One of the Reasons I want to Move Out of the South

I love the city but somehow I am facing a conflict of sorts of staying here all my life.
One of the reasons being Weddings & Parties.
We never get invited to happening parties. I have realized belatedly that the concept does not exist here. A friend had once commented that if you invite someone for dinner they look at you suspiciously. I had laughed it off but now I tend to believe it's true.
I used to do dinners before the kids. But they never got reciprocated except for a few cases.
And now on weddings-
I dread them here because-
1. If you dress a bit fashionably- you look over dressed. If it is not pattu (silk)- you are considered not dressed aptly/ grandly- so either way you are the odd one out
2. You can never expect to attend a hip wedding party in a posh hotel or a spacious farmhouse- its always a kalyana mandapam.
3. The food is normally not a big attraction. More often than not I treat myself outside to satiate my taste buds.
4. The food is vegetarian
5. There is no naach gana- dancing/ light music/ merry making - my feet are itching to dance but there is no event happening
6. Lack of fun and enjoyment factor
7. There is nobody whom I know or am related to among the guests- so I can almost be sure that I will have nobody to give me company at the party.
8. Since I am here, I miss out all the happening parties that happen in / around my place.

Flashback- Hard To Believe

I just cannot believe that I used to eat...
1. 1 large bowl of vanilla icecream every morning, 1st thing when I am not usually fond of icecream
2. 1 orange- lemon ice candy (kwality walls) every time I visited food world/ beach- and I had never in my life had that ice lolly before
3. pani poori everytime we went to planet yumm
4. chutney instead of sambhar (when I actually hated coconut chutney with dosa)
5. Subway sandwich only - everytime we went to spencer mall
6. 1 or 2 egg scramble everyday when I am not usually very hot on eggs- I like them but am not addicted to them

I can't believe
1. I hunted the streets for dhokla a few days in a row and had to make do with nilgiri's dhokla which got wasted because I no longer wanted to eat them
2. I begged my hubby to get daal vada from the shop next to adyar bakery sardar patel road- and after that have been put off that shop for life.
3. I went to Sangeeta, Gandhi Nagar with great longing for dosa and I found a hair on the table and got so put off that I never went back to that shop

I can't believe
1. that I could not stand non veg for a duration of 3-4 months
2. that I was off junk food and my favourite Lays Sour cream and onion chips
3. I stopped cold coffee completely

...During the 37 weeks of my Pregnancy

Clay Oven

This is a tiny place nestled in Besant Nagar- situated above Cake Walk- actually both are part of the same unit.
A nice cheerful place though tiny, may be around 10 tables, 50 seat capacity.
We got a tiny table for two right near the window. So road view rather than sea view.
The host was a nearly 6 footer goofy guy who kept forgetting stuff like the mocktail or our doggy bag.
We spent Rs 500 for 1 garlic kulcha, 1 aaloo paratha, a bhuna gosh gravy (garlic-tomato based), a paneer rajasthani, mutton seekh kabab and a strawberry - mirinda mocktail.
Though a little on the higher side for the size and genre of the place- unlike the dhaaba express which comes across as a complte paisa vasool, I felt it was ok and the best part is that you don't pay an arm & a leg for rotis/ naans etc, unlike in most other places.

Kids That Misbehave

Someone threw a stone at a car and shattered the glass...
The kids of the complex united and refused to reveal names.
Ok, I am proud of the unity but ashamed of the mischief and the mischief makers. Ashamed that they choose to stay mum rather than fess up. Is this what we are teaching our kids? Is it because the kids are beaten up if they admit to a mistake anyway- so why admit- atleast they have a 50% chance of escaping the beatings if they don't confess and are not found out.

Another older kid snatched my son's balloon and played along until my son screamed and threw a tantrum. The Mom coaxing the kid gently asked Tejas to be patient- he will give it to you himself (in his own sweet time eh?)
The same kid's younger brother snatched Tejas' tricycle and Ojas beat him up. That kid is under control now.
This balloon snatching fellow hit my sons with a stick and the sweet mother looked on. Until a neighbour pointed it out to her.
The trouble with such troublesome kids is that the gentler ones end up getting hurt for no reason and the bullies get away because their moms are unconcerned or accept such behaviour as normal or endearing.
Fine, let's play it fair. Next time my kids get hurt, I might just smack the bullies silly. The protective mother lioness in me might just get unleashed.
And their mothers may continue to look on as far as I am concerned.

Puzzle Me

It's official- they have moved on from the simple placing puzzles to jigsaw puzzles of various degrees of complication.
We started with this picture puzzle gifted by Mausi. Frank's Jolly Jungle Ride.

I like the fact that the pieces are large and square. So its extremely easy for beginners - a 15 piece puzzle that forms a 50" * 35" approx piece. Very good quality of the pieces and therefore good hold-ability.
The popular 3,4,5,6 piece-series proved to be a hit with the kids. We have fruits, animals & transport. The funny thing is that each favour 2 out of 4 pieces only in each set.
And my favourite are these that hubby picked from an exhibition in Pondy - they come with a board so they are extremely convenient. They are fairly advanced, self correcting but difficult to do the first time.
This is a 19 piece Lion that Tejas does effortlessly. Funny thing is that I start with the 4 black feet pieces- calling them Lion's shoes and Tejas starts with the red mane and then does the leg pieces- orange & blue ones and then does the feet. Strange how they decide their own methods

Another is a 22 piece owl- Ojas favours this but he is not as deft and focussed as Tejas.

The rabbit, elephant and tree are less popular- they are between 6-8 piece sets and little difficult to handle because they need a little effort to piece together.
Sad thing is that Hubby didn't manage to get the shop address inspite of me prompting him several times on phone. He told it's somewhere in Muthialpet. Now everytime we cross Muthialpet I look around like mad from the car hoping to spot the shop. But failed as yet.

