HO! HO! HO!

Growing up in a convent school, has its many many hours of fun and nostalgia.

 

Christmas season was the best of all. There would be plays, complete with songs, some students playing the piano, the guitar and lots of singing in that choir'ish voice.
There was that spirit of joy, the smiles that spread wide and so much cheer.

I remember going to the chapel (our school had a beautiful campus, with so much of green.) The chapel would be decorated so colourfully. The green of the christmas trees, the pine plants, the red streamers, ribbons, glitter and white of the cottonwool too. Nothing expensive but beautiful nevertheless.

The hours we'd spend making the nativity scene, using brown wrappng paper, colors and crushing them to look like a cave. Who would have thought that this festival was a celebration for Christians bringing in the birth of Jesus. We grew up with faith instiled in us. We grew up with belief. We knew the truth about Santa..but yet rejoiced and were so thrilled to see a Santa coming along with a huge red bag filled with candies and gifts) There would be a day where less fortunate ones woul dbe invited for lunch and would be given gifts too. It broadened our views on giving.

The tradition has carried on with my children too. They have their Christmas parties while in smaller classes and as they grew older they got involved with the lunches for the old age home the school organised. Each year, they come back with a small goodie bag with a fruit cake and some cookies. Its nostalgic.
I wouldn't have a Christmas in any other way. I still look forward to the day with the same enthusiasm. The gifts and cheer is contagious.

But times have changed now I see. The belief is diluted. When my son was in kindergarten, the Santa for their school party was but naturally the plump little teacher who was built tall. My son had come back home that day with a frown on his face, which i've never been able to change so far. " The santa in our school is a girl" he'd come back all forlorn..and i'd smiled and asked how can he say that? And he'd said "I saw the earrings and it IS Gina ma'ms."

Last year we had organised a Christmas party in our Apartment Complex, and to our horror, the Sanat turned out to be a scrawny, small built young boy, who went around pinching the kids. Where has the joy gone? I 'd felt like asking him, but then I realised, he has not been to a school and might never have seen a Santa at all..so how would he know?

8 years have passed and now he knows there is no real Santa..but i'm glad he's as mad as his mom..and still smiles wide when he sees a Santa Claus going past.
So now I get to baking an Oreo Brownie, a recipe that has been eyeing me from the time it was posted on Saffron Trails blog. I shall make some mulled wine too, thanks to bloggers who are helpful enough to put up the 'How to'

MERRY CHRISTMAS FOLKS' AND LIVE IN GOOD CHEER. BE JOYOUS, BE HAPPY AND KEEP THAT SMILE ALL AROUND, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN SANTA'S GONNA COME VISITING.


My 25th post a celbratory one for this festive season and for the Marathon Bloggers

The Tiger Comes to Town!!!

"IS HYDERABAD NAMED AFTER HYDER?"- asked a little girl while she was waiting for her snack in the intermission.
Standing right behind them, I couldn't just not overhear. It made me smile. Children are such inquisitive beings, and these are opportunities for parents to give them information that they could hold on for years later. It will be attached with memories they will connect with visuals, experience and that one night they had gone out with their parent.

It was a scene straight out of my evening. When I agreed to go to the play 'TIGER, TIGER' by the Bangalore Little Theatre,  that my friend had sent an invite to, little did I know, what to expect. I just wanted to watch a play, and this was a great opportunity for me, because it fit very well in my scheme if things, it being a Sunday too. While I was trying to think up a blog post for the day, I remembered the play and made my calls and plans were made. But there was a small hitch. I didn't have company. My kids glared at me, like I was the tiger itself. I had to watch this play at all costs, I told myself. And then I agreed to go along. Just said, 'keep my pass, i'm coming'. And when he asked me if I was going alone? I smiled and thought of my bucket list.. And said, of course, Yes.

The evening was ethereal. I have lived in Bangalore for donkey's years now. But I have never ever visited the Bangalore fort. Shameful yes. I agree.

So when I did through the main gate, I was having a quizzical expression. This? So beautiful? Wow!..Yes The Fort is all that and more. The event "THE TIGER COMES TO TOWN" was a 2 day affair, 'A public history project organised by the Centre for public History in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India'.








The play set against the backdrop of the fort, under the starlit sky made it all the more divine. For that piece of history many have forgotten, this was a wonderful journey through Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan's eyes. The entire production left me awed and wishing I could have done the previous day's Shadow walk, the History trail with Arun Pai. It was so beautiful. The whole evening was so well organised and so sleek. I am so glad I went.

The play itself was brilliant. The actors be it small or big, were so flawless and so at ease with their role.



And there was another achievement  :)

I got to score out one of my lists from the bucket list i'd just made...yippeee..I went all alone, left my kids behind, watched the whole play with no guilt, in fact I enjoyed it so so much. And came back a very happy woman. so yay! to me!!

My 24th day post for Marathon Bloggers..

A kiss that cannot be forgotten!!!

Its not everyday you get to live a life that you've dreamt of.

Its not everyday, you have your past coming back to make you smile

Its not everyday you look back on the years gone by and realise a 'sigh' has escaped your lips, just because, you still wonder 'How it could have been?'

