Dawaat Puja

A puja specially done by the Kayastha community who are supposedly the descendants of Chitragupta- the Celestial Accountant. As Chitragupta was wont to enjoy life, merry-make and have lots of "non -veg", we specifically eat mutton, take Somras (a mix of ginger, jaggery etc) and generally do a lot of merry making that day. I recall that we used to have live gana-bajaana performance in our days organised by the Kayastha community- this being the first of the few live shows I have attended- sidetracking alert- another being the Gopi Kishen dance performance wherein he had whacked the tape off from a person who was unauthorisedly recording the performance - end of sidetracking.
So the actual Dawaat pujas was done by men in the olden days but now since women are also studying and having a career, they too participate- sensible and logical I must say. Akin to Saraswati puja or Vishwakarma Puja or Ayudha puja the instruments of writing are honoured and given a break on this day.
The Kalam- dawaat (pen and ink) are reverred- with a teeka of roli and aepen (haldi + water).
The puja begins with the drawing of a swastik sign and writing the names of 5/7 Gods starting with 'Om Ganeshaye Nama' on a sheet of paper, Thereafter a statement of accounts is given- Income in Rs and Expenses for the next year (presenting the budget) in Rs which is presented in excess of the current year Income, followed by the name, address and date- all of which is presented to Chitraguptaji for His blessings.
The Chitragupta Katha is recited.
Incidentally this is the day the ladies perform the Bhai Dooj pooja- for the long life of their brothers .

We Can Officially Write Now

We did the ceremony this Vijay Dashmi

The major items needed for the ritual-

1. The Kalash contained water having generous sprinkling of cardamom and kesar

2. The rice mixed with haldi-kumkum and spread out on a banana leaf

3. A bowl of honey to render a sweet voice

4. Books, crayons, slate, chalk- their writing instruments

Sweet Beginnings- with honey and sugar candy

Writing the alphabet on the Rice

And then on the SlateThe Finished WorkAnd now for some reading

Recieving the "Degree"- Note the expression- the smile lit up at the sight of the crayons

Presenting the degree to the proud parents
Together we shall achieve

New Concept Lessons- Question Hour

I purchased a rubber sheet which had the various shots of the globe with the world map. Pretty soon the tussle started between the kids & me that they want the other rubber sheet with flowers on them (now how does it make a difference on what they are peeing on?)
So to get them interested I began showing them the various continents and an idea moment happened.
The same night my substitute for lullaby/ bedtime story was the following-
Me- What is inside Universe? Space
Ojas/ Tejas- aaiii..... *crying* this no story..
Me- continues determined- what is in space? Milky Way
O/T- Noooo, no duddu story
Dilligent me- what is in milky way? Earth
And so on progressing from World, Land, Continent, Asia, India, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Our area, flat complex name , Flat no accompanied by their wails of protest.. ultimately ending with
Who are inside flat no?
With great aplomb- OJAS TEJAS
Finally that did the trick- they loved this whole thing and I had to do many repeat performances, with them answering most of them correctly.

And another set of 20 questions
Me- What is in the garden
O/T- Butterfly/ pots
Me- what is in pot
O/T Soil/ Water
Me- what is in the soil
O/T- Plant
Me- What is on the plant
O/T- Flowers
Me- What is in the flower
O/T- Fruit
Me- What is in the fruit
O/T- Seeds
Me- What is in the seeds
O/T- Plant!!

Me- what is in kitchen
O/T- gas
Me- what is on plate
O/T- Dosa
Me- what is on dosa
O/T- egg
Me- what is on bed
O/T- Sleepy
and so on.... they have caught on the drift and respond excitedly

Pearls of Wisdom-Lessons for October

1. Diamond with Silver- means cashew sweet or any milk sweet in diamond shape with silver foil!
2. Sun -poo- Kid speak for Sunflower in English plus Tamil (not my kids!)

3. MIL- S has put Internet in his house naa?
Me- ???non commital huh (what's the big deal? I thought he already had it)
MIL- current goes off for an hour plus in the afternoon and his house is very hot that's why
Me- Light bulb moment- You mean inverter. Ha ha. Internet is for computer
MIL-You mean internet is for computer and Inverter is for the whole house
Me- Well, sort off!

