Visiting Married Daughter's Home For The First Time!

 She had come home to attend a family wedding. And now I was accompanying her back to Bangalore as her husband was away on an official tour to Turkey. This required me to stay put there for a fortnight.
I was busy rushing through various chores before rushing to the airport with her. And so there was not much thought in my mind. But it was not so with her I guess! Umpteen times she told me, "Mom, the house will be in a mess. I really didn't get time to clean it."

Each time I assured her that it was perfectly okay.
It was only after I boarded the flight with her that I began to get more and more curious and apprehensive. Mainly how was her home going to be? This was compounded by several delightful memories of the past years. There was a time when I had held her in my arms as an infant. At that time, it was not her home or my home! It was our home. Later, I would take her out, clean the house with her around, cook and what not. And all along, it was our house. Even if belonging to the middle class, we were a happy family always!
And now, I didn't know how it was going to be. After all, married to an IT husband she had gone into a higher class most undoubtedly.
After alighting from the cab, she took me up the stairs. I felt a strange sense of fear and nervousness as she opened the door of her apartment. The feeling vanished as soon as I stepped inside. A nice warm feeling ran  through me. The Bean Bags reminded me of the naval life we had once led. The flat was much like the hired houses we had lived in when my husband was in the navy. Oh yeah! My  daughter's home looked nice, warm and cozy. 

The fortnight passed by pretty fast. We talked and walked the streets of Bangalore. The tall trees as well as the lovely and healthy climate of Bangalore acted as a relaxing factor. The stray dogs and incidents of children getting bitten by them was as much a part of our conversation. And all along she was my same old daughter. The values had not changed. If at all she had changed, it was for the better. I found her more responsible now. Checking the refrigerator, cleaning the house and doing sundry jobs that invariably  fall in any married woman's lot!  Amidst all this, she had learnt to manage her freelance work too, which was creditable.

I have come back to Indore now, happy and relaxed. I gave my best to my daughter and I am glad that she has taken it all and proceeded further in life. In a way perhaps, she is a better and more refined version of me. Here, I give credit to my son-in-law too.

Me. Housewife.... And Sale.

Oh, I love Sale! Imagine getting things at much reduced rates? So typical of a housewife! I am sure will be the reaction of many. But then, it's okay. One needs to be a housewife to understand the feelings I suppose.

Now this particular 'sale' was accidentally discovered by my daughter when she was here with us for a few months. "It's in the hostel that I learnt to survive in meagre budget" she announced, as she took me along to show the place. And, there stood the shop with a medium size banner hanging out, least bothered about being near a police chowki . I discovered that the shop had only recently been started. "Chappan Hazaar Vastuan" i.e. "56 thousand things", it read aloud. The place was well stocked, even if I were to say that the claim was a little exaggerated. Further, I realized that it was actually the shop's permanent U.S.P. Whatever! The shop did have things of my interest. And that was important. Needless to say, I did buy a few odd things that day.

But that's not all. In the last one and half months, while returning from the university, I have headed several times there. One reason being, that the vegetable market is close by. And so, in one trip I accomplish several jobs. This besides, the place has everything from buckets, laundry bags, coated pans, fridge bags, saree covers, mirrors to mats, pillow covers, scrubber, etc, etc.- "All under one roof" in the standard advertising language! This way, I end up buying at least 2 or 3 items every time. Thankfully, this has not upset my budget. Which is why, my husband of 28 years, has said nothing so far. So far so good.

At the sale,I always find a lot many customers like me- Women (middle aged and young), college going girls, etc., etc.- in the afternoons. In the evenings, a few men or boys do stray in even if with the sole aim of escorting. My college going son accompanied there me one day. I was delighted when he purchased a wall mirror without ridiculing me for my strange fancies.

It must have boosted my so far latent confidence. For, I recently ended up doing something which I would not have otherwise dared. At the Maharashtra Mandal Meeting, where we had to decide about gifts to be given along with " Sankranti Til Gul", I offered to take the secretary Mrs. Meenal Phadnis to the place. And so, Mrs. Phadnis (an elderly woman and wife of late Judge Mr. Phadnis ) together with her 'co sister-in -law' came with me to the sale. I know both the ladies for quite sometime now. They always buy branded stuff. And here I had brought them to a typically middle class place- in 'Maya Sarabhai's' language that is! The reality hit me hard when we stepped inside. It was by then quite late. And so with trembling legs, but outwardly a confident look, I led the way. I couldn't believe my ears, when I heard Mrs. Meenal Phadnis praising the door-mats! And in the next 5 minutes, I saw her picking a plastic square sieve (for washing vegetables or keeping plants) and heading straight to the counter. And before it all could sink into me, I found madam making payment for 80 such sieves. I really could not believe it. It was too good to be true. .

Back home I narrated it all to my hubby dear. To drive the point home, I took him last Sunday to my new found rendezvous. It didn't hurt when he turned up his nose to say the stuff is all "Rejected Maal''. My biggest victory was that he had accompanied me and had held one or two items in his hands even if for just a second or two.

Maybe that's what it was all about. For, in the last 3-4 days I have come home straight from the university. It was just a matter of being appreciated for my housekeeping skills, I guess! Further, it was nice when the ladies happily accepted the 'gift' and praised the committee for the choice. Somewhere, deep down, I felt strangely satisfied.