Red-handed!

I never let go of a chance of putting mehndi/henna on my hands.Especially now that we have these instant mehndi artists in front of some of the most popular cosmetic/apparel shops in the city.For as low as Rs.50/- they draw the most intricate designs on the palm.Indian,Arabic,Pakistani,you name it and they draw it for you.

I usually get my left hand henna-ed every time but this time indulged myself and got it done on both my hands as we were off to attend a family wedding.I love the crimson hue which lasts on the hands for a while and the smell,ah I love it!

Some weight issues..

I must have been about 10-11 when I first heard the word diet.We were at a family friends' place having tea and I said no to a sweet I did not like and the lady asked me if I was on a diet.I did not know what it meant and once home,I looked up the meaning on the dictionary and was shocked and offended.Sure,I wasn't fat or plump,I just had some baby fat on me and this lady had the audacity to ask me if I was on a diet!

But slowly reality dawned and I did realize I was overweight than my peers,but sadly for a long time I did not do anything about it.and then college happened and I had to shake off those excess kilos to fit in.Since then,I've been on and off with my weight.Or lets put it this way,since then I am always 'on' or 'off' a diet at any given point depending on the 'then' requirement.

One thing which puts me off is this-whenever someone's lost weight and mind you,even if it is in grams,the first thing they do is pick out slightly overweight poor souls(which btw did exist when they were overweight!)and ask them to do something about their weight and a big lecture on healthy eating and exercising to stay fit.Excuse me?

So if you have lost weight and looking fitter than ever before,I've just got one thing to say-wonderful,good for you but stop picking on others or else all of them are going to pounce on you when you put on a kilo or two :)

RIP Chef Jacob

                                        (Image Source)
I did a double check when I read the sad news on Hindu last Monday.Now that could not be possible,was it.Chef Jacob was just 38 years old and he died of a Cardiac arrest on November 4th.

I did not know him personally.But still I felt a sense of sadness reeling over me.

I heard about Chef Jacob when he did a non-stop cooking marathon and got into the Guiness Book of world records.Later on when he was part of Crimson Chakra,we wanted to sample his cuisine,but could not.Despite strong recommendations from friends,we missed eating at his dream venture Jakob's Kitchen.Without him at the helm,it would hardly be the same,right?

RIP Chef Jacob.

A letter to a 20 year old me

I found the concept of writing a letter to oneself very interesting.So here's my take.

Dear 20 year old me,

• You will get married in a few months now,so be prepared for all the big changes you'll come across.You will argue with everyone saying nothing is going to change,but believe me change happens and you will handle it easily.So worry not.
• You will go on your first abroad trip and will have your first fight with your husband(something about which you will later laugh about).Keep your cool:)
• You will move to a new place(which you will come to love!)and miss your family terribly and cry at the drop of a hat even though the husband is making sure to keep you happy throughout.Accept the change.
• You will start cooking on your own which would be a disaster first but slowly and steadily you will pick up the art and even start a food blog!Keep trying.
• You will have many new friends,you'll know what it is like to hang out late in the night and you'll have fun.Enjoy it fully.
• You'll think you are done with school and college but you will do a full fledged one-year course in a regular college and a post graduation too.Work hard.
• You will come to realize relations are not exactly like how you thought them to be.Some people whom you trusted so well will back stab you and strangers will become your soul keepers.Stay Calm.
• Shit happens and more so from your relatives.You will face lots of mean talks from cousins and relations whom you thought were close to you.Ignore it.
• You will develop a wonderful bond with your mother-in-law and find solace in her when you feel low.You will cry on your mom's shoulders and your mother-in-law would give you the strength and the support.
• You will get what you waited for a long long time only to be taken away after a while.Surprisingly,you will cope up with it well with the support of the husband and family.Be strong.
• You will move into your own house and feel mighty proud of it.So listen to the husband when he says -start saving:)
• You are going to have the best time in your life and believe me,the best is yet to come.

Love,

30 year old me.

Some random stuff!

This would be my longest gap between posts on this blog.Not that I blog here frequently but still!!

