This is  the first post I am writing, not sitting in Thekambattu. This year, we have made up in travelling what we avoided in the previous twelve :-) This trip to Bangalore at the end of the month has become part of my calendar: Meet Badri Baba and a Sunday meting at CFL. Another post I have not got around to writing: Badri's move away from Thekambattu; a watershed for all of us. Possibly because of another post I haven't written: Sonati's lingering Skin blistering which would just not clear up.  The details of that will have to wait; but Sonati, Varun and I travelled to Bangalore last Thursday, leaving our place in the care of  Kamaraj and Govindraj. The usual arrangement: Feed the cats, and just ensure that someone doesn't graze too brazenly.

This evening, Rama called up to say  that Govindraj had come to tell her that someone had taken off three tiles from our roof and entered the kitchen . Well, we have always, sort of "left it in the hands of the Gods" whenever we have all left Thekambattu. And though there has been stealing of Firewood lying outside or fruit from the trees, we have never had a break-and-enter all these years.  Jaishankar and Govindraj went over to inspect the damage. Govindraj has replaced the three tiles on the roof. There is also a window broken in the west and the guest room (which is more like a store room at the moment) has been entered; the cupboard been opened and there is a general disarray (part of which is our own doing :-).  The cupboard mainly had clothes, and Jaishankar says that he can't make out if anything is missing, but the bike and cycles in that room are there. Jaishankar and Govindraj have boarded the broken window with some cardboard.

Govindraj was very upset that something that hasn't happened all these years should have happened now, when "Akka is unwell, and you are so busy...". i said it's OK, "Paavam thiruda vandhavan-nukku onnum thirudaruthukku kadaikalai" (The thief didn't get anything worthwhile to rob, poor fellow). That eased his tension and he laughed and then inquired about Sonati's state, the boys and so on.

Varun and I return only next Sunday: And it is then that I will find the precise nature of the damage. The fact that I will have to transport a window pane up (thirteen years after the last time) I suppose is what irritates most: Surely they could have entered through the roof into that room as well...