Mind of an orchid

Spring is in full swing!

2011-04-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

....and we've been busy. Of course, the world cup cricket excitement catapaulted to a feverish pitch starting with the quarterfinal game but the victory in the end (sweet as it was) justified all the manic giddiness and the mass hysteria, I suppose. And the fact that there were a billion odd people celebrating with you made it that much more fun!

In other news, we had a b'day to celebrate - Uj's this time. I want to pat myself on the back for this one just because I pulled it off on a really short notice - 3 hrs to be precise! Well, long story short - Uj had business meetings all week long and hence a b'day celebration at home with friends had been ruled out. But that afternoon, he called to let me know that his schedule was clear and he would home in time for dinner. So, I thought I should at least get him a cake and I found these gorgeous (decide for yourself) cupcakes at Market Street and that was my inspiration! So, three hours, a few more rounds at the grocery store and a few phone calls later we were having a party at home. On the menu was tortilla chips with queso, salsa and guacamole, carrot slaw and cranberry salad, a side of cut fruits, homemade quesadillas, mixed vegetable soup and of course the heavenly cupcakes! And I found these really fun happy b'day tea lights some time back in Pier one which I thought added a touch of whimsy to the cupcakes. Friends, fun and laughter made it a perfect evening! So, there you have it our little celebration in pictures!

Now for some Li'l A news... After being holed in for most afternoons the entire winter, Li'l A couldn't be more excited about the weather these days. Most evenings are spent riding his "big boy bike" with kids from the neighborhood and every time I look at him, I realize how much and how fast he has grown! Where is that li'l chubby baby that I had to carry everywhere or the tiny toddler that I used to hold hands while walking, I wonder...

April promises to be a busy month - Ugadi celebration, housewarming and birthday parties have already found a space on the calendar but I had to stop by and say hello !
Hope you all are enjoying spring as much as we are.

Hooked on houses!

2011-03-06T19:15:00.000-08:00

Well, to a certain extent I am. I enjoyed the whole process of buying a house here in the United States immensely. Although, in our case it was a drawn - out process and lasted well over a couple of years. We would be active house-seekers for a while and be on hiatus for extended periods of time and then restart the process all over again and this continued for a while before our search translated into home ownership (now that I think about it, I wonder if I unintentionally delayed the process since I was enjoying it so much!). Anyway, that's not the only reason I believe I am hooked on houses. Someday, I would like to build my dream home in India incorporating some of the traditional Indian architectural elements such as a courtyard, the verandah, stained glass windows and more. I am immediately drawn to homes with a good elevation and wish I could knock on the door and ask for a tour. I love learning about different styles of homes here in the US like tudor, mediteranean, craftsman, bungalow, ranch, victorian and everything else. I have convinced Uj to take a detour from our weekend errands just to go look at an open house in the neighborhood (several times!) I still occasionally browse the local realty website just to see what's out there. If I had to choose between tickets to the Oprah Winfrey show or a tour of her mansion in Montecito - you know the answer, don't you? Now, if it was her favorite things show, then maybe.....
So, I love good houses. I love making them into good homes just as much or even more!
By now it looks like I am more than hooked on houses, doesn't it ?

Anyway, why all this talk of homes and houses, you ask? Well, two of our friends are in the market for houses and obviously this has me all excited. I even had the opportunity to tag along on their house hunting trips (no, I didn't invite myself ) and for somebody like me there could be no better way to spend a sunny weekend afternoon. Despite my house fetish, I do sincerely hope that my friends find good homes and soon.

and title inspiration for this post comes from this blog. Of course, I must've googled "hooked on houses " sometime back to see if there is a cure and voila - stumbled on to her wonderful blog!

Hello Monday!

From our travel albums -3

2011-02-26T08:49:00.000-08:00

For those of you that's just joining us, welcome to the Saturday travel post!
Today, we are off to Colorado Springs - a city situated at the base of one of America's most famous mountains, Pikes Peak.
We made the 14 hour road trip all the way from Dallas to CS for Memorial day weekend a couple of years ago. We drove for 14 hours straight which was not a wise idea in hindsight. In our defense though,we only had 3 days at our disposal and wanted to make the best of our time there and so we decided on all night drive against our better judgement. Anyway, the next morning and a few hours of sleep later, we were ready to explore what the little city had to offer and we were pleasantly surprised. In our three days of stay there we were able to gather enough memories to last a long time. Of course, we made our rounds at all the popular tourist attractions such as the Pikes Peak cog railway, Royal Gorge suspension bridge, Seven Falls, Garden of the Gods sandstone rock formation and the city of Manitou Springs. But what impressed me most (yet again) was the landscape of Colorado -the beautiful aspen trees, the gorgeous pine cones, the snow capped mountains, the brilliant blue skies - so different from New Mexico, Texas or for that matter any other state in this beautiful country. And in my opinion, that is what makes every vacation, every road trip worth it!
One word of caution though - if you are prone to suffer from altitude sickness (which I realized I was, only a little too late) then make sure to take some medicines along when you make that trip up Pikes Peak. At 14,110 feet it is likely you will experience some discomfort even if it is mild. But don't let that stop you, the 360 degree panoramic views at the top of Pikes Peak will more than compensate for any discomfort you may experience.
And I hear that if you are an outdoor enthusiast, there is no better place to vacation like Colorado . Our own stop there did not allow for many outdoor activities. But if you have the time and enthusiasm then the state has many options for white-water rafting, snow hiking, ice fishing and more! It was a truly fun filled vacation with lots of options for family entertainment and we came away truly recharged!
So, have a look and may be it will inspire you to plan that visit!

A follow-up picture post

2011-02-25T07:21:00.000-08:00

Now, this is a follow-up to this post.
First off, the kids delivered a praise-worthy performance last night. Even as we moms waited at the far end of the hall with racing heartbeats our kids put on a mighty good show. A big sigh of relief there! However, poor Li'l A mentioned later that he was indeed nervous on stage especially when he saw a sea of faces in front of him. I can only imagine, since this was his very first time dancing on stage. But their apprehension was not at all palpable as they danced with ease to the music. So, a big shout-out to them as well all the other
little performers of the night.I guess sometimes we don't trust our kids enough.

All in all, it was a beautiful evening. Many kids and moms dressed up in their national costumes, the stations displayed many ethnic goodies, the kids were enthusiastic to learn about other cultures and of course plenty of pictures were taken.
As promised, here's a few pictures from our evening of multicultural celebration.
Pardon the quality of dance picture, this was the best Uj could do, given the light and circumstance.Next up, picture post saturday - from our travel albums.
Enjoy the rest of your Friday!

Busy bee blogger

2011-02-23T07:39:00.000-08:00

Hello my lovelies, happy Wednesday!

We've been busy. Tomorrow is multicultural night at Li'l A's school and I signed up to help out with the India station. And although this is Li'l A's third year in this school, this is the first time we are participating and as such orchid-dom is abuzz with excitement. We made give -aways for the kids over the weekend. The little black satin necklaces with orange, green and white beads was a huge hit with Li'l A and I hope the other kids will like it as much. Last night I sat down to make a display board representing India's cultural heritage and what a humbling experience it was. I mean, how you can capture the essence and richness of India's cultural diversity on a mere trifold display board? Google images had such wonderful images in every category, it was a hard choice to not use everything I would've liked to. After 6 straight hours (I know!) I was finally done and I still don't know if I have done justice. However, as a cultural synopsis, it works. After much deliberation, a salwar kameez has been picked out for the evening. Since, I will be staying back to help out with the cleaning, I had to reluctantly give up on the idea of wearing a saree.
And of course, the highlight of the evening for me will be Li'l A's dance. My baby's first official performance , well make that dance performance (he did sing on stage last spring) and I am already having the heebiejeebies! We worked with four kids including Li'l A over the course of the last three weeks and trained them to dance to the tune of three bollywood numbers formatted as a medley and tomorrow is when they get to show off what they've learnt. He enjoys dancing and has a great sense of rhythm and flexibility especially with free style dancing. Now, choreographed dancing - well that turned out to be an entirely different ball game! Remembering the steps in sequence, synchronizing steps with one another, working the audience with your charm - oh well, maybe I ought to lower my expectations a bit. The rehearsals are done but can the kids deliver? We'll have to wait and watch.

So, please keep your fingers crossed for us!
and I will be back with an update and pictures...soon!

From our travel albums - 2

2011-02-18T09:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday folks!
Well, my plans for a weekend getaway fell apart. You can plan all you want and then life throws a curve ball. Well, in this case a fast ball! I had totally forgotten about the cricket World Cup which kicked off today and in the orchid-dom, it is complete blasphemy to suggest anything else when a cricket match is on and if it is the WORLD CUP, fuh get it! So, I am still home..

But no worries, I am back with a new post, a new picture. This time, I am taking you somewhere local. Well, 40 miles would still be local in Texas!

It's nice and bright outside and I thought a trip (even if it is virtual) to the local gardens would be fun. DFW has two major botanical gardens - the Dallas Arboretum and the Fortworth Botanical Gardens. And if you ever plan a trip to this part of the country, I would recommend both. The one in Fortworth has several mini- gardens and my favorite of course is the Japanese garden. And if you can plan a trip in the fall (when the maple trees turn a gorgeous red and when they celebrate the Japanese festival) then you will be in for an absolute treat. Of course, you can read up more on the Dallas gardens here and here.

So, take a look - here's a picture of the byoooooootiful koi pond and also one from karesansui (the Japanese rock garden)

Enjoy, stay inspired and I will see you back on the other side of the weekend!

Only child - lonely child?

2011-02-18T06:53:00.000-08:00

Today, I will talk about a niggling issue that surfaces every now and then and after a little internal debate gets pushed to some deep inaccessible pocket of my brain till the next time and then it resurfaces again and the cycle repeats itself. Li'l A is an only child. While some parents have the luxury of planning and executing their plan to perfection with respect to children(number and spacing), we've not had the same luxury, mostly for circumstantial reasons. And in all honesty, we've had talks but have not yet decided on being an only-child family or if the decision is made for us by some higher authority, I don't know that yet. In any case, I was at peace with the fact that Li'l A was an only child or at least I thought so. For the most part he is a friendly, well adjusted kid and not the stereotypical only child aka "the spoiled and self indulgent monster". He is sensitive and caring and has a great sense of humor. As parents, both Uj and I do everything in our control to guard against "The little emperor syndrome" And there are certain definite advantages to being an only child as well. It is a known fact that only children have good language skills and a greater sense of responsibility primarily because of their increased interaction with adults (mom and dad). Li'l A is also a lot more mature than other 7 yr olds and I think that is a good thing. Yet, I worry.

As the parent of an only child I have to work that much harder to ensure that he develops the right kind of social skills. I find myself constantly wondering if school does enough to foster healthy social relationships and enhance social skills. We do play dates often and extracurricular activities sometimes but even then I wonder if it will make up for the lack of sibling interaction. The goal is to raise a compassionate and considerate human being who understands the meaning and value of compromising and sharing. And then there are other issues which all parents are faced with - how do you set boundaries, how much to criticize and correct (without getting in the way of their self-confidence), how to set expectations (of course, none of us want our kids to fail!) These and the unique characteristics of the child itself makes parenting an only child extremely challenging. And if we end up being an only child family, I would still want to embrace this journey wholeheartedly despite the challenges and raise my only child to be a happy, kind and intelligent young man!
A friend once remarked that we are very good parents. I hesitated before accepting the compliment. As parents, we are always second-guessing ourselves. And of course, parenting is our job and duty and we do it sincerely with no expectation of any reward or compliment. But if someone notices that at some level we are getting it right and compliments us - it is probably because we as parents are very transparent . Li'l A sees us for what we are and probably as a single child family, we relate to each other a little more closely than other families do and in that sense we are an extremely cohesive unit. So, maybe in the end it will be o.k..

Celebrating sunshine

2011-02-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

Maybe because the weather has warmed up nicely (mid 70's all week!!) I feel this need to spend time outdoors - a day at the lake, a road trip, a visit to the local zoo or even the arboretum - something, anything to shake the winter blues. Of course, winter is by no means over and I know we are still due for possibly one more freeze and atleast two more cold fronts which will send temperatures tumbling down yet again before we finally move into spring. But it seems like such a crime to let all this sunshine go to a waste. Maybe, I can convince the boys to get up early Saturday morning and plan a little trip (wishful thinking, I know!). Uj and Li'l A have been working very hard and I know if it comes to picking between a road trip or sleeping in late Saturday morning, I will lose hands down. But occasionally (and selectively) persistence is my middle name!

One thing about living in the Big D though is that we do not have very many options for day trips. And we've already exhausted our limited options. There's Turner Falls in Oklahoma, a couple of hours (depending on where you live) from Dallas which is a really fun stop for the late spring/summer months. You could pack yourself a nice picnic basket, a picnic mat, swimsuits, and a couple of camping chairs and you are all set to bask in nature's glory for an entire afternoon. Nestled in the Arbuckle mountains, the beautiful Turner falls is my number one recommendation for anyone planning a day trip from Dallas. It's a good option even for overnight campers. And you could also make a pit stop at Winstar on the way and try your luck at the slot machines or the blackjack tables or whatever else suits your fancy.

So, while I ponder and plan for a weekend trip, I will leave you with pictures from Turner Falls taken during our last visit there. And if you live in the DFW area and have ideas for a day trip - I would love to hear from you.

From our travel albums -1

2011-02-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

Since December 08, we've traveled quite a bit. We at the orchid- dom love traveling and these trips were mostly for pleasure. This great country has much to offer if you have the travel lust. 2 years, 8 states ( with 2 trips to one state) and one international trip - whew! no wonder I have been MIA from the blog world. And then there were also the visiting parents and in-laws and many many mini -trips within the state of Texas! So, with all this traveling and Uj's passion for photography, I naturally have thousands of photographs (seriously, at last count we had a little over 10,000!) that I would love to share. At some point, I will bring myself to write about our travel tales and experiences. You can read about our trip to Washington D.C in this series. For now though, I have decided to start by posting a picture or two every Saturday under a series titled (from our travel albums). So, have a look and maybe even go on a tour of the continental United States with us! I have to thank Uj for capturing these memories so wonderfully through his lens.

This picture is one of my favorites! Taken along the highway somewhere in New Mexico. I love everything about this picture -the mountains (so typical of New Mexico landscape) standing tall in the backdrop, the beautiful pale yellow of the grass just as the sun was setting and all five cows gazing intently at us just as the camera was clicked. Love it!

DIY inspiration

2011-02-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

Well, if you are like me (mid-30's, women of Indian origin, living in the USA) then you are bound to have at least a couple of baby shower invitations a year, if not more. And every once in a while you might even find yourself hosting one for a friend. And of course, baby showers come in all shapes, sizes, budgets and flavors and many incorporate elements from both the western and eastern cultures. There's tons of wonderful ideas on themes, favors, games, food and decor on the www and hence I shall refrain from elaborating on those here. Last year though, a group of us were putting together a shower for a friend and I wanted to make something that the mom-to-be would really cherish. While the party itself had tons of store bought goodies, I wanted her to at least have one gift with a personal stamp on it. My search for inspiration took me to back to the internet (truly a girl's best friend, move over diamonds!!) and that's where I saw these wonderful diaper cakes. Of course, I had seen one earlier too at another friend's shower but that one looked so perfect and gorgeous that I hadn't believed that one could actually craft something so beautiful at home. When I looked at all the drool-worthy diaper cakes (which possibly cost you 2 arms and half a leg, at least!) online, I knew I had found my inspiration and decided I would make one for my pregnant friend. And when I want something, God knows, I want something! A few shopping trips later, I had armed myself with enough raw material to make what I had envisioned. So, without much further ado, I present to you
- the piece de resistance (?), if I may say so myself.
.....don't ya love it? well, it makes a great gift and mom's love it too! of course, the pinks and greens were for a lovely little baby girl whose birth was being celebrated.

Have a great weekend !
&

STAY INSPIRED!

Nostalgia

2011-02-09T19:39:00.001-08:00

India calling

2011-02-07T20:03:00.000-08:00

I know it's time to go home. And here are the signs :

I am excessively browsing the web drooling over ethnic clothes - sarees, salwars, potlis, batuas (on a side note : Geez! what's up with Indian fashion these days - styles change faster than the seasons? When I was a teenager, a salwar kameez was just that salwar and kameez! Thank God I didn't have to battle my mom over chudidar pants, patiala bottoms, punjabi suits, anarkali tops and all else...not that we did not battle anyway! ) Now, coming back to my excessive desire to shop for Indian clothes - when I couldn't bear the shopping itch anymore, I went and bought myself an Anarkali style salwar suit at the local Indian boutique but mind you one salwar suit doesn't really count!!
I am frequenting stores like Pier -1, World Market more than I usually do - just to look at stuff with paisley motifs, jewel tones and such because they remind me of home.
I am listening to Chan ke Mohalla (from the movie Action Replayy) on loop, watched the dance video too on you tube (a few times) and have even decided to learn a couple of Aishwarya Rai's dance steps. Groovy dance by the way!
I call my mom up just for recipes. Sometimes, at odd hours - because I want to eat something very specific and make it just the way mom does!
And when it snowed dogs and cats last week, how I longed for Bangalore street food - spicy mouth-watering delights from heaven and all I got was cabbage pakoda (after I labored over it, that's right!)
While the boys watched Super Bowl on Sunday, I settled into a cozy corner and watched the Imran/Ranbir duo turn it up a notch at the filmfare awards. That's right I chose filmfare over Super bowl ...to my credit however, I looked up when Aguilera sang the anthem and the Black Eyed Peas did their thing at half time (so, yes I did watch parts of the Super Bowl!!)
And I know exactly who wore what to Neelam and Samir Soni's (ofcourse, I also did a quick wiki search on Samir Soni) reception or to Shilpa Shetty's Diwali party thanks to the www and also, because I bothered to check!

