Industry in action..

Sometimes, on a weekend, when the mind's activity has slowed down substantially, I find myself more able to think about how I can involve Winkie more in my work, so we could spend some time together, in industry.

This weekend, I was busy grinding and restocking all my spice bottles. I had just taken out a spoon and was all set to start transferring the powders, when it struck me....why should not Winkie do this??? I called him over and laid out the task and asked if he was upto it. And of course he was. A novel experience is never one to be missed now, is it?? And while I went about the rest of my chores, he patiently spooned in the jeera and the dhaniya and the haldi and the chilli powder. When it finished, he was still raring to go. So I thought quickly, and gave him his next task. To find the garlic in the pantry, fill a bowl with water, and remove each pod and plonk it into the water, so I could easily peel the skin a little later. (The menu incidentally, was garlic rasam.). He struggled to find the garlic. What is garlic Amma...he asked, helplessly. I was a little shocked. A 5 year old and no idea what garlic was?? Tch tch tch.

Once he got the garlic, he wanted to know how he was supposed to get the water. Think for yourself, kanna...I told him, and turned back to my work. Seconds later, I heard the chair being dragged across the floor to the basin, water being filled, and then, the next question...how do I take this garlic out?...I showed him one, and then he quickly got the idea. He learnt to recognise which were the bad ones and hence to be thrown, and which ones went plonk into the bowl. In between, he muttered how hard it was. Golden words!!!
I grabbed the chance to tell him that this is how hard his Amma worked everyday to put fresh food on the table, and would he remember that the next time he couldn't finish his lunch in school? Yes...he nodded sagely. And on, it went. He got 3 big clusters shelled to my full satisfaction. And he also proceeded to peel the skin.

By this time, I could see that he was tired and I was going to give him a break, when I stepped back for a bit and marvelled at the sight. Small little frame, outlined against the bright sunlight, ears popping out from the recent haircut, head bent down in concentration, hands engaged in industry, little tired sighs escaping his lips every 2 seconds, fingers flicking off the peels that clung adamantly on. It was just too cute. After my fill of that, I called it a day and shooed him out with a big tight squeeze. And that was the sweet highlight of this weekend. Yours?