Ending the Year!

What a better way to end this year than to get the flu. I shall not keep complaining about how bad the year 2009 was since complaining is not going to get me anywhere. Santas gift for christmas was a bout of very bad flu to the whole family.

Hope all of you are doing good!

Six year olds take on life!

Over the weekend i took the kids to watch the movie Up. The movie was ok but this is the kind of thing the spoilt bunch of today need to watch. the first bit was cute where they had this cloud thing that had a Disney touch. the rest of the movie was so so.

S goes : Mummy who will i stay with if daddy and D die?

D (10year old) : i aint dying i am immortal ( god she is my kid all right)

S : no mummy what happens if they die.

Now strangely S does not broach about my death.

Me : sweety u will have your own family so u will be ok.

S : but mummy i dont want to be alone.

D : why is he talking about my death he is nuts.

I tried explaining he would have his own family and his sister was going to live until 100 and that maybe i will die too later. The explanation went all wrong.

Next day his buddy senaka is in love with ching hoo. Senaka the six year old has confided to S that he is definitely marrying ching and s can be the best man.

Next series of questions

S : mummy how can senaka and ching hoo marry. He is sri lankan and she is chinese. The mummys and daddys will fight and sisters and brothers.

Me : it does not matter u can marry anyone, senaka can marry ching if he wants.
S keeps on repeating the same thing about how the families are going to fight. This is due to overdose of watching Tamil movies i think .

Ching hoo seems to be the catch here since Alex is also in love with her. Year 2 these days seem to be really drama filled.

Treasure Island!

Was on a day trip to kandy last week. In a specific area it was amazing to see tea plantation, and just parallel a small patch of cloves and pepper.

So this Island of ours has a gold mine of natural resources. Spanning from tea, rubber, gemstones to spices. In spices you get a variety like no other. Cloves, Black pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmegs, Mace. As if this wasnt enough we can also trade in coconut and cashew nut.

We also manage to produce some of the worlds brands like gap,M&S,Victoria secrets and Next to name a few.

I think i have not done justice to many other things that the country is blessed with. Hopefully the future will be bright and we will tide over our economic and political dilemmas in the coming years.

Naming and re-naming!

Its almost the year end. What a horrendous year it has been and am i glad its over. In the end of last year after an astrological meeting my mum made me add a h in my name. My mom is with the astrologer every week like a hobby trying to figure out the betterment of our life. He is full of ideas and the last bright idea was changing my name.

I laughed it off and ignored it. Mum was in argument that she named me that she could change my name. She had rights. I argue that i am an adult that nobody but myself should change my name if i chose to. Anyways whatever u do u know how mom is always right.

In a moment of sheer desperation i added an H in my name and complicated it. Was teased enough with everyone huffing with H in my name and pronouncing it wrong.

H was suppose to bring me harmony, happiness, health, hope and a home. For all those who are laughing (i am laughing too so its ok u can laugh), i added the H thinking i will find it.

Yesterday i was feeling helpless, hopeless and a lot of hatred with life(horrible too if i may add). It was a light bulb moment. I decided to take off the H. I did not huff about it i silently took it off.

If u are adviced to add an extra e in your name for excitement,energy trust me u will end up feeling like an eejit in the end of it.

Mums changed her name too and it sounds all wierd. I am not going to upset her by my announcement of dropping the h. It was silent when it came and it shall leave with a blog post in honour of it..

Getting Made up!

So there I was at a family function and saw my brother walking right past me and asking a cousin where I was.

The cousin said why she is here. Brother looked at me startled and said hi and had a chat and went off. Poor B he must be losing his eye sight thought I. In a growing wiser moment i was wondering how we are going to find him a bride with the eyesight going too.

Later this week the pics were up in face book. So i was looking at the cousins and there was a woman i did not quite recognise. Why on earth have they tagged me as her. Whats happening with the world i wondered. After two whole minutes i realised all the picture of the woman were tagged as me. Holy Cow it was me. Damn damn i was made up to the nines that i could not recognise myself. I looked like a prize cow. Ok ok not a cow should not put myself down. I had a ridiculous amount of make up on, like the whole salons worth of face powder on me.

Then i realised in the hurry of getting ready i had taken off my contacts and gone tp the salon got myself made up. Checked it in bad lighting with no lens. Decided i looked a right babe (but om true sense blown it by looking like jojo the clown). Paid money for this crap. Never in my life am i going to get made up at a salon again!

By the way trust me when your cousins say oh u look great with that fake smile dont trust them. Always check the mirror befor u step out with your glasses on.

Making Mistakes!

Why is it that the human mind does not get alerted to signals of mistakes?

I have been doing the same muddle some mistakes over a period of time knowing that its not going to get me to a higher level. When the mind presses the alert button its like jumping a traffic light and going ahead anyways. Regret comes later but then its too late.

So how do we stop the mind from making mistakes. Do meditation (mind cant anyways stay at one place so that's out). Mediate (I am no Eric solheim and look where he went?). Patience(that's one character i was not born with or not going to develop in the near future). Learn from the mistakes (i think i learn and then do my own thing anyways).

I have come to the conclusion that my writing a post at least its out there in the open that I am in fact not perfect (as i have been assuming to be) and maybe someone will come out with a profound solution for my dilemma?

So whats your take on the mistakes u make ?
Do u learn or let it be.
Or are u also in a delusion like me that i am so right!

Me and my Id!

Was having coffee with some friends, I quickly took my handbag to go to the counter.

Friend : why are u carrying your bag leave it..

me : My id is in there, I hardly leave it around

Friend : The things you tamil people have to worry about.

It made me think, yes i am so very obsessed about my wallet. What if it goes missing and i lose the id. Infact, i did lose it trying to do some charity that is another story alltogether.

My obsession with the id started as soon as i got back to colombo from college. I panic if i get into a car and i dont have my wallet. If you lose your id it is a long tedious process to get another one.
Although i am disorganised with everythign else and forget stuff, when i switch hangbags like three times a week i always remember the ID.

I think if there is an alarm or fire i would grab the kids and my id, maybe my passport too.

I think its an identity crisis! So my prized possesion is an id (thats so very sad!)

The Letter!

Thanks Scrumpy for the tag...

Hey there,

I know u love getting letters and beleive in ghosts. SURPRISEu this is a letter from your 33 year self. Dont throw it away, rolling your eyes since u think u will never get THAT old. And no i am not the ghost u are looking for, to give a sign that u should kill yourself.

The thought of death and suicide will come to u many a time in the coming decade. Except for the bit where u swallow some piriton tablets in your twenties and dont die, u are going to be ok.

Your family will be cuckoo as it is now, they will grow into older cuckoos in the years to come. Nope your mum and dad wont settle into a happy marriage anytime in the next few decades but they are going to be ok. Try to spend more time with your grandma.

Your best freind and you will stop talking for about 6 years. Yeap thats going to happen and dont worry u will get in touch on and off in the later years and reconnect thanks to facebook (no i wont even go into explaining what that is u will find out). U will meet M and P in college and they will be two great supports to call to in your later years.

Remember the new senior(who happens to be from your community), u do a double take and run out of maths to check out from the stairways. You will be seeing quite a bit of him in your future years. I know its so very exciting, but trust me u are in for one long parachute jump.

Dont drive the car to show off to the neighbourhood boys, u will cause "immense damage". They are not even worth it, they are losers! Concentrate on your A levels even though things are bad at home. Dont throw away the letter yet i am going to tell you about your boyfriends.

Oh yeah you heard me right. Your non existant social and love life will flourish and u will learn some lessons out of it. With all the heartbreak and tears u will be ok. In the years to come u will realise it is always better to love and lose than not loved at all.

The short time in college will be the best time of your life literally cause the years to follow will take a toll on you. The nerdy guy from your community, in college, u should give him a chance. Later in your life you will run into him and he would have turned into mr.charm and lost his nerdy self. U might hit yourself but thats not right since u will be married.

Marriage hemm what advice can i give u about that. Nothing is going to prepare u for that jump and u will fall into this big puzzle which u will try to figure out in the coming years.The period between 22 to 30 u will have temporary amnesia and become a door mat(refer dictionary). Its ok cause M n P will pull u out of it when u meet them a good decade later.

Your priorities of a big house with a swimming pool in the states might become a distant dream cause u wont be making that kind of money nor travel to the states ( or learn swimming).

you will re assess your moral values later in life and learn that you will be tolerant of anything.

Chose freinds wisely in your twenties cause u will find out that they can be big time B's in that crowd. Its all not a lost cause and strife. U will have some happy and funny moments.

Go easy on the shopping you wont have space to fit all that in your wardrobe and it will always be messy. Dont use the hair dryer to scrunch dry so much and do not chop your long hair off.

Whatever you do dont forget to be the woman you are! Smile a bit more, laugh heartily and live life.