Now , if this is not homesickness?

...........and it is exactly 2 yrs, 6 months and 20 days since I came back from India!

Got any snow day ideas?

2011-02-04T07:53:00.000-08:00

Yes, I live in Texas and no, this is not the first time we are having snow.In fact, given last year's record snowfall we sort of expected a day or two of (heavy) snowfall this winter as well. Although our snow stories pale in comparison to stories from the East Coast or even the Midwest, we still have a story nonetheless. It started off Monday night with freezing rain, ice, sleet, thunderstorm, snow flurries, frost dust - just about everything but sunshine. While the action stopped sometime Tuesday, the sun refuses to come out and the snowy, icy mess that's everywhere refuses to melt - result slick roads, icy conditions , closed schools - in short, a city shut down, even paralyzed! And all this as the Big D is getting ready to host Super Bowl this Sunday!
I know, I know - this is just routine winter elsewhere but not here. Where I live, temperatures below 30 make headline news and anything beyond that is almost a weather related emergency! So, this is day 4 and last night it snowed yet again and as I look out from my snow cave, all I can see is a vast stretch of winter wonderland with nary a track mark on the roads - no one and I mean not one soul has ventured out in the last 3-4 days. Now, what started as a day or two of cozy stay- at- home event is quickly turning into a bad case of cabin fever. Li'l A is getting restless too. We've read books, played board games, watched movies, tried a new recipe or two, cleaned the house, rehearsed for the dance performance (more on that later), did some painting and now I am at my wit's end! So, got any snow day ideas?
...and say hello to frosty before you leave!

A make-over, perhaps?

2011-02-03T12:37:00.001-08:00

No promises - is my new blog mantra. Although, I know it's going to be ages before anyone even stops by this blog again, I feel this overwhelming need to put up the "No promises" disclaimer upfront on all my posts. I don't know what this blog is going to look like in a week, in a year , in a few years and however it transforms (or not) I do not want to be burdened by the weight of promises to others or to myself. Hence, no promises!
Today, however, with all this comeback blogger's enthusiasm powering me, I am writing my second post for the day. Howzzat?!
New beginnings by default demand "new"- ness of some kind. I am thinking a make-over of some sort (for the blog, of course) would be nice. And I gently remind myself to not get carried away by all the grandiose ideas that seem to taking shape in my mind as we speak. A new header perhaps, a couple of links maybe - small but noticeable changes to the blog just to mark the comeback. And eventually I would love this blog to feature a few things that seem to repeatedly catch my attention these days - photography, photojournalism, home decor (indian decor particularly), ethnic indian finery (not necessarily in that particular order). Beautiful things inspire me. I love collecting ethnic art pieces and other collectibles and love showcasing them in my home, I enjoy creating aesthetic tablescapes for parties and such and I think the blog would be a good place to share things that I enjoy. There are many home decor /photography blogs on the www that I have been inspired by and its only because of them that I am contemplating incorporating these elements in to this blog as well, so a thank you to all those bloggers (will eventually link to them).
Christmas is long gone but tonight I leave you with a picture of my christmas tablescape..

STAY INSPIRED!!

just another comeback post...

2011-02-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

.......and just like that, I decided I want to write again. Well, that's not entirely true. I have been thinking about it for a while now. Every time I stopped by my blog, my previous post would stare me right in the eye and turn the guilt switch on with the same intensity that unfulfilled promises do. I have logged in a few times in these last 3 months, every single time with the idea of writing a new post. Yet, I haven't. I have many solid reasons that should make writing/ blogging fairly simple - I do enjoy a little more free time now than I have in the past year, the central characters of this blog- me, li'l A and Uj continue to live very eventful lives ( so there should be no dearth of writing material)and I miss blogging! But somehow, the second time around blogging seems a little more complicated. I may not have this excess spare time in a few months, I don't know if my other blog friends that I shared a camaraderie with are still around, I don't know if I still want to keep it a simple personal blog where I journal events of our life as they unfold or if I want to steer this blog in an entirely new direction (more about that later). The thrill of just nose-diving into unchartered waters was strangely exhilarating for me as a first-time blogger. This time around there's a lot of ifs and buts. So, while this is a comeback post I would like to keep it free of promises. I think it shall just be a place for me to hang out when I have nothing else to do, a platform for creative expression when I feel that creative bubble exploding inside me, a place to vent, a place to make new friends - anything but a place where I make and keep promises (not even to myself)! There, that makes me feel better and guilt free already.

poppin' in to say hello!

2009-10-07T22:03:00.000-07:00

A quick hello and a promise!

Will be back early next year..and this is a promise to myself!!

BIG "ADDA"

2009-05-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

....yup! that's where I've been mostly for the last 48 hours. For those not in the know, Big Adda is the Big B's blog! Celebrities taking to the blog is not a recent phenomena. There is Aamir Khan Shekar Kapoor, Karan Johar and many more all with some kind of a personal web log. After all, their celebrity status does not make them any less human than any of us and while we have our reasons for penning our thoughts down for all to read on the virtual world, they have their's. A couple of days ago, I found myself pouring over posts in the Big Adda's archives. Of course, I am a huge sucker for personal blogs. And many of the Big B's posts are interesting little anecdotes from the past. While others are views, opinions, reflections and just plain statements... yet they make for an interesting and easy read.
Interesting this, the blog world, I mean..how else would you get to know a celebrity, especially one of Big B's might, from such close quarters. He articulates well and his thoughts are well tempered, probably the result of the vast richness of a life well lived! And here is one from his archives.
And also makes you wonder, if he can make time to write a post every single day, despite being him..why can't I ?

We've got GREEN!

2009-05-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

:) finally managed to bring my ideas to fruition! For the last year or so, I had consciously buried all ideas of creating a garden for a few reasons. Of course, I know nothing about gardening and that was reason enough. But also I knew if I took it on, I could not do a half hearted job or settle for a small flower bed. I can not make concessions and I am also very impatient. I had envisioned a garden of fairly sizable proportions given that we a have a decent sized back yard. I was not sure the time, effort and cost associated with my vision was something I could have spared in the last year. But that also meant, I was ignoring a potentially usable space and so the backyard remained largely unused barring the few occasions when Li'l A had friends over for play dates and they would kick some ball not minding the unattractive open space.
But things changed and the calling could not be left unanswered anymore. Maybe it was Altoid's home grown tulips or the spring blooms in a friend's yard that finally made me take a serious look at the vast expanse of empty space outside. We tried our hand at planting a few rose plants and of course the hardy rose plants did not fail us. Three days later, I had enough blooms to make my front yard look like a gardener's dream. Convinced about my own "green" acumen, I started making drawings for the backyard. Told you, I am ambitious! And like always, if I think big, Uj will think gargantuan and to say that in gardening terms - if I am thinking shrubs, Uj is thinking trees! We enlisted the help of a landscape contractor to help out with the more technical aspects while we ourselves handled the creative elements. I have also spent the last 72 hours at every nursery in a 20 mile radius and the babies are finally home!! It is still a work in progress and we are atleast a few years away from the envisioned version, yet... I have discovered a whole new world and I am loving it! And oh, I am also now the resident expert on perennials - the liriopes the canas, the lilies, the loropetalums , the pittosporums - I got it all down, not bad for a weekend's worth??
Well, it's never too late I suppose.

If I don't see you back before the long weekend, have a fun Memorial day weekend, y'all!

time......

2009-05-13T05:35:00.001-07:00

And how time flies!!....almost a month since I blogged, almost the end of kindergarten, more than a year since we moved in to the house, 10 years since I left India, TEN years since I've been married (almost).....it's just 7.30 in the Am and I don't know why I feel so rushed this morning. I actually feel burdened by the weight of time. Just one of those days, you think?
And in so many ways time does change a lot. Li'l A is not the same person he was at the beginning of the school year. I just went to his room to tidy up after he left for school this morning and what do I see neatly laid out on his bed - a pair of grey shorts and a shirt with his school logo all in preparation for his upcoming field trip this Friday and today is just Wednesday! Organization, planning, time management, what else I wonder?? When did my Li'l boy grow up and how did I miss it, can someone please tell me??
It's almost a year since I saw my parents last and some emotional clock inside of me is ticking away reminding me that it's time. But yayy!! a trip has been planned and this time they are visiting! So, we are looking ahead to summer and that is the only reason I am looking forward to summer (remember we live in Texas!!)
And coming back to the present, life is just happening in a very routine, mundane pattern - playdates, swim lessons, work stress, weekend social events and such. Does sound like I am complaining, doesn't it? Well, it's not like I have a country to run and someone's going to grade my first 100 days in office, so to say it's dull is not an understatement, just the truth!
At least, I blogged ....

and how was mother's day people?

Spring update

2009-04-22T06:40:00.000-07:00

Texas summer is kicking in! And it's always sad to bid farewell to spring. However, we finally managed to get our hands green and had our first go at planting some rose plants. I know, we didn't want to try anything too complicated especially since we both are beginning gardeners. A rose plant, it seemed, would be our best bet. The oleanders, the canas, the petunias and of course , the orchids will have to wait! We have three rose plants in place and first thing every morning, Li'L A and I take a peek outside the window to see if our labor has borne fruits (err flowers) yet....joy does (after all) lie in the simple things! While we are waiting on the roses to bloom, here's a couple of pictures of the Texas bluebonnets . We finally made that trip to find bluebonnet fields one afternoon and even managed to take a few shots.
And here's one more, of a lovely Indian Paintbrush in a sea of bluebonnets!

So, what have you guys been up to this spring??
And ladies, the tag is next!

SUSAN BOYLE is IT!!

2009-04-15T20:57:00.000-07:00

And I have goose bumps to certify that! And if you are asking me who Susan Boyle is, then you must be living in a cave! She is the next biggest thing to happen after, I don't know - Harry Potter ? Miley Cyrus ? Barack Obama? - I don't know, I am trying to name some big names because she is bigger than big! Unfortunately, you tube will not let me import any of the Susan Boyle videos...so just go here and you'll see what I am talking about. If we ever need a lesson on how not to judge a book by its cover, then this is it! If there was an underdog, ever, then she is it , yet........
5 million hits on you tube- it's not her voice alone - it's the message, it's the hope, it's the inspiration as much as it's her conviction and her spirit! You are my hero, Susan!! I am off to watch the video at what must be my 9/10th time!! Can the talk shows bring her to the U.S already?? And let's leave her eyebrows and her hair color alone, she is a diva in her own right, a true inner diva!

Yayy!!.....at 200, finally!

2009-04-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

and so here's one for the orchid! gorgeous, aye?

DC - Part 4/ Li'l A on vacation

2009-04-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

This part 4 of a 4 part series. For parts 1, 2 and 3 scroll down.

This is part DC and part Li'l A. It's been a while since I did a post on my boy or should I say my little man. Writing about a little boy who is so many different things all at once is no easy matter. However, these pictures rightfully showcase the happy and sprightly 5 yr old that he is. My boy, he is quite the entertainer yet very soulful and sensitive at times. And of course, there is never a dull moment with Li'l A around. He has many avatars too, transforming into a moose one minute, a captain the other and a pirate the next , you never really know what to expect when you are with Li'l A. His other attributes at age five include a healthy sense of humor (the dude can be a total riot), a rather obstinate advocacy on clothing, shoes and the like (my son, after all), an inflexible defiance with food (still!), a profound inquisitiveness of the world around him (the why's never end), and a fervid eloquence with words (will not hesitate to speak out). As parents, we are currently in parenting heaven (if there ever was such a thing!) - its all fun and games! Still get to cuddle him like when he was a baby and I know that phase will die soon. And a slight change of tone and a hint of authority and I can still get him into submission and I know that phase will die soon also. So, yeah all in all its not that bad as a parent. The one thing that is bothering me the most, however, is he is too much of a dad's boy. And I did not even realize how and when the loyalties shifted. He thinks dad's the coolest (hmpf!), dad's approval is all that matters and have on occasion caught him kissing the ground that dad walks on. Not that he does not give me my due - sure, he will call on me (only) to feed him, clean, bathe him - those are as important too, right?? So, yeah, if being the maid-in-waiting counts then I am IT too!

O.k this post is slowly becoming all Li'l A and no DC....just go to DC folks, it is worth the trip - especially if you love history, art, architecture, monumental grandeur, colorful landscape (or if you live in Texas!!!!!)

Anyway, where is everyone...can't say the one or two comments that I am drawing is doing much to my sagging blog-spirit. Tomorrow is my 200th post and can I get some of the same fanfare I got for my 100th please???

DC- Part 3 / corners from Altoid's home

2009-04-08T07:20:00.000-07:00

For part 2 and part 1, scroll down..

I am a huge sucker for well kept homes and you may have already gathered that from some of my previous posts. I believe that good home decor should include style, function, purpose and a warm inviting feel. Altoid's home was all of that and more! First impressions - what a charming little place! And when I started living in it, I realized everything was there for a reason. A very coherent, pulled together look with pieces collected over time. "Top notch decor yet very comfortable to live in" would be an appropriate description. Especially after walking around the many miles of the National Mall each day for almost 8-9 hours, we would be so ready to go back to the cozy comfort of her "Baithak" and that's precisely the warm fuzzy feeling a good home should invoke. Interesting little vignettes at every corner not only made for great eye candy but also added to the drama. And who doesn't love a bit of drama. It also made for some really nice photographs. And the outdoors were no less either, she already has a wonderful collage of her frontyard blossoms up on her blog, I just managed to take a couple of the gorgeous scarlett tulips! Hope you all enjoy looking at her home as much as I enjoyed living in it!

DC - Part 2/ the cherry blossoms

2009-04-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy : Uj (for part-1, scroll down)

Many of you in this blog circuit are already familiar with the cherry blossoms thanks to posts by the Altoid and Sujatha. And I am sure some more of you have actually had the opportunity to visit DC during the annual cherry blossom bloom time. Well, if you do not belong to either of these categories then I say pack your bags around end of March/early April next year and make that trip - it's worth it!!
Of course, I'll stay away from giving you details on the history of the cherry blossom or the festival itself, there are plenty of resources on the www to help you with that. However, this post is meant to only inspire the traveller/photographer in you just like we were inspired by other posts I had seen. We planned to walk around the Tidal Basin and see the cherry blossoms on Saturday morning , make that early morning. Altoid had a 6.15 Am deadline for us to be out of the house. When the plan was being hatched I was not so sure especially since both Uj and Li'l A are not early morning people. In retrospect, I am so glad she insisted. Any later, our whole trip would be in jeopardy with massive crowds, lack of parking and the like. So, get up and get out pre-sunrise and you will love it. The early morning spring air (despite the heavy winds), the smell of onion bagel with veggie cream cheese, a half awake yet surprisingly cooperative 5 yr old, the over zealous photographer, and a very giving host who shared our tourist enthusiasm despite having been there a few times already made that walk up the Tidal Basin worth every cherry blossom ! The flowers themselves had a very ethereal feel to them. The contrast of the pale pink/white of the flowers against the dark boughs and branches was very picturesque to say the least . And how did I feel ? Imagine yourself being on the sets of Memoirs of a Geisha - it had the same visual appeal!

more to follow......

DC - Part 1

2009-04-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

I have been busy....getting away from the usual. Yes, we were on a vacation. There is so much to write, I don't even know where to begin. In summary -I got to visit one of America's most visited tourist destinations, stay with an extremely gracious host who is also now a very good friend, spend quality time with my boys and bring home plenty of lasting memories. Couldn't ask for more now, could I? We were in Washington, D.C this past weekend visiting Altoid of curiously strong and what a fun time it was too! I don't know if I can actually write a post on her and do enough justice with my words but simply put she is one of the nicest individuals I have ever met and I mean it. Simple, down to earth, very affable, passionate about a lot of things (her home, her family, her photography, her music and more), very meticulous, and extremely grounded. I am inspired! Again, these are just a few things off the top of my head and does not serve well enough to describe her entire personality. We met virtually through each other's blogs a short while ago, realized we have many things in common including our roots in Banglore, our penchant for shoes and our interests in keeping a good home and therefore we indulged in conversations off the blog world. Met her once very briefly at the Frankfurt airport last year and a month ago she invited us to her home. Of course, her wonderful pictures on the cherry blossoms added just the right amount of motivation to conceive a plan and finally we made the trip. Again, thanks to Altoid's meticulous efforts and a well and pre-planned itinerary we did see the city like it is meant to be and came away very satisfied tourists. It is day-2 and I am still in DC hangover sitting here on my couch in plain and boring Texas!
Now for the vacation itself. I was totally taken in by the iconic strength of the National Mall. Despite being a young nation, the history is well preserved and reflects off of the monumental core of the National Mall. A photographer's paradise and a little kid's dream come true, D.C offered something for our entire family. And since I have so many pictures to share, thanks to the perseverance of my dear husband, I will do a 3/4 part series, so please come back.
Yet to come - the cherry blossoms, corners from the Altoid's home, li'l A on vacation and ofcourse one for the orchid!

