Jolly Good

I missed celebrating Christmas with a glass of port and Christmas rum cake with my folks at the old home but this time was good too.

We were out all day, a large part was spent at a wedding which had the kind of food I like - some bits traditional, a few paneer (cottage cheese) curries and a lovely cool Sitaphal Basundi (thick condensed milk sweet and slightly spiced with custard apple fleshy bits floating in it). That Basundi had been served at my wedding too which my husband loyally sided with. I liked having big bits of custard apple flesh to chew on as I sipped the Basundi. The other highlight were Capsicum bhajias (batter-fried slices of capsicum...you cannot stop at one or two!)

After we left the wedding hall, we took a long drive around The Gateway of India, had a back view of the Taj, Nariman House, Oberoi and a silent, contemplative (for the most part) roam around Marine Drive looking at the ocean water and the Bombay skyline. We reached home around evening after which we had a short nap before my husband cooked some egg fried rice. It became slightly mushy which I loved and asked him to make it again, which pleased him - he thought it had failed.

The remaining days sped off and we had moody Sunday blues which we banished by going to a mall nearby and gazing at their fantastic decorations with my niece and nephew by marriage. Their reactions had us made us look at Santa Clauses, Christmas trees differently. The mall was tightly packed with people and I didnt get to sit for a minute of those 3 hours we spent there so my knees ultimately suffered.

Now, I have a whole week of nothing-to-do other than sit hammering away at a keyboard and work. My husband has started this routine of coming home early after which we immediately go for a walk around the neighbourhood. We catch up on the day and come back much energized. I need to lose a lot of weight and not going out for dinners, walking every day is helping a lot.

We're trying to think of ideas for a New Year's Eve dinner. Any suggestions?

Tis the Night Before Christmas...

I wish I was at my old home to celebrate it with Rum plum cake and fake champagne and some Chinese food or pizza. That's how we would do it...no one would cook or if we did then we'd make time for cake and a small party just the four of us, my parents, sister and me.

This time, we're going to a wedding on the 25th and might drive around Nariman Point after the wedding lunch before we return home to a restful evening perhaps with a movie CD or two. I need to shop the day after for some readymade salwars so I can wear the kurtis I bought before the South East Asia trip to functions such as the one we're going to on Saturday. 27th is when my husband's old friend's visiting Bombay (lives in US) so we're all invited to a lunch party by his family. Hubby also wants to fit in a dental appointment in his schedule that day so we'll be rushing from one thing to another.

My mom's going today to her cottage in a village about 4 hours from Bombay. She will have a quiet Christmas with her dogs, just the way she wants it.

My sister's going to be busy with designing my dad's organisation's magazine cover. She's already busy so perhaps she'll just pause for a plum cake this Christmas.

My dad's going to have a one-day break probably and fit in work as well as rest in that day. Since mom's not around perhaps they might not have their own small party of three.

Hubby wanted to invite his cousins and open a brand new Johnny Walker and a Bailey's Irish caramel-flavoured cream. The plans thanks to a wedding and a lunch party that we've been invited to will not take off.

I want to scout around for a good Christmas cake. I might end up going to the only cake shop around here for an imperfect cake yet a plum one. We bought a Dundee cake from there a few days ago which was a total hash job. I'd grown up eating Dundee cake from wonderfully painted cake tins that were saved to hold sketch pens and stationery. Now, they're available in plastic-paper cake covers that are anything but saving-worthy.

Anyhow...a very Merry Christmas to all you bloggers! May you have a wonderful break from the usual and the mundane. Happy holidays!

Kheema Toasties

(Minced meat preparation scooped on to tiny, cocktail sized slices of bread and topped with cheese to grill for a few minutes until toasted)

My mom would top it off on pizzas too, so if you get smallish sized pizzas you can try this way out.

There are two steps to this.

Step 1: Kheema (Minced meat preparation)

Ingredients
1 large onion (peeled & grated/2 tablespoons of onion paste)

½ tbsp chopped green chillies (Could use red chilli powder - 1.5 to 2 teaspoons based on how spicy you like it)

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp chopped garlic

2 large tomatoes (immersed in hot water for 5 minutes, drained, peeled & chopped)

500 grams minced meat

1 cup shelled green peas (I use frozen peas)

Cinnamon - 1 small stick

Cloves - 2-3

Bay leaves 1-2 leaves

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp chilli powder (use only if you're using green chillies, else not)

1 cup water

½ tsp garam masala

¼ cup chopped coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Grind the following items to a paste in a mixer: green chillies (if you're using), chopped ginger and garlic.

2. Heat the oil. Add cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. Then add the onion and fry till golden brown.

3. Add the ground paste and fry for a minute. Add the tomatoes and cook covered for 2 minutes. Mash lightly in the pan itself.

4. Add the minced meat and fry on a medium flame for about 5 minutes, stirring most of the time.

5. Add the green peas, turmeric powder, coriander powder and chilli powder (if you're using only chilli powder, add only at this stage not before). Stir.

6. Add the water enough to cook it and salt. Stir and simmer until meat is cooked and oil separates. Cook it until it is dry and moist enough so it can sit on top of a toastie.

7. Add the garam masala. Stir. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Step 2: Kheema Toasties!

1. Cut round slices of a long bread loaf or if you're using sliced bread, then cut each slice into half.

2. Butter it lightly, spoon the minced preparation (kheema) mixture on top and sprinkle grated cheese. Avoid adding the cloves, cinnamon or bay leaves when topping off the mince on toast.

3. Pop it into the microwave to grill for about 2-3 minutes (until the cheese slightly melts and the bread toasts lightly - dont toast it too long else it gets too hard to eat).

Enjoy!! This dish can also be part of the main course so if you have leftover kheema, you can eat it with rice/bread during your lunch. When we're eating kheema at home, we usually mix it with rice or eat it with a few paavs (Indian baked bread) fresh from the bakery.

We tried to make this dish with soy granules and it worked just as fine (only you dont get the flavour of meat). This option is great if you're vegetarian.

Picture Stories

I'm slowly getting hooked on to the idea of having photos alongside my posts. It's quite refreshing and exciting to read a story supported by photographs or sketches or some visual element. Every morning, as I read every blog on my blog list, I also visit some blogs I dont go to regularly.

Some of my favourite stories on blogs:

Homage to Jam (Paris Breakfasts)

Chocolate (House in the Woods)

Bring On the Parties (Cream Puffs in Venice)

Din Tai Fung (Trailing Spouse in Singapore)

Ok, I'm sure you see the connection now. I'm immensely partial to food posts :)

I do love posts that do not have pictures or food content; posts about life, people, friendships, relationships, parties, fun...everything that makes you live to the fullest through others if you're not particularly having fun in your own life. It also gives you a fresh perspective to your own life and makes your blog into a two-way window - through which you get a perspective of the world and others get a glimpse into yours.

Cheers to blogging!

Appetizer 1

Sukha Dahi Murg (Dry chicken cooked with curd, great as an appetiser or main course)

This recipe is from a Nita Mehta cook book - another favourite expert in the art of Indian cooking. At home, we usually tend to make her recipes for Sunday lunch.

Ingredients
1 chicken, approx. 800 grams- cut into pieces of your choice(You can also use boneless chicken)
2 capsicums- sliced thinly
2 cups skim milk curd (or any plain, unsweetened yogurt), preferably a day old
1 ½ tsp salt or to taste
1 ½ tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 small onion- grated or ground OR 2 tbsp onion paste
1 tbsp oil

Method
1. Beat curd well. Add salt, pepper, chicken and mix well. Marinate for 3-4 hours in the fridge.
2. Heat a non-stick pan. Add oil and heat. Add ground onion, cook till light brown.
3. Add chicken along with the marinade. Keep stirring till it boils.
4. Cover and lower heat. Cook till chicken turns tender, for about 7-8 minutes.
5. The curd being skim milk curd leaves a lot of water. When chicken becomes tender, increase the heat and when nearly dry, add capsicum. Do not overcook capsicum. Cook for 1-2 minutes and serve hot.

Serves 8 people, calories per serving- 149 (Sadly didnt have a photo of it)

Tomorrow, will post a recipe for Kheema (Minced mutton or chicken) toasties. In India, we usually eat Kheema (minced mutton dry curry) with paav (Indian baked bread) but this recipe's adapted for topping on toasted bread - to serve as an appetizer.

Warm and Refreshing

Maria gave me the idea to start posting recipes on the blog (maybe coz I talk a lot about food). Here's a drink that is very Indian and very easy to make. This drink is usually served during rituals when people are invited to be a part of the proceedings and is a very basic yet enjoyable drink. It's also served at stalls and some restaurants and dairies. I found a recipe for this drink on Sanjeev Kapoor's website (famous Indian celebrity chef whose cooking shows I used to enjoy during my school/college years).

Maria, I thought this could be a drink you could serve to your guests when they arrive home and relax a bit before starting to cook lunch. Or, if they arrive early, could be instantly made and served warm for them to drink as they cook or chat. Since it's winter, a warm drink would definitely be a good idea.

Badam Doodh (Saffron flavoured milk enriched with almonds and served warm)

Preparation Time : 20 mins

Ingredients
Almonds, blanched and roughly chopped 1/4 cup

(usually how they are served and are supposed to be gulped
down with milk but if it's easier to consume,
you can have them chopped or powdered finely)
Milk 4 cups
Green cardamom powder a pinch
Nutmeg powder a pinch
Honey 3-4 tablespoons
(You can use sugar as well but it's healthier to go with honey
and you can add as much as you like to make it sweet...
without the guilt)

Saffron a few strands (to sprinkle on top before serving)

Method
1. Heat milk in a thick-bottomed vessel and bring to a boil (you can use low-fat milk but the skin of cream that forms on boiling must be stirred well so it blends completely with the milk).

2. Reduce heat, add chopped almonds and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.

3. Add green cardamom powder and nutmeg powder and continue to boil for another 2 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, add honey and stir.

