Aaj to sach main dimaag ek dum khaali tha

Like seriously. Generally there is some budding thought but today I am at a complete total utter loss as to what to write.

After a lot of thought I realised I am yet to complete my chronicles of the India trip. Hmmmm so where was I ? I did write about the initial bits. Now for my fav part - BBSR!

As soon as we landed I could not wait for the baggage to come - for I could see my dad eagerly waiting at the entrance. I grabbed the munchkin and rushed out. He held Chiyaa and hugged her. I was so touched I nearly had tears. I know my dad has a lot of fondness for daughters and having a grand daughter he has become very emotive. Earlier I have always seen his stern disciplinarian self. But since Chiyaa I have seen the self that sneaks upon my sisters iPhone to check videos of the baby, the not so computer savvy person who keeps pestering everyone to log onto Skype and the one who keeps asking for updates on Chumki every now and then. Yea he calls her Chumki and I think that name is going to stay :)

Stepping into home was aahh!!! Home! Period. The pictures of lord Ganesha adorning the stairway, the handicrafts mats on the floor and the general air of the hard work mom puts in everyday to maintain it just fills me with joy and satisfaction. Once a bit refreshed sis took the onus of lunch. We got ordering like crazy from a local takeaway. The food was simply awesome but we were looking forward to the evening when we would make the haloed trip forrrrrrr pani puri!!! Woo hooo!!

Now I am a pani puri connoisseur. I have had it across the length and breadth of India and reached the conclusion that the awesome-st yummie-st divine-est and just out-of-the-world-est happen to be in Orissa ! ( Call me chauvinistic and yes you have full rights to disagree and you may even tout your state's fare as the best)

We made a trek to the place that sells the best pani puris in the world. I could write poems about them, I could wash the feet of the vendors, I could build statues of them or I could just keep on eating them. One crunchy puri filled with spicy potato filling dipped in the sour n spicy tamarind water - zannat kahin hai to yehin hai yehin hai yehin hai.

We scooted home and retired quickly for the next day would be long.

I wanted to try this too

I had read some where about a lady who wrote about 4 good things that happened in a day for a month. Again as always I wished to try that too. Now what better opportunity than this blog-athon.

These are Sunday's highlights : -

• It was brilliantly sunny !
• Had superbly tasty chicken biriyani at a friend's place by virtue if an impromptu invitation
• Tried a new venture today ( details on it in another post :) )
• And K told he needed 4 hours at work but came back in 1.5 woo hooo!!!

Lemme try this

I am generally a bundle of thoughts. There is some chain of thought or the other running through my mind. Fed up with these voices in my head, I think I started blogging. And now I have even taken up this err.. blog-athon. 

Now I suddenly see thoughts vanishing. Come onnnnnn! Don't give up on me now!!! I was wondering if I could post my din-charya (too lame), my kiddos din-charya (uh ho.... ) or menus I cooked or..... Urgh. Then I just stumbled upon this - why don't I write a movie review.  I have not done that in this space. I am very critical of movies and mostly I end up strongly disliking movies that are popular. Dark Knight Rises, Kahaani, Vicky Donor for instance.I whole heartedly enjoy the Bol Bachchans, RA.One and We Bought A Zoo though. Weird - yep.

Now coming to the movie I watched - it was English Vinglish. Hmmmm.... !!!SPOILER ALERTTTT!!!

I don't think I can sufficiently review the movie without spilling some beans :( 

Ok here goes --

• What's with learning English in New York. What about Rapidex English Speaking Course, Veta, British Academy for English Language?
• Completely beats me that a woman who could not order a cuppa coffee in a roadside restaurant ends up taking a subway to her classes.
• She was a superb mom and stuff, but I think she really forgot to teach her daughter some manner. Ek laafa lagane ka tha and she would be proper grounded.
• Why did she have a bone to pick with her hubby all the time? As in seriously when he hugs her goodbye at the airport, she retracts as if he has a contagious ailment. And this was the woman complaining about not being hugged. Duh!
• The mild romantic angle with guess who - a French. Yawn! Come on are we done with stereotyping here?
• She was going to English classes only not pole dancing. The need for keeping it under cover was?!!
• Wearing the over coat only after placing an order in full English. Hmm why may I ask?

