

5  I hope you continued to enjoy Kerala.  A fine break from the weather in Delhi.  You'll notice the difference.

Even so, continue to enjoy.

Lots of love

The Ancient.

The cycles continue

Dear travelling lady

1  Thanks for the post.  Ah, I remember those 'it'll be ready tomorrow' days.  Be measured.  Be ready for the delivery and fitting of the newly made suit.  At a cheap price too.  Lives to live, livelihoods to make.  It's what make the world go round.  

2 A return shortly to the big book; later a return to Heythrop and a first acquaintance with the person who who talk to us about the impact of modernity on Islam and about some current issues within the religion.  Maybe just one variant.  We'll see.

3  In the meantime, I am about to book two seats for the NT performance of Coriolanus on Thursday 30 January. I will book tomorrow.  Remember, by the way, Peter Mansfield-Clark's retirement celebration will be held on the following day 31 January.  And you will have read my e-mail about Hever bridge.  Put all the dates in your diary.

4  Swimming this morning; then to Haulcon.  Everything there was fine.  No disorder.

5  I'm still keen to develop some sense of the spatial relationships in your part of Farawayland.  (i) Where can I find it on Google Earth?  or (ii) Suppose your quarters were in Trafalgar Square, where are any other features, including the High Commission, the Red Fort, and the centre of New Delhi, Old Delhi, or wherever.  

6  Enjoy your holiday in Kerala.  A few days on the beach - no fog, no dust - will make time pass (which, I know, I know, would have passed anyway: a pervasive production, was it not?  I know little about the state save for its high level of literacy and its onetime communist government.

Thinking of you.

Stayathome

  

Life goes on

1.  I was pleased to hear that you continue to push yourself on that turbo. Life never changes for the chaps.  At least it gave you a beak from the cerebral.  However it will begin again today.

2.  Today is another child morning. The parents leave about 7.30 and either one returns about 1. Toby is getting to grips with the balance bike. Yesterday was a slightly better day so we could go out into the garden.  Confinement is rather claustrophic for me.

3.  The leather man came to the house yesterday with all sorts of beautiful bags at a low price. As you can imagine they can copy an designer one.  Home shopping has a different hue not on line but come to the lounge any time any day. If it's not the right colour we will make it by tomorrow. Labour is not in short supply here.

4.  Emily is briefing a conservative politician reena Patel, I think,  on Indian politics today. I must ask her about it today.  By the time we get the boys in bed everyone is tired and bedtime soon comes round.

5.  We are off to Kerala very early tomorrow so we shall see what's what. Our first stop is the beach and the inland to a maze of canals and lakes.

6.  By the way I take it the bay window is still leaking as there was a puddle.  I did email Steve by had no response. Could you do me a favour and contact dan to ask if Steve is about. Explain the problem and say I did send an email.

7.  Better close snack time for boys.

Traveller

Training

Good morning, good morning

1  To Haulcon yesterday evening.  All was well there.  I settled myself on the settee: shoes off, feet under the heavy cushions, shawl over my length. Watched a programme about sacred places in Britain.  Just up my street. Lost some of the programme (of course).  But I can look at it again.  The following programme was about the war (of course): a programme about an British-led convoy to Archangel.  That programme too was well done.  Back to the Hall.

2  No early-morning swimming.  Instead, there will be a turbo-session.  (More later)  The session began at 1130 and lasted the usual hour.  My trainer, my mentor, stood by my side.  He kept me to the task: no slackening of the cadence.  However, he also supplied the water and the towel.  Having completed 50 minutes of sustained cycling, I then continued with a ten-minute warm-down, as I have done before.  As a result there was no stiffening of the legs.  After a bowl of soup, David and I walked into town.  No ill effects.

2.1  And I met a young Humphrey.  A couple passed with the young dog.  I offered a cheerful comment, rubbed the dog's head, and, immediately, I was his friend.  Good old Humphreys.

3  I have also spoken to Ray.  He will join us at Hever.  We talked about a subsequent game or two.  To be held in the morning, a bowl of soup, and then we all get on with the rest of the day.  Liam?  We'll see.

4  Ah, I have remembered what I wanted to say.  First,Coriolanus.  I would like to see the NT production in Uckfield.  I take it you'd like to see it?  Let me know and I'll book the tickets.  (ii) Peter Mansfield-Clark will be retiring at the end of the month.  Please join me at the celebration to mark his retirement on Friday 31 January in the Civic Hall.

Lots of love, good lady, from the Ancient.  I may have another evening off, before I return to the books tomorrow. I gave news of you to David; he may be in touch with you by e-mail.

Thinking of you

The Ancient

Swimming tomorrow.