5. Serve warm in individual glasses topping them off with a strand or two of saffron (Sanjeev Kapoor recommends earthenware glasses but any sort of cup or glass is fine).

Weekend's the best kind of fun

Especially when you have places to go and people to meet. New people for my hubby. We'd been asked to lunch by this aunt of mine who'd been asking us all last year and we'd been busy or they'd been swamped and we only made it this Sunday.

Friday I went to the mall, despite a high alert situation over all of the city's malls, to pick up my pre-ordered Tales of Beedle the Bard. I had to wait a half hour until the store opened; in my enthusiasm I'd walked in too early. After a brief snack at the CCD cafe, I went for a stroll in the supermarket and bought a cake mix, hakka noodles pack and a few soups for snack time. Finally picking up the book, I browsed for a moment and then headed home. All through this visit, although there were very few people around, guys in twos would spark my antennae and two characters seemed to be studying the mall's shops for some reason from one point, peering at every shop in turn. Before paranoia kicked in, I hurried off home.

On Saturday, we watched A Wednesday. What was unrealistic was the police-squad response to a bomb alert. If it had really been as efficient, we wouldnt be living with this threat of a sword hanging over our heads or rather a timed RDX explosive. Terrorists are fighting us with weapons we are well aware of and yet, we couldnt even shoot down those who were pumping bullets at innocents through AK 47 rifles - which is the weapon preferred by Z security forces who guard our ministers. Yet, the film had a final, positive note and made the point "We are resilient by force not by choice" much before the latest bomb attack exhausted the Mumbaikar's patience.

Sunday was the big lunch with family. Introductions led to the predictable small talk and looking through albums brought in by another aunt whose kids are in the States and then led to a big meal consisting of huge chicken sukka pieces and a huge biryani with raita on the side. The curd and biryani combination is famous and yesterday was even more special as my husband interacted with my aunts and uncles and was basically adored by everyone. We told stories of our South-east Asian trip and talked about living far from my old home. Different place, different people. Yet, wonderful. What made this a truly memorable visit was cajoling my cousin to strum a few tunes on his guitar and my husband to sing along with him. We finally did, to Hello and a few Metallica songs. My cousin had taken lessons and could play it really well if he wasnt too conscious of a gang of people looking on and giving it all their attention.

We had to end it early to get back before traffic delayed us on the road back home. My aunt, thoroughly impressed by my hubby, invited us to a musical evening at home that she's planning in the near future. More fun on the cards. Hubby's feeling a bit too much in the spotlight. I'm sure he can get used to stardom; he's always been a popular guy in any circle: friends or his own family or the workplace.

I'm looking forward to work that's just come in and two weddings towards the weekend. Socialising's gone up thanks to the wedding and festive season. Christmas this time promises to be busy unlike last year when we were just unwinding both during and after our honeymoon.

Solutions

Everyone's angry after the hijack situation in Bombay. There's a lot of finger pointing going on amongst the authorities all of whom failed the city that day when terrorists seemed to swarm south Bombay and hold everyone to ransom - even the ones watching the news from Wednesday till Saturday when it still seemed endless warfare. After the operations came the toll. And then came the stories of people both alive and dead. Now, come the reactions. And you dont expect it to be reasonable or rational, especially when everyone's fuming and heads of those "up there" are rolling.

Yesterday, almost the whole of Bombay gathered at the Gateway of India to hold a candlelight vigil. It was also a silent protest against governmental apathy and ineffectiveness. It was a protest against all those who let this happen and more so, against all forms of terrorism. At the same time, a debate was going on between Indian and Pakistani spokespersons, both of whom were engaged in pointing the finger at each other. The wars came up in the discussion and so did references to "facts" from a newspaper source. Pakistan is asking Indians for proof before extraditing anyone, including a gangster who is stated to know this city like the back of his hand. India came back saying that they had been sending evidence to Pakistan for quite a long time and no action was taken despite their warnings.

At such times when the world has been a witness to your inadequacies, you cannot just blame another country for your problems. The time has come to introspect and make your police and army and NSG force so strong that people will find it extremely difficult to attack you. Innocents who are both citizens and non-citizens of Bombay should not be massacred again.

The sad thing is, no one's talking about this. No politician is drawing concrete solutions or even looking at the disaster and assessing what needs to be strengthened and how they're going to do it. They have proved time and again to be ineffective and yet, they're the people who can do it. Every citizen must protest against their attitude and basic apathy towards the majority who are under constant threat. We've devised a system for navy patrol and control after the attacks but now, instead of concentrating on your forces on land, you want to hog the primetime limelight by blaming someone else for your mistakes.

That is how it looks to a lot of Indians. We definitely need investigation into all training camps that terrorists use in all the countries they have it in. But you neednt stop once your finger starts pointing at the opposite side of the table. Suggest solutions, dont put India at risk of another war once all diplomacy runs out and the situation turns hostile.

Food and more food

All celebrations - from the time I was growing up till now, when I'm married - have begun and ended with food. The main question isnt about who we're going to invite, it's what's on the menu.

My marriage turned a year old yesterday and we celebrated it with some of my family and some of his. Our small apartment was filled with relatives - about thirty of them. We had a pooja at home to celebrate and to bless our marriage and our families and all the tasks we have now set ahead of us. My husband has a lot on his plate. We're looking for a bigger apartment and he's also trying to study for a certificate course examination he plans on finishing in a few months' time. I want to focus on both family and career. Right now, I'm worried about losing my mind due to work shortage and the as yet looming effects of the downward spiral the business community is taking. At the same time, I'm fearful about the uncertainties; the latest bombing attacks, weakest security, zero co-ordination and the fact that someone I know or love might be stuck in the middle of it somewhere.

Today, I zipped over to other blogs after reading the ones on my list and went on to food and more food. I guess there's something about the Christmas season and winter that makes you want to stock up on food. I drooled over the cakes, frostings, macaron mountains, simple puddings and porridges. These things make winter cosier, warmer and more bearable especially when personal tragedies and worries make you more or less lonesome in mind if not otherwise.

I'm looking forward to some plum cake. Hope to speed to the holidays soon.

Will it be safe from now on?

Terrorists in Mumbai arrived by boat, went through a thickly guarded railway station with AK 47s and a loaded bag full of ammo, hijacked a police van and started firing from it at innocent passersby, camera people and policemen, bombed the Oberoi (Trident) hotel full of guests and citizens who'd visited there and hijacked the Taj building while a few escaped to Nariman House and held a Jewish family hostage.

We've had train blasts, communal violence but Wednesday night's trauma that went on to Thursday and spills over into today was completely something out of movies. India was again caught napping and one of its important city centres was held to ransom. A lot of people died in fires and explosions and our short-staffed police force was equipped with NSG commandos and other military groups - the army, navy etc. We were hooked to the TV all Thursday waiting and watching. We saw hotel guests being released, commandos storming the building stealthily, groups of policemen cordoning areas and blacking them out at night. Everyone couldnt believe a hijack of such proportions could happen and all we could do was damage control. When you look at the toll and at the many people who are battling with the terrorists who have died in the line of duty, you wonder if we're ever going to do enough to protect ourselves.

We're at the mercy of not just terrorists but a government that only concentrates on election mandates, a severely short-staffed and non-equipped police force, poorly paid army people and an intelligence network that's always ineffective. US ensured 9/11 did not happen again. Here, the media's going wild declaring another 9/11 - the biggest one yet - as people were dying, innocent casualties of terrorism. UK had several strategies and effective co-ordination with not only different forces but also the media that did not blow the issue out of proportion. Responsibility was serious business. Here, we have the media spreading rumours, different news on different channels while innocent people wonder what they should believe. Pathetic is not enough a word to describe their attitude. Several policemen have died including the top officials. Families have died in the blasts and fires set by terrorists.

Every single blast time, we panic but we move on and forget. As civilians, we are alert and helpful at times when we need to be. Is this same attitude reflected in people whose job it is to protect themselves and all of us? We look out for unclaimed bags and suspicious people. Do they? Unfair questions at a time like this, perhaps, when people are battling terrorists. Must we always battle them in our own homeland with hundreds dying and more held hostage? Its not just people but their livelihoods also that are held to ransom. Families are broken and its always the civilians, never a politician who experiences loss at a time like this. We lose experienced policemen, commandos and army people who never stint when it comes to battling it out with people whose number you're not sure of, you're not sure of how well-equipped they are. We find our defence forces handicapped by inferior protective armour, almost zero co-ordination and ancient methods of dealing with new and developing crises.

It may all be over today, I hope it is with all my heart. I dont know if tomorrow will ever be the same again.

A Good Friday

Friday was good, last week.
1. I met my sister. Got a haircut. Lazed around, chatting, with a glass of diluted rose syrup until it was time for lunch. We went to this mall that only had a supermarket when I'd last visited it. This time, I travelled up four escalators to the food court at a height that initially made me a bit giddy. The theme of white and glass made the mall look much bigger and roomier. Hence, the escalators looked a bit too high for my liking but I made it up there while sauntering around looking at bags (designer, street style) and ordered Chinese from one of the open restaurants. The spring rolls were crisp, the schezuan sauce was great and the chicken chilly with fried rice was quite delicious.

We came down to the market to look through shops and visit my tailor who'd stitched my blouse right on time (which never happened when I lived there). We looked in Baggit and a store called Veronica which had the hippest bags. This time, they had nothing that I'd want to spend money on. I came back empty handed although with a good haircut.

2. Met my husband and visited KFC. A long pending visit. Ever since we'd wanted to eat there, we never made the time to actually go and throughout our trip out of India, we'd be passing KFC at almost every corner. Last Friday is when I got to sample the Country fried chicken and a small Chicken snacker.