Yes..Its not everyday that all these thoughts go past your mind, and it leaves you searching, clinging to those few moments that have been made into memories. That's exactly what the protagonist in the story "The secret wish list" by Preethi Shenoy goes through.

A humble story, the lines which make you stop and ponder. Because i'm so sure, every woman however happy she is today, will always have that one fleeting thought, that goes ' Thats one thing I wish I had done before I got married'
The book does not justify any actions, morales or any kind of upbringing. Its clean, neat, crisp and just plain simple. For people who understand (which is not very difficult) the needs of the woman Diksha, they would also feel the pains of Vibha (her cousin), Tanu ( a school friend-every child would have had).

There is an ease with which Preethi has made Diksha's thoughts flow, that even for a person who houses conservative thoughts about life, will think twice before judging her.
There is a bit of Diksha in everyone's life, and there is always that little bit of longing in a girls heart. This is put through so beautifully, that you just want to know what happens next, and before you know it, you are nearly building up her life for her.

I loved reading her book, and of course, I do have a secret wish list too. But I just could not put this one down, because of course, I wanted to know what the two lines at the back of the book that says -

"Does true love really exist?
Can a kiss change your life? "

actually mean. And find out I did, and wow!! It was so worth buying this book. A fast paced and exciting story, one would not want to put down in a hurry.


This is my day 23 post for marathon bloggers

I WILL :)

At Marathon Bloggers, we are one mad bunch. No doubts about it.

This week at the beginning, as decided we all thought we would list out our 'Bucket lists'. Call it paranoia? The Doomsday conspiracy? Or Just plain coincidence. Well Bucket List it is.

 

 

I said, I'd already done this a while ago..so maybe I should go check out what i've done and never gotten to even looking...well!!...I've spent half my morning trying to search my posts, but the post itself seems to have taken a walk into the sunset..

So I shall set out to make a new one..As we grow older we are entitled to change them, according to the needs, the demands, the technology and of course the MEMORY :P

I have never thought of it as a list to be ticked off before I die..NAH!! I don't ever think such negative stuff..its ecah day at a time please!!!
But these are a few I would love to have achieved sooner..

1.Climb the Mt Everest.

Its such a task that i've set myself out to do, that I still wonder..but i'm not giving up. The Himalayas, are my muchly loved mountains..that i've asked my ashes to be sprinkled from the top..that they happily dance down to the steep slopes. On one trip to Gangtok, my cellphone managed to wriggle away from me, and slid down to the steeps. I was happy strangely that it had got its final resting place..ya ya..I know, its weird, but I was envious too.

2. Kalaripayattu. This is one form of dance that i've always and will always want to learn. Yes, I know its an easy task. But being such a skillful procrastinator, i've never gotten around to doing it. So jump up in the air, and with flying kicks and graceful movements, Kalaripayattu it shall be..

3. Travel alone with just my girlfriends for company. This was the beginning to travelling alone. For those who do it regularly, they might never understand. But marraige tied me down, emotionally, physically and mentally. NO one restricted me, but I always made excuses. So a few months back, when a couple of my friends decided to travel without our families, I just went ahead. We were 4 of us, travelling to Bangkok, much to the amusement of the husbands, who just not fathom why 'Bangkok' But it was more about easy planning, shorter duration and most of our husbands had already visited theplace before, so we could go on without feeling guilty.. ( If such a word ever exists..sigh!!)

We had  a fun a 4 days. Of course we had those hundreds of calls, asking us for misplaced clothes, missing belts, maggie noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But I have to tell you..I actually shut my mind off while I was there.

4 I want to travel, travel and travel more. I want to see places, like the south pole, I want to go Machu Pichu, I want to stand in front of the dead sea and just look. I want to go to Brazil for their Carnival. I want to trek the Amazon Rainforest and I
want to see all the continents.


5. I want to be able to say 'NO', convincingly and without leaving me in a mess of guilt and agony. I've started the process, but I havent yet mastered it. My sister can't believe I find it such a task.




6. I want to hold a party at home, where I don't cook a single dish, just order in, have a mad time, and go to sleep without, cleaning up the mess. (Yes, i'm obsessed. Even if I were nearly drunk, I clean up the place, rinse out all the glasses, stack up the crockery neatly, and keep the bottles in one place, and make the place presentable for the MAID when she comes in, in the morning. )

7. BIKINI. Its one thing to go and buy it and another to wear it. I want to step out wearing my bikini, on a beach, and have a good time, without feeling conscious about what people think about my body. So on my trip to Bangkok, I picked up not one but 3 pairs ..and now to tick off this wish soon..

8. The other day I was talking to a friend, who was telling me about a music concert, that he was attending. I love music and dance, art in any form. I would love to attend a concert, but i've most times missed going to my favourite artits performances, just because I didn't have company. This is one thing i'd like to do, Go to a concert, alone if I didnt find anyone to come along ...

9. I want to bungee jump in Australia, where you go down and dunk your head into the water. I've heard and seen such lovely visuals about that place, that i've always wanted to try. I'm scared. Let me add. I'm a very adventurous kind. I've gone mountaineering in the Himalayas, done deep see diving, swam in the Indian Ocean with no land in sight for miles around, but I feel I haven't done enough. So there..more adventure and more excitement for me.

