One day at a time

This post is an update on our friend Melville Pinheiro who was extremely badly burnt in a fire that happened at his place of work.

After around 2 months in hospital Mel was released to go home where i met him a few days ago and i must state that Mel's spririt is unbeatable.

This photo for which Mel has asked me tp put up is of him (bandages and all) saying Hi and a big thank you to all for your prayers and support (financial and otherwise).

Mel is making good progress - while his back is healing well, his hands, knees, head and chin still need healing and there is a long way to go.

But Mel is extremely positive - he has had some victories by being able to have the motor functions back in both his hands, but there is still a long way to go for recovery.

But then Mel has always taken one day at a time - for those who know him would know that he has been taking one day at a time for qite a few years now. This is just another challenge for him and he is confident of overcoming it one day at a time.

But he still needs our prayers and our support; so please give both...generously.

Thooie Paitra - losing your marbles

For those who have no clue what i am writing amount; the below should help

Requirements: One wall, a square drawn in the mud, a gull(hole) in the centre and 3 dubs (cement balls or steel ball bearings - preferably one bigger than the other 2 ...and game on.

Rules: from a line a few feet away from the square you needed to throw 2 dubs into the square (praying that one went into the gul) and then on indication from your opponent; try to hit the dub with the 3rd one with you.
If one of the dubs went outside the square – the opponent can place the dub on a side of the square and push it with the aim of getting oth dubs to touch for you to hit
If one of the dubs went outside the square and the other in the gull – the opponent can place the dub on a side of the square and push it with the aim of getting oth dubs to touch for you to hit
If both dubs went outsibe the square; one dub could be place any where in the square for you to hit

Points: Hitting the dub got you 10 points and another dau (turn)
Getting one dub into the gull gets an additional 10 points and another dau
Having the hitting dub bounce outside the square gets a negative 10 points and loss of your dau
Having the hitting dub go full toss on the wall gets a negative 10 points and loss of your dau
Having the hitting dub bounce inside the square without hitting any of the 2 dubs within results only in loss of your dau
He who reaches 100 first wins. And if more than 2 players – they keep playing till all but one reaches 100.

Penalties: to make the game more interesting – you could place bets with marbles at stake – losers giving their marbles to the winners.

Or the loser would becone the Den for the hide and seek that would follow.

Alternativey and more painfully, the loser wuld be subjected to penalties – the most popular being the loser folding his hands and splitting them before the winners can hit them. This would go on till all the wnners missed their hits. Have losers cried...of course. Have others stepped in to save the losers...of course. Did they take the hits for the losers... of course. Did they cry too...of course. Did we stop...no way; we were pretty sadistic back then.

So what the hell is Thooie Paitra?
A disgruntled genius who did not get his turn often enough put in a rule that if the player left his line without calling Thooie paitra before he did; his opponent could capture his spot behind the line and take his dau.

Hows that for some genuine Marinagar lingo??

Get Well Mel

Most of you would have already received this appeal. But in case you haven't, please read and extend any help you can.

Thanks Selwyn and Ivan for taking this initiative.

APPEAL ON BEHALF OF MELVILLE AND HIS FAMILY

Our friend from Marinagar, Melville Pinheiro (Noblix/Khada) got badly burnt while at work in a garment factory. This happened in early February 2010. He suffered about 30% burns and continues to be in hospital. Besides, he will have to make frequent visits to the hospital for about a year, for treatment.

While we are grateful to the almighty for having saved him miraculously, the reality is that he will be out of a job initially and will have to incur recurring hospital expenses over and above the expenses already incurred. We must also remember that he has three school/college going children to take care of, the last being in the 4th Standard.
As a simple token of our solidarity towards our Marinagar chappie who would come and stitch our colony Christmas star at the last minute, we are attempting a cash collection drive. Our intention is to collect at least Rs. 2 lakhs. As a well-wisher of Melville, we appeal to your generosity. Contributions of Rs. 5,000/- and above will be greatly appreciated.

Kindly send the amount either to Selwyn Paul or Ivan (Putta) Rodrigues.

Selwyn Paul's mobile No. 9967722238
email address : selu1960@yahoo.com.au

Ivan Rodrigues : mobile No. 9821234620
email address : ivanrodrigues777@yahoo.com

On behalf of Melville and his family, we wish to thank you in advance for your generosity. More importantly, we seek your continued prayers for Melville.
Wishing each of you and your families a blessed Holy Week and a joyous Easter.
Thanks.

Guitar Heroes

(pictures courtesy Javie)

And below a list of the strummers not picturised
Uncle Paul (Kiki fiki maka naka), Cyril (Ringo) Hopkins, Javie, Patty, Ivan, Pascal, Brandon, Nestor

A rose by any other name... still has thorns

The below post is a complete copy and paste (without formatting) from the original Marinagar site that Javie had created. Enjoy.