3. Went to Bond for a drink-fest. Our last one. I've decided to go off alcohol from December onwards till God knows when. Not that I miss it already. I had a good time just listening to the music and tasting the mix of different juices with the alcohol in my cocktail. And, the food! This time the cook had changed, they had live music with a band (better avoided although they didnt kill every song - the female lead singer had a good, strong voice), and a different bartender. There were changes - Deep Navel did not taste quite the same although I had new ones and the Cocktail of the Day was quite superb. Thanks to our little snack at KFC, we didnt order too much food. Bond reduced its prices, so we didnt burn too big a hole in our pockets. Not that I needed to pay.

A good Friday led to a good weekend, relaxed and restful. We cooked chicken Hyderabadi in the microwave on Sunday. We also tried to top bread with tomato ketchup, scrambled eggs and cheese and grill them in the micro to make bread pizzas. Both were successful.

What I love about this place I live in...

...Life is at a relaxed pace no matter what day of the week you're in. Mondays is when the entire market outside my house (shops, stalls, dry cleaners, you name it) are all closed for the day. Some grocery stores are open half the day and then close after lunch. It's only applicable for the area I live in. No matter what you need, if it's on a Monday then you better take a rickshaw or bus out to some shop outside this area.

....You know when it's a popularly celebrated festival. The loudspeakers blare out Marathi bhajans and film songs.

...There's a very poor selection of take out restaurants in the immediate areas surrounding our own. Only good thing about this is you dont mindlessly order food and get even fatter than you get if all you do is sit at home.

...There's even a small silver lining to power cuts in this area; they're in the afternoon so you get to catch up on your reading and even take a short nap afterwards.

...The nearest movie multiplex is a half-hour's ride away. I dont watch as many movies as I used to. Good thing? With my income from freelancing, it's a good saving.

...If you dont feel like cooking, there's a healthier alternative to take-out fast and Chinese food. We have poli-bhaji kendras (place where you get a simple, home-cooked meal thanks to enterprising Marathi businesswomen). I've often picked up entire lunches or curries to add to my home-cooked meal of the day. They even make Chicken biryani on occasion.

...They have two well-stocked libraries. I've subscribed to the older one of the two. I long to take a peek at the newer one which also looks better kept and doesnt have ancient copies of books coming almost apart at the spine.

...There's a nice, open-air mall nearby (near is of course, a little more than 30 mins away). It has movie theatres, bars, restaurants, a Mc Donalds and lots of stores. Only thing it doesnt have are good bag/purse stores.

A Bag

I need to update my bag-robe...as in wardrobe...

I'm carrying this white, rectangular purse gifted to me by my sister-in-law...a very cool gift to give to someone who can never have enough bags. Plus, I'd never buy white in bags so it was refreshing to get it as a gift. I'm always a careful shopper who only once splurged on a soft pink leather bag once...and that was it as i watched my bag get begrimed and was too scared to dunk it in water, which was what it needed. I also have many bags but tend to carry around one until it falls apart. My white bag now looks like it needs to be outed soon...in the way of shoving it into the dark recesses of the black hole in my closet...where things go but never return.

I want desperately to go bag shopping. Bangkok was where all the hep bags were but my thick-headed soulmate didnt understand my subtle hints. Soon after, I consoled myself thinking that I should cultivate a fashion sense and possess a smart bag...versatile and strong and reliable. And very, very beautiful. Doesnt matter if I'm the only one who thinks its beautiful. So, I looked at designer bags till my eyes popped out. Checked them online, sought out the expensive ones even if only to windowshop. My shopping sense was miraculously altered and now it was all about possession...getting a perfect bag, not just any cheap one. The confusion that normally envelops my brain in a bag shop soon drove away and I looked for bags the way a shrewd grocery shopper checks vegetables. I held bags to see if they fell off my shoulder, I looked at the design then imagined what outfits would best complement it. I realized that with my ethnic, western and formal outfits, I needed either a versatile bag (like my white bag which has its limitations esp when I dress up in a saree for weddings) or at least two separate bags; one a normal tote and the other a clutch or something equally slinky.

All in all, I'm developing a sense instead of just going for the bean shaped bag and getting a good deal. I still want a good deal but I want a bag that looks more than just a bag. More than just something you stuff all your little and big things in: from lipsticks to books to a stowaway snack or a dress or something that you splurged on and dont want the world to know. Not that my present income methods would allow such extravagance.

The only down side to all this newly developed 'sense' is that I have yet to find my bag. :) This Saturday I might be meeting a best friend of mine...hopefully in the wide expanse of Phoenix Mills I will be able to find the bag that dreams are made of....

Recipe Books, a Microwave and Cakes

The new microwave has created quite an interest in cooking. We’re saving on usage of cooking gas and at the same time creating good, wholesome, microwave convection-cooked food. A chicken curry was the second guinea pig dish tried after the no-frills veg pulao. The result: we don’t miss the oily tari floating on the curry, the chicken cooked just as well without frying it first and then cooking it in gravy.

These two successes made me look over the recipes in the new cookbooks that my sister chose as a gift for me on two of my favourite themes – Thai food and Pasta. The Pasta cookbook has a baked section…wonderfully photographed and just moving you to the point of imagining it melt in your mouth. There’s enough cheese to put 10 kilos on without even eating it at one go…has enough to mount the calories in your system as your eyes take in the crusted cheese on pies and the melted cheese squeezed out of the lasagnas and cannelloni tubes also filled with yummy mince meat or dark green spinach leaves. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to pore over this section on an empty stomach…and I only had a glass of milk which lay forgotten until I forced my eyes to look up at the clock over my desk.

I need to not indulge at this point – I’m not saying I must diet, although that’s probably a good idea but very hard to keep up – and stay off the rich food. Which is extremely hard when you’ve also got to celebrate this month. My parents have their thirtieth anniversary today – amazing amount of years. I hit my first wedding anniversary this month’s 30th. There’s a wedding at a posh club I’ve been invited to and I already have a saree picked out for the occasion. More than anything, wherever I get invited to, I’m always interested in the food they’re going to serve. Which is very unfortunate for my figure: traditionally-built.

While reading Ramotswe (No. 1 Ladies Detective Series), I noticed that full-figured (or sometimes, even fat) was the meaning indicated by the term traditionally-built, which describes the leading lady’s figure. Traditionally-built meant how women used to be before the scales tilted towards the idea of thin as beautiful (also perfect). I realized how women probably all around the world could describe their ancestors the same way – whether it be the Victorian age with its seductresses, or ancient India with voluptuousness admired in women to the point of describing the walk of one such a woman similar to the leisurely stride of an elephant. They probably looked similar too, else why would the poet think of an elephant in the first place?

I know such thoughts do not help and especially the part where she (Ramotswe) overcomes the pressures of dieting by biting into a slice of her friend’s home-made fruit cake. I almost felt the fruity insides of the cake in my mouth. Now, I long for a good, rich plum cake…rum added would not be a bad notion.

I now need a very easy, non-fussy cake recipe to bake in the microwave. But it must taste just as good, something to give up a diet for.

Home Sweet Home at the Bond Bar

Or rather...Bond, The Bar. We went back after more than a month's interval wondering if everything might have changed. The Sports Bar was still the same...an enormous TV with its usual array of tall chairs and square tables with an enormous bar on one side and cushy sofas dotting the periphery. We sat near the TV although I had my back to it, gazing instead at the colourful lamps and streamers and lights arranged under the mall's dome in a Diwali theme. The servers recognised us and one of our regular guys showed us to our table and asked whether we'd like the day's specials or our usual stuff. We kicked back and relaxed as cocktail followed cocktails and beer flowed generously and we even received an 'on-the-house' special - fried wontons stuffed with spring roll mixture. Served with schezuan sauce. Yummmm.

They expanded their menu to include loads of other starters and dinner options apart from a pasta and noodle section. We tried fish fingers with tartar sauce (crispy on the outside, soft and melting fish within) and barbequed sausages with fries and a barbequed chicken sizzler that my husband had most of. We also shared a fluffed cheese omelette (which the regular guy remembered even as my husband tried to describe it while battling long-island-tea-induced haze) with buttered toasted bread and salad.

The DJ (new guy) played all the right tracks. The other new thing was the partitioning off of the party section. Also, almost no crowds made the service prompt and the attention very centred towards us, which we basked in. A new drink I had was named Black Russian and my husband later ordered the White Russian which was a sweeter contrast to mine. Our session finale was a Bailey's Coffee flavoured Irish Cream in crushed ice. A lovely thing to sip slowly and indulge in.

We were pleasantly surprised to be remembered by the wait staff and the bartender right down to what we like and how we like it. The new menu additions and the songs played by the new DJ served to spark a new interest in the place.

I see, I am

I've been back from the south-east just a few days back but it seems like I finished the tour just yesterday, Sentosa beach still clearly replaying the Songs of the Sea in my mind over and over again. It was lovely to come back to relaxation and the daily comfort of not always following a hectic physically demanding schedule. At the same time, I miss the food - sausages, noodles (so many different kinds...so many exotic flavors), rice and curry combinations, the soothing combination of fried egg and buttery croissants, the temptations of hot and golden bread pudding with vanilla sauce on the side...a million memories all blending together and yet each individual piece glinting out of the tapestry of melded gastronomic delights.

I also miss the streets, the inns and the streetside restaurants even if I passed most of them on my way to different tourist attractions. The quiet sidewalks, even with traffic constantly flowing past. Our beautiful hotel rooms at Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur both providing a great view of the cityscape both in the morning and night. A chaise longue in a corner and a canopied four poster bed at the other end. 'Together-time' between tours. A great spread awaiting us at every table we stopped at for meals. The lush green landscape of Thailand, the dark velvety rainforest scenes of the Malaysian highways, verdant fronds leaping into view from dark stone buildings of Singapore. I can just close my eyes and see them again.

