Reading yesterday’s blog post, my niece Rajashree sent me this reply:
If this was about Paati's business acumen... it deserves 3 more posts... if it is about her meticulousness... it requires 5 more posts about her...if it was about her innate skill at resource management and conservation... it could go longer... but since it is about her bookkeeping... an interesting one for starters... I'd say there's so much more... She used to write the account almost every day I think and she often had those petty zipper pouches or small purses from which she'd tally the account and the money in supply... then there was the petty cash pouch she'd have handy in the kitchen from where she'd fish out 10's or coins of smaller denominations when she needed something or wanted to let the kids buy something.
I had seen once... that she had given an account of managing our house and expenses when we took that trip to Delhi... and Appa was shocked at how the final amount spent was something and 75 paise and Paati returned him the money left... which was so many hundreds and tens and sitting on it... a 25 paise coin!!!
This last bit is so very Amma-esque and sums up her approach to any task.
Elsewhere in that same diary, I found pages where she had even recorded purchases made by my sisters for the house (fruits, or vegetables or miscellaneous) under that particular date’s entries.
I still remember her sitting with her glasses on, grocery list in hand, checking out the items that had been supplied, ticking them off as the shop’s errand boy called them out. Any error would be promptly reported to the owner and given her integrity, any article sent over by mistake would be promptly returned back too!
The meticulousness extended to areas beyond bookkeeping too.
If we had to go somewhere at a particular time, she would be ready at least 15 minutes before the time that been decided. No time was too early for her – after years of waking up every day at 4 am, she wasn’t a stranger to the wee hours of the breaking day. No matter how late she had slept the previous night, she would be up and about her work at 4 am the next day.
When we lived in Goa, we had to leave home for school/college by 7 – 7.30 am. Not one day was there any delay that originated due to Amma. Tasty breakfast and lunch dabbas would be ready at the exact time. No cutting vegetables or making the chapatti dough the previous night either – it was all made fresh in the early morning.
My sister Bhargavi remembers,
Amma had such a sweet way of waking us up in the mornings. She’d come and gently call out your name, and say, “Get up, brush your teeth and come. I’ve made coffee for you.” The thought that she had already done that was a kind of extra boost to wake up even though you were feeling really sleepy!
People who are meticulous about accounts may sometimes appear to be a little miserly...but that never was the case with Amma. At least definitely not when it came to giving/doing things for other people....more about this in the next post....
If this was about Paati's business acumen... it deserves 3 more posts... if it is about her meticulousness... it requires 5 more posts about her...if it was about her innate skill at resource management and conservation... it could go longer... but since it is about her bookkeeping... an interesting one for starters... I'd say there's so much more... She used to write the account almost every day I think and she often had those petty zipper pouches or small purses from which she'd tally the account and the money in supply... then there was the petty cash pouch she'd have handy in the kitchen from where she'd fish out 10's or coins of smaller denominations when she needed something or wanted to let the kids buy something.
I had seen once... that she had given an account of managing our house and expenses when we took that trip to Delhi... and Appa was shocked at how the final amount spent was something and 75 paise and Paati returned him the money left... which was so many hundreds and tens and sitting on it... a 25 paise coin!!!
This last bit is so very Amma-esque and sums up her approach to any task.
Elsewhere in that same diary, I found pages where she had even recorded purchases made by my sisters for the house (fruits, or vegetables or miscellaneous) under that particular date’s entries.
I still remember her sitting with her glasses on, grocery list in hand, checking out the items that had been supplied, ticking them off as the shop’s errand boy called them out. Any error would be promptly reported to the owner and given her integrity, any article sent over by mistake would be promptly returned back too!
The meticulousness extended to areas beyond bookkeeping too.
If we had to go somewhere at a particular time, she would be ready at least 15 minutes before the time that been decided. No time was too early for her – after years of waking up every day at 4 am, she wasn’t a stranger to the wee hours of the breaking day. No matter how late she had slept the previous night, she would be up and about her work at 4 am the next day.
When we lived in Goa, we had to leave home for school/college by 7 – 7.30 am. Not one day was there any delay that originated due to Amma. Tasty breakfast and lunch dabbas would be ready at the exact time. No cutting vegetables or making the chapatti dough the previous night either – it was all made fresh in the early morning.
My sister Bhargavi remembers,
Amma had such a sweet way of waking us up in the mornings. She’d come and gently call out your name, and say, “Get up, brush your teeth and come. I’ve made coffee for you.” The thought that she had already done that was a kind of extra boost to wake up even though you were feeling really sleepy!
People who are meticulous about accounts may sometimes appear to be a little miserly...but that never was the case with Amma. At least definitely not when it came to giving/doing things for other people....more about this in the next post....
There was something special about the people of that generation, which is lacking in us. The discipline, the organized behaviour and most importantly the simplicity of it all :). Try as I might I can never encapsule their orderliness that comprises a significant part of our childhood though :(
ReplyDeleteYes! Their orderliness was the pivot for the more hectic pace of our lives as children. I don't have all that discipline either, but am trying hard to cultivate some of it over the years. Thank you!
DeleteWell described. Wonder how she managed it all alone.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think it was love that drove her to do so much all by herself!
DeleteVery nice to know and we must also inculcate this nature already to some extent
ReplyDeleteYes, you're right Roopashri!
DeleteWow..... Women of inspiration 💐💐💐🌈
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Thank you!
DeleteNice Anu. Keep going and sharing
ReplyDeleteThank you, Viji!
DeleteThere is so much to learn from our toiling mothers.... Who slogged for us ....all through...We are a blessed lot!
ReplyDeleteYour Amma.... she deserved an MBA in home and finance management! She had such great qualities....I am glad that you are sharing them with us..🙏🙏
Really, you've hit the nail on the head...we often say she'd have been CEO of some company given the right opportunities! Thank you!
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