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?

The month just whiiized by…

I have genuinely neglected my blog. But I have been busy. Also not my fault that January simply decided to whiz by. The month began with a bang with some good friends, food and fun and party every night. And that’s the way the month went out. With a bang and a fantastic party.

I spent the new years’ holed up at a hotel in Nashville. While the hubbies were working (poor guys), we women and children got together every evening with a new dish each and had a whale of a time trying to defeat the men (who just dragged themselves home for dinner) at Dumb Charades and a popular Indian game Antakshari. Needless to say, we still lost! Everyday!

Perhaps for the first time I didn’t mind losing but it broke our hearts to know the men had been cheating all the time. And we women innocently conceded defeat at tough words. Men!!!!! Urgh!

Meanwhile, my stint at Milford Piecemakers is keeping me busy. I finished my first quilt and its going to be showcased in the public library. Along with the beautiful quilts made by the veterans. They are also keeping me real busy trying to catch up with their one-quilt-a-week act. So less time to blog, lesser time to watch movies, and no time to read. I am still loving it!

Finally the month had a bang to its end. My daughter had a Zumba party to celebrate her 7th birthday. Oh boy! Was it fun? I must thank Corazone Family Fitness, for the fantastic choreography. They even included Bollywood songs and that was enough to get the moms and dads going. Soon the whole party (maa-baap, bacchaa sahit) was Zumbaing away!

After all that vigorous routines, we simply had to attack the pizzas. The pizzas were supplied by Aditi’s friends mom who runs her own Italian restaurant and they were so yum, we actually ran out of pizzas. We were forced to use cakes to fill every yearning mouth.So there’s January in a nutshell. Hopefully February brings more fun with it (and the winter stays mild).

Lost in action...

For those of you wondering where I have disappeared to all this time, the words weren’t lost in translation…I have been lost in action..

Running to and fro with daughter in tow, to various classes takes the wind out of the sails. Its fun to see her shake a leg and then kick ass. All in a day’s work! Hopefully she also learns a few things in the bargain.

I am also enjoying volunteering at my daughter’s school. A privilege exclusively American I think. The education system is plagued with cut-backs and the first thing expendable is for some reason the teaching jobs. Often short-handed but bravely trying to soldier on, in the face of strengthening rivals and determined third-world countries. US has its job cut out for the next few decades. The decisions it makes now, will impact much more than just its economy.

Oh but I was talking about volunteerism. The single most awesome characteristic of the American society. A lot in US gets done voluntarily by its citizens. They don’t always depend on the government to take action or for something drastic before they hustle. Case in point: Occupy wall street. Although the economy seems to be slightly corrected, people are rightly protesting against corporate greed.

We Indians are familiar with it, Greed I mean. The average person’s greed. Be it a peon in a hospital or the Telecom Minister. Here the greed is almost exclusively corporate. It’s amazing how global giants have changed the face of nature to put money in the hands of a few. What waste there is! Ugh!

But people are shouting back. My sympathy and empathy for all those who are sleeping on the streets in this biting cold for a better tomorrow. You are braver than what the world will ever acknowledge.

People volunteer at schools, hospitals, at senior citizen homes, animal shelters. There are websites that match your skills and interest to required assistance locum. (or is that loci). Earlier I used to be such a career worm. And now after witnessing scores of scourges, afflicting us the people, I realise my path forward is giving back to the society.

Through all my emergency situations (and numerous they were too), strangers went out of their way to help me, console me, even comfort me. Be at the cruel Kelwa Beach or in electric London. The only way I can give thanks is to take their legacy forward.

Onward then…and May God aid me in my efforts!

Long lost friends....

I know I have spoken about friends a few times here. I even went so far as to list some of my best friends. But on this crisp autumn morning after having spoken to my dad's best friend's son, my heart is warm again.

The fire of friendship kept even the second generation warm together. I suppose I owe this to my dad. He by example taught me to choose friends wisely. Not for convenience sake, nor for status. But a simple connection. Of hearts. His friendship has endured even 6 years after his death. Quite a legacy!

I have learnt well. Not everyone is a friend. Not everyone is welcome to my house. But those who are, reign my heart. Knowing and understanding the true nature of my parents and brother (all of whom now reside in the heavens), I have always considered my house my temple.

I have stayed in an extremely small apartment measuring 180 sq ft to a large bungalow. Yet the atmosphere not the size determined its sanctity.

In such hallowed circumstances, God has blessed me with some of the highest examples of humanity as my friends. I may not call them often or keep in touch with most. But please know that you are always in my thoughts. And am always thanking God for the privilege of knowing you. This time there is no list. For those who are special don't need to be told.

Caught sleeping...

The title works well for me personally and India’s government. I have been derelict of my blogging duties. The entire August went by without nary a word from me. Can I be excused? I was on vacation for the whole month :)

I ate, slept, swam, ate, slept. Not in my good ol’ town but near Grand Ole Opry. Nashville, Tennessee: Music City, Athens of the West, Home of the Parthenon, Publishing City. A city with many names and many facets. Loved standing on a stage with nearly 100 years’ of country music history. The Grand Ole Opry is the mecca for all country singers and has been since 1925. You can not buy a membership to the Opry. You have to be invited to oldest music hall of fame. Photographs will follow, I promise.

Nashville is cool. Wide streets and even wider highways. A lot of history there. The best building was the Bat building. Not Bruce Wayne’s home, though it would have been a fitting abode for the superhero. It is the AT&T building. It is surrounded by all the bigwigs of the music industry. The studios are awe-inspiring. To know that international stardom is created within those walls was overwhelming and kept thinking of Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood walking up those steps.

I loved the spaciousness of the city and beyond. Every little establishment had huge grounds, something of a luxury here in Connecticut. Not even the government buildings can boast of vast grounds. And there a man’s personal home had been surrounded by 30000 acres of manicured gardens. It took us half a day to see the various segments within the Botanical Garden. Humidity and Heat took its toll and we beat a hasty retreat.

Perhaps that was the only downer. The heat was oppressive. I didn’t dare to even open the door during day time. But that only gave me a good reason to sleep in. :)

Aah and the other entity caught sleeping. Not that I am one. But the Indian government surely is. Or should I call it a joke. Even with one of the best and honorable man at its helm, India can’t get its act together. We are becoming something of a laughing matter with bombs blowing up in every bazaar, office or train. Is Indian security so poor that anyone can attack it with impunity and walk away without the slightest fear of getting caught?

Are our chosen leaders and hired officials that impotent? Does not one official realise that he needs to take his job seriously? Not just as a source of income and security but with responsibilities and duties? These terrorist attacks are so regular that even the Indian public, the biggest victim of such acts, are getting anesthetized to them. Not caring for anyone except sending up a huge prayer of thanks to God that it wasn’t them. This time!

The social media denizens have led a hue and cry, baying for blood. Anyone’s blood! As the perps have long vanished, the face of governance Mr Manmohan Singh is the target. Poor man! He is a good man caught in a bad position. One man cannot change this country or its state of affairs. We all need to change. How?