At the same time, I'm glad to be back in Bombay. The land where you dont need to convert one currency to another, where everything is afforable as long as you're reasonable. Where one can find a mix of different cuisines, some made to suit your palate, some that you need to adjust to. Where you dont always need a map to locate where exactly you are rather than where you're off to.

One of the many treats in store was meeting my mom, dad and sis for a family lunch. Our first Diwali after marraige was quite a special affair. Both mom-in-law and mommy went all out to make it memorable in their own ways. The lunch was super in every way, kabuli pulao, chicken curry in brown gravy, loads of boondi raita and vegetable salad, pooris and shrikhand and potato bhaji. A mango ice cream at the end made us all a bit dozy...my uncle decided to break up the gathering to get a bit of sleep.

Lots of gifts exchanged and presented to us. We also got hampers - my mom made a hamper of my favourite (and now my husband's too) goodies from the bakery near my house. It was heaven to bite into a chocolate walnut brownie the next day with breakfast. My aunt made a hamper of home-made goodies that were yummy too...I dont remember when I last ate a homemade chiroti.

A lovely couple of days, as memorable as the trip we've just completed, if not more. We received a microwave from my parents as a Diwali gift which we're excited to try out. Consulting its massive cookbook, we made a veg pulao as the very first microwave-cooked dish. It turned out really well and I cant wait to make more things like chicken, rolls, desserts, cakes... the sky's the limit.

It all really just comes back to food. No matter how far you go, the one thing that instantly makes you feel at home is food.

Rich, Rich!

Finally got broadband. Hooray!!! Hubby got promoted. He is now the king of his project. Doesnt mean he doesnt report to someone above but well...he runs the whole show now. He wanted it for so long and he's got it now...all of us are so happy for him. After so much pain and anticipation, he's now got it! The ones above will be watching but I'm sure things will be great from now on. He got what he wanted and that's what matters for now. I'm sure our holiday will be even better, there wont be a spectre of the uncertain looming over him.

I got what I needed...broadband and just gaped at the speed which I had forgotten while getting used to the dial-up. Especially the photographs that now show without me wasting precious phone time, waiting impatiently for the picture to show...often having to miss the ones that just wouldnt open.

Sigh! Today is a day of miracles :)

Busy week

Work consumed me like flames do a body...ok, not as bad as that but it did keep me busy through the week. Which was why I had to go home for my round of shopping for clothes (for my South-east trip) on a Saturday. Hubby came and we had lunch with my parents and sister. Quite a few things seemed to have been discussed as I faded in and out of conversations, checking whether the trousers were properly altered, showing off my possessions to an admiring audience and having fun flitting around the place. I also went out in the 2 pm sun (not a good time during the October heat) and got my eyebrows done and a further alteration made to my trousers.

We had a great biryani lunch which started off with puris and shrikhand and a french beans upkari (with loads of potatoes). After stuffing on those, we stuffed even more on a wonderfully 'dummed' Hyderabadi Biryani (the way my mommy makes it) with chicken that had a smoky, spicy aroma with raisins and roasted cashews lending more flavor to the already aromatic preparation. With beaten and slightly spiced curd on the side, it was beauuuutiful! I didnt realize how much I'd missed it.

Our home visit ended on a rich note, with a dark chocolate cake from Birdy's with two teddy candles waiting to be cut by hubby and me whose birthdays are in October. The richness of the cake stayed on in memory and that evening, at home far away from home, I started to get hungry for more biryani and cake.

Sunday was another frenzied bout of shopping. Bought three Maybelline lipsticks of which I need to return one as it's damaged. I was very surprised to see the lipstick fall out when I opened it, it was cut off on the bottom. Never had this experience with Maybelline products and I need to interrupt work today to go and rectify this problem.

We also packed last night and hubby worried that his clothes were taking over my space in the suitcase. Thankfully, I was occupied with an aching knee and did not tease him too much for it.

I cant wait to take a wonderful break for 10 days, visiting different places and trying out their local specialties.

Because you need a list to pack a suitcase..

...I finally went and made one. Sent it by e-mail to hubby dearest asking him if that's what he was looking for. As with all other tasks that I dont like, I dont know why I cribbed and post-poned it for so long coz it was a little bit more fun than I thought it would be. I made a day-wise packing list with columns for day wear, evening wear, night wear etc. It helped me decide to buy two trousers instead of one and extra t-shirts and shirts. The only things I own are not enough and thank goodness, I identified how many extra clothes I need because it's too expensive to even want to launder your clothes there. Goa was different. Goa was in Indian currency. Still is the last time I checked although the accents are Caribbean.

Better than a fake (I-can-see-right-through-but-cannot-laugh) US accent. Which I used to hear a lot at work.

Hopefully, my husband will love the list and praise it highly. He's been a bit sullen ever since my father-in-law thought the tour was more like a jail they imprison people in. Plus, there was a slight irritation when we decided to order food instead of cooking it. We'd been to the tourist orientation programme organised by our travel agents where they had a walk-through of our package and an open question round with lunch thrown in. It was very pleasant and I've started to look forward to the trip even more. After we had a chat at home, we realized how my FIL felt and hubby did not like it very much. Especially since it is all paid for and nothing can be done. Not that we want to change our plans now.

Hubby and I are looking forward to the food and entertainment along with the sight-seeing that they're managing. I realized what immense work it is and you can just relax letting these tour managers take the pains of arranging your stay and travel. While telling you some interesting facts about what you're looking at or where you're staying.

There's not much time and I need to start shopping to get the things I need. Soon, every one will realize that and there'll be a few, anxious moments till we're packed and on our way.

Am keeping my fingers and toes crossed.

Ramblings and Cribs

Last evening I worked till 9 pm and slept late after finishing my second read of the Namesake. The hubby wasnt around - he's partying with his friends at a hillstation near Bombay - so I had the whole room to myself with a giant LCD TV and books I could read till as late as I wanted. Sleep finally got to me and as I finished my book, I shut the lights off and went to sleep praying I didnt get nightmares else I'd never get any sleep.

Today he seems to be taking it slow getting back. First taste of freedom post marriage and all that. He said that he didnt know when they would be leaving. Of course, the people with the cars (or Scorpios, rather) are sleeping. They plan to have lunch and then leave. I'm sure that I'll be getting bored here but there's nothing to do as I need to wait for work and I cant go shopping all the time (on my salary, too). None of my friends or my family can just drop everything and visit me for half a day or just lunch. You need to sit in a bus for 2 hours one way to be able to do that.

Hence, I decided to write a post. It does a miraculous job of clearing my head and I get to crib to someone about it (or rather, the whole world). Plus, I have all this free time to actually do the assignments for our impending tour to South-East Asia. I have the "fun" job of making lists for packing clothes, medicines and anything else we might need for the 10 days we are there. I dont like lists as much as I hate packing. I'd rather get it over with soon and deal with what I've packed. My hubby's much more structured and I'm just a go-with-the-flow person. He makes lists for every single thing. He's even planning our financial present and future. I am trying to sort out the mess that seems to have grown to bursting proportions in my cupboard.

Arent we just made for each other?

Crazy Times

Watched Zohan on Friday with my sis and cuz from B'glore. I didnt expect to enjoy it as much as I did, laughing at the bawdy jokes and getting heartily sick of the overuse of hummus. Adam Sandler, great for once, really went all the way out to create something new. And, he was quite convincing. And, he was supported by a great cast, which helped make me laugh. My sis and cuz were shocked and scandalized and did not like the movie as much as I did. Because of which, I never really admitted how much I enjoyed it.

The movie was followed by lunch at Thai Chi with their very excellent seafood dishes. I'd been there before and everything we'd ordered had been great so I took these two. I'm not sure how much cuz liked it but sis was quite excited to sample the spread of wontons, butter-garlic fried prawns, seafood rice, some spicy prawns with capsicums and a very subtly flavoured chicken and mushrooms in chilly oyster sauce. For dinner, I went to Pop Tate's with my husband with very little appetite which was later spurred on thanks to some excellent Sula Sparkling wine and a cheese-prawn pizza. I think I'm getting a bit old for eating out twice in one day. I nibbled at every thing and had a quarter portion of the Roast chicken sizzler although I did finish my portion of wine.

Sunday was our turn to cook and my husband basically took over the vegetables and prawns (yes, we went and bought some on sunday as we'd not had our fill of it on friday) while I slaved over the spaghetti which was magically transformed into hakka noodles. I didnt have to chop any of those vegetables though. We'd been to Foodland in the morning, a supermarket that seems to be stocking well recently, and bought Mushroom Soya Sauce, veggies, fresh prawns on ice and a few other things. I even had a look (for the first time in my life) at Bombay Duck sprawled out on ice. They had a face like a tiny angler fish and a fleshy body that was six times bigger than its head. Or more. The fatty lumps sat there looking very appetizing and we just looked at them as we had no idea how to cook them.

He cooked the prawns well with lots of butter, ginger-garlic, onion, chilli flakes, red chilli powder, a tiny wee bit garam masala, generous dashes of oregano, and the mushroom soya sauce. It turned out really well, the fishy taste of prawns melding well with the spice and sauces. Not to mention the buttery taste that squeezed out the minute you bit into a prawn.

We took a walk in the evening and sat on the edge of a park, he digging into a small cup of vanilla icecream (to battle acidity) while I had a thin can of Pepsi. I'm sure most people passing by (who stared at me) thought the Pepsi can was a can of beer or something. I've never received such intense stares before and the place was pretty much in the shadows with a dim light from the half-working street lamps lining the curve of the road. Back home, I finished my detective-lawyer fiction 'Perry Mason and the Gold-digger's Purse' which I liked. Very complex plot followed by a nice work of detection and logic for uncovering the plot. When you read such books, you realize that it's not too hard to write detective fiction. But it's infinitely hard to stick to logic in your story and tiny details such as the time gaps when the victim was visited by so and so. If you focus too much on the details, your head starts to spin but if you cruise very coolly through the story then it's a breeze, basically. It's not too hard to follow. Plus, these books are really easy reads and come as a blessing between really heavy books.

