I am a Smug Married:)

I loved this post on charade's blog. I was just thinking that I am so smug married:( . Actually I can no more hold conversations   without mentioning my kids or husband at least once. So my dear friends here are my moments when I discovered that I am  a smug married

• Saturday, I was talking to Friend Sa who is married but works in a different city other than husband , who is kind of actually having best of both worlds of being married but staying independently. I asked her what she was doing and she said nothing, just lazing around, for which I replied I baked a loaf of bread, I am baking a cake,  all the while supervising craft work of my daughter. Sa knowing me from 11 years must have attributed it to my hormones and changed the topic.( Lord, why did u have to make me project my self as a superwoman to Sa who knows in and out of me for 11 years?)
• Was talking to colleague V, who is a sweet newly married bride, she said she dint cook at all during weekend, I told her that Oh my god V, eating out all 6 times, you guys will get stomach infections.How difficult is it to cook something.(Why lord, why did u make me forget my good old mera maggi wala early marriage days?)
• Talking to Mom on the phone, all the while instructing Kulla not to open the  kitchen drawers and bring out vessels.( I am sorry mom, having to cut the call, since kulla would have banged my LCD T.V with Milk cooker if I had waited for few more  minutes.)
• Talking to S(husband ) over the phone while combing kulli's hair.I yelled at  kulli, not to shake head and stand straight, so S replied how could  I know what he was doing? Since he  was just sitting on the office chair with wheels , and not standing.( Dint bother to explain, just told him that it was for kulli and not for you)

So Charade, thanks for letting me realize  that I am also a smug married .:)

Mind your English

 I am not an authority of  English language. With computers and MS word, I think I have even forgotten basic spellings, but I am proud to say that with all my years spent on Wren and Martin grammar book, I  spot grammatical errors a little too easily.

Now coming to this ad in the radio where in a husband  comes home late, and he says he was in conference room and network does not catch there, and the wife says then catch this and throws vessels. I guess its DO como 's ad. I was horrified to know  that the ad maker has not even realized that Network does not catch is not proper English.

When we talk to fiends, or family I guess its alright to do such obvious errors, but come on its on Radio and nobody told that poor guy that it is wrong English:(

Crows, bees , trees

 I live in an apartment complex which is luckily surrounded by some green space around it. Hence squirrels, mynas and  pigeons visit our balconies often. From past one month there is a colony of bees which  have  mistaken  humans to be friendly. First they built their hive in of the balconies , our pest control guys actually sprayed some chemical which made their colony un usable. Then they made a hive in one of the  lower floors, this time they  burnt  down the hive. The next morning, i felt sad to be walking on a bed of  dead bees.
Now, the point is  people in our apartment, are not wrong in bringing the hive down, since they build very close for comfort right in the balconies where  we dry clothes, keep plants, kids walk around. But at the same time, there are no more huge  trees in Bangalore, so where do bees go? Where do they build their colony?

India has suddenly woken up to benefits of haldi,  honey and  ghee but what are we doing to produce them?
We are demolishing trees in the name of road widening, apartments and malls so  honey bees and even crows have become rare. Gone are the days when I used be woken up by my deep slumber in the afternoon by some crow , now I long to see a crow and have not seen one from many a days.

Every body seems to have noticed the  disappearance of  sparrow but I have seen even crows disappear in my part of Bangalore.

Weekend it was

   I slept at 8.30 pm on friday without even having food. Saturday S had to go to office, hence made Ragi dosa with chutney pudi for breakfast.  Spent the entire morning just playing around with kids. In the  afternoon picked up the book , sea of poppies by Amitava gosh. Good  read, but kind of left me wanting for more at the end. left me wondering what happened to the people , did they reach Mauritius or not? I was watching Javed Ali on MTV  unplugged , he sounded so much like  Sonu Nigam. Even his inspiration is Mohmd Rafi. Its kind of sad, somebody of his caliber tries to sound like  Sonu. Or  I was just prejudiced, since S dint feel that he sounded like  Sonu.

I was up reading the  book till 4 am in the morning. Hence got up with a heavy head on Sunday. Lazed around till  S made me coffee, finished reading even spiritual tree in the morning itself.  Made rava idly for breakfast , and vegetable parota for lunch. Watched Dosti in the  evening  with Kulli on Z classic. Wonderful movie, lovely songs.me and kulli shed tears together. And in the evening caught up with Swaratma and shubha mudgal  on Dewarists , Star Plus., watched Mysore heard kannada , it was great. I wish someday I catch them live.Dewarists is a wondeful, wonderful must watch program.

Finished the  usual chores of ironing, cutting vegetables and watched an episode of House with S after the  kids slept.

Oh I forgot to mention, that I parked my car on friday and went into my house , and stepped out only today, dint go to gym, nor for a walk, just spent the entire weekend watching out of my  window.

So how was your weekend?

Wishlist on a cold rainy day!

My wish list  on a   cold rainy  day

1. Drinking a cup of  bisi bisi  filter coffee the moment I brush my teeth and come in to the kitchen
2. Sipping the  coffee  slowly by watching the morning unfold through the balcony, wrapping blankets over sleeping kids and hubby.
3. A declared holiday just to my office.
4. Watching kids play , fight, fall over each other, all the while reading a juicy fiction.
5. Eating hot anna, saaru, Akki happla sandige for lunch.
6. Sleeping with  a child on each side, their hot breath  and small hands around my neck under the  blanket.
7. Drink hot coffee and eat  home made khara bun for snacks.
8. Watch the night set in and curl up with kids by 9pm.

Its a Problem only if u think it is

Long long time ago there lived a girl who was young, stupid and a worry pot.She would worry over every silly simple thing. There was a constant frown on her face  always. Then she finished her graduation all the while thinking whether she would land a job. Once in  the job, would check the same things hundred and one times and worry about appraisal. Then she got married and started her life  with usual worries of a young bride. She would continue to be the same worry pot but life had other plans.

She was pregnant with her first child and then she gave birth to a beautiful sweet daughter. And this daughter of her's put all her parenting theories to a dustbin.She would not sleep ,keep her mother awake till 3 am everyday un till she was 1, not eat was underweight, but was a very pleasant and lovable sharp child.

Her mother the worry pot,  one day just realized that over the  last year since her daughter's birth, she has not worried over anything. She has not bothered to worry if she looks good, parents, in laws happy, did her resignation from her job make her financially dependent , absolutely nothing.

She lived life each day , as dictated by her child. And that was actually right. From that particular day , till date , the mother lives every day as it comes, just taking things as life offers on that  particular day,
Also you can get up today and decide be happy and actually just that decision will keep you in good spirits.




And yes the Mother , the former worry pot is me. And my little guru is Kulli. And having Kulla has reinforced my belief in taking life as it comes


Thank you kulli and kulla for making me a better person. The lessons you both teach me , can never be learn t  anywhere.

My take on what a woman wants

• After PP wrote  about what does a woman want, I thought let me also add to PP’s list.

1.       

1.        A magical  pill when taken will always keep you slim, no matter what you eat. It should be a one time drug,   and not expensive at all.

2.       Healthy skin, healthy hair

3.       Healthy happy children.

4.       A good collection of books.

5.       Some Magic wand, by which the house becomes spotless.

6.       Recipes which always come  out perfect,

7.       Some machine which folds clothes.

        What do you say , asking too much?

Kulli Speaks

Kulli: Amma when I  become big, very big just like you
Me: hmmm
Kulli: Then you will become small
Amma: why
Kulli: Actually you will become smaller than Kulla, then you will do what I want you to do. You will finish food,get up when I ask you to, and sleep when I want you to sleep.
Kulli: Then I will scold you, you cannot scold me.

