An on the road Saga! : after a hiatus!

It was indeed a herculean task to even sit down in front of the monitor and pour out my thoughts after a long hiatus. There were many reasons for going on a long break.......our sudden relocation to India... setting up a home in here, getting admission for kids, adjustment and settling down problems for them,sudden change of weather and a series of non stop infections in the family.... the list goes on and on. The only reason I have started blogging in spite of the umpteen excuses is that , I really missed out on something these past few months.... I missed my virtual friends who kept popping in now and then to check on me in spite of my long silence......I missed reading my own thoughts on print... which otherwise kept piling in my head pacified by the ever flowing tasks at hand..... I just missed blogging!!!

Now , I am back.....hoping not to be infected by the virus , inertia....:

So , here's my “On the road saga....” part 3....

Chapter 3

After my on the road adventures with tempo trax and maruti Suzuki , I was back to hiring auto's and buses on the Chennai roads....Sitting as a passenger in an auto was no less than an adventure... with the high frequency and high pitched Tamil songs jarring from the driver's seat and the unpredictable potholes on the middle of the roads that takes you roller coaster riding .. without visiting any amusement parks.These adventure rides also had a short life … we flew to Hiroshima , Japan soon.

I was amazed at the discipline and smoothness that prevailed on the Japanese roads. My ears ached to hear the honking sound which pervaded our Indian roads. We did not own a car when we were in Japan. Our main mode of transport was the local train. I used to be picked up and dropped by my friends whenever necessary. One of my student's gave me a bicycle which was my on the road companion from then on. Biking, then became a very relaxing and energy boosting exercise. Pp also got a second hand bicycle and we used to go biking on weekends,... hiking, shopping and just exploring Hiroshima.It was fun, relaxing and romantic. These biking moments left me wishing for Indian roads with bicycle paths ….ensuring safe and environment friendly travel. I have biked to my school and tuition classes as a high school student....but today, with the crazy traffic on our Indian roads … can we really relax at home having waved good bye to our kids on their bicycles?!!!

…......to be continued.

An On the road Saga!

.....CONTINUED FROM HERE


Chapter 2

Thus after many eventful driving lessons and an uneventful driving test, I came home a proud recipient of the Indian Drivers license. I was beaming with confidence, for we had no car in our garage to prove my driving skills. My Dad one day brought home a second hand Maruti Suzuki and handed over its keys to me. He sat beside me on the passenger seat, his head held high. I turned on the engine , my confidence level crumbling. My car galloped imitating the jerks of a horse and suddenly came to a stop. After many trials , my Dad’s raised head came down a bit and he promised me to bring me a better Guru .

Thus started, my second session of driving classes with Pillai Sir. Pillai Sir was very different from my earlier teacher. He was a soft spoken man, who taught me how to drive and instilled full confidence in me. Thus in a few weeks time I was declared the chauffeur of the family. I started enjoying the drives on the Indian roads which provided adventure and variety each day. We stopped hiring drivers even for long drives. Thus the 1985 model Maruti Suzuki became my companion. I started feeling a special kinship with this old friend .

The day came when I had to finally say goodbye to my on the road companion….., it was more than just a four wheeler , it was my first car , which gave me confidence not only in driving but also in myself. On the eve of my wedding when our house was full of guests , my uncle took up a few responsibilities running errands on my old companion….: my old car refused from responding ….whether any one would believe it or not …. My car’s engine did not start even after many trials…. When all the guests departed , I went to my old friend , spoke to it with love (I know it sounds crazy)…..and my old companion responded without any problems….When I write about my old red Maruti ….it does take me back the memory lane…. The many moments I spent with my friend , the many roads I meandered , the many family outings , the long drives with my college friends, drives with my husband……..And I feel a longing to sit on its drivers seat and hold on to its steering…….

To be continued………………………….

An On the road Saga!