These were the bits that were so jarring, that I felt like Hmpf! But then overall - I did not feel like running away :) I really appreciate these movies with a female protagonist, after Kahaani this again was one which hinges on the central female character. Way to go Bollywood! 

Well... that's how my thoughts are on movies. :) Totally off the mark.

Now comes the tough part

I had heard/read somewhere - the start is easy, its the continuation that is tough, especially the second day. I feel truer words have not been said. Be it anything - a study routine, a diet, morning walk, saying a prayer - the first day is done with such band baaja. With a sure shot hope that, everyday is going to be like this. I am going to study like this and complete all chapters and even have time for revision this exam. Nevaaa evaaa happenedddd in mah lifeeeee - revision karke exam likhne ki feeling kya hoti hai aaj tak nehi pata mujhe. I hope I get to write some exam in my life where I would have revised.  Amen to that :) This just gives me a cheeky feeling to brag a bit about myself. I always wished I would get 100 in an exam - always. There were many bright brains in my class who would bag a 100 as if it was some random number. But for me, it was always like 70 is brilliant! But then finally in my ripe old age, I wrote a certification. This one to be precise -->. And I got a 100!! Ahemmmmmm! Once it was over, all I was thinking about was getting to work. But then my manager made my day saying - 100!! Many people never get to see that. I was like yayyyyyyyyyyy yippppeeeeeee!!!

Anyways let me stop basking in long forgone glories. Same is the story about diet plans with me. I am not a proponent of dieting. I feel eating is one of the simplest pleasures of life. Just like sleeping! But then sometimes, my comfort eating goes a bit over board. I again derive comfort from the simplest of foods - tea and biscuits. Yep. I know empty calories and lots of calories. But what joy in breaking a nice crisp biscuit into 2 and dipping it in a hot mug of tea and savouring the soggy sweetness. Hmmm.... Thank God I just had a huge jug of tea else I would have left this post mid way and run to the stove. Back to my ramblings - to keep my inane cravings under a limit, I decide upon diet plans - which I start with alarming alacrity but somehow see my resolve shaking by day 2 (bas 2 biscuit main kaise guzaara hoga? Ek aur basssssss ek aur )

Morning walks,exercises,the  less said the better. I keep making and breaking schedules at break neck speed :) I was having similar doubts to this blog-athon that I picked up. Day 2, second blog, hoga ki nehi? But lagta hai this is one speed breaker handled :) 

Lets see number three :D

Hope this counts

I love something about marathons. I think I love the triumph of human endurance. Have always wanted to try one, got ample opportunities to, but always chickened out in the end. Run Fatboy Run brought me this close to try and run one - but then me being me, ahem *puk puk puk puk pukaaa* (To be read in chicken tone) 

  

I also love the blog of Reflections. I have been reading her, since God knows when. I have been on and off, but always a follower. So I read about this blog-athon (hope its correct :S) where ones gotta post a blog every single day - not forever - for 30 days. If you look at the face of it, does not sound so difficult  right. (Its like only 30 and not 300) . You never know till you do it - much like running a marathon.It seems easy on the face of it, you just have to run - no one expects you to win or anything,just keep running and reach the finish line. So lets see, if I am able  to keep up these 30 days, I might as well some day run! 

I wanted to start up yesterday, as in 15th November would have been cool to start. Middle of the month and stuff. But then lost track of time. So is this morning shows the day sorta thing? There might be more days, when I loose track of time, or simply have no thoughts to post!! That will make me a quitter :( But then, lets take the first step and see to it.

So ready set go........... This is the first post and there are 29 more to follow! *Shudders*

Diwali waali post

Well, this is becoming a ritual now, much like my favorite festival :) 

This Diwali was so ultimately special - being the first with the lil one! I could not feel the approach of the festival so much this year, cos I was a bit tied down by chores involving the baby. Since we returned from a vacation in India just 10 days back, I was in the re-alignment phase as well. But things kick started on Saturday when K announced the elaborate menu being prepared at sil's house. That made me realize that Diwali was just round the corner. I had the usual rangoli and diya designs planned. Yea if you may remember I nearly set the house on fire last year :P So this year lights were strictly prohibited. But me being the stubborn one sneakily got some candles from the local store. (Chance lene main kya harz hai ;) )

