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?

What a nice day...

Beautiful sunshine and bright blue waters...had a lung full of air out jogging with Aditi...Slept like a baby after that..

Some followups...

1. My dear Goldie (goldfish) is going great fins..or do i mean guns. He has grown big but still doesn't have a girlfriend. :( Dad's being strict about it :( Why do I keep calling him a 'he'? Ahh...to keep the battle of the sexes even.

2. Mahi Way is still going the right way. I do harbour a little fear in a corner that it might be a copy of Bridget Jones' Diary. If it is, it is still a very good copy. The story and dialogue writers are doing a good job. Heard it doesn't have good TRPs. A good series after a long time and no one in India wants to watch it.. Go figure.

3. No decent movie in recent times . :( Have gone back to my all time favourite Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie.

4. ZEE TV seems to be doing a better job in reality shows than Sony. 1 example: Indian Idol vs Sa re Ga Ma. No one knows where the Idol winners are these days. Other than Abhijit Sawant, everyone else has disappeared off the map. Sa re ga ma has launched careers of several leading singers like Sunidhi Chauhan. Therefore, the more serious candidates seem to make a bee line for Zee.

5. I stopped watching cricket when Kapil Dev was accused of match-fixing. I was therefore skeptical of IPL. I am beginning to come round though. IPL has in the very least destroyed the unshakable placement of 14 players. Due to number of regional teams and a fixed salary, a lot of people will get to play and not have to worry about rozi roti or endorsements. Me likes.

Goldie & Vijender are growing...SRK is not...

An update on my second one....He is growing fast, so fast that we may have to change his house.

Hey I am talking about my goldfish. The bowl isn't big enough for him anymore. We are thinking of buying a tank so that we can get some friends for him. Strange..whether it is my daughter or the fish, I am worrying about getting playmates for them both. But the best update is that Bish (my husband) has also started talking to him. :) I found Bish apologising to Goldie for delaying his meal by a half hour.
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Happy to know a celebrity put India's name on the map in a positive manner. Vijender Singh has become World no 2 in International Boxing 75kgs category. Congratulations to you Vijender. Way to go!!! Finally, we have a sportsman among us.

Meanwhile SRK created a ruckus about spending an hour aside at immigrations in US. I had been sent into a room the first time I traveled to UK. Because some idiot had not updated my health records. I had to prove I was healthy enough to enter UK. Fortunately, I had my X -Rays and med reports with me. Another Indian lady traveling alone had the misfortune to find out at the immigration counter, she had TB and was therefore to be stopped from entering UK. Wonder why no one told her before she left her country.

The UK guy looked badly overworked and ready to fuse. While traveling to US, we had a smooth transition. Should SRK have created such a ruckus? Considering the way celebrities (especially Americans) behave, I guess so. But I was really cheesed to see the Indian governtment and public crying foul, when hardly anyone said a word about Ex President APJ Kalam being frisked by an international airline. That is way beyond insulting.

I would love to hand over dear Mr Bush to the paan chewing paandus at Mumbai airport. Then maybe these Americans will learn to respect other people. They have their pride, these Americans, but it borders to insolence in most.

And we Indians can't ever get rid of white-skin worshipping, can we???

My first pet :))

I am smiling like a toothless turtle sipping cold tea...

I have a new pet..My first ever in fact. A Goldfish...

My daughter named him Goldie..Its a "he" because "he" makes his home very dirty, very fast. But since I am not the one who cleans up after him, I am smiling...

I have to admit, it feels like we have brought our second child home. He is just as demanding. The water needs to be clean and cool, the food has to be just enough. I cant overfeed him else he will get a tummy upset..(Jesus! who knew fishes also had tummy upsets).

It is therapeutic to watch him though..He scoots around the bowl, all the time grazing for food. I found myself talking to him and calling him 'beta' (son in hindi). The first night I switched off the lights, I actually switched it on again thinking he might be scared of the dark and the new place. So I talked to him to go off to sleep and not to be scared :)

My neighbour looked at me as if I was nuts when I told him I was talking to my fish. But I love having these conversations with him. Goldie is always there, no matter what the time is. My human family goes off to sleep while I read, or surf or watch TV. But Goldie gives me company..My daughter has even come up with a new dance step to imitate him. To be fair to him, we are planning to get him a friend. Soon.

Will keep you guys posted on my evolving emotions and Goldie's antics...