Chapter 1

I felt so thrilled , so confidant, so grown up when I held tightly to the steering wheel and the Premier Padmini zoomed ahead. I was sitting on the lap of my favorite uncle, thinking that holding on to the steering wheel was all I needed to learn about driving. I used to wait eagerly for these driving lessons as a child...Brimming with energy and innocence …firmly believing that I have mastered the art of driving. The only hindrance that forbade me from practicing my skills was the lack of a car.

It took the child in me some time in accepting that I had more to learn in order to drive and that I needed to wait till I was eighteen to be issued a driving license. When I was finally eighteen I signed up along with a few friends at a driving school next to our colony. On my first day of driving lesson, Bashir Sir honked in front of our house on a tempo trax. He had collected all his students on his way and thus began my journey of enlightenment on Indian roads. Each day was an experience on the road ….. Our master had his clutch accelerator and break under perfect control on his side of the vehicle that we hardly learnt to drive. The only thing each of us learnt with out fail was the regular route he asked us to take during our driving sessions. Our Bashir Sir had three wives. One legitimate wife and the other two his well known secrets. Each day he would visit his wives and the road that connected his various houses was to be our driving route. His fourth stopover was a toddy shop. And once he was satisfied with the final stop we would head to our respective homes and our Basheer Sir knew not to open his mouth.


Our Basheer Sir was a man of many connections… Though a puny little man he knew what to do when and how…He knew how to satisfy the staff in the regional transportation office and get things done… Thus without learning much to drive and without facing any dire situation I was issued a driver's license.

to be continued................

Hand print on Mother's day!

May 11th was mother’s day. But it was never marked in my calendar till now. Back in India , we did not celebrate a specific day as mother’s or father’s day. But this year it was different for me. My parents were with us and on May 11th I woke to the aromas of my Mom’s kitchen. I was being showered with gifts on mother’s day. Being pampered by my mother and embraced by my kids at the same time was the best gift ever.
My kindergartener , walked from school the previous day with a naughty smile in his eyes and his tiny arms filled with his hand made gifts. Among them was a laminated piece of paper he had made from his school , which especially touched my heart … It had on it his hand print and a few words which said…
“Sometimes You get discouraged because I am so small, And always leave my finger prints on furniture and walls. But everyday I am growing – I’ll be grown up some day. And all these tiny fingerprints will simply fade away. So here ‘s a final handprint just so that you can recall . Exactly how my fingers looked when I was very small.I love you”

First step towards awareness!

We are Humans. We eat, drink, sleep, and work. All our day to day activities spin around these basic needs. These activities take almost all our time, that all of us have almost forgotten that we are not just humans. We are Human Beings.
I can almost hear most of you thinking (so what??? What is the big deal???)
And if you want my answer ….
“It is a big deal…”
You can exist as humans , but to live you have to be Human beings.
So now how can we be human beings?
We do not have to be we already are. But we have almost forgotten to live the being part.

Do I sound like a preacher? Sorry if I do. I just felt like sharing that that I have enjoyed.

Now without much of lecturing or preaching let us do this simple exercise.
Do not be skeptical. Just give it a try.
Close your eyes and shift your attention to your palm and your feet. Do not think, but feel. In a few minutes you will be able to feel your being in your palm and feet, which you can slowly expand to other parts of your body.

This can be done any time ….just squeeze it in between your busy work schedules. Let us learn to be aware …

I would wish to read what you felt like in the comments section…so please go ahead and try…

Tag...

Mathew tagged me ...and here goes my tag....

1.LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATER:
thengashi pattanam…(will you believe me if I told you I have not watched a single movie in a theatre with by husband?)

2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
The Konkans( Being a Konkani myself , this title of the book attracted me. To read a review on this book visit Lotus reads)

3. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
This keeps on changing every week according to the choice of my kindergartner. We started off with snake and ladder, then it reached scrabble , checkers and chess. The recent favorite is monopoly.

4. FAVORITE MAGAZINE?
I loved reading Life positive , though it is no more available for me now. I never used to like National geographic earlier but , love reading it now.
5. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Smell of earth after a rain. Smell from Amma’s kitchen.

