Cooking Mama!

Cooking is the latest craze at all ages. The kids and I watch Master Chef without fail, and absolutely love it. S is always on the cooking mama game cooking non stop. My little courtship with baking had to be temporarily stopped due to weight loss mission no 10( end of the year approaching) .

The past week I have been getting calls from my mum, in excited tones about how she has tried out a new recipe. If this was a one off thing, i would have just shrugged it off. This has become an every day ritual so much that I had to politely decline. Mum is not a person who can be discouraged, she sends it in a little box and insists that I try it.

Day one : a birds nest Kind of thing filled with veges and cottage cheese, I saw S (the eight year old) have a look of pure shock in his face and kept looking at me. With mum supervising that we eat it up, we were trapped.

Day two : She had filled up an ice cream cone with some wierd concotion and sent it, S screams in delight "Aachi has made a vampire torch for halloween".

Day three : Dad calls " yr mums serving up some crap all the time, I cant eat the food at home"

I thought I would gently tell mum that she should stop this new recipe trying.

Mum : I know it is natural that you feel jealous that your mum is a cooking start. I might even star in the Indian cooking competition.

I had no idea what to say to that statement and thought silence is the best remedy. A woman scorned about her cooking is not an easy one to deal with.
She had found bits of masterpieces that she had cooked thrown behind the plants in the garden, and screamed that she will not send me food anymore. I think we are on safe zone temporarily.

This October!

Deepavali was festive as always with new clothes, too many sweets and cracker bursting by kids.

Only hitch was when I slipped and fell on some water and hurt my knee, so that was bye bye zumba and yoga for about ten days now. DH was kind enough to be worried that the tiles did not break after me falling on them.

Another couple of months and the year will end. It rushes so fast there is no time to breath. The list of resolution just another list which has gathered and will bite the dust!

Book Fair 2011

I went yet again to the book fair with D. We thought we ll beat the crowd and be clever about it and go at an odd time at three thirty on a Tuesday afternoon.
Guess what half of Colombo and the outskirts was in there. First, we were shoved in at a rate. You don't have to walk, the crowds just like push u like a wave or something.
It was worth the pain of it all, there was loads of fiction books and D and I had a good time picking up many. The bookshops have really gone to town and picked up loads of Indian editions of books cheaply and did not even have time to take off the prices.
We came out around five pm and there was even more people trying to get in. I saw a mass of thousands trying to walk in... (at the same time, I exaggerate not). I think the crowds increase every year.
It was worth all that since there is quite a bit of discount and more than that to see D's Happy face and bags full of books to read and art stuff to paint.
Warning to anybody trying to go in the weekend, it will be painful.

The New Coffee Shop!

Pascucci - Wijerama Mw
After reading about it and seeing it so often from outside, went there last weekend. I think going there twice in a row was a bit too much.
The first day I loved the ice coffee Amereti with little cookies in and the works.
Second day, I said just get me some ice coffee, something simple and it came with a whole bunch of ice cream dumped inside it. Maybe I should have told no ice cream.
The interior is done up nice and it was crowded. The price is fancy, there was a tiny cupcake priced at 350/- bucks.

Pedicure Alert!

After reading Dee and Angels posts on waxing a couple of weeks back, I looked at my feet and was horrified to see the state of them. My feet were in a state of neglect, the colour had chipped off and there was one ugly pair of feet staring right back at me.
Recently I have been scared to venture for pedicures to salons afer hearing not once but many times about women picking up toe wounds and yucky stuff (lets not go into the details).

Being too lazy to do the pedicure myself, I thought why not treat myself at a good salon where fingers crossed nothing untoward to would happen to me.

There I was seated in a nice cushy seat and reading the hello magazine. I heard the customer next to me instruct her girl not to scrub her toe cause she has a wound.

ARGHh with a horrified look i turned and saw the womans feet it had a big wound right near below her toe nail.

