Din 163: "You're going to be a Punjaban soon."

Day 163 of this year is an especially important one, as it marks the birthday of my teacher/mentor/advisor/father/friend Howard Chang! Mr. Chang taught me Latin for all four years of high school, but that doesn't begin to describe what his impact on my life has been. I want to do everything I do just a little bit better each day because of Magister Chang, because that's what he does -- wakes up every morning and strives to be a citior, altior, fortior version of himself. In short, Mr. Chang lives the philosophy to which I aspire.


In his honor, I spent most of today doing what Mr. Chang likes to do best -- eating. I ate double my usual number of parathas at breakfast (i.e. two) and poured extra butter on my rotis at lunch. I even ate some chicken -- happy birthday, "Howard"!


After breakfast, Nani, Nanaji and I went on another walk around the fields. Nani plucked kinnows straight from the branches and popped them into my mouth. Nothing like tree-fresh fruit!!


In the afternoon, Daljeet Nanaji (Nanaji's brother) came over for lunch. ("She looks just like her mom!") After we had eaten, Nani "pruned" a flower bed by hand, and, Sproutna-style, I made myself a garland from the plant parts she removed. Tying leaves together with plant fibers is quite a task -- thank goodness for the thread industry.


Then, Daljeet Nanaji took me for a spin around Abohar's "downtown." After purchasing some meat from the butcher, he took me to meet my younger Nani at Chiragh Dhani, Nanaji's family home. ("You look like a replica of Ritu!") I also got to meet some turkeys.


Back home now, I write this post as we prepare for dinner. After eating, I plan to engage in Howard Chang's second favorite activity -- reading Latin. Good night to my Indian readers, good morning to those in America, and FELICEM DIEM NATALEM to Magister Chang!

Comments

  1. HowardFebruary 12, 2012 at 8:28 AM

    You've given me a great idea for what I'd like done at my funeral, whenever that day comes. A buffet! Hah-hah. Tibi maximas gratias tuis verbis benignis de senem magistrum amicumque.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ratna GillFebruary 13, 2012 at 3:27 AM

      I'm not going to be rude and point out that I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure "de" takes the ablative. :)

      Delete

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