Thursday, November 03, 2005

Helpful hints from Mr.Podger



  So hopefully everyone had a ‘blast’ this Diwali and back to the same old sun-rising-in-the-east-setting-in-the-west rigmarole.

My Diwali can be summarized in one sentence – no show by the maid-cooking-more cooking-entertaining neighbors-colorful diyas-lighting sparkles and flowerpots-and finally a good dinner at my friend’s place. Oh and if I forgot –it also included flashing the ethnic black skirt, jewellery, the stringed choli et al …

If Tennyson were to write a poem today, he would have said
  Maids may come and Maids may go
  But the search goes on forever…
So you get the drift of what is about to transpire in the forthcoming lines? And the connection with the perplexing title!

Those who have read Three Men in a Boat, would be well acquainted with Uncle Podger. For the benefit of those who haven’t (read the book I mean) we all would have encountered an Uncle Podger at some time or the other in our lives. The story goes in the way that Uncle Podger volunteers to hang a picture and all he does is bark orders to people to get to do whatever it requires to hang a picture.

Now if only I could get some tips from Uncle Podger, for all the household chores I have to do these days, (already taking a toll on my manicured hands!!) ,I would be one happy gal.

23 comments:

the Monk said...

That is an amazing book...and i know exactly what u mean by the maid thing...my mom says exactly the same thing...i have seen a steady succession of maids, some white, some black, but all act as if they're on crack...sorry, couldn't resist that one...nice blog, btw...

Weary Hag said...

I haven't read the book but it sounds delightful!

I also don't know what it's like to have a maid, but ohhhh my, would I like to have one a couple of days a week!

Anonymous said...

manager. mate manager.
DO an MbA and sure thing u wil order around and finaly look like uve done it all ur self. and the cuticle wil remail as pretty as ever.
•¿•

Crouching Tigress said...

I had no blast :( I really missed the diyas. Btw ethnic black skirt, stringed choli...HOTTTT!!

Unknown said...

uncle podgers the guy who sat around and let J do all the work and not help and then say it felt good to see someone else do work?

cherubic_chipmunk said...

wow ur choice of words is *****(for want of an apt adjective)-and the tennyson thing was awesome...i wonder how such poetries seem to b perpetually stranded in ur minds...hey do drop by on ma blog...nothin lik urs...i've jus started-so pardon me if u find it way too substandard...

Sujit said...

Its nice comparisons and good stuff..

johnny boy said...

Hey swathi..
Been quite a while since i came here! I can understand the frustration of having to do everythin on ur own ;)
I havent read those books, but i kinda got an idea of what you were referring to.. Hope your wishes are fulfilled and u get to do the 'ordering around' soon :)))
Hey wish u a belated happy diwali! Hope u had a lovely time.... I had fun!! :)
john..

~RAUL~ said...

oh oh u can wear gloves and do all the chores u want. :) :)
happy diwali.

anumita said...

Dont lose hope, dear! You will find your soul maid! And the diwali sounds fantastic!!

FlyingHigh said...

Came back from a long vaction to a unkept house and a sink full of dirty dishes. Looks like my maid took a long leave too! I need to get back home and do all the chores, atleast my hands arent manicured :)

Anonymous said...

Uncle Podger hangs the picture, eh? that's one of the most hilarious episodes of an entirely hilarious book.

Pip Pip,
Arvind

Rohan Kumar said...

I object this Uncle podger seems to have been modeled on me, I make sure I am always the one acting as the guide whenever we need to be moving heavy pieces o furniture and other stuff around, in and out of houses :)

Anonymous said...

did u say diwali blast or blast off? where are u ?>
stil around? or looking for the soul maid on mars?

Swathi Sambhani aka Chimera said...

to all :
Providence has been kind to me and i have now successfully employed two maids (one as a backup jus in case...)

@the Monk
'am glad that u've read the book n can truly appreciate Mr.Podger in all his glory :)
n yaa welcome to the Princess' realm

@W Hag
the book is indeed delightful and if you want a few laugh-out-loud moments do try to get hold of it.
but u neednt bother 'bout having a maid in the US, the dishwasher and vacuuming once a week doesnt hold good here so we do have to rely on maids.(my experiences when I was in New England for a few months couple of years back)

@ zombiee
yaa now i that i have become a Manager, lemme see how well they do in their appraisals (n yaa my cuticles seem to be healing)

@ tigress
some lit-up candles wud've done the works for u... n bingo! that dress was meant to be hot on the cold Diwali eve ;)

@ shyo
yaa the very same guy whoz incarnated forms are present all over the place these days -at home, office ...

@ c_chipmunk
welcome to moi blog n 'am jus back from checking urz

@ Sujit
thanks

@ Johnny boy
yaa long time...thanks for the b-lated wishes and yaa the wishes have finally bin fulfilled

@Raul
i did try that (did someone say 'Great ppl think alike'?? :))
'am waiting to hear more stories of ur trip home

@Anumita
i did find them sooner than i answered to all the comments :))

@Shradha
ah! thatz like a clever girl (atleast u saved on the manicure costs ;)

@Arvind
another fellow lover of that book??good good

@Rohan Kumar
now that u have admitted that u r a version of Mr.Podger, where r the handy hints????

@zombiee
•¿••¿••¿••¿• 'am still around n kicking :))

Cibot said...

try Arundhati Roy's "An Ordinary Person's Guide to Empire".
You may find it interesting. It is available in bookstores in india, atleast in "Landmark". Worth buying.

Rohan Kumar said...

They r 'trade secrets' plus my brain kicks into action only when there's a task at hand (remains in a state of idle limber at all other times)

Twilight Fairy said...

flashing stringed choli and what not! so you were the "bomb" this diwali eh? ;)

Anonymous said...

nah..not read this book.
u watch movies which i have not seen. actually some of them not heard of.
u watch books which i havent read...some of them i have not heard of.

ok..now i envy u. and r u from the same planet....nahh...women r from venus , right ? hehe

Rapunzel said...

jerome k.jerome!charming!!!makes me so nostalgi reading bt this....

Swathi Sambhani aka Chimera said...

@Cibot
Ms.Roy fails to hold my interest for long so i would give that book a pass.

@Rohan
trade secrets?? eh? thankfully i dun need them any longer

@Twilight fairy
i'm alwayz the 'bomb'-Diwali or otherwise ;) (pardon my modesty :))

@Vicky
not heard/read movies/books I reco' then itz time u picked them up, unless u want to stay put in Mars

@rapunzel
welcome to my realm and yaa JKJ's book has an endearing and universal appeal

Anonymous said...

i have to check it out.. And i hope you got your maid back... LOL

Swathi Sambhani aka Chimera said...

@pallavi
do check the book n i bet u wudnt b disappointed