Here are a few things which have been happening

• We shifted to our own home a while back,precisely 7 months back and are well settled in now.
• I lost my camera,searched everywhere,brought the whole house down,sulked and got another camera and exactly after a month found my old camera cradled between two of my sarees.I don't remember putting the camera there ever,but since it cannot move up there on its own I am taking the blame on myself.
• I now have 3 point and shoot cameras(1 very old one)and dreams which consists of an slr.
• My straightened hair is beginning to fade away with shades of my original hair showing up through the root.It is not in that half straight,half wavy phase yet,but I am not sure if I want to go through the process again seeing the number of hair strands on our pristine white flooring!
• My oven went kaput and I got myself a new one,same brand only a bigger one.I am not entirely happy with it though.The baking timings are erratic and something which got done in 30 minutes in my previous oven takes close to 45 minutes in this one.I cannot seem to explain this to the tech guys since all they do is test the temperature by keeping a bowl of water in the microwave for 1 minute and checking if it boils or not!
• Our car was rammed into by a speeding Sumo,possibly driven by drunken drivers and we had to bear the whole repairing charges since it was hit and run.Money seems to just flow through our fingers,poof!
• We've been eating out and shopping(that would be me) a bit more frequently these days and it is bothering me a bit.
• I reconnected with a friend whom I'd thought was a bit indifferent and I feel so happy now.
• I've been reminded by someone that  am turning older and should not delay any further in getting pregnant...as if!!

So till any further developments..tata!

Moving

We are moving to our own home-finally!!

It feels great to see your home take shape from the foundation stage to the completion stage.We really cannot wait to pack and move and actually start living there.

Just before booking this flat,we had paid advance to another flat which was almost our dream home.Sprawling and spacious with the perfect plan,we had even decided where to place our stuff and bang,some problems and we had to let go of that one.To say we were disappointed would be putting it lightly.It was ready for occupation too,so we had dreamt of moving there the very next month.Well,as my appa says,everything happens for the best and we believe it happened so that we could get this home in a prime location and that too from a reputed builder.

After months of waiting,next week is the moving date.Can-not-wait!!

Shall update details after moving-till then take care and God bless!

6 things which happened since my last post

1.I got a maid for doing the household work as soon as I posted my last blog entry.As expected,I am not completely happy with her but it is alright,both of us are managing well.She speaks very little,comes sharp at 8 every morning,finishes her work and leaves.Works well for the time being.

2.We finalized the interiors for our new flat and work is progressing fast.We hope to get everything done and move in by November 1st week max.Hope everything turns out well.

3.I made a couple of trips to my hometown,actually went in once every month since June:) and I am loving it.Going home is now more looked forward to as I have a li'l candy(my bro's baby girl)there to play with and cuddle.

4.I got a much required hair cut.My hair had grown too long and out of shape.I am never able to decide at a given point whether I want long hair or short.Immediately after a hair cut,I proclaim I want long hair and wouldn't cut my hair till it reaches at least my waist length.But each and every time,it grows out of shape and I go for a cut.I am happy this time,but not entirely so when it comes to the style.Maybe I should go for straightening or smoothening?

5.I taught basic baking skills to amma and guess what,she's a very enthusiastic learner and has mastered the famous Dates cake so well.We also made kick-ass Nankhatai and now I can relax and ask her to bake me truckloads when I am in Ekm,another one into the list:)

6.Ajay has asked me to choose a Birthday gift and as usual,I am uncertain.Have  thought about a couple of things,maybe I will decide in a month's time or so,let's see.

If any one is reading this(other than me)hope you are doing alright-God bless!

Home-maid!

I've not been entirely lucky with my house-hold helps.Initially the lack of communication[I didn't know Tamil and they didn't know anything else but Tamil]and ignorance[not knowing how to instruct them etc]were the main reasons but even after I picked up the language I really couldn't master the art.First thing,I find it difficult to go behind their backs and make sure they are doing every job the right way.


Most of my maids didn't last more than a year and a half.The main reason to leave would almost always be--I thought there were only 2 of you and very less work but you seem to have guests every weekend[more utensils to clean]and lots of clothes to wash[we don't have a washing machine,strange,I know]


I found it depressing to welcome another new one because I have an issue.I take time to get settled with one and going through the same grind with another one causes me a headache.I thought all my issues were resolved when I hired A a while back.Without realizing,she stuck with me for more than 3 years,a fact quite bewildering considering my previous track records.


