Whenever Sister comes visiting all the way from the other corner of the city, I have an obligatory assignment of cleaning up the floor I live in. She doesn't like it when things are scattered and lying around. She likes it organized just the way I keep my folders and files on hard disk. She doesn't like me keeping the books that I've been reading lying half open on tables. She uses a bookmark instead (only when I frown lying that I would be having a hard time finding that page back again), and tucks them away in the book shelf just like she tucks the clothes away in the cupboard.
Today was one of those days again, and I had to vacuum for hours to clean up the place. It is holiday elsewhere, so she wouldn't take my excuse that I still have loads of work and backlogs to clear! Today is the new year, Ugadi - in the Hindu calendar. I'm not that religious nor do I share the same interest about the tradition in celebrating the festival, but the festivity sort of syncs in - with everyone around enjoying the day with traditional food and lots of catching up on a holiday. Owing to the relaxing mood everywhere, I too decided to take a day off. Many friends have already left for a long weekend (three days of vacation, thanks to the day off today on occasion of Ugadi). Sometimes it does feel like there are just too many festivals in India - there's one turning up in no time just before we've even forgotten the last one.