Life comes a full circle, and looks like she already knows it.

It was deepavali, but I was working from home:(

Kulli: Amma you work well, you work very much .Bcoz I will tell all my friends, that Amma is a good girl, she will work very well ok.

Basically she was using my dialogue to make her eat food.

I had made Poori and Paneer butter Masala for lunch yesterday. Kulli is a very poor eater, and needs hundred stories to make her eat food, So I told her tell paneer that the  poori will wrap you and carry carefully to mouth, you don't have to walk at all.(Basically to maker her eat the side dish also). She bought this theory and was eating well, which I had just assumed.After some time I look at her plate and paneer is made into small pieces and still remaining on the plate  and Poori is finished .When I ask her what happened she says " Amma paneer is fat, when Poori went to carry it,it fell down, we should not eat anything fallen  isnt it so I dint eat". Notes to self: Be more innovative.

 

Volvo

2 weeks ago , I had to travel to another part of Bangalore, to visit a relative..Kids and husband backed off saying that it would bore them. So I abandoned the plans of driving, and stood in the bus stop. Hopped on to a volvo. It felt like heaven, ac, kannada music, kannada news paper, I felt so so good. I almost felt, I was in a plane, and air hostess would serve me  coffee and breakfast anytime. But realized its not.

I leave in new Bangalore,  basically where there are more and more apartments, less people talking  kannada, and surrounded by huge IT companies. Early saturday mornings, the roads will be empty and deserted.
 Whereas when I reached old Bangalore, I saw aunties in nighties having brooms in their hands, washing in front of house. Uncles wearing panche , reading news paper and  yawning.

Parks filled, with old thathas , laughing in laughter clubs. Jasmine,and vegetable  sellers selling their wares.I was reminded of my childhood, when thataha would go for walks, in the morning and embarrass us, by plucking flowers from neighbors, ajji would make us wash in front of our house and stand there , until we finished, for supervision. Appa would sip coffee watching the commotion un perturbed glancing occasionally from the newspaper .And we would  sleepily just sweep and pour buckets of water .

My kulli will never know, all of this, since we stay in apartments, housekeeping staff  does all the sweeping, and I just wipe in front of the  house on festivals only.No pouring water, since no water outlet. This ayud pooja also, teh car wash guy cleaned cars and kulli showed no interest in washing cycle. Whereas  till I got married we would line car, scooter, 2 cycles in front of garage and pour buckets of water on all of them and wipe them dry.

I am just 30, and i already feel my childhood was long time ago and those golden days were far behind. Tell me does this happen to you also?

Namma Maneya Bombe habba

Wanted to share Dolls of my house.

Be the change you want to see

 Last week was a very stressful week. I used to reach home by 8.30 pm everyday, then eat and sleep.Next day get up at 5.30 cook and rush to office. Everyday Kulli would create a ruckus and I would yell at her and things would get out of hand. I was turning into a woman nobody like to deal with. So decided to make changes.

Got up at 4am like I used to do before, told myself that I have to be happy today. Cooked till 5am, went  to gym, which I had stopped from 2 weeks, walked on the treadmill for 20 mins.used the  rowing machine for 5 mins, did 12 squats came back fully charged. All the time watched news, so saved the time of reading newspaper.I came back home fully charged and happy. Had a big cup of coffee, sitting in the balcony had bath prepared idly and chutney packed boxes, so I was calm , cool composed and done with all work by 6.30am.


I woke up kulli at 6.30, told her a story , fed her milk and gave her bath gave an idly and voila she was happy and so was I. Meanwhile kulla got up and kulli was already ready, so pampered kulla also for few minutes.No crying, no screaming, no shouting at S for not helping.touch wood

So I took a decision to be happy , coz I want my kids to be happy.And also I realized that last 2 weeks I was miserable coz, I had not hit the gym.
My advise to all moms, and what the hell ,all woman make your self happy and people around you will also be happy.Good mood,happiness is contagious. (touchwood)

Make me a better person

Today is one of those days, when I have screamed at my daughter for no fault of hers. I forgot that she is just a child of 4 years.
I woke her up at 6.30 and she dint want to wake up, somehow got her teeth brushed gave her milk , went to have my bath. When I came from bath to find her dozing on the  sofa with the milk glass in her hand. At this point of time, i lost it, time was already 6.50, i still had to  make idlies, get ready, get kulli ready. S was not even awake.I yelled at her and told her that if u dont want , you dont have to go to school. Then with great difficulty sleepily she  finished her milk, S got up and gave her a bath. Again she started crying that she dint  get face  powder.Then I did something very bad and I am ashamed of now, i screamed at her and told her I am not talking to her and she can go to sleep. She cried for 15 minutes, it was 7.25 when she came out of teh room, she had forgiven me, I combed her hair, put her shoes , by then S had got up, finished his bath, and I sent her to the bus stop with S.

The moral here is: I am claiming that I will always be there for my daughter. And how could I not ignore a 4 year old sleepiness. S does more than any husband does, in terms of   kids, but still Why I could not ignore his 10 minutes of extra sleep,, when I knew that he would be working late at night and would have slept  only by 1am. Why am I turning into a monster, whom I  hate?

God please make me a better person.

A Letter to Kulli who turned 4

Kulli you are my first baby, and very very close to my heart. Because with you , I grew up and became a mother. You taught me everything about motherhood. Love you so much because of your poise, grace and your gentle soul.Kulli you  have made mine and Anna's (S) realtionship stronger. I value him and appreciate  him more , since you were born.

Some pointers from your ageing mother of 30.

• Remember  Kulli, I will always be there for you.
• Work hard, women need to have financial independence.
• Take care of your skin and  maintain a steady weight. looking good will give you confidence.
• Kulli, I badly want you to learn music and sing in Chennai Kacheris.
• I want you to marry the man I choose.
• You really need to eat well, and become strong.Women need all strength in the world.
• Remember you will always be equal to your brother.

Back from a Break

August saw our Family down with Viral fever. First S, then kulli, kulla and finally myself were down with Viral fever.


So that took away the first three weeks of August, when all I did was take care of the kids, working from home when possible , and half heatedly at office when not possible.

September 4 th, my sis got married. So the last week of August was spent shopping for kulla and kulli.With the money spent on Kulla , kullis clothes and accessories, I would have bought myself a Kanjivaram.

So here I am back at office, doing the juggling act of a working mom again.

So regular posting will resume hence forth

A quiet morning.

This morning,got up as usual, finished morning ablutions and started cooking. Kulli got up at 5am, coughed and spit out the phlegm in the sink, and asked for a glass of hot water. Gave her that, all the while thinking that how grown up she is acting these days.

She drank water sitting on the sofa, all by herself , watching the rain from the balcony,put the cup in the sink, told me that  she is feeling better and went back to sleep.I patted myself on my back, thinking that she is kind of independent at 4 itself. I finished all my chores by 7.30, read newspaper after a long time . It was 7.45 and the house was still silent, kulla, kulli and S all of them being unwell and under cold medication were sleeping. With a heavy heart got dressed had breakfast, the  the maid who I assumed wont come since she generally comes at 6, walked in saying since it was raining the bus was late.
Finally at around 8am all three of them got up, since the maid dropped a vessel while washing, and woke them up. As I  waved to them they  sleepily waved at me still reluctant to get out of the blankets. With a heavy heart, I  came to work.