10. I want to meet (i've met him before as a 12 year old, but Now when i'm older and know what I want) Amitabh Bachchan and give him a nice big hug. Just sit in front of him while he talks..I can die just listening to him talk.

Ok so there goes my 'Bucket List' and i'm positive i'll be scoring them off sooner.

Shhhh!! Who is it?

'Christmas is a season to be jolly'- I have been told this right from when I was in school. I studied in a convent, replete with nuns, who we always admired. For their politeness, their sweet nature and also made them the butt of our jokes. All those who have studied in such an environment will know what i'm saying.

Its fun, watching the festive joy that everyone partakes, regardless of their religion. Its beautiful to watch. I have only lovely memories of this season. And the last couple of days watching my 12 year old getting all excited about these festivities, I know i'm not wrong.

So, I missed being part of the 'secret santa' on the Bengaluru circuit. I was sad. This would have been my first time and it would have been fun. But of course, Bengaluru Santa, has promised me the top post in the next one. And again as luck would have it..I missed seeing the post on 'Marathon bloggers' (thanks to checking FB through my phone). And by the time I saw it, it was too late :(..Yet again...Now when I read all the posts, I so want to join.

The sonny boy though hasn't been out of the circuit. The kids in the building have formed ther own secret santa group an dare playing with such gesto, that it is infectious. The little hints they pass across, the small gifts they leave for their Santee..awww!!! I know, it is too cute.

 

 

 

To make up for missing this big event on our marathon bloggers, I decide I will write about it..lol!!! And i'm so tempted to join in and guess the Santa for everyone..But my 21st post it shall remain..

Huh!!!!!

It's been 3 hours, since i've sat in front of the screen..and not a single word, has been penned down. I'm blank. I have a lot of topics, to write about. If I had to make a list it could become a post by itself ..But

What do I write about those ?

I'm what one would say...completely mindf*&%..

You know that feeling where, you're sad but don't know the reason why?

You want to do something, but don't have the energy to do it, only because, you haven't got the motivation. You want something, but don't know what? There are many here who are going through this. Too many incidents over the last few days, has finally overpowered our thought process.

In all this gamut of emotions..there is just that one person who can make you smile. That one friend who can say some really mundane stuff and make you laugh. Its uncanny how each time, we always find that dear person. He/she could be your neighbour, your sibling, your school friend or even maybe an online friend who you've never met before.

Some moments just create that comfort zone and you feel much better after that conversation. Some conversations, even if it is with a stranger, leaves you with that smile, a strange kind of an emotion.
I'm sure each one of us here have gone through those emotions. You don't know how or why? But that smile is back.

And just when I was writing this out, one of my neighbours (a weird one at that) on his morning walk, with his headphones plugged into his ears, just walked past my window, and all I could hear was "aa...ooo...pungi...." Some people really give you the laughs...This is the song..

Have any of you been through such?

Marathon Blogging has been such a high..and low, but this is how we all do it..hop one over and take this journey.

Tag'd, dancing away :)

Well I started off the day, with a blank stare. No ideas for a post..and then remembered that Simran and Sirisha had left an easy peasy task for me..so tag I did..

1.Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?
    Never. I find it eats up your insides, and never solves anything. But I never forget, so I will hold that as a lesson to remember in my future




2) What is your astrological sign?
  I said i'd do the tag for Monday..but i'm doing it today..so there, the most confused person in the zodiac family -LIBRA

3) What’s the last thing you purchased?  
   Books :)..Its always about books for me. Hardly a shopper except for the essentials.

4) Did you have a baby blanket? Do you still sleep with it?
   Not that I remember..but my kids themselves don't sleep with one now..so it sure would look odd if their mom went around
sleeping with one!!!

5) Have you ever tried to cut your own hair? If yes, how’d it work out?
  Hahaha..oh yes, many times. If I dodnt like one lock of hair sticking out, it would go. Because it didnt fit in the
scheme of OCD.But seriously, yes, I've tried chopping off the ends and have succeeded in making it look smart and well cut
too.

6) Have you ever sleep-walked?
 Sleep? Walked? Never. Its very ,little of sleep but its a good, dream on kind of sleep.

7) You can only have one of these things: trust or love.
  TRUST. There's no point in  loving someone, if they break your trust always. That hurts.

8) Which of the five senses is most important to you?
 I want all. I can't be without any. But i'm a very observant peron, who can register stuff just by one glance, so maybe Sight. But taste is all important too, because i'm a foodie.

9) Would you be a more successful painter or singer?
  See, if one can be tolerant with my kind of singing, yes, most definitely Singing. But if you got to listen to me sing, then you probably would quickly beg me to paint. So I shall be safe and say I Shall Stick to Painting :)

10) What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?
  Oh!! I have many..You just have to play some music (no, no , not the sad ones they play in the 5-star hotel lobbies..not that, i've never understood that ever. I can listen to western classics, but not in the hotel lobbies.)

But some that make me dance away are
 Dancing on the ceiling  by Cutting Crew

Nothing's Gonna Change My love for you - George Benson

I've had the time of my life- Dirty Dancing

Sara- starship

And one last one for the girl in me who can't get bollywood out of her system..