Mains and crosses

2009-03-23T07:27:00.000-07:00

Weird title for a Monday morning post? Not really, if you are from Bangalore, like I am, these two words actually make sense. How else would we find our way around our wonderful city? And also this happens to be the title of a fantastic photoblog that I stumbled on to a while back. The blogger has managed to showcase Bangalore in a unique light with his extraordinary pictures. Now, home is just a few mouse clicks away. I can visit the many mains and crosses (streets, actually) of Bangalore via his blog. Every time I am at his (?) blog I find myself in familiar territory yet I find it new and amazing because his perspective is unique. His take on the city that I call home is so unique. Some pictures actually made me smile. And you would appreciate many of the pictures even if you are not from Bangalore, because in reality he has also captured the true essence of India - the people, the culture, the life! What a fantastic collection of everyday sights. And if you are from Bangalore, going home was never so easy! So, enjoy.
And spring break ended well with a small spring break party for a few kids and poker night for the adults! Also, watched Gran Torino this week, finally and what can I say, yet another Clint Eastwood masterpiece!
Ciao!

Weekend update

2009-03-18T21:18:00.000-07:00

The dogs were a lot of fun and I will let Li'L A explain...........

spreading some spring joy!

2009-03-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

Ah, spring is in the air! And, what better than the smell of a clean home - your 5 1/2 yr old pitching in to clean as well. That's right! Who says boredom can't be a good thing? Day-2 of spring break and Li'l A decidedly announced he is bored. After turning down many a suggestion, he surprised me with a grand declaration. " I think I am going to clean my room, mommy" No, it wasn't me hallucinating he had actually said the words! And an hour later, I was greeted by the sweetest li'l spring surprise, ever! His room was indeed clean and sparkling clean at that! Sorry, no pictures. I dont know how he managed to do it , I guess there is always a first time but things were lined up, drawers were shut all the way through, the bed was actually visible(!!), the writing table had paper, pen and markers (only), the floor, yes, the floor (didn't even realise the room had one) - I could see it!! and not to mention , that we actually managed to walk to the other end of the room unhurt! And, that's why I decided to spread the joy around. Share some spring cheer. Have a happy spring folks. Who knows, what just happened here might happen at your home as well. And the cleaning ? it's 2 hrs since and he's still at it...vaccuming the family room now. If only I could teach him to make chai now, life would be perfect, what say??

Rang!

2009-03-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

Rang means color in Hindi. This being March, Indians all over celebrate Holi, the festival of colors. I love color. I enjoy being surrounded by bright colorful pieces - be it in home decor or in fashionable accessories. Color brings me joy and thankfully Uj does not mind the rather generous use of color in my life! And of course, if there was a land of color, the title would truly and aptly belong to India. And today, I want to especially mention to this truly amazing blog Rangdecor which is essentially devoted to capturing the fine and unique elements of Indian decor in all its colorful glory. I salute you Archana! And with this, my journey to find a good Indian decor blog ends. The pictures are mesmerizing and the beauty of Indian design keeps you surfing through the endless blog posts for hours! Rangdecor is simply awesome!

Tina and Tiger

2009-03-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

We at the Orchid household will be sitting Tina and Tiger this weekend while my friends take off for a camping trip to the Big Bend. Remember, a while back I wrote about how the boys have been making serious plans to bring home a dog?? Well, it's sort of been like the Obamas' plan for a puppy, yet to happen. And being entirely clueless around dogs, I decided I wouldn't mind a trial run at this before I actually committed to bringing home one of our own. Let's just say after having Li'l A I've become wiser! And so, we offered, plans were made and I am waiting the arrival of two little dogs. Of course, Li'l A is all excited and it is spring break too, so he has much to look forward to. Although, I must admit I am a wee bit anxious. And this weather!! It was bright and sunny last week and now it's been raining incessantly for the past 48 hrs and it wouldn't be much fun being holed up at home with a 5 1/2 yr old and 2 dogs, would it?
Have a good weekend, while we look forward to our weekend with our canine friends!

Monday notes

2009-03-09T17:34:00.000-07:00

There's something about - a cool spring breeze , the sounds of children playing outside, a slice of the perfect gajar halwa, the excitement of an upcoming vacation, a 40 minute workout. The bummer - a brewing sinus infection. Oh well, life's like that!

Thank god it's thursday! - why not???

2009-03-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

If I were paid a penny for every minute I browsed, I would be ..........., alas! Anyhoo, let me share a couple of great design blogs- atleast, they are personal favorites and if you enjoy beautiful things like I do, then this is an awesome treat! Have fun folks and will see you back on Monday!

Check out this and this

Be inspired, get creative. Ciao!

Playset One!

2009-03-05T13:36:00.000-08:00

The leader of the free world is an everyday ordinary man, after all and there's something reassuring about that!
Read this for more!

image via CNN

no title, really

2009-03-03T08:14:00.001-08:00

Hey, thank you! I am surprised , so many of you came back and left a note. It means much!
And as for me, I sinned! Y'day, in the little time I had, instead of doing the rounds on the blog circuit, like I said I would...I watched 2008 Filmfare awards on Youtube!! I told you I sinned!! Gawd, could I engage in anything more frivolous?? Also, on a rare monday night movie date with the husband, I saw the 2006 foreign language academy winner Das Lieben Der Anderen (The lives of Others) and I say, watch it! Started off slow but picked up pace nicely and soon enough.
The next few posts will sound very much like this and the last- random mumblings, I don't think I have any real message, I just figured I'll keep it this way.
I am on the hunt for a perfect nude lipstick , anyone have any suggestions and it has to be cheap remember, I am not spending 25 bucks on a Dior sheer rose, not in these times, anyway! And oh, it has to suit my asian lips...Aishwarya beige from L'oreal is beige and not nude, if you know what I mean.
A post on Li'L A is due, isn't it? Happy Tuesday all!

A quick come back post!

2009-02-27T15:10:00.000-08:00

I've been gone for a while now..."didn't feel like blogging" is one of my excuses! In the meanwhile, plenty has happened -the world is in a recession, Obama is the leader of the free world, I may have lost a pound or two and Li'l A is wearing glasses!
Being silent in the blog world did not necessarily mean I was silent all together, I had plenty to say all along, no wonder Uj's been urging me to take back to blogging. Now, you really think I'd have nothing to say about the rather meteoric rise of Freida Pinto to super red"carpetdom" ?? Maybe, I shouldn't even get started! On another note, (yes the attentions span's gotten even shorter while I was gone!!)....check out fashionunder100, I tell ya ....if you want to get anywhere, you sure got to step on the style ladder! What else, people? Anyway, this was meant to be a quick post. Let me do the rounds in the blog circuit and be back. Be nice and leave me a comment, will ya!

Weekend in pictures

2008-09-02T05:57:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
Thank you all for the wishes!

image courtesy: uj

9

2008-08-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

........is the number of years you and I have been married. And somehow these 9 years have been my entire life. Strangely, I don't remember a whole lot about my pre-Uj life!
Last night, as I went to bed, I kind of tried to do a recap of what has been the last 9 years, the highlights mainly and what I visualized bought me joy and comfort and I drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face. The day I met you for the first time, the day we got married, our first home, the day we found out we were pregnant with Li'l A, the day he was born and a host of other things that are so special to just us. Of course, we've had our share of downs and god knows they were real nightmares but hey if it weren't for you neither would I have the attitude to deal with it nor the courage to toughen up and move on. You've taught me how not to be a wuss and I appreciate that. I've learn't to stare right back at adversity when it stares me in the face and that's because of you! Now, if only I could acquire your sense of purpose and conviction of thoughts....
And now that I know you some more, I love you more because you never let your mental age catch up with your chronological age. You know how to laugh and thanks for teaching me how to as well. And those hyperbolic impressions of mine that you make of me all the time....well, I love them! And thanks for believing in me, more than I do in myself, in fact and also for putting up with my idiosyncrasies all the time. I know I am difficult sometimes, make that most times but really I think you have me figured out!
Boy, I just read through this post and it looks I did good. No, not in writing the post but in finding the right guy.
You care and I know that even if you don't express as often and in as many ways as I would like. But every once in a while you do. Thanks for slowing down this morning and spending a few extra minutes with me. But hey, remember what happened the last time you did that? You rushed off to work after and ended with a speeding ticket! Oh well, there's never been a dull moment since I met you anyway!

HAPPY 9TH honey!

and yeah ladies..looks like I am pretty good at giving hints, after all!! We are doing the formal living room, yayyy!!! Pics in a few weeks!

Therapy

2008-08-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

I will not browse home decor websites.

I will not watch HGTV.

I will not go to home decor stores to burn those calories.

I will not go home decor shopping because I am bored or I need a break or because the Olympics is over and there is no more Michael Phelps parade on T.V

I will not take you to a home decor store and try to throw endless hints for an anniversary gift. BTW, if you do stop by this blog (ever!!) it is this saturday!

I will not let my friends' home decor shopping inspire or influence me. Not even when they tell me about the fabulous sale!

What!?!?.....i will not...well if that sale is really "the knock your socks of kind", then maybe....

Meet the other woman

2008-08-26T05:46:00.000-07:00

That's right! I finally know what it is like -having to deal with the other woman. The jealousy, the anguish and the hatred-it's all sheer misery. Not so long ago, I was the first thing he turned to every morning. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach and indeed I would be greeted with the biggest, warmest smile as I gave him his morning cuppa each day. Not anymore, she wakes him up at exactly the same time each day, filling the house with exotic aroma and his heart with unbound love. Oh! how she has taken over and completely- my kitchen and his heart! You would think she is just brewing those mean cuppas but I tell you she is actually brewing marital discord in what has been a solid marriage of 9 years. The morning used to be ours. Before the madness of a busy weekday took over, we always made sure to give each other time and bond of course over my specialty - "The masala chai" We planned for the day, got to know each other's agenda and shared some love. None of that happens around here anymore. She makes sure he has coffee "to go!" In sickness and in health , read those marriage vows but that doesn't hold water anymore either. Troublesome headache, bad throat? No problem, she says and of course, there is always her caffeinated elixir to the rescue. She doesn't make excuses on the weekends like I do and of course, she will never let him take over. It couldn't get any better than this, surely! No wonder, he is in love....... trouble's brewing folks. You take a look at her, while I go figure out how to put a lid on that steaming anger!!

And here it is!!

2008-08-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

....day 1 of Kindergarten! And this morning as he walked out of the door armed with backpack and lunch bag, he looked ready-ready to take on the world. I, on my part looked nervous and anxious and so did the other parents who all hovered around Mr. H's class well past the 7.45 start time. It was remarkable, the contrast in attitudes, the kids all looked excited - after all, they were all in "big kids' school ", the parents, on the other hand , absolutely apprehensive! Some were busy instructing their kids on locker operation-101, others were engrossed in training their kids on restroom usage - "Look Michael" said one parent, "You have to go through this door, where it says B-O-Y-S!!" and then there were parents who themselves need some instructions with the forms, the name tags, the folders and endless other formalities. On one side of the class room were hyperventilating parents and on the other side were hyper-excited kids and in the middle of it all was poor Mr. H, I can only hope that he deals with this each year and is in perfect control of the situation. There was a flurry of activity with some parents managing to even take a few pictures!
It's 4 hours since and the clock seems to be ticking away rather slowly this morning and I can't wait to hear all about Mr. H and the 17 other kids in class. Does he have friend yet ? Does he like Mr. H? Does he like eating in the cafeteria with all the other kids? And more importantly does he like school? And the answers are key for sustained enthusiasm or else we at the Orchid household are going to have a tough time when the the alarm goes off at 6.45 am tomorrow.
Join us for more from "Life in the kindergarten"

Phelps Phan - you too??

2008-08-19T21:37:00.001-07:00

Are you over the Phelps' mania yet? I for sure am not!! I think I am kinda smitten , c'mon I know there's plenty of you out there who think the guy is hot despite the "ears" and the "mandible" (that's right!!). Admit it now! And of course, since this past week was all about him, the summer olympics did really feel like "The Primetime show with Michael Phelps" but we didn't mind it at all, did we? Agreed, Michael Phelps is an amazing swimmer, a great olympian, and his story-truly inspirational. But that's not the only reason we don't mind watching dolphin-man on T.V day after day it's also because the guy is hot!! What?!?! I am a sinner now??
And oh, Uj and I had this really heated discussion about whether Phelps really is the greatest Olympian of all time. Uj does not believe he is and his arguments were all very valid with plenty of supporting documentation (that's right, we tend to take our debates rather seriously) thanks to Wiki and google and most of what he said can be found in this article in the LA times. As for my argument? I said, "Michael Phelps is GOD" and that gives him reason enough to be the greatest Olympian ever! Of course, someday this very argument is going to come back and bite me in the you-know-what ....... of course for now I just have to contend with how hot Stephanie Rice is!!

"Momprehension"

2008-08-19T07:25:00.001-07:00

.....yes, that's the feeling as we get ready for school next week. Well, school of a different kind really. We've already done 3 + yrs of montessori, preschool and daycare and there have been plenty of other first's as well- swimming, soccer and the likes but still this feels different. Of course, I am feeling the uneasiness more than anyone else. Li'l A, as usual, is approaching the idea of a new school with excitement and enthusiasm that would be typical for any 5 yr old. And Uj, of course, is as pragmatic as ever. But me, I am anxious, skeptical, uncertain and a wee bit worried even. I feel like it's my boy's first big tryst with the real world. Everything from the early bed time, the 7.30 start time, packed lunch, after-school, homework and new friends have me thinking in the hyperbole! I read Tharini's post and like her I have many unanswered questions too and I believe it is very much a mom thing - this apprehension. I remember my mom going through a similar phase even as my brother was getting ready to leave the country a few years back and he was all of 23 yrs at the time! To me however, part of the anxiety stems from the fact that I may not be of much use to my son since my schooling was in an entirely different setting. I feel unprepared and ill equipped to answer any questions he may have and I hate the feeling! It's just a phase and I am sure we will ease into school, get used to it and maybe even have a little fun in no time at all but for now I am uneasy as we say goodbye to the montessori. Thursday is snow day at the montessori and thursday is also the last day.

It's official!!

2008-08-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

...i am now a "soccer mom" in the true sense of the term and here is the evidence!

move over Beckham!!

2 birthdays and a blog post

2008-07-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

July brings with it plenty of birthday frenzy to our home. Not only are we acquainted with plenty of July born people but we also get to celebrate two birthdays at home. That's right, Li'l A and me were born in July!
This year was Li'l A's 5th and of course, that meant I had to celebrate. More so since all plans for a celebration had to be cancelled last year owing to my surgery. The guilt weighed in heavily and even before I was over my jet lag, I started the planning. Of course, I meant to keep it simple but things snowballed, I got carried away and we ended up hosting about 40 people at home. But it was a lot of fun, Li'l A was appreciative and I was able to shrug off some of that guilt and in the end that's all that mattered

I (that's right) decided on a jungle theme for two reasons. One, Li'l A really really enjoys the jungle book movie, two, I cannot even begin to express my dislike for Disney characters/superheroes/movie character themes. But putting together a jungle theme b'day party was harder than I imagined. No really, towards the end I almost believed that there is some kind of a huge conspiracy spawned by the movie folks. Can you believe that none of the regular party stores carry any of the birthday paraphernalia with animals on them. That's right- no party ware, no banners, no party poppers, nothing! There's plenty of batman, transformers, Diego stuff but nothing with good ole animals on them. Made me wonder if I am really that old fashioned. But I wasn't going to be defeated that easily either. I shop hopped and in the end this is what I managed - home made handcrafted caps (with animal print felt bought from hobby lobby), loot bags with animals on them (also from hobby lobby), goodies (from party America), party ware from dollar tree(found some pretty pastels with animals on them) but later ditched them for the more vibrant zoopals party ware (from Walmart).
The cake was from Tom thumb and I had to go with the Madagascar cake (despite wanting to stay away from Hollywood), but remember the cake had to have animals on it!
But the best part, the party decorations which tied everything together were all handcrafted by *ahem* "ME". I had a blast making the animal print cutouts with construction paper and squiggly wiggly eyes and whaddaya know, moi is pretty creative after all!!!!! And oh, we had some live animals too. That's right, the 10 odd jumping, hopping, bouncing, prancing 3-5 yr olds that had a whale of a time in the bounce house despite the Texas heat!

Finally, I pulled it off!! Maybe I didn't have to obsess about wanting to coordinate everything with the jungle theme but once I got sucked into the idea, it was hard not to go all the way. Maybe, the kids didn't care but I wouldn't have been happier with anything else and that's just me. After all, it's not everyday that my boy turns 5!

