Twenty- five Seven

Z is for zhanzha that tinkle when clanged #a to z challenge

April 30, 2016

What on earth is a zhanzha?

I admit that this was the toughest one of them all. With very few objects beginning with Z (apart from zipper), there aren’t too many things to write about. So I tweaked this one a bit and came up with Z for Zhanzha which is the Marathi word to describe a small pair of cymbals.

This particular pair is made of brass and is commonly found in shops outside many Hindu temples. Holding one in each hand, they are clanged together to the beat of the hymns and make a pleasant tinkling sound. I bought this one specially for my little grandson from a visit to the temple town of Pandharpur, both as a keepsake and as a toy for the little fellow.

For a while, he actually played with them, enjoying their tinkling sound. Then one day, he discovered they made a louder sound and evoked more of a response from us adults when he flung them around!

Needless to say, I’ve kept them away from his reach since then and only bring them out at Ganpati time when he bangs them together and joins in as we say our prayers.

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With this last post, the A to Z Challenge is finally over. I hope you’ve enjoyed these posts of ‘Things around my house” and thanks for visiting.

My family is pleased to have me back from the land of A to Zers and will happily clang these Zhanzha to welcome me back!
Three little yellow ducks all in a row # atoz challenge

April 29, 2016

Yellow Ducks in a row

Three little yellow ducks made of plastic are hardly the items one would expect as part of the bathroom decor of a household whose median age is 65. But these yellow ducks perched on the basin are part of my grandchildren’s bathing paraphernalia. It gives me tremendous joy to see them splash about together in the bath tub and lined up, they never fail to remind me that I need to be organised to get things done.

With my “To Do” list getting longer every day, it is important that I plan my days properly, prioritise tasks and delegate jobs , or in other words ‘get my ducks in a row’.

According to the Dictionary of American Slang, this phrase means :

(Variations : have

[or get] one’s ducks all in a row or have [or get] all one’s ducks in a row) Tobe fully prepared; to be organized; DO one’s HOMEWORK : You have fiveyears to get all your ducks in a row/ Want to get all your ducks in a row?Get ChemPlus [1970s+ Army; perhaps fr a mother duck’s marshaling of herducklings in a neat flotilla behind her; perhaps fr some game]

The Dictionary of American Slang, Fourth Edition by Barbara Ann Kipfer, PhD. and Robert L. Chapman, Ph.D.
Copyright (C) 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers.
Cite This Source

No one really knows the origin of the phrase but it could come from the baby ducks who waddle behind their mother in one straight row.

Isn’t this a colourful reminder to get things on track?
Xmas wreaths add to Christmas cheer # atoz challenge

April 28, 2016

My first acquaintance with a wreath was rather morbid : I was in Class 7 and our class teacher assigned me with the task of taking a wreath to the home of a classmate who had lost her father, on behalf of the entire class. The job itself filled me with dread and I prayed that the delicate floral offering wouldn’t fall or get damaged as I wobbled on my bicycle. Luckily it didn’t but I always associated wreaths with sorrow till we got our own Xmas wreaths at home.

My little girls were fascinated by the Christmas decorations in the club and always wanted to decorate the home with green and red buntings, the Christmas tree and wreaths. We searched high and low for decent wreaths but couldn’t find any. So one trip when Hubby Dear got home XMas wreaths, they were thrilled beyond belief. Every year they were put up one on the front door and one on the door of their room.

Obviously, they were kept away every year back in their original packing , on top of the cupboard only to be taken down the following year. For the past two years my younger daughter has been ‘borrowing’ these wreaths for her own Christmas celebration.

Doesn’t this wreath planted in the centre of her Christmas breakfast look enchanting?

Xmas Wreaths

The word wreath comes from the word “writhen” that was an old English word meaning “to writhe” or “to twist.” The art of hanging Christmas wreaths originated from the Romans who hung wreaths on their doors as a sign of victory and of their status in society.

Christmas wreaths are made by twisting or bending evergreen branches into a large circle which are then decorated with pinecones and a red bow. The circle shape of the wreath is made to represent Christ’s eternal love, his strength, and the creation of new life.

– See more at: http://www.wilsonevergreens.com/christmas-wreath-history/#sthash.yIYHwcAx.dpuf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~With only three days to go the 7th A to Z Challenge is coming to an end. Today is X for Xmas wreaths

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