As Yet Another Year Pass By

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Yet another year passes by as I turn a year older today. I have always been excited about my birthdays. My anticipation starts days before and I keep wondering about the gifts and wishes that I would receive. This year wasn't any different except that the birthday celebration this year was very low-key. A sick baby at 2 in the morning, crazy deadlines and a flight to catch in the afternoon, I wasn't in any mood for celebration by late evening. The whole day, I had this long urge from within to step back and enjoy the day, but there were works to finish and I just wasn't able to enjoy the day.

There were no cakes, very few birthday wishes which were very special knowing that they remembered me on my special day without the help of Facebook (I've not listed my birthday there) and no gifts at all. However, there is one person who is always more pepped about my birthday than even me, every year. Every year, as November rolls in, Amma is as excited as I am and her birthday wish is always special. I didn't recognise the excitement and happiness in her voice on my birthday until I became a mother. Now, in her birthday wish, I can hear her imagining the day I was born, I can imagine her happiness as a mother and I can feel her celebration. 

There have been quite a lot of birthdays that has been very special to me. But a particular one stands out to me. My eighteenth birthday. Not because of the usual excitement of turning 18 years and a huge celebration as a part of that. It was my first birthday away from home and I was upset. The first time I was missing my parents after joining college and hostel. No birthday wishes were cheering me up and I was in no mood for any birthday treat that day. Generally, we had a tradition of cake cutting in the hostel for birthdays but I let the warden know that I'll celebrate the day a few days later. Things weren't great by evening and I can't tell you how much I was missing home. As I came back from the college, I saw a huge cake in the dining table, larger than the usual birthday cakes that we order, and I was irritated as I really didn't want to cut a cake that day. As I was walking to my room, the warden told me that I have a parcel and I see a lovely bouquet right next to the huge cake and a birthday card. The cake had come from my parents along with a bouquet and card. Tears welled up in my eyes. I cannot describe how my mood lifted up instantly and I was smiling for the first time in the day.  Daddy always take extra effort to make my day special and this was just the first of many that was to come in the future. 

In this six years of marriage, I've come to accept the fact that the husband man doesn't know how to throw surprises or pick a gift and hence, in this six years, I've never got a birthday gift from the man barring one time that I picked something that I liked and made him pay after much cribbing and let him know how he never gifts me anything. Because of this, I think all the birthday surprises that I've got have always been from my parents and each time it's so heartening to see Daddy take special effort to see me happy. It may not be about the gifts, but flying down to be with me or making arrangements to see that I celebrate the day, all these always makes me feel special and I know I have a family to whom I mean the world. 

I might have become a mother now, my priorities have changed, I look forward more to the little one's birthday than mine, yet I am still a little girl at heart who gets excited about my day and looks forward to it. Because of which, each wish that comes my way this day is very special and I hold each person who remembers me on this day and takes the effort to wish me very close to my heart. 

This may not have been my best birthday, but I am really grateful for the year that passed by. I did things I enjoyed, I've pushed myself out of my comfort zone and I am back to earning on my own even if it's not the high pay that I would have earned had I not quit my corporate job. But most importantly, I am happy and I hope my lucky streak continues this year too! 

A One Day Trip To Mysore Amidst Demonetisation!

Ever since I visited the Trivandrum Zoo, I've been looking for a chance to take the little one to the Mysore Zoo. Finally, after almost a year of pestering the husband, one night when we had B's friend and family came home for a stay over, I resorted to cribbing to them about the pending Mysore Zoo trip and tada! The plan was finalised then and there to go the coming weekend. As luck would have it, just before the weekend, the government announced the demonetisation of 500 and 1000 rupee note. After much doubts and contemplation, since none of us had much useable notes in our purse, we decided to proceed with the plan anyway. And thus, on saturday morning, we started our road trip to Mysore with whatever cash we had and hoping most of the places would accept debit cards.

As we reached Bidadi, we decided to stop for breakfast at one of the roadside Thatte Idli places. The husband cribbed as he wanted Masala Dosa from A2B and as to how we are spending whatever little cash we had even before we started the trip. Nevertheless, we didn't pay heed to him - how can one pass by Bidadi without having Thatte Idli! And I must say, stopping here was one of the best decisions that we made. The Thatte Idli, here, was the best I've had in my life, as soft as it can be, melting in my mouth and left us wanting more. Sadly, the men declined our request for not wanting to spend whatever money we had with us. 

We reached Mysore Zoo by around 10:30 in the morning. Thankfully, the zoo accepts card payment and soon we got our entry tickets. The men decided it was best to walk rather than take the buggy (and of course, later regretted it!).  It's a good 5 Km walk but since everyone was excited about it, we decided to do it. Our walk started by watching birds, pheasants, flamingos and peacocks. 

The tigers and the lions were just waking up from their nap. 

We saw monkeys fighting with each other and hanging on the branches. We also saw the lion tailed macaques and baboons. 

Then of course, the Zebra was there and I was excited as much as the little ones.

We also saw wolfs, jackals and bears.