Today,after taking a day leave and with a pile of laundry and an even bigger pile of dirty utensils to wash,she dropped the bomb.She came and said she is suffering with acute back pain and cannot continue the job,no not even the leftover job she was supposed to finish.I thought it was the most depressing news I had heard,but surprisingly not.I donned my apron and set about doing the work.In less than 3 hours,I finished the laundry[by hand],mopped the house and finished washing all the utensils and gave myself a good pat on my back.


Now I am contemplating whether to keep a maid or not.I have got enough time to decide since I've made up my mind that I can do every job that she did[even better]with time.


So till another maid-story seeya!!

Just another day!

[image source]


I have always believed birthdays and anniversaries have to be celebrated with pomp and glory and probably continue to believe it but yesterday was just that--just another day!


Ajay and I celebrated 9 years of wedded bliss and we let the day pass without much celebrations.I can't yet believe I let that happen,but it was a natural thing.Monday being a working day,we decided to advance the celebrations by a day and went out for a lovely lunch out to a great sizzler joint - Tangerine.I love it that they have plenty of options for vegetarians as opposed to some places where they just serve a cutlet on a bed of herb rice and call it veg sizzler--yeah,been there,done that!

After that,we went to the much happening joint in Chennai--Express Avenue.Ajay gave me a blank-cheque shopping deal,ok that means he asked me to get anything I wanted.Now why do I become a party pooper the moment he says that,I don't know.I let go a chance of getting a Levis Curve id jeans[yeah that one is so much in vogue these days]saying it costs a bomb.We went to a great Indian designer store-Soch and I got 3 pretty Kurtis and loved it absolutely.


We then went to Sangeetha to have hot filter kaapi and headed back home.We had friends over for dinner and ordered Chinese.I baked a simple Cherry cake and we finished it in no time.


After all this,the d-day felt like just another day.We wished each other first thing in the morning[yeah,that was there]and went about doing our chores and the day got over--just like that!I didn't even bake a cake--blasphemous,I know!


Now I want the Levis Curve Id jean..Ajay,are you reading this??

Comments..or the lack of it!!

During my initial days of blogging[food blogging],a dear friend of mine who was an avid blogger told me something.That,blogging is a game,you need people to read your post-fine,you want them to comment on your posts--you got some work to do.I was clueless about all this comment thing,not even knowing where the comment form was at the end of this post!!

I was apprehensive posting comments on other people's blog,some of them whom I totally adored fearing that they might trail me out and see my ugly ducking blog.But then,I fell in love with my baby blog and as and when I started taking good care of it,I wanted people to come,see appreciate and encourage me further in this.


Blogging,was starting to become a passion and I spent more and more time on it.

As time passed and the posts increased,I started getting comments on a regular basis,most of them from my regular reader base.I felt happy and almost jubilant that bloggers whom I adored commented on my posts.


My comment policy was simple,if I liked a blog post-I would comment.Irrespective of the fact,if that blogger comments on my posts or not.Similarly,I might not comment on each and every bloggers posts who comment on my blogs[even though I'd love to!].If I start commenting on every blog post which appears on my reader or on every one's blogs who comment on mine,one day would not be enough.


When I started this blog,I never thought my posts would get comments on it.I started it so that I could write down my thoughts/feelings or whatever came to my mind.I was glad when someone asked me to write here regularly.So I am hoping to continue writing here and get some comments too..get the drift?

Ajay's Birthday Cake Preps

Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cake - Baking in the oven  Cooled,moistened with syrup,filled and crumb coated
Filling - Chocolate whipped cream - cooling in the fridge  whipped and used for filling
Frosting - Dark Chocolate Ganache - done


Ideas for decorating the cake - still in the thought process stage!  I finished decorating the cake.As always,not fully satisfied,but okay,let me see how photogenic it looks finally.


I hope to finish everything by noon so that the cake can get the resting time in the fridge and ready to cut in the evening.


Usually,Ajay has absolutely no demands when it comes to his Birthday cake,but this year,almost a month back he asked me to make Death by Chocolate Cake for his birthday.That put me in pressure.It is different making something for pleasure and its different when you are under pressure to perform.I hope I have done it right and the birthday boy will like it.*fingers crossed*

Knock..knock

It's been a while since I scribbled here.Except for a few people who wrote to me saying that they've been reading this blog and miss the lack of posts,I don't think generally anyone[other than me]misses my posts here!!