4. Bombing the City- A new game made up by kids where in the kids group as the four metros and the chosen city is supposed to be bombed (how- I couldn't find out)

A Visit to the Prawn Farm

...In Markannam en route Pondicherry

Three farms- with a tiny cottage for the farm people where we halted for a cold drink and biscuits

Tejas wanted to at that point, give some contribution to the salinity and water levels of the prawn next to the cottage for some strange reason.

The tiger prawns were not full grown as yet but would be harvested in December- until then the farms have to be protected day and night for fear of pilfers- a dip of the net can secure them a few thousands worth of zero investment income.

Ojas & Tejas were loathe to touch the prawns - obviously- even I wouldn't touch them

The rickety looking bridge is surprisingly strong enough for 2 men to stand on.

What I just want to do is take the pictures that I clicked of the landscape to a painter and commission a series out of them. Ah- these are the times I wish I could paint!

And on that note- a very happy Diwali!

Oh...For want of a Garden...

We went visiting a gentleman in his house, a large spacious bunglow with sand to get messy in space in the front and more options in terms of leaves for plucking and scattering a lovely garden on the side .
I saw the kids go beserk running all over the place- the gates were shut and the kids watched over by the vigilant(?) watchman.
Wistfully I remembered the luxury of garden space we had at the same age till we left our hometown. We never imagined living in a home without a garden space where in we could play all games from hide n seek to mock racing to catch-catch to sophisticated once like badminton. To make mud houses with - well mud and decorate them with leaves and flowers. To make tiny wells with mud and fill them up with water. To feed the ants living in random anthills and to imagine what exciting life they would e leading underground.
To plant our own methi, cucumber, mint, mustard, corianders and watch them grow, dilligently watering them. To spread a mat out in the sun during winters and study/ read or eat oranges most often. To maniacally watch over the flowers and dare anyone pluck them (boo to that friend who simply plucked off our rose saying- "I love roses"- so do I- doesn't mean I go around plucking them off other's bushes)
Part of the reason why we took a ground floor home was that it came with a tiny patch garden in the front and the back. My own patch of earth wherein I could nurture plants, flowers, maybe a pomegranate. A place where we could romantically put 2 chairs and have our coffee- except that we do not drink coffee and that we live in separate time zones.
Where my kids could play in the mud and water my plants. The reason why we insisted that any place we take should have a complex with open space was so that we could take a walk and the kids could gather and play with the other kids. The reason why we didn't buy the 8th floor spacious flat we were renting because it did not have the coveted space for kids to run around/ cycle/ play.

While my garden today is in shambles, the lawn grass has died, the kids are plucking out the leaves randomly from my precious little pots, the lilies do bloom once in a while. While the pomegranates and pumpkins and papayas have been cut down, the sole moneyplant braves it out alone at the back garden.

The kids use this garden for their pool, to get wet in the rain or get hose-piped by the gardener.

They spend their mornings there, with their toys, washing their tiny cars, gathering sand, lining pots with pebbles and then promptly cleaning up the mess.

We place a beanbag right next to the open garden door letting a light breeze in, and they sleep on it peacefully even if the power goes off.

I have dreams to convert this patch into a lovely garden and after my 40 point plan, I think it is about time that I start working on it.

Note- This post was written a month ago when I visited a gentleman whose book I had edited. I had placed it in draft for adding a few pics and then got totally floored after reading Mad Momma's post on her garden. I have been inspired to get to work immediately on this and am hoping to start when my Mom comes over- blame it on my limited gardening skills, patience and perseverence.

Pearls of Wisdom- Hero

Girl- aunty, who is your favourite hero.
Me- I have only 1 favourite hero- and that is my husband
Everyone- oh, wow... how nice... appreciate appreciate
Hubby- fooooooo....puffing up with pride
Me- My standards are pretty low that way.
Hubby- Phooooooooooot... deflated
-------------------------------------

Hubby- My taste is much better than her
Me- Isin't that evident- giving hubby the once over
Hubby- I am allowed one mistake naa? Giving me the once over

