New year starts with clean floor

Whenever Sister comes visiting all the way from the other corner of the city, I have an obligatory assignment of cleaning up the floor I live in. She doesn't like it when things are scattered and lying around. She likes it organized just the way I keep my folders and files on hard disk. She doesn't like me keeping the books that I've been reading lying half open on tables. She uses a bookmark instead (only when I frown lying that I would be having a hard time finding that page back again), and tucks them away in the book shelf just like she tucks the clothes away in the cupboard. Today was one of those days again, and I had to vacuum for hours to clean up the place. It is holiday elsewhere, so she wouldn't take my excuse that I still have loads of work and backlogs to clear! Today is the new year, Ugadi - in the Hindu calendar. I'm not that religious nor do I share the same interest about the tradition in celebrating the festival, but the festivity sort of syncs in - with everyone around enjoying the day with traditional food and lots of catching up on a holiday. Owing to the relaxing mood everywhere, I too decided to take a day off. Many friends have already left for a long weekend (three days of vacation, thanks to the day off today on occasion of Ugadi). Sometimes it does feel like there are just too many festivals in India - there's one turning up in no time just before we've even forgotten the last one. The day started off being lethargic unlike other days when its a frenzy of things needed done for the day. And I was searching for some new clothes in my cupboard as it is sort of a tradition to wear new clothes today. And I would never wear the traditional clothes, just because I'm not used to wearing those. So, I was looking out for a shirt and a trouser that I bought and left unused. I would never buy new clothes just for the festival and hate shopping big time. It is more like purchase whatever you can when you're around the shops, and not go for shopping specifically. Later in the day, it was tasting the food prepared for the festival. I wouldn't eat much anytime. And I don't like to eat too much of traditional food either. I had switched on the TV after a long time, hoping to catch some Cricket but the innings was up by that time. I ended up watching a movie on 'World Movies' channel, a french comedy, which was quite good. It was later back to cleaning again - dusting off the curtains, shelving the books. Now, when I take a look across the floor sitting here, I feel like I'm looking at some place that could never belong to me. Clean, organized. Well, the only thing that was annoying about today was the inbox getting filled up with emails greeting on the festival and inbox on mobile getting filled up with text messages. I ended up spending loads of time answering those. I wanted to keep the mobile away, at least this one day, but just ended up spending more time using it! By next Ugadi, I should find a better way to greet friends and to answer back the mails, messages or should make it a point to answer only those who put in more time sending those! Wish you all a prosperous year ahead, 'Virodhi' nama samvatsara and a happy Ugadi!