And, of course, the elephants too.

We took a walk through the snake park and I was enchanted by the pythons, anacondas and vipers. Surprisingly, this time the little boy too was way too excited to see these!

Our zoo visit came to an end with these beauties who stole our hearts. We spent quite a few minutes just standing and watching them much away the little twigs and leaves, and clapping with excitement!

It was a quite long and hectic walk and the two little boys were tired by the end of it, but we did have a good time here. There is a cafeteria inside and we stopped by for refreshments, but again the place accepted only cash (barring the 500 and 1000 notes) and we restricted our order to basic refreshments. The lush greenery provided the much needed shade while we walked and of course, it was a treat to the eyes as well. 

The Mysore Zoo is far better when compared to the Bannarghetta National Park, and of course one of the best I've seen, but if you ask me, I might rank it just slightly below the Trivandrum Zoo. But don't go by my words here, since this might be completely biased coming from a true Trivandrum lover! Yet, again, I feel, Trivandrum Zoo is a tad bit more greener!

By the time we were out of the Zoo, it was time for lunch. We were in a mood to try out one of the popular eat outs in Mysore and that led us to Gayatri Tiffin Room. After a couple of wrong turns and difficulty in finding the place, we finally reached there only to find that the place was closed! We decided to start our journey back to Bangalore and have lunch on the way when we passed by Hotel RRR (yet another popular restaurant). But here again, they accepted only cash and not card and hence we decided to give it a miss.

Thus, with much disappointment we started our journey back. A couple of kilometres into the ride, we came across Pujari's Fishland and decided to give it a try. The place is huge with ample parking space and a big hall that is converted into a restaurant. I loved the ambience and decor here. A look into the menu and I realised it's Mangalorean cuisine at its best however, there weren't much vegetarian options. We ordered for a fish curry meals, chicken biryani, curd rice, and rice and rasam. Except for the chicken biryani, all of us loved the spread and surprisingly, even the rasam and the curd rice was delicious. We had a hearty meal and topped it off with a sweet paan.

We had a good drive back with stories, laughter and two little entertainers. We saw the famous Rasta cafe board on our way and since none of us had been there, we decided to stop there for a break. And, we fell in love with the place. The greenery, open air, artsy walls and just about everything added to the beauty of the place. 

We sat there for a long time, enjoying the food ( fries and a crispy chicken burger along with a few cold drinks) and chitchatting. 

It was the perfect end to a trip I was dreaming about for a long time. Perfect company and a long drive just added to the whole fun. It was wonderful indeed!

Book Review - Snow Flower And The Secret Fan

Title: Snow Flower And The Secret Fan

Author:  Lisa See

Pages: 265

Rating: 4.5/5

After reading one of the best books that I've read in my life, it was difficult to choose the next. I was confused what to read when a friend suggested Snow Flower And The Secret Fan to me. And I am glad that I picked it up! 

The book is about the friendship developed by two little girls in China, which is narrated by one of them who looks back at her life, at 80 years of age. It is the story of a young girl, Lily, who at the age of seven, is paired with a laotong, a relationship that would last their entire lives. The two girls, Lily and Snowflower exchanges letters in nu shu, a secret language created by Chinese women, through a fan. The story tells the tale of how the two girls grow up together, right from foot binding (a Chinese custom for girls to prevent further growth of their feet)  to marriage and motherhood. They find solace in each other through their losses, difficulties and loneliness, but when a misunderstanding arises, the friendship is affected, only to be realised way later.

I loved the book for the friendship it portrayed. The book is about what all of us, girls, go through in our life when it comes to friendship. It is a beautiful book that tells us how we tend to misunderstand our friendship, how we feel our friendship is not being reciprocated only to loose friends and then realising later. We often try to please our friends, to get their approval and seek validation. Later, when we grow up, we do not want to let them know our difficulties and sufferings, just because we do not want them to be upset about us. At one point in the book, Snow Flower writes to Lily saying, "you won't have to listen to my complaints anymore. Three sworn sisters have promised to love me as I am. Write to me, not to console me as you have been doing, but to remember our happy girl-days together." It left me thinking about the friendships that I have. As much as I love my childhood friends, who are my heart and soul and the ones who know me inside out, as we move on in life, we need friends from the present as well, the ones that are there in your daily life, the ones with whom you share your life now, the ones who are there by your side. They may not know you or love you like the ones you grew up with, but they are your cheergirls in daily life, the ones who encourage you to move forward. And, that doesn't mean you love your childhood friends any less; just that you need both of them in your life.

The book gives an insight into the traditions and life of girls and women in China, the main being the laotong custom. It beautifully portrays how friends are as important as family. The part where Snow Flower and Lily participates in each other's wedding functions, being pregnant together and dreaming about their babies, being with each other throughout whatever happens in their lives, reminded me of my friends with whom I grew up - I remembered our wedding days, being there for each other as the perfect support all through the wedding functions, the husbands and in-laws accepting that the friends are an inevitable part that comes along with the bride, being excited about each other's pregnancy and the eagerness to hold the newborn. Life may turn around unexpectedly, sometimes leaving you in the dark as well, but true friends stay by your side, no matter what, determined to see you through. 