Jee Karda from Singh is King.. This is such a peppy one sure to make you smile.
For those who know me and are wondering why Amitabh Bachchan's (my all time hero) songs are not in the list..well let me tell you..I'm too possessive about him to let you'll know.
This is one, tag I loved doing..All you Marathon Bloggers, see if you could do this too, for one of your posts..lets smile along the way and dance away too 

The smiles that never reached Santa

 

 

Each morning as a parent readies the child for the day at school, one just dreams of happy smiles, smudgy hands, stained clothes and chirpy faces to get back to them every day. Its the beauty in the vision.

And i'm sure every parent of the 26 little children were no different. There were dreams of tooth fairies, Santa climbing down the chimney, waiting to fill their Socks with gifts. Each child dreams..and every parent nourishes them.

Little did they know the horror that awaited them that morning.

I went into denial..I just couldn't get myself to watch the horror unfold. I just followed textual information. The images would haunt me. But it will forever haunt me. My heart goes out to all those families and friends who lost their loved ones, that day. I feel helpless and inadequate when I read such news. But I shall pray for them.

Adam Lanza's mother had no idea that she was seeing the son off with such rage and intentions. No mother does.

We know that no amount of words, prayers , service or gifts can take away the pain that they go through. But we as bloggers would like to reach out to them in our thoughts and in our prayers.

There are a lot of what could have happened, and what needs to be done. I know at some point of time, there should be a solution to such madness.

As a blogger, I would like to collectively participate in observing a moment of silence for the innocent victims.

“Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.”
― W.B. Yeats, The Collected Poems

Day 18 post for 'Marathon bloggers'

Age is a matter of the mind!!

Milan Kundera - "Perhaps we become aware of our age only at exceptional moments and most of the time we are ageless."

A few months ago, a friend of mine was so excited that his FB status everyday updated to the anticipation to the weekend of music. It was the NH7 Weekender. The line up of artists were so varied and such amazing artists, he said. I was so happy, and then slowly I googled and tried to see if it was going to happen in my city, so that I could do something about it. All hopes dashed down with a bun :(

A few days later though I came to know that my city was finally added as one of the venues too. And so began my planning in the head. Finally when it all fell into place..I started thinking of what to wear and stuff. Its been ages since I went to one show like this.I did go to the Enrique and other shows..but weren't they all 'my time types of music'?? OK now before you jumpt to conclusion I must tell you that having a teen at home does expose me to head banging kind of music, the trancewala,(the one'd happily die listening to), the types, that would instantly put me into a rigor mortis pose..When the 12 year old sings on the top of his voice in the care "Where have you been all my life ..aa aa aa.."..I do wonder about the lyrics too :( Im not a prude, but I still have to get used to them singing such stuff and enjoying it too, right down to the Gangnam style...(PS..He even has made me dance to that song..and it was fun, inspite of me looking like a fool)

 I was much younger then and shows were part of our growing up. But now, the story begins and ends with my boys.
I had a traditional event I was to attend for lunch that day, and so when my sister called to say they would leave in an hours time, I was all stressed. Not that I wouldnt be able to make it..I could have easily asked her to pick me up on the way, but I was all tensed..How, how can I go dressed in a salwar kameez, of all the things to a show that had heavy metal, rock, pop, and stuff...oh oh!!!? Crisis..

 And then when my sister and I got talking, we realised, that we were overthinking because, we knew this place would be filled with all teens and college kids..and 'Are we going to look like aunties'..

So I was not the only one thinking that way..but I did go, and to my surprise, the band line up was so brilliant, forgot about who was what, and where they went.. It was so lovely though to see young kids, enjoying themselves listening to music that was so not their genre..and I came back all content and at peace with myself.
Music is a healer, to our conscience, to our moods, to our self inhibitions. Let go and be there..and no one can come in the way of your joy.

My day 17th post for 'Marathon Bloggers'

And she had done it again....

I ran. Fast. Out of breath. Lungs bursting. Legs hitting the earth. I thudded up the path, around the corner, right up the stairs and reached the door. I flung it open and .......

Was hit by fumes of smoke. The disgusting smell, the room all enveloped with grey clouds of stink..I stood there resigned, and watched, as my boys ran in behind me.

An hour earlier, the group of boys, along with my son, had jumped around at the thought of coming to our house after their cricket practices. It was the perfect weather, and they wanted a break from the strenuous evening.
It was a perfect day for a swim. So rushing in, throwing their clothes around , changing, they started bundling out of the door.

They had to be fed milk and some snacks, so I was in the kitched getting things ready...I was planning their dinner with a smile. These were boys, with a good apetite, and they so loved coming home. They had their favourite kati rolls, and pizza food joint right opposite my house. Thats when I heard the door open, and one of them saying a "Come fast, i'm going down.."

I ran out to look, and saw all of them rushing down and none had their towels. I quickly ran into their room, took all their towels, and ran after them. There needed an adult to be around because the children were all under 12 and needed supervision. While I sat there and watched them swimming, enjoying themselves, caught up with my neighbours, and chatted all along. The friend was talking of making sweets because she had guests, and that she was planning to make kheer and she had to step out to buy some milk. And I bolted, said a quick "I'll have to go", and ran. The boys seeing me, also had gotten out of the pool. It was an hour anyway. And ran after the mad aunty, who was running up the stairs..not even waiting for the elevator.