I do wish Strand was having a sale right now. The rains have stopped and I need to go to that part of town. And buy some books!
:)

Busy Weekend

We spent over four hours travelling to and from the Queen of Suburbs - Bandra. That's really something, considering we were invited to lunch at Taj Lands End, Vista Restaurant. It's a 24-hour restaurant, serving you a buffet breakfast/lunch/dinner. The last time I'd been there with my best friend, I'd had a wonderful cheesecake and tiramisu, the two desserts I remembered well over the one year that followed my visit. Everything else paled into the background. This time, however, with the change of chef also came a change of the dessert buffet, leaving most things unchanged on the main buffet - especially the biryanis, curries and fried or baked fish. The change in the dessert buffet heavily leaned towards chocolate, which I love, with a really big gap - no tiramisu, no cheesecake.

Despite that minor disappointment, there was a really wonderful dish called The French Pudding. Bright yellow sauce covering generous slices of bread with the crust on. The first spoonful hooked me in and I wish I'd had more space in my stomach for this one beautifully simple yet incredibly tasty dessert. It's more of comfort food than dessert though, something you must have after dinner when watching Sex and the City in your pajamas. However, I'd had too much to eat at lunch and was struggling with the hot chocolate pudding and other not-as-heavenly tidbits on my plate. The mousse-chocolate pudding combo was good, a sweet-bitter combination.

A saffroned chicken biryani, scrumptious and perfectly spiced mutton curry, subtly fried fish atop a neat slice of beetroot and citrus fruit, yummy and perfectly tender yet crunchable asparagus and prawn salad, good bread and a nice shorba were the other highlights of the buffet. All accompanied with a glass or two of Sula Champagne.

That was my wonderfully relaxed in the interim with crazy to-and-fro commuting from one end of Bombay to its outermost regions. I dont think this travel should be done by road, a train would've been much faster.

I also had fun on the Sunday that followed, coz the Saturday pretty much ended by sprawling on the bed watching TV endlessly until we slept - too bone tired to move except for a glass of milk as dinner. You just could not work up an appetite after what you ate at lunch, which should be more aptly called a Banquet.

I cooked with my husband on Sunday. We got chicken, some vegetables and this wonderful Thai curry (Red) sauce packet that we added a lot of coconut milk to and created a curry in less than half an hour. The chicken and veggies simmered beautifully together and we created other masterpieces of our own; I created masoor usal (made with whole lentils and lots of pav bhaji masala, chilli powder and onions) while my husband created his signature dish of sliced sausages sauteed with thinly julliened capsicum and long slices of onions well-browned on a non-stick pan. My mother-in-law made rice and my father-in-law came in to check we were getting on with finishing the lunch thanks to the aromatic smells that escaped into the living room.

After a long siesta, we got up to go shopping for my mother-in-law's belated birthday present. A few scary steps up this really good two-storied shop was a humungous selection of under 600 rs and over 1000 rs sarees. The sarees were really unique and beautiful. My MIL chose two and we went downstairs to pay for them, happily getting a discount.

We shared a chicken burger, fries, coke and had a Softy ice-cream each before we took the bus back home. We spent the rest of our Sunday night battling Monday-morning blues and stuck on to the telly.
:)

Break, Ho!

I get a break in the middle of the day. The girl sending me assignments to work on from home is sending me the next lot this evening. There's a whole, comfortable 1.5 hour blanket under which I can snooooooze....

Not that I dont nap (Best Part about working from home), but today's email gave me a license to do it with a "thanks" at the end of it. Plus, a famous jewellery store has a live demo of jewellers working to create diamond jewellery right near where I live. I'm planning to take everyone in my home there.

This Saturday, I'm taking my husband to meet my best friend for lunch (safe after marriage :P). She's giving us lunch. Where is a secret until the next post which will see me elaborating on every small detail of my stupendous lunch.

For now, I snooze under a great big collection of Jeffrey Archer's short stories.

Ahhhhh!

Road to Freedom...

A two-hour bus and rickshaw ride from the outskirts of Bombay to its innermost suburbs. Welcomed by the sight of marinating chicken and browning gravy with carrot salad on the side. The aroma of jeera rice wafted through the house. I dont think I need to specifically tell anyone reading this that I went home last Friday.

I need only the smallest reason to visit home. On Friday, I'd made plans to meet a friend who's getting married in what I thought was a Neeta Lulla outfit. Turns out she didnt like the range that escalated from 60,000 Rs. No VFM, sadly. She stuck to a bright red ensemble from Seasons. After making me wait for more than half an hour in a cold waiting room, she shimmered in and we floated out after a few minutes of how's it goings and how do you feel about the weddings. I had a look at the jewellery she was taking with her to Bhuleshwar market and happily noticed how my wedding present to her (more jewellery) seemed to fit right in with her collection and taste.

I had two fun-filled days at home, zipping from one suburb to another, stocking up on mom's preparations (made specially for me) and going for a function where everyone was glad to see me. After two "You've put on weight!!" observations, I was pleased to receive a compliment from an unexpected source. It was a very pretty one too. "She looks even more beautiful after marriage."

I started my exercise regime again this morning.

A time to celebrate…

The countdown to our anniversary begins. It was nine months down in August. We congratulated each other over a chicken burger and Coke at Mc Donald’s. September began with birthdays, my mother-in-law and dad had their birthdays on the 1st and 2nd Sept respectively. Flower bouquets reached both residences quite early in the day and telephone calls followed. Yesterday was Ganesh Chaturthi, the start of a ten-day (this year it’s twelve days) celebration till the Visarjan when Ganesh idols are immersed at various beaches all over Bombay. A few lakes in Thane are also chosen for immersion although one isn’t sure how safe it is if residents will be using the lake water. Bombay seas are already eco unfriendly.

I went over the area I live in, visiting people who have Ganesh idols at home. A public school here has the Ganesh idol in its premises and made a fantastic decoration scene of the different forts and legendary warriors of Maharashtra, foremost among the warriors being, of course, Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj. We visited the temple and one other pandal nearby. While the temple had a fixed installation, the pandals would soon immerse their idols depending on the day they chose. The housing society I live in usually brings in Ganesh every year but this year, an important committee member passed away and there was a joint decision to not bring in the idol this time. It’s usually the rule that once you decide to get the idol and immerse it, following various rituals and important days, you must follow the tradition through without break. They broke it this year. I don’t know what the repercussions are, but it’s a matter of faith, which one believes must remain unbroken.

We had a good holiday although I worked and so did my husband, but we relaxed and had some fun in that process. We would take small breaks and engage in harmless banter or just talk about nothing in particular. Last night, though, we had a serious discussion on the future. My usually upbeat husband was a bit depressed, wallowing in some negative thoughts and uncertainties, but we talked it over and he felt much more positive. Even for me, talking always helps.
Nine months over. Three to go.

Hola, Spring!

It's spring again, in the middle of monsoon. The one thing August in Bombay is famous for is sunlight showers. It pours and yet, all you can see is a blue sky with white cotton clouds with hardly any dark clouds (so one wonders where the rain comes from).

Today, there's a unique crispness in the air. It's cool and yet, one feels the warm sunshine on one's back as one goes on errands or just slides the window more to let the sunbeam embrace one's bedsheets. It's a day for walks (one cannot picnic on the streets of Bombay and parks dont allow food) and for just going on really long trips. I want to go to Pune. I want to do all the things I wanted to do the last and more...I want to visit the German Bakery and Manney's Bookstore. And sit in the Gazebo restaurant or some other name...dont know what. Sipping a Cosmopolitan and ordering pasta Alfredo with lots of tender chicken and mushrooms.

I just want a holiday today!

My fave weekend

I shopped over the weekend. Staying at my old place, my home, my best vacation spot since the past few months, being with my family, going for lunches at the old familiar places and doing the old familiar things like drinking tea in pegs and taking a walk through the crazy "Market" road.

This time, we ate at Sachin, a non-expensive great seafood joint. Although they've hiked the rates up a bit, it was still just over Rs. 300 for three prawn curry and rice plates, a dish heaped with fried Bombay Ducks and a fried piece of surmai, three sol kadis and two Mangolas. Very VFM. The next afternoon (Saturday) we went to Just Biryani and had the most amazing chicken kebabs and Lucknowi biryani with subtle hints of saffron and melt-in-the-mouth chicken concealed within the heap of amber rice and caramelized onions. I so want my husband to go and eat the biryani. I'm sure he'll love it.

I bought jeans, two kurtas, a Christian Dior watch (the coolest thing I own right now) and a Jeffrey Archer omnibus. Went looking for bags too but didnt find anything that I liked. Hope to strike lucky next time, mom plans to ask the place where she bought her bag for an exact replica of her bag which i liked the best.

I didnt mind leaving and coming home back to my husband but I do miss being there. Every time I go home, I unwind completely and get back to my old routine. This makes me realize how much the daily routine's changed for me. Marriage is, of course, a life altering decision. I do love going back to the old life once in a while and come back to my new one completely refreshed and rejuvenated.

Love Evening

There's something very magical about evenings, a colleague had once said. He would love taking walks as the sun set casting an orange-pink glow around the cityscape. At the time he'd made this statement, I'd thought yeah, right...can anyone love evenings? The depressing time of the day, I'd thought. This soon changed, of course, like many things in my life.

There was a time when evenings meant parties or dinners with friends, going off home from work and many more pleasant things than staying in a drab, cold office and attending useless calls or tapping away at your ol' workstation. Now, evenings mean the end of a busy working day and many accomplishments, taking up a book or chatting with my husband, dinner at the table with the family and a quiet time before bed either reading my book-of-the-week or watching Scrubs on the LCD screen. Sleep, of course, is the best part...especially when one's dog tired.