Although the rules are only to tag two i have to tag four because my sixteen year old self would have done just that

I tag : Indyana, Lost soul, Lady Divine and Surani.

For some reason this was one of the hardest posts which made me think quite a bit. I for one wish i had a time machine and could have gone back there and given a hint. But what is life if not for all the surprises it holds...

Tamil movie and song!

Watched aadhavan at cinecity. Cousin said its kid friendly. At the start of the movie and was wondering what the hell was she on about. Was worried since i had taken five kids on tow. Sometimes u cannot take kids to tamil movies.
With vadivelu taking over as second hero it was hilarious. My seven year old niece was up and clapping away. Kids are so cute at times. movie was so so. Can watch once.

The song of the week that i have fallen in love is this, some songs make u go down memory lane.

Malai neram in ayirathil oruvan sung by the heroine andrea... the lyrics are so beautifully written...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS0-qn6dd6I

Halloween With the Kids!

Last Saturday while I was busy doing something meaning sleeping but pretending to read. Where u are lying on the couch with a newspaper on your face. The kids announce they want to go trick or treating.

"Its Halloween mum, we have to go trick or treating"

Quickly did a check of the neighbours around. My up stair neighbour might have entertained the kids a bit and given them the sweets. The next door aunty G cant stand kids she always starts talking a few octaves higher when she sees anyone below three feet in height!

The front house has a Tamil family who always bang the gate shut whenever they see me, or run in with their kids when i step out. And for those who were wondering I am not Godzilla's sister.

The next house down the lane has an old man who is mentally unstable. The ones before i mentioned are quite sane infact. He always pretends he is in court and when he sees me always makes it a point to shout " She is guilty my lord". Again I am not a convict.

The ones behind might just decide that the beggars are dressed strangely and chase us away.

Now i did not want to dash the spirit of the poor kids. I did not want to risk being tricked. Kids can be smart and u can get into one or two sticky situations that u cant get out of. I told them we can trick or treat with the cousins later sometime. D is smart she wanted to fix dates. I was vague, i am smart too.

Later in the evening it was pouring like crazy so told them some spooky stories. Got caught out again with them since they started writing Santa's letters. D does not believe in Santa but writes a beautifully decorated letter without fail every december. She was cheeky to tell me that Santa might be busy with his job so she is sending it off earlier.

last year mrs.claus was not happy getting a letter demanding for the latest kids gadgematic two days before christmas. Mrs. Claus who was broke due to excessive shopping and had to spend her savings yet again to keep two kids happy.

Yes its christmas next month odel has started the decor with red carpet and all. On another note facebook was full of kids dressed in cutesy outfits trick or treating and visiting pumpkin patch in states and some other countries.

The hunt continues..

The next morning we are suppose to leave to Chennai, the phone rings. Its my dad again. He advises us to leave immediately and visit another temple and get back to Chennai quickly. Since he thinks the girls father F is going to turn up and stop us leaving the town. The family has been watching too many Tamil movies.

Again the phone rings its F

F : I want to know what your brother spoke to my daughter.

Me : Uhm i think we should just drop it and we will see later

F : NO i want answers actually I came in the morning to meet your brother but ended up meeting Uncle insteadNow the brain was in high alert, this guy has turned up in the morning and i have somehow missed it. Did he come with the goons and swords or something. Am i never leaving this village oops town ever.

I rush to find my brother its like losing him in a village carnival. He was there all right with a now what look in his face.

Quickly explain that we have to leave that F is not going to take a NO. B is in better moods and laughs and says this is indeed a circus now. Then go in search of the uncle who takes ages to come out.

F had turned up and demanded to see B, luckily ended up with Uncle character. Uncle had said I think you should check if your daughter is ready for this. F had argued and anyways to put it in short version. F was not a happy man.

Now F in the past weeks had become good friends with my mum and been calling her his long lost sister and crap. Mum seemed to have got carried away too. Mum was like a rabbit caught in a headlight scene. Not her fault i mean how was she to know this but this man was trying to convince her that B did not understand Tamil and got the story wrong.

The girl could not speak much English but B can speak Tamil and she had clearly told her love story to him so there was no miscommunication going there.

On our way to another temple for an hour. F called us so many times telling its a communication error and we should fix it.

In a way now I feel sorry for the girl, because F is a nutcase and he would force marry her to someone else by January. He would do it just to prove us that he was right. Parents being too strict can also cause issues like this.

When I was small i was brainwashed into the belief that it will only be an arranged marriage i think same goes with B. With my kids it never came up but recently my ten year old has been asking me so many questions in this whole system, caste and stuff. I explained and told her when the time comes that is when she is twenty five she can find someone herself. She says she wants to get married the way we all did. I think this is a culture which gets into you as a child watching others....

AM 3

Now i cannot really call tuti a village anymore after discovering that a few bloggers are actually descendants from the city. So taking all that back in respect of them.

B comes out in about ten minutes of chatting. Yes folks thats all we get ten minutes of prime time to chat and make your decision. Actually you are lucky if u get that much cause usually they dont allow this private meetings in traditionaly indian arranged marriages.

After another few minutes of chit chat it was time to leave. So we are leaving i quickly waved to the grandma i really liked her. She seemed to have got fond of me also big smile again.

We get into the car and its just six pm quick decision to visit the world renowned murugan temple. Its a one hour drive so we are all inside the car. There is pin drop silence I am jumping up and down making frantic gestures of shall we ask him. B is safely in front with the driver. If he saw me acting like a lunatic he chose to ignore. Uncle showed the eyes to tell me to keep quite. My mum poked me. So We were quite.

Off we were in the rainy foggy roads on a one hour drive to see the gods. For some reason was having notions of me dying on the crazy road. Yes Lost soul the roads are better but the accidents are famous. While my imagination was going crazy. B turns around

B: When we get to the temple I want a promise from all of you.

Me; Promise? Mum : promise? Uncle : promise? Aunty : (Ennathuuu) Whattt? (in tamil)
(the family is famous for repetition)

B : When her dad calls tell no, She has a boyfriend but we cant mention it.

Me : Boyfriend? Mum : boyfriend? Uncle : Boyfriend? Aunty : (ennathuuu) Whatt?

Driver : WHATTTT ???

B : driver promise u wont repeat this

Mum had recovered from the shock and bursts out crying. I was upset. Good lord we had come a long way and i was not ready to get back to colombo to give this story. I was upset for B to whom it must have been difficult. I was pissed at the girl for not telling the story earlier.

B : do you all promise

Me : No i break the blooming promise, her dads going to call us and what am i to tell him

B : tell that i dont like her simple dont tell about the love affair.

Now b is a nice guy, We are not that nice my mum was making mouthing gestures we have to tell, I had decided to tell ( yes when it concerns my sibling i can be a cow) Uncle was looking dejected. aunty was looking lost since we have to explain it all over to her again. Driver looked shocked. Wow what a story to spread in the grapevine.

The phone rings, mum takes one look at it and throws it at me. Its HIM. Thats my dad we have to give him the explanation and he bursts out laughing. I get a text from d and dh. Quickly text them its a no go.

Again the phoen rings its him the other him her dad. He goes " I want to come and fix dates since everything ok for us"

Me : We are going to temple and will be back really late so can I call u tomorrow.

He : No I am coming whatever time u are back we have to fix date now.
The man sounds mildly threatening...

Me : No we will call u afer we finish our prayers which might be very late like ten thirty so i shall call you tomorrow..

I hang up. now there is a debate going on about we should tell him the truth to B being adamant that we make a promise when we go to temple to him.

I get off near the temple and say i make a promise i wont promise u anything. I dont give a damn about a stranger that we met only for ten minutes. I realised why i was more angry. It was disrespectful to get down three elders who were her parents age to come from far away if she had someone else in her mind. Whatever her situation was for me at that point it was selfishly obvious whose side I was on.

Village Bride -2

So off we went to the house and were welcomed by the parents and old toothless grandma. I was busily signalling the grandma, poor B was confused. I did not want him to mix up that to be the bride. I meant chaperon check. So we were seated and making small talk. There is this old Indian saying that u can judge a girl by seeing her mom. The brides mum was slim and very beautiful. They must have got it wrong with me and mum since there is no resemblance going there.

Getting back to the story. The Brides dad was talking non stop. I looked at B, he was looking pained. I mean this man was droning on and on about anything and everything. Quickly scanned the living room and saw more photos of the girl. She looked nice. Kept signalling to B again. Sadly grandma was seated with the photos and B was looking confused. Grandma big toothless grin again. After a good half an hour the bride came.

She was beautiful and so innocent looking. I looked at B could see he was impressed. Looked at my mum she gave me this So proud look of i have done it,at last found her. And I was planning out the wedding in my head.

Anyways uncle asked permission if they could talk. Brides dad was all jumping up and saying yes of course let them talk in the next room. We must of course let them decide. While the girl and B were being ushered the brides father gets up and says " you should please accompany".

