Socks in the Monsoon
I feel kind of tongue-tied (finger-tip tied?) after a long absence, as if I’ve lost blogging skills learnt the hard way. There’s lots to
tell: torrential rains all across my region with rivers in spate and all, but I’m really enjoying my first real monsoon in years. The trip from Mumbai to Pune across the western ghats (hills) is magical in the monsoon, with mist and rainclouds hanging low, waterfalls giggling (and occasionally guffawing) all around you and a cool cool breeze all the time. A hot cup of elaichi tea and a hot spicy vada pav with garlic chutney to go with it…. heaven.
I love the western ghats, especially in the monsoon. I walked in the warm, cascading rain in my hometown Panchgani one afternoon and it was bliss. If anyone reading this should ever go to Panchgani, please do have the seasonal fruit icecreams and milkshakes (mango, sitaphal, chikoo in the summer and strawberry and anjir in the winter) at Hilltop Icecreams, bang in the town’s centre. Best in the world, absolutely no doubt about it. Go quickly if you can, too, because if the city of Pune keeps expanding the way it’s doing now, Panchgani will very soon be a denuded suburb for rich Punekars with ugly row houses. The irony of a developer luring a million people to buy large houses in a “secluded, green area” to escape the crowds somehow escapes everyone.
What else? Some old friends and I from college had a boisterous reunion for a week, combing old haunts and digging up each other’s embarrassing moments from teenage times. I also dug up this:
Isn’t it hideous? This is the first ever garment I created, at age eight. The first, and probably last, crocheted project. My mum actually saved it.
My knitting fame, incidentally, has spread far and wide, i.e. to people who live in our housing colony, many of whom have brought their unfinished projects for me to help them with (or, shockingly, to finish for them). I repaired the v-neckband of one sweater, picked up some dropped stitches off another, and returned one project where the woman told me she had no idea what she’d set out to do. “Frog it,” I beamed at her and said. “Nothing like starting over.” It’s been fun! I’m practising my knitting vocabulary in Marathi.
Sounds like you are having lots of fun! I can’t see the pictures though, wonder if they aren’t uploading properly?
Re: ugly suburbs…I guess some things are universal!
Sounds like a great trip! Wet, but fun!
Looks like you are having the same blogger issue with photos!
You need to edit the source for your pictures. Currently, the URL for your pictures points to your local hard drive. If you’ve uploaded them then edit your post to point to your image folder on your server.
Good to hear about all the fun you’re having!!
hi. i dont know your name but i did email u before. i came across your blog when i was searching for indian knitting soulmates. i did email u after u wrote abt the north karnataka food coz i know what u were talking abt and now i know what u r talking abt when u talk abt panchgani and hilltop icecrream. i studied in st josephs for like all of my life. oh pls email back coz who knows i might just know u. i know it sounds weird but hey i dont know any other way.
Definitely the right color for the sock. Looks great!
There’s something about rain in normally hot climates, isn’t there?
Glad your trip is filled with such moments! Safe travels on the way back!
Spud: warm rain, always!! cold rain is even worse than snow, no? i just checked your blog, btw, but will wait till i have broadband to see all the photos! good to know you’re back safely.
Kirti, I emailed you… it is quite eerie, when I wrote this I didn’t think of anyone actually having been to Hilltop to have read this, but I’m delighted that you agree!
Kirti, I don’t know if you’ll read this, but my email to you bounced back; I think the address has been typed wrong here in your comment?
pls email me again dying to get to know u. i was in pune myself around the 25th to the 29th july. wish i had a number to call on. do send me ur no. if u r comfortable with it.
Hey that’s positively beautiful! The red and white tunic, that is (or whatever it is). I am looking at it from the perspective of a mother of an 8 year old. Did I tell you that I taught my daughter to knit on the train to CA? She’s knitting a belt as a starter project – and believe me, your gauge/tension at age 8 is much better than hers! It feels really good when she pulls out her knitting and sits and knits a few rows with me before bedtime.