My house which resembles a mad house in the  morning, with kulli getting ready for school, kulla crawling al over behind his sis, was quiet and calm. I missed the normalcy and the madness today.I missed kulli sitting on the kitchen platform sipping complan and talking to me while I am cooking. I missed yelling at S to come out of the  bath soon, to take kulli to school bus. I missed giving bits of Idly from my plate to kulla, while eating breakfast .

In general I missed all those things which I always  complained on other days. I wish if I dint have to work I could have just stayed back snuggled and cuddled them, make them soup sip coffee with S.But had to come to work, besides I  have already flirted with SAHM  jig and wasnt happy doing it.

SO just prayed to god, to make them well soon and started to work.

So Sum, PP how was your morning today? And anybody else reading me, do give me a peek into your everyday mornings.

Zindagi Milagi na dobara- Movie review

 I went to this movie at the newly opened theater at my place. Wait a minute, theater is the wrong word, it has to be multiplex. So it had been almost 3 years since we had been to the theater, so I was mentioning to S about it last monday. He promptly booked the ticket for this movie.

So requested the  maid  to come on saturday, and lied to her that I need to go to office:). I lied to kids also, cooked saaru, palya for lunch and was in theater which was around 5 mins drive from my place just in time for the movie to start.

The movie was like an ad for Spain tourism with 3 good looking guys. Abhay deol looked out of place.He was visibly uneasy with the role he was playing. Hritik was supposed to be an investment banker, but his walk, his pout he could supress it, his acting was like asking a 10th std fail to pretend like a PHD. Sorry in spite of having crush on hritik when I was in collage could not ignore the fact  that he lacks acting skills.He was not suitable for the  role he was playing. He was looking quite old also. Guess my teenage crush has become an old man, so S was reminding me that even I have become old ,sigh. Age dosen't spare Hritik roshan, so who am I:). Farhan was the  best among the three. This role was made for him.He was the only one who was convincing.

Song except one Senorita,  the others I don't even remember. Screenplay was the  saving grace, as their was an absence of story.
On the  whole, I felt I should have waited for 4 more months or even earlier to watch it on T.V than in theater.

Drama on 7/7/11

 I was peacefully working at office till 11am yesterday. My son was having slight fever and loose motions since morning, and I had parked thoughts about it, at the back of my mind and trying to work. I call my home at 12pm, and the phone rings and rings and nobody picks up. I get scared but assume that the maid must be in the bathroom, and hence the delay. Get caught up in work and I call up at 1, still no response.
At this point I get scared, I call up my neighbor  P. I explain that my son wasn't well. can you please check on him, since the maid is not picking up the call, and she generally calls me if there is an emergency but still please check.She says I am serving lunch to my husband will go after 15 mins. At this point I feel so helpless, and I call up my husband, who has switched off his cellphone. I tell my colleagues that I am leaving for the day. They try to console me probably the phone is dead, so why panic.Meanwhile I try my land line but still no response, and also  from my husband who works 2 km away from home.
I feel so helpless, that I begin to cry, and then P calls from home, she says every thing is fine. I can hear my maid begging her to pass the phone. My maid tells me, fever is little high, and she could see that there is mucus in his stools, the phone is dead, she is getting scared and asked to me come home. Now my maid is around 50 years, she comes in at 8am , and leaves by 6pm.She is an honest and loving grandma to my son. All the while P is abusing my maid in hindi, that why have you not picked the  phone, and why cant you buy a mobile phone.Don't scare madam
Anyways I get back home, I am shedding tears and praying god, all the while I am driving. meanwhile my husband picks up the call, I tell him about it and he starts to home immediately. Anyways by the time I reached home, my husband has given medicine for loose motions as well as fever and my son was sleeping.
In the evening, I take my son to the  doctor , and he asks us to continue the medicine. After coming back I go to P to thank her, she sees my face and starts abusing me, she says how can u think of having fun by going to work, when your son is so small and helpless. Dont tell me you have problems in getting ration if you dont work. people like you should not have kids. I am shocked but tell her that not all people are like her, some women have education and skill and they get jobs, and kids are trusted with good hands and brought up. Just becoz mothers  are at home, does not mean that their kids will turn out well.

Anyways my point is how easy is it, to pass a judgement that I am going to work to have fun? And I care a damn about my kids. Why the hell that a women's career not important as man's?

Life has become a big challenge for a working mother.Everybody seems to have an opinion and judgement to pass.And especially you have 2 kids and still work, they declare you as a Vamp who is greedy and selfish.

Kulla is now fine, and yeah I am at work. So please feel free to judge.

A 10 minute delay= 40 mins Delay

Every morning, I need to leave home  by 8am. Even if there is a 5 min or 10 min delay, then I end up reaching office by 9.10 instead of 8.30. This morning kulla isnt well, husband was in a call, the maid dint turn up. I was so tempted to just sit back , call in sick myself. But then the maid came, husband realized that its 8.10 and took kulla from me and  I started to office.
Kulla is at a stage where he has learn t to blackmail well, he sheds big tears when he sees me go outside the door,these tears stop even before the lift door closes. But his face stands in my memory and I keep thinking why the hell I am working.
So S keeps telling me dont make him a mama's boy. He stops crying within 5 mins after you leave, he just wants you to feel guilty.
Mother hood, and the guilt never seems to end.And looks like Kulla has learnt to cash in on my guilt

What do you call your husband

The other day I was chatting with my neighbor, and her phone rang, she said oh Appa has called and she ran to pick up the phone.Now this lady is around 40 so, I casually inquired how is her father doing , for which she replied that her dad has passed away long time back.I was surprised but then thought she has a father figure among her relative whom she might be calling Appa. But after sometime while we were still chatting in the play area her husband's car entered the complex and she said oh Appa has come , will have to make coffee.I then realized that she was addressing her husband as Appa.I was surprised and found it extremely funny that a wife calling her husband as Appa.I am curious as to whether her husband address her as Amma ;).
Now I have grown up on a rich diet of Hindi movies.And there the hero's mother always has to address her husband as "hero  ke bapu suniye..."Blah I wonder what she was calling her husband before our hero was born.I believe it is our custom not to take husband's name, I wonder why and how was it originated.I am just guessing if it has its origin  in olden days due to child marriage, when the husband was much much older to his wife.Even then I wonder ,how the poor wife would refer to him in public before her child's birth.
In Kannada husband is most of the time referred to  as Yajamana.That means  the owner.For example If I was chatting with my neighbor and spot my husband entering the gate, then I have to say to her as my Yajamana has come I will have to go.I am really angry with this term of our language why is my husband referred to as my owner, am I his cow or goat.Anyways in India "pati parameshwar hota hai".
I was watching Friends sitcom the other day.In a particular episode Ross and Ratchel say to Feebie that they are calling each other Mommy and Daddy, so that their child Emma  picks it up soon.I think thats the logic my neighbors also used but then soon fell into the habit of calling each other Appa and Amma.
I address my husband by his name, so should I be worried that my kids also will do the same.Am I not intelligent enough to teach my kids to call him Appa. if not then god save my child from me:)

Musings from my morning drive

• Girl in the  Volvo, sitting next to window, I know that you think you are pretty. Stop doing the silly gestures, since there is no Rajesh khanna around.
• Dad with two kids on scooter, please please drive carefully, and don't squeeze in between two heavy vehicles. Our children are our responsibility
• Aunty on the bike with her office going son, have fun till his wife comes.
• Bus Driver digging his nose, please stop. And I am glad , I am in the car, or else your prasad would fall on my head.
• Guy who is in the car next to me and shouting using blue tooth, calm down , take deep breath.
• Fashionable lady with an ugly frown in a swanky BMW next to me, its ok stop frowning. There are at least 20 of us admiring your BMW.And for everything in this world you need to pay a price.

