To F ..... my best friend!

I know what people mean when they say -Love is a many splendoured thing. I met F after six years. F was glowing.... it had nothing to do with eating right. She is still in love... with A who is also her life partner now. It touched my heart to see two people who have never been happier. She found what she was looking for and it took her only seven days to realise that. Only seven days!!! I was amazed. F is amongst the most beautiful people I have ever known. She has a heart of gold. In many ways she saved me... its is difficult to say exactly how. Back in college..... I could've rolled in any direction. She saved me then. From my self. She is also brave. Very brave. Her siblings would vouch for that. I am lucky to have a friend like that. When we met now.... she agreed that I have become more emotional than I ever was. Back then I was very uptight when it came expression of feelings. Now I cried openly while talking to her. We all were sitting over coffee and it was just like the old days. She n I were talking as if the intermittent six years were only six days....

But I also know... that for F to stay who she is and feel good about it..... her love-of-life A is completely responsible. The beauty of the language between them was exceptional. It never fails to amaze me. I am lucky to have the friends that I have... and for the love that I receive.

Dementia

There is a place in my house that makes me cry. Yes! that's right, its a certain corner .... and whenever I sit there... alone!... it makes me cry. That's weird! I know why men call us crazy. Women can be unexplainable at times......This particular corner crying business is my contribution to the whole "unexplainable" philosophy.....

Moving onto other things..... I got me a brand nu "bai". Today was her first day and I am thrilled to see that the lady was not on a rocket to finish everything in five minutes flat. Which means unlike my previous two bais this one wont make me wear smelly clothes and she would actually clean the house. But then again.... this was day one. However, things look good and the future is gonna be "sparkling clean"! Yippee.............

Everything that matters is here in this picture

THE HALF HAPPY TWIN

Happiness was lonely yesterday

For it lost its twin

A long time ago

And it stayed that way - half happy!

The road was twisted

It went uphill

I sat right at the top

Between heaven and earth

All was quiet - the hill, the wind and I

Bound forever in silence

Little joys held like gems

And some secrets in the eyes.

Calvin and I

Calvin is always in a hurry..... The hurry is to have fun. His summer vacation is like life. Short! So we gotta have fun and we gotta have fun right now.

So I want to take that vacation I never took to go to goa with S, R, N. I ought to take leave and go visit R & S's new born or go meet nani. I never got that old property painted. I didn't go to Leh!

I want to hear my mom talk while we sit at marine drive and have chai!

I want my dad to show me his new shoes that he claims are the lightest ever made!

I want to listen to Nani ask a zillion questions about mobiles, planes, work. I just want hear her talk!

I want to go and see if Tenga Valley changed in the last fifteen years!

I want to see the sun rise above the valley enroute to Gowahati!

I am lucky I saw that million dollar smile on A's face when he got his new clothes and shoes and books.

The “Baghara Baigun” Vs “Chicken Supreme”

The center of my mothers house is the kitchen. Everything has evolved around it. My folks ensured that the most utilized room in our home is the dining room with the huge table occupying most of it. Everybody who visits us and shares a meal would realize that the way to my parents heart passes through the dining room. Both ma and dad are foodies. They love to talk about food. If one were to sit with us for a hearty meal (its always a hearty meal since my mother does not believe in shortcuts) one would be enlightened on the tastes and eating habits of people of various states (courtesy dads job), how the Hyderabadi Biryani differs from the Locknowi one, how the Baghara Baigun is a gastronomic wonder, why we prefer non oily food, how to get taste in low oil cooking, what to eat when you’re a heart patient and they would always welcome new recipes. Of course we’ve had visitors who had little interest in food; but surprisingly very few. Even they were treated to a large variety for my parents know of only one way of treating their guests – the royal way that passes through the dining room!

I don’t cook all that much. I tell myself that I don’t have time. That happens to be true for at least three days out of six (Huh! Or do we really have seven days in a week). I shudder at the thought of having a kid at home cause I fear I’d starve the poor thing to death or the kid would grow up and embarrass me on dining table conversation with my folks discussing not the bagara baigun of hyderabad but the delectable pizzas offered by Dominoes/ Pizza Hut or Smokin Joes and how the Chicken Supreme is made differently at each outlet!

S and I are very compatible. I don’t get the time to cook three meals a day and she doesn’t like to eat three meals a day. But then I feel guilty. I read the paper today and discovered that there is an entire generation of working women who have found ways and means (or meals!) to tackle the guilt. The easiest and the simplest way is outsourcing (And America didn’t teach us that). To find a lady who would not cheat/ steal/ who would come early morning and prepare our food. But I wish it was as simple as that.

Working along with Mom in the kitchen has taught me a lot of stuff. I know my mom would rather be a little late in serving the food than offering hastily prepared dishes. I realize that my long hours in the office are attributed to the same thing. This need to have everything just right compels me to be detailed and thorough in my work. But what I wonder is that is it possible to have results in the kitchen and office at the same time. I realize that there are only twenty four hours in a day. I have to prioritize – everyday!

A mans world is so much simpler. No babies, no cooking, no allergy to dirt in the farthest corner of the kitchen counter, probably the number of minutes it took for the bai to clean the entire house is not even registered anywhere. What joy!

I love men who don’t pressurize their better halves about the output of the kitchen while they sit scratching-you-know-what during channel surfing. The best way to love your wife/ girlfriend is to allow her the freedom to choose how she loves you. It may not involve the kitchen at all. Although most of my women friends when not under pressure naturally incline towards the kitchen.