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As a supplement to yesterday’s post, this is a view of the house from a corner of the Dragon Bed. The white patch to the lower right of the photo is the proposed site of the
greenhouse that was delivered this morning. Everything comes flat packed today. The paint tin is a feeble protection against the expected wind from the thunderstorm that arrived later.
Around the right-hand corner of this second picture, Jackie tended the pots fronting the garage door.
This afternoon, I finished reading Spirit of Love by Ramanlal Morarjee.
Having himself arrived in England from India at the age of 17, the author was well equipped to write this tale of a traditional Indian family’s life journey from their country of origin through experiences of adaptation from the mid-1950s through to the post millennium age. As a writer he displays the sensitivity and skills to convey the story. His sentence length and construction take us along at a good pace. He particularly displays empathy with Rakhi, his main protagonist, whose marriage to Rahul was arranged when she was 14.
I will reveal no details of the story, save to say that we are given insights into the customs and traditions of Indian village life; of the process of arranging marriages, which continued at least for the next generation in this country; of the struggles of adapting to their adopted countries, and the attitudes of the younger generation.
Mr Morarjee writes from the heart, and one has the sense that some of the more painful passages may reflect his own experiences or those of people close to him. I do not wish to convey the impression that this is a tragic book. It certainly conveys the spirit of love.
The copy I have been sent was published by Author House in 2011. (ISBN 978 1 4567 8690 8). Although the quality of the writing shines through, it could have done with a little proof reading/editing.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s sublime sausage casserole, creamy mashed potatoes, crunchy carrots, crisp cauliflower, and tender runner beans. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden while I drank an excellent Calvet Fleurie 2015 given to me by Mat and Tess for my birthday.