Letter to Kulla @ 1

Dear Kulla,

• No matter what, Amma, Anna and Akka will love you. But that dose not mean  you test our love ever in your life.
• There are tastier things in life like food, so please stop putting everything you can lay hands on in your mouth.
• Anger is part of life, but don't resort to violence every time you get angry.
• Amma will let you grow hair when she is sure you can manage it on your own. So please stop pulling Akka's hair for now.
• You are surrounded by two strong women, namely Akka and Amma , you really need to struggle to make a place of your own and be heard.
• Remember, Family is everything. 

Happy Birthday Kulla. The past one year since you came to my life, has been a roller coaster ride for me. You have been my DIY baby. Right from making ragi malt, dragging you to schools where  Akka applied, you have seen everything which has been part of our life.. Love you kulla.

Critical 5 minutes

This morning, I came back from my walk and stood in front of the  lift to my  apartment.It was in fifth floor, and milk guy had blocked the lift at each floor to deliver milk,I realized at that moment that I was 5 mins late from my walk and due to the  milk man, I am stuck for 5 more minutes.

The point is those 5 mins spent at the base of the lift, I kept worrying about the tasks which needed to be completed.I had a choice of thinking better things , like my kids, or just go out again and smell the fresh air. But I dint do it.

Getting back to work has made me forget the finer aspects of Life.

Random musings from my Morning Drive

This morning, while driving to office , I switched on the  radio and Sonu Nigam was singing " Deewana Me hu Deewana tera"  what a romantic soulful number. I felt good to hear Sonu so unexpectedly, that too singing one of my fav songs . Sonu you still make my day.Even after 7 years of marriage and 2 kids.:)

Did u know that there is Bismillah Nagar in Bangalore. Its on Banerghatta road, near Jalvayu bhavan around the  Subramanya arcade.building.

Saw a motor bike guy with a complete Tamil nameplate, no idea why he is allowed to ride with a nameplate which no one can read.

Driving during rain in Bangalore

Last evening, it was pouring cats and  dogs and what not. So I left my office at 5.30 pm, just when the rains have stopped. So one kilometer from my office, there is a huge jam under the flyover. Basically 2 huge lorries decide that they can go faster if they drive in the opposite lane, and block the  traffic.So vehicles from all directions have collected under the flyover ,and nobody is able to move. Now unfortunately for me, I was at the a point, which had a huge pothole behind me , so people kindly had left around 10 cms gap behind my car.So this goonda kind of a guy comes, he gets down from his bike and tells me start reversing madam, u get into the  pothole, leave place for 2 wheelers coming from the  opposite direction, lets not waste time. I told him, this pothole looks more like a small well, and i wont take the risk of reversing in it. He gets wild and starts banging on my windshield,by that time another ambassador comes perpendicular to my car, and he says if i donot get into the pothole, he will ram in to the car and drive away.They were talking in Hindi with me, and muttering in kannada, thinking that  I do not know . They were actually saying, who gives women cars, just bcoz they  have money they will get cars and make everybody's life hell Women should not be allowed to drive.

I was scared, but then dint want to accept defeat, The ambassador guy started calling me names in singular terms (tum) instead of (Aap), without giving even the  basic respect .I said to the  Ambassador guy, now in Kannada that look, ram into my car,I will switch off my engine and I have noted your car no and I will complain to the police. You think, I am not gonna complain just try . Then to the Goonda, that look you need not be self appointed police, go mind your business. Just bcoz I screamed people became all right, they stopped abusing me , anyway traffic took another 20 mins to clear, till then they were giving me bad looks.

The point is, just because I am a women, I cannot be taken for granted. I can drive as bad or good as any other man. But it left me shaking. I was very very scared, and also angry. I feel the  road belongs as much to me as to you.And how can somebody threaten me in my own city. Luckily I dint show that I was scared, or else people would have taken advantage.

Kullis first day of school

Finally kulli's school  began today. Kulli's first step to the  big bad academic world. She had been getting up at 6.30 am morning, drinking a glass of milk, and also eating one idly and getting ready by 7.30 am from one week. But today in spite of all practice runs , we just made it to the  bus. We dropped kulli and the  bus started.
After I put her in the bus, I started crying bcoz whole week I had been telling her get ready on time, and today the delay was from our side, not her. I felt scared of leaving her alone in the bus. Of course the bus was full of kids, teachers and helpers, but still I felt I should have gone. I wanted to take a picture of her, but was so caught up with work, that I dint do it at all.
Now sitting at my desk in office, I am thinking that probably I should have taken leave, dropped her myself , picked her up. Its kind of so hard being a mother.I am just not able to concentrate , as my thoughts keep going  back to kulli . She was kind of prepared from a month to go to school, in fact she wanted to go in the big yellow bus from last year itself,but I guess I wasn't prepared about her going to school myself.:)

A Thank you and a Sorry.

 I have started working. Now how I mange, how the kids are coping up, I will reserve it for another post. This morning, I set out to work ,which is a half an hour drive from home. 5 mins from my home, a  lady who was going on the bike, with her husband told me, that the wiper of my rear glass was on. I thanked her and switched off the wiper. It stopped midway and I had to get down to correct it. But thought will do it once I reach office. Forgot all about it. Was busy driving while surfing FM channels. At a signal light, I heard a noise from the rear end of my car. I decided whoever has hit, will have it from me. Turned back to see  2 guys on scooty. Switched off my car and he started coming towards my window, and he said, I just pushed your wiper back. And before I could say anything he went ahead. Anyways I started my car, chased him and said Sorry and also Thank you.
The point is why is it , that  the first thing that comes to my  mind, is something or someone is bad. Probably the road, traffic people have turned me into a cynic.
That is the reason, why I need my dose of kulla, and kulli every morning, they make me see the world in a different way. 

Five lessons of Motherhood.

I loved this tag from Kiran's blog. Had to do it, since kind of facing a writer's block.

1. You cannot raise your children without spanking them or raising your voice.
2.Everything else is secondary when it comes to your children.
    Career, money, sleep, beauty nothing matters. All that matters is your child.How else could I explain,  2 career breaks in a span of 5 years.
3.My life is important just bcoz I need to be there for my kids.Hence cant take risks.
4.Potty, susu, vomit, diarrhea ,snot, phlegm, mucus nothing can make me throw up.
   I have washed bums in between having lunch or dinner and just continued to eat, once the business is done.
5. And  I do believe in tears of joys now. I would laugh at it, when I would watch in films. But now I do believe in them.

Bollywood dance and Kids

 My kulli is almost 4 year old. She loves to dance. Luckily her playschool makes her dance only to kiddo songs. I do not watch any music channels, hence she isnt addicted to sheela or munni. Believe it or not, I had not heard them for a long time. Its only last month, that I heard them @ my parents house. Kulli has strict instructions that she should not sing those songs @ home, since they are bad and its not for small kids. Luckily I know other catchy songs, like ichak dana, lakadi ke kati, so I can easily distract her.But in the party hall of my apartment, during Bday parties, parents themselves make the kids to dance to these songs. And I also wonder for how long can I shield her from such obscene songs?

The point is, its very very sad that kids of 4-6 years old, have to dance to such obscene songs and copy the steps, without knowing the meaning. And also as adults, cant we find any better ways to entertain them? On voicing my concerns, my neighbor said,  dont do such serious parenting. I am sending my kids to bollywood dancing. There is nothing wrong, it improves concentration. I was Flabbergasted . What happened to age old classical dance classes. There are so many dance classes in Bangalore. Not a single one, is worthy of your child?.