6. FAVORITE SOUND?
Giggles of my two boys.
7. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
Losing my temper even though I know there is no reason.

8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE?
I pray for the Grace of the Lord to guide me through out the day.



9. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
I love kerala tattu kadas. Have started liking the subways out here .


10. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?
Future Kid?I am very happy with two…(though I secretly wish for a girl….. )so let the name be a secret too.

11. FINISH THIS STATEMENT. "IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I'D...?
would seriously expand my philanthropy.

12. DO YOU DRIVE FAST?
Could never drive fast in the traffic on the Indian roads.
Though the roads here tempt you , I try to stick to the speed limit .
13. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? No


14. STORMS-COOL OR SCARY?Not cool nor too scary.
15. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
I first drove a Maruti 800 (appa’s car) . After marriage it was Santro.Don’t you want to hear of my latest?... Town and country(chrystller)

16. FAVORITE DRINK?
cool water.
17. FINISH THIS STATEMENT, "IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD .....
sit down.

18. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
Yes I do…
19. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE? I am seriously thinking of black… there are plenty of silver strands popping up
20. NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS YOU HAVE LIVED IN.
Ernakulam(kerala, India)
Kodungalloor(kerala India)
Chennai(Tamilnadu India)
Hiroshima(Japan)
Taipei(Taiwan)
Pretoria(South Africa)
Michgan(USA)

. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Not a great fan of any sports … though love to watch the indo pak cricket match.

22. ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU.
a BIG CHEF…


23. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?
Latest book I am reading.


24. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN?
I would like to experience a different life.


25. MORNING PERSON, OR NIGHT OWL?
I was a morning person. But after my kids were born my clock is more flexible according to their routine..


26. OVER EASY, OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Neither.


27. FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX?
My home.

28. FAVORITE PIE?
Can’t think of one.


29. FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Butter scotch
30. OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU TAGGED THIS TO, WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?I really do not know.

And this tag goes to..

Pooja,
Jyothsna
Maddy

God is still working on her!

You must already have read on my cousin Pratibha, about whom I once wrote in one of my previous posts. This time I would like to repost it.She has achieved something this month which is for sure an inspiration to all of us. It reminds us on the infinite potential hidden in each one of us.This month she did her Arangetram, which lasted for 1 1/2 hours on stage.Arangetram is a graduation ceremony and a defining moment in a dancer's life.Read more on Pratibha and what she has to teach us......


As the Macro cosmic Omnipresence rejuvenates into the microcosmic creations ,
as Nature replays itself in its myriad forms,
as the first ever flower receives its first sunshine and enlightens the plant,
as the first reptile soars up in the sky freeing itself from the fetters of the gravitational pull tasting freedom,
as the carbon transforms into a diamond, the precious gem:
Consciousness unravels itself !!!

While Nature is still at its play creating and recreating, its flora, its fauna and its infinite variety of creatures,we do fumble upon mutations. Yes,mutations,that are still full of Nature`s artistry yet having a pronounced difference. Yes,different in form but still an embodiment and expression of Nature. Yes,different because of a surplus or lack of the building block,the chromosome.

Let me share with you this real life story of a gift of Nature,who is different and who is special. I am fortunate to have her as my dear cousin. I still remember the day she was born, when my uncle walked into our house with a beaming face of a proud father. I remember peering into her tiny little eyes, when I was a little scared yet wanting to hold her feather like body. She grew up in a warm atmosphere surrounded by love and affection. Her tiny legs refused to take her first step even at the age of three,her mouth unable to produce audible meaningful sounds! I witnessed the silent pain endured by her parents and the whole family .... They were unable to accept that they were blessed with a special bud, which will also bloom in its own special way. She was diagnosed by doctors of various disciplines, and she also accepted alternative therapies.... She slowly started to walk,started to talk....
I still remember clearly,the way she snuggled in my lap and stared at my face trying to decipher the sounds that I produced ...the way she swayed her body to any melodious music!