There I was looking at grandma and rolling my eyes to B to say chaperon coming up when i realised B was telling me to come.

Wait the lines are all wrong. They were sending me as a chaperon. What about grandma? Another toothless grin from the grandma.

Suddenly I hear a soft voice is it from my head. Nope it was the Bride.

Bride : Dad I will speak to him alone

That's settled then B and the bride are off for a chat...

The Village Bride-1 !

The long search took us to the deep village of India to see a prospective bride. Viewing of brides is strictly after horoscope match, photo viewing and checking the family references. Almost like a job but a different take altogether.

B was coming after like 20 or more years, and I was going after seven years. Village has turned into city and everything was lush and green paddy fields. Not. It was all dry zones all over and loads of wild trees which had not seen rains for months but looked like years. The minute we stepped into the long car drive it was pouring, good sign i thought.

I was only a one night stop and the bride visit was that evening. I gave my views to B that he wont be allowed to tall to her alone, they would most likely send an old grandma to chaperon.

B Looked a bit put off that he has to be chaperoned. These were all guesses mind you. I mean although India is developing and blah blah. There is a small percentage which still goes for arranged marriages inclusive of my family. I was busy doing a probability chart for B to show him what percentage would agree to this and came up with a fraction where he would be chaperoned to talk to the girl in a village. Doing fractions with a kid at home helps. I can give crazy statistics probability charts in a minute and convince people.

After giving B some wierd stories about crazy girls in the bride hunt that other cousins went to which were true stories but need a separate post and scaring him I was lost in thought.

B : U know its done i am going to say yes

Me : what ? we have not seen

B : After listening to your stories I am more scared than ever we cant be travelling all the way. I think we should wrap it up I will say yes. You have been spending too much time on this so its the End.

Poor B sounded dejected like a traveller who had walked a 100 miles uhm not really but u know what i mean.

Just before going that evening I was lost in thought, I was not really happy with this pick. Who am I to judge a person i had never met. I felt sorry for B that he was just saying yes to save us the hassle of travel.

On another note so many of my friends have been asking why cant he just find someone. B seems to be caught up in the fascination of arranged marriage and all the works. Recently I have discovered that he seems to respect our tradition and culture more that I ever did. I have also come to discover he is a better person that I am.
B also wants to make my parents happy by agreeing to have them search someone.

People watching -1 at a seminar

Went to a seminar last week and made these random observations.

1. I counted the number of people attending the seminar, there were 40 women to about 162 men. What kind of fractions is that?

2. I think only 1/4 of the lot were really paying attention and the rest were there cause office sent (including me)

3. Some people get up and ask questions thinking they are so clever but ask real dumb ass ones. why is that

4. In colombo if u go to any different type of seminar u are bound to run into someone u know.

5. before they wrap up the seminar about 3/4 of the people walked out although there was no delay whatsover.

6. a man seated in front was just turned and staring for the after interval part of the seminar. not flattering to oneself since it was stalker like stare. old uncle in front was looking this way that way this way and that way.

Rags To Riches- The play

Went to punchi theatre last week to watch the above play. It was actually three plays rags to riches, monkey man and riches to rags. This was at the punchi theatre. First time i have been to punchi theatre and to neluka silvas production. Punchi is small alright, but its charming and I was totally fascinated by the whole interior.

The actors and actresses were 8 to 14 year old kids. It was a wonderful evening which made me laugh quite a bit. To be frank I walked in after a long tedious horrid day. Was so glad went for it cause was totally relaxed after watching the play. Have watched many kids plays in the past few years this was one play where i found she had really triedn to bring the kids acting skills to stage really well.

By the way my kids are not in her drama school, went cause wanted to take D There is not much entertainment for kids in colombo.

On the topic of kids, looks like swine flu has made its way into schools here. Oh well it was bound to happen i suppose.

This Deepavali!

Obama seems to have made the world aware its deepavali today (like in Ireland cause my Irish friend wished me for the first time).. Obama is the one who gets mentioned most on face book status i think. Last week it was Obama and Nobel prize. This week its Obama and deepavali. In a good way this deepavali business is my opinion.

To quote M(NRI) on face book status : I finally know what Diwali is! Thank you Mr. Obama

The sweet was so soft,melting, delicious and i think i am the next tarla dalal(Indian domestic goddess)NOT. It was a disaster with a big D. I did not have time to make nothing else so did the keasari and prayed and went off to visit the relatives.

There was aahing and ooohing about all the dishes cousins had brought. I just left what was had ordered, lets face it i should not be competitive is the new mantra(whatever).

To sum up its been good deepavali new clothes, too much food, could not watch a new movie, but i am off to light some sparklers. Maybe not if there are crackers there..

May the festival of lights bring happiness to you!

Sweets, savouries and what nots..

Its Deepavali this Saturday. My cousins, in laws and all the women relatives call me to check how i am. Not that i am ill or that they miss me. Its a usual scene where they check what delight i have tried cooking up. Give them a standard answer of nothing. They express understanding that i have work, no maid and normal routine of life. Ya right, although they are murmuring some understanding noises i can feel the sense of what a failure not making sweets.

All of them have started frying up murukus and the works since yesterday. What nonsense is this they should not be frying up a storm since its not healthy.Called up mum in India to ask what she is doing. She sounded a bit dazed and strange. knowing mum she is probably stocking up from the ready made sweet shops to bring it here and palm it off as homemade. I have a theory it could be genetic that i am not bothering too much about cooking deepavali delights.

Last night Dh mentions that his mum has started making deepavali sweets n savouries. So are u just making keasari (rulang sweet) for the prayers and he smiles. (maybe i am reading between the lines). anyways i got all annoyed that he assumes i am not making anything or maybe the fact that mil has started making stuff and i am not even doing nothing.

Suddenly felt all righteous and like i would fail the all Indian test of deepavali celebration or whatever. I have decided to make almond barfi and pakodas. Maybe the added fact of the kids saying, oh we dont make anything my mum buys it from this aunt who makes it, could have been another hit to my pride.

After browsing the net i have found the said recipes. Hope i don't burn the vessels too much...

Oh yes i have never made the barfi nor the pakoda. But nothing like trying :)

(argh i still have to order the sweets to be sent to relatives, nope i am not sending the stuff i am going to make, its only for my house purposes)

Rooster Tales!

Was happily sleeping when the power went off last night. I guess we were the lucky ones who got it back again for about ten minutes and no power until just a few hours back. The mosquitoes were having a field day. Was drenched in sweat as if working out.

Tried to convince myself not to complain for power failure for half a night and be spoilt and to think of the people who dont have power all the time. After convincing failed since i am spoilt, was lying awake and counting mosquitoes i mean sheep.

Spot on at five twenty our neighbours rooster started crowing (i think thats the word?)

DH : what the hell is that

Me : our neighbours rooster

DH : when did the neighbour get a rooster

me : He has had it for ages it crows every morning at five thirty.
(god men i tell u they dont even notice the rooster call in the morning since they are snoring and fast asleep)

Rooster was crowing non stop like for half hour. I think he was really affected by the power cut, not Dh but the rooster.

DH : I am going to throttle the rooster, tell it to shut up.

Me : i cant speak rooster language. U cant throttle it since we are vegetarian and we cant kill animals ( except mosquitoes that does not count anyways)

Dh looked ready to throttle me, it was time to get out of bed. Peeped out the rooster crowed a bit more when it saw me. Surely it could not have got frightened?

New Shop on Ward Place!

So latest buzz is there is a new place opening up in ward place which is going to have a flowershop, a coffee shop, a saree shop, jewellery, and house hold stuff like i guess artsy furniture coming up in october...

A new age life-style store is what i heard ( no not the lifestyle store in india but u know what i mean)

There is this big hype about it.. lets sit back and see whats on offer (at least window-shop if not anything else )

The BIG Saturnal Change!

There is a big astrological change on this saturday that is tomorrow! So all those who beleive in astrology and stuff (i.e DD ) this might be the big CHANGE we are looking for. ok i better stop i am beginning to sound slighly demented.

But yes the stars and signs that we are born in play a major role in how our life takes its course. I used to question it, believe it, then go half half. But this one on saturday is what i am having all my bets on for cause its suppose to be really good.

yes many times i have seen changes happening in stars and nothing profound in my life but somehow trying to be positive about this.

My dads been anticipating this saturnal change so much and is so very excited about it (yes it runs in the family!).

B will get hitched at last after this it seems (but then again last year they said the same thing but never mind he can celebrate his 25th Birthday in peace this year)

Me hemmm i hope to be going places well if not anywhere far at least to odel to just be happy about it..... (havent been there in ages, i think i am turning over a new leaf)

With the cops!

“If you saw ME in a police car what would you think I got arrested for?”
thanks to chaar it seems i have been arrested for suggestive gestures and disturbance of law and order in the colombo traffic... a very likely situation....

