Chilled Out

A friendly dog gives us company after the exercises 

Lifting of restrictions for the exercises (ref post of April 19) brought about a relaxed, chilled-out atmosphere after a long, long time. People walked in and out at will – with or without their caps – and nobody made an issue of it. In the beginning we were barely eight to set the ball rolling. At the end of the exercises, we were double the number – the remaining being habitual late-comers. But that was all very fine, today being a weekend.
The weather had cooled down considerably, especially under the tree where we have shifted for the exercises (ref yesterday’s post). With assorted crows and a footloose dog for company, there were many occasions for entertainment – what with Shekhawat determined to egg on a hopping crow towards his bête noire, Arun Patil… but all in good humour and bonhomie.
Much as this was a perfect way to end the week, there remains a slight cause for worry. All those who had pulled up their socks and were making an effort at being regular and punctual for the exercises have slackened once again. It would be very difficult, particularly for those who are taking a break, to resume their earlier schedule.
Experience proves that we are all creatures of habit and attending the exercises daily, on time, is much like being on auto-pilot. Once this routine gets disrupted, it would be an uphill task to get our bearings back. Let’s hope we are able to tackle this when the time comes.