And that brings us to the second birthday - mine. Really, we are so exhausted by all the fan fare that accompanies Li'l A's b'day that by the time mine rolls around its even a surprise if anybody cares to remember. It's always been a muted affair since Li'l A was born - a quiet dinner, a few fresh flowers, some time off - things of that nature mostly. This time also I didn't expect anything else but some things were different and in a nice way, of course. The night before, Li'l A actually asked me if I was ready for my birthday the next day. He remembered!! And thanks to the social networking sites, the wishes were aplenty. It just surprised me that I know so many people- many acquaintances but even more friends. Phone calls, instant messages, emails and more kept me occupied most of the day. Again, the same thought- so many people cared to remember. And the gift, oh yes, no birthday is complete without one?? Well, at least this year I wasn't expecting any. All that shopping in India have temporarily satiated my shopping urges and when Uj asked me yesterday , I was completely clueless and that's a first! I really could not think of anything I wanted. But as I sat watching Li'l A play in the backyard , Uj handed me a little box and whispered happy b'day hon. Of course, it was the most beautiful solitaire I have seen and I was touched. It is the thought that counts and I felt serenaded. Today we are back to routine, Li'l A and I start yet another year but this week we were both made to feel special and for that I am grateful!

........really??

2008-07-23T11:21:00.001-07:00

YOU WOULD BE A GOOD TEACHER!!

Y

You Should Be a Teacher

You are patient, optimistic, and good at explaining things.

You work well with all types of people, and you are a good role model.

Success and positive outcomes are extremely important to you.

You are both a good leader and instructor. People look up to and depend on you.

You do best when you:

- Can see the results of your work

- Are able to teach someone a new skill

You would also be a good nurse or non fiction writer.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

of all things that I could be doing a comeback post on, I choose this!! I know , I know, I could be writing about Uj like I promised many moons ago or I could write about my trip back home or maybe even something about the big birthday this week (yes Li'L A turns F-I-V-E !!!!tomorrow), but no, all that's got to wait.....
and hey, check out the last line...see I knew I would totally rock at this blog thing (if I wouldn't do the disappearing act every now and then ) :)

Anyhoo, howdy folks?? all well? and if I sound a bit tizzy, blame it on the heat..it's a frikkin' 103 out there!

P, Q, R, S, T is for...

2008-05-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

P is for picture.
presenting to you....
Curious george errr, I mean the graduate!

Q is for quicquidlibet (meaning whatever one pleases; anything whatsoever),
what?? it is a "Q" word, isn't it? Now, let's see you do better than that!

R is for rapidfire rehearsal. Yup, Li'l A is in panic mode. The countdown to our India trip has begun and so has his harried attempt at learning kannada. He comes home from school each day and says "teach me kannada" in all sincerity. I can almost feel his insecurities. Will I be able to connect with my family in India? Will I be able to speak their language ? Am I so different? After every phone call, he senses the excitement in the background, uncles, aunts, and grandparents eagerly awaiting the arrival of the youngest member of the family. But at his end, he feels unprepared and I can sense it. Is it my fault that I did not insist more that he speak our language so he would be fluent in it by now. After all, nothing can foster relationships like a common language can. Why do I feel that he is different? Or am I simply making a big deal out of a non issue. All I want for him is to experience family the way we all do - the love, the warmth, the joy, the comfort and everything else that a family stands for. I don't want language or anything else to stand in the way. I want him to bring back enough happy memories so they can fill the void till our next trip. And for his sake, I am keeping my fingers crossed!

S is for stressed about my faithful (??) ole ride which has been lying in the garage and it is day 4 and not yet fixed. Stressed about the endless paperwork that seem to take up most of my free time these days. Forms to be filled, notices to be sent, emails to be drafted, now where is that magic wand of mine ?? Stressed about things that I have no control over. It is kind of weird that a vacation is right around corner and yet I would use the word "stress" more than I would "excited". Strangely, even shopping failed to do what it usually does to my spirits. And there is a tiny corner of my mind which is already thinking beyond the vacation. You think, age is finally catching up?? I hope not!

T is for Tubbs?? We are planning to get a dog after we come back and I've been mulling over names. Yeah, I kind of do things backwards, if you haven't already realised that! Well, the whole dog idea is Uj's brainchild. And ofcourse, Li'l A is all pumped up. Can't we just get a pair of nice little fish, I plead, but it isn't working so far. We are going back and forth between a boxer and a cocker. I am thinking tubbs or ludo, any thoughts?

Next week, wait for U is UJ...maybe it's time to dig up some dirt on the guy, what say?

O is for One moment in time

2008-05-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

"Each day I live
I want to be a day to give the best of me
I'm only one, but not alone
My finest day is yet unknown
I broke my heart for every gain
To taste the sweet, I faced the pain
I rise and fall,
Yet through it all this much remains

I want one moment in time
When I'm more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams
Are a heart beat away
And the answers are all up to me
Give me one moment in time
When I'm racing with destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will feel, I will feel eternity

I've lived to be the very best
I want it all, no time for less
I've laid the plans
Now lay the chance here in my hands

Give me one moment in time
When I'm more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams
Are a heart beat away
And the answers are all up to me
Give me one moment in time
When I'm racing with destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will feel, I will feel eternity

You're a winner for a lifetime
If you seize that one moment in time
Make it shine

Give me one moment in time
When I'm more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams
Are a heart beat away
And the answers are all up to me
Give me one moment in time
When I'm racing with destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will be, I will be, I will be free

I will be, I will be free

Dear Li'l A,
I cannot believe that you can actually sing this entire song "ALL BY YOURSELF". Agreed, it doesn't sound even remotely Houston, but it still brings tears to my eyes every time I hear you sing it. Not so long ago, I held you in my arms for the very first time and 2 tiny eyes looked up at me and I knew my life had changed forever. Since then, you give me a reason to wake up each morning and a sense of accomplishment each night. You truly fill me with a sense of purpose. You have taught me to look at life differently and I cannot tell you how much I enjoy your perspective. You are simple, you are fun and of course you are you! You are growing and I am learning, together we cross many milestones and today we are at another one. Your first graduation! For some reason, this seems bigger than all the birthdays and all the holidays. I am excited for you and for me. Wasn't it just yesterday that you were singing "Itsy Bitsy spider?" However,it is a little comforting to know that you are only 4, I don't want this growing old together to end anytime soon. And tonight, as you stand on that stage and sing "One moment in time" just know that there are two very proud people cheering you on.
Honey, mommy loves you. Congratulations. Now, go seize your moment !

L,M,N is for....

2008-05-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

Look (at) My Nest!
No seriously, since this whole alphabet thing is crawling along at snail's pace, I've decided to step it up a notch. So bear with me as I do 3 letters instead of one this time.
Not so long ago, I remember saying, alphabets, eh? Easy Peesy!! And boy, was I wrong!! Gawd, did we really need 26 letters??

Anyhoo, remember those pictures I promised you of my home, sometime back...I guess now is a good time to post those. Aha, the title makes sense now, doesn't it!

Here's the disclaimer folks - The house is still work in progress and for now I am
taking a breather...no more shopping for home decor, shopping for furniture..well, atleast till I reach India (which is 2 whole weeks away)! So, this is what I've got so far.

Welcome to our home!

This is the breakfast area (obviously!!).
The glass top table is totally Uj but I got to admit, I am lovin' it. And the sideboard? Well, it's not one. It's actually a dresser and mirror which is currently being used as a sideboard. Like I said before I am not a stickler for rules when it comes to decorating.

Here's a sneak peak at the master
suite. The canopy bed, the ethnic sheets- all my idea, but Uj was adamant about the black and I agreed only after he agreed to no T.V in there! It's all about the negotiation folks!

That's li'l A in his retreat. And just so you know, my friends have already given me enough grief about not having bought him actual kid's furniture. But hey, the argument is that I really want him to have something he can grow up with and use it well into his teen years (I know, I know..I am cheap) and well, he is not complaining (the poor kid has never seen one of those car beds- yes, I am evil too!!) And the armoire houses all his clothes, shoes, bags and more. When it comes to furniture, I believe in function more than form and this is one of those pieces that I just love. It not only serves well in the storage area but it has done it's bit to teach Li'l A something about organization too.

And that brings us to the mish-mash room or the guest room. Individually, all the pieces in here were bought for a reason, at different times, at different places and together there is not really that cohesion that I would've liked but for now I don't have the budget nor the inclination to throw away perfectly functional pieces just to update the look. So, the mission style bed, the ikea night stands, the contemporary carpet are all going to stay whether the guests love it or not!

Here's the chef's base. Notice the friendly pressure cooker?? Forget the diamonds, I say the pressure cooker is a girl's best friend. No, really what would I do without it. Now, don't tell Uj I said that...I don't mind the diamonds and I really don't need another pressure cooker!

And this is where most of the action happens- the family room. On a perfect day, you would find me with a book, Uj with the computer and Li'l A with his toys here. But unfortunately, there are no such days. So, mostly you'll find Li'l A climbing up the furniture, me cleaning up after him and Uj?? with the computer, ofcourse!

And the best part of the house? Is actually outside the house! I am talking about the backyard of course! The sights and sound continue to excite us. Seriously, there's nothing like the outdoors!

And that's all I have for now. Hope you've enjoyed the virtual tour.
And hey L,M,N is also for Love Me Now, as in leave me a comment, will ya! Especially the lurkers..show me some love people!!

K is for "K"risis

2008-05-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

Alright, this is a slight detour from regular programming since everyone is talking about the food crisis and it seems rather irresponsible to talk about anything else.
Here's what themadmomma had to say.
O.k, so there's a global food shortage, a bag of rice costs well over $20 dollars but has it hit home yet ? Do we care enough to actually bring about a change in our grocery shopping and eating habits ? Well, gas is at $ 4 dollars a gallon but that did not seem to make any difference, no really how many of us have started car pooling, so I doubt that this will either.
I have implemented a"Less is More" policy when it comes to buying, stocking, cooking, eating, and ofcourse wasting food. It's only a first step. But it is working quite well for us. And I would strongly encourage all of you take it up as well, might do the world some good!
And the governments, oh well, they are too busy playing the blame game to do anything substantial either. The U.S government believes it's the rising middle class in India and China and their fancy food habits that is creating this global shortage and the Indian government would rather turn right back and point fingers at the U.S and its penchant for converting corn to biofuels. Well, there is a crisis for crying out loud!! and this one could very well be the mother of all political, economic, humanitarian challenges soon. Unless remedied, this will be bigger than even the world wars, Darfur, the famine in Somalia, the Southeast Asian tsunami and other crises that the world has seen in recent history. And it is the result of cummulative bad policies, bad weather patterns particularly in Australia and yes the emerging economies too. But what is anyone doing about it? Sadly, nothing more than simply bad mouthing one another. I even saw something as ridiculous as commenting on the liposuction policies of Americans in an attempt to push the blame on the average American whose caloric consumption is markedly more than the average Indian. I hope these politicians understand that the problem is more intense than just the eating habits of Americans! Political correctedness gone wry indeed!!
What was just an imminent threat y'day is reality today. And soon we will be battling our own clan for something as basic as food and that would be coming full circle and going back to where we started at the beginning of evolution.
I believe the governments have a real and palpable challenge and unless they start with an honest examination of their own policies and extend it to mutual and consensual discussions with other governments world over, the dynamics of the world is likely going to change.
And until then, groceries will probably be the biggest pie of the family budget!! and for now the jimmy choos will have to wait :(

And since I am fast running out of words, I am looking for suggestions for L, M and N (my next 3 posts)

IMAGE VIA GOOGLE

J is for Jousting

2008-05-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

Jousting was just one of the many things we got to experience at the Scarborough Renaissance festival this past Sunday. The idea was to enjoy whatever little is left of Spring before the hot and long Texas summer rolls in. So plans were made and we set out Sunday morning bright and early to the little town of Waxahachie where the festival is being held. The lovely gypsymumma and her family joined us and what fun it was too!

We were transported to a world of knights, ladies, courtesans, craftsmen, jesters, fairies and more as people in costumes greeted us every step of the way. I could see the amazement in Li'l A's eyes as he beheld knights in shining armor wield their lances. For a little boy, it was truly a dream come true! And as if that weren't enough, he had his own jousting experience on the sliding wooden horse and he felt truly empowered when he was able to succesfully remove the ring with his wooden sword.

Sunday being mother's day, Li'l A and I had our own mother-son moment doing the Maypole dance. Holding his little hands, going back and forth with the yellow-green ribbons around the decorated maypole dancing to Celtic music everything else seemed blurry. We were just two friends living in the moment and I am sure both of us will cherish that moment for a long time to come. And oh, the Faire had plenty for everyone else too- comic banter, irish ballads, acrobatics, parodies, bellydancing and more. I was particularly impressed with the attention to detail. Everything at the Faire was period and that includes the signs at the parking lot, the ticket booths, the water fountains and even the restrooms or I should say "Privies" Why that, we were even greeted as "Me lady" and "Me Lord" Now, that's authentic! And if you ever decide to go to one of these things don't hesitate to go in a costume yourself.

It was a long day and we drove back as the sun set over the Texas skies feeling as if we had been to another era in another land. It was magical and the sights and sounds of the Renaissance era were still resonating within us! Back on the I-35, with the Dallas skyline staring us in the face we were snapped out of the reverie and brought back to the 21st century with a thud, sigh!! But all was not lost, modern day has its own perks. Atleast, we didnt have to hunt for food. Take out food form our favorite Thai place completed the day. Ah, for the conveniences of the modern day!

Time for me to stop this Jabberwock??

Image courtesy: uJ

I is for INDIA!!

2008-05-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

ofcourse!!

casatta icecream
masala puri
tender coconut
juicy mangoes
indian chinese
mom's oil massage
mom's baby sitting services- priceless
dad's wisdom
beauty parlor visits at half the price!
shopping and bargain shopping!
feasts
uncles, aunts, cousins and other people, a billion of them, infact!!
temple visits
friends- atleast the handful that chose to stay back
pictures
in laws :(
busy streets
bangalore evenings
autorickshaws!!!!
cows, street dogs, potholes, traffic, pollution :(
Home!!!

what else, people??

H is for Happy Weekend ?????

2008-05-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

Hey, don't blame me if I want to keep this post short. Usually around noon on Fridays my brain starts shutting down for a scheduled outage and its already past 2!! And to add to that Li'l A has decided that his mission for today is to drive his poor mum up the wall, through the chimney and possibly up into the sky! No really, he has it all planned out, I tell ya and I am almost there folks, over the edge, that is. We went to the grocers this morning to pick up some medicine and it started with a pack of band aid. It said cure-aid instead of band aid, now, can anyone tell me how in the world will you convince a 5 yr old (that can read) that cure aid is infact the same as band aid! No he says its "CURE" not "BAND"...oh well, then we went shopping for swimming trunks and this time the showdown was over the green hulk shorts which was a few sizes too big vs the cute (according to me, ofcourse) dolphin shorts that were the perfect size. No, he screams I want the green HULK shorts!!! And then I reason that we can get one if we find the right size and all of a sudden he changes his mind and says "I want power ranger swim shorts " and the store doesn't even carry them!!!! The battle raged on for what seemed like eternity and I won when we walked out of there with no swim shorts! But the victory was short lived because we ended up buying a camouflage pattern pyjamas instead of the cute white/green lizard ones because he kept howling "I want the soldier pyjamas, you are so mean mommy" And that's not all, we had a few other miniature meltdowns over a few other items. We are home now and it took me an hour to get him to eat his lunch, the house is already a mess and I am seriously considering packing my bags and going on a vacation, alone!!
All this when he is running on half his batteries, that's right, he is sick and that's the reason we are home in the first place! I hope you all have a happier start to your weekend!

G is for JEEP!?!

2008-05-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

O.k, O.k I am not trying to cheat (again)....that's what Li'l A announced rather decidedly when I asked him this morning. A prompt or two later we were on the right track and having reasoned that "G" makes the sound ga, he said G is for GORGEOUS. Yes, grand, I know! But he said it meant 'beautiful' upon questioning and I couldn't argue any further. And as if to convince me, he added "You are gorgeous , mommy!"......now, why would I question that!
G is for graduation. Li'l A is getting ready for graduation. That's right, first in the line of many to come but excited, we are. We've signed up for graduation, paid for the cap and gown, attended the rehearsals regularly and ofcourse talked about it atleast once everyday, looks like we are ready. But are we really? I mean, wasn't this fussy five year old a teeny toddler just yesterday and an innoncent infant just the other day? How and when did time fly by? Graduation, really?? A part of me is thoroughly amused by all the hype and hoopla that marks his preschool exit. It's not like it is the end of his academic sojourn infact he starts kindergarten soon and that in itself is such a paradox! But hey, welcome to the 21st century where everything is a big deal and that includes getting out of preschool. But for some reason, I dont mind this at all. Maybe it's a parent thing but I want to play along too. So, yes, I am looking forward to Li'l A's first graduation!
G is for girl power or not.......do you think it's almost over for Hillary?
And lastly, G is for gold!! Ofcourse, today being Akshaya Thrithiya (gold buying festival, gawd!!!!)....G is definitely for gold, now if only I could get Uj to read this.......

F is for foto!

