Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 380 – Happy Pops Day!

img_00411

“A daughter needs a dad to be the standard against which she will judge all men.”

Anon

Thank you, Spidey, for a wonderful quote to celebrate that special day, that is Father’s Day, here in the UK today.

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know what my father, affectionately known as Pops (formerly Papa), means to me.

He is my world, my inspiration, my support, my heart.

Growing up, I was never made to feel like I was anything other than perfect in his eyes, especially considering the comments that were made when I was born.

My parents had been married a couple of years with no signs of a baby arriving. And when I was due, my mum’s mum came over from Kenya to support my parents as they transitioned into parenthood. Many lamented that it was a waste of a trip for my grandmother, as a grandson would have been a much better result.

In fact, one woman was practically in mourning at the fact I had arrived and not a male version of myself, until Pops stopped her in her tracks and told her she should be ashamed of herself, being a woman herself, and saying such things about his little girl.

His sense of equality has always been there, with him showing the utmost respect to everyone around him, and working with my mum to form one of the most perfect partnerships in marriage, that I have ever seen.

Having lost his own parents at a very young age and having been brought up by his brother and sister-in-law, he always felt that mum, my brother and I were his first proper ‘own’ family. Those that were his, truly.

Pops, and mum, never let us want for anything. We were never spoiled, though, but that sense of always having enough was instilled in us from an early age, and we lived a blessed, though hectic, childhood filled with trips back to Kenya, and countless weddings, parties, babies being born, numerous visitors, and family staying with us. It could have been tough, but we never felt it because of our parents.

He’s a spiritual soul. Everyone who meets him feels that sense of calm exuding from him, and if you ever experience aPops hug, you’ll know what I mean.

He is an uncle to many, grandad to a small army, too, and even great grandad! (It’s traditional in our culture to not have great uncles and aunts and cousins once/twice removed. Rather, if your nephew or niece has children, they call you grandma/grandad, too… even I have a few! Oh, and your cousin’s kids are your nieces and nephews too. I have a HUGE family, filled with cousins, hence my parents extended status in relationships within the family!)

The love he shows is given back to him by all these youngsters; the respect he shows everyone, is returned to him tenfold.

Last year he even shocked me by reading my book. My Pops is not reader, by any stretch of the imagination., but he kept a paperback copy of my book beside his armchair in the living room from the moment I self-published it, wrapped in cellophane to protect it. He did try reading it at first, but couldn’t, then took the plunge again and even read through the mildly naughty bits this time, getting to the end.

That is love, you know. If you can read your daughter’s words, even though they make you a tad uncomfortable, and come through the other side, that really is love!

My first love – Pops

I always dreamed that I would have a husband like my Pops, and I have been so lucky to be blessed with my Hubby Dearest, who is different but so similar in his thinking. And he is a different but no less loving father to our two kids, who, as they pass through the difficult teenage years, test us daily but make us so proud. They are lucky to have a dad like him!

And though my Pops is further away from me than I would have liked, I have my father-in-law here, who I will be forever thankful too because, without him, I wouldn’t have my wonderful Hubby Dearest!

So, are you celebrating Father’s Day? My thoughts are with those whose fathers are no longer with them or those with absent fathers. Is there another male in your life who you thought of as a father?

namaste

Wishing you a wonderfully peaceful Sunday, Peeps!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 376 – Happy Birthday Pops!

img_00411

“A daughter may outgrow your lap but she will never outgrow your heart.” 

Anon

Wishing my wonderful Pops a very happy 76th birthday!

You all know, Peeps, how much my dad means to me, and though we cannot be together on his special day, he knows our love and good wishes are with him always.

Pops, our Legend!

So, could you loin me in wishing my Pops a lovely birthday?

namaste

Wishing you a wonderfully peaceful Sunday, Peeps!

Happy 74th Birthday Pops! #74actually!

Pops is turning 74 today! So please wish him a very happy birthday! I am sharing an old post from when he turned 70. He really is a wonderful dad, and I couldn’t ask for a better one . ❤

Ritu 2020

It is a very special day today for me.

My precious Pops is turning 74!

Happy Birthday

Humble to a fault, with a heart bigger than the universe, that’s my Pops.

He’s been my guide, my inspiration, my support since, well, forever.

Born to a farming family in Kenya, the youngest of multiple siblings, Pops popped out a ready-made uncle!  He had nephews and nieces to play with as a youngster and was always called Kaka, which means baby, as he was the youngest. Pops lost his own father very young, but his mother and brother brought him up.

He wasn’t the biggest academic in school, loving sports and dancing, but wanting to do the best he could, he pursued Dentistry and went to Wilson College in Mumbai.

img-20160521-wa0007.jpg
Here he is with some of his High School athletics trophies!

He held a high jump record at his college which was only broken relatively recently!

He was a pretty cool dude. Check him out here!

Cool Dude
That’s him, white shirt and sunnies on!

And here is one of the photos that convinced my mum to marry him…

Young Pops
Smooth!

Look at the happy couple!

image

Marriage and a few years later, along came me!

Me N Pops
Love these photos!

Then my brother…

20140816_071721
Selfie mode!

Years pass so fast and he is now a father-in-law and a grandpops to 4!

He was a dentist for many years until heart problems and arthritis meant he had to take early retirement.

Did he sit back and let retirement take over him?

Nope! He started practising yoga which gave him a new lease of life, so then in his mid sixties, he became a yoga instructor and started spreading the message out there to many people about how to improve your health naturally. No charging. This was his community service to the world!