Well Basically this is the tag, three stories on bloggers who would be found in a cops car for various Crimes that they are about to or could or would commit ...

LD : for being too kind, she would quite possible in the police car only to help someone out or accompany a person.. no arguements there...

DD : For loving his paradise ardently (paradise = sri lanka)

Kingducky : with a header like that she is asking to get arrested :)

U guys have to continue this tag.. if confused what all this is about check out chaar-max's post......

Chennai Circus 1 !

So with the backpain and slipdisc prolapse all the works we took off early saturday morning. Anyone with the above pain can take a risk cause flying srilankan in and out will slip the disc right back to where it was. Take off was like on a roller coaster (gone wrong) landing was rain clouds (like this bumpy car ride).

I was in so much pain when we landed and was the last to walk out. B was wondering why i was walking like an aachi but was worried by the time we went to collect our luggage.

Yes i forgot the bit in the morning where my dad freaked out when he saw the size of my suitcase for two nights. it was big just in case u know there is an emergency or whatever...

Just after i landed the kids were missing me and crying for me and demanding me back (thats also part of my dream). They did call me that was only to insist that whatever happens they need a gift back each and were more well behaved than i am around. It was kind of wierd being without the bag and baggage (kids and DH). Just being with my brother B was painful for him since i was being difficult.

Chennai was hot dusty and gave this feeling of being back home but not really there. I always get that feeling when i land there. Went to temple and was accosted by the beggars and B was busy giving money and I ran off cause they can get violent and can grab your hands off. B called me wicked and bad. The beggars were chasing him all the way to the car even after giving them money...

Bride Watch!

As the hunt has been going on for ever we seem to have found some probable brides at last. Then comes the part of the groom and bride meeting. So i get a call from my mother in law that they are going to see a bride for the brother in law this weekend. Soon after i get a call from mom that they are going to see someone for B.

No really it couldnt be the same bride, as if there is not enough drama.

after a mix up of calls and conversations where i did not get half of what anyone was saying no its two different brides and blah blah

this bride watching is not like a bird watching but boring. A bunch of relatives go to the brides house and see her and eat vade and drink coffee. Then the bride and groom get to talk to each other with chaperoning or without... (depends on the moods of the people)

should be an interesting weekend and the circus begins.......

Books that make u Cry!

First they killed my father by Loung Ung. It was terrifying to read but kept me awake to finish the book.

Genocide by the khmer rouge army in Cambodia, A kids narrative of it all..

Have decided pain becomes bearable when u think of some people surviving different levels of pain...

a friend who visited Cambodia mentioned that some of the taxi drivers there were kids and had seen it all. To think that it was not really that long ago...

So it breaks!

Last weekend i wrote a post about love and said something like going through pain...

The same night i set out to do the weekly shopping, get back home and bend down to pick up a bag. A shooting pain shot out from my back to my leg. I could not walk stand nothing. The severe pain was comparable to child birth (it was that painful). Quickly hopped and managed to take an ibuprofen and get to sleep. I was twisting and turning cause it just would not give. Woke up in the mornign to find my face swollen like a gorilla (no offence). Thanks to ibuprofen which i am allergic to.

Went to the doctor and he had diagonosed the beginning of a slip disc and put me in an awful lot of painkillers. its been a hard two days of physical pain which scares me. I made the kids meals and went into my room and cried in pain. It was terrible. I felt like my world had come to an end (yes i can be a tad dramatic). of course he has said no to aerobics, yoga, bending, twisting. He has said yes to walking but not right now.

LD has given hope that it does get better and i can start all activities after two months.. right now it looks hopelessly bleak..

Love is.....

Thanks DD and LD for tagging me ( i love getting tagged yes i know i have told many times)

So here goes :

Love is

your parents hiding their tears at your wedding...

Crying like a river and my grandma Telling me to shut up and get on with life at my homecoming....

Holding your newborn and thinking how on earth was i capable of creating this miracle..

Your Daughter introduces you to every single friend at school and says this is my mom and she is so cool...

when your brother calls you up randomly to ask "how are you really"

Best friend from school being able to continue your friendship from where u left it off so many years ago.. (through face book hurray to fb)

Talking to M and P and telling all the bad things i have done and them not being judgemental..

when you both look at each other across a crowd and you know that u are going to work it out somehow...

My six year old sitting on my lap everyday for five minutes before he goes to school...

kids kissing you good night...

spending your saved handbag money to buy him a gift....

sacrificing dreams and beliefs just to be there for your love..

going through the pain and heartbreak just to make it work...

I dont think i have even done half of what love is... cause its a subject which can run into so many blog posts...

I tag : Chaarmax, Serendib Isle, the one who eats cookies, scrumplicious, lost soul, eppie, bimal and whoever else reads this post :)


I want to add more to this but there are four kids pretending to be red indians and i might lose the bit of love i have left...

Thought For the Day!

after a long skype conversation with Australian M, the conclusion is ....

" You can never be too thin nor too rich"

School, flu and the blues

I am so paranoid about this swine flu business getting into schools here. I know as sri lankans we should be more worried about the dengue business than swine flu. But then again so many kids have been travelling and on vacation. school is a place where kids can easily pick it up. What with india having cases in large numbers should we not be a bit more alert about it. or am i worrying about the unknown as usual?

then of course this busines of the lady who had gastric bypass and died. I was so upset after reading it. No i was not booked for one, but i did think i will get a tummy tuck once i save all that money (trust me the tummy is never the same after child birth). yes i know u have to work out and not take the easy way out under the knife for a bit of vanity . It is tempting since I suspect most of the flat tummy yummy mummies have done it.

Back in Shool!

So the kids are back in school after two whole months of vacation. S who is going into year two is a bit unhappy since he has got two strict teachers.

collecting his new books he could not temporarily see anything i was panicking about his eye sight but it was just a shock of a different sort.

S: mum they have given the wrong books

Me : they have (check the book it seems ok)

S: yes they have given me year seven stuff i am only in year two

Went to pick him up after his first day and a bunch of other moms asked him how his day was

S: Bad very bad

oh dear i think we have a long year ahead!

Various......

The past two days this week i have been chased by two buses overtaking each other and making my life miserable. (my car was in between these two buses) . I cant seem to get rid of them until we reach some sort of junction.

So when today a bus gave way to turn i did a double take and was looking around to make sure it was me that he was giving way for... Then the bus driver winks.. (yes its u i have bestowed the honour of not running over today.)

Speaking to M the college friend
M : My life is a treadmill
Me: U mean u have been working out nonstop
M : I have been walking all the time, its like walking and walking and more walking. Though i would ride a bike for a change and tried to run over an eighty year old woman.

(M just moved to australia to do her masters.)

I was laughing so much after talkign to her..
only excitement i had in return to tell her was how i got home from work , cooked dinner and fell asleep on the couch. Pathetic..

Hurray that we got the long weekend..

Perfect Marriage?

I get a text this morning while driving to work from a friend

Friend : Is there something called a perfect marriage?

Me : Nope

Friend : so whats the point

While trying to not get run over by the 178 bus guy while driving and texting i was thinking for a minute did i give the wrong answer. I cannot generalise and answer no but my answer might come from my experiences. Quickly think of my immediate circle of relatives and friends and No i was right on there. I could not think of a perfect marriage. Since there is no such thing as a perfect person?

again she sends me the same text: whats the point ( she needed quick answers for which i am a bit clueless)

At traffic light quickly send the answer of " THe kids"

i dont know if she was convinced by what i said but she replied back " yeah i guess u are right"

Felt kind of bad maybe i should have texted some cheesy positive things but i gave my opinion.

Texted back saying "it will pass..." ( i must say i come up with profound answers NOT)

Maybe i should read up some books or something since this is the third person asking marital advice this week.

Sound of Drums at three am!

Fast asleep and i slowly wake up for the steady sound of drums being played. Quickly grab the alarm clock and its exactly three am. I was slightly confused if it was the burglars again for the fifth time or am i hearing things. Lie back on the pillow and there goes a different drum beat. Maybe someones having a kind of late party or what...

Then suddenly get panicked what if its the tsunami alert or something. I have no idea where these ideas come from. I dont know how an alert sounds but this was wierd surely this must be it. Quickly wake up DH who is like a polar bear in hibernation but how to blame him its three twenty.

me : " Do u hear the sound i think its a tsunami alert"

DH : "no no thats the korean drum beat while they are praying, its prayer time for them"

( i kid u not i was worried about the mans explanation what the hell, what korean drum beat)

Me : What there are no koreans in the neighbourhood

Snore snore ( the man is sleeping again )

God thought i will sort this out and decided to check it out. So open the balcony and wow there is loud drum beating like a perahera carnival sort of thing and lights. This is on main galle road i think. Since i am awake i thought i ll get the security of the apartment to check what it is. Peep down and the fellow is fast asleep. Call him like five times and he does not wake up. Great this is the guy who is going to save the apartment and wake up and warn us if there is an alert or fire or anything.