2008-05-04T22:00:00.001-07:00

Happy Monday people :)

E is for errrrr

2008-05-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

This morning, over our cuppa, I said E is for....and Uj chipped in with "expenses" almost instantaneously. The guy writes checks for a hobby, so can't blame him, can you? No really, the house, the renovations, the move, the settling down, furnishing the place.....does it ever end? Ofcourse, no one ever said being grown up was fun.
E is for the Earth. Li'l A is taking an increasing interest in it as well. He loves trying to understand the layout of the earth. Continents, countries, cities, and burbs are now making sense. And everytime he says, I live in XXX which is in Dallas which is in Texas which is in the U.S which is in North America which is in the world which is on the Earth..it fills me with pride about another lesson learnt. Something that was out of comprehension a few months back is now a concept that is completely mastered!
E is for ecstatic! And with good reason too. Tickets to India have been booked and we are off early June. The wedding preparations will be well and truly on by then, but we will join the party in good time and did I say I am ecstatic?
E is for eggplant. And I swear that's just a coincidence! Now it would be weird that I would intentionally do an "E" post and cook eggplant the same day, so cut me some slack.
E is for Egypt. 2009 is a big year, we reach the the 10th year milestone. And since I like to plan ahead of time, I am not out of line afterall our big day is only 16 months away!! E is also for ever-changing, so I am not really sold on Egypt myself yet.
E is for exit and this is my cue since I don't feel particularly eloquent today.

D is for Dang!!

2008-04-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

as in...

Dang! those MTBs are smart cookies! O.k, today being the day after the one of a kind mega virtual baby shower, there's nothing else that can make headline news. So, congrats MTBs!! you guys are indeed a force to reckon with. You beat all expectations despite the pregnant belly and all..I mean between the 4-5 of you, you must've taken what, 12 hrs or less to crack 49 + riddles and get to the shower blog?? And here we were, a team of 70 something and it took us over a month to put things in place. Surely, it's the hormones!
Anyway cheers girls - the shower hostess' and the shower recipients, it's been one fun exercise and then some and yeah, this whole shower charade made me get off my lazy behind and get back to blogging again. So, thanks for that as well! And since everyone is going to do some kind of a post or the other on the shower, I'll keep mine short. Let me just say it's never been so much fun to be a mom, a blogger and a girl friend like right now. So, thanks for that everyone!

Dang! the world food market is going nuts. And as the CEO of my household, this is alarming enough. Thanks to the growing middle class in India and China, everything from rice and wheat is going cost twice as much. Dang indeed! So, yeah if you haven't already stocked up those pantries, now might be a good time!

Dang! I am terribly off schedule with the unpacking and cleaning. The deadline was Wednesday 6 pm CST, 12 hrs before the house guests were due. Now its 24 past the house guests' arrival and by now they are pretty adept at jumping over boxes and suitcases! And now Uj sees no point in ever unpacking them. Dang!

Dang! the one thing I did unpack has managed to turn happy Friday into not so-happy-Friday. Any guesses on what I am talking about?? Clue: It's something that stays in the bathroom.

Dang folks! Enjoy your weekend and wait for some pictures on Monday...

Riddle-me-Ree, Who can she be?

2008-04-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

Greetings wonderful MTBs!!!
and good work to all of you!
For having solved the riddle before
I give you all this clue.

The letter " N "

Write it down, add it on...
And let’s move on to the next little song.

“Resides in The Science City, she always does
This cool n dinky vertebrate, globetrots, Oh Yes !
Ever so lovely, lively and gentle in spirit
Not in a Steven Spielberg science fiction – get it ?
Michael Crichton – a nay again
I want to Para-jump – she says again
Who is she ? Who is she ?”

Solve it and you get your lead
Misguess, and you lose your speed
Solve it slow but solve it now
And before you go, take a little bow

Go to 'Comments' and leave me a clue
Tell me which blog you are off to.
Good luck! Good luck! Be on your way.
You have your work, cut out for the day!

C is for Cleaning

2008-04-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

Yup, cleaning the old place, cleaning the new place, cleaning the inbox, cleaning the mail box,...indeed I am on a "clutter-free-living" mission. God knows how long this one will last! Anyway, how's your spring cleaning shaping up??

B is for Barista

2008-04-17T20:33:00.001-07:00

That's right! Coffee is the latest thing that's happened to the Orchid household..well make that to Uj actually. To say the least, his coffee obsession has reached an all time high. These days his vocabulary is mostly limited to Burr grinder, drip coffee maker, thermal carafe and such. And last night he was actually talking about an automated espresso machine in his sleep and no I am not kidding! So, the guy is talking coffee, walking coffee and even dreaming coffee. Over the years, I have learnt to live with his episodic obsessions which always come in waves. But if there is one thing I do appreciate, it is the sincerity with which he follows up his obsession. The comprehensiveness with which he approaches the subject and the depth of understanding he develops by the end of it all. So, I wouldn't be surprised if he is whipping one mean cuppa espresso soon! But B also stands for "breaking the bank" and that's what I am really concerned about! Any suggestions on a "bang for the buck" kinda coffee machine??

A is for ABC of home decor

2008-04-10T09:07:00.001-07:00

You buy a home and the next thing on your plate is home decor, right?? Well, not really. In our case it was pretty much the other way around. Collecting home decor accessories has always been a passion and it was begun way before we ever thought of buying a house. Over the years, I have collected accessories during my travels and at local flea markets and even at neighborhood home decor stores. The issue at hand now is making everything work. Creating that pulled together look. Defining a style and generating that cohesive effect. I have picked out stuff which appealed to both Uj and me and since everything we own is stuff that we really like there should be no issue right? Apparently not. Over the last few days, I have been constantly wondering how I can make that gorgeous Venetian mask go with that exquisite Tanjore painting? Or the red retro phone go with the classic Persian rug. Well, you get the picture. Design dilemma, ideed!
We are no experts when it comes to design rules. But then again, we don't believe in rules at least when it comes to how our house should look. So far, I have let our aesthetic sensibilities guide us and it has served us well. Yet, finding a home for all my things and making the house not look like it is a gallery of mishmash pieces is proving harder than I imagined. And budgetary constraints do not allow seeking the help of a professional. Magazines from the local library and HGTV only go so far in helping me since I do not want to conform to any particular style. I do not want to be limited by definitions since I am not strictly contemporary, traditional, country, tuscan, oldworld or southwestern. Yes, I try to get away with eclectic or maybe Mediterranean. I predominantly like darkwoods, iron scrolls, earth tones, gold accents, rich fabrics (bear with me here, I am trying to think out loud here). Any thoughts or resources on where I go with this??
So, what is your mantra for home decor? Do you envision the room first and then go shopping? Do you do remakes of magazine homes? Do you let your taste and instincts guide you and settle for the end result no matter how it turns out? Or do you just stick to a design style and let that serve as a platform to build on? Or is it something else that I haven't thought of?
And where do you mostly shop for you home decor needs? Input solicited from people here as well as in India.
Pictures will be up in a few weeks, when I do at least a few of the rooms.
Happy weekend y'all!

P.S (edited to add): I am starting a new series of alphabetical posts, ofcourse I may not post everyday but whenever I do it is going to be the next alphabet in the series. Why am I doing this?? thought it would be fun and also give me something to think about. Where did I get the idea from? I am borrowing it from Beenzz who tells me that she borrowed it too..so the credits go to whoever came up with this! So, fasten your seat belts as we get on board the alphabet train!!

Yipee-doo!

2008-04-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

What!?! It's a lovely spring morning and I am at post # 158, you think that's not enough reason to title a post Yipee-doo??

Uj's b'day was as predictable as b'days are - cakes, cards, phone calls to India, dinner with friends and a visit to the temple completed the day. Oh wait, the best part was Li'l A climbing into bed with dad first thing in the morning and nuzzling dad for a while before letting out a very quiet and grown up "Happy b'day Daddy" with no prompts whatsoever from me, of course both me and Uj were asleep! He remembered! Is 4/12 the new 15??
In other news, wedding preparations are on full swing at my parents' in India and thanks to skype the reverberations reach our shores on a daily basis! Li'L A is involved big time and he makes sure he gets daily updates from my mom even before I do. A future event manager in the making??
April promises to be full of reunions with back to back guests. A dear friend and her family visiting us one week and a cousin and his new wife the other. Meanwhile new home, new beginnings, new school, new neighborhood receive continued attention. I refuse to to let the long to-do list bother me. Living in the here and now is soon becoming a way of life and I think I like it!
Till next time yipee-doo folks!

pit stop??

2008-04-03T21:39:00.000-07:00

Hello, hello! Li'l A is in bed fast asleep and Uj is listening to Apologize by Timbaland. Thought I'd say a quick hello. First, thank you to all of you who checked on me so often. Sorry, for not coming back earlier. Things got rather hectic around here and that's an understatement. First, we closed on the house, then we got busy with the remodeling and then the housewarming. Let's just say I have been occupied.
But YAYYYY!!!...could I please say that out loud, I've been wanting to say Yayy for a while now, just didn't want to say it too soon....we bought a house!! Our first one and boy are we excited! It's been mixed emotions so far. Mostly excitement coupled with that occasional streak of anxiety and maybe even a tinge of sadness to leave this place that has been home for a while now. It was a big decision and one that we had conveniently put off the last two years. But the situation needed immediate attention since Li'L A is getting ready for kindergarten this year and having been through the whole public school/private school debate a million times, we kind of knew what we wanted. The process itself was rather painless, thanks to the internet, friends, books from the public library and other resources. Undeniably knowledge is power and my advise to would-be home buyers is to educate yourself as much even before you start hunting. The more educated you are the better prepared you are to ask and answer questions and ultimatley in picking a home that meets your requirements.
And what lies ahead of us is the task of making the house a home, our home! And as always I leave you with a few pictures. And oh, the housewarming itself was an attempt at recreating "THE INDIA EXPERIENCE" in a place so far away from home.

And before I forget, dear Upsi can I put you in the spot for just a second here? Upsi and her sweet li'l family were kind enough to join us for the housewarming. It was a blind date of sorts. We knew each other through our blogs and the occasional phone conversations we had exchanged. I had preconceived notions about her and I am sure she did too and that's what made the encounter so exciting. I must say she is gorgeous inside and out and I am really excited at the possibility of getting to know her more and what a neat li'l family they were too! I may have just found myself a friend...see blogging was not a bad idea at all. All you bangalore, mumbai and delhi bloggers - we finally had a mommy bloggers rendezvous of our own here in Dallas, so there!!

I know, I know, I meant for this to be a quick post but Uj turns ** on April 5th. How can I go away without saying "Happy B'day hon and don't forget to get my car washed this weekend!" Well, what did you expect?? I've wished the guy for 10 yrs now and I've said all there is to say and if there is anything I haven't said, he knows it, I hope!

Movie and then some...

2008-02-19T07:31:00.000-08:00

Hope you've all recovered from "the Madmomma shocker".....well, you can relax now, she is back!! And then in other news from Blogwood, there's the spate of second pregnancy announcements-Kodi's mom, Poppins and Moppet's mom, hearty congratulations to all of you. People've been busy, I gather.
Saw Jodha Akbar on Friday. It was an anniversary of sorts for us and I decided to go treat myself to a movie while Uj watched Li'l A at home. Blame it on the 8 yrs of living together?? Well, the movie itself? Helmsman Gowariker deserves a round of applause- a brave undertaking to showcase the opulence and grandeur of the Mughal era, a risky box office move-shooting a historical mired in controversy regarding the very existence of the protagonist, yet in its own way Jodha Akbar works! Roshan is very believable as the young Akbar and those biceps!!(he could very well be playing the role of Hercules!). Rai is ravishing and their chemistry sets the stage on fire. If you are a romance junkie - this is it even though it is set in a different era! Loved the sufi song -ethereal, enchanting and towards the end points to a very human side to India's all time greatest emperor. Surprisingly, the length of the movie did not matter that much since Gowariker manages to sustain the flow well. However, lacking in crispness the movie does fall considerably short of being a masterpiece. The imagery, choreography and rhythm make the song Azeem o shan undeniably brilliant. Neeta Lulla and her team of artisans deserve a mention for the exquisite creations that make up the emperor and the princess' wardrobe. On a global stage, this movie does well to showcase our decadent heritage.
On the flipside, one realises Indian cinema has a long way to go in terms of technical finesse as is evident in the war scenes. This is no "lord of the rings" but bollywood audience has come to expect one!

Now, I am crumbling under the weight of all the tags that have been handed down..I promise to get to them, so don't be mad, I will, I will..get to it someday.
And hey, the brother got engaged!! Congratulations D and A! Welcome to the family! See, I am glad I started all the wedding planning ahead of schedule. Now I have about 4 mths to work on the bulges and the behind, doable-no??
What else, people??

li'l girls are so precious and this is why...

2008-02-16T20:34:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a few accessories, Uj, Nikon D80 and Adobe - one of my wishes is now granted!

presenting to you Li'l Ms. A :)

Of stolen tags and alphabets!

2008-02-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

How desperate should one be for ideas if one decides to tag self?? Pretty darn desperate, I'd say....anyway stopped at Parul's minutes ago and looks like she is having a tag fest herself and I decided to pick one and go with it. Now I can cross one thing off my to-do list (* must blog today). I know I sound like blogging is some kind of a punishment. And to think it is self imposed too!
The alphabet tag it is called!(and here I am having a tough time finding fodder to write on!!!)
A -Available? Nope every ounce of me is consumed at the minute, but my hubby-he is!
B-Best friend: A couple but I am sucker for anonymity
C-Cake or Pie? Cake definitely, the la Madeleine kind, if you must know.
D-Drink of choice: Mojito, the way Uj makes it!
E-Essential thing used everyday: Oil of Olay moisturizer. The key to a radiant looking skin is-moisturizer, moisturizer, moisturizer…what??? I know, I am vain!!
F-Favourite colour: Hmmmm, greens-the olive, mossy, mehendi kinds
G-Gummi bears or worms: neither I once read about a kid who choked on these!
H-Hometown: Bangalore
I-Indulgence: Audi R8…sigh! someday
J-January or February: Going by this year..maybe April, hopefully things will slow down by then
K-Kids and names: One and Li’l A..any guesses on what the A stands for ?
L-Life is incomplete without: tags..hehehe, humor me people, i told you it's one of those days!
M-Marriage date: August 30th, but why?
N-Number of siblings: 1 Brother, are you sure you don’t want my bank account or my SSN??
O-Oranges or apples: Orange rind in chocolate soufflé and green apple with peanut butter, yumm!
P-Phobias: It’s in one of my posts…..anybody remember??
Q-Quote: Here is one from my 41/2 yr old “Mommy its easy to grow a baby inside you…..all you have to do is eat and get fat!”
R-Reason to smile: my 4 ½ yr old, read previous line and you’ll know why!
S-Season: sprightly spring!
T-Tag three people: Poppins, dotmom, tharini
U-Unknown fact about me: I am a sucker for politics..nope not the domestic/social kind (actually that too)...… but I luuuuuuvvvv national politics, so you can imagine what a high I am on, this being the election year and all!
V-Vegetable you do not like: karela, maybe…actually I don’t mind them too
W-Worst habit: worst habit and me?? you'd have to ask Uj
X-x-rays you have had: boy!! this is one nosy tag!
Y-Your favourite food: Mosaru anna (curd rice), anytime people!
Z-Zodiac: Leo

January January!!

2008-01-29T13:35:00.000-08:00

Alrighty then, Bush gave his last State of the Union address last night and his legacy may very well be in murky waters what with inflation at an all time high, the dollar losing value, sub prime woes pushing lenders out of business, 140,000 American troops still stationed in Iraq, the U.S economy edging towards recession, 2 million homeowners all set to foreclose….hmmm doesn’t really look like much of a start to the New Year after all, but hey that’s not what I am here to talk about, am I?
So, here’s the low down on a really manic January! Like I mentioned in the previous post- it’s been a one busy month for us. But before that- The Vacation! I know I promised to report on that.
We flew to Knoxville on the 30th and from there drove up to the Great Smoky Mountains and stayed at a cabin in the mountains with two other families for 4 nights and 5 days. It was essentially a caucus of old friends that were getting together after 5 long years. Many things had changed, 2 new kids that needed introductions and an endless amount of catching up and an even endless recap of the nostalgic past. Needless to say, the boys, big and little, had a lot of fun and so did us- the ladies. New Year’s Eve was a blast! We partied on the streets of downtown Gatlinburg alongside a crowd of 40,000 (that’s right!) other vacationers who were all there for the same thing- the Times Square style ball drop! Amidst all the partying which continued through the night at the cabin we managed to bid adieu to 2007. The rest of our vacation itinerary included all things that would be expected of a typical mountain vacation – the ride to Ober Gatlinburg ski resort in the aerial tramway, the ride up the scenic skylift and stopping at endless number of vista points to take in the beauty of the wintery mountain-scape are just a few highlights. We came back home refreshed and rejuvenated!
And here are a few images to support the claim!

Now getting back to January itself, first the house and then Li'l A's run with the stomach bug, both of which have left us a little (??) exhausted. I hope I get a break in February since March promises to be equally crazy with packing and the moving. Uj has taken to photography in a big way and if I not blogging, just know that I am probably posing as a subject for his never-ending assignments! And here's this weeks assignment.

Now, who would've thought ???