But time passed,she grew into adulthood, yet untouched by its complexities. Those legs which once refused to walk slowly took rhythmic steps of classical dance. The perfection and grace she rendered would not be measured according to regular standards , but still she danced,she danced before audiences without inhibitions. Her in born talents today unravel when she cooks,stitches ,memorizes phone numbers!

The child in her still alive : still frustrated on missing out something about the adult hood,She is God's rare creation, He still working on her. Don't we also yearn for the innocence and heart of a child,faded away or buried in our process of attaining maturity? Like the consciousness which is ever flowing in all the
creations, in you and in me and in all that we see around,the same inherent consciousness is latent in my cousin and all the special gifts of Nature too. Let us not read each others labels but rather look beyond it,to read something divine and sublime , reflections of our own consciousness.

Watch this vedio of Pratibha's Arangetram!

The only thing that is permanent in life is change!

If we watch carefully at our life we sometimes see a pattern ...of things being repeated constantly!
This is very true in my case. There are two things that keep happening in my life. So what is the inference you gather from this... .It might be a game of Nature to teach us something. Or it might be a reminder for us to change something in our life so that the pattern does not repeat...

Let me tell you what are the things that create patterns in my life.
1. It has to do with my wrist watch. The relation with my watch is always short lived. We are not made for each other. If I can have a smooth relationship with my watch for at least a month it is a miracle. I don't have an answer to why our relationship is always on the verge of breaking...Either , the watch just stops working , or is just not to be found. So what should I learn from this.. just stop using a watch! this is the only answer I can come up with.

2. In the past 8 years I have moved 10 houses , in four different countries. Last two weeks I was busy shifting to a new place , and that is why this late post. The most amazing aspect is that I am always in love with each of my 10 homes...I have enjoyed making each house into a home only to leave it and enter into a totally new environment.And what do I learn from this pattern in my life which has granted me varied experiences.
1). That the only thing that is permanent in life is change.
2). And to never accumulate baggage along the way. Live light , so that you can have a comfortable life. May be this is true with the journey called life itself. Never carry with you grievances or hatred, that your journey becomes a pain.
3).Always accept help.You will discover some wonderful friends along the way ,who can make your journey smooth. Let me thank my dear friends who have given me their time and love and helped make my moves enjoyable.

Monday mornings.........................

It is Monday today. So what is so special? .. you may ask..just that it comes after Sunday.Sunday is the day I unwind, its a day I do not consider the clock, a day I walk past the kitchen counter , without stopping to wipe clean, a day I sit down and sip my coffee without bending to pick up the toys....
I would root myself with a book I picked from the library....and even when the day closes, I would be hooked on to the book ....way into the night. Turning the last page of the book , I would glance at the clock only to see that, I have already stepped into Monday.

6.30 am Monday

PP tickles my feet , trying to wake me up. Through the narrow gap I managed to open , fighting my heavy eye lids, I see him ready for office , waving bye. "Its 6.30 " he whispers trying not to wake the sleeping kids.
" Just 5 more minutes...." I mumble and snuggle inside the comforter ......

7.45 am

"Amma....Amma... I am hungry... give me maamam" my younger son is awake . I see the clock and jump up in bed....trying to figure out what all I need to do. I rush to wash my face and run to the kitchen....my son wailing behind me. I lift him up and hoist him in the kitchen counter top ...while ransacking the fridge ....I see batter...and pick up a few fruits ...