Time has been racing so fast that within a blink,my Birthday is here.Though I try telling myself that I am grown up and all that,I find it tough to keep away from the birthday countdown,planning and choosing gifts etc.Every time,I decide that I wouldn't be repeating this exercise the next year but here it comes.I have already decided what to wear,which cake to be baked,where to have dinner etc etc.When will I ever grow up??

Soon after the Birthday,it is time for Christmas and the inevitable countdown for New Year.When did the year 2010 come and go?No clue.Beginning of 2010 saw us quite happy with something good happening in our lives but no sooner that became a damp squib.I am hoping this year too,along with my birthday,something good happens--something good for which we've been waiting too long!!

So for all who've been reading this blog[it really came as a surprise to me],Hello and hope you have a great day!!

It's all about Food,honey!!

I don't remember if it started after I started posting recipes on my food blog or before that..but it is true.

All I think about is food.Not only me,gtalk and facebook chat history is bursting with nostalgic food memories,recipes of long-forgotten dishes etc with friends and family.Me and vanni chat almost daily on gtalk.After the initial queries[even that is about,what food we had for breakfast,lunch etc] we start talking about food.It is not done purposely,somehow the talk drifts to food and topics relating to that.

There is a joke which runs in Ajay's family-we talk about luunch during breakfast and 4pm kaapi during lunch and..you get the drift don't you?Even while having food,we discuss about the next course of meal we are going to have.Ajay's elder bro has to know what's for breakfast the next morning before he sleeps.At times,he has even woken up mil and asked her the same and he insists he sleeps well if he knows that beforehand!!

Are we abnormal?? I have reason enough to be happy-we are not alone in this.People get really excited and passionate while talking about childhood and wonderful memories of eating with dirty hands and the copious amounts of Dabbe khaaN that mothers made.Strangers become friends only by discussing about food,isn't that great??

Food blogs and Facebook recipe/food groups have become the place for learning cooking.Delicacies I never knew existed find a prime place in our dining table and variety is the word now.

It is another matter altogether that all this cause your weighing scale to go up up up..well,moderation is the key,isn't it??

Happy Food-ing[if there's a word like that;-)]

TV shows--What next??

Being a stay-at-home/housewife,quite a lot of my time is devoted to the idiot box and my laptop.After my routine work and blogging,I plop up in front of the tv and watch a lot of stuff.Movies,songs,some serials and sometimes news:).Of course,sometimes even after the regular channel surfing,I feel there's nothing interesting to watch-not in any of the 200+ channels,yes that happens!!

It was during one such day that I hopped on to Ndtv Imagine's show Rahul ka Swayamvar.I was curious.I had seen trailers of Rakhi ka swayamvar and the buzz of their engagement and then so-called-break-up and then again them appearing as a couple in some other show.But this isn't about Rakhi Sawant,no.As someone said,like her-hate her but you cannot ignore her:)

I don't know much about Rahul Mahajan.Except that his father was murdered,sometime later he[Rahul] was hospitalised due to a Cocaine overdose and within 3 months of his father's demise,he got engaged to his childhood sweetheart and got married soonafter.

Married..??Then why the swayamvar??I wanted to find out..remember..I was curious??!!

I googled and found out that his ex-wife[yup,he is divorced now] filed a case against him for divorce stating incompatibilty.There were even serious allegations of Rahul beating his wife!!!

I have seen footages of the show Big Boss on Youtube where in some scenes,Rahul is seen openly flirting with Payal Rohatgi.

Now my question is..who would want to marry a guy who was arrested for Cocaine overdose..was married and divorced with serious allegations of beating up his wife..was seen flirting with fellow-participant on national television?? None..??Oh no,you are wrong..17 girls are vying for his attention just so they can be his bride....*gasp*

From whatever I have seen,the participants are literally on their knees proposing to him and he's having a real tough time deciding on whom to get married to.One participant while getting eliminated said-If only you had paid some attention to me,we could have worked on our chemistry..eeeks.Another one said-you only pay attention to so&so and don't give any bhaav[attention] to us.Gosh..I truly find it hard to digest.