Mom's Pratigya

So the kids and I were generally hanging around and Tejas threw a tantrum. He did something unpardonable in Mommy & Baby book (I forgot what) and I waved a threatening slap at him. Instead of running away from slap range, he came back and slapped me. That's it. I decided that no more slaps to the kids anymore. They have learnt to give "Thappad ka jawab with thappad" already. A nice tight slap can no longer be the answer to my woes now.
So the modus operandi for any mischief is to straight give a time out and nobody talks to them until they say sorry and give a kissie incase they have hit someone. No questions asked.
So I was following this policy and we were playing story drawing- I was telling a story and illustrating it using simple drawings (idea borrowed from the book Nanny diaries) and then I decided to play "guess what I draw- I mean one has to really guess with my limited drawing skills". I will hide the book and do a (quick) drawing (else their patience will run out) and then show it and they have to answer what I draw. Tejas did not like that I hid the book and he was pestering me to show and I was hiding it. Suddenly, he gave me two simultneous slaps with his palms and one palm caught my right eye. Tears fell out of the sting I got in my eye and i sat quietly announcing that I will not talk to Tejas until he says sorry and gives a kiss.
Ojas asked if I wanted ice.
Tejas after a while said- Seereee (so that the Sorry doesn't sound like sorry yet serves the purpose)
I reiterated that I will not talk until I get a sorry and a kissie.
Tejas- Sorry bolaa naa (I told sorry na?)
Me- What about kissie?
Tejas- kissie nahin hai.

And then Ojas was not eating so instead of a slap I apealed to his kinder nature and started crying. Tejas immediately started eating even and Ojas went about his business. So I offered a spoon again
Ojas- Nahin, tum roi roi karo (no, you sit and cry)

So much for non-violence policy!

And another technique when they hit each other or anyone else -
Instead of hitting back I propogate the idea of reurning the slap back. I just rub the spot where the slap had landed and place it (gently offcourse but with a very discarding it sort of action) on the slapper's hands sayng keep your slap back, we don't want it. That makes them forget that they were fighting. Infact the moment the slapper sees me rubbing the spot to collect the slap, he runs away trying to escape taking back the slap.

Tiny Thoughts- Sanitation Freak

If only I could clean the roads before allowing the kids to walk on them. So I wouldn't have to obsessively look down while they are walking or double back to check on what they stepped while I was looking the other side.
Because hubby always says that today's clean spot could have been yesterday's shit spot. One can never tell.

Nightime Routine

Would you, on a regular basis, like it if you are rudely woken up in the middle of the night and carted off to the toilet, random questions been thrown at you like would you like to go to school or would you like to brush your teeth now? Questions which you are expected to answer (in)coherently in your sleep to titters of laughter right into your ears. Being smothered with kisses and held in the lap for a while by the person who woke you up and watched closely, touched all over the face and deposited back on the bed only when the person is satisfied that she has taken in every detail of your sleping form. And if that was not enough, your position, hands, feet, head etc readjusted and rearranged a number of times until the said person is satisfied that you are not in the least bit uncomfortable?
Well, I would be most certainly p11ssed off.
But then Ojas & Tejas do not have a choice right, while their mother does this routine every night at about 1 or 2 am?

Welcome to Saas Bahu Sensex and SajjanPur

Yes, watched the 2 of them back to back- without even getting over the feel good factor of the 1st one. I just love this genre of movies, so easy to relate to and fit in almost wishing how nice it would be to become a part of it. The presence of one or a few well known actors who don't dominate and take the attention away from the rest, keeping the pressure to minimal, adding a flavour without imposing and taking the simplicity away- is the trick behind such genres. The stories were, well, predictable but woven smoothly throughout, the ends knotted and finished neatly. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face throughout, at times a grin or two got thrown in too.
If one is looking at some earth moving performance by any actor, I am sure one can't find it here. They are very normal, everyday kind of movie- excrutiatingly slow at times. The movies should have been 1.5 hours length that's all.
Teeny Weeny Spoiler Alert
Welcome to Sajjanpur
I liked Divya Dutta, Ila Arun, though they were slightly over the top and loved the Kunal Kapoor surprise- the character I was beginning to dislike and hope to be the worst for the sake of kinship with the lead actor but did a total 180 degree in attitude the moment he came on screen.
Saas Bahu & Sensex
I found the Kirti girl very shallow and irritating but her final comeback- perhaps she wants the money too (rather than just love) made me finally understand her- nothing wrong in wishing to be richer-atleast she was truthful in that way. I liked the camaradiere displayed in the Jethmalani family - wish I can be a (future) Mommy like Lillette Dubey to my kids!