2008-01-20T14:27:00.000-08:00

...that the New Yr would bring about so many changes. I know it is barely 20 days and we (at the Orchid household) are seeing so much action already!! No seriously, would you believe me if I told you that I have not had time to pull my Christmas tree down?? So, what's new?? How about a new address for starters?? and yes, that's what's kept me away from the blog largely. The move is scheduled to happen mid to late march and believe me I don't even want to think about packing just yet!! And today, just when I thought the dust had settled on the whole house thing, Li'l A is down with what appears to be a rather merciless variety of the stomach flu. The poor kid has been puking his guts out and it breaks my heart to see him suffer. I know, I promised to write about the vacation and I will as soon as I can get to it.
Thanks for checking on me and will stop by yours soon.

End of the year notes

2007-12-18T17:27:00.000-08:00

1) Hiya folks! Just checking in to say hello! Do I sense an unusual gloom in the blog world?? I mean things have definitely decelerated, I don't see as many new posts as during the rest of the year from my favorite bloggers - is it the winter blues or just the end-of-the-year-lull?? I most definitely hope that it is one of the two, I mean I don't want any more bloggers that I frequent closing shop now.
2) At my end, a lot's happening (nothing new there!!) but nothing blog worthy really.We are slowly but surely getting ready to close the doors on 2007. Am I ready for 2008? Well, I don't really have a choice now, do I? Li'l A starts kindergarten next year, yes, my baby starts his academic odyssey in 2008! What does this mean for us, his parents? Choices, options, and quandary! Public school, private school, charter school, home school - I've never been more afraid of choices! I can already smell the air of change that seems to be lurking around, yes 2008 promises a lot of activity!
3) On an entirely unrelated note, bachelors are a dwindling population. This year, 3 of my bachelor friends tied the knot. Looks like D (the brother) may very well be the last bachelor standing. Will 2008 be his year?? I don't know if he is ready but I am most definitely ready for his marriage! Every time I look at enthusiastic new brides and grooms share their wedding pictures on social networking websites, I get new ideas on what I should wear and how I should get my pictures taken (yes I think about these things, intensely!) Just when I think my head will explode from the million or so ideas in there, Uj gently reminds me that it is D's wedding and not mine!
4) Yowzer!! I've always wanted to use that word in a blog post and I just did! Only I have nothing else to add to that!
5) I am very tempted to do an end of the year top 10 list but only it is late here and my mind is drawing a blank and of course there is always the dependable rediff for that. But hey how about a Li'l A-ism? This morning as I was pulling the car out of the driveway to drop Li'l A to the school, he saw the ice defrosting on my windshield and exclaimed, "mommy your car is melting!!" There's a budding scientist, what say ??
6) And before I sign off, here's a holiday picture. And the Indian clothes?? No, it has nothing to do with biculturalism nor is it symbolic of east meets west. We just got a parcel from India today, that's all! And the sherwani was a gift from the MIL and we just had to try it on and take some pics!!

Happy Holidays y'all!
and thank you for all the wonderful lunch/show and tell ideas. I've duly noted all your ideas and will be acting on them soon :)

Help, Orchid in Mommy Emergency!

2007-12-14T07:06:00.000-08:00

Friday mornings bring a flutter of activity to the Orchid household. It is the day of the "sack lunch" and "show and tell!" Well, if you think it sounds like fun, then think again. I usually spend Thursday nights tossing and turning in bed thinking endlessly about what I can pack for his lunch and send for show and tell. Li'l A has been in this school for over 68 weeks now and week after week, I've tried to be creative and innovative coming up with new ideas for both but it's slowly becoming a nightmare.
I like that the school has a scheduled show and tell activity. After all, it is meant to hone your child's language and social skills. But after a while, it gets difficult to come up with good ideas, consistently. Apparently, the school doesn't want toys, popular t.v characters, interactive games etc sent since it disrupts the classroom learning environment. Fair enough. But explaining that to a child is something else! But after repeated no's, I think Li'l A finally gets that he cannot take his spiderman toy or his Lightning Mcqueen car for show and tell. So, the problem? We are running out of ideas, quickly. We've done everything or at least it seems like it. Pictures, coins, plants, rocks, little scientific experiments, crafts, books, stories, household tools and more. And this is where I am calling on the mommy bloggers. I need show and tell ideas!!
Now, the second issue that Friday brings - sack lunch. Li'l A mostly eats lunch at school and I have been lucky that the school offers an exclusive vegetarian menu as well but the school lets children bring their own brown bags on Fridays.
Li'l A is a very picky eater and the mealtime saga that goes on at the Orchid household could make for a book in itself. 4 yrs and still every meal is a power struggle. Fridays are especially harder on me since I have objective proof that he has eaten almost nothing for lunch since he brings back his packed lunch as is. Again, I am reaching out to you able moms of the blogworld to share your ideas on what to pack for lunch and here's a list of things I've already tried- grilled cheese sandwich, PB&J sandwich, veggies burgers, noodles, spaghetti, pasta, rice, chapathis, packed lunches from the local delis and of course these are always accompanied by a side of fruits and veggies. He eats the same food for dinner too and since my persistence always wins over his defiance, I actually manage to get him to eat the food on his plate. But of course school is another story and since he has no one breathing down his neck he happily packs his lunch box with food as is once mealtime is over.
So, its no wonder that I am almost starting to hate Fridays. Bail me out ladies!

How does your's look??

2007-12-06T18:04:00.000-08:00

..the countdown to 2008, I mean!

And before I forget,

A fellow blogger is almost due
and how exciting it is too!
A new baby is always fun
atleast until they start to run!
Have fun, baby and you
Don't forget to include Sri too!
Here's sending your way
Warm wishes to make your day!

image via google

ok I suck at poetry!!! but hey....don't I get some brownie points for the thoughts??

How the Orchid was hitched - Part Dos

2007-12-01T13:14:00.000-08:00

For part uno scroll down and if you are lazy just click here.

Giving into the incessant cajoling I eventually boarded the auto very reluctantly that chilly February evening. I was not quite sold on the idea of spending the evening on a dance floor and neither was I looking forward to socializing with a flock of ostentatious 20-somethings! But just as the auto swerved into the entrance I saw a familiar face pull up into the parking lot of The Zebra Crossing. That's right, it was "the black tie" guy minus the black tie of course! 2 weeks had passed since I last saw him or thought about him and yet my heart did a quiet somersault. A strange exhilaration dawned on me. I was glad I had not turned down the invitation . We exchanged decorous smiles and made our way in, me with an escort and he without one.

It was a dance party and so there was a lot of dancing! Before long, Uj had become the soul of the party. He had the moves! I faded into the background and fell into a reverie watching him. He moved beautifully and effortlessly and I was in a trance. The footwork was immaculate and the demeanor pleasing. He had engaged the crowd. A little more than I would've liked too. GP, a fellow classmate and a very alluring Punjabi, was hovering around him now. It was quite obvious she fancied him and the others were only too happy to push them together. I felt intimidated and I couldn't tell why. Feeling completely awkward and inadequate, I felt this growing need to dissipate even more into the cozy comfort of the dimly lit seating area and quietly swig my drink, but something told me I was being watched. Things then fell into a quiet rhythm - some of us watching, some of them dancing. Three dances later GP continued to hanker after him. And did I sense the slightest hint of discomfort at his end or was it just my imagination, I couldn't tell. I was amused!

Anyway, I decided to go eat at the restaurant. I had my plate full and mouth too, I turned around and almost bumped into him. Of course, he would be hungry at precisely the same time too! I should've known :) And then we spoke for the first time. We stood there, two complete strangers and over dinner we exchanged a few inconsequential details. And before I knew it, we had made plans to meet the next day at my hostel and since conservatism was still the norm back then (?) he mentioned he would bring his sister along too. She could use some career advise from me, he said!!! Smooth, eh?? Before we could take the conversation any further, GP was by his side, another dance she said and off they went! I went back to the dance floor too and how I found myself dancing, I don't remember how but I was swinging to Madonna's Vogue and soon we were dancing with each other. What started as a few shuffling steps soon became a well synchronized performance. We partnered well, what I lacked technically we made up in chemistry and I was at ease.The night ended with GP getting a ride back to the hostel with Uj!

The next day bought a montage of emotions - I moved between anticipation, anxiety, bliss, uncertainty and sheer restlessness much to the disdain of my poor roomate who remained clueless. Come evening, the watchman announced my visitor and I saw him waiting at the gates sans the sister, of course! It felt right :) "Coffee ?" he asked, "Yes" I said urgently wanting to get away from there, I'd rather be swallowed by the earth than have a 100 pair of impertinently curious eyes scan our every move from every window in the hostel. Hurriedly, I boarded the bike. Awkwardness prevailed and less than a 100 yards later, I had successfully managed to get my dupatta struck in the rear wheel and shredded into a 1000 pieces! Romance flew out the door, frustration reigned! Could anyone really be such a dodo, he wondered. And I stood there almost ready to turn on the waterworks. Was this thing doomed right from the start? I guess not, we made up, he bought me my first gift and no prizes for guessing- a magenta dupatta (jeez, I was fond of magenta, wasn't I?)

What transpired over the next hour or so changed the course of our lives forever, only we did not realize it then. We finally made it to the coffee shop after all the extraneous detours. As we sat there and indulged in a frivolous banter and I still recall vividly, he stopped and told me that he would talk to my parents. Those were his exact words! What!?! Was this a proposal, was this a commitment, hadn't we known each other for less than 2 + 2 + 6 hrs and 45 minutes in all? And really we knew nothing, nothing about each other! So, when had we fallen in love? Was it love at first sight then? I like the idea, heck, I love the idea but till date I desist from calling it that since I hate to believe that the most important decision of our life was made rather serendipitously. Nothing more was said that night, a million thoughts raced my mind, mostly negative but one look at the person sitting across the table and I was calmer. Sometimes life takes a course which is far better than one you can ever design for yourself and that's how I felt then. And yet, I did not know if I was in love.

He was going back to Pune that night and I was going back to Bangalore for the holidays. He promised to call once I got back. And when he did a week later, it was to tell me that he was leaving for the U.S in 3 months and that he was moving back with his parents in the interim so we could spend some time together before he left. Again, I said nothing! His conviction was our strength! He knew it was right. He also knew I had my doubts, but he just asked me to believe him. I am glad I did without asking too many questions. When you are in love, 3 months is immensely short! Most of that was spent in taking care of the banal rituals associated with his impending trip and my academic distractions, namely, exams! So, when did we really get to know each other?? After he moved to the U.S. We were truly oceans apart and yet for us it worked-the long distance courtship. For 2 long years, we wrote to each other every single day! We listened when the other spoke. We realized we were such contrasts - I plan obsessively, he appreciates life as it unfolds and yet we were so similar, we both loved life! Fortunately for us, we saw what we wanted to see and liked what we saw. We fell in love, maybe all over again!

SO, there noon, you asked and I wrote and 2 years later I married, this guy!

How the Orchid was hitched-Part Uno

2007-11-30T11:49:00.001-08:00

Darn!! does it have to really be this hard?? I have lived this story and loved every minute of it but telling it and making it an interesting read is proving a nightmare. I was tagged by noon many moons ago to do our engagement story. For the record, we were never really officially engaged but that doesn't mean there isn't a story. In fact I have to warn you - ours is a love story that could very well be the script of a Bollywood romance flick. Indeed a full bodied story with all the requisite ingredients - love, drama, action, song and dance!! Be forewarned that I own the copyrights to this story before you think of making a quick buck by selling the script to Yash Raj films!!

Flashback to the spring of 97 (yup, we've known each other for 10 yrs now!!)my undergrad days. The sophomore class was in charge of organizing the annual inter-collegiate extravaganza and the Orchid was ordained as the compere-the event was the semifinals of the dance competition. Uj and a couple of his friends were the appointed judges since they had won the title a couple of years ago (since then they had graduated and moved on to more meaningful pursuits in life??) And no, he was not a student of my college, he was from an entirely different college that trained students in an entirely different profession!(I told ya-aditya chopra would love this!!). Anyway, getting back to the day off- boy sees girl, girl sees boy, pleasantries are exchanged and boy goes about judging(the contestants of course) and the girl goes about compering, the night ends and each return to their own nests. Next day dawns, it is night of the grand finale and the place is abuzz with activity, raw excitement everywhere and the air is thick with love (oops!did I forget to mention it was the day after Valentine's---- I know, I know Aditya Chopra can smell the greenbacks already!! but there is more)

Uj is back looking very stoic in his black tie yet looking adequately ubersexual to melt many a heart. My man, he is no Clooney and definitely no metrosexual poster boy but he cares a great deal for personal appearances, he does. And till date, one look at him and you will know the man knows style! The Orchid is back too, donning a gaudy magenta saree, a ridiculous coiffure and a bronzed look! Hey, it was all the beautician's idea not mine!! And so the ubersexual hunk absolutely fails to recognize the overdone Orchid and this is just day 2- so much for a love story right? Anyway after frantic reassurances that I am indeed the Orchid underneath the gazillion layers of makeup, a not-so subtly-amused judge goes back to judging.

What followed remains a dull haze in my memory. The background seems blurry- the people, the confusion, the loud music, the lights, the color, the activity seem distant today or did I chose to intentionally white them out just so I could remember one thing and one thing only- the image of a good looking young man sitting in the front row looking a tad bored and a tad amused. Every time I went up on the stage to announce the next contestant we locked eyes- we theorize differently about this- he claims it was just to make sure that we both had the right names on our list while I claim it was because HE was already in love! That's still an unsettled issue between us.

The night rolled on and following the dance competition was the fashion show and this time I was one of the models!! It was only months later I realized that while I was busy traipsing around in a backless halter that night my future in laws (who both happened to be professors in my college)were right there in the audience but to my advantage my MIL claims even to this day that what she saw was what she liked- the bold, confident, no-nonsense persona and that's why she gave Uj the go-ahead when he told her he had found his match! Anyway, the show ended that night and as everyone was packing up, Uj walked right up to me and stopped to say a quick goodbye. An entirely gentlemanly exit,nothing more! No, we did not exchange numbers and I don't think the thought crossed either of our minds that night. And then I forgot all about the guy in the black tie.

A couple of weeks later there was an invitation for a dance party which I promptly turned down. The semester was almost drawing to a close and I was getting ready to go home in a couple of days. But when Cupid decides to strike there's no stopping! Thanks to a persistent friend (my junior actually) I ended up going to the party that night.
......to be continued

Why not???

2007-11-28T07:02:00.000-08:00

..... and before you think this is totally vain, go read TheMadmomma on mommy bloggers and baby pictures!

Thanksgiving and the 22 questionsTag!

2007-11-22T14:44:00.000-08:00

Enjoying your thanksgiving, everyone?? It is rather low key at the Orchid household. Li'l A is spending the day at a cousin's place today being my second post op day. Yes, I had another surgery this week but this time they only got to work on those troublesome sinuses. And if you are a sucker for complicated medical terminology, here is what they did - Bilateral maxillary antroostomy with septoplasty with bilateral submucous resection of the turbinates, a mouthful or what? Anyway, other than sore throat from the anesthesia, 2 extremely clogged nostrils from all the packing and the bleeding, a right sided ear ache which is getting worse by the minute, a super dry mouth from all the mouth breathing that I have been doing for the past 48 hrs and a head that feels like it weighs a 100 tonnes I feel o.k!! No really, I still feel like I have plenty to be thankful for - wonderful friends who have stopped by each evening serving us food and companionship, a cousin and his family who made thanksgiving special for Li'l A and of course Uj who has been by my side throughout this ordeal. Y'know you married a good guy when he lets his wife sleep off the pain and gets to work cleaning the fridge!
So, yeah thanksgiving has been mostly about saline rinses, hot liquids and some good old music (the Bette Midler kind).

I have a couple of hours before Li'l A gets back home and what better way to spend it that finishing up a tag passed on to me by Fuzzy who herself did a mighty fine job in a typical fuzzy logic fashion. I have seen it done brilliantly at a few other stops as well, so, if you haven't already heard them all, here's my take.

1. How do you feel after a one night stand? Whaddaya mean? Don’t they sell night stands in pairs??

2. Do you ever get used to wearing a thong? Which ones? G-string, V-string, traditional, t-back string, or low rise?? Or were you referring to the material? Fleece, silk, cotton, lycra, spandex, or satin??

3. Does it hurt? You mean you’ve never tried the male thong???

4. Do you know when you are acting crazy? Nope, but then again it’s not me it’s the estrogen!

5. Does size really matter? Aha! You would like to know, wouldn’t you??

6. When the bill comes are you still a feminist? You’d really like that, won’t you??

7. Why do you take so long to get ready? It wouldn’t take that long if you helped tidy up, put everything in place, load the dishwasher and get the kid ready (FYI, all this is part of getting ready too y’know! )

8. Do you watch porn, too? Too?? we don’t need to do every thing that you do!

9. Will something from Tiffany’s solve everything? Damage control, eh?? Depends on how big the damage is and how many carats the control is. I’d say you shouldn’t even bother if it is not at least a couple of carats, clear and purple!!

10. Are guys as big of a mystery to you as you are to us? You mean with all the scratching, farting and watching porn that “You” do?? No, I don’t think there is much of a mystery left at all!

11. Why do you sometimes think you look fat? You mean like that time when we watched the football game with you and ended up eating all the nachos??

12. Why are you always late? You say late, I say worth the wait….

13. Does it bother you when we scratch? No, at least you don’t rub yourself against a post!

14. Do you wish you could pee standing up? No, I think it was a wise trade-off. We settled for the brains while you settled for that thing that lets you stand and pee!

