The on again and off again experience had to be brought to an end, an attention had to be on the nearest and best school for children. We seemed to overcome such a situation and the kids were able to face such a situation quickly by scoring high marks in English and other subjects. So everything seemed to be on our side, because whenever there was need for a rented house, we spotted one, the rent not withstanding.

More than these, we could always look forward to the visits of our family members.

Of this, the one we still remember is the visit of cousins my wife’s two younger brothers. that too when we were at the peak of summer!

We decided to take them to the botanical garden. They were so happy that they sang some Malayalam movie songs…. Kadilanakkarey ponorey… They did it pretty well! Although it was a sunny morning when we started, by the time we were about to reach our house, in typical Ooty fashion, it started poring down. Without an umbrella, we got drenched and the boys were shivering. One of them, the funny one, said, “Home, Sweet Home!”, as we stepped in. This incident is still fresh in our minds.