No Picnic

Srichand Arora conducts exercises out in the open

The skies opened up today at 6:00 a.m. sharp – just like yesterday, and the day before. But unlike yesterday (and the day before), the rains abated after an hour and we got the chance to exercise out in the open. But this was a brief reprieve. By 7:30 a.m., it started to pour again and we ran helter-skelter and back into the China Hut.
Given this uncertainty in weather conditions, the picnic idea has been dropped for the moment. Shekhawat had announced earlier (see post of July 14) that a decision would be taken on the destination and date once members return from their Ramzaan break. In the mean time, Monthi Serrao was to check on Wonderland Park in Nerul.

Happy Birthday Yusuf-bhai!

She now informs that the park functions on fixed timings and anyway, it is shut during the monsoon. Various other options were subsequently explored, including some holiday resorts near Dahisar and at Panvel. But nothing looks promising at present. That apart, the initial enthusiasm of embarking on a ‘monsoon picnic’ has died down among members.

Shekhawat explains how to eat dal-bati choorma

There is a lurking, though unspoken fear in many of risking life and limb in wet conditions and no one appears up to it now. So Shekhawat has kept the picnic plans on the back burner – at least till August 15, as he announced today.
Meanwhile, he had to deal with an unusual problem on the dal-baati choorma he distributed yesterday. Many members, including Nahid Khan, Bhaswati Bose and Monthi Serrao had no clue how to consume this traditional Rajasthani delicacy. Swati Punjabi even phoned Shekhawat yesterday seeking his guidance.
Monthi was honest enough to confess that she thought the baati was samosa (but too hard and tasteless) and the dal was chutney (gone bad?), but could not figure out why there was chilli achaar instead of a sweet. “And what was that brown powder?” she asked Shekhawat referring to the choorma. “In future, you should leave instructions on how to eat such things,” she added. Shekhawat simply kept laughing and laughing.
Dilip Babani:
Happy Birthday, Yusuf-bhai.
Bihari Milwani:
Now that everyone knows how tasty Shekawat's treat is and also how to eat it, in all fairness he should repeat the treat at an early date before everyone forgets!
Kiran Prakash:
Happy Birthday, Yusuf-bhai. Many happy returns of the day.
Lt Col Angad Singh (retd) from Mohali:
Very many happy returns of the day, Yusuf-bhai.
Harish Wadhwa:
Many, many happy returns of the day, Yusuf-bhai. Wish you a very long and a joyous life.
Srichand Arora:
Yusuf-bhai, aapko janam din ki bahut bahut badhaiyan. Jiyo jab tak chand-taare hain. Doston ke dilon per raaj karo!