Then he was asked to film his own TV programme which airs every day on a channel here!

TV
Very Proud of my TV Star Pops!

All through this time he has been not only a most amazing Pops, husband, and grandfather, dentist and yogi, but ask all those who know him, family and friends, and they will all agree that he is there for them no matter what. Surrogate granddad to so many children, brother, uncle, everything. Nothing is too much hard work for him. He will be there.

And he still hasn’t stopped dancing! He says to us that when he dances, he feels 21. He can beat all the youngsters in a bhangra dance off, then when he sees a video, he says “What is this silly old man doing?!” I only wish I had photos of him in his bhangra performance days!  Mums are amazing! She pulled a few old photos out for me and sent them, in her own special way!

But the reality is he is brilliant! And all who know him will agree!

So I just want to wish my Precious Pops an amazing 74th birthday. May there be many, many more to come! Love you!

Keep Dancing Pops!

Dancing Pops

From your forever Little Girl, Ritu xxx

July 26– Flash Fiction  – Stranded Suitcase

Charli’s prompt this week:

July 26, 2018, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about what happens next to a stranded suitcase. Go where the prompt leads you, but consider the different perspectives you can take to tell the tale.

Suitcase of Hope

Opening the bedroom door, the first thing I saw was the abandoned suitcase, open on the bed. Half packed, it had been left, bereft at not being full, zipped up, and off on another adventure.

I walked over, closed the lid, fastened it and placed it to one side. “Don’t worry, he’ll be better soon, then you can both go on your travels, with no worries at all.”

Pops appeared by my side, having taken a few moments longer to climb the stairs than me.

“It’s okay Pops, rest up. I’ll pack your case when the time is right.”

Today’s take is based upon true events. If you have been reading my blog recently, you’ll know that my Pops has been extremely unwell, needing emergency open surgery a few weeks back. On the day he was being operated on,  my sister-in-law gave birth to my new nephew, and Pops’ fourth grandchild.

My mum is already in Finland with my brother and his family, and the plan was that Pops would be joining her there so he could enjoy the delights of his new grandchild too.

Unfortunately, that is not the (suit)case at the moment, he won’t be flying anywhere for a while. I arrived back home with my children today, to ease him back into his own home, after spending the last three weeks after being discharged from hospital convalescing at his niece’s house.

Though a case was not actually strewn across his bed, there are several scattered around the house, Mum’s part-packing jobs done before she left, so she could take more things when she does a return journey, with Pops!

He’s doing so well, considering the ordeal he went through, but still very weak. We went for a slow, short walk this evening and it was so wonderful to see my Pops almost back to normal, a little slower, a little thinner, but definitely my Pops. ❤

img_20180727_2114531655371399870081509.jpg

❤ my Pops

And here’s hoping that after his follow up appointment in September, he will be able to go and finally give that new addition a proper cuddle! ❤

https://carrotranch.com/2018/07/27/july-26-flash-fiction-challenge/

Angels In Uniform #NHS #70Years

This last week I had the opportunity to see the great work of the NHS at close quarters for more or less four days.

Sitting by Pops’ bedside meant that I saw just how hard the staff work.

By the time I got there, the Doctors and Consultants had done their rounds, so I didn’t see them, but I was fortunate enough to meet the many amazing support staff, nurses, ward sisters, cleaning staff and catering staff without whom the doctors wouldn’t be able to do their jobs. The ones who are really paid a pittance for all the good they do.

I watched as difficult patients were handled in sensitive ways, the elderly were given the care and respect they deserved, patients both young and old were welcomed into the ward with a smile.

And all that I encountered, from the bay nurses to the student nurse, the ward sisters, to the pain relief managers, were all so wonderful with my Pops.

And he, in turn, made sure that he had a smile, a please and a thank you, ready for them all.

It’s a simple thing, to smile, but that smile can make the job of a tired nurse so much easier.

We had running jokes with our jovial student nurse, Abigail, a young lady from Zimbabwe.

Rishi, Pops fave bay nurse was so great at explaining things to us, and he spoke Punjabi too, so Pops was glad. Even though he speaks fluent English, his mother tongue is his mother tongue!

Loved old Rob the tea man! When Pops was nil by mouth, he’d sneak up to me and whisper in my ear to ask if I’d rather have his tea, instead of letting it go to waste… He wasn’t allowed, but as we had built a rapport over the days, we were mates!

Liz the original Ward sister was lovely, helping me over the phone the first day, and making sure I knew exactly how Pops was.

There were so many others there too.

And they helped make Pops feel so comfortable, and me.

So well, in fact, that he should be discharged tomorrow!

And just look at this face now.

img_20180711_1519547927464163610116385.jpg

He’s almost sorry that he has to get ready to say bye to them all!

Despite the not sleeping well at night, with the myriad beeps of monitors, the countless wake ups to take obs, and the groans of other unfortunates, he still appreciates all they, and the NHS did for him.

(And he always will, he was an NHS dentist himself, and he gave himself fully to his own job, deciding not to go private so he could give affordable care to those around him).

So here is a little verse, thought up as I drove to work this morning. (Yes, I am back home now, and will be driving back to Pops on Saturday!)

Machines bleeping
Patients not sleeping
They can’t
Constant requests
Are patients pests?
They aren’t
Nurses are waning
Are they complaining?
They don’t
Angels in uniform
Will they ever change form?
They won’t

Ritu 2018

 

Previous Older Entries

My interactive peeps!

%d bloggers like this: