Life without wheels

Week without my beloved steed should make me break down. A week of walks, hitching rides and making lists for willing helpers should leave me frustrated and anxious. I should be calling up the garage every day and taking detailed progress reports. I should be writing about the angst of being immobile.

I am writing alright!! Here goes!

• Without the car, how does one give a good time to a visiting friend?!The car went into the garage and my dear friend R drove into Ranikhet. We just had 40 precious hours to enjoy and we sure did enjoy them.. Since there was no question of driving around to see the “sights”, we walked and we talked and she met some of the amazing people in my life… Friends from down South, who had settled down in the hills for decades, friends who wanted to teach Nature contemplation and organic dieting to anyone who would listen, hospitable friends, lawyer friends, helpful friends and all those greetings and waves and smiles from passing vehicles.

  Everyone was a story, everyone seemed to be more caring and content than their city counterparts, and no one appeared to care a hoot about those ubiquitous social ideas of wealth or beauty. I know R enjoyed meeting these wonderful people more than she would have enjoyed looking at the tourist attractions!

• Without the car, visiting the market is a challenge. The real challenge is in deciding when to go, how many times to go and who to go with to the market. Bhatji, Rajinder and Prakash are ready to zoom into the town to pick up anything which I could possibly need.  My colonel neighbors invite me to come with them to the market. Mr Tiwari sends his driver and car to pick me up from the market. The police-man jumps out of his stand to get me a taxi, and the taxi-drivers stop to pick me up even if I want to walk. Its easier to just stay at home!
• Without the car to take me on long drives, I had the time to take up long standing WIPs and drive them to the finish line.

  Three hats finished and admired.  This long-suffering throw which had seen months and months go past..and finally, a new project on the knitting needles.

• Without the car, the temptation to visit my friends had to be squashed firmly. Instead, with music on my laptop, knitting project and book on the bed, hot masala tea and toast on the side and two sleepy dogs watching me, I decided to clear out my ancient collection of articles, interesting snippets and recipes –all gathering dust and cobwebs forever.

  I discarded 3 kgs of paper, found 28 file-covers in almost- new condition, and fished out 13 lovely paper bags—the type in which presents are gifted nowadays.  The bookshelf seems to be breathing again today!

• Without the car, life is a good stretch of parke-diem. I am savoring this period of compulsory slowing down, this phase of staying at home and de-cluttering it, this week of planned activity. I think I will stretch this phase a little more. I think I will teach myself to worry a little less…and yes, I know I will invite gratitude to stay at home with me, all the time.