7.50am

I cut the fruits for my elder son's snack box . But my younger one keeps having his fill and I give up. I grind chutney simultaneously making baby Dosas for his lunch. I rush to wake up my elder son who is deep in his sleep. "Kanna, wake up dear, you will be late for school.."
" Amma, Amma.... " I hear screams from the kitchen...I run to find him happily grinning at me. sigh!
" I need to get down , and brush my teeth...." I lift him and put him down..then suddenly see that he has bitten on all the Dosas.. and has left only bits and pieces. No bread, no batter... now what to do...?
"Amma, he is spilling water on me?
Amma, he is splashing water all over the toilet....
Amma he is using the brush to comb his hair............................................................."
I rush to the toilet......pour out all my energy "%$%$^&^&^**(*%^%^%^&^&#@##%$%^^&^&^%^%%%^&..........................."
things seem to calm down....

8.00a.m
my elder one is in th shower... while I have hoisted the younger one in the kitchen with wheat flour.. while i rolled out chapathi... three chapathi rolls with chutney are ready for his lunch box...

8.03a.m
Rush to my son to dress him up ... with thermals , and layers of clothing to fight the severe winter.

8.05 am
" Kanna , say your prayers and I"ll prepare your breakfast" I say
"Can I have scrambled eggs and fruit loops?" he asks...

8.07 am
"Amma, fruit loops , scrambled eggs... i want: yelled the younger one

8.08 am
As they eat their breakfast, I put on socks and boots on the elder one. .. jacket , gloves , hat all ready in hand.

8.15am
I wave good bye to him as the school bus leaves for school.


I know I have already lost enough calories for the day....and looking at my messy kitchen, unmade bed , heap of laundry and a play room where I would like to see a sign "detour" ..I sit down ....and what comes to my mind is the picture of the fierce looking Goddess Kali , with numerous hands, the embodiment of power... ,Mother! I realize that was what I was a few minutes back....how else could i have accomplished all this so soon? I think of my mother who had to rush to her job at 7.30 after juggling with her home and kids on Monday mornings...I hear her words resonating in my ears...which she often told when ever I found fault or argued with her.." You will only understand when you are a Mother!"

Open the gates of heaven with this blogging blessing!

A seeker after years of penance and meditation has an encounter with Yama( God of Death , according to Hindu mythology).

Yama : I am extremely pleased with your perseverance and penance. Ask what you please , and you shall be answered.

Seeker: My humble salutations oh Yama. Do feel kind enough to answer my foolishness. I have heard of heaven and hell . Heaven is considered a place to rejoice and Hell is considered a place of suffering. You being the lord of Death will know the truth. Do tell me what kind of people are lead to heaven and what kind of people end up in hell.

Yama: I appreciate your courage in asking me this question , to which most people do not know the real answer. I will take you to both these places . See for your self. Which abode would you like to visit first, my son?

Seeker: I would wish to see the Hell first , My lord.

Thus both of them are transported to the world of hell. They stand in front of an enormous golden gate. The seeker is amazed at the sheer beauty of the entrance. As they move in , there are more surprises ahead. It is a world of his dreams. He can't believe this is hell... it is the most beautiful place he has ever seen. Yama leads him into a splendidly decorated dining hall. All the best food , he has never ever dreamt of are spread on the table. The aroma of the divine food attracts the inhabitants of hell to the table. He notices that , among all this luxury the inhabitants are devoid of energy and enthusiasm.. they look starved and pathetic. Then he notices that all their arms are strangely twisted to the outside. They gather around the food and are seated on the chairs. They pick up the food , but are unable to feed them selves , as their arms are twisted. Each time the food drops from their hands. They keep repeating the act of eating , but in vain.

Next Yama guides him to the gateway of heaven. He notices that the gate is similar to the one he saw in hell. As he enters this abode , again he realizes that this place is an exact mirror image of Hell. Here too the table is exactly filled with the same kind of divine food. Then he sees the inhabitants of Heaven and immediately notices at the glow and satisfaction that shine on their countenance. He is amazed to see that these people also have their hands twisted to the outside. They gather around their table to savor the taste of heaven. The seeker wonders how they will feed themselves with the twisted arms. What do you think he saw?
Each individual picks up food and feeds his neighbor, as he is unable to reach his own mouth.All eat to their content. No one is hungry... all are content.. this is heaven!
Yama: I hope you got answers to all your queries, son.
Seeker: Yes my Lord.