I am myself not against  bollywood, its just that I feel it should not become a sole means of entertainment for our kids. And anything obscene is obscene, weather the child understands or not ,at least we adults do understand isnt it. Tell me whats your take on this.

These are a few of my Fav Ads

I am basically a person, who likes to sing. Sometime i keep humming through the day. Back when I was young, DD was the only channel. And serials were few, hence t.v time very very limited. Chitrahar was the only program which beamed Hindi music. So coming back to the point, there were few ads at that time, their music was so catchy ,picturisation so good that I can find humming it even today. I will list them, and will try to search them in youtube, probably.

• Doodh doodh doodh he wonderful, pee sakthe he rooz glassfull.
• I am too old for toys but young for saris, but I think you are right for Amul choclate.
• There is a new sunrise in your life, remember suchitra krishnamoorthy
• Ho shuru har din aise, ho shuru har pal aise, nescafe
• Kuch khaas he ham sabhi me, kuch baat he ham saabhi me ( cadbury choclate ad, wherein the wife dances and jumps to the field where the husband is batting)
• TVS champ oh what a way to get carried away.
• Yeh zamee ye asamaa , hamara kal hamara aaj, hamara Bajaj.
• Meri jaan, meri jaan murgi ke ande, khana meri jan, meri jan murgi ke ande.
• JAlebi, toh me ghar chalunga, remember dhara ad?
• Mango fruity fresh and juicy
• Shilpa char chand lagaye, shilpa bindies

If anybody reading my blog,  tell me if you also remember these ads. And also do leave a comment , and let me know your favorite ad.

Kulli kulla

Kulli is able to put her head under the water for a long time.But she is not able to let go of herself and float. I do not know what to do to make her float.If any swimmers reading, please pass on some tips please please please.
Meanwhile the coach disappeared , and I am taking her to the pool myself... Bought myself a swimming suit hoping that I can teach myself, but no luck till now.

Kulli has been acting up to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. She comes with a new excuse every time to avoid food.

Meanwhile Kulla  has learn t to clap, he sings aaa or makes the sound aaaaaa for a long time. He tries to snatch anything anybody is having. In general he is slowly but steadily learning tricks to get everybody's attention.

 During World cup , I vegetated in front of T.V from 2:30 pm to 11pm. Now with IPL , I have decided to watch only from semifinals and all RCB Matches.

Kulli and her swimming lessons

Kulli is going to her swimming classes in our complex from last week. She can float holding a railing, she flaps her hand in general she does everything except the most important thing i.e putting her head in the water. So yesterday her coach  (C)was trying hard to teach her this.
C: Kulli  put your head down the water.
Kulli: No sir I am scared.
C: I  have dropped a stone in the pool go search it.
Other boys search it for him, basically to make the kids put their head down.
Kulli: Sir please give me the stone, or else amma says if u don 't search the stone, i will not bring you to class.

I understand that my kulli is scared, but I also want her to learn, as its a basic skill and I haven't learn t swimming and I still regret for not doing it.

What a weekend

 This weekend was  2 days of eating and stuffing our faces with food. On Saturday, I had been to CTR Malleshwaram, and ate Mangalore Bonda, and Benne Masala Dosa., topped it with some hot coffee. Then went to Krishna sweets opposite to CTR and ate Mysorepak.If that want enough ate yummy pineapple cake from Butter sponge which my dad had got.

On Sunday, went to outpost in Marathhalli and ate Vegetable Dosa, caramel cake with butterscotch ice cream. And in the veining hogged on potato chips, with the Breezer while watching Cricket. All in all , with the amount I have eaten, I guess I have to go for a Detox for a complete week.
 

Letter to a lady with Make up.

Dear lady who is always with make up and dressed up and giving me bad looks

• Have you ever heard that phrase"all dressed up but nowhere to go"?
• Just bcoz, I am not in layers of pancake and tons of perfume, I am no less.
• In fact I feel like giving you bad looks, coz probably without Make up you might look like Bhoothni.
• I do not wear Spaghetti tops and shorts,  coz I am more comfortable in my cool cotton salwars, probably I should lend you a pair someday, try it you will never touch your cycling shorts in this hot summer again.
• I do not feel like wearing RayBan shades to pick up my child from the gate, coz I need some Vitamin D. And I don't like you passing comments that oh south Indians can bear heat.
• Last but not the least, do wear appropriate swimming costume when swimming, coz I have a daughter who talks a ton and asks lot of questions. And also bcoz its an apartment where lot of families live.

Kulli Speaks

Kulli had not been well on Saturday. And now shes doing fine.She had some stomach infection, due to which she was throwing up even water.

Me: what do you want for breakfast?
Kulli: Saffola oats, its good for health.
Me:OK
We went to the grocery store,
Kulli: Amma buy Saffola oil
Me:No kulli we don't get that brand.
Kulli: But Amma its healthy, don't you see T.V, and they give popcorn also free.
If Saffola, guys hear my kulli speak, they can make her their Brand ambassador.

Me: Kulli you need to eat well.Finish your Lunch.
Kulli: Its ok Amma, You give Complan, I will grow taller and stronger.

Just a Note: She watches hardly half an hour of T.V, and she has mugged the brands with their punchline. If I had allowed more T.V time, then what would have been the state!


Me: Kulli you need to puke in bathroom, run when it comes.
Kulli: OK, but it doesn't tell me before it comes, only after it comes out I will know.

I want to be my GrandMom

When my grand mom was young, she did not go to school, did housework all day, looked after her siblings and was married by the age of 12.She married my granddad who had a very strict mother, who actually taught my grand mom her way of doing things, assisted her in all her childbirth and her recovery from it and also looked after her kids.Now I am not saying my Grand mom's mother in law was a goddess from heaven, she obliviously had her own way of hurting my grand mom, but at least she supported my grand mom in every hardship she faced.My grandmom did not have to bother about working, since women did not go to work.She need not bother about money, coz she had very limited desires due to very limited exposure.In general, she led a very contented life, since she stuck to   cooking, cleaning, washing and trying to keep the ""Pati Parmeshwar" happy.This was the story of my paternal grandmom.But my maternal grandmom though she did all the above, she filled her daughters with desire to study and go to work.She made sure that they studied hard got good marks and got a job, so that they neednt ask their husband money as she did.
My mom studied hard, got a post graduate degree, got a job and married.She and my dad had dreams to give their children much more than what they had as children.Grandmom thankfully looked after me and my sis when we were small and supported my mom in her career.My parents worked hard built a house, bought a car by the time I was 6, put us to best schools, and gave us vacation twice a year.During my childhood I fondly remember the vacations which my dad had meticulously planned , though there was no internet.The hotel rooms which were booked much in advance still makes me feel grateful to the vacations my parents took us to.Of course we did not wear branded clothes, did not have hi fi toys, but we made sure that we have just enuff of what all was needed, not too much, nor too little.My parents never pushed us for anything, they gave us freedom to study what we wanted and thus I caught up the Engineering bus and became an engineer.
I finished my Engineering, got a job in a MNC and like most of the Bangalore ans,became a software engineer and got married to a boy my parents chose for me.I  changed companies, worked late, got pay hikes, just like my husband who also worked late.I traveled on site on work, made money and then realizing that my biological clock is ticking had a baby.Now having no support system as my mother had, nor the heart to leave a small baby to that day care I am at home.
Again back to square one, I am doing what my grand mom was doing during her days.I am at home, doing what she was doing.But the difference is, I have worked so ,I know the value of money.I am stressed out, coz probably at the back of my mind, I am jealous of my friends who have excellent support system to fall back.I cannot be content like Grand mom, since very week there is a new sale , new car, new jewelery shop being launched.I am worried that other women who work might judge me as some one who was not serious about my job.I am worried that my husband S might feel that he works all day while I am at home.I feel insecure if my house is not clean coz people might remark that I am at home all day and still manage not to find time to do house work.I am scared that my daughter someday might feel that, if I worked like other moms probably she could have had a better life.I feel bad that my parents gave me education, and here I am not putting it to any use.  But deep down , I know that probably I am doing what has to be done.Probably I am being wise for being there for my daughter when she is small rather than retiring early when she is in her teenage and dosent want  me around.
But still I wish I was in my Grand mom's generation, when I dint have to be worried or apologetic for choosing  not to work for  being just a wife and mother.

