Summery New Year

THE FIRST EXERCISES OF 2016

After a brief wintry spell last week, it is turning out to be hot and humid again in Mumbai. We have not had to sweat it out yet, but the stillness in the air and with the morning temperature hitting double digit, many were complaining of breathing problems during the exercises.

New Year greeting... Mallika and Monthi

The day temperature is likely to cross 35 degrees Celsius, according to newspapers.
The freakish weather notwithstanding, we had a full house this morning – more so, because of the Club’s annual tea-‘n’-biscuits party meant to usher in the New Year.

Ajit Chaudhury relates his ordeal

Prabha Kapoor supplemented it with toffees while Swati Punjabi added a meaningful twist to the celebration by distributing ball-point pens to all. She is on a mission to make us all literate by the end of 2016.

Swati Punjabi gives away ballpens

Jokes apart, Ajit Chaudhury made a surprise visit to explain the reasons for his absence during the past month or so. Indeed, we had been missing him and his wonderful family (of son Akshat, wife and parents) who had become an integral part of Big Laaf. Little did we know that a series of medical mishaps had overtaken the family, one after another. “It was a harrowing time for all of us,” he narrated. “I was caught between the pathological lab, my job in the bank, doctors’ appointments…” And if these were not enough, he had to contend with a major burglary at his ancestral home in Bihar.
Let us hope and pray that Ajit is able to put all this behind and that the New Year brings happy tidings for him and his family. They don’t deserve to suffer. Nobody does. So this is wishing you all that 2016 turns out to be the ‘Sweet Sixteen’ everybody is talking about.

Hot, home-brewed tea for all

Prabha Kapoor gives toffees

Biscuits to go with tea

Bihari Milwani:
* In a hurry we forgot to raise a fourth laugh to wish Happy Birthday to Ms Shiela Mirani.
* Wish you all a very Happy New Leap Year. May you all prosper by leaps and bounds.