Posts
34 -- Family Matters
NOTE: This blog is a continuing dialog between the two faces of rilla. The identity crisis is explained (if such a thing is possible) in the first edition. Click here to read: 1 -- Introduction
Rilla: The grass is green, the leaves are red, the mountains are white, the sky is blue, another brilliant fall day in southern California. Oh how I…
rilla: Not much of a poet are you?
Rilla: Poet? One can enjoy the scenery even when it’s not in verse you know.
rilla: How dull. What is the point of language and word craft if not to make the telling as interesting as the scene?
Rilla: I let my pictures do the talking. You know, a picture paints a thousand words…
rilla: yadda, yadda, yadda.
Rilla: What? You don’t like my photographs?
rilla: No, no, not time to get all hot under the collar. Everyone loves your photographs, you know that. But…
Rilla: But?
rilla: But where are all the people? I mean green hills and brass betel-nut-cutters are all very fine and dandy, but there’s not much on the family is there? Don’t you spend any time at all with family? Wasn’t there anything going on?
Rilla: So that’s your gripe. A people person are you?
rilla: NO! But…
Rilla: All right well, sis-in-law has a new house…beautiful!
and there's a kitchen drawer designed specially for each and every type of utensil!
rilla: Very nice. Though I do miss her house on the IIT campus.
Rilla: Mm... the Indian Institute of Technology Campus in Bombay. That was idyllic. But... people, even sisters, do retire you know. And nieces and nephews grow up. Niece is going to college. She danced for us at home. She's soon going on to learn to be a choreographer. 
rilla: About time. She has been studying the Indian Classical dance form of Kathak, forever. She is so talented.
Rilla: Nephew has a new motorbike…
rilla: Snazzy! Very cool.
Rilla: Brother-in-law has a new job 
on a fabulous campus 
with beautiful scenery.
rilla: Oo la la! He must be very happy.
Rilla: Tell me about it!
rilla: Looks like there was more good food… mmm…
Rilla: Yes. We have a great deal to give thanks for.
rilla: Thankful, yes.
Rilla: In more ways than one.
rilla: Thankful Thursday. Hey! I baked the pumpkin pie. Why isn't there a picture of the pies???
Rilla: When was the last time we all had Thanksgiving together as a family after we left home for good?
rilla: Never. Mom sure looks happy.
Rilla: Yes. All that work to bring her over… it was worth it wasn’t it? So much to give thanks for.
rilla: Packing and moving? — Two months;
Sorting and selling? — Mounds of dust, Buckets of sweat, Handkerchiefs drenched in tears, Hours in bed recovering;
Thanksgiving at home with the whole family for the first time in twenty six years? — PRICELESS!
Contributors to the Wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner:
It was a HARD Day's Work!
You are the fabulously quirky and independent woman of character. You go your own way, follow your own drummer, take your own lead. You stand head and shoulders next to your partner, but you are perfectly willing and able to stand alone. Others might be more classically beautiful or conventionally woman-like, but you possess a more fundamental common sense and off-kilter charm, making interesting men fall at your feet. You can pick them up or leave them there as you see fit. You share the screen with the likes of Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant, thinking men who like strong women. 
14 comments:
Hey Rilla,
SO enjoyed all the photos of your family, especially on Thanksgiving Day! Looks like it was a warm, wonderful day. And I know you were relieved to be back home.
Marge
Hey Marge,
we had a such a wonderful day. They say too many cooks spoil the broth, but on Thanksgiving too few cooks make for a lonely day. There's nothing quite like having the whole family in the kitchen at the same time, cooking up a feast. Can't wait till next year ;)
Hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving too.
Rilla, Your mom is beautiful and you look just like her!
I love the swing in the living room! Snazzy!
Hi Rilla,
I enjoyed the pics of your family. How cool that your niece is going to be a choreographer. Did she teach you any of the dance steps?
I know how you love dancing! The in-laws new house is really nice, especially those drawers. And the food looks delish. Also, I love the picture of the bird outside the window. Did you take it?
Rilla, I'm so glad to see your mom with her new glasses, and her neat little hairdo. She looks great. Please, tell her that I said that. And I'm STILL looking for a djula for my house, and these picutres reminded me that I'm NOT leaving India without one. Thanks for sharing.
Looks fantastic ... nothing like family at the holidays! Very cool re: the neice being a dancer. I used to dance but then I messed up my knee. How I missed it (and sometimes still do)! I'll bet that dance form is beautiful.
Pictures are fab Rilla, except where are the pictures of your pretty face?????
Your Mum looks good - who is the cute young blonde male unit??
What beautiful smiles. It looks like everyone is enjoying the company and the food. Even through the work, family is wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
Aww Colorado Writer,
that's so sweet. You made my mom's day... and mine too ;) Thanks!
Hey Lynnerd,
I love my sis-IL's new house and the swing was constantly fought over, let me tell you! I was psyched by the drawers in the kitchen. So neat and so convenient... I'm going in for a redesign of my own kitchen... now only to import those creative cabinet makers.
Oh, and ALL the pics in the section My Pic of the Day are... guess what... My Pics... oops, ouch, STOP THAT!
Sorry Lynn, that was Rilla. I forgot to mention they're HER pics and now I have a bump on the head thanks to you!
Hey Katia,
thanks for the lovely comments about Mom. I have passed them on.
I didn't want to leave India without a jhula either, but... it wasn't written in my patra on this trip at least! And, if you do leave Hyderabad without one, well, that doesn't mean you'll have nothing to remember India by. You have so many beautiful, beautiful things already... and it's because of you that we found the things we did get. Thanks again!
Hey LindaBudz,
sorry about your knee. What type of dancing did you do? My niece has been learning Kathak which is one of the five classical dances of India and one of the most graceful one. It has northern and muslim influences and was commonly performed in court. The costume worn is quite different from the other four south Indian classical forms, one of which I used to learn before I left home. Dance is wonderful, isn't it? Time to tape up the knees and go back to it!
Hey Fiona in Oz,
My pretty what? Time you were in California for a visit! You need a refresher on what my face really looks like!
The blond 'unit' (love that!) is the son of a dear friend and is very adept at making the most delicious banana-sweet potato dumplings with caramel sauce... mmm... that's really why mom is smiling so sweetly!
Hey J,
family, family, family... where to start? Remember the smiles... forget the rest!
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