Blogging Friends Forever Card

Thank you so much Cuckoo for this award and the good words you said-

....being down-to-earth, helpful and good fun.

Honestly I am touched.

This is one tag that I wouldn't want to pass on by listing a few names because honestly there are too many to list and link. So I will take the lazy way out and those who chance to land on this post between 16th Oct to 17th Oct please considered it awarded to you and proudly display it on your blog

Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty

Today is blog action day Poverty - Today, in their words- thousands of bloggers will unite to discuss a single issue - poverty. We aim to raise awareness, initiate action and to shake the web!
On this post, I would like to put down the actions we took in our business - baby steps towards the larger cause we ultimately aim for. "Touch Wood"
We have hired and trained potential persons from the "poor community" and provided them employment opportunities in our BPO & other ventures.
B was working in our home as a household help. She indicated her interest and working knowledge of computers and we moved her to our hostel and employed her as a trainee. She was a slow starter and took quite some time before she started really contributing to the project. In due course, she moved for better prospects- a new job in a bigger BPO.
A's father worked with Hubby's father throughout his life- he is his right hand man till date working in our prawn venture. When A came to us looking for prospects, we hired him on a fulltime basis using him for office administration and he has become like a jack-of-all trades.
Most of our employees are people from nearby villages/ local schools - sons of barbers, electricians, etc. we provide them accomodation in Pondy and train them completely before attaching them to projects.
Though these are small steps and probably symbiotic as we are a start up business but we are working towards something much more God willing, as our business picks up.

Tiny Thoughts- Relief

Well, there is always a new restaurant or a new book or a Pondy trip or a troll on the road to write about...

In response to Tiny Thoughts -Fear

What to Do when you are taken to Pondy on yet another weekend

1. for starters- insist that you should be back the same night. So that your Sunday is not disturbed
2. Go unprepared so that you don't have to stay there in case of emergency. Also get just enough clothes for the kids to last for that day only
3. Take a book to read on the way and in Pondy and then don't read it
4. Stop at your prawn farm if you have one or else stop at any prawn farm on the way and take a lot of pictures for blogging purpose (that can be posted as a separate post)
5. Insist that you have lunch (prawns) outside and not get cornered into making dosa yet again.
6. Take an auto and go shopping with the kids and MIL and end up getting frustrated at the way the kids are pulling down bales of cloth and stepping on them. Buy common stuff like rubbersheets and white cloth for redoing your dirty (pee, puke, drool stained) pillows - that way your need for retail therapy gets cured without hitting you really badly
7. Finally bargain with the dholak wallah that you see on every trip to Pondy- he will start with 300 plus for the smallest dholak and you start with 50 bucks and continue shopping. After coming out of the shop- scan the surroundings for the aforementioned dholak wallah and deliberately go in his direction if he hasn't already appeared in front of you apparently out of nowhere. Just before getting into the auto to go home, agree for Rs 100 a piece and pick up two- Now this strategy serves many purposes- you get a good bargain, you don't have to carry it all around while shopping and the kids finally stop troubling you.
8. Prepare for going back- get packed and ready and plan to eat in a restaurant on the way back.
9. When hubby informs that he needs to return next morning for an hour long early morning meeting, make a big fuss and then work out the mathematics and agree to stay back on one condition that he buys your night dress and clothes for next day and dinner and promises to leave for Chennai next morning by 10 am. (Actually it would have been cheaper if he just went back and returned next day by bus)
10. Put the kids to sleep (using the newly bought rubber cloth) and go for a drive by the beach and a midnight dinner at GRT and finally get your hubby to yourself.
11. When all plans of leaving by 10 am goes kaput because the hour long meeting converts into just a long meeting, manage to stay as long as it takes for the chicken to get cooked (by MIL), grab the hubby for a shopping trip as soon as he is free and go for the Pudhumai exhibition (Pondy Handicraft) oppostie Gandhi statue on the beach (the empty tents were seen courtsey the midnight drive on the beach and a clever guess was made that there might be an exhibition going on).
12. Spend lots of money on buying almost all the wooden puzzles that you were rooting for since the past few months (and post the pics in another post). Also manage to collect their business card so that in case of emergency they may be contacted for buying puzzles (this the husband failed to do when he bought the puzzles last time and I had been looking allover Pondy just in case I spotted the shop somewhere).
13. Go back in generally high spirits which will leave the husband wondering whether the fuss last night was just to get him to buy you new clothes.
Optional: One could also buy mosambi from the fruit stall located right next to the building (conveniently) and make lots of mosambi juice which the kids will decide for once not to look at and therefore will be gulped down by self (because hubby is in a meeting)

Tiny Thoughts- Fear

What if one fine day I have nothing left to blog about?