Once upon a time, I lived in a city called Bangalore, which is now renamed as Bengaluru.I was born and brought up in this city of Bangalore.People used to call it by different names, Garden city, pensioners paradise etc. As kids, we played on roads with our friends till it was so dark, that we could not see each other and then come home.The roads were just roads, no underpass, no magic box, no flyovers just plain old fashioned roads.Most of the roads were lined with huge Rain trees which provided shade to the entire road sometimes.Sparrows were  common and would visit us in our courtyards everyday.
By the way, we dint have a single mall in our city back then.We shopped at our neighborhood grocery shop.The shop keeper knew our family as well.So when we want to the shop and asked for coffee powder, he would give us our brand.Every month on the 1st we would make a huge list of groceries and give it to the shop keeper to be delivered at our door step by the day end.We knew almost everybody in the neighborhood.We knew their families, their aunts, uncles practically entire history of the families in our neighborhood.
We had very few theaters and movie watching was probably once or twice in a year affair.In the morning, some of us would go and stand in the queue at about 9am, ticket window would be open by 10.30am, we would buy the tickets and come back home and then go to the movie at 4pm, with entire family in the evening.The movie  would be implanted in our memories for so long, bcoz of all the troubles we took to watch a movie.Now with the age of Internet, multiplexes, tele booking, the fun in watching a movie is gone.We had only DD1 in our T.V, and would wait with baited breath for Superman series, Laurel and Hardy, Vikram Aur Baitaal.I can still sing Vikram Aur Baitaal title song.
Our schools were close by and we would walk to school with our friends.Our teachers knew us personally and going to school was so much fun when fees was nominal, homework minimal, and cultural activities maximal :) .(Just wanted to rhyme).We went to flour mills with our grandparents to help them,get wheat, rice flour.Stood in long queues in Ration shop, to get ration with our parents.Played with maids children, without being scolded by parents.Our parents, dint know, what were traffic jams, stress, tension and had 9 to 5 jobs.
Those were the days my friend.......
I wish,somehow all that comes back again.My daughter and son  get to experience my long last good old city again.

Which role does a woman play better

Contest

When  I  saw this contest about a perspective as which  role is important . I did not get an answer for a very long time. I personally feel a woman plays many roles and each role is equally important and she plays every role  to her best. Women are genetically made as givers and nurtures.It is scientifically proved that a woman forgives and forgets more easily than a man does.
  So coming back to the point , which role does the woman play better. She is born as a daughter. As a daughter she is adorable, vulnerable and lovable. The feelings which are evoked when you hold a newborn daughter is very different  from the feeling you have when you hold a son. She gives life to your forgotten dreams and aspirations. As a sister , she is protective, friend  and  a giver,  and no matter whether she is younger or elder she will look after and stand be her siblings. As a wife she gives everything she has to make the marriage work. She  embraces a man's home and family as it has been ingrained in her from her birth. She makes his life worth living , just by being there for him.As a mother she is the primary care giver to her child. She makes a decision to put her child first the moment she conceives and stands by it through her lifetime.And as a grandmother  she enjoys and revels in the bliss of her grand kid's childhood which as a  mother she missed it out. And last but not the least, as a friend she is the listener, the advisory and the philosopher.

And which role does she play  better.I guess a woman plays all roles to her best. And any role she puts   a teaspoon of common sense, a pinch of love, and  cup of wisdom and her soul in it. The universe exists because there is women who plays many roles.
As the  sanskrit shloka goes,
Karyeshu Mantri, Karaneshu Dasi,Rupeshu Lakshmi, Kshyama Dharitri, Sneheshu Mata
                                              

And I tag ,
 Sangitha 
Sum
Ally
                  

Lesson Learnt

 Every evening at around 7pm, after my husband comes home, settles down , I leave my monsters with him and go for a brisk walk around my complex. It usually takes around 30 mins to complete 6 rounds. These  30 minutes, are very sacred to me, coz i switch on my i pod and sweat it out in the cool breeze.
Yesterday, a lady who looked 9 months pregnant smiled at me. Now I see this lady from my utility window every morning and evening  going for walks. She walks little slow and appears to be totally pissed of with something. So  I assumed , she must be in the last stage of pregnancy, and I totally sympathized with her, coz  during the last few weeks of pregnancy, I was so tired and cranky and in general wanted to get over with it as fast as I can.

Now, coming to the  main part, So I smiled back at her, she asked me, shall I join you. Not wanting to be rude, I told her, see I walk really fast. I don't think you should be walking that fast. It not safe for you at this stage. Yesterday must have been my lucky day, she got super offended, but still she managed to smile and say she is not pregnant. She has a 9 year old son and a 2 year daughter. Though I apologized I felt stupid , to have passed a judgment on somebody. As it turns out that lady was real sweet and  I went for 3 more rounds with her, even though it slowed me down, just to make up for my error.

Moral of the story: Never I say Never , assume a lady is pregnant until you see a baby coming out of her.

Feel like a Failure Sometimes

 I have been feeling like a loser from past few days. Cant blame the PMS , since its not that time of the month. I am 30, with no job and 2 kids. I needn't feel like a failure, bcoz S can and will feed us and take care of us.But deep down I feel inadequate. Men of my age, my own classmates. have moved up in career, have bought homes, have traveled continents, and few are new fathers too. But where here I am, finished engineering, worked for a year, got married, worked for 2 more years, had a baby and quit. And again joined back to work after a year and half  and again quit to have another baby.
Nobody including S did not ask me or even force me to have kids. It was purely my decision to have them, and quit working and be with each of my babies at least for the first year.So it was purely my choice , but still whenever I meet somebody especially a man, of my age, I  feel little envious, of  his job, of  his house, his sense of achievement, and also the respect he commands.
As a woman, I feel nobody acknowledges that bringing up 2kids with almost no help is a big deal. Lot of effort, sweat and even blood goes in raising kids. I feel its easier to work in an office, but  its very very difficult to stay @ home and literally engage both the kids through the day. Whenever we happen to attend a function, S is called a "Complete  Man". just bcoz he carries  our kids, earn well and still takes care of them. But when I was working after my daughter was born, nobody called me a "Complete Woman". In fact  I  was accused of neglecting the child and getting back to work, when I dint have to earn a living. I just hate that nobody acknowledges the work a woman does in the house, let alone appreciate it.

Things Mom said, but I dint realize

Saw this from a nice blog, but I am unable to link her blog here. So here I list some things which my mom told me when I was small but somehow always ignored what she said, but I hope now when I say the same things to  my daughter, she  will follow it.:)

• Always  wear a good pair of  underpants. I have met  with nasty accidents twice in my life where my clothes tore and my underpants showed, thankfully I was wearing  a decent pair both the times.

