Yesterday was a flurry of doing just what was necessary here.. I woke early – meditated for a short time then began my day – my morning things the time for myself – drinking my morning drink and preparing for the day. The morning ritual culminating with good strong coffee.. Then time to take my bath with the bright blue plastic bucket and ”mug’ for pouring the water over myself. I heat a kettle full of water and added to to the cold it gives me enough for a cat bath.

At 9 I seated myself in the office at the end of the big table – I have changed ends this trip.. as Mukul is ensconced at the end I usually sit at by the window.. by my friend the huge tree with fronded leaves and big pods and a family of small squirrels living in its sheltering branches. Beginning the day with checking emails.. seeing who needs attention and what is floating left from yesterday.

The cleaning lady is here – chatting to me in Kannada – I smile to her and make perhaps appropriate noises – as she haphazardly sweeps and mops the floor. Dusting doesn’t come into it.. seems her job is to do the floor and empty the rubbish bins. And off she goes leaving the overhead fan on full blast to dry the floor and blow me and my papers all over the place.

Breakfast is delicious today – I cut open the huge pomegranate my friend in Bangalore had tucked in my bag. It is deep red and full of plump juicy seeds. Added in my bowl with two sweet small tree ripened bananas – some walnuts from home, a splash of coconut oil – a a good helping of thick Indian curd – drizzled with a little honey and breakfast is ready. I sit by my laptop and cruise the emails while I enjoy the pomegranate seeds popping their delicious juice into my mouth.

And the day starts in earnest as the other folks who work here arrive. Some enquiries about the bore well recharge to be answered with our standard email – a couple of personal emails – and an enquiry about training from a practitioner in the USA. I think on my sister and her daughter’s big day today – a renewal of her wedding vows and my sister caught up in the day – doing the flowers, helping her daughter dress – making sure everything is beautiful. I send them a message each to wish them a special day and get on with my own.

Shashank arrives a young man fresh out of engineering college – who is coming to join as an intern. I sit with him and share the story of SRDS and our vision and aims and seek to discover what we can do together – how he can fit in the organisation what it to be done. Sikandar is late but on the way. The morning flashes by with reviewing a video that Mukul has done, writing a letter for Umesh about a rebate on our electricity because we are an NGO.. and then the day’s visitors begin to arrive. The elderly man – from Mysore – a banker – possibly ready to loan our Cooperative society some funds – I get them water and arrange a chai from the stall over the road for them.

Its almost lunchtime – today I am really wanting salad – some respite from the rice and sambar – so I take myself into the small kitchen and begin to prepare it. This is an Indian salad.. yesterday I walked up to the market area and purchased vegetables and various herbs. I start with a fat red tomato – and chop it into the pot – followed by cucumber, white radish and the green tops from the white radish. Peanuts are there so I roast them in the tawa – a flat cast iron pan – and set them aside to add when they are cool. Lots of chopped mint, then chopped coriander in a big handful – some red capsicum – a small indian lemon more like a lime is squeezed over the top and some cold pressed peanut oil – the olive oil in the shop was way past its use by date so I left it there. and some spice.. a mixed masala powder – base heavily in red chilli powder – and a liberal sprinkling of pink Himalayan salt. oops .. a little too much spice.. but its good. oh and there waiting in the fridge is the small cup of pomegranate seeds saved from my breakfast and these are thrown in as well. Its a big salad.. but it all got eaten – so the taste must have been good.

And back into the fray of work – more video editing with Mukul – interspersed with editing a proposal document for funding – discussing arrangements for accommodation with Shashank and interviewing him again with Sikandar. The day is getting later – feels like it is almost time to connect with my friend in Oz – and have a chat.. we didn’t talk for some time so I am missing the connection with him .. but the office is still full of people despite the late hour of 7pm..

I get to talk to him .. but the chat is interrupted twice by my concern for Shashank and his lack of a bed for the night..

finally by 8.30 – everyone leaves – I breathe a sigh of relief and lock the main door behind them – meandering back through the office – turning off lights and fans – and transforming it into my home. The kitchen and a quick meal of steamed potatoes – green beans – a sprinkle of salt – the obligatory spice and a good dollop of ghee – and yay for once the internet seems to be fairly fast and Netflix is working. 2 episodes of a mind numbing serial later I am ready for bed.. wah .. what a day.. sleep calls – I did what was necessary.