Reason for no updates

Annikki and I are immersed with the details of organising the funeral of her mother, Hilja, who passed away last Sunday.

Hilja's Orbituary announcement - Kaleva 07.09.2008.

The funeral will take place on at the Intiö Iso saali (Chapel in the cemetery) at 15:00 hours.

We have had two tragic losses of loved ones during the last 45 days.

Our dear cat, and friend for over 17 years, Iitu, passed away with cancer which affected her kidneys. She was part of our day to day life from morning to night and through the night. Neither Annikki nor myself have yet recovered from that loss.


Iitu as a kitten in 1991.


Iitu's first and last set of kittens in 1993.


The perfect mother.


Iitu wants a share of my birthday cake.


A daily routine as Iitu stops me reading the newspaper by lying on it!


Iitu enjoys her TV - Annikki's table top aquarium.


Iitu's coffin.


Iitu at her final resting place in Vesaisentie
- the home of Tony, Joanna and grandchildren Samuel, Daniel and Maria.

Hilja, whom Annikki has cared for the last 24 years and, intensively, for the last 7 years, since her father passed away, (and whom I helped care for during the last few years) was very much part of our daily life.

She was in excellent health when she left home at the beginning of August. She contracted the deadly Hospital Bacteria while she was in the Kielokoti Old People's Home. She was rushed to hospital and then moved to the ODL Hospital.

There, in her weakened state, she was hit by pneumonia.

The old lady fought valiantly for her life. Finally left for her personal paradise at 17:49 on Sunday 31st August 2008 holding Annikki's hand on one side and mine on the other.

But she had told us many many times over the last year that she was ready to go to her "Heavenly Father":


The beautiful Hilja at her wedding in 1942.


Hilja carries Jaakko, with Aino and Annikki
with Susanna in the foreground - Oulu 1969.


Matias, Hilja, Annikki and Tuomas -
Out for a walk in the summer of 2003.


Hilja enjoying her meal.


Hilja with her latest greatgrandchild, Maria, in 2008.


Hilja with daughter, Annikki, granddaughter, Joanna, and greatgranddaughter, Maria - 2008.


Annikki takes her mother out for the last time - August 1st 2008.


RIP Hilja - 31st August 2008 at ODL.

Her passing has left a huge void in our life as we will miss her wit and humour.

Even till the very last she would mimic my poor Finnish language pronunciation.

She was in her senses till the very last . She recognised my voice the day before she passed away. When I greeted her, while she lay in some pain in her hospital bed, she replied in her normal way to me - "Thank you, Nothing special to tell you!"

Annikki used to pray and sing with her after putting her to bed every night. I will miss those quiet peaceful hours they had together before she went to sleep.

It will take us awhile to settle into the new situation where two of the most important family members of our daily life of the last 17 years have moved on.

Sadness prevades the air

I did not intend for any of my Blogs to be columns for births, marriages and deaths, and especially not the last.

This last week was an especially sad week. I have to record not just the passing of Annikki and my dear cat, Ittu, our nearest and dearest friend for the last 17 years, but two wonderful other Cats.

Nilina Parkar was a 54er whom I came to know when I helped their class organise their 50th Year Reunion in 2004.



54ers Sadhana (née Shah) Madhusadan and Suhas Phadke informed me of the passing of this gentle lady on 3rd August 2008. This was what Sadhana had to write about our friend

I received the very sad news this morning from a close friend in Pune that Nilina passed away late last night. She was in a coma. Mercifully it must have helped to ease the pain. At the end of her mortal life, she looked peaceful is what I gather from news from London.

We had a long conversation on her birthday 26th July when she completed 69 years. We chatted and she even spoke in Tamil and we both laughed. I was imploring her to try 'wheat grass' juice to bring up her immunity and the trooper that she always was, she promised she would check out with Health Food stores and get some ...on Monday.

Sadly, that was not to be. She was so happy that her "Darling son " had been to see her the day before...there was a lilt in her voice which I hadn't heard of late.. there was much to look forward to, once, just once she got back her strength...

This was the inimitable and most outstanding feature of my darling, feisty friend Nilina... She was always of positive mind. A challenge was just that... a challenge. To be met with and tackled. She would help out with her Pune Housing Society's Accounts, correspondence, even the gargantuan task of getting the entire complex repaired and painted.

Now, whenever I pass the Kalpataru Habitat at Koregaon Park I feel happy to see the sparkling new cream and green buildings.. her own handiwork.. Where did she get all that energy from? All this while her own flat was turned inside out and refurbished.. new tiles, new veneer, new colour on the walls and woodwork. How completely happy and satisfied she felt with the place looking so new and inviting... for her next trip to India.