Get back to bed and count sheep...

Shopping for the vacation!

I am away on vacation which was a bit suddenly planned last week. Going on vacation meant new clothes. Made a promise to myself that i wont buy anything when i am in europe since all the clothes go from here anyways only to find out what if i do find something from brazil or mexico that i might need, i might buy. (tough life so promise broken while made)

Found a nice pair of ballet flats to wear on vacation with the brand name "nothing else" only to find they give nothing but pain. I am not wearing sneakers and look like an american tourist in europe. ( might regret once i land there since the feet are already killing me)

Unnecessarily told DH i wont shop. He kept asking are u sure, are u sure like ten times. once when someone asks this so many times u are bound to get confused. browsed the net and was horrified to find out that bags cost the whole of our ticket to fly return. logically thinking i am sure there are places where people buy unbranded stuff so shall try to discover.

oops the whole point being is going on holiday to bond with the family and look at new places and visit museums and eurodisney and not be vain and buy new clothes...

I Miss..

I miss the

Kids stories
The book reviews
The tamil videos
Hongkong update
general update

I miss Indyana...

The Family Portrait!

Send the little one forcibly to art camp last week. He came back with this family portrait which had four aliens.

I think i looked decent (if i should say so myself) except for the bright orange outfit i was wearing which gave a traffic cone gone wrong effect ( should get rid of all those bright orange outfits soon people might mistake i am some sort of guru) S himself was a stick alien.

DH and D seriously need some boot camp. Their legs and hands were big and pudgy and they were like big chubby aliens let lose.

Pointed it out to DH and no surpise he did not find it funny...

Pigeon Island - Trinco Diary

There is this tiny island that u can see right across the sea from nilaveli beach. The resort has its own boat but there are some private guys having their own boats u can negotiate a reasonable amount and make the trip. Early morning around eight is ideal time to get there. Sadly there are no pigeons only crows (wonder why its called pigeon island). u can walk around the island climb rocks and snorkell.

Snorkelling is best done on the other end of the island which is like a small walk. Since the end you get off is always having people being dropped off. I cant swim at all but I did try my hand at snorkeling and it was amazing.

There was so many coloured fish and beautiful corals... wow... Nothing like the hikkaduwa in the glass bottom boat. There are beautiful shades of corals. Nearly had a heartattack when there was a huge fish which appeared right at my face. I think the sea life looks huge with goggles. I screamed spluttered water and i think the fish had a fright too...

There was this one fish which i cant get out of my mind pure white and glass like. somehow stuck in my mind...

Had to stop the bit of snorkelling after friends started discussing different deaths in the sea.......

Koneswaram Temple- Trinco Diary

Thirukoneswaram Temple one of the oldest temple mentioned in a thevaram by the nayanmars( prayers sung by special poets). It is of great historical value.

Its situated in a beautiful rugged hill (which also has some history with relation to ravana) not really sure about the story.

Temple was full of people who had travelled from far away tangalle, matara, matale adn so on. I felt blessed to be there at this so powerful temple. Outside the temple we could look down at the sea. Boats going out to fish would come near this huge rock and break coconut to the temple and start their journey. I think the ten minutes I was there looking down at the sea saw many boats coming and leaving.

Monkeys were running around freely and grabbing things if not careful. Was worried that my bag would be taken away and clutched it tightly. Saw deer and almost screamed and scared the poor fellow away. He seemed to be enjoying the attention and was very close.

at the bottom of the hill we saw loads of tamil inscriptions on rocks and a fish symbol. Read up the history of it and it was very interesting..

Another temple where hindus and buddhists come in large numbers and pray together.

Nilaveli - Trinco Diary!

If someone talks about nilaveli beach dont think they are exaggerating.
White sands, green blue water (no justice to the colour) , pure white shells and maldives island locally. Thats what its all about...

Again a contrast in nature nothing like our beaches downsouth. You will find a difference in the way the waves hit you and the currents (which are pretty strong i must say)

Nilaveli beach resort- rest and recreation in one package. They light these bonfires by the beach and thats about it. There is no music or dancing or u know the party works. Very laid back and all about having a quite evening.

The resort is fully booked in the weekends.

The food is ok but the chefs are very friendly and willing to help us out if we need something made.
Everyone has access to the nilaveli beach right next to the resort. There are busloads of people coming in from colombo, matara, matale and so on. When u step out in the morning there is no body and then in a couple of hours its a load of people (literally thousands). They are littering the beach like no tomorrow (very worrying).

Kantale - Trinco Diary

Wow. Is all I can say about the beaches in trinco. The travel time is not bad but the roads from Habarana onwards are being done. I guess in the next six months when the carpeted roads are ready the travel time will be shorter. Did not see any wild elephants since road works going on they dont venture i guess. Loads of monkeys some deer and birds were all that i saw.

Kantale - stretch is amazing. One side of the road is the huge kantale dam and right across the road is amazing paddy fields. I mean the scenery is such a beautiful contrast in colour and nature. Blessed we are for such a scenic island.

More on trinco, nilaveli later....

Night at the Museum- 2

Took the kids to watch the movie at liberty. I think the nine year old and I enjoyed it so much and laughed too much. Six year old was a bit blank he really not get the jokes ( he laughed and then looked pretty confused why he was laughing)

Watching the historical characters and listening to their dialogues was hilarious and cute. The theatre was a handful of families with kids and quite an amount of couples making out as usual. Six year old was more interested to watch the couples than the movie. Fascinating stuff indeed...

I think i liked this as much as i liked the part one......

Black Clouds!

The black clouds have settled over wherever i go! Bit worried that they might break open a torrential downpour. But dodging as best as i can... (should take up some sort of dodging game)

Will the misery ever end? or is this how life is cut out for? it gets better last summer was fairly more depressive (is that even possible)

all the cousins and friends have been asking what is the treat for the birthday if only anyone had a clue of the black clouds that have settled...

This Flu Business

Get a call from the school that the six year old S is sick. For some reason they did not have my mobile number (which has been clearly writted a hundred times to the teacher) and they call up DH. I was with DH at the time and could hear him having a long conversation with someone from school. with random questions thrown in to me like "is it ok to give piriton?"

While i was making frantic gestures like give the phone to me or should i pick the kid up. He hangs up and says no they say its ok to leave him. Get home in the evening and take the kid to the doc. i have to dedicate a whole post about the paediatricians who have no sense of time (and the gynos)in colombo.

get him some medicine and get home to have a call from DH u know they have detected swine flu. I think we should not send the kids to school.

( arent we being a wee bit too careful) i laughed it off and said we cannot keep them under lock and key they might still catch dengue or anything.

Wake up this morning and get call from Bestfriend " God that swine thing is here what do u think?"

Me : well dont worry the flu will run when they have to attack us. and only the good die young or get serious diseases we are safe.

friend : what do u kow about this case

so i update her what i know and she thinks i know these people personally. I read it in the blooming papers. God!

friend : I think we should be careful and not take the kids out much.

Right another one who thinks the same.

DH calls : we should put off our vacation till this is sorted.

me : what sorted ? u mean to sort out where we are heading

DH : no till the swine flu is under control.


arghhh there goes the vacation postponed by a month with destination nowhere.....

All in a days Work!

Last evening was meeting up a bunch of people on some work. I was absolutely tired and worried that i was missing the aerobics lesson (ya my foot) and was not my usual alert self. The day starting off with getting in the wrong car as it is.

Go to the ladies and find a man in there with his back to me . It was definitely a waiter and i was like what the hell is this guy doing in the ladies toilet. What kind of a pervert. Now did not make a sound because i did not want him to turn around and do something wierd. (never mind). Quickly notice there were urinals. Why are they having urinals in the ladies. Now i must have been there for a bit anyways turn around to see this cute guy walking in. Stops and gives big smile. Holy shit i must be in the wrong toilet.

So i run out quickly and get to the opposite toilet. I quickly check the picture in it and turn and look at the mens its the same Picture that they had drawn. What the hell. Ok they had specified male/female but i looked at the picture definite male wearing a skirt. Now cute guy is still smiling. Can the floor open up and gobble me soon. rush inside and put my head in my hand and shout arghh. look up three posh girls staring at me and shaking there heads. (posh cows they should go into the mens and no what it feels like)

I come out and again cute guy is there with smile and trying to catch my eye. Look the other way and run to my table and he is walking behind me. OH lord is he going to try have a conversation or make a complaint about me.... (no nothing excitiing like that)

Jack point had commented about my absent mindedness. Looks like the brain is temporarily out of order...

Wrong Turn!

