Meeting old friends/gupshup

Gupshup is the most easily available, highly entertaining, costs nothing (usually), but there is one requirement , the most critical one:
 You have to have friends with similar habits.
 Now living in the West this last part  can be a real problem. Many reasons.  Such as:
As age advances your children leave to their destinations  though some may continue to live with you.
Grandchildren have their demands that you must consider more seriously (you love them)
You retire and so many contacts wither away, people you worked with and saw them daily (nothing extraordinary)
 Way of life in the West is 'individualistic" So unlike say back home there are no neighbors to talk to or just go out and talk to anybody on the road or on a shop or just go someone's home etc. etc.
 These occasions are for "gupshup" also Gupshup needs no topic for discussion or may have many topics in no orderly sequence (does'nt have to be)
 So if now  (with many other restrictions) you find an opportunity for gupshup with old friends you struggle to go for it and one such struggle was my personal holiday where we had had to spend money for this 'mulaqat (Fly from Raleigh to LA) and gupshup and was considered well worth it But only I or my friends understand this as such, so I considered it as my "personal holiday" because in a retired group of persons holiday does not have much meaning. This is 2013 get together in LA

Now today is almost another 10 years later, marking our 70 years of friendship and

all still kicking except Bhutta in our own places not quite capable of flying or travelling

I got a picture of our somewhat demented oldman Zulfi. I am reminded of picture of 5 of us from 

B-batch and other picture of our 11/8/56 picknic where of cource Asif (from A-batch, is also seen. Whenever we visited Gujranwala we always had a sumptuous meal at Asif's place and last time we were there together Frooki starts, "shall we consider Asif to be included in our group?" That was always a joke about Asif that he was 'reluctantly' included in our group. Anyway so we decided to include him in our group (Zesting) While taking away Asif said something and Frooki says Shall we reconsider our decision (to include Asif in our group) 

But then there is a whole story about A-batch and B-batch to understand the meanings of A and B batch

My personal Holiday trip

Alhamdulillah I am back home after my trip which needs explanation.

 Being bored at home one needs to get out, but where to go? So I planned to go by car. For many reasons I changed the program backwards and started from My son's place
 My grandson invited me for his first football game. Said he likes baseball and football. My camera abilities need overhauling so I cannot post a picture of this great football player of our family. BTW I need to be taught for these things by my son but he seems to have forgotten what I had spent in time and energy to teach him. Nothing unusual. That is the way it is here I guess.
 Next "treat" was 2nd B'Day fo Zayd my Nawasa #2 so I went to Burtonsville MD and saw this youngman really enjoy the attention he got from a big family and lots of cousins etc.. Again the pictures I took will have to wait before I can post them somewhere.
 Driving 700 miles from MD. to Illinois, took me two days.
 Firstly weather was cold and through Pensylvania mountainous district with some snow flurries etc, made me nervous but roads were clear and on the whole I made it to Columbus and Dayton by evening.
 Found a very conveniently located "super, inn" before Xing from Ohio to Indiana. From outside it appeared low class motel and I dreaded to go in still took the courage and enter small office An Indian says salam to me but I was sure he was Patel (Nothing against that name, I have worked with smart Dr. Patels many years) because Patels have 'invaded' the Hotel-motel industry of USA.
 I said I will see the room and only then will decide. Sure enough it was a typical Patel room but did not small as bad as I thought. Bed sheets were clean (I had my own blanket and pillow anyway so I took the room). The Following day weather appeared good so I was on the road quickly and had my breakfast near Indianapolis. Texted my daughter (who I left in MD) and my niece (Shabana who I was going to see). By midday I was in Champaign Ill. Snow on the ground but lasted only one day weather cleared the following day and I had fun with Raihana who was not avoiding me now like before (she was shy three yrs earlier when I saw her at ISNA) She enjoyed  my beard, like Imran says she was used to smaller red beard (her dad) ans so she found slightly bigger and white beard a pleasant change. It was good to see them.
 Next on my list was Louiseville Ky. Before going there I have to tell you a surprise treat. Zaheer (my classmate and friend and partner from 1952) announced that he is in California. So Zulfi (my classmate and friend and partner from 1952) who has been in Kentucky made advanced program for "us three". Zulfiqar Haider has 3 sons and 2 daughters. Youngest son is in L'Ville, older one in E'Town and younger daughter also. One oldest (child) daughter is in Edinburgh Scotland. One son in Canada. Zulfi is Shia so I made program to meet him in L'Ville after Ashoora. My original plan was to meet Dr. Waqar who has been in L'Ville for some time and I spent the night there. But Zulfi was only three houses down the road from Waqar as his youngest son also lives in the same neighborhood.  This was all I needed and the children from ETown came over that day so i met them all.
Next day Myself and Zulfi were to fly to California. I left my car there and Zulfi's car took us to Cincinnati at Tasleem's place who just arrived in time from his trip on 16th and we reached 17th evening at his place (Tasleem is our classmate and friend  from 1952). He took us to the airport and Zaheer with his daughter was there to receive us at LAX.. The next 48 hours we talked and talked and roaming on the beach etc. Shared all our dukh-sukh and relaxed. Flew back on 21st to Cincinnati lunched with Tasleem and rove back to L'Ville. Next day Zulfi's third son comes in from Canada and I shared the happiness of Zulfi with his children and grandchildren. Knowing that he is now too busy I took their leave and spent the night with Waqar again and his family. Next day I left 7am, beautiful weather all the way to Raleigh NC temp. 58 F.
Thus ended my personal varied and enjoyable vacation
Cant complain now. Guess what the severe winter storm just waited until I can get home safe and then came the following day the cold but Raleigh NC is still safe from the storm, See more in  my "gupshup" blog further and the picture


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