It is a light read and very interesting for the story line and the history that is weaved into it. The story is told very beautifully; there was never a point where the story lagged. More importantly, the book stirs a lot of emotions in you. I am for sure adding this book to my gifting ideas for brides to be, or for any girl for that matter. It is definitely a must read for every girl!

P.s: You can click the link below to buy the book!

Trunki Tales

Have you noticed those adorable, tiny, animal shaped suitcase with wheels that kids as small as toddlers tag along or ride on at the airport? I’ve been admiring it ever since the first time I saw it and always wanted to get one for my baby (who was not even born at that time!). I have been itching to buy it ever since the little boy was born, but after much discussion with the husband, we decided to wait till the boy was the right age to get one. It did make sense, since otherwise it would just be an extra luggage for me and I would have to carry it around instead of the boy. Now, as the boy was nearing his third birthday, we, decided to get him one. By now, he was obsessed with suitcases and wanted to push one at every chance that he got. So, finally, after much anticipation and scouting for options, the boy finally got a Trunki, as it is called, and his mamma was as excited as him!

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A Long Weekend Trip To Belgaum

Last weekend was a long weekend for us with Monday being Diwali holiday and Tuesday, a state holiday. It was only by the Tuesday of that week that we realised we could make a trip somewhere rather than be at home. There started the long fights between the husband and me. While I wanted to go somewhere which required a long drive, the mister didn't want to travel much. The resorts/homestays too added to our confusion. What he liked I didn't like and neither did he find anything interesting in what I liked. It was Thursday night already and we still weren't able to come to a common consensus when suddenly we decided to pay a visit to B's uncle who is currently stationed in Belgaum. It did actually cover all our requirements - a getaway, long drive plus the added fun of visiting family.

Calls were made to confirm Ammavan and Amman's (Uncle and Aunty) availability and off we were on Saturday morning to Belgaum. As excited as I was about the long drive, the moment we were stuck in traffic just few minutes after we left home we had a cranky boy in the car. No, I am not talking about the little one, he fared well as compared to his dad! I offered to drive sparing the man the panic attack and he gladly gave it to me. And so, we started our 500 km drive. It wasn't much of a scenic drive but I enjoyed being behind the wheels. The little one slept through half the journey and since I had carried a couple of books, his magic slate and lots of snacks, he was pretty much happy all the time. We took two major breaks for breakfast and lunch and a few small 2 min breaks to stretch ourselves in between. We reached Belgaum by evening and was welcomed by Ammavan, Ammayi and Casper, their dog.

Ammavan's house is tucked away from city life in the Belgaum Cantt area and the entire surrounding is beautiful! The house is surrounded by trees and all that you can see is greenery and lovely old bungalows. The boy was super happy seeing Appuppan and Ammumma and eager to play with Casper though he kept a mindful distance too lest Casper jumped on him. We sat chatting and catching up amidst chai and snacks until it was time to go for the diwali party. It was a very small affair but nevertheless we enjoyed with a couple of party games and I managed to bag a prize as well!

We had a good night sleep that night and woke up with the little boy wanting to play with Casper. While Ammavan went for work, we took Casper for a walk, played catch with Casper and the little boy and Casper was just hovering around each other. Post lunch we decided to visit Hidkal Dam, which was an hour's drive from Belgaum. After a few wrong turns and confused enquiries, we finally reached the view point of the Hidkal Dam. It was a very picturesque view from there and after spending a few moments there, we decided to roam around. After a good walk, we reached a point from where we had quite a few breathtaking moments. Each side had a different view - a lake view, the sun sparkling on the lake view, hill view - and each one was as picture perfect as it could be. Really, I couldn't choose one above the other. After spending a few hours and taking oodles of photo we drove back home to spend a relatively quiet Diwali at home. We lit diyas all along the front porch and the boy lit a couple of sparklers, and thus came an end to that day.

The next day, like the day before, after taking Casper for a walk and playing with him, post lunch we decided to visit Kaneri Math near Kolhapur. We visited the museum there; it showcases the way of life in the villages of India in the past and the early rural life. Though it was interesting, the place require a lot of walking around and by the time we were done, all of us were really exhausted. Ammayi and I wanted to purchase the famous Kolhapuri chappal, but sadly by then it was late and we had to head back home. After a laid back last night in Belgaum, it was time to get back to Bangalore the next day.

And so, after breakfast, we started our journey back to Bangalore, taking back with us quite a lot of goodies, lots of photos and so many wonderful memories. We had a wonderful three day break.  As much as I love small getaways with just the man and the boy, vacations like these gives the boy a lot of bonding time with family. There's always something about visiting family that gives you a lot of happiness and fun - funny childhood stories, your favourite food and so much love. These are special moments and I am glad that the boy gets to experience this joy and family bonding!

























Now, as yet another week starts and all of us get back to our schedule, can I start dreaming about the next break already?