Merry Christmas to all our friends

(Cross-posted on all our major blogs.)

It is Christmas morn. Annikki and my email Inboxes are filled with greetings from all corners of the globe.

63er Stephanian Ajay called me on a Skype video link from his farmhouse in Lund, Sweden. (I was able to see him, but as I am still having a problem finding an economic web camera for my Apple Mac, he could not see me!)

Chaff participant Kannan, who is taking his mother on a pilgrimage called us from Kashi, Varnasi, India.

Chaff participant Tingting checked in from her home town in Northeast China where she reported all the shops were open and brimming with customers.

63er Stephanian Aftab Seth (the twin brother of Roshan Seth who acted as Nehru in the movie "Gandhi") from Japan, 66er NCRTer Christie Robert from Malaysia, 60er Cathedralite Mehfooz Ahmed from Saudi Arabia, 62er Ranko Ivancevic from Cerbia, 95er Oulu University Ramesh Devu from Silicone Valley, California, USA; from India - 57er Cathedralite and 61er Stephanian Ashok (Tony) Jaitly (retired Chief Commissioner in Kashmir) from New Delhi, Cathedralite 59ers Viney Sethi and Vijay Shivdasani from Mumbai, cousin Satish Abraham from Kerala, Catheralites 43er Naval and 54er Armaity Patel from Mysore, etc...., from Finland Rotarian Ville Suomi, Women's Empowerist Ildiko Hamos, Chaff participant Pekka Keranen and family, on and on.... were among those who shared their greetings with both Annikki and me.

This made us feel profoundly humble that so many hundreds of you, of every age group, took the time to share your thoughts of the season with us.

On our part, we have made it a tradition to ask a couple of young foreigners who have no family here in Oulu, to join us for our very simple Christmas meal.

Year-before-last it was a young Tanzanian lady, Christine. Last year it was Kannan. This year we called two youngsters, Benjamen Hayes and Kanchan Gupta.



Benjamin is from Australia. He has been here for a few months. He is all what I call Australian, friendly, outgoing, understanding and a lovely human being.

We have a rule in our home that no gifts are exchanged at Christmas. For us, the time for giving is not one day, but the whole year.

Despite this, Benjamin brought me a CD which he cut of some of really best jazz tunes he has collected. Even as I write this I am listening to the CD "Jazz for Jacob". Forever-lasting melodiies, oldies rendered by many great artistes, as George Benson (Eternally) and Diana Krall's "Cry Me A River".

There is beautiful message on the back cover:

"And promise will come
To those whose kindness,
Leaves you without debt,
And bends the shape
Of things to come,
That haven't happened yet."

These are words of the New Zealand pop star Neil Finn, whose career from 1976 till today has been an inspiration to many, including me.

We had also asked Indian newcomer to Oulu, Bihari Kanchan Gupta, to join us. Unfortunately, he went for a walk on the previous day, fell and hurt his hand. He obviously consumed an overdose of pain-killers, which put him to sleep.

When I rang his doorbell to pick him up, and also rang his mobile several times during the course of the evening, he was in deep sleep and dead to the world.

He woke up after our meal was over, just about midnight, telephoned us, apologetic, but sadly, he missed a feast!



Annikki's mother, now 86, was also in a festive mood wearing the elf's hat, as she enjoyed what delicacies that were on offer.

I prepared the turkey. As I was thinking what filling to make, Annikki, as usual, came up with a most humourous and unusal suggestion. We had a box of chicken wings on the shelf. She suggested I stuff the turkey with that.

We laughed our guts out.

I had fun making a new Christmas dish, roast turkey stuffed with chicken wings beautifully flavoured with herbs and light spices carried in plenty of onions!

The meal was fully traditional Finnish in other ways.

The menu: Apple juice and orange juice to accompany Christmas brown bread made with a trace of molasses syrup, pickled herring, salted salmon slices, freshly tossed salad, potato salad, mushroom salad, turnip casserole, carrot casserole, roast potatoes, and, of course, the roast turkey stuffed with chicken wings! Afters were whipped cream with chocolate swiss roll and Annikki's own Christmas cake, full of all the rich dry fruits. Coffee to end the evening.

Mika, had his fill as well. Annikki's brother, who lives as a hermit in the forest, also landed up on the doorstep. Annikki put him to sleep in the cellar. He slept through the meal but enjoyed it later!

It was a true Christmas spirit as Benjamin had a tour around Annikki's garden and enjoyed the humour and simplistic creativity and beauty of what makes us so happy, day-in and day-out!

We finally thanked our Creator and Maker for all the simple things in life which make us so happy.

But, this year we dearly missed our grandchildren, Daniel, Asha and Samuel, who are holidaying in Florida with their parents!

When riled the sleeper wakes up

59er Ratan Singara had been virtually ignoring his email, so much so that he was actually off my regular email list.

So I was surprised to receive an email from him which read:

From: Niloufer Singara
Date: 12-Mar-2006 11:01
Subject: RE: Class of 59 rackets ..........where's ratan ???

Dear Percy, Naubir & Jacob...

Here's something that will interest you. Check the face in the bottom row of the left hand corner of the picture. Hahahaha.

Ratan

And here was a great picture that he attached with his email:


Back Row: Viney Sethi, Vijay Nayar, Ashok Kapur, Arvind Thadani,
?., ?., ?., Ralph David
Seated: ?., Ramesh Mirchandani, ?., ?., Ashok Ruia.
Seated (Ground): Ratan Singara, Armeane Choksi, Sudhir Anand, Flicky Shroff

Ratan is the one sitting on the ground on the extreme left. The problem that arises is which year was this picture taken?

First, my apologies to Ratan for doubting that he was in the School Rackets Team. My memory was really jogged by the picture. But, it was not taken in 1959.

Compare it with this picture I had published in my blog entry for 11th November 2005 when I wrote about the Tin and Bottle Tournament:


Back Row: Noel Ezekiel, Percy Mistri, Lam, Vijay Nayar, Ramesh Mirchandani, Armane Choksi, Pundole or Jimmy Captain, Neelam Lakhani.
Seated: ?, Ralph David, Abraham, Nalin Dharia, Zarir Suntook, Ashok Ruia, Ashok Kapur.
Seated (Ground): Sudhir Anand, Roger Cloy, ?.

According to Percy, both the unknowns were in our class, but neither are Ratan. Percy threw up one name - Gokern, but I am unable to jog my damaged brain enough to confirm that.

The real question arises as to which year is the picture submitted by Ratan?

But, I tender my public apology for doubting Ratan's talent and his assertion that he was in the School Rackets Team.

As I did say in the email exchange, Ratan was certainly a keen player. He was one who used to rush down to the school hall with me, during the lunch break, to get a few games during that time. I did not challenge him to get onto the School Top 8, and I did challenge almost everyone on the list!

It is clear that Ratan was not in the 1959 Rackets Team but he was certainly in the School Rackets Team for a year UNKNOWN.

Can anyone solve this riddle?

Here is a recent picture of a few 59ers:


59ers as a Group at the Piloo's (18th) birthday party,
59er Ratan is standing on the far right.
Photo courtesy: Naubir Mohindar