Ginger- #6

 Ginger 

Episode #6

Jayan looked around and found a good police dog trainer. So the regime started. 

Everyday morning the trainer would show up at 7 am. Ginger behaved so well when the trainer was around. 

There would be multiple lessons on any given day. Fetch, Run, Jump...our boy did everything so well. We were so proud of our Gingu. 

One regret that Jayan always had was that the morning newspapers would be Gingu’s breakfast. Every morning it was either Jayan or Gingu who will win this race for the newspaper. 

Since usually newspapers are flung across the gate, Gingu took that for a “Fetch” command. He would not only fetch the news but he will etch his name on it even before Jayan arrived 😂

When the trainer shows up, Gingu behaved like a real disciplined boy. The moment he leaves, the brat would come out again. 

We complained to the trainer. He showed us how to keep him in control. He threw the newspaper in front of him. The moment Gingu tried to go near it, the trainer would go, “Hmmmm! Sitttt!” in a harsh tone. And like a super obedient child, Gingu would just not sit but prostrate in front of the trainer. Our eyes could not believe what he demonstrated!

After the trainer left, Jayan, Abhi and me tried in different modulations the same command, “Hmmmm! Sitttt!!!”, “Hmmmmmmmmm! SITTTTTT!!!!”. Devil may care but not Ginger. As a family, we accepted defeat!

Guess no training helped him! We ended the training. But could not put an end to all his atrocities. Then there was this day when I was behind Ginger on the roads...

Ginger - #5

 Ginger

Episode #5

Ginger was playing in the shower when Abhi was splashing water from the hose on him. I was scrubbing Gingu. Suddenly he did an act of grabbing something that came out of the hose. For a few minutes, I didn’t understand what he was doing. Then Abhi shouted, “Mom, that was a snake!” Yes. Ginger caught a snake that came out of the hose with the water. I quickly looked in the direction Abhi pointed, and we saw the water snake slip by!

We were all in praise of Ginger’s valour. He knows when we are happy with him. He will try to act pricey with a gleam in his already sparkling eyes. 

Then there was this time when he barked his heart out to chase an intruder away. 

So, we thought to ourselves, he just needs proper training. We set out to train him now! That itself is worthy of an entire episode!

Ginger - #4

 Ginger

Episode #4

We started chaining him to our grilled gate. The moment he is unchained, the house came down. He would pull down all the clothes from the clothesline, which was in the backyard. He would tear up all the doormats and carpets to pieces with his sharp teeth. He would run around the house and stop only when food was offered. 

He loved chicken. He loved all that we ate at home but not his dog food. He would eat a whole loaf of bread, a dozen eggs, gallons of milk. Then start running around our house. He would do potty in all places around the house. It was only my duty to clean this up!

Once when I was giving him a shower, he did something strange. Even if I think of it now, it send me chills down my spine!

Ginger - #3

 Ginger

Episode #3

Year 2012

In no time, less than even 3-4 months, Gingu was an integral part of our lives. He was growing up to be a naughty and sturdy boy. It was my every day routine (added to the other thousand things) to clean his potty. He was doing it anywhere at his freewill. 

Jayan and Abhinay were expected to train him. But it is now that I knew Jayan just wanted the pup for playing. He wouldn’t take any major role in his training. One reason was he was way too lazy and the other...he was also scared of dogs. The truth which I didn’t know until much later. Abhinay on the other hand, was simply lazy. 

Poor me and poorer Gingu! I had to clean the place and then him. He wouldn’t let me clean him or bathe him properly. He would keep licking my hands or my face, he would run around, he would climb the stairs and come pouncing on me, or simply just keep turning around to catch his tail!!! By the time the activity is done, I would be soooo de-energised that I would come and lay on the couch flat! Tears would roll down my cheeks many times thinking of my fate. But just for a few moments...I would have to run behind the brat to save our stuff from his biting them to pieces. 

He was on a roll! He would play so gleefully with Abhi and Pannu and Jayan. With me, it was always trouble. After a bath, he would run all around the house making the floor so wet. To keep him in one place and dab him dry was a process again!

Then followed the phase of moving Ginger out of the house...near the gate and the grills!

Ginger - #2

 Ginger 

Episode #2

Either the wife should know how to deal with puppies. Or the hubby. In our case, neither of us knew. It was like first time parenting. 

