Yes I admit, I love summers. I always plan vacations around this time of the year, I am my happy self this time around the year, I find everything exciting this time of the year.
So here I am, sitting in my living room with full on blast of the aircon trying to imagine all summer kisses.
- That last day of school, exams over and running back home to announce the beginning of the holiday.
- That 'kuchi ice' that gave so much pleasure. For less than five bucks the 'ice cream' that was available in varied flavours like orange, mango, lemon, pepsi cola to name a few
- That first sight of banganapallis. Fresh cut fruits, aam panna, manga oorugai, mango salad, mango soufflè, mango this and mango that. Summer is all things mango!
- That amazing shower after a long sweaty day, and then slipping on the flimsiest of 'nighties' and dusting Pond's dreamflower talc all over the body
- That huge jug of Rasna in different flavours that would give an instant energy boost even to those weaklings.
- That vacation planned to visit an ageing grandmother and annoyingly fun cousins. Playing outside till late and not worrying about school or deadlines the next day
- That cool thair saadam, adorned with little jewels of pomegranate that is made in huge buckets to feed the entire family. And the oldest matron scooping out a handful for everyone.
- That family time to the beach, where every tiny family member made sand castles, while the elders relaxed and ate bajjis sitting by the water.
- That time of the year when family from 'foreign' visited bringing along Camay soaps, Yardley scents and Snickers chocolates for everyone
- That time of the year when new uniform cloth materials are purchased and stitched. Along with it came new pencil box, new school bag, new socks and canvas shoes, new tiffin box and water bottle
- That time of the year when new books were issued and the entire family sat around to cover the books with brown paper and stick fancy labels. There was also stiff competition to determine who had the 'coolest' labels.
- That short holiday planned to head to the hills. The main planning was the food that had to be carried on that long train or car journey.
- That beautiful mornings spent in the terrace area of the house, with other women of the house, making vadaams. Arisi, javvarisi, chilli, the creativity shown in these vadaams were endless.
As I live the summer of 2014, I am pushed beyond repair to think of these past events and hoping this summer excites me to bits.
Summer kisses, sunshine and soufflès, a few of my favourite things