This evening's the same, the daylight staying on beyond 7 pm. It's a time to reflect and ponder. To relax those tensed muscles, to stop thinking, to just sit back and watch the world go by...

...and surf the Net. :)

Crossword Sale again...

Crossword's having a sale. I like going to the air-conditioned, arm-chaired, carpeted chain of bookstores (bigger the better) and just lose myself for a couple of hours and think of nothing but the books I've been dying to read and hoard. I'm not sure if I'll find what I'm looking for but they also have an ordering service which I've never tried yet.

I miss going to Strand sales. They had a few months back but I didnt go; simply because I didnt trust myself to go and splurge on books that I dont read for months. I've still to continue reading Voltaire and Tales of Genji bought from last year's sale. They have the best collection that beats any book sale I've ever been to. I miss Russian folktale books though. The illustrations they have and the simple yet beautifully poetic tales they relate, it's as if an old Russian granny's telling them.

Right now, I'm re-reading the Namesake and going through my favourite paragraphs slowly, devouring each word that I've fallen in love with. Having seen the movie, I imagine the characters as well. I realized that I like both equally and differently; the book and the movie. They are so separate from each other that each is respected for its own unique identity and story.

Hope to catch the sale soon. There are a lot of titles I simply must have.

It's very cold today...

Yesterday was quite a wet day, heavy rains almost throughout the day and gusts blowing and swishing through the trees, making a strange and ungodly sound. I often dont need the fan over my workstation, pushing the window slides wide apart sends the cool breezes wafting through the room and keeping it nice and cold.

The first year of married life must be the hardest on anyone, no matter how sweet your disposition might be and how caring and understanding you are. My husband is all that, and yet, my mood bursts descend like cloud bursts and take away the sunshine from our lives. And yet, he doesnt have to put up with anything or "adjust" to anything. He's at his own home, living the same life he lived before we met and got engaged and then married. I concentrate on my work and have very few things to gripe about, starting with the traditions and rituals and going on to opinions and prejudices. The prejudices part is the hardest to digest.

Living in the times we do, when we work and socially interact with anyone and everyone, we cannot afford to cling on to completely outdated prejudices. A prejudice is probably the most natural thing to have but the worst when you might influence someone like your child to already follow a set of beliefs and then go out into the global world and deal with those people whom you are prejudiced against. I can see a lot of negative influence. And in my position, I dont think I can do anything about it. I should have talked to my husband but he didnt ask me and I didnt tell him. Eventually, I stopped talking; only responding in the most minimum words. It felt like my opinion didnt matter. It wasnt like he didnt know what was going on, there have been thousands of times I've raised related matters on him and the scathing comment my MIL made really took the cake. I couldnt tell her to not say such things. Being too shocked by everything, I just shut up.

I can see myself taping my mouth even when my child will be around to hear this. How he/she takes it and goes into the wide open global world will be another matter altogether.

Missing a few things...

I really miss being one of a group. Nothing beats having one, solid best friend there for you through thick and thin. That is essential. Now that I have her, I need more.

I used to be a part of three-four groups and there used to be fun things that we would do, like go out exploring cafes or restaurants, group movies or a dance somewhere and hanging out...which was the best of the lot. I miss doing all those things with a group. All those people I used to be with have either drifted away on their own journeys or I've consciously stopped being with them to avoid some particularly poisonous friendships. Now that I'm home and can venture out whenever I want, I have no groups to go out with.

I never did miss this as much as I do when my husband does something with his friends. He belongs to 3-4 groups (i'm sure there's more) and ends up doing something with them - visiting karaoke bars or drinks after work or dinner or something - and I sit at home reading a book or watching TV. Which isnt bad but it makes me reminisce. And then I start missing the things I used to do.

Marriage is, of course, something that should tame the party-hard devil within, especially now that we're thinking of going further and starting a family together. But it's really hard when one of us is out there having fun.

I'm going to call up my best friend and make sure we do something at least once in a while. Then he can sit at home and wait for me.

Astalavista

No better way to say goodbye than knowing it in your heart that it's over. And finally, you're free. You're free of the guilt and pain that went into your taking your first step away from its source. Being emotionally high-strung, I knew I could not have lasted as a person, as an individual in its strong-hold of possession. I am free now and for the first time, I feel affirmation.

I need to thank myself for letting go of something I thought I could not live without. I can now and I have. And I will continue to. Maybe I could have changed a few things, but the step I took at the time I took it was really, really needed.

And I'm glad I did it.

All it took was to read a few lines in an e-mail. It brought a taste of pain, like when the blade of a whip hits its spot. And then, it brought relief. Because I will never put myself in a position where I feel it again and again.

Is it just me?

I feel I might be losing a few inches off my waist and arms but somehow hubby still thinks of it as ineffective. His guilt, of course, at not doing anything to lose weight although both of us need to must be making him think so. But today, after my usual shower, I inspected my arms and feel they've toned from what they used to be. Of course, there's still a few miles to cover in this journey of weight loss (and one must keep on at it) but I wonder if there's not much happening and if I should change what I'm doing to something more "effective".

It's 7:30 and I dont feel like carrying on my pending assignment. It utterly confuses and bores me and there's a loooong way to go before I'm done with it. Plus, hubby's partying tonight which makes me feel like I'm not having any fun. Which is unfair but then, one gets a wee bit jealous. Especially if there's drinks involved.

I saw a lot of food sites today and that's making me really hungry for something sweet. Which is probably diet harakiri.

Until, I'm in a better frame of mind..I'll sign off now.

Pinky yellow twilight and waking dreams...

The minute hand’s completing its circle and will soon call out 7 pm. And yet, a light drizzle plays in the foreground of a muted yellow and pink twilight. The day’s not over yet, it wants to tell me. I’m still hanging around. It’s not the end of me yet.

Night is gentler, stealthier. She tip-toes over, twirling her gracefully long fingers, turning a blue sky to a crimson sunset to a royal purple twilight, to end in the final composition of an indigo sky with a smattering of stars. These days, in the monsoon, one doesn’t see a blue sky at all. It’s grey all the time, which softly gets deeper in shades to go to a duskier black but no one notices that. Today, though, the day wants to be king. Night’s waiting patiently, probably making it rain a bit more forcefully to give her guest hints that he’s overstayed his welcome.

I love the rains. Everything in this concrete island city’s greener, more vibrant and bursting with life rather than parched in the summer and dusty in the winter.

I’ve just finished the newest installment of 44 Scotland St. Yes, I know I’d been cribbing about not having it when I realized that there are bookstores other than Crossword who have a more updated stock of books. I grabbed the last copy of The World According to Bertie and as I finished the book felt as I felt during all the previous times when I’d put the book down finally, immense and utter contentment and a new perspective to my life that, just last night, seemed drab and uninteresting. Scotland St not only involves me in its inhabitants and all those associated with them, but it enriches my own. I get introspective and realize how wonderful it is to be alive. And what million little things happen around us everyday and how we must store as many of its memories we can hoard, to make another rich volume of the story of our lives.
Sighs!

Uhhh..one...uhhh...two

I start off trying to burn calories early in the morning. Just like I straightened out my cupboards yesterday, I need to straighten out my excess baggage round specific strategic locations of my body. I'm tired of comments like 'You look like you're enjoying marriage' 'You've put on so many...' etc. So I started off and actually managed an improvement on my push-ups (not saying how many, nope).

I miss Scotland Street. I really miss Domenica, Pat, Bruce and Matthew with his new-found money bank. And Big Lou. And Bertie. I'm reading The Right Attitude to Rain and while it's nice on its own, I prefer Scotland Street. That's more 'happening'. Tons more exciting than this one. Perhaps I should've picked Friends, Lovers and Chocolate in this series, but I desperately needed Scotland and picked the only one that was available.

Of course, Detective Ramotswe's a complete adventure waiting to unfold. That will definitely be next on my reading agenda, right after the Miniaturist.

So much to say...

I went to my ex-office this week and the experience made me miss work a bit more than I used to. But I got back safely in my little shell and realized that I'd made the right decision and must stand by it. It was great to talk my heart out (we almost had a two-hour lunch session) and still had loads to talk about. We would...we were meeting after a very long gap of six months. The last time we met, I had just gotten married. Over a varied lunch of chicken hakka noodles, barbequed chicken and dal khichdi, I spilled out the beans, my heart and soul included.

But it was after that when I realized and did a lot of introspection as to where I was headed. I had procrastinated for the last six months and had basically let each moment guide me rather than take charge and pull myself towards new things that I could do now when sitting home and freelancing for a few hours every day.

I had a dream that night about a few false friendships and the next day, I wrote it down. I think I'm finally heading somewhere...there seems a long, long road beyond which there's a dim light beckoning me to follow its path but I dont know exactly where and how I need to go. But, it's a start.

Plus, while returning home from work, I had a good, long listen to some of my favourite songs in a rickshaw with a really good sound system and the right radio station. None of those old, philumee cassettes with the 80s and similar music playing non-stop. I could unwind just listening to those songs. Had to stop by Crossword and pick up a few books. At times like these, I miss Landmark and Book Lovers for the simple fact that I knew my way around those stores and they had the books I wanted. Here, I had a long hunt before I found the Miniaturist and Alexander Mc Call Smith and needed to ask for directions to the Times Food Guide 2008 edition.

It's a great, big store though although I also wish it had an extension of a coffee shop. Costa Coffee, just bang opposite, is closed for goodness knows what reason. Would've been nice to go across and sit for a coffee, leafing slowly through the Miniaturist.

I miss going out more.

Slicky Muck

Now that rains are more or less here to stay, it starts to rain everytime we dress to go out and doesnt stop until we're half-soaked in a rickshaw, zooming out of this place. I wanted it to rain this way...and yet, I get a bit frustrated when it rains and the cotton fabric that my clothes are made of starts to get soaked first and then shrivel.