Stepping out of school it started pouring this morning. Luckily saw the car approaching me and quickly get in behind to find someone else in the drivers seat. A moment of “()*$)(“*(.
Me : Who are you?
Driver : Thilakasiri
Me (god i am getting kidnapped, really thought that. Felt very worried, but then he wont be smiling and telling me his name righ t... Ya right my foot whose going to waste their time kidnapping me)
Tooting of horns behind and the guy moves forward with big smile and stops few yards away.
Now i am trying to open the door and jump out its locked.
Thilakasiri : Wait me open door. U car there. (points with finger cant see anything in the rain)
Oh god i had got into someone elses car and taken a drive without even realising until thilakasiri told me in his English. After a mumbled sorry get off to see the owner of the drenched car walking up and looking pissed.
Shouted sorry and went to my car parked some place else where driver was having a good laugh.

Tagged for Five!

Serendib Isle has tagged and said hope u dont mind ( I really mind ok) . I love the tagging game (yes very sad indeed i have run out of things to blog)

You write five words to describe how you feel about recent events in Sri Lanka.
You tag five bloggers.
You sit back and relax

Recent events in five words:

Uneasy ( about the present)
sad (looking at the IDPs)
Impressed (with the people involved with all the different charity drives)
Hopeful (for a better future)



Could come up with only four...

Here goes i tag Surani, Chaar-max, Jack Point, Bimal, Eppie (Where is she?)

St. Jude at Gampaha

I went to St. Jude church at Gampaha today. Had a vow to print some novenas and give lunch for some poor. It was long over due and one of those days when i really wanted to get away from it all. So went along with a friend who needed some mind clearing. After a load of mix ups about what to do about the lunch involving asking my parents cook to make lunch then realising the poor need some good food and not the crap she dishes out. Thought i will buy some on the way. So we stop half way at kadawatha to buy lunch. the smell of food was a bit too much in the car for the rest of the journey. We saw this Soya place which sells all this soya pastry and ice cream, we decided to stop there on our way back. Even on the way to a religious place the stomach is always having its own agenda.

Get to the church. I have to say there are miracles which do happen when u visit here. DH kept asking why i was going off so far today but at moments of real messes involving work and life going to this church has given an extra energy to face things. I have seen miracles happen too. So we went in prayed a bit lit candles. I felt at peace and that things are going to be positively charged. The church is so peaceful and huge gardens which are nicely maintained. actually there are two churches. Am not sure about the history. Felt a bit lost in memory of coming there for feasts so many years ago.

Came out there were no people to give the food. The driver wanted to bring it back to colombo to give to some people here. i was adamant that due to vow we have to give in gampaha. Outside the church there are some accharu ladies who sell some really great veralu acharu, pineapple , woodapple accharu and manioc with sambol. went out and managed to give away all the lunch and buy a whole load of the achharu and stuff our faces. When i was a kid and mum used to take me to this place i use to go only for eating the achharu. i thought we were going all the way for that.

get back to soya place to have soya icecream. Looking at the pastries friend asks whats a mofin. Oh yes the soya mofin. had to explain to her thats the village muffin and had her laughing.
The mofin is in fact a roti shaped like a triangle (or square shape gone kind of wrong or mofin shape) nothing to do with the blueberry muffin.

Mid week holiday!

A mid week holiday throws everything into an unbalance. U are not here not there. Wish they had given it on friday would have been convenient.

Cousin calls up and says uncle was stopped in his car and asked why he did not have a flag in his car.. Hemm (he is indian).

Get another call that a bunch of people were boooed at.

D the nine year old says " i am part of history mummy. this is a day of making history. Our great grandkids will learn about it"

Superstition playing through...

Once in two months my cousin calls me up and tells special poojas to be performed at the temples for the betterment of life. the easy ones i do the hard ones i leave it. last saturday she told me a fairly simple thing involving lighting of three lamps at three different temples. Woke up bright and early got ready started the car it did not start.

I got freaked out (yes i am a bit mad that i decided it was a bad omen) Got DH to start the car started. Then set off to temple. Went there decided shall pray before doing the lamp thing and left it and went inside. while praying mind was in a confused state and as such when i finished prayers was in a confused state of mind.

Came out to get my lamps someone had broken not only one lamp but the whole bottle of oil. i totally broke down. get home and was bawling non stop since i decided this is very bad news. I know it sounds mad but i was so depressed all day. I just could not get over it.

wake up in the morning open the front door and find a lizard dead with his tail seperate. scream shout and go and cry somemore that bad omen for dead lizard. So lie down on the sofa and am depressed. TV is on and i cant help but listen to some preacher say that getting obsessed about superstion is one of the stupidest habits of human beings. wierd but a coincidence...

why is it that i cant let go of all this superstitious mumbo jumbo.... I look at good omens all day...

Flying Sri Lankan!

Went to chennai with the kids over the long weekend and added holidays cutting school and work. Was at airport and get approached by dodgy looking indian guy who wanted us to carry liquor to chennai for him. Just ignored and kept walking. ( i must be giving out the wrong signal with two kids in tow like a baggage carrier)

Get into the flight and sri lankan with its crappy service and attitude kept on announcing about their black label deal.

Six year old wanted to know what black label was and D wanted to know if we can get the deal and buy whatever is thrown free (she is picking up the tendency of hitting sales or an early interest towards liquor).

I was a bit put off with the non stop announcement in flight, then they push the cart across the aisle and are like do u want to buy the deal buy the deal (just like travelling in train in india where all the people come to sell their stuff).

The food is inedible to say the least i think they should just not bother giving out that crappy snack.

Last week!

The last one week has been an eye opener of sorts for many things. Sent some milk powder and biscuits for the IDP, with help from B. I am taken aback when I asked some people for help and they were disinterested.

In a turn of events talking to a very close friend I was shocked when she suddenly asked me " As an indian what is your view on the war"

Before i could open my mouth and answer hello i am sri lankan, she went on about how we (indians) should mind our own business. She also continued The IDPs who are crossing over if one gets shot in a family so what its not such a loss. The tamils in sri lanka have too many rights in holding properties and went on to attack that most of us are moral less and quoted gossip stories about different people who are having affairs blah blahs.

I should have opened my mouth and argued that gossip stories are there in every race. (can i really use the word race here) It does not make me moral less. But i didnt i kept quite. this is a one off story but i think i got very affected since its someone who i have been very close with...

Voting and more!

The day has begun with random calls of not how are you? but who did u vote for?

Brother calls up and asks if i have voted yet.

Me; hemm not yet. who did u vote for

B : a buddhist,a hindu and a muslim... (ok i am impressed did not think b was that patriotic)

Friend : why did u not vote men. I voted for who my dad told me to vote for have no clue who they are. (mind u this is not a eighteen year old but a 32 year old with two kids)

new assistant trainee : i voted for who mummy told me to (she is eighteen so no comments there)

DH who is out of town and is not here to vote calls and insists i go vote for whoever i feel like. Thanks

Dads out of town mum looks a bit blank i think she has forgotten that today is voting day.

My collegue was the best yet " i went voted and cancelled it out and came"

Nanny : I need to go early and vote ( i doubt she is going to vote but wants a half day off)

Me oh well i am going out for a bit of shopping...

This Birthday!

The five year old turned six last week. As usual had the birthday party with the usual tamasha and overdose of loot bags. On his actual birth date i arranged a lunch at an orphanage. every year i send some cash and dont actually visit so this year thought i should make it a point to go. so took the kids and arrived there for lunch time.

Kids of different ages were there. We were allowed to mingle with some little girls who would have been five to six. they were so adorable with a big smile... As i was leaving watched S being very pensive. his six year old brain was on an overdrive. He had been listening to the caretaker talk about how some of the kids have one parent or none.

My nine year old D rushes into the car and says something like " mum we should think of Bunk beds"

So i take the kids to the orphanage and S is pensive about the whole situation and the nine year old wants a bunk bed...

Kids these days... arghhh

Unbelievable!

I hate forwarded stuff and dont make a habit of posting on it. (i did a post allready on that one). This is something u have to check out..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Getting the new Passport

Went to get the passport at borella yesterday. Very efficient service Was in and out in fifteen minutes to hand over my documents. the lady at the counter told me to come back in three hours to collect. was very pleased with myself.

Get back at four thirty, mum calls and says thats its too late maybe i should leave it to the next day. Walk in and see huge crowds of people in counters. Hemm wonder why such a rush. Stand around and realise there has been some printing delay so all passports will come out slowy. Decide to sit down. The BO there is worse than the house of fashion. Sat down and was people watching.
The Cute dad who had brought his cute kid and was attending to her very well.
The husband and wife who were fighting and bickering endlessly.
The young boy who was chatting up the young girl who was in front of him.
Uhm me who was talking to this lady who is planning to migrate with her family to australia.