• Be presentable, i.e Dress well always. I have gone to the  neighboring shops near my parents place and also now near my apartments, wearing clothes which are faded, and met somebody whom I know and felt ashamed about it.
• Oil your Hair. I still do not do it regularly, and my hair has lost the healthy look which it had.
• Cook little extra. I have been time and again embarrassed , when I have cooked just enough and some one asks for a second serving and  I have none to offer.
• Good sleep is the  best remedy. I still do not follow it, its 12 already and I am not in bed, though I have to get up to feed kulla once before 5 am and again be up by 6am to cook.This has given me huge Dark circles.
• Life is too short to hold grudges.I too know this, but somehow cannot bring myself to stop holding grudges against few people.
• Nobody is perfect. This has made me accept friends , colleagues, relatives as they are, and just shrug off , if they hurt me or disappoint me in some way.
• Do not carry Garbage, throw it. She still tells me, forget the past, don't carry your hurt, anger and regrets thorough  your  life, move on. But I cant shake off few things and still spend many nights brooding over and crying over it.

Silent night

Its around 10:30pm , I have cleaned the kitchen, and put my kulla into the cradle, and sit to catch up some news on net, just then i hear my kullli narrating nursery rhymes, alphabets, months of the year, days of the week and so on. in her room. In the other room I can hear S giving a virtual training session to  his team mates who are based in other part of the world. And all of sudden , my kulli stops the rhymes, tells her prayer, the usual " Ramaskandam" and sleeps.All this happened on a span of 10 minutes. Probably S has also finished his session, and the house falls silent. And all that I can hear is the  sound of my laptop keys as I type.

Pai Vinod, Party Hall Review

Been to an engagement party on Sunday to Pai Vinod party hall. I decided to present the facts about the venue.
The hall with a seating capacity of 100, can be adjusted  to accomodate close to 150 people. It has 2 very small rooms with attached bath rooms and a dressing mirror. It has a dining hall which accommodates close to 100 people at one time. And a small pantry which can be used to heat food. It also has backup generator, and a small dais. The dais is provided with a blue screen for background which can be used for decoration.
The Hall is supplied with food from Pai chain of hotels.Lets come to the main point now,the cost. The party hall can be hired for free, but the food would cost 245 INR per plate. And the minimum paltes to be ordered is 150 plates.So minimum cost comes to 37,000INR The venue is generally given to half a day at a time.The Menu includes:

1. Welcome drink, some kind of juice
2. 2 kinds of dry vegetable palya
3. 2 kinds of Kosambri
4. Pickle
5. Payasa
6. Gojju
7. One kind of rice, namely Bisibelebath/pulav/chitranna
8. 2 sweets
9. Puri sagu
10. Boondhi/Bonda
11. Rasam
12. Rice
13. Curd
14. Icecream
15. Beeda
16. Tambula

Quality of Food: Average, not worth 245 Rs.
Service:Good
Cleanliness and Hygiene: Good

The Decoration of the hall based on design starts from 6500 INR.

Overall Rating: Average. The location is good, with easy access to busstop, auto stand. Hence makes it worthwhile.But the big let down is the parking space, as the cars have to be parked on the Gandhi bazaar main road, which is so crowded that unless u reach early at off peak hours, there is no way that you can find a parking space.

The details are as below:

Address:
#196
Gandhi Bazaar Circle
Basavanagudi
Bangalore -560004
Landmark: Opposite Food World

Phone no:

080-26672580, 080-26508078

Click here for  the exact location on Google Maps:

 

Language Problem

Disclaimer: I am a peace loving, law abiding citizen of Democratic India. And I do love all languages.

  All through my life until I got married I lived in Old Bangalore, where all of us spoke Kannada, since that was our Mother tongue and so was it of others who lived around our place. Bangalore expanded, I got married, moved out of core Bangalore and settled in new Bangalore for work and day care reasons. Now though I am a SAHM, the ease of commute to work from home, makes me put in these new areas.
Now the problem is I stay in an apartment complex, which has people from all states, obviously each of us speak a different language @ home.So when I meet ladies outside, in the play area or while dropping my daughter to school, they start talking in Hindi.  I answer them in English. Then they ask me how come u dont talk Hindi, you should learn.This is when my blood boils .I tell them look, you haven't learn t Kannada which is one of the easiest language in spite of staying all these years in Bangalore. And do note Hindi is not Rastrabhasha as you think. And if u do not know English fine with me, but do not ask me to learn a language, when I am not forcing you to learn mine.

 S feels I sound like an activist when I tell these to people, but I feel, come on, how is it alright for some one to point fingers at me, when I don't at them.

Most of the  Kannadigas  are very accommodating, we learn all languages,we converse in the language you want , have made you feel @ home. But our government which is all scam ridden runs on Kannada language, so don't complain, ask for help people will oblige and translate and even do things for you.So you go to any office, you feel handicapped that you do-not know Kannada and everybody speaks in Kannada , do some thing about it than cribbing.If you feel the maids who work for you, and the housekeeping staff speak only Kannada and have difficulty in learning your language, all I want to say is you being educated cannot learn a language, or finding it difficult to follow, then why complain about  illiterate people.

 I guess I have ranted enough for the day.And my dear readers I am not Bal thackreys cousin, or even remotely related to him, I am just a Proud Kannadiga, who cannot be taken for granted all the time.

Love of my life: Coffee

I miss waking up to the smell of fresh coffee, which my mom would make every morning.Being a South Indian Brahmin family we take pride in drinking coffee. My dad says if u have to know the quality of a restaurant taste its coffee.There is this old palace ,which is converted to a hotel, the coffee served is always lukewarm, no number of complaints have solved the problem of lukewarm coffee. They say since it is a 5 star hotel, every items served, has to be billed in the kitchen, then at another place and finally at the cashier's table hence it gets warm by the time it arrives on the table. I plan to gift them a good Thermos flask next time.
I love coffee in the south Indian style only.The fancy coffee at Cafe Coffee Day (CC) outlets fails to tempt me to a cup.I would always prefer to drink in a small Darshini hotel than in Cafe Coffee Day.But if I need to spend some time with someone then of course I head out to a CC Day. During the recent times all CC Day outlets are filled with young college crowd talking loudly, smoking and in general mis behaving so much that u cant hear your own voice. I have noticed in few CC Day outlets they even let the crowd smoke Hukkas. I think this attempts to mass promotion of the idea "Smoking is hep and happening".So for now I think I am off CC Days.Not that they are begging me to have a cup.
There are places in old Bangalore namely " Sajjan rao " circle where the coffee served is so good that you can never stop at one cup.Another good place is coffee house.Here the waiters feel they are doing u a favor by bringing you your cup.They offer you free advice and make you feel grateful that they served you this time.
My sis P would never drink coffee until she was aged 10 or 12. My dad started a campaign telling her that if she doesn't drink coffee her brain will never become sharp, and so now the poor thing is a coffee addict as the rest of the family is.My dad sometimes has coffee after coming from his clinic at 10 pm and then has dinner.When he requests for a cup at night, we kids would be happy as we would also get a sip.
Coffee at my mom's place is made according to the taste of the person.Mom has a big tumbler of milky coffee with her sugar free.Dad and me have it strong with a pinch of sugar and at high temperature, my sis with normal sugar and temperature,maid with lots of sugar and milk and lukewarm.Making Coffee never stops there is always some reason to make and drink coffee at home.

Kulli speaks

Me: Eat soon, how long are you chewing?
Kulli: Amma, I have many teeth, each tooth wants to eat food, what shall I do.

Me:Lets buy clothes for you this summer
Kulli: will you buy for Kulla also?