Musical Cheers

Dupatta Tera....

CD in the car- (baliye de mukhde pe dil lalchaave laungda ve lashkaara jaan le na jaave) - 2 dekhe bina dekhetenu raha bhi na jaave, roop salona tera sono changda

PAUSE...

Ojas pre-empts- duppatta tera !

CD- duppatta tera ...

Bum Bum Bole- (TZP)

Self, Ojas & Tejas dancing to Bum Bum bole in the morning- they would have heard the song actively for the 1st time.

Afternoon Ojas comes to me Mamma- Bum bum bole

Tejas- Mamma- Bumbi Bumbi

Wonder should I enrol them in a music class? Their reserves of energy do need some channeling!

Kids Health Talks of the when & why of music training and child care aware talk on similar lines.

Excel ability guides one on the do's and don'ts before choosing a music program.

This article talks of parental involvement in child's lessons.

But the best reason they give is that music is inherent in us and more than the host of benefits they talk of- it's pure fun.

The waking up to music is a suggestion that should be taken, so also the suggestion of spending some time just listening to music rather than taking it a side-along activity like listening while cooking or driving. Those were the days- when pregnant me & even otherwise me used to spend the entire afternoon & evening just lounging on the sofa and listening to music.

Was watching the re run of a music program on Sony - the one that happens at 9.00 pm on Fridays. (feeling lazy to search out the exact name).

Having a singer at home is like having one big party at home everyday. Since I am not a singer myself, I would have loved to have my own personal singer at home- singing songs of my choice at the drop of a hat. There used to be such singers who will sing almost the entire day and anytime on demand. These are people who are not necessarily trained but sing for the joy and the love of singing. I love these kind of people - they exude so much energy, fun and love of life.

Shaan was singing- tera mujhse hai pehle ka naataa koi and his wife had tears in her eyes- and frankly I had tears in my eyes too for no reason- just his singing, his voice and song that touched the soul.

School Update- 2nd Day onwards Pictures

I left them on their own in their class and as I was walking out, Ojas spotted me and ran after me. That nearly broke my heart! He shed a few tears but Tejas did not cry.
The look on their faces when they saw me waiting outside when they came running out of their class was truly worth the hour long wait.
On coming out, we went for a go at the swings and I asked Ojas what they did in class- he mentiond- Husha wusha fall down!
They seem to be comfortable with the layout as Tejas walked off on his own to the swings and both had a go at the see saw together- advantage with twins is that they can do the see-saw between the 2 of them!
On reaching home, Ojas broke my heart again saying- Only Mamma not going, school chale- may be thinking this is the only way he can have me by his side- going to the school!

3rd Day

Ojas spent the entire time bawling albeit without tears and then happily went of to play in the swings after class.

But he could recall what was done in class- school, aunty, lion, tiger, owl (must be some rhymes), jhula, see saw.

4th Day

They revolted outright on nearing school- mamma, ghar chale (let's go home), no school. Inspite of some time at the see saw Ojas screamed all the way to class and went on crying - this time with a few tears. I had to leave them in about 20 minutes time, completely heart broken at their discomfort. Even Tejas was not too eager to go in class but once in he got busy with the toys.

Driving Under the Clouds & Sleeping Under the Stars

After goodness knows how many years, we slept under the stars- well almost!
The Pondy house has a balcony and we slept right near the door on the floor for the breeze. We could see the stars shining down on us via the door as we slept. The restless kids were told to watch the stars as they slept.
We were the lucky few who saw a flock of birds in a v formation fly overhead in the night sky and then a lone one return - retracing the path back from where (s)he came.
The outline of trees, pale moonlight and rugged silhoutte of buildings constructed a picture perfect scenery.
Reading the Clouds
On the drive to Pondy, we had a great time naming the clouds
Since we drove in the afternoon, we had the wide road to our disposal... We decided to name this a dog chasing someone- well doesn't look like it now but it sure did at that time...
And oh, we admired the blue sky and the matching bluer sea...
Driving under the Lone So Called Doggy Cloud...

Tiny Thoughts- Is it Possible

Is it possible to fall in love everyday all over again?
With your own child?
And then reach the peak of annoyance with him everytime he crosses the limits of annoying you?
Forgetting all anger the moment he smiles?
Both forgiving and forgetting inspite of the whack in the bum?
I wonder- how much of the smacks he would recall as he grows up?
Will the number outweigh the kisses?

The School Update- First Day

Transport- Dadda's car
Duration- 1 hour
Teacher asked us to carry our own bags and not give them to Mamma/ Dadda- they want us to become indpendent quickly.
Mamma was allowed in and she guided us through various toys & puzzles. We did the shape sorter puzzle, pull on truck puzzle and made coffee for Mamma & one aunty.
A classmate ate up our snacks- cake & biscuits- we were not hungry. Teacher gave us half a sweet each. We were the only ones to spread out a napkin and place our tiffin box on it. It seems Mamma used to do that when she was in school too & she wants us to learn that too!
3 kids spent nearly the entire hour crying.
We did not cry, we had each other & Mamma & many toys to play with.
Dadda peeped in once and we spotted him!
We held on to our water bottles the entire hour almost- until Mom snatched it away from us.
We got our school diary and a rhyme CD.
For 1 week we will go for an hour. And then for 4 hours.
We played on the slide and roundabout and in the sand for a long time before coming back home. We insist we want to continue going in the car but Mamma & Dadda want to send us by bus.
We think we are ok with the school! We did not cry - but then even Mamma had not cried on her first day at school!