Salon Girl : What happened madam ? (scrubbing around the wound at a rate)
customer : I got this wound from getting a pedicure here last time. Two months back. its not going off. (this was said very non-chalantly)

I almost had an asthma attack, grabbed my feet right out of the pedicure bench and gave an excuse of a meeting. Paid some money and scurried off to wash my legs with hot water.
Yes yes My feet are fine. I am just so very upset and horrified that the woman was not bothered by this toe wound thing which probably is there to stay for a bit, also the salon girl acting as if it was a normal thing.
Get a pedicure and a wound free!

Salons, probably do not have a proper way of cleaning or sterilizing their equipments.
Its back to home pedicure again. anyone know any place really clean for pedicures???

Three months Later!

Its been three months since I last blogged. I have no excuse to say except that I have been very lazy with blogging.
Two months of school vacation, Two family weddings in Chennai, Two trips to the beach, one month of yogaing, Reading six book, Loads of parties later - I had nothing to blog about.
Ok I think I will stop now.

Random!

I have been so good at keeping my new year resolutions. That the blog has been completely neglected.
I dont know if its the fact that life is so very uninteresting and I am running out of things to say.
I should dust out the blog and write something about may

• bought a dress from Avirate have no idea where I am going to wear it now.


• Had a meeting - Usually people know me as Mr&Mrs. Daughter or Mr Dhs wife or Someone elses cousin, friend. For the first time in my life someone I met at the meeting said you are D's mum, I know her very well. I like that identity.



• The credit card bills which have been stashed away or torn up are in fact not paid by unknown guardian angel - cause the angel has no cash. You do end up getting scary looking letters from the bank and then realise you have created a huge debt which has to be paid( not including avirate dress which was paid by cash)
  


• Have been regular at Zumba class and workout next to this lady who is very fascinating. She wears so much make up and I know her sweat pores are dying to get out of all that foundation that she has laid on so thick. My class is spent staring at her face and the lipstick which is bright red and bleeds. Fascinating....

Sportive and all!

So you know how they say you should be sportive to take the loss and all. Whoever said that did not have Indian family and friends ( Not you lost soul)

Seeing FB messages which were ever so rude like Swim back losers, Broken nose boozers and private messages like you are part of an island that was pooped by india and argh.

So yes the solution for this is to hold your head up high and ignore. How much can u ignore what is in front of your face, not much I say. I should just deactivate facebook for a week of something.

I still feel something not right about Kula N Dhoni since they are both in CSK team. I know i am being childish but i cant help it.

Sale!

D mentions to me casually that there is a cotton collection sale on for three days. I jumped up and down in joy and wanted to know until when. D rolls her eyes and says " Its on for another two days mom". argh i have missed the first day. So I had to put half day leave and rush to the sale yesterday morning. I walked into Cotton Collection and there was some great Lovely Clothes. I was wondering why there was not much crowd. I was checking for the ever bright Sale sign which was missing. The prices looked normal too, thankfully heard the boom " Hey you are suppose to be at work!" From a good friend N. "I came for the sale men, better a half day than missing this" I said. "The sale is at the park street ware house" She says and gives me a nice pink leaflet. I looked at the leaftlet, looked at the clothes in my hand. Quickly dropped the stuff on the counter and ran out to get into a three wheeler. Reach park street and walk in the heat which was really bad. They had hired a huge ware house at the end of park street mews. It was full of clothes and more people grabbing this and that. I ran around picked up about twenty pieces and then turned around there was even another more hundred people in there. Then realised its going to be a disaster if all these people also wear the same clothes, put it all down. After wise decisions I walked out with jusst two t shirts for me and two for the kids. I think i am turning into a new leaf. Ran out again to catch a threewheeler with a faluda ice cream in my hand. Threewheeler guy : " Two hundred miss" Me : " Ioo aiye i am buying clothes at the sale, dont ask so much" Threewheeler guy : " I cant even come to the sale, my status is even worse" Just had to give him the money and get off at work.

Miserable Mondays Terrible Tuesdays!

So Yes I am in a chirpy mood which was further cheered up by work things going smooth Not.
I went to the temple last week and noticed an old lady staring at me. I smiled at her and looked at her. She just stared at me with a sad look. I really wanted to go have a chat with her and help her out. She turned and walked off while I was contemplating this.