15. Why do so many women cut their hair short as soon as they get married? Losing a few strands of hair doesn’t mean much when you’ve already been served a life sentence!

16. How often do you think about sex? One sexual thought every 19,200 seconds! What you don’t believe me ?? it’s a fact!

17. What do you think of women who sleep with guys on the first date? You mean the same first date where the guy is usually heralded as a hero and the woman is named a slut?? I’d just blame it on too much alcohol!

18. Would you? I don’t drink that much!

19. Do you realize every guy wants a girl just like his mom? Of course, you really are clueless about most things in life!

20. Why does every woman think she can change him? Hope is a wonderful thing, after all!

21. Does it matter what car I drive? Nope, just as long as I get to drive my favorite set of wheels!

22. Do you ever fart? Yes, we pass gas..we just don’t have an amplifier attached to our behinds, that’s all! And we don’t gloat about it like “YOU” do!

Marathon or mania ??

2007-11-19T19:24:00.000-08:00

Friday evening - went shopping with a girl friend, Friday night - watched a Mayan action/adventure with friends. Saturday afternoon - invited a few friends over for lunch. Saturday afternoon-watched a Chinese adaptation with friends. Saturday night-watched a Hindi romance flick with friends. Saturday late night - watched a Hollywood thriller with Uj (and yes, we have seen this before!). Sunday evening took Li'l A to a carnival. Sunday night-watched a Spanish drama with Uj! Can somebody turn that T.V off already!
All that movie overdose has rendered me acutely incapable of writing anything even remotely interesting and god knows I tried!! So, I am going to have to let you suffer through this post for now. I am taking a short blog break..I need to go detoxify! Be good while I am gone! And if I not back soon enough then have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

..and WE are 4 yrs old!

2007-11-15T12:49:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my previous post, I am feeling this enormous compunction that I don’t write enough about Li’l A on this blog. I know, I know, I said this is not a mommy blog but guilt does work in mysterious ways, doesn’t it?

I don’t even know where to begin. Of course, Li’l A is your typical 4 yr old-rambunctious, exuberant, and zappy. Needless to say, he likes anything that is cacophonous and loves everything that lets him bounce off the walls. On a day when my nerves are totally shattered (by the endless screaming, jumping, bouncing, fidgeting), I reassure myself with the fact that he has my genes so it can’t be all bad but then the little voice in my head reminds me about the “other set of chromosomes” and that’s when panic sets in.

He loves superheroes- a classic 4 yr old’s fascination! And this is where I struggle trying to explain the difference between fantasy and reality. “No honey, you can’t actually spin webs with the flick of your wrist. No, not even when you put your Spiderman costume on!”

He loves to swim. Did I say he got my genes?? Well, I was definitely not referring to the swimming genes because I don’t have any! Nope, none at all! I mean I can’t even begin to explain what a totally non-aquatic person I am. However, that is going to be remedied soon since I plan to sign up for PHED 1114 – Swim lessons for-the-terrified-of-water course in the Spring! Getting back to Li’l A, his love affair with the water is something else! And what a difference a year makes too! Last year, when we vacationed in the Mauritius, we had to haul a kicking, fighting toddler into the pool every time and he hated it. But since then he has been taking lessons at the Y and now my Li’l Eel (yes he has graduated from pike to eel) can’t seem to get enough of it!

He loves taking pictures. That’s right and he's a darn good photographer! And I discovered that recently too. Last weekend we were at the arboretum and after he turned down my incessant cries to pose for pictures, I just gave him the camera. And boy did he click! I have never enjoyed looking at pictures as much as I did those set of pictures that he took. Looking at the world through the eyes of a four yr old is truly wondrous!

He loves reading. I have already written about Li’l A’s love for books in a previous post and here is an excerpt
“To me the most fascinating thing about life is to watch your child, your creation grow and evolve. And I believe books provide the best estimate to your child’s development. Initially it is a smile, a noise when they see the pictures, then it is recognition and association, later it is putting imagination to words and telling their own stories by looking at familiar images and finally it is reading and of course understanding. I have a long way to go with A but we have the most fun when I read to him. He is a very perceptive child and I love to hear what he has to say, sometimes the stories are rewritten in his own words and the frog doesn’t always turn into a prince but I enjoy that too. I read and he absorbs everything like a sponge with wide eyed enthusiasm. He cares to remember things that I will not, like the names of Hanuman’s parents-Anjana and Kesari. I read, he learns and believes, and one day he will read, soon.”
That day is here and he is reading now! In fact he started sometime back and now he can read entire books and in his own words “ I can read a book all by MYSELF!” and what fun it is too to watch him read and to bond with him all over again over books.

So there you have it, a li’l update on Li’l A. I think for now we are in a happy zone, the messy diapers are a thing of the past and the rebellious teenager is a concern of the future. Right now we are just being mother and child, building some happy memories and learning from each other every day.

And of what use is a parenting update if there is no link! I found this on the www and although it reads “What should a 4 yr old know” I think this is true of children any age.

The B(usiness) of Blogging

2007-11-11T14:09:00.000-08:00

What does one do on a lazy Sunday afternoon? Run a SWOT analysis on one’s blog, of course! That’s right people, I mean business!
No really, I started this blog after I read 2 (that’s right, only two!) posts by this author. I did not know the first thing about blogging. But there I was, a few clicks of the mouse later, with my own blog. The empty page and the blinking cursor staring me in the face – o.k I needed to write. I took the plunge almost instantly but had no clue how long I was going to stay afloat. Maybe one day the whim would disappear just as miraculously as it had appeared. Till then, I decided to escape the insanity that my life sometimes is through words and this time written words. Thus began my journey in the blogosphere. Did I have a message? Did I have a defined identity? Did I belong in any particular category? Did I have a goal? Today I am at post # 143 and the answer is still a big NO! So, am I simply wasting my time and everyone else’s? In an attempt to find an answer, I took a few steps back and did what I probably should have done before I created the “Mind of an orchid” – stopped at sites like this and read articles like this and this bought me to the SWOT analysis. And here is what I uncovered

S- Strengths- This blog is ~~one-of-a-kind~~, ~~insightful~~, ~~hilarious~~, ~~informative~~, ~~collaborative~~, ~~creative~~ …….hmmm, I am in some serious sh*t, am I not? But, the silver lining? You guys!! who keep coming back to read- no seriously, why do you?

W-Weaknesses- This blog is not the “traditional” mom blog(but then I never meant for it to be). This blog is not the “traditional” personal blog (since I end up writing more about Li’l A and Uj and sundry other things, remember that post on Bald Britney??) This blog is not the “traditional” Indian blog although the author is! This blog is ~~sometimes~~ often totally lame…o.k, o.k more trouble in Orchidland, I get it, time to move on.

O- Opportunities. Now this is easy, opportunities exist to up the quality, the quantity (???), the consistency, the humor quotient, and the creativity. Not to worry folks, with Li’l A actually turning out to be Calvin’s twin and Uj growing more senile by the minute there is plenty of blog fodder- if only Dooce would take me as her apprentice!

T– Threats. Ever heard of the Great Indian Mommy Blog Brigade?? By george! if I could only be half as interesting as any of these women. I mean, they’ve given a whole new meaning to the words poop and boob and that is to say the least! Although I fear for my own existence, I say, you go, moms!

So, what did I actually learn?-that it is likely I am wasting my time and more than likely I am wasting your's!!

Now, do you agree with the SWOT's ?

Hi-def honey ?

2007-11-07T08:42:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for Deepavali? I thought I was, at least till this morning, till the guys from AT& T showed up.
Isn’t it funny how we men and women are wired to think differently? I mean, for a week now I have been getting ready for the festival, endlessly going over every detail of the spread planned for Friday, in my mind while the only thing on Uj’s mind is getting hi-def T.V before the football season heats up!! So, when the At&t U-verse sales guy showed up at our door the other day (yes, they had someone going door to door selling U-verse-talk about direct-to-consumer marketing!!!), Uj was more than happy. A couple of signatures later, they got their customer, Uj got HDTV, the sun was smiling,the gods were happy and all was good, right? Almost. Only, today was my day for pre-Deepavali cleaning and today is when the scheduled installation is! I mean everyone (everyone except Uj of course) knows that Deepavali begins with some good nitty-gritty house-cleaning. After all, it’s an annual opportunity to clean out the closets and take inventory of what’s lacking in fall-wear, to clean out the pantry and see how many more of those gorgeous snapware containers I need, to clean out the linen closet to see how soon I need to make that trip to buy those space-saver-under-the-bed-vacuum totes, well you get the picture, don’t you? But then you propose and the friendly AT &T guys dispose! It’s 3 hours (or so it seems), the house looks like it’s been hit by a tornado with wires strewn everywhere. Of course, argues Uj, “When they are done honey everything will be wireless!?!?!!” I am on a level RED panic mode right now but Uj is visibly thrilled. Why wouldn’t he be, the next time the colts and the patriots go at it, he can watch them in action on Hi-def! That’s the only thing that ever really matters, sports!!!!
Aaaarghh!! Can someone make these men (Uj included) leave so I can get on with that festival already!
And Happy Deepavali folks, hope yours is happier than mine!

Made by Andrea Micheloni

Raising an ABCD

2007-11-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

So, Halloween's gone. What next? Thanksgiving? No wait, there's Deepavali next week. Indeed, biculturalism is a reality now. And it would be perfectly o.k too if it was limited to the observance of festivals and holidays. But being an Indian parent raising a child born in America and attempting to create that perfect amalgam of cultures is an entirely different ball game. Till recently, the acronym ABCD meant only a reference to some remote acquaintance but not anymore. Li'l A is an ABCD too! Now I look past the humor behind the acronym and wonder if there is really a disparaging side to it and if yes what it really means for us and for him? He belongs to the coconut generation and he is supposedly "White" on the inside and "Brown" on the outside and that means he has to live up to our expectations that are almost entirely Indian and at the same time try to make peace with his own perceptions that will be entirely American. So, is he going to grow up in a befuddled little world of his own? And are the problems only going to get harder as the years roll by? Will he have to deal with crises in terms of identity, lifestyle, language, accent, etiquette,values and beliefs? Will he belong neither "here" nor "there"? And one day will he face a more difficult and serious question like "Who am I"? I think the answer to all of these questions and more is "Yes". And so, the confusion is inevitable and adding considerably to this confusion is us, the parents- we are novice parents dealing with parenting issues on one hand and immigrant uncertainties on the other hand.

It is true that I am a young mom and probably foster more liberal upbringing thoughts compared to other Indian parents. To me the American culture is an experience I have mostly enjoyed. I am still learning and will only continue to do so through the experiences of Li'l A. I am also more accepting of the ways of my adopted country but at the core I am an Indian with very Indian values and there is no denying that my parenting style is largely influenced by these values. I already find myself imposing a certain amount of Indian-ness when I parent my child. It is understated but there nonetheless. The expectations are mostly Indian in matters such as academics, religion, and spirituality and I do my best to bring the Indian experience to Li'l A. And then there is also the deluge of cultural products such as music and films but I wonder if any of this is going to make Li'l A a little more Indian or only add to the ambivalence. Surely, there is more to being the "Authentic Indian" than wearing Indian clothes, eating Indian food, watching Indian movies and dancing to Indian tunes? And no, I am not trying to make him one because I realize he is not one, I am just trying to ask a few questions to understand what's in store for us. I don't even want to begin to wonder how much harder adolescence will be because he belongs to a second generation and has a unique ethnic identity. He is different and he is going to feel it. But then again, I take comfort in the fact that he is not alone and that there is a whole generation with him!

Despite all the confusion that a dual identity brings, I want him to grow up to a be a sure-footed young man who will not be limited by definitions. He is not the norm and will not fit into traditional cultural paradigms. The sooner he realizes that, the easier it will be for him to move on or at least I hope so. The confusion has already begun and it is apparent even to him and for now he is handling the rife mispronunciations of his name rather well. Every time he defiantly corrects people and tells them the correct way to say his name, I know that he owns his name even though it is different and if he can continue to extend the same philosophy to everything else that is unique or distinct about him then he is going to be alright.

So, can you point to anymore issues that we may potentially face as the parents of second generation children and is there anything we can do to make life a little easier for them? Go on, have your say.

BOO!

2007-10-31T18:10:00.001-07:00

o.k, I am really tired from all the Halloween action. I have been Batman's faithful chauffeur, escort, chaperon and photographer these last few days. So, I hope you won't mind at all that there is no literature to accompany this slide show. But the pictures do say a 1000 words, don't they ? Enjoy!

The Darjeeling Limited

2007-10-28T08:14:00.000-07:00

The Darjeeling Limited is a Wes Anderson offering about three estranged brothers (Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson and Jack Schwartzman) who are meeting for the first time after their father's funeral a year ago. They embark on a spiritual journey (on a train titled The Darjeeling Limited) through India in an effort at re-bonding with each other. Quirky dysfunctional families are a sure shot recipe for humor and so are the kinky protagonists of The Darjeeling Limited. Anderson has done a fine job of delicately weaving morbid themes and subtle yet ironic humor into a fine tapestry. Throughout the movie comic happenings are aplenty and "the poisonous snake episode" is a riot! The Indian backdrop adds lots of color and whimsy. And being an Indian myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the Indian angle and the portrayal of the Indian-ness!! The most obvious metaphor was the Francois Voltaire suitcases by Marc Jacobs of Louis Vuitton, the brothers carry,I don't know, maybe a dozen of these bags throughout the movie and eventually get rid of them almost as if getting rid of their family baggage! Having associated Brody with roles like the pianist, I must say I was particularly impressed with his comic edge. Natalie Portman and Angelica Huston appear in short cameos, the former at the beginning and the latter at the end of the movie as the love interest and the mother respectively. The characters are flawed yet very endearing and the camaraderie they share brings a charm to the movie!
Worth watching is my verdict.

Are you ready for Halloween?

2007-10-24T19:25:00.001-07:00

pic via google images

We at the Orchid household are! like we parents have another choice,really ! I wrote about my thoughts on Halloween in this post last year. Have they changed any? Yes, this time I have been more excited about it than even Li'l A, somehow I have forgotten to complain about how the holiday has fallen prey to capitalism. I don't care anymore that it is so disgustingly commercialized and for A's sake I want to have fun too. After all, it is not everyday that you get to live out your fantasy. Li'l A's excitement was so palpable when he realized that the possibilities were endless. The time I spent with him in Party City the other day was probably one of the best and I will cherish it forever. We bought A's costume 2 weeks ago and Uj is still deciding what he wants to be. Yes, Dad and son are going to a party at Uj's workplace. While dad turns into a Vampire or a Werewolf and son turns into a super hero, I am going to sit back and enjoy and for once try not to take myself too seriously. It is one of the more secular celebrations here in America and mostly an observance of fun and I will look at it just that way. And as for teaching Li'l A the true meaning of the fall season and Halloween, I guess I am doing plenty of that anyway and here's the evidence....

we are reading this currently

Li'l A in a hay maze at the local pumpkin farm

So there, what are your thoughts on Halloween- commercialized evil or pure fun??

Oddball Orchid??

2007-10-20T05:40:00.000-07:00

I am taking up another tag and first off, apologies for doing it so late. Fuzzy tagged me to reveal my quirky side. Well, maybe I should get Uj to do this for me. I am sure he could point to a 100 weird things about me in seconds but to point out my own bizzare behavior is proving rather hard. At least, I was never labeled the Queen of Quirk growing up. Sadly, I am pretty ordinary.
However.....
1) I have this thing about how the pillows on my couch have to be arranged, so much so that I will move Uj and Li'l A around just so the pillow configuration is not messed up. I arrange and rearrange them frequently (almost every time I walk into the living room)!
2) I have a freakishly (and selectively) good memory. Well, I can almost always register birthdays, phone numbers, names, faces, facts, things said during an argument and the like with immaculate precision but I have an issue with recollecting movie stories, actors, songs, recipes and things on my to-do list!!
3) I am a late night as well as an early morning person. In fact, I don't need much sleep at all. Of course, I need a make up day to catch up on the Zzzs in between but I am mostly o.k with a few nights of sleeplessness. Sometimes, my energy tires Uj out!

Fuzzy, I hope it's alright that I stop at 3 instead of 5.After all, I am not that kooky. Sigh!

And now to get on with the rest of the weekend. It began with an awesome dinner at a friend's place last night (Thanks C and S!) There's still the Twenty20 game between India Australia this morning, A's swimming class at the Y, Kannada movie at the movies this afternoon, Dandiya in the evening and airshow tomorrow. I'll be back to report on all the fun and hope you all have a great weekend as well.

And could I please get some of you to delurk. A hello and a thought is all I am asking for folks!

Yippee!!!!

2007-10-17T11:19:00.001-07:00

Thanks Fuzzy and Deepthi!

...and now where's the rest...of them awards??

What the !?!?!

2007-10-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

I may be reporting on this a little late and I apologize for any redundancy if this has already been discussed on other blogs but somehow could not let this one go and want to know what you guys feel.
Fashion glossy Vogue launched its Indian version last month. At least someone's taking notice of "The Indian Woman" finally right?? Yes and no. Because if you had a chance to look at the cover of the very first Vogue India you will see Gemma Ward and her blonde mane staring right back at you from the center of the cover. What the!?!?! Wasn't this supposed to be about the Indian woman ?? Could anyone explain her presence on the cover?? And oh if you didn't know who Gemma Ward is then you are not the only Indian woman either, I googled her too!!

