A passport to trouble?

The other day I found myself filling the forms for a new passport, as my current passport was nearing its expiry date. The first thing I noticed was the rule that the form should be filled in capital letters with either black or blue ball point pen. Writing in only capital letters have always been a problem for me, as I tend to slip into small letters even when I take great care to write in capital. Added to this problem is the fact that one has to write the answers to the question in the box provided there in the booklet. One has to leave a column blank after finishing one word and that is something I overlook while filling up the columns. I had to pay heavily for my aforesaid weakness, as I spoiled four forms while filling up the application for my passport. There was an intervening Saturday and Sunday on which days I could not get the new forms at the passport office and I had to postpone submitting my application until Wednesday.

The reason being that I could buy the application forms on Monday, but could not fill it up then and there itself, with my attendant complications. I brought the applications home and filled it, but did not take it to the passport office on Tuesday, as I felt Tuesday not auspicious enough for such ventures. Here I have to explain why I consider Tuesdays not auspicious enough. It was partly because of my habit of wearing my dress for two days, so Mondays , Wednesdays and Fridays I found myself wearing clean clothes and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays I did not find myself fit to face anything new, as I was most of the time wearing the cloth of the day before. Slowly I used to change the shirts every day, but still retained the habit of wearing the same pants for minimum two days. So in my mind I refused to do anything afresh on those days in which I was wearing the cloth which I had already worn.

So by the time I took my application to the passport office, it turned out to be a Wednesday. There was quite a good number of people standing in the line at the passport office to get the tokens before being allowed to go inside the office. Once inside I waited patiently for my token to be called and when it was called after about one hour, I submitted the forms at the counter along with my valid passport. The officer accepted my application after scrutiny and also returned my passport after stamping it canceled. Last time when I renewed my passport, the old passport was not returned then and there, it was sent by post along with the fresh passport.

Now I am looking forward to receive my brand new passport, which is really a passport to a better and more organized place where I could spent the days in the company of my daughter and grandson.

Dream Weaver

One of my recurring dream is owning a place all my own at my native place. If I had done something right away to translate that dream into a reality, perhaps I would now have been a proud owner of a small place, but I feel now that I wasted much time thinking about the pros and cons of owning a small place.

I visualized many problems and instead of finding solutions for that imaginary problem, postponed my dream to a later date when I could invest more money into my dream of owning a place at a better and more decent locality. This was my constant stand that more money to invest in a place would automatically solve some of my identified problems like security, open space, playground, recreation space etc to mention a few things. But the condition of the housing market is such that the increase in the price was never predictable and skyrocketed, while my budget to spend on my favorite item remained more or less static over the decade. While I almost purchased and sold many places in my another favorite pass time, you guessed it right, day dreaming, I never seriously did pursue my dream, and whenever I attempted, those attempts failed to materialize mostly on account of funds.

Few days ago, we were on a trip to Mumbai and one of my friends mentioned about a flat (apartment) at my native place. He casually mentioned all particulars of that flat and as it was within my scheme of things, I immediately started liking that place. I went to my native place recently and saw the flat for myself. Though the flat has some draw backs, it satisfied some or part of my expectations till I learned about the price that the owner was actually looking for it. It ended my one more sincere attempt of owning a flat at my native place.

Now I am again doing the same thing in which I have excelled all along, day dreaming about owning a nice cozy flat or place at my native place, now better known as God's own country.

An adventure in vacation

My son-in-law, daughter and grandson came over on a very short visit after a long gap of two years. The vacation was over soon enough and when they left yesterday, the house looked empty and lifeless. The days were full and each day started with detailed planning for the day, but at the end of the day, there were discussions why the days did not go off as per the planning. Anyway, it was fun and we enjoyed every bit of it.

We had made an elaborate plan when my daughter mailed their program. We did some shopping and dusted and cleaned the entire house to welcome them. We even made a mental note of items to be prepared for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

After making all preparations, we traveled to Mumbai in time to receive them when they landed there and spent few days with them at our Son-in-law's place. But even with our detailed planning things did not go as planned, when we finally landed at our house. We arrived late in the evening and after much discussions, had to order curries from the hotel, being hungry and tired with the cleaning we still had to do. The next day morning, we all got up late and again we had to buy dosa batter from outside to prepare dosas. This set in motion a cycle for the days ahead, it seemed we were lucky when we we were able to make the food and enjoy it all together.

I remember my earlier vacations when I traveled to native place. Getting the rail reservation itself was a big hurdle and once you succeeded in it, the train journey through the hot summer days, drained your energy. But the very thought of spending the days with your family gave you the added spirit to journey across and forget the small inconveniences. Those days, there was no pantry cars in the train and one had to depend upon the wayside stalls for tea and food, if one had not taken the trouble of packing it from home. As soon as the train entered the platform, there was mad rush at the stalls for the eatables as no one was sure how long the train will stop at the particular station. Only the bigger junctions on the way provided good food and more stalls and where the train would stop for a longer amount of time. At other smaller places, one had to endure the mad rush to obtain anything that was needed. But one thing was different from now and that I seemed to have had more days of leave to spend.

Once the vacation was over the return journey began with items that are available in plenty at home. But invariably I heard my grandmother telling me that she could not do many things for us when we were with her. She had planned a trip to some place or wanted us to go to a relation's house or some other similar things. We returned to our work place promising her that during our next visit, we will definitely undertake that particular task.

Over the years, I find that the concept of vacation has changed. It has become very short and sweet. But to this day, the best part of vacation is the advance planning which we undertake in leisure, in the comfort of our home. And as it turns out, despite all the advance planning we could not meet some of our relations nor visit places of tourist attractions, as the vacation was very short, or some other unexpected delays along the way. Packing being the last minute thing, we even found that some things were left behind - some items which we had bought even before the arrival of my daughter so as not to forget it to carry back with her when she returned, were left behind.

I am sure my daughter made a mental note, as I had done after each vacation, for a longer, leisurely vacation with the family. But as is my habit I know that at the end of the vacation, I will find it very short and still complain about the unfinished items during that vacation, just like my grandmother did before me.