Rainbow of Bangles!

Wow! I am on a real high today. No I did not go for drinks but a shopping spree. It is the last day of the month, Salary yet to be deposited so how can I shop? Of course there are credit cards but I do not use credit cards, I am an ardent debit card user. That way I am more in control of my expenses, as such we women are shopaholics and if there are sales then no stopping us.

Well enough of suspense most of you must have guessed from the title that I shopped for bangles, yes I am never tired of buying glass bangles, my latest craze in bangles. There was this exhibition of handicrafts and hand loom mela going on from a few days, since the day I came to know about it I was so eager to go. I was sure that I will find some good bangles and ear rings. And today took off with my two jocks. It was a good one hour out of office but it is not a problem bcs when there is work we stay back quiet late so it was really flexible.

First it was couple of bags made of Jute material, they are in vogue and look trendy on a Kurti and they cost only 100 and 150 each. And then the real treasure! I picked up a couple of pairs and seeing my interest the shopkeeper took out a box and kept in front of me, I could not leave out even one color, they looked so beautiful in under the light gleaming beautifully, it is a personal opinion that the luster is better than any diamond or gold bangle.

He was so happy when I took all the twelve pairs he reduced a few Rs happily. They brought back happy memories of similar shopping escapades with my dear friend who is far away across seven seas now. They also made me remember the lines of the the poem learnt in school in the English class "Bangle Sellers By Sarojini Naidu" 'delicate, bright Rainbow-tinted circles of light' how beautifully put in words. I also bought mother of pearl Kada that the Bengalis wear with matching year rings and as it in the shade of half white it will go with many outfits.

Then I moved on to earrings and they were also just 10 Rs per pair. And lo! I exhausted all the few hundred rupees I had with me. But the happiness is priceless. The best part is to have a burf ka gola that too kalakhatta, it has been ages since I ate, may be some where in chowpati in Mumbai.

Friends and relatives often appreciate the way I dress and co-ordinate my accessories. Being the Virgo that I am I always used to strictly adhere to matching syndrome. Be it bangles, ear rings bindi etc(now I stick to maroon or black) but bangles and ear rings still I try to. But when I have to pack for a trip it does take some time to pack this stuff too.

From the days of many bangles I have come to the single bangle or two stage except for when I go to weddings etc. And they do go so well with the Indo Western kind of clothing that I wear Kurtis over Jeans etc. It is a personal feeling that all it takes is a few hundred rupees and U have accessories to match all the outfits in the wardrobe.

No problem if there is not a single rupee in my purse now. My bike has sufficient petrol to take me home and I know me mobile will beep tonight with an SMS saying your account has been credited with Rs.......... :-)

Actually before going on this shopping spree I wanted to blog about our Rakhi Sawant's swayamwar but it can wait. Just see the photographs of the Bangles, U will love them.

SUNDAY not a FUN day.

'SUNDAY', where there is no 5 day week how people look forward to it. Some look forward to it to complete all the personal tasks postponed(That includes washing, grocery shopping and what not.) Some want to go shopping to the malls, catch the latest releases in the multiplexes, eat out and come back home smug. That is nice for one Sunday a month but that is also exhausting and saps energy. The best way to rejuvenate is a lazy Sunday or a Sunday with a long drive and spent by the beach side but the weather should be cool for that.

In general I look forward to a Lazy Sunday, just to curl up on the SOFA have a leisurely Tea or coffee depending upon the mood. (if it is sunny I prefer Tea and if it is raining I prefer Coffee, U can see the difference too, it is nice that way for people who drink both Tea and Coffee). Going thru the Sunday magazines of the newspapers and the somewhere around 9.30 or 10am when the tummy starts growling I get up to fix a simple breakfast may be a bread toast or some milk and cereal or noodles it is best that way as lunch invariably would be heavier as it would be in general non vegetarian.

Even the breakfast is a leisure one playing or watching some cartoons with my daughter for some time, but if she decides to go downstairs and cycle around the apartment building or go upstairs and play with the dogie(a pug the HUTCH one) then I can have the remote to myself and what a blessing that indeed is. I just flick the channels and catch whatever is interesting at that moment. Somewhere around 12.30 I realise about Lunch and then enter the kitchen. But all this luxury or free time is affordable only when the maid is around and she does the cleaning under my supervision, dusting, cleaning the refrigerator changing the sheets in the two bedrooms and the Diwan. And most imp of all cleaning the bathrooms(where I do pitch in for perfect cleaning sake). And also the laundry job of starching the cotton garments(9 out of 10 dresses that I have are of cotton given the humidity and heat of Vizag) And weaves and block prints they are so beautiful in cotton adds dignity to the dressing, comfortable so I prefer it that way.

But yesterday, my maid calls up at 7.30 am (thanks to the affordable mobile phones now) and declares I will not be able to come today. And there starts my day. Although I canceled the starching episode(as rains are in I will prefer synthetics temporarily so they will dry, even after getting wet.) There went my day in washing, cleaning scrubbing, mopping and what not but when my daughter picks up the Colin bottle and wants to clean the furniture again it made my day. I do not think boys of that age or any other age would offer to do that. Daughters are daughters, I thanked almighty for blessing me with one. And carried on the tasks with fervour.

