Too Crow-ded

Ah. Gone is the terrible chill that creeps around the time of the Ganga Sagar mela and settles in to our top floor north west facing flat and seriously gets me depressed. I really don't relish holidays or weekends "chilling" at home, in winters! So, last Sunday (or perhaps the one before that), armed with a madur, a bag full of books, my cell, a cushion and a thick shawl, I crept up to the terrace. Took a few minutes to settle down properly and then ah! How I soaked up the warmth. I should do this more often, I thought. I guess I haven't done this at all last winter and this winter, this was my first. And how good of all the other residents to keep away, leaving the terrace to me! And strangely, even the crows weren't around. Great! Thanks to Ma's daily ritual of feeding them and their progeny for nearly 10 years, perhaps longer, anyone's entrance to the chhad has pavlov's dog effect on them - hundreds of crows, cawing and congregating like in the Hitchcock night mare.

But, this bliss was shortlived. Soon, one by one, the crows started arriving. Cawing and flying around, as if calling their brethren. Argh. It was so irritating. I looked around to see if I could find something I could throw at the one nearest to me, and found my cell phone. Which ofcourse I couldn't / wouldn't hurl at them. So, I decided to take a photo. (Why? dont ask...one of those spur of the moment things). However, that worked. As soon as I would point the cell at any crow, it would swoop away. Amazing. It would return but after a while. And so there I was, half sitting, half lying on the madur, like a mad lady pointing at the crows in turn, shouting take that you foul fiend, you! And I chuckled madly as I did so.

And what do you know, the elderly gentleman who too had crept up to the adjacent terrace for a bit of the sun, crept downstairs as quietly as he had come!

Anyhow, I have had my one whole day of sun-on-the-terrace for this winter. Now with Saraswati Pujo, weather is decidedly warmer and the winter is gone!

PS: - If you wish to read about Saraswati pujo's past and more fun activities on our terrace, here are two past-posts for you:

Saraswati Pujo Post - Belatedly

A roof with a view