Random Thoughts

Pease Porridge

2011-04-11T23:07:00.000-07:00

Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold,

Pease porridge in the pot, nine days old;

Some like it hot, some like it cold,

Some like it in the pot, nine days old.

A few weeks ago, we took Baby A to the doctor at a clinic close to home. A had developed a rash all over his body and also seemed to cry incessantly. We were asked to wait for 45 minutes and we hung around there. Finally, it was our turn to meet the doctor.

We went in and I showed the baby to the doctor. He looked at the rash and seemed puzzled. I had read that most new born babies develop a rash, but I didn't want to rely on just that knowledge. The doctor said, "I think the baby is feeling quite hot, so he has developed this rash. Please keep him in an aircon room always."

Then I told him that A cried a lot and that I felt it couldn't be colic as he was way too young even for that. The doctor said, "I think he cries because he is feeling cold. Next time he cries, cover him in a blanket and see if that stops the crying."

By this time, we had spent less than 3 minutes inside the doctor's room. I then started to ask him if I could give A some gripe water in case he cried a lot and nothing else soothed him (Given his prescriptions for the earlier two problems, I should have known better than to ask him a third question!). To this the doctor said, "I'd love to sit and talk all night you know, but I do have other patients to look at."

He's not going to have us to talk to all night... ever!

Jack and Jill

2011-04-06T03:12:00.001-07:00

Jack and Jill
Went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water

This is a nursery rhyme almost all of us grew up with. And I've been thinking about it a lot in the past few days. And it has little to do with the fact that I have a child now.

A few weeks ago, I called an agency here and asked them to send me a part time maid for three hours. This lady came and was going about the cleaning.

I needed a bucket for something and asked her to please bring it to me.

She brought me a stool. I then said, "I need a bucket please."

She went to the living area and brought me a folding chair. I didn't know how to explain it to her and so stopped what I was doing and went and brought the bucket. By this time, she had started doing something else and so she didn't see what it was that I really needed.

About half an hour later, she came to me with a bucket in her hand and said, "Ma'm, I need to use a pail. May I use this one?"

The Long Road Home

2011-03-20T06:13:00.000-07:00

I have to apologize to all my readers for having ignored this blog for over six months. Life changed for me in more ways than I could have imagined. I now live in a different country and have also been blessed with a little bundle of joy. While this should keep me busy, these changes in life also give me ample things to blog about.

I want to share my experiences in Singapore with all of you along with my experiences as a new mother. Reminiscing about the days gone by with my parents has given me plenty of food for thought and I also plan to resume my series: Strange Encounters of the Arranged Kind.

I hope to be able to take time out to write again. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and I sure am back on the long road home.

Bio-diversity

2010-07-05T06:17:00.000-07:00

Part of the Tau Devilal Bio Diversity Park in Gurgaon.

Dancing in the Rain

2010-07-04T06:19:00.000-07:00

Colours in the sky

2010-07-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

His and Hers

2010-07-02T06:53:00.000-07:00

Barso Re...

2010-06-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

Please take a seat

2010-06-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

The cool lounge chairs at an office complex in Gurgaon.

South India in South Delhi

2010-06-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

The market in Munirka where you can shop for all things South Indian.

Some like it sweet, some like it sovour?

2010-06-27T06:46:00.000-07:00

A Mad Tea Party

2010-06-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

Jet Age

2010-06-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

More memoirs

2010-06-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

Puppy Love?

2010-06-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

Hello Mr. Fan

2010-06-22T07:01:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Mr. Cooler

2010-06-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

Saviour

2010-06-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

On days when I don't feel like cooking!

New Clothes

2010-06-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

Kairi

2010-06-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

My favourite Indian motif.

And the Victims

2010-06-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

The Weapon

2010-06-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

Waiting for better weather

2010-06-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

Beady

2010-06-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

Coasters from Dilli Haat.

Mysurpaaaaaaaaa

2010-06-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

Mysurpa from the original.

Central

2010-06-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

South Extension

2010-06-11T06:07:00.000-07:00

Reunion

2010-06-10T06:31:00.000-07:00

How green is your tea?

2010-06-09T06:14:00.000-07:00

Fusion Meal

2010-06-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

Sunset

2010-06-07T06:03:00.000-07:00

A few good men...