Same story today. So I smiled a big smile (like the one in the happy face) and was getting ready to take the wallet and give her some money. Old Lady approaches me.

Old lady : Are u a Hindu?
Me : Uhm Uhm yes ( oh god what kind of question is this)
Old lady : Don't u know in our religion you must tie your hair when you come to temple.
me : "()*$(*$*"(")*( ( Damn old cow, i was so annoyed)

She walks off muttering something. By this time my whole religious and charitable mood was gone, so i followed her and asked her what she was muttering.

old lady : If u don't tie up your hair and pray, you will never get married.

I was positively fuming this woman is a miserable old git who goes cursing people. Damn woman.
Me : I don't think the religion tells us to tie our hair to pray.

Common sense says that you shouldn't come to temple and interfere with your wise comments.

Old Lady ( looked shocked ) : You wont get married
Me : Thanks so much , I am already married with two kids.

Old lady open mouthed.

Moral of the story : Dont feel sorry for strange old women in temples. Mind your business.!

Wednesday is going to be wonderful since I am on leave for a few days ! YESS!

High Tea!

After a godawful week, ladybugs suggestion of High Tea was the best thing I had heard. I was excited to meet her and another friend who was down on vacation. So off we went to Galle face hotel High Tea.

For me the word high tea somehow conjures up the image of the mad hatters tea party in Alice in wonderland. I walked into the veranda and for a minute I was confused with what was happening. There was rows and rows of food.

Pastries, savouries, sandwiches and what not. There was a whole load of vegetarian food too. I didn't have the tea but had ice coffee and we stuffed ourselves and laughed so much maybe a bit loudly.

The veranda and the ambiance is really great. Walked out into the rains. argh it was pouring!

Blogging and Baking!

So I have not been blogging. I should have a better excuse for why I have been silent. I discovered a new hobby while I was away. Baking. Oh god! Its as easy as doing Maths with the seven year old! Ok i take that back its easier than doing Maths with the seven year old.
So that's what I have been doing baking and baking away. All egg less stuff since I cant take egg home.
Its been Cookies, Cakes, cup cakes, Flapjacks and what not. Not a great hobby for the health cause I have been tasting these stuff.
I had an agenda it was to bake away and make a cousin shut her mouth. She was showing off far too much and had to put a stop to that. So i am back with recipes and all.
Have a Great weekend all!

Purple Hibiscus

This is the book that had me captured for the past few days. The authors name is quite long Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Her writing has so much depth and captivating is the word. The beauty of Nigeria, the culture of people, the suppression of people in the name of religion. I could go on and on. Beautiful book.

This author had been at the literary festival in Galle. Lucky the ones who got to meet her. I did not get to go this year either. Maybe next year!!

You!

Its that time of the year! Where resolutions are made yet again to break. I called up the aerobics instructor and wished a happy new year and when is she re-opening. She goes who is this and when i say its me. She screams "YOU!". Oh well she did not have to break my ear drums.



I got a message from a friend how great the new year first working day was, so much positivity. I had a crappy day and its only the third day of the year. Oh well it cant get any worse can it. Then again oh yes it just did! I forgot to send samples that was requested urgently today. I had an irate client who asked me a million questions on things I was clueless. How easy it is to keep lying and pretend that you really do know about things you dont. phew

The only nice thing of the day was meeting two friends for a short time and seeing a new born baby. Babies are so adorable and the cutest and gives you hope.

Hope all of you have had a better day?

The gold leaf Buddha.

You get small squares of gold leaf which you can press on to the buddha statue directly for good luck and fortune. I heard a tour guide say that you have to stick in in the head heart and eyes. So quickly did that and made a prayer. You get to offer flowers and light incense and candles as an offering too.

Four Faced Brahma!

We light lamps they light candles!

So many flower garland as offerings to the Lord.

I saw Brahma the four faced creator of the world according to hindu myth as a Buddha with four faces. This shrine in Erawan Bangkok has a big following and many miracles happening. Bangkok with its rich culture stays as a great holiday has all this and more to see..

Animal Watching!

They looked bored and could not be bothered by the many vehicles which drove in. Safari world!