And then I had opened the door...to find the house filled with smoke..rushed into the kitchen..and switched off the gas. Looked down woefully at the pan on the stove. All blackened and pieces of ash and black soot flying over. Forget the milk, I wondered if there was anything left of the pan too..Sigh!! I had done it again..forgotten the milk on the stove but this time..it was all charred and winking at me from nowhere..


This post was written as the response to the 'Saturday's theme' and day 15th post of ' MARATHON BLOGGERS'

When TIME teaches you things!!!

That fleeting moment
The spark that fires
A glance that speaks desire
Oh! mind,oh! reckless mind

It was that time of the day when Naina, sat down to answer her mails. It was her space, her moment in time. She loved to drink her tea, and dwell on her thoughts. Time always stood for moment and let her thoughts pass.
In a few hours, the rosy tinge of the sky would slowly creep into the room, and dye her curtains pink..the translucence, would let the branches of the frangipani outside cast its branches on the wall, making them dance to the music of the dawn. It was now,that she always cherished. The silence, and her aloneness. Never was she more at peace. She and her thoughts.

She had decisions to be made, the day to be scheduled, the needs of her family to be sorted out. The day was going to be routine, and she loved the regularity of the routine. The rigidity of the schedules gave her the freedom to arrange her thoughts. It wavered just like any normal woman's would. Should she, she wondered? Is it right? Am I doing the right thing, by holding on?!! What if? Why not? It was getting more complicated to simplify the memories of the past.

Trust that was broken, lies that had been uttered. Only went on to leave deeper scars. Time would heal, they had said. Not really..it just went in deeper, and filled with more pain. She thought back to those dreams, the ones that had been woven, inside her happy mind. They had spread its wings and kept reaching out..but alas!! always to be clipped, before the bud flowered and bloomed. She had now to just live the day as it came..no more would she dream, no more wings to be clipped. Safer she thought...carry on, and keep them happy. It is their smiles, through which she had lived her life...

She got up and drew the curtains wide...letting in the rays of the sun, bringing in the mystery of the day. She loved it, she knew, it would help her smile. Today was the day she would live for..let tomorrow arrive with its own uncertainities..its today and now..so let me smile..and off she went, to face the day's lovely trials..

I have to, have to put in this video of my most favourite song. For its lyrics, the dance, and the emotions it brings..

This was written in response to a prompt called 'Time'

This is also my 14th day post for the 'Marathon Bloggers'...

"Come and share a pot of tea, My home is warm and my friendship's free."-

-----Said Emily Barnes, and it holds in my house too..


"If you are cold, tea will warm you;
if you are too heated; it will cool you;
if you are depresses, it will cheer you;
if you are exhausted, it will calm you. "- William Gladstone




When I was growing up the first thing I did, after waking up was to walk into the kitchen drink the mug of milk that was kept for us. Make noises, because my mother never gave us anything else. It always used to be NUTRAMUL.

The neighbour's kids used to be given the occassional treat of coffee. Now if I look at it, it used to be a whole glass of milk, with a drop of the coffee decoction, for color, i'd say. But coffee, it was, and they were better off than us, lowly kids drinking Nutramul..sigh!!

And then the day came when I was in college. We used to spend days and nights working on our projects, working in groups, some of who were out of towners, so mostly stayed in hostels. But work we had to do, and then the best option for us was the simple tea.

It would be made in buckets I would say. I have never heard anyone of us refusing that cup of tea. Not to mention the fact that, the cup of tea would be had, and then the person would sleep promptly back on the sheets ..I for one, couldn't..

My love for tea, started then..continued on, to become a part of my system, such that I was sure at one point that if you pierced my veins, all you would find is TEA. I was addicted and how. The little brown mug in one of my friend's place, was my favourite. I'm sure all of us have one favourite mug.



I got married and during one of my visits to the crockery stores, I happened to chance upon a similar mug, and it was straight into my collection.


My love for tea, and its addiction has reached everyone's ears, and all those who meet me, they need not know me well. That i've been gifted all kinds of tea mugs, all the way from Srilanka, to Macau to Sundarbans.

 

But my favourite and my comforter will always be my first mug of tea that I drink every morning. It has to be in a  huge mug and hold a good quantity.
 
"Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage. "- said Catherine Douze, And she was so right.

I have one set of mugs that I brought all the way back from my parents house, A beautiful one, that I covet even now. It hold memories, it holds stories and it is beautiful.

There is something about drinking tea in your favourite mug. But there's nothing like that mug of tea made by someone , and you just sit there for it..I'm sure you have some too.The liberty to hop across to your neighbours and say 'Give me some tea'..that's special.

My day 13 post for 'Marathon Bloggers'

It's been a fun 12 days so far at the marathon bloggers. The lovely posts that everyone puts up makes for such nice moments and have made some fun friends too. Do hop on there and read..I assure you, its gonna be fun.

Click on the image below, and it will take you straight to the cave of bloggers

Stop it, don't touch that!!!

"Oh!! Look what your son is doing??"-

"How can you let him go there?"

"Hello, is this Mrs R?, Ma'm we'd like to meet with you and your husband tomorrow to discuss something."

