Parents and Grandparents - A Special Day

Feast of 

St. Joachim and St. Anne - the parents of Mother Mary. 

26th July was a date marked on our calendar through the 90s. Our parish - OLPS Chembur - would celebrate the Feast of St. Joachim and St. Anne as Parents Day... and that included a variety entertainment program dedicated to all the parents of the parish. The Pinto family was a regular fixture on the entertainment plan... and over the years, we (my siblings and I) performed a eclectic mix of songs... sing-a-long favorites, Simon and Garfunkel duets, soft rock hits like More Than Words, and even Jazz Compositions - the best among them being 'A Medley on Trains' - a composition by a good friend Karen D'Lima Vaswani - who conducts the Victory Chorus Line choir and plays and croons with the Mumbai band Rockin' Marmalade. The audience was top notch and included top notch singers and musicians including Celia Baptista Lobo (the patron of Celia Lobo Academy of Voice), Leon D'Souza, Irwin Extross. On many occasions, we shared the stage with professionals of the stature of Deidre Lobo-D'Cunha and Ella Castellino-Atai - so only the best would do...

Over the years - all of us siblings got married and then moved out of Chembur and out of India for work and family... and back home, the day has taken on a new meaning... With all the parents of our day - now being grandparents - they realised that St Joachim and St. Anne being grandparents of The Lord Jesus - should be rather revered as Grandparents. In recent times, the Senior Citizens of the parish have been offering a Thanksgiving Mass followed by an upgraded version of their monthly Housie gathering with music and entertainment. And this year, they invited me to help. (I trust my greying hair had nothing to do with it). 

While the Pantings (Arnold and Harry) provided the entertainment with their troupe and students, I played the role of Caller at the Housie and led the group through a little marching dance round the OLPS Quadrangle and ice-breaking engagement. The Chembur audience were at the lively best...

Where's the MUSIC?

I haven't forgotten the music on this post. Earlier this morning I invited Facebook friends to list their favorite songs with 'Grandparent' references. And this is what I got. 

A friendly grandmother (a retired teacher) who lives in my building suggested this song - Dadi Amma Dadi Amma Maan Jao. 

My pick of the day is this song I heard as a kid - Johnny Cash's 'My Grandfather's Clock'.

I'd like to have your feedback on what you think about this blog... Also do share suggestions on topics that you'd like me to write about on this blog... or music that you'd like to hear out here.

Once again, "A Happy Parents Day" and "A Happy Grandparents Day" to all the parents and grandparents out there."