They call my number out after a good two half hours or more and i rush to the counter to collect my passport. It was a moment of such delight. I almost grabbed someone elses passport. . . Its my luck that i had to go in on a bad day. Reasonably the office is fast and efficient. Oh well....

Bride Hunt Photos!

Now that the bride hunt has been going on for ever(ok exaggeration its been like 8 months) oooh thats long. we had requests for Pictures of B. For some strange reason there are not pics of B since he was at university two years back and nothing from any family event. Its wierd. His college pics he has never showed me and he never introduces any of his friends to the the madhatters family (thats my parents since i am the only sane person:)

Mum gives a graduation picture of B in which he looks like a Eejit.. Then she proceeds further and gives me a pic of his school gradutation. Right next she might give his ten year old pic and ask me to send to the probabilities.

Mum would think the ten year old pic is so clever since thats the pic my dad had got (ten year old mum) when he was going to marry my mum. I think he still has not forgiven my grand parents for that bit.Photos and my family are a bit of a problem i guess.

Called up B and asked him to take a pic of him. He sends me a pic which was professionally taken in a studio. I fell off the chair (literally). Since it was taken at a studio with a seventies touch to it. called him up and asked what he was thinking? B was not happy that i was laughing at the pic

Talking to DH he was laughing and suggested i do a branding of B. Take him and take nice pics at a good studio (not seventies backdrop). So its all that end of the day right branding and marketing when its an arranged marriage. Negotiation of horoscopes and what nots.

Ground rules for photos if u are having an arranged marriage. Picture should have been taken in the last three months in natural settings. one passport size and one full length...

Election Fever!

Everywhere its election talk. Collegues discussing who they are going to vote for.... Went to saravana stores, sea street (our south indian grocer) this afternoon to stack up for the long' ever so long weekend next week ( am not going anywhere :( ) and it was frantic since due to DD coming there i think not our dd the local one.

Most of our politicians are organising lunches, high teas and what nots asking for votes. I Am really surprised by the amount they spend. Got an invite for a high tea from a friend. Asking votes for her cousin.

Mentioned this to dad and he flipped advising me not to attend high teas and lunches. Wish i had the time. Its not right anyway to sip the tea and not vote.

wanted to irritate dad further and asked him who he was voting for. He looked a bit blank and most of my family seems to be not voting.

Me : dad i am patriotic i wont waste my vote.. i am voting

Dad : who are u voting for

Me : Rosy

Dad : What? she invited u too is it.

Me : Uhm no

Dad : why u voting for her?

Me : Since she is stylish and dresses well...

dad looked worried....

i dont want to waste my vote seriously. I think i ll give it to style and dress sense...

How about yours?

Another day!

Looking at the Sunday Papers one cannot help but notice the number of vehicles and properties for sale in the increase and job opportunities ads on the decrease. There are like a huge number of people who have been layed off from big companies looking for jobs. Then of course there is the kotelawala scam which had many employees resigning.

All the main markets are not as crowded. New years sales in shops are not really booming. We have crazy rains in the evenings. No bonus. Fairly depressive way to start the new year. This is the start of a drop and is expected to keep going down in the next few months.

Was at a seminar a few months back and apparently a leading Bank abroad had predicted that the recession would come and hit in this way and done graphs and stuff like one year back. No body took notice of the analysis in the developed countries.

One of our warehouse manager had invested all his savings in sakvithi and golden. How do u even give encouragement to people who have lost so much? I am at a loss seriously........

But then again Odel is always packed, there is a mad rush at house of fashion... people are going nuts over new donuts and its just another day in paradise!

Discovering the Museum!

A last minute mad rush into pettah today. The crowds were so much less that usual new year crowds. Since i remember peak traffic starts at three usually on other years today at three there was not much cars. Made it into prince street the haven for toys. If anyone wants to buy loads of toys please go to prince street. So much of stuff for less that half the price i can clearly say 1/3 rd of usual price. I went a bit crazy looking at all the stuff and the prices.

Penguin Plaza is a decent shop where everything is arranged very methodically and u even have a place where u can sit and relax while the stuff is being packed. suggestion is take a three wheeler since u will never find a parking space there. Walking down the road is no fun since the method of communication by the cart pullers is whistle whistle or sing sleazy tamil song.

Stepping out after happy purchasin i saw this huge old buiding. Museum right in front of me. I am ashamed to say that i did not know that there was another museum right there in prince street. I mean all the talk of my love to colombo and i had no clue there was a Dutch Museum right in the middle of pettah in prince street.

Nope i did not rush in to polish up my bit on history. Thats for another day!

Milling the MIL

This is a long overdue post about the MIL. Have to thank my friend P who wanted to dedicate a facebook thread discussing the merit of the Mother in law. We have not got around to it yet but should be interesting.

Quoting another good friend DD s words " You think your MIL is bad wait until u meet mine"

My MIL cannot stand me from day one. Not that i am a perfect person but i have tried. I have tried so much but she has pushed me over the edge that i stopped it now. I know there are loads of mother in laws who get along so well with their daughters in law and treat them like their own kids. But not mine. She is nice and sweet when the son is around and i see a quick personality disorder when he is out of earshot.

I think the dislike comes from feeling of love towards your son. A feeling of territorial intrudership.. Three years of playing big happy families at my in laws was enough. I think it comes from not forgiving the woman who takes their son away from them. Then i suggest dont get your darling married keep them with you.. But i never did take him away did i they came and found me for him.

I have taken to advicing my mom every day to stay away from the daughter in law who we are still hunting for. Oops will i turn into one too when S gets married!! arghhh

whats your take on your monster oops mother in laws?

Night Out In Chennai!

After a long tedious day of visiting relatives get back to the hotel with DH. I had absolutely done no shopping and was slightly worried about the state of my suitcase which was empty. Going up to the room we met some Wierdly dressed adults in the lift. oh right they were going clubbing to the night club at the hotel. We were staying at a fairly normal hotel.

Dh said lets go check out the club. Hemm after seeing the wierd people in the lift i was a bit skeptic, so told him to go check if it looks ok. He comes back looking quite excited, is it the chennai weather thats hitting his head, or being alone with me. He is like u have to see this!

Right i have seen a fair share of seedy nightclubs in chennai in my college days. well decided to go for it. Thank god i had packed one set of clothes appropriate for a night out with friends (which i never got around to doing anyways)

So we walk into the club there were like a huge number of bouncers outside. they looked thrilled to see us. Found out soon enough why. The guys out numbered the girls by one is to twenty at least. I am not kidding here. I could count less than ten girls ! The night club itself was impressive like in tamil movie style.

So we are quickly shown to this safe are (since thats where the girls with the guys are) to sit. Right in front of the dance floor. Dance floor is inhabited by a single guy dancing chennai moves to a hindi song.

Right so we just sat there and watched this lone dancer do his moves. After a good ten mins he leaves the floor and five girls start dancing. Immediately the dance floor is protected by eight bouncers and the guys are not let in. Right! by this time i was laughing at the whole situation. after the girls have done their only sole dancing for about three songs. Their boyfriends join them all to the song of "Singh is KING" after permission by the bouncers.

This huge guy comes up and smiles in this sleazy way and stamps my foot and leans over to the girl who is sitting at the other end and says something in here ears. she looks pissed off and turns the other way. then while leaving says sorry to me with sleazy smile again. Dh is pissed and gets up to tell him off. I pull him back since my foot was still in working order. we get up to leave.

Big Commotion breaks out with this girl pushing the same sleazy guy into the dance floor and beating him up with her handbag. Wow serious action time. Highlight for the night. Dh spoils it by pulling me from jumping and cheering her and out. oops all the couples have also had the same idea. We scramble into the lift and leave.....

Fair and Lowly

One of the older aunts dropped by the other day with a gift for D. I have to mention she is one with the snow white skin. She gave it to me and inside was a jar of fair and lovely. This is for D u can tell her to use it. D looked at me and my stricken expression was mirrored on her face. D is not fair but an average Sri Lankan child.
I took the tube did not say anything. I felt offended, upset many emotions that my child is hurt. I can’t tell the aunt off either since that will cause enough drama to last me a year.
After aunt leaves D comes up to me and asks what I am doing with the tube of fair and lovely.
Me; Nothing
D: Mum I don’t understand when u and I are not bothered by my colour what is it to the others
I was speechless by my nine year olds wise words.

Chennai Days!

Thats where I was last week on a spontaneous trip to attend a wedding with DH. It was five days of non stop shopping, visiting relatives,attending a wedding, watching a tamil movie in sathyam, eating and not doing much work.

March ending the end of year sales was booming. The recession means more sales and more buying. I think seeing all the 50% Off signs were making me feel dizzy. Seeing the signs did not make me shop till i dropped. But i did my fair share to boost the sales.

Did i mention about the food. I ate so much of food which was out of this world. Including dodgy melon juice served at a house which gave my throat pain. And the road side boiled peanuts with the chennai dust which just took my appetite away after getting back. . .