The night we brought Ginger home, excitement was running high in the family. After playing with him for sometime, we realized he should be hungry. I had no idea what to give. So, got some milk in a bowl. He polished it clean. And looked at me for more. Gave him more. Repeat. Polishes. Looks. Gave more. Polishes. Looks. This went on until about a litre of milk was given. Least did any of us know that Ginger will grow up to be a glutton!

He ‘pee’ed on the foot mat. Had to clean all that. Then it was time for bed. A huge discussion ensued as to where Gingu must sleep. In the master bedroom, we placed a nice tub and put some cushions and bedsheets folded and we cradled Gingu there. 

Worse than what a mother goes through from the night after giving birth to a baby, I had to wake up a dozen times to check on Gingu. Sometimes he was found sleeping. Sometimes he was trying hard to get out of the tub with a meek wimp. My sleep was lost! The receivers of the gift were snoring!

The next few days, Ginger kept us busy. The house revolved around him. From the bedroom, he was brought to the sit-out. Should he be chained? Should his nails be cut? How often should he be fed? What can he eat? What should not be his diet? Can we give him a daily bath? How should we dry him after that? How about brushing his teeth? Do we need to comb his hair?

A thousand questions...we asked all and found answers for a few. A few others, we learnt on the job. 

What we did not ask was, “How to potty train him?” How this mattered? You will know in the next episode. 

Ginger - #1

 Ginger

Episode #1

This could well be a book and I would title it, “GD நாய் வளர்த்த கதை!” (The story of GD raising a dog). 

To too many people I would have narrated how much I dreaded dogs. I have written blogs where I have described some “dog-chasing-me” episodes. My relationship with dogs have always been mutual. I was scared of them (and they of me!). The latter was always Jayan’s version, though!

Jayan always gave me the impression that he is adept at handling dogs. Albeit, in one of the episodes he locked himself out when he saw a ferocious dog chase me. Since he kept saying that he loves to have a pet dog, I thought I would surprise him for one of our wedding anniversaries. 

My dear friend Aarthi helped me identify the right fawn coloured lab, a 35 day old pup! On the eve of our anniversary, we went out for dinner. I had requested Aarthi to get the pup there. She so sincerely did a splendid job of putting the bundle in a basket and waited at the restaurant. At the appointed hour, we pretended that it was a chance meeting and she handed over the basket to me. In a very dramatic style, I “gifted” the lab to Jayan! He was very excited. It is also Abhinay’s birthday on the same day. So I said to both of them that they could share this bundle. Least did I imagine how I will be burdened! At that moment though, Abhi was on cloud 9 and visibly happy!

On our way back home, we started listing possible names. And Pannu liked Ginger best. He said the fawn colour resembles ginger colour, so that is the apt name. Thus came the little Ginger into our otherwise mundane lives!

That night itself I had an indication of what was coming up in the next few days!

Story continues...

Petta

#Petta paraak 😁

Yes. Watched first day in the US. After all the hard day’s work, I was hoping sacrificing my sleep for a late night show must be worth it. Bet more on #KarthikSubbaraj. And man, did he meet expectations? He beat us hands down doing a #Rajini movie, which one would never imagine an #Iraivi director would do. Total paisa vasool and whattey treat to all Thalaivar fans & fanatics and to those who really aren’t (include me in the latter). Subbaraj has gone ahead and proved that he can do a thriller like #Pizza, a humour subject like #JigirThanda, a woman-centric intense #Iraivi and now such a super duper Rajini flick. Total and complete entertainer, that he is!

Coming to Thalaivar. Che.... how we missed this guy after #Padayappa! Rajini as Petta is #MaranaMass. His style, grace, speed, ferocity, stunts and that unique laughter.... feel like becoming that #Nilambari to say, “minsara kanna... vayasanalum un styleum, azhagum maraveeee illa” 😍 Every frame is #Rajinified. Glorified. Massified. Toooo much!

#Simran - whoa! What has she done! She looks like the Simran of Vaali days. Stunning! #Trisha has very less to do. #VS has very minimal screen presence but he totally justifies his role (as always).  We wish to see him more on screen.

Next to Rajini, the other person who impresses us is #BobbySimha. What a plum role and he has done it with so much ease! Kudos. Every actor, for that matter, has done superbly well.

So what makes Petta more special? That petite thing which has produced such outrageous music! Every beat and every strum is appropriate and adds so much value to every frame. In fact that is what takes Rajini to another level of action. #Anirudh - take a bow!

In a Rajini movie, I don’t look for logic and reason. They could have brought down violence and gun shots. Other than that...

...Marana massss!!!! Don’t miss to watch in theatres with your loved ones, like I did 😍