Giving Thanks...

4 days off for Thanksgiving…Bliss. Usually it means a lot of cooking for the Americans… traveling, family, tension and the unforgettable shopping on Black Friday. For many Indians, Thanksgiving means shopping for deals and traveling to far-off places. We did the same. 654 plus miles or 1078 kms in Texas. Traveled in a triangle of Dallas, Austin and Houston. That however will be a different blog, not my current topic.

 

I was compelled to write how beautiful Thanksgiving has eventually turned out for me. One offers thanks to God for all the good things in one’s life. In my case, while I keep thanking the Lord ever so often for my friends and family, the real feeling was enforced thanks to my 7 year old daughter.

 

Back to school after the holidays, meant I was too tired to cook much and had quite a few volunteer duties. Yesterday I pulled a full day shift at school. The first 2 hours volunteering at the library. I knew I had to put in hours at the Paw Printers, our school’s voluntary branch that prints books, poems etc written by students, class or teachers. All in aid of encouraging the budding author or poetess out there.

 

My trouble is I can’t work on an empty stomach and so had decided to have lunch with my daughter after library and then continue at the workroom. Unfortunately I had forgotten that my daughter goes in for lunch at 11 am and I was to work at the library until 11.30 am. When I realised my mistake, had to choose between going back home to have lunch and come back again for Paw Printers or forego lunch (really not an option at all) or work till 1 pm and then call it a day.

 

While I was musing my un-attractive options sitting on the librarian’s chair, in walks my daughter with her teacher holding a lunch tray. Students aren’t allowed to walk out of their assigned rooms, so she convinced her teacher that her mom wanted to eat lunch but couldn’t leave the library.

 

Her teacher fell in with the plan and lo and behold, fish fingers, baked potatoes, cut mangoes and crazy cake stared at me in the middle of the library.

 

I was genuinely over-whelmed. I had not thought my daughter, all of 7 years would go out of her way to remember her hungry mom and buy lunch picking her favorite items and talk her teacher into walking down the hall way, into the library with a laden tray.

 

It was her gesture and kindness that just bowled me over. I knew she was kind but this was beyond expectations. Even her teacher realised how touched I was and gave her a hug, saying you made her day. (Of course, she refuses to let me forget that now!)

 

She insists that I do not scold or discipline her or compel her to study..basically just let her do what she wants (which means she has been snuggling up with me in my bed every night and watching 3 Idiots over you tube…grrr).

 

I can not give enough thanks to God for blessing me with such a sweet-heart. Yes I have a tiny family but this family is priceless. My one child is God’s greatest gift to me. Thank you Lord for blessing me with Aditi…

Its a dawg's world....

The surest way a child can ensure that he/she gets a puppy is to ask for a little brother/sister. My daughter has somehow learnt this from someone who needs to go into hiding. :/

 

My family is a small one. I do feel the need of a having a slightly larger family and did consider having siblings for my daughter. God and husband unwilling, learnt to be happy with a tiny family, making my daughter the apple of my weak eyes.

 

However, the new pressure is now to get a pet. It started about 5 years back when we were in India, and my daughter was just 2 plus. Lets get a puppy…pleeeeeassse…..

 

Luckily we stayed in an apartment and I misused an article which basically stated keeping a big dog in a small apartment amounts to animal cruelty. I soooo agree, and have happily given up my dream of living in my own sweet cottage.

 

Luckily also we moved to a different country so the argument of having to deal with broken hearts and ties, won battles.

 

However, we landed in Dog’s own country. The US of A. Here many dogs have better lives than most humans in India. And so started the chant we want a pet. Any pet. Our apartment managers allowed only cats. As we all know, Dogs have owners, cats have staff…Saved by the skin of my teeth.

 

Instead we happily got fish. Of course my husband always believes in more is more. So he got 4. Truth be told, I grew attached to them most. Talking to them, watching them spin their magic, concerned for their well-being in extreme weather. Until we moved.

 

Happily we managed to find a great home for our pets. My sister from across the seven seas, and her cute little boys now look after Goldie, Pepperoni, Ray and Goldilocks.

 

Down south, the houses are huge but the apartments are small. Although we are allowed to keep dogs at an exorbitant fee of $400, the apartment is too small to keep anything bigger than a Pomeranian. So the options are all the tiny yappy ones, which I hate.

 

If I am asked, I like the big stately dogs, who walk around commanding respect and dignity. My favorite is the Golden Shepherd. Can do with Golden Retriever and the brown Labrador. For a dog of that size we need a house and that is still a few years away.

 

My main problem is I am petrified of anything that moves and can jump. (including some so-called humans). I can not bring myself to touch them, so imagine having a pesky dog! I’d try to climb the highest furniture but unfortunately a dog can jump too. And will too, thinking its a fun game.

 

My friends have in the past tried to make me get over my crippling fear. I have petted under safe observance. But the sensory organs go dead the moment my hand reaches out to pet. And heaven help me if the dog tries to lick me or even come close to take a sniff. I had be out of the house in a heart beat. Since I do need a roof and my family needs to feel complete, I will have to get over this fear.

Also arguments have won me over. Like:

• The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.
• You can say any fool thing to a dog, and the dog will give you this look that says, “My God, you’re right! I never would’ve thought of that!” – Dave Barry

While friends say its a lot of work, its so much easier than getting pregnant. (I know I’ll be crucified by the Madre Brigade, but having only recently regained my life and watching countless friends wrung like a wet towel running behind kids, I am sold). I can also feel  their unconditional love vs. the cold disdain of cats. And love dahhlings I will take. In whatever form.

 

What should I do? Animal shrink? Oh that had be for the animal. so just a shrink then?

Whats next?

Its been such a while since I have written anything, almost the whole of 2012 neglected.

 

A lot has happened through these months. I moved to a different state. Moved away from Hurricane Sandy, in the nick of time it seems. To warmer climes. Except I prefer colder weather and love snow. I will miss it this year. Was saddened by the amount of destruction Sandy brought to my beloved coastline. All those beautiful houses by the beach destroyed. Insurance barely covers the loss. In this economy, people will be hard put to get their finances straightened out. And now their dream homes have turned to rotting messes.

 

Personally, a lot of ups and downs. While the downs have been life-changing downs, the ups have been life-enhancing. I have suddenly found myself an alternate career in volunteering. So instead of having basically not much to do, I find myself having to organise my dates and time using ipad apps.

 

Oh also got myself an iPad this year and the iPhone 5 is on the way. Was torn between Samsung Galaxy SIII, Note 2 and the iPhone 5. Even though I have come to prefer the Android, chose the iPhone 5 due to some bad reviews from friends regarding battery life and size.

 

Perhaps, I can blame my reticence on the iPad. It’s difficult to pen long thoughts on a device which doesn’t provide save drafts option. Have lost number of articles after typing them, because the touch screen is sensitive to even a fleeting brush. Hopefully, the iPhone 5 is all that it promises.

 

It is almost the end of 2012, and cant wait to get rid of it. I love this time of the year. Holiday season is so cool. Something to look forward to. Time spent with family. Holidays. Traveling, Shopping and of course gifts.

 

What will be next?