2010-06-06T05:59:00.000-07:00

Lajpat Nagar

2010-06-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

Target

2010-06-04T05:58:00.000-07:00

Aim

2010-06-03T05:57:00.000-07:00

Nature

2010-06-02T05:59:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for World Environment Day!

Oranges and Lemons

2010-06-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

Haze

2010-05-31T05:56:00.000-07:00

Glass!

2010-05-30T06:04:00.000-07:00

A hurried visit

2010-05-29T04:07:00.001-07:00

is what the rains made this afternoon.

Weekend Reading

2010-05-28T04:08:00.000-07:00

Mount Turquoise-more

2010-05-27T00:09:00.000-07:00

The farewell party continued well into the wee hours of today. Some food and some drink at Turquoise Cottage in Gurgaon.

A different brew

2010-05-26T23:11:00.000-07:00

A colleague and cab mate was given a farewell spread across four different pubs/restaurants in Gurgaon. We started off at the Rockman's Beer Island which is one of the many places in Gurgaon which serves freshly brewed beer.

Hope

2010-05-25T04:30:00.000-07:00

With these new shoots coming up, this plant gets a new lease on life. There is hope, not despair, ahead.

Canopy

2010-05-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

Just something that caught my eye.

Golf Anyone?

2010-05-23T16:00:00.000-07:00

S at Gurgaon's very own indoor golf lounge.

"Bar" Bar Dekho

2010-05-22T15:58:00.000-07:00

While we were busy with lunch, my friend's 6 year old went ahead and made herself very comfortable at the bar.

Hold-all

2010-05-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

I bought this key/knick-knack holder more than 4 years ago and forgot about it. Now that it is up (thanks to S), we at least know where the keys are likely to be.

She sells sea shells on the sea shore

2010-05-20T16:24:00.000-07:00

This is S' carefully preserved shell collection.

Patience

2010-05-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

This uruli and the lamp wait patiently for Diwali. (Need I mention that I join them?)

Ahaaa Avakaya!

2010-05-18T21:56:00.000-07:00

S was craving some fresh Avakaya and my dear namesake sent us a huge batch yesterday. Can we thank you enough dear A? Avakaya daata sukhi bhava!

Utterly Touristy

2010-05-17T21:54:00.000-07:00

This skirt is about as "Indian" as it can get. But it is also as light and summery as I'd like it to be. So, wear it I will, at the cost of looking like a stranger in my own land!

Good Morning Ronald McDonald

2010-05-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

We were up really early this morning and drove to this McD's on the Jaipur Highway for a yummy breakfast of McMuffins and Pancakes.

For Her

2010-05-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

Simply because I've always been nuts... about Peanuts. A little gift to myself.

Thank You for the Music...

2010-05-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

Some of my favourite stuff!

Sunscreen

2010-05-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

When the sun came beating down on me inside the cab, my cab driver brought out this newspaper to help me cover the window.

Quit Complaining!

2010-05-12T23:34:00.000-07:00

That's what I told myself when I saw this lady making dinner under this South Delhi flyover. I find it really tough in the kitchen everyday, but she doesn't even have a kitchen!

For Him

2010-05-11T23:32:00.000-07:00

A set of Tintin and Asterix comics as a gift for S, for no rhyme or reason, from yours truly.

Some inspiration...

2010-05-10T23:30:00.000-07:00

Om Shanti a.k.a. Om Sweets

2010-05-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

A spur-of-the-moment plan in the cab back home to get off on the way and dig in to some yummy Chhole Bhature at Om Sweets!

Time

2010-05-08T03:24:00.000-07:00

My colleagues gifted me this personalized calendar last year! It has many photos from my school and college days in addition to some post marriage pictures.

Jing-a-la-la

2010-05-07T23:22:00.000-07:00

To celebrate one of our special anniversaries, we dined at Jing, a very classy Chinese restaurant close to home.

The Answer my Friend...

2010-05-06T01:05:00.000-07:00

is blowing in the wind.

(By the time I took the picture, the curtains weren't flying as high as when I first noticed them!)

Mix and Match

2010-05-05T01:04:00.000-07:00

Playing around with colours. That's what we're attempting in our living room.

Healthy?