I tried my hand at making besan barfi and kalakand. They came out pretty good. Condensed milk ho to life jhingalala :) We planned to go to an Indian restaurant for dinner. We had expected Chiyaa to sit and eat with us and had gone all prepared with baby food. But she chose to sleep off! You can never anticipate a baby's moves! She happily slept off on K's shoulder. Now I have become an expert 'feeder'. Making Chiyaa swallow portions of gooey fruits, vegetables and what have you, I embarked on the mission to feed K as well while he kept the kiddo. It was good fun and way easier :) 

Dinner done, Diwali over  :(  Pictures remain :) 

Besan Barfi

Kalakand

Decoration near deities

On the floor which I guarded fiercely from Chiyaa :) Today I let her destroy it and boy was she happy :)

With the ahem safer candles

Totally totally safeeeee this time :) 

Hope you all had a great Diwali too!!

First leg

Dummy me forgot to mention I am back in UK. These posts are a retrospect of the wonderful vacation. 

After nearly 20 hours of travel we finally reached Chennai.

A must sleep deprived Chiyaa went in a trance to her granny, which pleased granny to no end. But then a moment spoiler - the loud honk of a lorry! And she was surprised out of her wits and shrieked out! K took her back and consoled her.

Once home, she was most amused by the - ceiling fan! She had never seen one just as she had never heard a horn. She was placed in the middle of the room as mil and sil fussed over her. After some rest we were raring to go. It was much anticipated that Chiyaa would have a lot of stranger anxiety since she spent much of her time with me or K. Being surrounded by relatives would be totally new to her, and there were lots of doubts as to how she might behave. Somehow, she was very receptive of everyone which was a pleasant surprise. She went over to anyone who beckoned.  She formed an instant bond with K's grandpa. She did cry once or twice when she went to other relatives and acquaintances, but then that's normal :) On day 2 sadly she got a stuffy runny nose due to the change in surroundings.She was very mellow and would go over to anyone and rest on their shoulder. It was heart wrenching to see her breathing with difficulty.

We met up with K's friends who were kind enough to come over home. One had got kid, one had gotten married, one had lost weight! Sometimes how much changes over 2 years and sometimes nothing at all (Hai! Philosophical me :D ) Anyways catch up with friends is always pleasant :) 

There was lots of eating, we even had a wedding reception to attend. We savoured the most fantastic fare there. Wedding menus are always delish aint they? Even though in Tam-land I have observed, the wedding feast is much similar to what served at home, but still, the taste varies! Again Chiyaa was at her best behaviour, going to everyone, enjoying a cuddle there, a kiss here. She was especially pally with K's paternal uncle who I felt had a natural knack for kids. 

There were quite a few chores to be handled at home as well - K got busy sorting his financial stuff and I was occupied arranging my cupboards and all. My niece was also around and it was good fun to see Chiyaa and her play along. There were quite a few tantrums from the elder cousin when she felt that the baby was the centre of attention. :) The funniest altercation though was when K caught her hitting Chiyaa with a stuffed bunny! He reprimanded her, she denied she did it (the bunny did it duh! ) and what ensued was a long drawn fight between mama and bhanji. It finally got sorted by a fight between mama's bunny and Neetu's bunny :) Who won? Well its like the toffee coffee dilemma :D 

The week thankfully neither passed too fast nor too slow (we dreaded that the vacation would come to an end too soon) But what I was eagerly waiting for, was soon there. The wonderful Saturday of the 20th day of October, when we took the flight to Bhubaneswar. We had an early morning Indigo flight. The check in formalities were a total utter mess! The staff were asking queues to be formed on a totally ad hoc basis much to the annoyance of people already standing in the 'original' queues. There was just one counter open where they were allowing passengers of flights that were due the next day and the next month to also check in :P ! Then suddenly they realised passengers departing today should check in first and announced the same. What followed was pandemonium. By the time we reached the end of the queue, they announced BBSR seats were over. K joked we may need to stand and go.Moved from one counter to another to yet another, we finally managed to get seats :) though not together. One saving grace through the agonizing wait was we happened to meet a colleague of K's who was also with us in the UK for some time. I had a good time seeing pics of his 3 month old baby girl while poor K stood in queue :P 

We were again having our reservations as to how kiddo would react to yet another travel. She was shrieking in delight for some time, which was followed by crying in distress which was followed by zzzzzzzz. We too took the opportunity to catch 40 winks ;) At 10:15 we landed! Bhubaneswar! Home! Maika!!