From Incredible to Unstoppable

Shobhaa De's Superstar India was a marathon read. I enjoyed it, well, I wouldn't read it again and again like I do with fiction, and neither was it a page turner like a thriller, but yes it made me feel proud and protective about India and she has echoed my thoughts and sentiments of having faith in India, never giving up on my country and believing that it's a very good time to be an Indian in India! Yes, she restored my faith, she told me what I wanted to hear about India.
The narration is peppered with anecdotes- personal ones, stuff which are largely unreported, stuff which possibly a common (wo)man like me might blog about but because she is Shobhaa De, she has written about! The way we say- anecdotes that are good enough to fill a book.
Like I said, in my opinion, it is not a page turner- meant to be taken a few pages at a time, absorbed, relished, understood, reflected, relate.... therefore it took me relatively longer to finish.

Good Food, Good Gossip and a Makeover...

...What more does a girl need!
And that too when it's done on a working day.
Went to City Centre on one afternoon and met up AD for a lunch and some fun in Lifestyle Stores.
We looked at the various groups of people at City centre and wondered how many of them were like us bunking office and chilling out in the mall.
We wanted to try out something at the foodcourt but what to do? Our favourite Copper Chimmney followed us there also. We had a good meal of Panchranga kabab platter which has a good selection of 8 kababs, a mutton rogan josh and rotis with lots of papads. We had a hearty gossip session and wistfully noticed a mother of 2 sitting at a table and just wished, for once it pays to be an SAHM. Take the kids out any afternoon of your choice and chill out in a near empty restaurant.
We straight went down to Lifestyle's cosmetic section and zeroed onto the Maybelline counter to attempt to cross out one of the points on my things-to-do-before-I-am-40 list. Yes, there was a makeover session on. So for the first time in my life, I allowed myself to be silly- sit perched on that stool behind the counter- with a large silver mirror and get made-up - allow them to pamper me, praise me (which they are trained to do I suppose), and ignore the wierd looks that other shoppers gave me- well, I have done that before so what is given, comes back to you right!
We sat across each other so that we could observe the various steps in doing make-up and find out if the concealers and loose powders really made a difference.
We got concealers, loose powders eye shadow- dual - grey & brown, eye liner above and eye pencil below, mascara, lip liner, lip color, lip gloss, blusher... We tried various combos of eye shadows and I was given secret tips on which actress preferred which eye shadow! As if that made a difference to my purchase choice!
Ok, for once I felt I wouldn't look out of place in a City Centre kind of place! All made- up and browsing at the uppity stores!
I did a few purchases- lipsticks as usual and got nailpolishes free.. Now anyone would have thought I am going to buy the entire range of make-up products but no- the predictable me bought only lipsticks. Why did I bother with the makeover then?
Anyway, I am glad I know which eye shadows will suit me so that I can take that kit out and mix colours.
Ok don't make me tell the various steps in make-up- go here for makeup and here for some tips on eye shadow shades.
PS- the jute bag in black and silver - my birthday-let's say- perk, is lovely- thanks!