The moment we shed our selfishness and embrace one another , we experience Heaven. I know it is easy to pen down all these inspiring stories , feel elated for a few minutes , made fake promises of being unselfish and easily break those promises the next moment. yes, we are humans....!

What reminded me of this story is a tag. I am tagged by Krystyna..... This is a unlike any tags I have ever found here. It is not a meme...here are the rules of the tag.
it’s a game of tag with a difference, rather than looking inwardly, we look outside ourselves and bless, praise and pray for one blog friend. By participating in this endeavor we not only make the recipient of the blessing feel valued and appreciated, but we are having some fun too. We’re going to see how far the bloggin’ blessings can travel around the world and how many people can be blessed! Recipients of a bloggin’ blessing may upload the above image to their sidebar if they choose to. If you receive a bloggin’ blessin’ please leave a comment on this thread here so that we can rejoice in just how many blessings have been sent around the world!



I am grateful to Krystyna for her prayers and blessings.....it is hard to choose three blog buddies.. I wish I could pass it on to all my friends here. But let me stick to the rules of the tag and try to come up with three wonderful bloggers from three different corners of the globe...
With the faith that one thought can make a huge difference ... I pass on my waves of love to Bharathy of spicy chilly
Mathew of Spark
Cynthia of Tastes like home.
I can feel these waves travel and reach you)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) .....................
can you?

From Chakki with love

" How can you?"
"How can you agree to spend the rest of your life with a person after meeting him once and after talking to him for a few hours!"
"How can you! how can you ?how can you ? how can you.................................................................. ( raised eyebrows on all faces twisted into a question mark(?))

Sigh!!!!.............Its not easy explaining about the turning point in one's life....life which just meandered from one phase to the next through bends and curves but still kept flowing. To those who cannot digest the fact that arranged marriages work , I would suggest them to take a tour of this institution called marriage at least half a century ago.........................


She had not met him.She packed her bags and her dreams and climbed the huge vehicle , which would take her to her future ......a future she was yet to carve .....for she couldn't fit in many missing links........after all she had not met him. Her father had given her details of her future house hold, their family background.....but she had not met him . He ,who would be her better half, who would be her soul mate!

Finally she met him during their wedding ceremony which lasted for four days...and they set out on their journey together!

"They lived happily ever after" would end this story....but this is where they began ....raised three wonderful children, treasured their six grand children, doted on their three great grand children... and today they are entering their 60th year of life together! I dedicate this post to my Abu and Ammumma , my grandparents!

............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................


In those days my grandpa never used ink pens or fountain pens .. my grandpa used to dip the tip of a feather in a bottle of ink and use it instead of pen.I should be 2 or 3 yrs old. I was fascinated by the way he dipped the feather each time in the blue liquid , and how it formed patterns on paper... ! I made certain that grandpa was not noticing me and got hold of the blue ink bottle. The moment i threw it out of the porch I got the worst spanking I could ever remember.Grandpa's five fingers were etched on my teeny tiny thighs.....that day I learnt a lesson.....never to fool around my grandpa....

I must have been 3 years old....I was at my grand parents place...and my grandma was cooking steamed rice (putttu) .There was a special pot in which puttu was steamed and the small metal plate with holes which allowed steam to pass through the rice flour was missing! this round plate was called chakki. All were searching for chakki.
"hey, chakki is here !.. I shouted "and ammumma came running. She asked me where it was ... and I said pointing towards me .. "here is your chakki"
from that day I was their chakki.

If I pen down all the wonderful moments I spend with them...it would be hard to stop....
I am just so grateful for being blessed with these wonderful people as my grandparents....whose constant prayer for our well being has made us who we are!
Wishing them healthy and peaceful years together.....

chakki

New Year Resolution accomplished!

It is an occasion to celebrate! My New Year resolution is accomplished! not just accomplished, but accomplished beyond my wildest expectation!......and here goes the flash back!