"Yuck, Such a dirty kid"

I have heard these lines right from when my firstborn started walking around without support. One would think I was a wicked, evil mother, listening to these words. What kind of a mother would allow her little boy to get into such a mess?

You must be wondering what i'm talking about? Nothing serious, folks..its just plain childsplay. What a child imagines to be his best playtime, others look down upon us mothers who let them be.

MUD, SAND, WATER...

This is what I am talking about. Very few kids I know would not like to get himself down and dirty. The feel of the mud, and sand sifting through the fingers, gives them joy. See how they transform. Watch their eyes, and see it sparkle. Textures are understood in a simple setting such as this.
If your baby prefers playing in the sand pit in the play area, watch them making friends, expanding their social circle. Don't stop them. To wash up the dirt, and clean their clothes, are a small compromise to seeing them laugh, and learn.

Years ago, 14 to be precise, a school ( a very elite, alternate type of schooling, mind you) made that call one day. I had picked up the phone, and as a mother, I reacted exactly as expected. I thought of all the worst things. When my boy all of 3 years, returned, I let out a barrage of questions. Tried asking him what had happened all day? It was of no use. He had nothing to say. I waited with monkeys in my stomach till the next day.

On meeting the authorities, I was shocked to say, more amused when I heard what they had to say. "Ma'm, your son was seen throwing sand on the other girls' head...(my eyes went wide open!!)..He also was enjoying it much to the girl's discomfort...(now I was nearly laughing)...But their next sentence snapped me out of my smiling reverie.

Would you like us to give you the reference for the counsellor who visits the children's dept at NIMHANS
Thats it...I snapped.

I was out of that school, in a few minutes...walked out to never return. Changed my son's school and saw him settling into normal environment with ease, and the smiles that he brought home, assured me I had done the right thing.

What kind of a school would think thus? Ridiculous I found them to be.

Have you ever seen how a child learns the basics of the very same boring school stuff, when he's taught in water, with sand or drawn with mud. Teach him to count with the stones, and seeds thats fallen on the ground and see how he thrives?? Don't always think the teachers are right for your son. Trust your instincts too. You are the parent after all. If you are not comfortable with their complaints, don't be scared to ask around but never put them above your child.

That was one experinec I will always look back upon and know I did the right thing then and now when I see how well my nearly 17 year old has grown up to be, I smile a knowing one.

A day 12 post for the 'Marathon Bloggers' and a special one indeed..because today is 12-12-12

Six and its pull

Was having a mindblock. So I thought i'd do a 6-word memoir


'Forever dreaming, getting married, grounded reality'


'Having babies, guilt ridden, proud smiles'

My day 10 post for 'Marathon Bloggers'

The SON'ny side of my life

             Children can be such puzzles, that if we sit and try to put pieces together, we'd take a lifetime.
Just when I assume..yes, the keyword being assume, because nothing is an absolute yes., that i've got my sons' traits all fitted into my understanding, he goes and blows it up.

Case here being.- The school tests are in progress now. Its a boring task I know for most kids and especially boys. We spend half the day trying to get him to start. Most times, either a very important program on tv takes up time, or that movie which he loves (he also stresses on the fact that it is a children's movie) is on at that time. Not to ignore that, the very said movie has been recorded, watched a million times, and the repeats are on through the whole week.
But who is to convince him. NO way..I've finally realised , its easier to let him watch for the said '5' minutes then go straight out and switch the tv off. Works most times. And slowly it has also given him the trust that I do what I say, and also if I gice him permission for 5 minutes, I mean it.

But the issue comes once he starts studying. He loves sletching and he's brilliant when it comes to 'work with hands'. Physics was a gentle breeze, with him explaining the chapters with so much passion. That I loved revising that subject with him.

Now coming to English Literature...the less said the better, i'd say.
He hates to do annotation saying it makes no sense to explain something that the poet could have written in simple language. He can't seem to umderstand why they say things in cryptic codes. So each time , I give him time to revise, there's absolute silence around the house. Its not a good sign at all , if one were to know my son. I call out to him, and when I call out to him, he sheepishly comes and with a proud smile shows me some artwork he'd have been busy with. The problem here is not what he has done, because it'll be so good, one can't stop smiling and be proud that he's done that. He is one smart cookie.

This was what was made with the connector sketch pens (don't ask me why they were out in the first place) - A tanker that moves too

English Non-detailed - This years classic is Robinson Crusoe. He says that answers cannot be detailed explanations because it clearly says 'NON-DETAILED'...I now think twice before I ask or say something to him.

We finally managed to finish the subject ...much to my exasperation...
But when he did walk out of the house I could see a sly smile on his face..sigh!!! wonder what he's upto??

This poem I read so sums up the lives of my boys...

“No sight so sad as that of a naughty child," he began, "especially a naughty little girl. Do you know where the wicked go after death?"

"They go to hell," was my ready and orthodox answer.

"And what is hell? Can you tell me that?"

"A pit full of fire."

"And should you like to fall into that pit, and to be burning there for ever?"

"No, sir."

"What must you do to avoid it?"

I deliberated a moment: my answer, when it did come was objectionable: "I must keep in good health and not die.”
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

This was my day 9 post for the 'Marathon Bloggers'

Those were the days my friend!!!!