I am not being judgemental here,no.I am just wondering how time changes and people's attitude too.Tv shows have gone from bad to worse and I really wonder what they are thinking of next..!!!

Sleep..or the lack of it!!

I sleep with ease..if you are thinking,well who doesn't,ask me.I have come across many people who say they can't sleep well if they are not in the comforts of their bedrooms.Or some who say if they sleep in the afternoon,they can't sleep at night.Or the ones who say they don't sleep comfortably at night,insomnia perhaps.

Many things other than this might cost one one's sleep.Stress,tension or some bad news can literally drag your sleep from your eyes.

Ajay for one,is a mix between the second and third types.He sleeps very less and if by chance he falls asleep during the day,then that's it.He says he envies me sleeping comfortably under the blanket,NO MATTER WHAT!!

Yeah,sleep comes naturally to me.I sleep in a train,bus or even an auto if I feel sleepy.When I went to college[in Chennai]I used to travel by MTC buses to and fro.The journey used to take me about an hour and the moment I step inside and catch my seat,I get myself prepared to sleep.Ajay wonders how I can sleep in a crowded MTC bus and I find it hard to explain:).Once I got a seat next to the driver and slept very comfortably despite the blaring sound of the horn and the eerie sounds of the gear box.I should say even the driver was confused and he asked me in pure wonder "eppadi maa tungninge?",which literally translates to..how could you...??!!:)

Its past 10 now and I am feeling sleepy..are you:):)??

I am trying to be

--positive

--confident

--strong

I really am!!

I've lost interest..

--in blogging

--bloghopping[my reader is bursting with unread posts]

--watching television,I've not been watching much of it and surprisingly I am not missing it either!

--social networking,ie Orkut,Facebook,Twitter etc.

My state of mind right now--Happy,very Happy!!

What's your Prograaaaam???

"So..the long weekend's coming up,what's your program??"

Is it necessary that every holiday you get you have to go somewhere to prove that you enjoy life and you know how to have a great time??

A friend of mine who recently settled abroad casually mentioned to me that I need to take a "break".Like them for example,every weekend,they take the car and drive around and go places.She makes sure every single picture they take during the trip reaches me and several other friends ceremoniously.More often than not,she asks me how did I find the pictures..excuse me??You send me 250+ pictures and expect me to go through them one by one and comment on it too??Oh come on..:):)

For the record,we are taking a break my dear friend,going to Mahabs for a while and then to Bangalore[which btw in that friends opinion is not a holiday since we are going to Ajay's house:)]

Wish you all a Happy weekend..so whats your program??:):)

Please leave us alone!!

Venue-A Cooking class I attended.

Each one of us were introducing each other,informally.Before me 2 others introduced themselves.One was an HR executive and the other was in the Tourism industry.My turn came and I said,I am a house-wife,stay at home.Pat came the next question-Just married huh??I smiled.Not giving a hint whether I agree or disagree with them.

If I told them,I was married for 7 years,immediately other questions would follow and I didn't want to delay the class.

Oh yeah,it happens all the time.Come Birthdays,Anniversaries,I get tensed to share our joy and share the sweets.People just can't stop asking.

Some of them -

"So,how long you been married..isn't it time you welcomed a bundle of joy now??"

"Hmm..you are not getting younger by the day..still on family planning huh??"

"All of your cousins/friends have kids..why are you delaying??"

In between,I tried and lost few kgs,some more followed.

"Oh..you lost weight and all that,now you would delay your pregnancy further no..there's more to life than being thin!!"

Earlier,one of these comments used to spoil my whole day.I would sit and sulk and feel terribly sad.But then life goes on and now I have learned to brush it all aside now.

God has been eluding that ONE happiness for us since long.We have waited long enough for it and still are.I wonder why people do not realize that fact and just leave us alone.They can't be more bothered about it than we are.

Don't even get me started with those who sympathize and suggest Doctors and Temples..!!!

Rain rain come again:)

It rained in Chennai whole of yesterday evening and slight showers during the night.I loved it and wish it continues today..:).

P.S-I hate the smell of wet clothes hung to dry inside our house though..!!