Pic courtesy: http://fabsugar.com/gallery/137916?page=0,0,0

Middle Name Tag

2007-10-11T22:37:00.000-07:00

This tag has already done the rounds and I am taking the plunge rather late but Moppet’s mom I hope this counts!!
Let’s go with ORCHID

O-Okra fry! Yes, I make a pretty mean one folks!
There’s a reason why one doesn’t see a lot of food related posts on the Orchid’s blog. In my opinion certain matters are better left to the experts. If I were granted one wish then I would never cook again…..ever. But, since that ain’t happening I decided I might as well learn to enjoy it and thanks to all the foodie bloggers, the Orchid’s cuisine is finally starting to taste, feel and look like authentic Indian cooking and the boys are lovin’it!

R- Romantic……..I was pretty incurable a few moons ago! Yes, I did the whole drill-the love notes, the candlelight dinners, the chocolate covered strawberries, the kisses in the rain, the walks in the moonlight, the wild love sessions-essentially, the whole shebang! And now?...well I guess I am still a romantic but a little more suave, subtle and sophisticated. Shall we ask Uj then??

C- Caffeine?? No thanks….yes my love affair with anything caffeine has finally ended. No more espresso, latte, mocha, cappuccino or frappe. Blame it on the reflux! Do you think I might have a case against Starbucks ?? The lack of caffeine explains the episodic hebetude and lack of posts on this blog, right??

H- Hostel. Don’t even get me started on this. The topic could make for a blog in itself. Now that’s a thought or…… not! Anyway, I spent a good 5 yrs and then some in a hostel in India. Life was a different ball game back then and of course I was definitely sprightly myself. Made friends with an equally zesty bunch of girls and lived life to the full. No regrets there!

I- Introvert…..I am not! Ha! Got ya there, didn’t I?

D- Done! Well almost..with this tag and I am also DONE putting up with snotty, overbearing, spiteful, pompous pieces of a** and believe me the world’s full of them!!

Enjoyed this one Moppet's mom and I believe there is a couple more assigned to me, now where is that shot of caffeine when I need it so badly!

Color coordinated??

2007-10-10T13:17:00.000-07:00

At least, we know he is not going to become the editor-in-chief for VOGUE!

Updated: Oops!! I guess I failed to convey my message appropriately...I meant to be talking about his sense of fashion here "the yellow shirt, the blue shoes"...and it was all his idea!!

Hello from the Orchid

2007-10-04T14:40:00.001-07:00

You guys are relentless, aren't you? O.k, O.k I mean that as a compliment and yes!!! I am alive and believe me that is something given everything I have been through..it's almost 7 weeks since the surgery and that is all I am going to say about the whole episode. For now I am o.k and I think I have finally made up my mind to live! A big thank you to everyone who checked on me and so many times too. I meant to give you guys an update but had I done it anytime sooner, I would have sounded really depressing just the way I felt and I didn't want to, after all, the blog is meant to let me get away from the reality of my life, no?? So, that's that and hopefully I can stop cribbing about the perpetually (bad??) lemons that seem to be sent my way. So, people are ya ready for some Orchid banter?? And I really hope you won't hold the fact that I did not even bother to take so much as a sneak peek into your blogs against me.

Ofcourse, Li'l A grew up in the interim and with so much going on with mom the poor child grew up that much faster. I have to say he is one of the most mature 4 yr olds I know and I am really proud of him. Sorry honey, we couldn't give you the fancy b'day you had hoped for and thank you for being so understanding about the whole thing.
I leave you with this picture from Li'l A's 4th b'day.

Rain, D and Li'l A

2007-07-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

It's been raining in my corner of the world everyday for almost 2 weeks now and I love it!! Yes, it has not only made the summer bearable but it has also made me nostalgic about the monsoon rains back home. And to have D's company and enjoy it from the comfort of our home over a cup of tea every afternoon has made it even better. All good things must come to an end and both D's stay as well as the rains are coming to an end this weekend and I am already a wee bit sad. Li'l A is going to miss D too and I feel for him.
The 4th was fun, watching the fireworks each year has a special significance because 4 yrs ago shortly after watching the fireworks, Uj rushed a very pregnant me to the hospital and of course it turned out to be a false alarm and Li'l A was actually born 20 days later! But since then, the 4th and the fireworks have become a normative marker to gauge Li'l A's growth and I cannot believe what was once just a little bulge in my belly is now almost 4yrs old and has a strong mind of its own! We watched the fireworks by the lake this year and it was beautiful but much to my shock (as well as the crowd's) Li'l A declared he was bored after the first 20 minutes. Bored!?! and he is all of 3 and some!! I was deeply disturbed by his comment. After I had spent the entire day getting him excited about the evening, to hear him say he was bored was rather alarming. For once I did not want his honest opinion. Is it even normal for him to feel that way, I mean what is it with kids these days? I knew he had enjoyed it the first 20 minutes since he kept talking about how it was a celebration of America's birthday but very soon his enthusiasm fizzled out. I came back home questioning everything from his attention span to my parenting skills.

P.S: I have been unable to visit a lot of my favorite blogs in these past few weeks. I intend on catching up pretty soon. Hopefully, I will get better at managing my time and learn to take my mind of my health and find a way to living life as before!

Holiday Hello!

2007-07-04T06:48:00.000-07:00

What's cooking folks? D is visiting and Li'l A is having a wonderful time. And now Uj has been displaced as his second favorite person and the privelege has been transferred to D. Of course you know who his most favorite person still is...AHEM!! 4th of July plans still remain to be made, we'll go watch the fireworks for sure but since it promises to be yet another gorgeous day we need to come up with an idea for the rest of the day and soon! You all have fun and I will be back with more soon.

Back to blog!

2007-06-22T11:35:00.000-07:00

I can honestly say I was totally unprepared for the turn of events these last few days. No, this had nothing to do with the new project I referred to in my previous post. It has been stressful to say the least but I guess like everything else in life, this too has passed for now. It has left me a little shaken, a little enlightened, a little determined and a little prepared for the future. It was a health scare, a battery of tests, endless visits to the doctors and yes, I am o.k but it just made me realize how vulnerable I am. I don't know what was worse, the actual problem itself or the associated anxiety. Being so far away from my support system made matters worse and all my defenses broke down. I forgot to take one day at a time, I forgot to be positive, I forgot to count my blessings, I forgot to hope and I forgot to blog. The few people I did reach out to were extremely supportive and it would have been a bigger nightmare without their support and kind words and for that I say "Thank You". I have to look forward now and the project that I was talking about earlier still stares me in the face. I know in my head that I have to take a few deep breaths and start again and I will remember everything you all said.
Father's day was a rather muted affair. Atleast Li'l A made a few things at school for dad. I was too self absorbed with my own worries to make it a special day for Uj. I sometimes wonder how he is still married to me. That reminds me, if it weren't for his strong shoulders this week I would have been twice the wreck I was.
And on a lighter note (???)..Paris Hilton is about to be released over the weekend and according to CNN, if she signs up for the all the interview deals then she is all set to earn about $56,000 dollars for every day that she spent in the jail. Yes, that is $56,000 times 23!!!!!! and you thought crime was bad!?!?!

A quick hello as the weekend rolls in!

2007-06-08T06:52:00.000-07:00

I have not had a chance to blog at all this week and I realized I've missed it! Why haven't I blogged? ......well, it is because I seriously lack in time management. I have embarked on a new project (one which is definitely going to change the direction of my life) but right now it's all chaos and has filled me with more trepidation than I bargained for. I really don't want to kill the blog just yet because when I need to escape the insanity that my life is sure to become this is a safe and familiar avenue. So, until I get better at managing my time, the blog is going to suffer but I intend to post whenever I can. Right now my project feels like an insurmountable mountain and I am scared. I don't want to openly talk about it either since I fear failure. I know I have to do it (atleast i have a definite answer to that question)but I have too many questions (mostly what if's) and until I stop asking those questions and put a brave foot forward I know I am not fully committed to this. I look everywhere for inspiration but then it is not enough to just be inspired. I wonder whatever happened to the ambitious, hardworking me? I need to find that person in me once more and soon!
Have a fun weekend folks and be safe!
...and because I still want it to feel like you were at the Orchid's blog, here is a picture of Li'l A with my friend's son K taken over the long weekend. The boys had loads of fun and we did too :)

Li'l A in blue and K is in red

The Taj Mahal needs your help!

2007-06-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

Yes it's true! This morning I got an email from a friend asking me to vote for the Taj Mahal which is one of the 21 contenders for the New 7 wonders of the world. As some of you may know, the seven wonders will be decided on the 7th of July by a global vote which has been in progress for the last one year. Of course, I had already voted back in October of last year and I even wrote about it here. Back then I assumed the Taj Mahal's path to victory would be rather easy what with one billion Indians on its side. But apparently not and with 32 days to go the Taj Mahal is nowhere near the top 7. My friends passion about getting people to vote for the Taj Mahal got me thinking. He had cc'ed the email to at least 100 other people. Do you think the Taj Mahal is truly a world wonder? I believe so. One, it is undoubtedly an architectural wonder with massive visual appeal (have you seen it-it's breathtaking!). Two, it epitomizes "love" an emotion that all humans globally can relate to. Three, it doesn't deserve to lose because people are too lazy to vote.
So, if you haven't already voted then please do and if possible spread the word around and get your friends to vote as well. Its simple and easy and involves three steps and it only takes a few click of the mouse. Also, if you have other favorites you should still be able to vote for the Taj Mahal since you get to pick 7 out of 21.

I definitely want Li'l A to recite the Taj Mahal's name when I ask him what the seven wonders of the world are!

Search for Kiran

2007-05-31T12:44:00.001-07:00

I read about the search for a missing person on her blog. I echo her feelings and thoughts on this issue. There is more information on Kiran who went missing in the Yosmite National Park on May 19 at this site. The search is still on but as one can imagine with each passing day the hope fades just a little bit. My heart goes out to his family who must be going through what can only be imagined as hell. Those of you who have previously visited the Yosemite will be familiar with how difficult the terrain is and for the unprepared, surviving an accident can be rather difficult. I pray for a miracle and sincerely hope that Kiran is found safe.

Update: Unfortunately the miracle did not happen and on the 31st, Kiran's body was positively id'd on the banks of the Merced River according to the information here May his soul rest in peace and may God give his family the strength to get through this tough time.

Behind the facade...

2007-05-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

....now don't read too much into the title because I am mostly who I appear to be on this blog (barring the occasional lie, of course!). Anyhoo, the title is because I have been asked to reveal myself yet again and this time by the lovely SM, Accidental Diva and Kiran. So, for those of you who want to know me more(do u really??) here's 9 things you don't know about me. Of course I will borrow the idea of writing one untrue fact from my esteemed blogmates and write 9 little known facts about the Orchid.

1) I am Ailurophobic. Yes, cats distress me and that is an understatement. I have once jumped on someone's dining table when I realized they had a cat in their house. Normally, if I know before I will simply not visit them.

2) We do this at least a couple of times a week. Actually, I do it more than he does and he will if I force him to. O.k stop! Give your wild imagination a break! I am talking about dance. Uj and I love dancing and no we are not formally trained but we did fall in love at a dance party and occasionally we jive or swing to some good music, let off some steam and rope Li'l A into the fun as well.

3) I have atleast one medical implant in me.

4) I cannot for the life of me sing. Nope, I don't dare to even in the shower. And it's not just singing, there is not one musical bone in my body. So, if you ever invite me to a karaoke party, I will have to politely refuse and now you know why.

5) I am extremely adventurous! Hiking, biking, kayaking, bungee jumping are all second nature to me. I could've very well been an extreme stunt junkie in my other life!

6) I will (almost) always get Uj to say yes (to anything I want)...now I don't know if that speaks for my confrontational/manipulative skills or to his peace-keeping skills!

7) I am very unexperimental with food.My taste in food is very conservative and I am not open to trying new cuisines/new dishes/new snacks or even new fruits! I hate stepping out of my comfort zone when it comes to food. I always go back to the same Italian, Indian, thai, chinese or american deli and order the exact same dish which I know I like. (Asha...don't worry, I don't mind cooking and trying out new recipes at home, mostly Indian recipes ofcourse!)

8) I once interviewed for a job which involved distributing condoms on campus and no I did not get it!!!!

9) If there was one relationship that I could change in my life that would be the one with my MIL, actually if I could change my MIL that would be even better!!

Anyone want to take up the tag?? and one was a lie and that is.....

Of colors and choices!!

2007-05-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

Alright! Alright! I hear you and by popular demand the Dinchak- Moulin rouge - Geisha house of Red Umbrellas template(your terminology not mine!) has been abandoned (rather sadly). Sorry Boo, I am back to the old one!Hold on now, before you all relax, let me warn you that I definitely intend to experiment with a few more makeovers till we find one that all (??)of us like. So, you can expect some variety in the coming days and don't say you weren't warned.
On a different note, the Memorial day long weekend is just around the corner and we are starting ours with a dinner at Li'l A's school tomorrow. It's international night and I signed up to wear a saree and I need your help choosing one. Yes, I know I am suffering from an absolute case of Abulia this week. Go on, will it be the the teal chiffon, the mauve zardosi or the yellow binny silk?? The last time I checked (a year ago) I could still fit into all three blouses.
We also have out of town friends staying with us over the weekend and both me and Li'l A are thrilled about P, N & K's visit.I first met P during my Master's and have been good friends with her since then. We share many things in common and in many ways it is the similar ironies in our lives that bonds us. I value being friends with her because I believe it is really hard to make and keep good friendships as an adult. Primarily because you become extremely picky and secondarily because the prejudices and complexes that were nonexistent in childhood now surface every time there is a possibility of making a new friend, don't you think so? Wasn't it much easier to make friends when you were younger? But P is a friend and I know that!
Anyway, hope you all have a fun weekend too and gosh!, I just realized how much of my own life I am revealing on this blog!

Do we like it ???

2007-05-22T08:29:00.001-07:00

the template, people!! I am hoping the burst of red will make up for the lack of excitement in the writing and I am also pretty sure there is some chromatic theory which says "Red boosts readership and stimulates the readers to comment" and the umbrellas??...well, that just explains my utter incompetence in being able to customize my own template!
We are sticking with this till either there is a mass uprising of all you readers or till I can get Uj to design something better and yeah, I've already begged, pleaded and promised to do anything (!?!?!) and he is not biting it. So, looks like it is going to be "THE RED UMBRELLAS" for now!...and yeah I did share my old template with BOO, so, if I miss that I will just stop by hers!

Disclaimer: Red is also known to elevate the blood pressure. So, visit this blog at your own expense!

And this is why it is fun to be a parent!

2007-05-21T06:40:00.001-07:00

It's been one of those weeks when everything else took precedence over blogging. International week at Li'l A's school, an ear infection, very labile emotions, social obligations and more kept me away from the blog this past week.

It was international sharing week at A's school and every day the kids learnt about different countries and cultures for a span of 2 weeks through presentations done by the parents with their children helping them. Every morning, as I dropped A off at school I would see parents scuttling up the stairs dressed in their national attire carrying bags full of stuff- toys, flags, coins, books, art and more all from their country of origin. Again this was a simple reminder of how much we all care about our children- despite the urgency that weekday mornings bring, the parents took pains to dress up in what were sometimes rather elaborate costumes just so they could oblige their children. Wednesday was our turn and Tuesday night the Orchid household was a scene of utter chaos. Uj and I almost panicked because we had no clue how we were going to go about making an interesting presentation for a class of 3-6 yr olds. Li'l A was so excited that his parents would be doing a "SHOW and TELL" in school the next day and that made it all the more difficult for us because we didn't want to let him down. He kept saying "Suke's mom wore a kimono, Zach's dad made paper elephants for all of us-he is from Japan!" O.k so not only did we have to talk about our country, we had to make it fun for the kids and meet Li'l A's approval as well!
Fortunately, I had a friend traveling back from India last week who very graciously obliged to bring a few things for our presentation and my mom had more than willingly shopped for us. But again, presenting them in a way that made toddler-sense was the hard part. Finally, the Indian flag, the rupee, the bride and groom doll set depicting Indian costumes, the 10 Dashavathara wooden figurines, pictures of the bengal tiger, a cd with children's songs and banana chips made the cut. I decided on a salwar kameez instead of the saree (which I plan to wear for the international dinner this Friday) and the boys wore kurtas. However, on Wednesday morning Uj continued to be clueless and Li'l A was too excited to be of any help. And when 15 eager faces greeted us with a "Good morning Mrs O and Mr. Uj" and wide eyed enthusiasm, I knew that the show had to go on. They looked at the wooden figurines in amazement, danced to the cd merrily, munched on the banana chips and were thoroughly amused to see Li'l A dressed in something so different. When we finally said goodbye to the class that morning we saw Li'l A beaming- perhaps with pride for his parents and we walked away feeling satisfied!

From trike to bike :)........just like that!

2007-05-13T07:12:00.001-07:00

....if only every thing else were that easy.

Then...

Now...