tag

I have been tagged by Phoenix Ritu &
Mamma Mia me a Mamma
The rules for the tag are:
RULE #1 People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.
RULE #2 Tag 6 people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by continue this game by sending it to other people.
1. If your lover betrayed you what would your reaction be?
I would throw a fit
2. If you have a dream come true, what would it be?
A palatial bunglow in the heart of the city, a world trip.. I could go on and on
3. If you could, whose butt would you like to kick?
I can't say it aloud here
4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Invest, travel, property, give some to the husband for his business
5. Will you fall in love with your best friend?
I did with on of the "best" friends.
6. Which is more blessed: loving someone or being loved by someone?
Both
7. How long do you intend to wait for someone you love?
Passed that stage
8. If the person you secretly like is attached, what will you do?
No choice in this matter right?
9. If you could root for one social cause, what would it be?
Literacy
10. Do you lie?
Of course!
11. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Probably I will still be married to Chennai- boo hoo hoo
12. What’s your fear?
Don't want to tell and attract evil eye
13. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
Bindaas!!!
14. Would you rather be single and rich or married and poor?
Single and rich of course! If married and rich is not an option. Let's say Single, rich and having a torrid affair!
15. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously who will you pick?
The one who will respond!! Well, I will think long term, the one who is more stable, the one who reciprocates my feelings and the one who is taller!
16. Would you give all in a relationship?
No not everything, but definitely what is neccesary
17. Would you forgive and forget someone no matter how horrible a thing he has done?
Forgive yes, but not forget. Will keep my guards up for future trouble always.
18. Do you prefer being single or in a relationship?
In a relationship ( see 14 above)
19. Your all time favourite song. Only ONE. And why?
Selecting only one is like blasphemy for a music lover like me.
20. I TAG ...
JLT
Andy
Gauri
Sue
How do we Know
Monika Ansh
Mama Mia

Of Cars and Songs and Lady-Man

Teacher- Have you bought a new TV?
Us- No
Teacher- Ojas & Tejas were mentioning you got a bi.....g TV.
Us- That's the movie they went to!

Teacher- Have you bought a new car.
Dad- Yes...we
Me- Glare, Glare ...looks that say, now how is she supposed to know that we are thinking of buying a car
Teacher- Yellow car?
Me- Sigh, that's the toy they bought from the store.
(Thank God the teachers don't think we are a bunch of liars)
Apparently this is what the kids enlighten the teachers during "conversation" class. Wonder what secrets are being let out!

Ojas- Mamma sing Na na na... (this is Rock on, Meri laundry ka ek bill song)
Mamma- tunelessly sings Na na na na to the tune of We don't need no education...
Ojas- No, aise nahin, wrong
Mamma- so you sing and tell me how.
Ojas- sings Na na na perfectly, in tune!
Yes I am amazed baby

Tejas to Mamma- Give me Thanda pani (cold water), thoda sa misking karo- (mix a little bit normal temperature water)
Tejas to Dadda- Mamma giving thanda pani, Mamma bad girl
Tejas to Mamma- kaun thanda pani finish kar diya? (who finished the entire cold water)
Now what is his problem!

Mamma filled water in a glass and left it on the kitchen platform for Tejas to pick up.
As it often happens while taking the glass, he dropped it and water spilled on the platform.
Before Mamma could scream at him, he started crying- kyon big kiya? small karo. (why did you fill it so much, fill only little)
This coming from someone who insists I give "big" water and not "small" everytime I give him water.

We were test driving the Scorpio
Mamma- is this a nice car?
Ojas- this no car this Jeep
Yes off course- excuse me while I feel ashamed of my ignorance

Mamma has been adviced to introduced atleast 5 new words every few days to Ojas & Tejas
So Mamma starts with introducing the concept of Gentleman & Lady
Mamma- who is Ojas
Ojas- Gentleman
Mamma- who is Tejas
Tejas- Gentleman
Mamma- And Mamma?
Both- Lady
Mamma- And Dadda?
Both- Lady-Man!!
Ah Well, don't let your Dad hear that will you!

Their Time-Out location is the Bean Bag.
Once in frustration Mamma said- Mamma is getting time out now, she will sit here and not talk to anybody and only cry
Ojas smiling indulgently- Ab Ojas? (now shall I take time-out?)
By the way, they love givng each other time out!

The teacher adviced us to focus on their pencil grip.
Well, I don't think I need to do that.
Just saw Ojas calling Tejas- Tejas come here, we do painting.
He took a tiny chalk piece and demonstarted how he is supposed to hold the chalk piece correctly between the thumb and index finger and then pushed it into Tejas' hands who held it correctly, and then proceeded to paint on the book.
My job just became easier

Mamma- Do you want to speak to Mamu (on phone)

Both eagerly take the phone and say- Mamu? Mamu dehendal (rowdy), Mamu Bandar (monkey), Mamu pitti (slap, proceeds to hit the phone)

???? what did my poor brother do to them?