Could relax for a while in the afternoon post lunch and then there were going to be guests in the evening, again started preparations, went out to shop for some urgent groceries and it was night 11pm by the time the guests left after dinner, but felt really happy to have them so all that work was with a smile that lit up my face, and although I could not take My daughter for an outing she was more than happy to have friend from America. It is really amusing to see her to immediately try to pick up the American accent that the other little girl had. And both the girls did have double the gala time to dress up again in dupattas and beaded chains and bangles. Clicked their pictures and when they were leaving Vennela(My dr said in my ear you know Mamma why I clicked Esha's pic bcs I am going to miss her.) God thank you for this EQ that is developing in her. And for the first time she did not complain when I parted with her accessories as a gift to her friend.

All in all SUNDAY was not a FUN day in the literal sense. "But if I see the glass half full I felt more happier for the gleaming everything because of my efforts and the Guests complimenting on a beautiful house and a tasty dinner was like the icing on the cake or the cherry on the ice cream. :-)" What more can the Lady of the home want?

The final touch is still there, when I plopped myself in the chair, she came rushing with a glass of juice(poured from the carton). I said why "Darling! I just now had heavy dinner why this now? She said 'but you are looking very tired Mamma". Felt happy that she could sense so much but bad at the same time because I could not have the juice. I told sorry dear but after a heavy dinner there is no place for the juice in my tummy and kept it in the refrigerator. Then she comes to press my forehead. My Day is made.

A Moment to Smile!

Life is full of moments to smile. When we weave such moments into a Garland, we can just exclaim 'LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL'! Some of these moments linger on and become sweet memories for a life time and will bring the same smile back when we recollect them.

Today I had one such moment, if each day was the same Life becomes pretty boring, today I got up as early as 4.30am, I wanted to go for a walk at 5am. It was long since I stopped my religious morning walks, my laziness winning over me. But Off late the urge to keep fit is growing day by day getting strict and stern instructions from the image in my mirror. Yes! 'Mirrors do not lie!' Whenever I exclaim at my workplace 'I am putting on weight' my colleagues say 'No you are just fine' but then the mirror says it all with the tiniest bulges of cellulite, brutally and thankfully honest.

But as it was raining heavily at that time of the night I could not go, sat for some time in my balcony hearing to the pitter patter of the rain lost in thoughts. Then I switched on the TV just flicking channels not in a mood to watch any news(Michael's sorrow still hanging on) most of the entertainment channels either on spiritual talk or teleshopping at that time. In that shuffle I stopped on UTV movies RamKapoor(Of Kasam se and Jhalak dikhlaja was looking so slim and young and there was Chitrangada, Sarika, Boman Irani all good actors saw the movie(Kal, yesterday and tommorow) for some time and then went into the hub dub of morning Tea, Breakfast and Papers.

Then my daughter woke up, rushed out to her Dad who was leaving for work kissed him goodbye and came back. She likes Saturdays and I too like as I can go leisurely to work and spend time with her the way she wants, she wanted me to play the student and she the teacher, I happily obliged. How these little girls enjoy the role play. Every other little girl I know would like to keep her doll house, cook with her toy kitchen play the host, teacher, doctor, teacher and Mom. My daughter is no different right from when she was two years old she used to cook and serve in imagination to everybody and anybody.

Then came the interesting part, she took my Dupatta(Chunni) lying around and wore it in the form of a Saree, brought all her bangle collection and wore them without even a color pattern. I was watching amused. Then she brought her doll took on a hand bag and I had a constant smile on my face, so the doll was her baby and she was going shopping.

Thanks to the mobile with 3.2 mega pixel and I could click some photographs for a change she happily obliged. Content, I was thinking soon she will grow up and refuse to wear anything traditional then I should show her these photos. Definitely she will be in Jeans or Minis or Micro minis no stopping her. How fast daughters do grow up.

The other day I was so exhausted by the time I reached home and she gives me a glass of water and when I plop myself she says sweetly "Mama you take rest, go to sleep I will open the door for Dad today" and with her tiny hands she presses my forehead. So it was role reversal, she was my mother and I her daughter and the feeling at that moment is impossible to put in words it only can be experienced.

Trust me nothing in the world can be bartered for the happiness these kind of moments bring. So what I advice to moms or to be moms or dads and to be dads even is, feel blessed and rejoice in such moment of bliss and savor these moments in your heart for a life time.

She is so enthusiastic about rolling out a Chapati or cutting Ladies Fingers, I try my best to sustain that enthusiasm. If we ruin that, then we cannot complain tomorrow that they are not enthusiastic about anything. It is completely in our hands to sustain it.

But, at the same time I also want to confess two days ago the same morning time it was 7.45 am and she was nicely wrapping around one chunni and another towel hanging from her head nicely pinned up on either sides(Banjaran style) and was holding this toy as her baby, it was getting late for her school as already I was telling her, it is time for her to get her bath and loosing my patience 'I shouted at her', immediately the happy smile vanished and I felt so sorry at the horrified expression on her face, but the words were already out, the moment could not be undone or deleted. I know it will be deeply etched in her memory. (No wonder she feels Momma is a Devil, and Dad an Angel bcs momma keeps saying don't do this, no colas, no chocolates keep your room tidy and so on) Yes all the sweet talks and hugs and appreciations vanish with one just harsh word. (Yeh! Ironically even my subordinates feel the same the ratio is n appreciations vanish with one harsh remark so watch out.)

How I wished I was little more patient and I ponder again why is it that we take out our impateince always on the people who mean to us so much? But then it happens with most of us at All times. So Friends it is absolutely in our hands to change a moment into a moment we smile and reminisce later or a moment to regret. Wishing you all wonderful moments to smile with your loved ones.