2010-05-04T01:01:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to try this. When S is out of town, such things come in very handy! They allow me to be lazy!

Care for some coffee?

2010-05-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

I always bring back some roasted coffee beans when I visit the mini restaurant in the building where I work.

New Companion

2010-05-02T05:32:00.000-07:00

My newest acquisition.

Cheers!

2010-05-01T05:19:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we celebrated several milestones. At our favourite place in this entire world: Earth!

Downpour

2010-04-30T05:16:00.000-07:00

The much needed rain came pouring down to give us lovely weather. Friday evenings, if only you were like this each time in summer!

Souvenir

2010-04-29T23:18:00.000-07:00

A memento from a friend at work after her last trip to Amsterdam!

Deception

2010-04-28T04:22:00.001-07:00

It got all cloudy today and it looked like a lot of rain. But we were to have none of it.

Art

2010-04-27T05:07:00.000-07:00

I spotted this lovely pot outside my kitchen.

Traffic

2010-04-26T04:09:00.000-07:00

A detour to avoid the site of an accident and the resultant traffic jam.

Wholesome Goodness

2010-04-25T03:15:00.000-07:00

Homemade pizza for Sunday dinner.

Friends, Food and Fun

2010-04-24T04:28:00.000-07:00

This cake is representative of all that and more. What a fun Saturday!

Grilling

2010-04-23T04:03:00.000-07:00

Second time lucky! The first time we went to Barbeque Nation, we were utterly disappointed. These guys have finally gotten their act together.

In Good Company

2010-04-22T04:58:00.000-07:00

Stuck on you

2010-04-21T05:14:00.000-07:00

A sight for sore eyes

2010-04-20T04:43:00.000-07:00

Golden Oldies

2010-04-19T04:38:00.000-07:00

If you like old Hindi film songs and are willing to tolerate RJs from an era gone by, then this is the channel to tune in to.

Double Trouble

2010-04-18T03:18:00.000-07:00

Banana Walnut Bread to take to a brunch.

Emeralds

2010-04-17T02:48:00.000-07:00

It was an extremely hot day. We gave these dogs a little water and they posed so royally for me after that. Don't their eyes look like emeralds?

Hardworking!

2010-04-16T03:13:00.000-07:00

Flyover

2010-04-15T15:46:00.000-07:00

One of our daily sights: The ISKCON Temple. (Fully lit dome)

Happy New Year

2010-04-14T03:21:00.000-07:00

The new year feast.

Spaces

2010-04-13T03:42:00.000-07:00

A full living room.

Ready for a challenge?

2010-04-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a game of Ludo and one of Snakes and Ladders while we waited to be served. We continued to play well through dinner.

The Elixir of Life

2010-04-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

Block Print

2010-04-10T03:25:00.000-07:00

Has always been one of my favourites!

Crunch!

2010-04-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

It's Friday!

A good cause

2010-04-08T02:54:00.000-07:00

A blood donation camp at office.

Celebrations

2010-04-07T02:44:00.000-07:00

Celebrations at the office while I play with the new phone.

An erstwhile favourite

2010-04-06T02:55:00.000-07:00

I couldn't get enough of this channel at one time. Not anymore! Radio City doesn't rule my car as much these days.

Bye-bye

2010-04-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

It is time to say good bye to my dear friends who added so much colour and variety to my dinner table in the last six months. It is time for six months of gourds of various kinds and I'd be lying if I said I was thrilled with the idea.

Black and White

2010-04-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

I spent Sunday morning peeling these garlic cloves to make some chutney.

Nursery

2010-04-03T21:41:00.000-07:00

I'm enjoying playing with my new phone. We went to a nursery in the middle of a very hot day to buy some plants for our balcony. I couldn't resist clicking this colourful patch.

Gharonda

2010-04-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

When I first moved to Gurgaon in October 1999, this was the house I rented. I loved the name, Gharonda, loved its proximity to my office and most of all, loved the family that let this place out to me. This place holds so many memories that when we drove past after buying my new phone, I had to take this photo.

Signs

2010-04-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

This sign board makes South City feel like a city in the same league as Delhi and Jaipur!

Chaos

2010-03-31T22:02:00.000-07:00

Every morning at the DND Toll Plaza.