We visited Bond again on Saturday night, for a bot of wine and something to munch it with. The starter took so long to get to the table that we were half a bot down and a bit tipsy. Which isnt totally a new thing for me, but this time the wine really hit me. I clung to him as we came out to go to this cute little Thai eatery for dinner, feeling like I'd drop like a load of stones the moment I let go. Which was very entertaining for him but a bit scary for me coz my head was spinning until we sat at our Thai table (after fifteen minutes of waiting and watching a moron walk ahead of us to a table). A Coke later, I was feeling fine and digging into the sui mai.

Sunday was a lazy day, didnt do anything that I'd promised myself I would do, like working on my article and downloading this important document that I'm doing right now. We had a mixed vegetable curry with paneer that he did from start to finish and I made the usual accompaniments; dal fry and palak (spinach) raita.

Evening we went shopping for a super cool green paisley printed umbrella and a new pair of all-weather shoes. They're a light rose pink shade with cream innersole. Hopefully, they clean just as easy.

I just realized that there's not much of the slicky muck that's topping off the post today, but you have to forgive my wandering mind. It was raining almost all of last night and the view outside my window is breathtakingly beautiful.

Dear Rain God...

...I don't know if your staff responded to my request or you did, but whoever is responsible for making my wish come true, it came a whole two days late! Not complaining about the wish fulfilment part as much as the timing. I wanted to wake up on a dark, cloudy Saturday or Sunday morning, dripping wet as someone who's just had a nice warm shower. I ended up getting a wet morning today, and basically had to pry my eyes open and get out of my warm, comfortable bed as early as 8 am.

And...my life's companion had already walked out the door when Bombay got swamped in by brown pools of slush. We had no fun.

Next time you listen to my requests, please please get the day right. That's more important than getting a beautifully rainy day where all you need to do is stay right indoors and watch the pools filling up right outside.

And BMC: You guys better watch out! The average Bombayite is hopping mad right now.

The Generation Chasm...

It's really deep. In many ways, I'm proud to say this, my mom in law is very, very broad-minded. The really important things like an idiotic (novice) daughter-in-law who is illiterate when it comes to customs and traditions and Marathi, of course...although, I'm getting better at the language. But when it comes to food, except when I cook it, she has very strong dislikes and prefers to starve than to do something totally out of the expected and ordinary, like eat a curry cooked only in wine. She might even cook it for us but eat it...no way!

She spent a few weeks in Europe, mostly London, at the home of this friend of my dad in law. His Italian wife cooked a meal for them that had almost everything on the menu cooked, glazed, or marinated in wine. My mom in law said that she didnt eat a bite of anything. Even in hunger, so I dont know what she did after that meal. I, on the other hand, am probably the daughter in law from hell the way I can chase all the things that she runs away from. Of course, she doesnt know it :) and it's going to stay that way even if I have to swear off a few things.

We can talk about almost anything. Almost. This is where I would rather shut up and let her do the talking. It's not even the generation, I guess, it's the gap of a traditional mother and her very untraditional (although I'm not very liberal either) daughter in law.

Rainy day today!

After weeks of clear skies and dry earth, it finally started raining cats, dogs and little white elephants today. It's grey for miles and miles and the mountains surrounding our buildings are all misted over. On really cloudy days, the mountains and the skies merge to create one shade of grey as far as the eye can see. And lucky me gets to work from home.

I still dont miss working at an office. As long as this arrangement works fine, I'm happy to work alone. I think better and work faster. As my job chiefly involves writing and creating ideas, I get to do plenty of that without distractions, without meetings, without colleagues dragging you for coffee or chats. Ok, I miss the coffee and chats and eating spicy Chicken pulao with brown, caramelized onions at this great dhabaesque restaurant, especially in the rains. But work's happening just great. And, I neednt worry about adding a few kilos.

The weekend looks great. The hubby is thinking of going the TGIF way for Saturday - fried chicken-cheese sausages, beers, burgers, and maybe Thai Flat noodles with shrimps (my idea).
Talk about no distractions! Hope this week flies past.

Sweetness...

...the sweetness of a day muted by sun pouring through thick, black clouds.
...the sweetness of mixed fruit jam
...the sweetness of a day spent in spirit-fulfilling work interwoven with brief spells of PG Wodehouse
...the sweetness of welcoming my husband home early
...the sweetness that weekend is around the corner
...sweetness playing on all senses, sight, sound, taste and a million others I'm discovering

Today should officially be the world's sweetest day!

Rain is falling!

It rained last evening. From 7 pm onwards there was a thick breeze, tightening a few knots here and there, bursting through the leaves of every tree and raising gathered dust in cyclonic thrusts. It tempted me greatly to get out and walk all the way to the library, across the main road; get out from the sidelines and get into the fray. Which I did, getting soaked on my way there, getting splashed from bikes, cars and children and either tripping my way into puddles or feeling the cement blocks shift from under my feet when in one.

And to top off everything, i got lost in my own backyard. There's this maze of buildings called Vrindavan and I entered it (it's always on my way home) confidently only to stop and stare a few times at unrecognizable signboards and lanes. I wanted to find a particular shop where they sell good, homemade, hot food to supplement the supper at home. And ended up finding it only after I'd gone so far ahead, I'd reached the very periphery and never even realized how I got there.

Getting lost in a concrete jungle may not make you see a tiger or two but was certainly scary as it poured and I kept walking towards lonely, puddle-filled corners that I'd never seen before.

Finally, of course, after reaching the periphery, I could manage to recognize the alternate lane to go to that shop. Carrying hot chapatis and warm zunka, I trudged home, a slight flush of victory and near-abandon on my face.

The morning I woke up to today wasnt sunny at all, it was slightly drizzling and it's increased its tempo now that I sit to write at my computer. It's a beautiful morning and I'm just bursting to enjoy it.

Golden Twilight

Yellow light is streaming in through the sliding panes of my window, gilding the skin of my fingers as they tap away on the keyboard. The tint of the evening is yellow and pink, the two tones of the sky as the afternoon melts away into a golden twilight. The sky is heavy with clouds...soon they will overrun with the spring of life, streaming from the heavens, slipping like Amul butter through the cracks of toast and drizzle all over the 'sunny-side-up' landscape.

Let's hope it rains tonight. Let's hope to wake up to the earthen smell of mud and water.

Qasiru - student by day, samurai by night

"Qasiru"
When the sensei takes your name, you respond. Qasiru knew this as an instinct, it wasn't just discipline. But today, the sensei's voice seemed to echo from the Blue Mountains of Kanchengunga, the way it seemed so distant and obscure.
"Present"
Satisfied with the response, the sensei seemed to retreat back into the cloudy mists of the Blue Mountains. Qasiru drew back into the meditative realm of her mind.

If she focused hard, she saw her mother's face. Lost in the swirling typhoons of time, her mother remained just a memory, a blurry memory that had no before or after. It had no shape nor form, just a veil of mist through which she could see her mother's face looking at her. Walin said she could come back to her, through meditation and then a series of exercises using just the initial memory of her face. It would be better if Qasiru wasnt well rested, for the unconscious would merge into the conscious and create a visual clip that non-believers called 'hallucinations'.

Walin believed that hallucinations were true. Whether Qasiru could believe in it as well remained to be seen.

Samurais fought for the greater cause. Could her search for her mother be a greater cause than bringing Japan's history back? Or was it getting a bit blurry too, the distinction between professional and personal?

In my own world...

...Havent done much other than sit at my comp working on this course that needs me to listen to DVDs and type out the content, work out presentation techniques and basically make it into an online course. Not being used to transcripting content, I had tensions bordering on panic attacks for a few days until today, which is when I feel more in command of my work than the other way round. So far, it's given me a leave of absence from house work which is sometimes welcome.

I dont like sunlight pouring through my window trying to fry me to a crispy crunchiness, I want rain! A cloudy sky, storming a bit, and pouring rain over the earth would be a perfect scene to watch while one is working. I never got this luxury with a full time job when I'd be in some corner where one doesnt know whether it's day or night outside. Now that I have a room to myself and a corner of it serving as an office with a beautiful view of an old village settlement in the middle of gigantic buildings crowding around it, I want the right kind of scenery to go along with it.

Hope it rains!

First Showers

It rained last night. Arriving stealthily, like a robber in the middle of night, it left several clues to its presence in the morning. The air was cool and there were moist patches on the road, quickly drying up as the sun climbed the eastern sky. My husband, lucky devil, had heard the rain falling at night. I missed it and only knew it had rained when he told me.

It’s much better walking out at 6:15 am than at 7 am. It is twice as hot, the later you go out and 8 am would have been nothing but torture.

Torture was doing the assignment I’d promised to hand in by end of Sunday. After a lunch of Hyderabadi Chicken, while my husband had a three-hour siesta, I was hammering away at my computer. I hate having to work weekends, weekdays is more or less expected but weekends was a bit much. And I have a sneaking suspicion that there’s more waiting for me in the wings.

I missed going to the library. I haven’t been there for a long time. Had bought two books which had to be finished before I could go and get new books so there wasn’t any time to visit the library. I haven’t even finished one of the two books I’d borrowed; don’t think I want to either. Am currently in the middle of ‘Snow’ by Orhan Pamuk. I missed reading it over the weekend and falling asleep with it in my arms, dreaming of a snow-filled small town of Kars and a man in a black coat.

Sunday was a missed opportunity and Monday seems to have arrived too soon.

The Sun, Moon, and Clouds

After a few months of soaring temperatures and impossible heat, it's lovely to see some signs of a let up, in the form of fluffy clouds with an undertone of a dark, rainy promise. The hot afternoon suddenly turns cloudy and one is filled with a burst of energy to go out and enjoy. Only, one remembers the humidity levels and steps back into the cooler vicinity of the drawing room with a tiny balcony of plants providing a verdant tone.