Me: I am hungry, I will eat you.
Kulli: No Amma, please dont eat me.
Me: Ok , then I will eat Kulla
Kulli: No please dont eat him eat Anna (S)
Me: Why, then who will take you to school, who will drive the car
Kulli: You, you can do everything, you can drive, you can cook,you can take me to spencers, you can do everything.

I was thrilled to get the Super Woman Award from my daughter.

I love the way my kulli selflessly , thinks about her brother.

My Summer Camp

Note: This a post from my other blog, which is now extinct, found this in one of the folders, and posted it, since i am having a bit of writer's block.
My cousin of 10 years has joined Art of living Summer Camp. She attends the camp for 5 days a week for a fortnight for 4 hours. And this is not a new  trend in Bangalore, that working couples enroll their kids for various summer camps through the day, so that the kids remain active.

This reminds me of my Summer camp for 2 summers. My mom put me and my sister for the then famous summer camp " Makkala Koota" in chamrajpet. I remember there were interviews for even the summer camp and the list would be announced few days later.My moms idea was to keep us occupied from 10 to 5 which also happened to be her working hours for at least one month of the summer.And so me and my sis were put to this summer camp which was supposed to be the most prestigious one for the then middle class.

This summer camp started with early morning prayer. The entire crowd was divided into 4 groups , and there would be a captain and a vice captain. And the groups were named after the mythological rivers.There would be art class, cookery demos, first aid class. Then there would be lunch. Everyday after lunch, 2 kids from each group were selected to serve the teachers. And 2 kids per day, were supposed to do Sentry duty. Now this would be fun, the entire day the kids doing the sentry duty would be excused from all the activities and would guard the gates of the Famous Makkala Koota grounds. The kids selected to serve the teachers would be taught the conventions, norms and the rules of serving the food.

After lunch, there would be story telling session which would get very boring at times. And after lunch there would be music and dance class.At the end of the camp, a cultural day would be organized in which each and every kid had to participate. So the practice would start from the first day itself. We also had March Past practice in military style for which we were trained in hot sun for 3 days a week:(

Every day we were supposed to write a journal, and the best journal would be awarded a prize. And I had won it also.:) There would also be prizes foe best student, best sentry,
"bhagavad geetha" recitation, light music , devotional music, best group etc. We also had rope climbing and gymnastics classes twice a week. And a picnic with an overnight stay to some place.

Altogether it would be a tiresome one month. I had an additional responsibility of looking after my naughty sis. I remember mom had got her a shorts which had a huge face painted  on each
leg. And when she would walk, she would look really cute which each step showing up a face.

Hmmmm, those were some tough times, since after coming back from the camp we also had to finish homework given by the school. With that we had to write one page cursive writing in English and Kannada and write tables from 2 to 20 assigned by my Grandpa. And hence we would eagerly await the school reopening. As summer hols had become more demanding than school.

Weekend

This weekend as usual had made great plans.I was planning to take my kulli to the kite flying festival @ palace grounds, attend a distant cousins wedding,get my kulla vaccinated, eat out, and  last but not the least buy clothes.
But in reality I did none of the above. Apart from ordering Pizzas nothing was done. But what I did was, cleaned the fridge, watched "Maine Pyar Kiya"(MPK), and "Hancock".

Now  I have watched MPK every time it is on the TV, I had watched it as a child in the theater, but stills I get drawn to it. But this time watched with S hence it was more fun.

1. I hate Bagyashrees voice.Its damn irritating.
2. Salman Khan was handsome, age has not been kind to him nor his hair.
3. Bagyashree(B) was given such ill fitting dresses, if it was me, I would have refused to wear.
4. Poor B was made to tuck in a gents shirt in her jeans which made her but look enlarged.
5. She was made to  tie a scarf around her waist when she wore a jeans.
6. Her pimples are quite visible even with that pancake flaky makeup.
7. Salman Khan poor guy has been removing his shirt since his first movie.
8. Sumeet Mixie  box was promptly displayed in the kitchen of Salman khan's home, wonder why they weren't using it at all , or was kept for advertising.
9. B  was just P.U.C pass as stated by her, but still she was Adarsh nari.
10. Dint know what was so alluring in the doodhwali, that all servants wanted her.

But still I will watch the  movie next time its played, for its song, for its badly choreographed but melodious  songs and simple straightforward boy meets girl story.

My first Tag

Found this tag from Monica's blog, so thought why not do it .

20 years ago I . . .

• Joined a new school.
• Wore my shirt inside out to the school, and was laughed at.
• Was always humming "Anjali Anjali" song

10 years ago I . . .

• Was one among the two girls in my class.
• Met my Best friend , and she still is my Best friend.
• Started taking life seriously and started studying.

5 years ago I . . . 

• Was still getting adjusted to married life.
• Booked our first home . 
• Got an increment @ work.

3 years ago I . . .

• Was a  first time mom.
• Was running around like a headless chicken for my baby's naming ceremony.
• Life looked scary with no job, a small baby and the ever busy husband. 

1 year ago I . . .

• Moved  into our second upgraded home.
• Resigned my job again due to pregnancy.
• Was too busy looking after my daughter and setting up a new home to care of myself.

So far this year I . . .

• Have been mostly  sick .
• Have least amount of patience in dealing with children due to  sickness.
• Started cleaning home for Ugadi.

Yesterday I . . .

• Was preparing for an interview which I  did not attend.
• Hardly got any sleep @ night.
• Finally decided to buy clothes.

Today I . . .

• Might buy new clothes.
• Ate pizzas for lunch.
• Feel cranky due to lack of sleep..

Kulli speaks

Me: Call up S to come home little early since I was having a headache.

Kulli: Amma, dont worry Anna (i.e S) wont come early.

         He will always tell 5mins mins , but he will all ways be late .

Kulli: Amma , I am a big girl now

Me: Nodding absentmindedly, yes yes

Kulli: Then I can touch your Laptop, wear diamonds isn't it?

Shankranti

Shankranti is one of my favorite festival. As a kid loved this festival, since it meant getting to visit many houses.

Mom would make sweet pongal and khara pongal. We would get up early in the morning have head bath and wear new clothees.Then eat the yellu which mom had done nivedhya to God and set out. In a plate there would be sugarcane, yellu, sakkare acchu , banana, a small mud pot with yelchi hannu, and and some small gift like a plastic container.Me sis and dad would visit all the neighbors  and  would return home for lunch, then with mom we would visit the grandparents , uncles and aunts, basically all the siblings of my parents.

And then I got married, and the Bagina  madness started. First year I gave a plastic basket and 5 bananas.Second year trays and 10 bananas. Third year  a  silver cup , to mark the birth of my Kulli and 15 bananas. Fourth  year jute bag and  20 bananas  and fifth year  1kg  plastic jar and  25  bananas. And finally this year silver krishna to mark the birth of my kulla.

At the end of the festival day this year  I  heaved a sigh of relief as I am not technically expected to give anything next year .But  I felt sad too as I will miss the 15 houses which I have been visiting on Shankranti day all these years.

Where was I

The new year brought in infections to our home. First I was sick, then my kulla and kulli and last but not the least S.And then came shankranti,  which made more sick by visiting  relatives and distributing yellu bella. Finally now I have got some rest and lot of left over bananas, which I plan to make muffins and finish it . More updates on the muffins later.

New Year Resolutions

1. I weigh 56 kgs lose  4 kgs  by December 2011.
2. Start teaching Music for Kulli.
3. Search a guru for myself and begin lessons .
4. Learn Yoga 
5. Be more patient with self and children.
6. Get the planned Certification
7. Record Light music lessons.
8. Post at least 3 posts per week.