Saturday

Saturday.
Supposedly a day of rest.
Not for me.
A long tiring but eventful productive day.
Mom n left 2 weeks ago.
Sil left yesterday.
The weeks have been fluctuating between a whirlwind of travel or quiet and not so quiet stay at home episodes.
Missing them already.
Saturday is my house cleaning day, vacuuming, mopping, dusting, wiping, bathrooms, toilets, showers, sometimes sheets, sometimes folding the week’s clothes, and putting them away. This is a family affair, husband spring cleans, potters away in the garden, or completes some do-it-yourself project. Girls do their bit, if not at uni or work.
Yesterday was one such day.
Coffee, breakfast done.
Clothes put to wash.
Beds made.
Dried clothes dumped in laundry basket.
Vacuumed. Dusted. Wiped down glass mirrors. Watered plants. Changed water in vases. Watered house plants. Bathrooms. Toilets. Mopped.
Therapeutic?
Naaah. A downright lie.
Cleaning isn’t therapeutic. The state of After-Cleaning is.
When you see your grey carpet looking grey with no bits of paper or thread, when you can actually see your face in the bathroom mirror, when the cushions are positioned at exactly 45 degree angles on the various sofas, chairs, when the throws are ‘thrown’ just right, in a careful careless manner, then you heave a sigh of contentment and feel ‘therapeutized’.
And more so, when you tell yourself you will do, the showers and pantry tomorrow.
Showered.
Took out day before’s leftovers from fridge, heated for lunch.
Tsk Tsk, you may say.
It’s alright, a day’s old food is still delicious. Cabbage curry. Brinjal salad. Yes – salad. Chow chow Kootu. Mango curry.
Afternoon nap. 20 mins.
Liaised with daughter who was holding a movie night and dinner for her young students who had done well in the recent music examinations, rewarding them for their hard work and dedication. Younger daughter was the designated Uber drive for the day, collecting pizzas, buying lollies, ice creams, juices and chips. Elder girl rearranged furniture, organized cutlery, crockery – plastic plates, cups, spoons, serviettes😎, got laptop ready for streaming Harry Potter’s adventures.
Hot cup of tea.
Got ready for a temple puja organised by friends who were to go on a Yathra to Mount Kailash/Lake Manasarovar.
Beautiful, peaceful, blissful temple ambience.
Homam, Abhishekam, Archana.
Delicious, soul food of iddlies, vadai, sambar, chutney, curd rice, sweet rice, kesari.
Got home, last bunch of kids leaving. Chatted with parents.
Chatted with girls, husband.
Off to bed. But not before getting younger one to capture this Saree.
Mum got this light silk for me for a friend’s wedding in February 1990. Brightest of bright yellows, with a simple maroon and gold border and pallu. Obviously unable to fit into original matching maroon blouse, so wore this cotton, brown checked, orange and gold bordered blouse.
And posing.
First staring at you, then at husband’s prized golden orchid 😎