Fancy the Fendi?

"Morning Kids" 

Good morning everyone. I just dropped the tiddly winks off to school and watched them run through the security check (ok the AK 47's attached to the smiling security men taint the pretty picture but hey) they were laughing and happy to be there. As a mother this is one of the best feelings in the world. All you want is for your kids to be happy and mine sure are. I was thinking how familiar everything was beginning to feel as I drove back into Bandra West half an hour later. The sun was shining, the new Sea Link bridge was glistening and if I kept the windows up (not letting in the odd fetid farm yard smell) it all seemed pretty normal. Ahhh Mumbai. This is my home now.

Looks like you're stuck with me

Yesterday I waited for my housekeeper to show up for her first day on the job. Of course being the psychopathic obsessive compulsive that I am- (the western world has contributed to this condition I assure you) the house was sparkling waiting for her arrival. After half an hour I decided to ring wondering if she was caught in traffic. When I got through to her she was very apologetic and said she had been trying to ring "HRH"s phone (who has now taken to ignoring unknown numbers as they are just spam calls...WTF? Yes they ring your number and then play a pre recorded advert to you over the phone!!!) all weekend and then even came over on the saturday (when we were out at the movies with the munchkins) to try to speak to me. She said it is not possible to start work as "my husband has gone crazy and must got to GOA"... I just about dropped the phone in shock. Did I hear correctly? Hubby crazy? Oh God who is this lady? She said she can start at the beginning of the month because "he will not be crazy in the new month of October...." My heart sank...okay she's a nut job, he's a nut job...good god. Okay so lets skip the next 45 minutes of discussion between the two of us and explain everything. Unfortunately her husband has had his only sister pass away in GOA unexpectedly and as you can imagine he is beside himself (this in her description was the "going crazy" part) they need to go down to GOA for the funeral and after one week will be back. Aha, so it was starting to sound a little more logical. She was very apologetic and then said she could leave the family there in GOA and come back early if I wanted? I mean c'mon what kind of a selfish cow does she think I am? Would anyone really even consider asking someone to do that? Not me. So- to cut a long story short she will start on saturday after they get back. I know she isn't lying or pulling my leg because she worked for another expat family who assure me she was honest, reliable and very trust worthy during the TWO years she was with them. And in my books that's enough.

Said offending luxury item

So after sorting that all out, it was time to head off to teach english for the first time through the Mumbai Mobile Creche in the south. The kids are all pretty impoverished and some have never had a proper home EVER in their lives. I was really nervous about getting upset in front of the little ones since I've been prone to breaking down in tears as of late. I stupidly got dressed in a lovely outfit and caught myself holding up the fendi to see if the bag complemented my "look du jour". A wash of shame over came me. Queenie seriously? Think about it love. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? I made myself a very strong bloody mary and ripped off the entire outfit. What was I thinking? I don't bloody know. So I got some sports gear on (no not the Stella McCartney gears before you all ask!) and grabbed a bottle of water and an apple throwing it in a shopping bag and walked out the door.
Two and half hours later I was a changed woman...seriously I just don't think I look at the world with the same eyes anymore. My heart felt exhausted as every ounce of love had been squeezed out and distributed to each and every child I met. It was overwhelmingly heart breaking at times along with a sense of uplifting hope and pride....yes pride. I felt so proud of them. And I now think of them as little angels. I will be there every monday for them come rain or bloody shine. Wild horses couldn't keep me away.
I keep seeing their little faces in my head...all day long. Their smiles and their looks of determination as they learn't to hold pencils for the first time or pronounce the letter T just melted my heart. Like a slice of cheap (and probably fake) mozzarella cheese under the grill- I melted instantly.

I love asian candles...I swear.

Anyway the big thing to learn is to live with all this and realise it is one part of your existence. You have to have enough juice to give to your own kids, the orphans you teach on a thursday, your yoga instructor, the girls, the hubby and let's not forget yourself. As I'm a newbie I still feel a little all consumed right now. Which if I continue on like this I could very easily just burn out. (Like a cheap asian candle at Chinese New Year- is that ok to say? Probably not- oh I take it back then... I love asians- I mean that schezuan chicken the other night was a life saviour- look, just shut up Queenie the hole is getting bigger...) I'm just going to have to learn to flow seemlessly from my life to theirs. Let's attempt that next step in October huh? It's all a bit much for me right now. She says as she slugs down another pre lunch bloody Mary whilst slinging her fendi handbag over her shoulder. I mean one can only be all giving and "holier than tho" for a wee while. Then the game is up...
I'm off to lunch at the Trident hotel with another 50 expat ladies (lord help me- hence pre lunch bloody mary) I may have to drown myself in my lunch (and all inclusive drinks) and plus there's a raffle. I'm all in to win that facial ya know. Wink wink. Now where's my damn handbag.


Queenie