         “A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.”
                                                               ― Eudora Welty

Life is about those moments we live and laugh together and if we have even smiled for a second, remember, it has made memories to last for a lifetime.

Blast from the past some say..and I agree. Because if it wasn't then how could we remember them with such joy.
It was the year '92. 9 girls working on a project submission, staying up days and nights. Wracked with fatigue and stress and 'i'm fed up syndrome'. That's when it all started. The wish to take a break. 'Let's go to Ooty, 'let's go to Mahabalipuram', said some. Mahabs was voted out because we had been there on our study tour earlier. So Ooty it was.

Life then was bundled into few needs. The hostelites had budget on their minds, we localites had parent's permission on our head. After a lot of stretched discussions, permissions taken and budget finalised, we set off to the bus station. (Then, this was the only option, because last minute plans, one could just land up and take a bus). So thrilled, we reached the
station only to find, the last bus out to Ooty had left :D .And now we were not going to change our plans, were we? So after a few
enquiries, we got to know that there was a chance we could go to Kodaikanal. Yeah you heard it right.But no direct buses,
so we took the one which would drop us off at the foothills and then take a local from there. (PS; If my son comes home to tell me about a trip with his friends I wonder if i'll ever be so brave because if  I could do this then, what about now?? )
Our friends (the guys) who had come off to see us, were very sceptical, seeing us mad girls setting off with no plans.They were asked to go back and let our parents know of the change of place.(That's it, no mobile phones then, nor were public phones so easily available). And we took off.
We eventually reached the destination and set out to find accomodation. Such are the memories, that one can never forget.

We have stayed in a different place each day, because we had issues with something or the other. But stay we did. With 250rs with each of us, we had such fun, that I can't equate now. Of course there were no 5star stays and lunches and stuff.
But we did have so much fun, eating friench fries, roadside food, eating in the tibetan hotels, that served the most awesome noodle soups.

This picture above was taken in the 5 star Carlton. It still stands tall in the same place right opposite the lake. We had
gone in there, wanting to use the restrooms..(clean, and very 5-starish after all), but we wont be allowed. So we ordered a
single cup of tea, and while we drank that each of us had gone in to use the restrooms, and to come out and rave about its
beauty. I cant believe we did that. We even took this picture for memories sake we had said.
One of my friends recently had said this about that trip when we were remembering those times."Big hair...baggy sweaters- good times but god awful style. Still remember the fries (finger chips) we had each night for dinner and the non-stop singing on our long bus ride back"
Yes thats what it was.
I can never forget that trip and the absolute fun we had had.
We are now planning on going back there with the same set of friends just to relive those days, but of course stay in THE CARLTON .
Its not about how much money we had or how good the rooms were in which we stayed in, we brought back memories to be
cherished, and to this day it remains.

This was a post for the 'Marathon Bloggers' and as we had decided that once a week we do a post about a certain theme, and
today it is 'Blast from the past'

The pen that writes??

The phone rings, I answer the call, need to jot down a phone number.
"Just a minute, let me find a pen"-I say
Take out the pen from the pen stand next to the phone, dang!!! It doesnt work
Take the next one, same story..the pencil too has gone missing.
This after buying and keeping 6 pens in all the penstands, I still dont have one working pen???

I still have to find the mystery behind all these missing pens. Everyone feigns ignorance and conveniently places the blame
on another.
I thought once I had my own house, this mystery could be solved because I would be in charge of keeping them in place. Its
been years now. I've bought pens on every visit to the stationery store. Feeling like a proud tiger, i've kept going back
every few hours to check. Its been there.
BUt lo! 2 days later, it disappears!!
I've just about given up now and calmly go all over the house with the phone on hold, looking for a pen that writes.
Im still in the searching mode...never to give up :(
My day 7 post for the 'Marathon bloggers'

Soothe'd

She stared at the sky
Stars countless
Winking at her
As the world passed by

This was the time of the day
Peace envelope
Like a warm shawl
Keeping her safe

She looked up at the inky sky
Wondering with an aching heart
What it was that it secured
That brought within her,

That sense of being
Safe and strong
No mean thoughts
Staining her calm mind

It was this moment of the day
Each night as she looked up
Letting the day go by
As the moment soothed her hopeful eyes.

This is my day 6 post for 'Marathon Bloggers'

Simple pleasures

"He sat down at his table, chewing on his pencil, the left hand twirling the new keychain which he'd said was very important for him, and working out some numericals in physics."
And then I heard the whine..my antenna went up. I knew he was upset. On asking him I came to know that he was stuck with some calculations..now I knew it was going ot be a tough job for me to settle that. He doesnt like being wrong (does any guy do?? ) But try I did. Showed him how it worked and explained where he was going wrong. He didnt want to accept so easily, so he walked away still scowling. And then I heard those words.."Thanks, ma..I got it"
As an adult I've always wondered if we are ever satisfied with what we do or what we have? I'm not talking about the larger frame of things. Not the regular ones that grown ups always whine and groan about. Materialistic stuff and all.
Are we ever happy with we do?
I am always never satisfied with what I do. I always feel like I could have done this better. It plays on in my mind, running like a jagged cog, and then i'm stressed because I'm thinking all the more.
Life is simple in the eyes of children i'd say.
Ecah time I look at my 12 year old, he brings out the world in a new format. He looks at it with no expectations. He's a happy boy. And i wish I could get that trait from him. He always has a reply to something that didnt out right. and most times it goes "At least I did this much"
I wish we could learn from that. When I watch him I know i've done something right, but then next minute I go back into the thinking mode.."What if's, but, and I wish..."
Wish it was as easy as being the child.
Do the task, finish it to the best of our ability and then if it works out fine , if not just go on...
Can we do it? I leave you with this song which I love

