Lost treasures

It is very very hot!

And I am afraid of weekends nowadays.

Saturday is the day for you to do all the household related work. Here's a list.

Washed my clothes? Check.
Done cleaning? Check.
Bought veggies and stuff? Check.
Picked up laundry? Check.

And I am not even looking at the heap of clothes lying on my bed crying out loud for ironing!

So now that almost everything is done, and I have watched enough TV, read enough books, checked out Cumberbatch enough on the net and tried every known way to amuse myself, I don't know what to do next.


No! Don't tell me to call up a friend and chat. I hate mobile phones!

Yes. They have their advantages. But the harm is far deeper. I think after the mobile phones came along, people have become more and more unattached. You don't want to visit your relatives? Call them once a month to show you care. Don't have time enough to visit a friend? Same way out. Don't want to face difficult questions? There's a phone! Aha!

Is that really the way to do it? Escaping? Making life easier by ignoring the unsavory part? And you always have an excuse ready. You called!

Never did we feel so distant from each other than we do now.

So, that option's out.

Mmmmm.....

Why not spend this surplus idle time in reminiscing childhood with you all?

I say, this is the most unproductive pastime possible, but it makes you happy.

This afternoon I was seated at a window in a bus with all my hair flying here and there and wishing badly I had a hairband. And then I remembered how I used to collect hairbands in my childhood.

I actually had a big collection of it!

There was a full white one with round white chrysanthemums on it. A plain pink one. Another purplish pink one with a purple bow on it. But it was too tight. Then there were several red bands with different coloured cloth flowers on them. They were bought from Lucknow. Right now I can recollect only the yellow, pink and violet flowers. There was a red broad band. I remember it vaguely. And my favourite one! A yellow band with red spots and a yellow butterfly on it. It was from Ceylon, a gift from my Masi.
As I grew, came Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and I collected quite a number of 'Kajol' bands. I bet almost everyone had one back then. White, gray, brown, green. Black was the most common one. Could be worn with all dresses.

Slowly I outgrew them and God knows where they are now! The hairbands sold today are not that interesting. Everything is sleek and understated nowadays. We had such elaboration in everything when we were kids!

Then I had this collection of stamps. I guess this is one of the most common childhood hobbies, but mine was a little different. I didn't collect old stamps. I only collected brand new ones. Freshly launched and unused. No. I never had any philatelic aspirations whatsoever. I simply loved the pictures, the colour and the freshness. My Dad had bought me a stamp book. He made it a point that whenever he went to the post-office, he inquired about any newly launched stamp and bought for me if any. The darling that he is, he always bought the whole series. I remember once he bought the Lion King series. If I remember correctly, there were three separate stamps in it with different pictures, but making a whole story together.

Then he bought me this stamp series on Madhubani painting. Internet was not so accessible in those days. But I remember searching books and articles to learn more about Madhubani art after I saw that stamp.

There were many more. Stamps on the life of V.Shantaram, on Dandi March (I may be wrong, but it was some march with Gandhiji leading the line) and many others. That reminds me, this time when I go home, I have to dig that book out. It is indeed a precious possession.

Oh! It's past ten! Dinner time!!
See? Once I sit chatting with you guys, I forget everything!
So tell me, what collections did you have when you were a child?