I could go on & on. But, my heart is too full and I think this is time to keep quiet and pray to God to accept this loving, genuinely courageous spirit in His/ Her Fold and to set it free to enter Nirvana.

Nilina, we will always love you and miss you !

Om Shantihi, Shantihi, Shantihi !

Yours,

in grief,

Sadhana

The funeral will take place at Putney Vale Crematorium, Stag Lane, Putney, SW15 3DZ( Tel: 0044 208 788 2113 ) on Friday 8 August at 1.40pm

Her son :
Raj Parker, 31 Rosehill Road, London SW18 2NY (Tel. 44 208 875 1580)
raj.parker(at)freshfields.com

Prayer meetings will be held in Mumbai and Pune between 5.30 and 6.30 pm on August 8th
Three minutes silence will be observed at both the meetings at 6.10 p m to coincide with the time of the cremation.

Mumbai venue:
Minal Patel's residence at Malabar Court, Ridge Road, near WIAA, Malabar Hill.

Pune Venue:
Chandrika Naker's residence at 9-C Cjurina, Marigold Apartment Society, Kalyani Nagar, (behind Gold Adlabs.) Pune

Then I received the very sad news of the demise of a new friend, a 64er Jean Maneckji. This was the tribute that was sent to me about another womderful Cathedralite.



When one experiences death so close by, even something as "just" an animal, one understands the pain and suffering of those near and dear to the one lost. Our hearts bleed. But as many told me when I was in tears,

"Just remember the wonderful years that you enjoyed with your friend".


The bundle of joy 17 years ago.


Iitu waits for the share of my birthday cake.

Every day since the passing, as we enter our home, we think of Iitu. Tears well up in our eyes.

Then I think of all the wonderful other Cats who have passed on.

Annikki and I reminisce about all the loved ones who are no more. We think of the many blessed minutes, hours, days and years we enjoyed with our friends. Sadness can turn to a warm feeling, that they are safe from harm's way and yet very near to our hearts.

May Nilina and Jean rest in peace.

Do let their loved ones know that they are not forgotten in our hearts.

87 year old great grandmothers

Yesterday evening, Annikki came running down to the cellar wanting me to rush up to the kitchen with the camera.

There I found two 87 year old great grandmothers dozing together with quiet peaceful music coming from the radio.



Hilja was 87 in March of this year. Iitu, our cat, was brought home by Joanna as a present for Annikki in March 1991. Converting cat years to human years, Iitu is also around 85 - 87 years old.

Iitu is remarkably fit and well, going out hunting every day and making sure her territory is free of intruders.

Iitu is a superbly intelligent cat. Even as a little kitten she knew how to jump on door handles, put her weight on them and push doors open.

She was taught hunting by me. Every night, as I brushed my teeth before going to bed, she would jump into bed to wait for me. There, she insisted I play a cat and mouse game, with me moving my hand under the blanket while she would pounce on it the minute I exposed even a tip of a finger even for a second. For Iitu it was not a game, as she used to keep her sharp kitten claws fully extended at each pounce! As soon as I fell asleep, she would push off.

Even these days, she trots up to bed at my side, and though she does not want to play the cat and mouse game very often, when she gets a chance, she goes for my fist! After she executes the kill she will lovingly lick the injured finger!

In the old days, the roof at Kampitie was a felt roof. Iitu could go in and out from the upstairs window using the fire escape ladder and the roof above the entrance porch to the house which was just below the window. The first rung of the ladder is almost 2 metres off the ground. This little kitten could jump up, and in one smooth movement climb up the ladder going in and out between the rungs.

In 2003 we changed the roof to a metal one. Iitu learnt fast that she could not use it the same way as the felt roof as she slid down it just once. She lets us open the front door or the cellar door to go out, calling us from whatever we may be doing. To come in, she climbs 4 metres up a tree in the neighbour's garden which is just next to the roof ridge. Then, keeping her paws on both sides of the ridge, she is able to walk on the metal roof without sliding. Iitu then uses the window to come in!

When Iitu was a kitten, Annikki's father was so amazed by the agility of this kitten and her intelligence, he built a small ledge outside the upstairs window so that Iitu could use it as her perch to see the world and also to make it easier for her to come in or go out.



Iitu had only one litter - when she was 2 years old. She was a good mother, but when the kittens were a few weeks old, she made it clear that they had to fend for themselves, just as she had done! She was glad to get the home for herself after we found good homes for her kittens.

We let the great grandmothers enjoy their restful evening together!