And they called it the sacrament of baptism. Well going by the nick names in the colony if one looks for parallels one can conclusively that the colony spirit belongs to St.John the Baptist. The names that have been concocted are truly amazing when one thinks of how they came about. These are a few that come to mind, although most certainly there must be many many more.

ANTHONY NAR Lokhandwalla, Ironman
FRANCIS NAR Chadaw Master
ALBERT Chibut
ANDRE LOPEZ Adda
AUBIN D'SOUZA Mafia, Lucca Brassi
BERNARD FONSECA Banshoo
RONNIE FONSECA Eggy, Ki-Kao
BRADLEY CORREIA Korak/Bradleap
KEVIN FRANCIS Papya
MARSHALL Sylvester
ALEX D'MELLO Paide/ Tooti Fotty, Railways
VINCY NAZARETH Butler
THEOPHILO D'SOUZA Theophillis, Duck
JOHN D'SOUZA Peglo/John Pint, Jackpot (JPJ)
HANSEN BRAGANZA Baccha Crow
LOUWELLEYN LuLu
CLYDE Boiled Egg
SEWELL D'MELLO Hanuman
SAVIO D'MELLO Let
EUSTACE D'MELLO Bootchie, Lee Van Cleef, Quick-Gun Murugan, La Bocha Gunfighter
CLEDWYN PASSANHA Zappa1
OWEN PASSANHA Airport
SHELDON D'SOUZA Capo
ALEX RODRIGUES Kaalia/Black, Aalia, Unlucky
TONY RODRIGUES Tony Khamba
RAPHAEL Bandook / Rifle
SAVIO Choota Bandook/Son of a Gun
FRANK Horse
ELVIS Pony
CLIVE DJ / Canter2 / Engineer at 40-Sound Engineer ie
LOUIE D'SOUZA LutLoot, Chablya Mui
MICHAEL Eaupras
MARCUS CusCus/Kadha Bautheese
JOEL ALMEIDA Octo
JASON ALMEIDA ----
TONY BAPTISTA Talking Myna
KARL FERNANDES Chacha/45//Galileio, Kanya
KIKI FERNANDES SSSnake/Bishop/Kautya
ALLWYN FERNANDES BEST, Voie,Taklya, One Ball Man
NOEL FERNANDES Notelee
NIRANJAN MENDONCA Neruuuu Palmer/JP
JAVIE D'SOUZA Jawahar/Bajra
STEVEN SEQUEIRA Sorpotail Boesteaon/Hashman, Bangladeshi, Kalwe
NESTER SEQUEIRA Tom, Muppett, Shiamak
SHERWIN VAZ Father/GoldFish
JUDE D'SILVA Arnold
CANTER(late) Mexico in Flames
MAURICE(late) Taken Maurice
LEO Bandhiooo
AGNEL Shetty Motrins
NESTON BRITTO THHHO
CRESCENT Ghaslete
RONNIE D'SOUZA Singaporee
FRANK MASCARENHAS Zappa
GERARD HOPKINS Ringo
HAROLD HOPKINS Lala
IVAN RODRICKS Ivan Putta
ROHAN RODRICKS -----
HILAL KHAN Style Bhai/TD>
STANLEY TAWADIA ----
NARESH TANDON Noise/Kundi/Ek shunya shunya, Ghamela
JONATHAN TANDON Old man
PATRICK D'SOUZA nana patekar
PETER D'SOUZA Pecher Poiler
FORSU Forsu
JAIRZINHO JheeeNo, Father Joe
AMARILDO Amar Dildo
NEIL MONTEIRO Budda
DALE D'SOUZA Chlorophyll
RALPH COUTO Tight
IVAN COUTO Hopping Hitti
LEVIO D'SOUZA Ankle, Bulbuleaks,Bullio
MERWYN D'SOUZA Gujarat
RANDOLPH D'SOUZA Randba
ALDRIN D'SOUZA Horny Hal
PETER D'SOUZA Animal/Headwani/Feotus Monstrous, Big Head, peter Quarter
DAN DOULTON Dashing Dan
SELWYN PAUL Alam Bhai/Shorty/5 for 45
ARTHUR SEQUEIRA Adhrak
JOEL RODRICKS Bhangee,Gulabe,Poeee
ROBIN RODRICKS Hippo, T.C.
KEVIN MASCARENHAS Mama
SAVIO GAMA ROSE Gammy/Black2
MARSHALL Sylvester
ARVIN Boopee
CARL D'SILVA Chopte
CHELSTON Stylo
ALBERT MISQUITTA Cardboard Tarzan,Oriali
PATRICK MISQUITTA Mosquito
MELWYN PINHERO Magic/Kappa/Kadha Bautheese
CAJETAN PINHERO CPM/Snow Mango/Catch A Tin/ Piano Man/Kodya/Paddo
KEITH MONTEIRO Bandicoot, Montronics
VALERIAN Napolean Born Apart/Ghand Vakhdi