Mausi- Mausi going home?

Ojas- nahin pehle khana kha lo(first eat your lunch)

Perfect hosts!

What are We Playing With Nowadays

Sound of Music
This mini key board costed us a 100 bucks- has pre set tunes of 7-8 rhymes and songs. A switch of a button converts it to a key board that can be played. The sound is not so musical but as a first keyboard it will do fine.

Vehicles
This mini cars and aeroplanes made of colorful moulded plastic. (See pic above) Costed about 50 bucks and the car has a towing hook also. There are various models of vehicles- very realistic ones with fine mechanism- of cranes, road rollers, trucks etc - costing upto Rs 150.

And Drumrolls...finally bought the Hindi alphabet tray... Only vowels- waiting for the consonant tray

And Tejas, no matter what, will place the ऐ first and he believes if ऐ is A then ओ should be called B
25 piece complicated puzzle can be now done by self- strictly without looking at the design! And silly Mamma feeling bad that they don't need her anymore to help in the puzzles!

Chivalry is not Supposed to be Dead

Wife Pleasing Tips for Men

1. Gallantly hold the door for her and let her pass first in the mall, restaurant, lift...
2. Take lots of photographs of her when she dolls herself up- just don't let her walk out of the house without taking pictures of her from all angles
3. Keep her most flattering photo on your office table, laptop desktop and wallet
4. Praise her cooking- tell everyone that if I continue to eat her food, I will never have the will to diet. It serves the dual purpose of pleasing her and giving others the excuse for not being to lose weight.
5. Praise her profusely when she dresses up for an occassion- even tell her you don't match next to her.
6. When you go out, ensure you sit next to her and give all attention to her while talking to your friends. The key is balance. You should make her feel included all the time and ensure that she is within the circle.
7. Support her, fight for her... see how AB is supporting his wife on the Hindi-Marathi issue!
8. Repeat after me- so nice of you to take care of all my little little needs- what would I do without you.
9. Repeat after me- How can you go alone for a week? I will miss you so badly.
10. Repeat after me- I would rather be home with you than go for that Business trip to Europe

Story Song

A new genre of story telling started in the household.
So we were reading a book and Tejas wanted me to tell a story and Ojas wanted me to sing his current favourite song which is Na na na na na na, meri laundry ka bill from rock on.
So guess what the (smart) Mamma did?
She made a story out of the pictures on the book and sang it ad-nauseum to the afore mentioned tune!
An instant hit!
So here are the rules...
Pick up a random book.
Pick up a current favourite song or rhyme.
String the words together and sing it to the tune of the favourite song or rhyme.
And lo and behold-a new story errr song is born.

And here's another lullaby...

Sang to the tune of re mama, re mama...Hum to gaye bazaar se lene ko pani, pani wani kuch na mila, pechay padi...

Ojas & Tejas- Nani!!!

Ojas Tejas Update

Dadda offered popcorn to Ojas
Ojas- Popcorn? Movie?

Mamma was telling cockroach story to Ojas & Tejas before sleeping. Suddenly Ojas screamed and started crying- Mamma godi, cockroach hai (want to sleep on Mamma lap as there is a cockroach here)
Mamma switches the light on to hunt for the aforementioned cockroach in the bed, and finds an oblong shaped clothes tag which Ojas happened to touch and thought it was a cockroach.

Love the "kabhi Kabhi Aditi" song- because there is a little billi (cat) that comes in the end
Love "Rock On" songs and will jump out from the potty seat if need be, to watch it when it comes on TV

Tejas' cycle tyre got dirty so I left it in the balcony to get it cleaned next day. He suddenly noticed his cycle was missing and I told him it's in the balcony. Since he couldn't see it in the dark, he went around complaining- phek dia chutti ka cycle (you threw away my cycle?)
Then proceeded to complain to Dadda- Mamma, cycle, throw, outside. Mamma Bad Girl.

If anyone drinks straight from the bottle, they complain- mouth se piya and point at their lips

The watchman's son was roaming around without shoes.
Tejas- see dirty, shoes nahin pehna
Then he touched the floor- again dirty kiya

Tejas slapped his friend. We asked him why he slapped her?
Tejas- toy mouth mein liya