Mahasivarathiri 2009!

Out of sheer boredom decided to accompany parents to Muneeswaram temple for Sivarathiri. Every year I visit a shiva temple in colombo. This was the first time i was attempting to spend it in Muneeswaram Temple which is in chilaw. My parents, brother and I left at eight to get there. I felt like it was almost the old days when i was single and no responsibility. I had a vision in my mind where the temple would be silent and no crowd.

Oh boy was i wrong the temple was brightly lit with huge crowds. It was a mini carnival out there with the baloon man, ice cream man and the small shops with loads of household stuff. This temple has ardent buddhist followers who had come to give their offerings and pray to lord shiva. Ten O clock pooja, I was totally mesmerised. Huge crowds, chanting, different drum beats ( mix of south indian and kandyan). Buddhists and Hindus Standing together and praying loudly at the decorated deity...

I think i can relate to people losing it and dancing as if something as entered into them, the temple has many people who become like that and have watched them from afar. No i did not jump to join them. But i suddenly could relate to it. The end of the pooja and i knew one thing if god Beckons me all the way to his temple so far, i guess its meant to be I am going to make it... Somehow figure it out. Not all but some of it to start........

Living in a Bubble.........

Saw the little college going cousin online and asked her why she was on holiday and not in college. She said the colleges are closed in view of the protests held in Tamil Nadu. I really dont know if the protests held are right or wrong... i am not even sure why i am blogging about the topic for which i dont have a definite opinion.

There are so many refugees stuck in india crowded in so many camps. What did India do for those refugees who left these shores to go there? Are they really settled for better life or cramped and stamped into a refugee mark? You cant even open an account in India if u hold a Sri Lankan passport. Whats all these protests about really.......

I should stop pondering these thoughts and go back to living in a bubble of my usual work...

"Its written" -Slumdog Millionaire!

So everyones been watching this movie and asking me. So had to do the next best thing and got DH to buy me a dvd. Its a really good movie. Maybe since i had already read the book and liked the book so much. There are some bits from the book and more cinematic. Its always nice to read a book and see the movie. The book was Q&A by Vikas Swarup.

Wont write much on the story line since dont want to spoil it for the ones who watch it. Do watch it. I like the ending words mentioned in the movie "Its written" So right it is. Guess Everything is and thats called destiny!

Loved the little five year old Jamal such a cutie pie.

Getting to know me....

I have run out of things to blog about so thought its a good time to talk about me, myself and I. So copying it off another bloggers and here it is. Its not a real tag but u can tag yourself if u like kind of thing........



1. What time did you get up this morning?
Five fifteen. Had hardly slept last night was up being miserable .

2. Diamonds or pearls?
Diamonds

3 What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Madagascar 2

4. What is your favourite TV show?
Sex and the City, Desperate housewives, Oprah and friends (cant chose between them )

5 What do you usually have for breakfast?
Oats porridge which makes me hungry before lunch

6.What is your middle name?
Actually don’t have one only first name and surname but if I had to have one it would be Santhoshi since that’s whats very much lacking in my life right now!

7. What food do you dislike?
I think meat and fish since I am vegetarian.

8. What is your favourite album at the moment?
Tamil album of varanam ayiram songs

9. What kind of car do you drive?
Suzuki

10. Favorite sandwich?
Asparagus sandwich

11. What characteristics do you despise?
The know it all talkers

12. Favorite item of clothing?
My skinny jeans

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
Italy and Spain ( and the list goes on for ever)


14. favourite brand of clothing?
I love clothes, don’t want to define the brand and push it into a small circle. Anything nice and fits well is my favourite any day.

15. Where would you retire to?
Not thought of that one yet since I plan to live a 100 years ( yeah only the good die young)

16. What was your most memorable birthday?
19th I had so much fun and if I think of it the happiness of that time makes me smile. It was a fun party with college friends and my two best friends there. I have not had such a happy birthday in the last thirteen years

17. Favourite sport to watch?
Tennis since D plays it

18. When is your birthday?
Midsummer

19.are you a morning person or a night person?
Night person

20. What is your shoe size?
eight (yeah I have big feet)

21. Pets?
None

22. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us?
Nothing right now…….

23. What did you want to be when you were little?
Doctor

24. How are you today?
Miserable with lack of sleep

25. What is your favourite candy?
anything chocolate

26. What kind of flowers do you like?
Roses & Jasmines

27. What day on the calendar are you looking forward to?
The kids birthdays.

28. What is your full name?
Cant say that here

29. What are you listening to right now?
The dull drone of ac and me typing on a keyboard

30. What was the last thing you ate?
Chapathi and dhall

31. Do you wish on stars?
Not anymore

32. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Purple

33. What is the weather like right now?
Sunny

34. First person you spoke to on the phone today?
DH

35. Favourite soft drink?
Coke

36. Favourite restaurant?
Golden Dragon at the Taj

37. Real hair color?
Black with a tinge of dark brown

38. Favorite toy as a child?
Sand

39. Summer or winter?
Summer.

40. Hugs or kisses?
Both

41. Chocolate or vanilla?
Both

42. Coffee or tea?
Coffee.

43. When was the last time you cried?
Last night

44. What is under your bed?
I think the under the bed monster who I keep checking for

45. What did you do last night?
Watched a movie “Before the rains”

46. What are you afraid of?
Loneliness

47. Salty or sweet?
Sweet

48. How many keys on your key ring?
two

49. Favourite day of the week?
Friday

50. How many towns you lived in?
3

51. Do you make friends easily?
yes

Colombo and Bookshops!

What Colombo really needs is a good Bookshop. We have too many coffee shops (where some of the coffee is vile). We have some bookshops. Do we have a really good book shop? Vijitha Yapa has all these books but very cluttered and lay out. Crescat branch is reasonably ok but some kids books u have to sit and find it. Makeens is nice they are kind of getting it right with the layout but we don’t have a Landmark (like from Chennai) or WhSmith (ok asking for too much).

I must say I am very happy with the new set of books that Makeens has got. Most of the books which were not available a year back from all these authors of chicklit is now available for us to read.

The service at the bookshops are also autrocious. They have never heard of most of the authors and cannot be bothered to help out. Sometimes the pronounciation of some of the sales people will make the author cringe if she/ he was to hear it. So thats what we need a good bookshop.

In liberty plaza there is a cute shop filled with books a tiny place where u can get stuff (in front of uthum pathum).....

Can you be friends with your Ex?

A friend calls up and asks advice that her husband’s Ex wants to be friends again with him. (Confused? Yeap join the club?). Story is this Friend (F) and her Husband (FH)have been married for many years now. The FH s ex (FHX) i.e his first girlfriend from school has called him up and wants to be friends with him.

I should write an equation on this. Anyways, F was freaking out since FHX has called up FH saying that she is unhappy in her marriage having lots of problems and that she is very ill and they should be in touch. Red alert there! FH is a decent enough guy to have told F about this, but is not being enthusiastic enough to listen to F and not be friends with FHX. F was losing her marbles and totally freaking out since this was a strong long affair from school onto university.

My personal opinion was you cant be friends with and Ex. Obviously even if u are happily settled now your first love will always be special. Call me old fashioned but there it is. What is your opinion on this? Can we be friends with the Ex?

Prayer, Peace and Problems!

On my way to Kataragama with the Ada Derana giving news on the fall of killinochi. Keeping the kids entertained on a long drive so far is no joke. They drive you nuts and u want to jump off the car, Specially if they decide not to sleep right through the drive. Parents were giving their two cents worth on phone every one hour.

Mum : U know if u stop at three thirty near Udawalave u can see the baby elephants being fed.

Dad : u have to stop and feed the elephants some sugar cane.

Me : (I am very frightened of wild elephants of any sort and I aint doing any of that)

We get to the dam and inquire we had just missed the feeding bit. So off we went. Boy oh boy there were so many of the Elephants hanging out near the fence. Happily munching the grass and huge trees and posing. So we had to stop and kids were getting far too excited and shouting, I was sure that we were going to get chased by them any minute. This went on for quite a bit with no accidents and off we were.

Have not been to the temple for some years now and going there I had this intuition that we were going to be called in and don’t have to wait in the que. I was on a torn and upset mood when I went to the temple and the guys kept telling not to come in to wait till the pooja is over. Then as I knew one guy came and told us to cross in through the rope. So there my intuition was right. We were there right through the pooja and I felt thorought blessed inside the temple.

Went back to the temple next day. Miracles don’t happen twice so had to wait and went in after the poojava. The rice that they give as Prasad is out of this world I must say during afternoon.

My impatience of god setting everything right immediately is not going to work I was to realize when I made it back to Colombo. That’s ok I shall wait for the gods powers to work. DD has been advising so many times to go to kataragama which I have managed to do, so let me wait and see for the wonders to work…….