Household

As we did last fall, we have hired an ayah, Guddi Devi, to come in twice a week to clean the house and do some light hand washing. Last week her father-in-law died, so she couldn't come. When she arrived yesterday afternoon, she was a little later than usual. She was very apologetic, saying that she had fallen asleep. It didn't matter at all to me. I tried to express my sympathy about the death, and she said she had been very busy cooking for all the people who came. She looked pretty tired out.

While Guddi Devi was there, the school plumber came to look at the hot water tap in the bathroom. It was leaking on the floor and I had turned off the wall tap that leads to the sink. After looking it over, he said that the problem was inside the wall tap and he would have to come back today with parts to fix it properly. In the meantime, the geyser (hot water heater -- pronounced "geezer") had to be turned off. That meant no hot water for a shower this morning. I heated up some water on the gas stove in the kitchen and had a bucket bath, which is common all over India (we are fortunate to have a very capable shower in our apartment).

This morning the plumber and his assistant arrived about 9:15 (15 minutes earlier than scheduled, almost unheard-of!). It took them about an hour and a half to replace the wall tap. I checked that the geyser was reconnected and turned on and hope there will be hot water tonight.

We also have a dhobi (laundryman) who comes on Saturdays to take our dirty clothes and deliver the clean ones from the previous week.

Dan left for Delhi yesterday afternoon to meet his brother and sister-in-law. They will be coming up here on Wednesday and staying at Ivy Bank Guest House until we all leave on May 2. Today Dan and his brother are planning to attend the Asian Badminton Tournament in Delhi. Sounds like something they will both enjoy.