The making of Ra--the Egyptian Sun God.

I am forming a new club. It is called LMPP.  Last minute project parents. I was initially going to call it the LMPM --last minute project moms. But then realised that in this day and age, dads pitch in just as much. I really think we need our own club. Or at least a group where we can gleefully discuss our last minute project escapades and pat each other's back for a job well done, offer tips, suggestions and generally bond over the bonhomie and camraderie of having school going children who always tell you at the last minute, that the important school project is due tomorrow--and if we do not turn it in, we will lose twenty whole marks from the annual exam.

The cuteness of the plea, the desperate call for help plus of course the twenty percent at stake, which is too large a chunk to ignore, does most parents in and we succumb. If you were a member of the LMPP, at this point you would sympathetically nod, pat my back and share your own LMPP anecdote. And I would sigh in commiseration --an understanding sigh that conveyed what no amount of words can--and a bond would be forged.

I was a victim yesterday.
My 15 year old came to me and announced that he had been chosen as Ra--the Egyptian Sun-God. And he needed a costume urgently.
'How urgent?'
'Tomorrow.'
'What? Tomorrow and you wake up now?'
'I told you two weeks ago?'
'I don't remember you telling me. Did you ?'
'Of course Ma--you were busy with your Bangalore book launches, and you told me to remind you later.'
'And why didn't you remind me later?'
'I did.'
'And?'
'You said you were travelling to Mumbai and Pune'
'Hmm--ok,' I muttered quietly under my breath.

He  had auditioned and had got selected as  as Aladdin  a few weeks back and he was splendid as Aladdin. (I had trailed the whole length of Commercial street with the white stain cloth in tow, explaining to each tailor what exactly I needed and who Aladdin was until one tailor magically agreed to deliver, much like the proverbial genie).

And how here he was, telling me that he was Ra the sun God.


What a marvellous character Ra is. So much splendour and glory.
How could I refuse?  The pants, he already had. What he needed was a mask. Ra wears a magnificent mask.

So I did what a last minute mom stricken by panic would do--I googled for images and I  tweeted for help.
Prats (who blogs at Retrospections--emotional ecology)  , obviously a  veteran member of the yet to be formed LMPP club tweeted back to me some helpful  handy tips.

A few hours of googling later, I had a plan. I would make the most splendid Ra of my son, the best Ra there ever was, the best Ra in whole of India. Who knows, maybe  whole of Egypt too. The one thing you can't fault me on, is ambition.

I made a few frantic calls and sent a few desperate mails to the spouse, to get me the required stuff on his way back from work, the artist in me unleashed in full frenzy. The spouse after a hard day at work, had no choice but to oblige, the yet to be crowned Ra and the ambitious artist- wife, waiting desperately for his arrival.

He arrived in due course armed with the supplies I had so brazenly demanded.

Ivory sheets.
Tick.
Gold paint.
Tick.
Acrylic red.
Tick.
Ivory black
Tick.
Golden yellow
Tick.

I opened my art kit, took out my Derwent knife, my brushes, the whole paraphernalia and set to work.

I completed making it,  at around 11.30PM, long past the time the children's bed-time. I was so insanely pleased with my finished project that I had half a mind to shake the sleeping child awake and dance around wearing the Ra mask that I had created, but the spouse tacitly indicated that it might not be a good idea and I controlled myself.

I could barely wait for them to wake up this morning.

And when they did, they couldnt stop exclamining.
My son gave me a tight hug and lifted me in air (he can carry me now and he lifts me high up in the air! Not kidding) and gave a whoop of joy and said " WHOA MOM! YOU'RE THE BEST!'

That was enough for me.

Okay--that was almost enough. :)   I was so pleased with my creation that I had to click a picture of it and share it here , with you.

 Isn't it the  awesomest Ra mask ever? :)
In the whole of India? In the whole of Egypt?
*dances around saying I made this!  I made this! Oh yeah! Oh yeah!*

If you were a member of the LMPP, you would agree. You would even pat my back and give me a big hug and tell me it was wonderful.

Heck, even if you aren't a member, go ahead and tell me how awesome it is, and make my day, will you? :)
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