Christmas in Mexico

A post at last! A little too late and little too less considering that I have had so much to blog about this year. But, by some quirk, I have also had so little time. 2010 breezed past with a part of me constantly feeling guilty about not recording it in any way and the other part too caught up in the moment to care :) Anyhow, here is my usual year-end post.
After the rushed '2 days-2 nights' honeymoon, a proper vacation had always been on the cards. So with the temperatures dropping to new lows and my excitement at the snow fast trickling away, we headed to sunnier pastures. Christmas came and went like any other beautiful, gloriously sunny day in Mexico. There were no fir trees nor gifts, no plum cake nor wine. And definitely no snow. Nothing like I expected a Christmas in the West to be. Heard church bells toll in the distance and occasionally, carol-singing wafted through, but that was it. Most importantly, there was no pressure to make 'grown-up' decisions that I have come to associate with Christmas and the year-end. Making a break with habits/relationships that no longer made me happy...trying to change a course...
This time I took a long walk on the beach instead. Held hands. Complained a little but laughed a lot. Ate stone-fired, oven fresh pizzas with interesting toppings.(I specifically remember eggplants!) Gulped down margaritas. Made plans of no more significance than a day.
It isn't complacency. For making a marriage work is some work too! And professionally, I am starting at the beginning again... 'Miles to go before I sleep'! I think it is mostly graditude, that things turned out the way they did. :)
Cheers to new beginnings!

November

Pink to rust, green to gold
A red knit muffler, a fur lapelled coat.
Silence in the parks, just carpeted walks
The chirps are gone, just the cricket talks.
The sudden fondness for sun,the dappled warmth
That extra cup of tea, steaming bowls of broth.
Ephemeral mornings, the evening ennui-
And summer remains just a memory.

Being home

I cross the dewy grass to get to my favourite perch on the wood bench. It has been a long day and the prospect of silence tempts me.. I can see some committed joggers and dog walkers in the distance, but they don't venture onto the grass and I have the place to myself for now. The collective humming of the garden insects and the warm July evening is soporific..I am tempted to put down my pen and stretch on the bench.
Green. Quiet. Mingled scent of the summer evening damp and tall trees. Trees that I cannot identify. Though I know that a few of them definitely belong to the conifer family..Strains of an Indian song in my mind. Faint after-taste of tortilla chips lingering on my tongue.....A solitary squirrel bounding back and forth from this bench to the tree..I haven't brought my cellphone with me and I lose track of time. I have long broken the habit of carrying it around..the only facility I use is the airtelcallhome' really. A couple I don't know walk past and acknowledge me with a nod. Brethren in a strange land :)The fireflies start to glow..a sign that I should head home and see to dinner. And yet, the sunlight continues to linger..
We sit in silence some more..me and the unfamiliarity. I like this distance now, it keeps me from expectation to behave in a certain way..like an indulgence to a child. Eventually I'll blend..perhaps irrevocably. But for now, I am good, as they say :)
A distant roar of three dudes racing bikes shakes me out of my reverie and I head for home. Home and yet so far away from home..

The Jan post

I haven't made resolutions, I have been too distracted to.
I didn't notice the midnight seconds ticking away,I have had a quiet New Year's eve.
I haven't even bought myself a new diary, I don't seem to find the time to write.
I feel the difference though...in the hope I find with every dawn, in the way I scan my calendar.In the peace of every solitary evening...in the way things around me seem to move in tandem with my thoughts....

The Singles Anthem!

What I am listening to :))

Indulgence!

Best meals over the last month...
Luchi, alu dom, chingri malai curry and garam jalebis at the Bengali Association, Navami night. Stands out for the cheerful abandon with which C and me took to the crowded stalls, threw hygiene(!) to the winds :) And also the size of the prawns....Jai Durga! Much regret that we ran out of money (and patience to queue up at the stalls) ..the rasgullas were a miss :(
Final darshan at the Koramangala pandal followed by lunch at The Esplanade. Luchi(again) cholar dal, bhetki fry, mishti doi and a few predictable varieties of prawn and meat. (food quite over-hyped, could have been better) Stands out simply for the company. An awesome drive in cool drizzling weather and a halt for cold coffee on the way back. And lots of goofy humour :)
More Bong food at Oh! Calcutta the following weekend..this one thankfully was all that a Bengali meal should be. Rice with masoor dal, papad and sweet chutney, fried rice, chicken/fish salad, lau chingri and a bowl of nolen goorer payesh(kheer with a special kind of jaggery) I shall not omit to mention the humble sheem chochori, which managed to hold its own against the more popular meat/fish preparations. (I should probably add explanatory notes for the non-bengalis..will definitely post one in the comments)
Random helpings of dahi wada and malpua at home over Diwali, whatever the meal. Stands out for Mamma's magic touch..
Luchi(again!) and korma( made by yours truly) and kheer (canyoubelieveit, me again!) amongst other things for the traditional Diwali dinner..a quiet family time.
A spicy Maharashtrian brinjal preparation with chapati, grated salad, spicy pulav and gulab jamuns for Sunday lunch at home..made memorable by Dev Anand's songs and Papa's reminisces :)
Chanda's farewell dinner...I do not remember what we ate but vodka was on the menu. And a happy time was had by all :)

Tongue-in-cheek!

Disclaimer: The following post is based on astute observations on numerous groom profiles which I have had the (mis)fortune to read. A sense of humour is advised :)

In the profile: I believe in simple living, high thinking....
In his mind: I have no clue what to say for myself and this sounds cool. Plus, that other guy had it on his profile..

ITP: I am looking for someone who can achieve a perfect balance between home and work...
IHM: I am looking for superwoman! (only , i dont know it yet :p)

ITP: I would like my wife to devote time to her children after marriage...A mother has an important role in developing a child's personality...blah blah..
IHM: I, of course, have no role in this whole process.Yay!

ITP: I am modern and liberal but believe in traditional customs and values.
IHM: I'd rather play it safe..don't wanna upset anyone here..hehe

ITP: I am perfect!- (Yeah..the very same words, I kid you not!)
IHM: I am! Really! no..?

ITP: The girl should be goodlooking, tall, slim and fair.
IHM: I'm anyway Tom Cruise incarnate..

ITP:Looks aren't important.
IHM: As long as I haven't seen your picture..

(courtsey: guys on matrimonials..thanks fellas :) )