Sunshine on my shoulders by John Denver

This is my day-5 post for Marathon Bloggers

There are some amazing posts being written out there. Do visit and read them..you'll not be disappointed

The fragrance that catches up with my memory

There are some things you have absolutely no hold on. One of them is memories.
It must have been in the late 70's or early 80's. Our summer vacations always had to include a visit to our grandparents who lived in Mysore.The plan was plain simple.
All the daughters would land up with their children (spouses hardly travelled much then), and stayed for an entire month or so. No big demands. Just relax, get fed, have fun and catch up on their gossip.

My grandparents lived in a huge house that had wooden floors and rafters so big that we always imagined secrets being hidden in there. The wooden stairways which had a rope that we had to take support from before emerging out of an opening in the floor of the upper floor. This was fun, it was magic and it was our playarea. Nothing can give me back that kind of joy that we all experienced while we played there.

It was a house filled with stories for the children. Guava trees, overflowing with fruit as if waiting for the kids to visit and climb them to pluck. The bathrooms that had the wooden fireplace to heat the water. The earthy smells of the burning firewood, and the umpteen attempts by us to get it started. Always being shoo'd away by the magnificient figure of my grandfather. The toilets that were placed neatly in the backyard. We kids always dreamt up villains for the night and drove the whole
world crazy if he had to use the loo at night.(And now I have my kids complaining that one of the bedrooms doesn't have an attached bathroom..sigh!!)

But the memory that has lingered upon my senses has to be the one that hits my olfactory senses. There used to be this huge 'Parijatha tree' in the frontyard, close to one of the bedroom windows. Early morning I would wake up to the whispersoft pitter patter of the flowers falling to the ground to form a huge carpet of ornage and white . It really was something that I cannot get out of my mind even now. I still hope to hear that when I see a tree closeby. The fragrance the flowers would give
was so heady, that it came to be my vivid association with my grandparents house. Even now when I see some of those flowers it transports me back to those moments.
Some memories never go away,
some fragrances are meant to linger,
some sounds are always meant be reflected upon.

The fragrance from the 'akash mallige-the indian cork tree' that lines many roads of old bangalore localities takes me back to my walk to school.
The early morning aroma of coffee still reminds me of my parents house, no matter that i've been making the same filter coffe for the last 18 years of my married life.
(My dad a fussy coffee drinker always says I make some really great filter coffee for a person who never ever drinks it) And that's a huge compliment for me.
Some days I wake up thinking i'm in my parents house with the fragrances of the flowers, camphor, and incense sticks being burnt. That has always been my childhood.
And its come along with me, through my dreams and my memories.
Its precious and treasured.

Do you have any such memories?
Would love to know what brings with each person.

PS. This is my post for day-4 for  the Marathon Bloggers

 

That She Is :)

Blogging has its benefits. I have lost myself in this space earlier, much to the amusement of my spouse. I could spend hours reading blogposts, discussing topics that varied from parenting, to travel to ranting. Some really interesting friends were made.
Some have stayed on in my journey. I remember that one day when I was reading a blog and there was this link that said 'Just a mother of two'. I was curious, not with the 'mother' tag, but this 'just'. I have 2 sons so i'm a mother of two. But this link begged me to click on it. You must too, if you want to know what i'm talking about.

The journey began then. It was just interaction through comments. We moved on to being part of her first book, a proud moment for all her blog readers. It was ' 34 Bubblegums and Candies' and it was a lovely compilation of her blog posts.

Now 3 books later, she Preeti Shenoy is all set to release her 4th book Titled 'The Secret Wish List'. Her writing is simple, touches your heart and her books are so real. It keeps your head nodding with every line, because you've already related to some character in her book.
I'm mighty excited. I'm curious too. All i'm waiting for now is 'The Secret Wish List' that's going to be out on December 14th, 2012

Do take a look at what she's been cooking up and i'm sure you won't come out disappointed.

Preeti Shenoy with her 'Secret Wish List'


This is my Day-3 post for Marathon Bloggers

DECEMBER IS ON US :)))

My blog has gone into coma, and I had worried moments.
It was those days when, every moment was visualised with a blog post, be it an incident, a picture we took. A trip that was just being planned or some that were already taken.
There were dreams that were being discussed and trust me...its was fun blogging about it here.
I had a family all over. Who knew what went into my words.

And then one fine day..it just stopped. NO reason. No motivation. Just a blank space happy being just that.

But then there is always someone out there, who listens to your heart, to your dreams and sings a song.
Last week it was a spur of the moment thing. Monika dangled the carrot in front of me and  suggested we do this marathon blogging this month and I jumped at it. I so needed that motivation.
So folks..this is it..
I start off from this 1st post
and will take you through a journey.
Enjoy as you like it