Country Cottage Arts

Hmm... got carried away in my last posting and was sleeping when I hit the last line.

Anyway,

It's been almost a month since my last entry. I've a bit disheartened that although visitors have browsed and read my thoughts, none has given me a feedback. Lazy fellas, I tell u! Oh well, nevermind I say ( a case of sour grapes perhaps?) I've got to do what I've got to do and no one is going to do this for me...

The Christmas cheer is here again, just when I thought of letting go of this blog. Christmas is a time of rejuvenation for me. Although I am not one of 'people of the Book' , I still love and look forward to its arrival. Somehow, the visions of Santa Claus and his reindeers , the elves and the angels and most most importantly, the pull of the Christmas tree gaily and beautifully decorated cheers me as nothing else can. The tree is usually up by the 25th of November so that I can savor it for a whole month. Somehow, the sight of the tree makes me feel all warm and happy inside. It sort of gives me hope and reminds we that we are all children of God, no matter what our faith and He looks after all of us , no matter which way we pray. Of course, Santa Claus is here to stay, permanently. Believe it or not, I still believe in Santa Claus and his elves, the Tooth Fairy, etc., etc., etc., and its a Christmas ritual for my 2 kids , 18 going on 19 daughter and 13 going on 14 son to write their letter to Santa every year, no questions entertained!. I don't care what others think or say or might think or say ,for as far as I am concerned, Santa Claus and his merry helpers and Rudolf ,the red nosed reindeer do exist. They don't live here but in the North Pole. (If you had seen the movie about how a doubting Thomas of a boy goes on a train journey to the North Pole - Tom Hanks was the actor -to see for himself whether it was just a myth) you would understand. I saw the movie -( can't remember the name now' ) 4 times and everytime , at the end of the movie, I feel an indescribable sense of warmth and goodness flowing through me and I will quickly say a prayer of thanks, in all humility, to the Almight God. ( not God Almighty by Morgan Freeman)! A simple but genuine prayer of thanks for reinforcing my faith in Him. Maybe the reason I have such firm if not unshakeable believe in fairy tales could be because I've read enough books on fairy tales and Enid Blytons to be buried under it! It goes back to my childhood days. I didn't have that many friends and Grimms fairy tales together with Noddy and Enid Blytons were there to keep me company round the clock. Of course, the obligatory Prince Charming was ever present to sweep the princess away just at the right moment - perfect timing of course...... Beatrix Potter was a real treat, what with her oh, so adorable bunnies with their mumsies all ever soooo busy doing their drying and the washing and the cooking and baking and the cleaning in their warm cosy homes . They wore the most cutest of frocks. I've not forgotten Brer Rabbit even now. You name it, I think I've read almost all the fairy tales of the world, starting from the African continent to the Asian, except maybe from Conga and Tonga! Then came the classics and even in Jane Eyre, she married her ' prince' ! The first ones that made me think was Thomas Hardys' and later, Sherlock Holmes. Roald Dahl made me roll around like a madman in hystericall fits of laughter. I still do when I read bedtime stories to my son , Arvind, who is 13 going on 14. (don't ask me why I'm still doing it, occassionally now) Sometimes, we take a ride to Trundleberry Farm and stay in 'The Manor' where it's autumn and take in the warmth of the fireplace with the smell of freshly baked bread wafting in the air. Sigh....

Books have always been a part of my life and has given me incredible knowledge and power of thought. The idiom" knowledge is power' is simple yet self explanatory and I've tried to instill this logic into my kids. 'Reading maketh a man ', I keep telling my son and I hope he doesn't forget it.