The Summer Tag

The Tags have started flowing in after a brief hiatus..

Fleiger asks me to go down the memory lane and pluck 8 things I cherish about summers/Summer Vacations - things which are difficult to do now because of changing times and we growing up. So here they are. Hope they tickle a memory or two for you too.

• Cricket – Summer Vacation or not, cricket formed a big chunk of life. There were 2 -3 fav places of playing. The big ground across the sector (had to play cross batted shots here), in front of gurudwara (had to play very straight here because of houses around) and the DAV School ground (had to play on the off here). So now you know why I can play all around the wicket. Hehehehe..But the present conditions of the 2 grounds are sad. In dav school ground, many ‘jhoolas’ for small kids, a walking path for old and lights etc have come up so no more cricket there. The ground across the Sector has vanished. There are huge buildings there. Currently British Library sits on top of the pitch I really liked – I hit a six off the last ball to win the match on this pitch.



• Lassi – 2 times a day was compulsory. A pure Punjabi type lassi is one thing which is very very hard to get anywhere else. A lassi a day keeps the heat away. Undoubtedly the best drink for summers.



• Afternoon Nap – Summer vacations, a healthy lunch followed by a steel glass full of lassi, a ceiling fan soothing you and a desert cooler cooling you – a sure shot recipe for an unmatched afternoon nap. Moreover you need it to be fresh for the evening cricket matches.



• Cousins Visit – A regular feature of summer vacations till they permanently shifted to Chandigarh. It was 1 gala time.



• Sleeping under the open sky – When there are AC’s in all rooms who wants to sleep in the open with all the mosquitoes and all. But at one time it was really fun. May be it didn’t use to be that hot as it is now. Talk of Global Warming having an effect on our lives.



• Watering Plants – An activity which relaxes you no extent. After a harsh summer day, take the pipe and pour water over the parched, muddy leaves. The aroma of water on dry soil is unmatched.



• Saying AAA…. in the cooler – I am sure many would have done this. Standing in front of the desert cooler and saying aaaaaa….into it. What came back was a funny sound of the voice being cut by the fan blades.



• Evening Jog – This was not a part of early child hood days but came later during college time. A jog in the summer evening is awesome. No matter how much junk food, samosas, paranthas you have eaten during the day, you literally see it coming it out when, in the dwindling but still warm day, you see litres of sweat oozing out of you. A cool shower after that is even more heavenly.

There are many things like Mangoes, Birthdays, Rasna which I too wanted to write but which Fleiger has already written so in no way these 8 things are the Top 8.

Now the targeting people time. But no pointing fingers here.. Anyone interested can pick up the Tag.. It’s a lovely opportunity. Don’t miss it.