LT COL NOEL ELLIS 09/VI/2025 The breeze was very cool this morning, very like the desert breeze. The sand would have cooled in the night and now was transferring that cool to the winds. A gust while you walk reacts with the sweat and makes you shiver at times. The same breeze slowly starts to heat up as the sand and rocks are scorched by the sun. The buildings are made of stone (Bhaata), which is the mainstay of and an alternative for bricks in our city since ages also tends to heat up adding to the rise in the temperature. By midday it turns into ‘Loo’ or very hot air. This warm air blows till eight in the evening after which the mercury dips slowly. It is a daily cycle. The birds too are feeling the heat. Like dogs pant with their tongues hanging, you can see these dainty creatures sitting with their mouths open and breathing through their beaks. For their temporary relief, we sprinkle the trees with water. These girls shake a fea...
LT COL NOEL ELLIS 08/VI/2025 It is that time of the year when pest control has to be done at home. Not for any other reason but for the cockroaches which had been hiding in the dark dungeons of the underground pipes decide to air their differences by slipping out of the drainage covers to explore the world above. I was mentioning to my wife that this year their size is quite small. Generally they are two inches plus, but this year they were not even half the size. Later that I realised these could be baby roaches, who followed their moms and could not trace their way back when danger lurked. They just roam around, twiddle their whiskers, walk around like ‘Dons’, open their wings and try to fly sometimes. Yes, sometimes they do get into bins and storage spaces, that is when things start getting disgusting. The “kitanoo” or germs they carry is a big concern. One solid ‘whack’ and it turns turtle, trying to swim upside down ...