….

Both of us wanted to be at 's son's first birthday celebrations well on time...so naturally, as we got the car out of the gate we noticed the absolutely flat tyre on our Honda City! So we took out the CR-V and off we went, luckily still in time to get ahead of  the office traffic. The venue was right across town from where we live.

Mr B N Ramesh, our friend, had agreed to accompany me on the mridangam, which is he is very proficient at. We reached the venue to find looking really pretty in a 9 yard saree, with  a really delightful baby on her laptop...he has a lovely little round face with the most appealing huge "spaniel" melting eyes...he stuck to his mother like glue throughout the proceedings! The whole family made us feel very welcome and it was nice to catch up with Wondernoon's sister in law who, again, is an old friend.

Of course we tucked into a solid breakfast! And then, when the religious rites were done, the stage was cleared and I sat down with Ramesh for the concert. Meanwhile, a little girl had expressed the wish to sing “Kereya Neeranu” as, she said, it contained the name of the birthday boy. So I asked her to come up and give us all the song, which she did, with commendable self-confidence!

I had been a bit apprehensive about singing at an event where the focus would be meeting and greeting…but amazingly, everyone settled down and listened quietly for the little over an hour that I sang. Meanwhile, my husband and Wondernoon’s spouse both found a common language, Camerese, and happily fiddled with digital cameras, videocorders,and tripods.

But to me one of the delights of the concert was that little Hari certainly seemed to enjoy some parts of it, even though he must have been upset by the crowds, and the change of his body clock!

All my songs were appreciated and applauded and I really enjoyed myself. Once the concert was over, we went and tucked into another grand meal…I am sure I can now do a meme on “How many solid meals can you eat in a day?” I was all appreciation for Wondernoon’s father in law, who had made all the arrangements while running around as his wife had been admitted to hospital for a few days for a cardiac problem…. Wondernoon’s spouse comes across as a warm, affectionate young man, and I feel so happy that my childhood friend has found such a nice family….

Thank you, , for the opportuntity to get back to concert-level music again, after a long gap!

Will post the photos, with Wondernoon’s consent….that husband of mine has gone off out of town without giving me that CF card….!