Eight months back when we landed in US, my younger son was about to turn two and I decided to slowly potty train him.It was just a matter of a few days, or may be a few weeks..the "know-all" mother in me assured. After all, I had successfully trained my elder son when he was just an year old.

Once we settled down, I started taking my toddler for regular visits to the toilet. He was an obedient son. He used his potty with ease, triumphantly walked out of the toilet and peed again on the carpet, mischief filling his eyes. I stocked up more carpet cleaning liquids and disinfectants, but continued the regular toilet trips.
One fine day, he refused to use the potty. Whenever he was gripped by nature's call, he figured out a new way to approach the situation. He yelled and ran around the whole house... that I often wondered he would have grabbed the gold medal for Olympic athletic races. He successfully had his urges under control and constipated. He continuously boosted his taste for sports.

May be what he needs is a new potty.....I thought and brought home a new cute little blue potty. He was excited and I breathed a sigh of relief when he finally sat on it. He had better imagination. All his toy animals from prehistoric dinosaurs to stuffed toys formed a queue and visited the toilet, so that they could use this new blue potty.After a while, the potty was detained to the rank of a step stool. Our bookshelves filled with kids books and fun videos that encouraged kids to use their potty. Diapers were our saviors,which drained pockets.

When Christmas approached and thoughts of Santa Claus and gifts filled the air, he was told that Santa Claus will give gifts only if he uses the potty. The thought of potty made him yell.
One day despite his screams I forcefully sat him on the toilet seat and there , he did it! Santa Claus did give him his gifts an chocolates.
Next couple of days he did scream, but its intensity reduced.From last week, he stopped screaming and started asking for stories when he did his potty. He started enjoying the undivided attention and story time in the toilet. From past two days, he is dragging me to the toilet...making himself comfortable on the toilet seat and asking me to narrate a story! This might sound pretty good.. but let me tell you, these visits to the toilet have increased to more than five times during the day....now if you don't find me home , just knock the toilet door!

A restful vacation and Happy New Year

21st Dec 2007,

Kids busy decorating a Christmas tree and writing letters to Santa Claus! ....
Parents around the dining table , savoring hot coffee and discussing plans for the 11 day vacation.
Our first white Christmas in this new country...., with evergreen trees decked in the patterns of snow, lights illuminating the elegant night .... Christmas fills the air....
The mood of vacation has already permeated the whole household.

22nd December, 2007

A family outing at an Indian restaurant after the Christmas carol service.
All set to welcome the long vacation with loads of plans ....

23rd December,

One kid is burning with fever. ...Plans for the day , postponed. ... Not to worry! there are still days to enjoy!

24th
slight improvement in the kid's fever. But still not good enough to venture out. Unable to resist the temptations offered by his sibling .....his screams and laughter, the elder one joins him. .... resulting in the shooting of temperature.

25th
Santa Claus has made our day! a huge red stocking is filled with gifts! the joy of unwrapping the gifts seems to be more precious than the gift itself.....Among the sore throats and coughs and rising temperature Santa Claus has cast his magical spell. Kids can hardly stop smiling!

26th
Visit to the pediatrician.
Visit to the Pharmacy for the medicines....advice to take rest !.....

27th, 28th, 29th, 30th 31st

Every member of the family share the same plight . All are advised to take rest. .....and take medications!

conclusion......a very eventful vacation filled with REST!.....exciting visits to the pediatrician ..... and physician! .....shopping at Pharmacy! ....all have been freaking out on cough syrups !....

This was the story of my long hibernation......but this is not a long post on my misfortune or our sickness!
this 11 days cloistered existence at home has surely brought us more closer as a family. Our illness has taught us how dependent we are on each other! ..It is not visiting exotic places , that can make us happy...it is just the time we spend with each other......i am grateful that we could all be together! ... loving and caring for each other , in the safety of home!

1st January 2008...

Wishing all of you An year filled with Love,Grace and Bliss!