The summer months belong to walks at Colaba, the array of icy-cool fizzy drinks at Churchgate station, the carts carrying hunks of ice and many colours of sherbet, fountains of sugarcane juice and earthen pots of cool, refreshing kulfi with a few spoons of rabri soaking it. Taking in the sea at Marine Drive, getting a bit lost amongst the stony foundations of the University area and the Fort is what I really wish to do on a cloudy day like this.

One day, I'll probably end up doing and writing about it than just wishing I was out there doing it.

:)

It's a hot sizzling day...

...and I'm dreaming of an ice-cold peach flavoured iced tea at a cafe facing the Marine Drive Chowpatty scene. I was talking to my best friend and she mentioned a restaurant that I'd already been to when I was about to be engaged or probably after...it's a bit blurry to me now. Going there again while not being very exciting a prospect as is going to an undiscovered brilliant restaurant, will not be too bad either as it does make yummy pepperoni pizza and the iced tea is HUGE and refreshing. Plus, it has a great view of the promenade. I'll probably visit it during the afternoon which is not as nice as visiting it during the evening, but doesnt matter anyhow. I'll be catching up on gossip with my best friend and does scenery matter at such times? Oh no.

Work-wise I'm not too busy which suits me fine. I just received this lot of pages that cannot be saved to file, it has to run on my comp displaying text bit by mini-bit and is a bit hard on the ol' patience pile.

An ex-colleague I thought was ignoring me is getting married. Didnt receive a congratulations for my wedding, thanks very much. Anyway... I sent in my congratulations and will probably send in my postal address very, very soon.

Arlington Park is making a very slow and steady impact on me. After many days have passed, I now feel icy cold dread stealing over portions of my heart and making me into an Arlingtonian.

eek!

Hmmm....

Today's a hmmm day with a hmmm post. A day to ponder and reflect and revise. At first glance it looks like I'm free to spend the day reading Snow by Orhan Pamuk and yet... a black cloud of uncertainty threatens to rain all over my sunny parade. Gloom personified by bad news and cloudy skies is all around me.

I loved Saturday. Hubby and I went on our very first (Chinese) bus ride to Victoria Terminus. These are special A/C buses with seats elevated every few rows and the back of the bus made us bounce a bit giving a spectacular view of the moron autos inching towards our speeding bus. Going over bridges was an experience in itself...breathtaking views included in the package. I saw the old Byculla station, the old chawl systems of Parel still standing tall and proud, the shanties of Ghatkopar and grand dame of Bombay - Victoria Terminus. Going around Mumbadevi, Mahalaxmi, Prabhadevi and Bandra were huge big treats although the weather was muggy and very very humid. A drive around Carter road, a cold coffee at a cafe overlooking the torrid Bandra seas, coming down to the shopping district of Linking Road for lunch at Waterfield road... I miss them all very much today on a Monday morning, sitting at the ol' workstation and waiting for work.
Talk about gloom!

Who Am I?

Funny how not having a job and a designation makes me wonder about myself and my identity. Even funnier is the realization that no one forced me into this, it was completely my own call and my own wish to end that part of my career. I wanted to write, not to think how I can mould the client’s requirement into a spanking, wonderful new learning module. Or courses as we used to call them.

Now, I struggle to write and ponder mostly about how I can work from the comfort of my new home, with its new internet system, with a thousand things I am not familiar with. I think this feeling of discontent bordering on despair is something that’s caught on after reading Arlington Park. I cannot dissect what I’ve read and re-shape it into sentences that describe what I feel about a book but utter hopelessness and the gray feeling personified by each woman’s state of mind and embodied by the weather is what stands out the most to me. Perhaps I ought to read it again a few times, separated by a gap of a few years before I start to identify with the book. The feelings are entirely complex, so much that they’re sometimes beyond my grasp. I can just about skim the surface of each protagonist and her own private little world full of its own secrets and mystery, but I cannot understand. Which is how the mind works, I suppose. I try to find something that explains and something that’s a straightforward message to everyone but this book reminds me that it’s life we’re talking about and each interconnected being is made up of a billion little molecules and the resulting fusion does not necessarily mean there is harmony between the molecules. If you go deeper, you find billions of atoms and a realm of possibilities that it can go on splitting into a sequence of minuteness and you still won’t have discovered it all.
That probably says a little bit about my feelings in regard to Arlington Park. It is a fine book and the technical nature of writing does tend to impress more on my mind as I tend to get a bit lost in the overwhelming thoughts that are going inside each woman’s head. I think the summary behind the book kind of oversimplified it and I thought it was another thing altogether. Going through it makes me realize how many more galaxies are out there and how little I have experienced.

Idle? What's That?

Another phase starts...new things like making segments of a day and budgeting time across those segments for fun, travel, and eating out. Weird for me, so used to having 'free' time that would be spent any way one preferred. The lack of incoming wealth or rather the depleting reserves then made me look for something to do...part time or freelance.

I get to sit at home and work at the moment. Everything I need except for a printer (which I havent yet had a requirement for) is here. Even an occasional game of Spider Solitaire to stir up those bored electrical impulses flitting across my brain is right at my fingertips.

The best part is if I can continue to make a living (permanently, if possible) in this way, I would probably be a very lucky and content person. Of course, if one could leap across the space-time barrier and have a peek into the future, one could guess if this is blind optimism or intuition.

The Big Bad Thesaurasaurus

:) Just blaming machines for a human's shortcomings. It really scares me to modify a sentence especially if the word I'm looking to modify has multiple connotations or meanings and well...it really scares me coz there's no way of checking it out (I cannot ask the author). So, the work of actually sitting down to condense something interesting becomes a TASK.

Which I've been trying to complete this week and it still seems an uphill journey. Especially with healthy diversions like housework, making dough for chapattis, watching tele soaps, reading mail about Crossword Summer Fest, which has to do with everything other than books. Plus, all those activities are for kids! I agree with having a few days for kids to go crazy at a mega bookstore (someone has to buy those dust-collecting Harry Potter books!!) but at least something for a home-bound, freelancing book freak to enjoy in and at least have an excuse to visit a bookstore for something other than buying books! I've spent a lot and my bookcase wont be able to hold any more of my hardbound or paperback treasures...and well! Once an addict, always an addict.

I need to go back and battle the Thesaurasaurus and finish the pending task for once and for all. Enough diverting!

The Mood is Black....

I wish to sit in a dark room where the only light falls in a Venetian blind pattern on the wall behind the dark velvet sofa I sit on. I want to cast a spell on everyone in a swift click of two fingers. I want to wrap my body in the darkest hue of black coffee. And let the material glide over me before I fasten it with a diamond brooch. Slapping on a sparkling cinnamon shade of lipstick...or should I opt for the deeper shade of cardamom, dark as the mood I'm in. I want to turn the world into an echoing nothingness...a black hole.

I dare to wear black...for I'm dressed to kill tonight.

The Holiday Ends...

...my in-laws are back tomorrow morning, early. Last minute cleaning up is on the list of tasks today and a getting back to the routine...not being on my own any more. My husband really missed them and of course, I did too but in a different way to his. I do love my independence and wasnt sure how I would manage the joint family thing but that wasnt so bad. But a bit of doing things as I like them, being alone with my hubby, taking care of him solely...that I loved. Now, it'll again feel like apprenticeship under my mom-in-law but the way she can manage and run things is something I've come to trust and respect. In this especially and many other things, I know I'm too inexperienced and lazy, and must work towards setting up this home if it ever comes to running the home on my terms. She has a fantastic system that I can emulate...if not copy.

But well... all holidays come to an end :). Somehow I still have mixed feelings, grateful that I'm not going to be running around everywhere on my own or get too dead tired at night to be an alluring mistress to my husband.

Sloppy Morn

Woke up half an hour later than the usual, which caused such hurry in the morning that I'm quite exhausted and dont feel like moving out or making lunch. Although in the evening, I want to go to the mall and buy new kurtas and perhaps, an entire outfit just to get out of the slop that's my ensemble. Had a refreshing browse at the library last evening and a pitawich. Today's burger night and I dont need to cook anything but pasta for lunch and yet...seems like such an exertion!

The Ketchup Song is awfully outdated but its nice to get retro once in a while although I'm not sure it qualifies as retro.

Since thoughts are flitting like butterflies in my mind, I was just pondering on having another cup of Boost. Nothing like Boost to help you unwind completely. The prediction for today is hot and muggy and yet, feel like I'm going to be cooped up all day! Just in a very contradictory mood today. Perhaps coz my holiday's ending and soon the house will be bustling and will no longer be allowed to get as lazy as I am today.

Sighs!

Good Morning World!

After a relaxing morning cup of Boost and a mixed fruit salad, I want to shout "Good Morning World!" off the rooftop. The Devil's getting comfortable in her seat by the window, tapping away on her PC and listening to Maroon crooning "She will be loved..."

I finally picked up the overdue read Shopaholic and Baby, the series of which I'd suspended when reading Shopaholic Ties the Knot collapsing into a heap when the magnificent proposal happens. Mainly because she was getting married and I wasnt. Now of course, that's in the past and my life changed by leaps and bounds since that time. I'm happily married (newly) now and am looking for a new job. I've relocated to this new suburb and well...it's not the same, but it's not bad either. Anyway, I picked up Shopaholic and Baby and it's amazing how consistent the books are. It was almost as if the gap had never happened and I just picked up where I'd given up and gone on as if nothing changed. And nothing has changed, the Shopaholic is still as mad and addicted as ever. It's worse now that she's expecting...

Anyway, my best friend who lent me this book and I often go through the series in the same way: how it relates to us and our own individual struggles. Although I've considerably toned down the shopping urge now that I'm jobless, she's still happily addicted although very different from what she used to be. She budgets now and sticks to it! Apart from that, her personal life is looking up and I'd love to see how it goes for her in a few months from now. In fact, I'm totally eager to find out. Anyway...

The Devil's muttering something about looking at the clock and getting to the kitchen to cook a meal... Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!