I am on a break!

S and I saw 'Dostana' yesterday night and it was a much-needed distraction from all the tension and sad turn of events in the Mumbai terror attacks. Those images haunt me and I keep going back to what their families must be going through. I send a silent prayer for all them to cope with their loss, its very difficult, easier said than done....but life has to go on for them. Me too. The Mumbai Siege reiterates the fact that we should live each day as it comes and enjoy every single day doing things you have always wanted to, like there is no tomorrow...literally!
I leave for Italy tomorrow night and my flight is from Mumbai-Delhi-Helsinki-Rome. I can't help but fervently hope that we return home safely. Of course, finally it is DESTINY. But I have to admit that there is a morbid fear of 'what-if', must admit! What has become of my beloved country? We will come through this, this too shall pass. I know that!

Anyway, I am hoping to have a lovely holiday and explore the lovely country Italy is! :) I hope I am missed a teeny weeny bit when I am away!! I will be away for 2 weeks, on vacation, the much awaited trip to Italy with my S! I am back on the 18th of December. I shall be back with stories and pictures to share with you guys. See you all on the other side of my break! :) Keep smiling!!!

Horror Stories!

I am very scared of watching of ghost movies, not the gory ones where the characters wear make up or masks. The movies that have the most unpredictable things happening especially the background music. On Friday night, S and I were watching ‘1920’ and halfway through the movie, S wanted to go read a book in the bed. I pleaded with him to sit with me and watch! (Now, I am very scared but I want to see the entire movie too. Yup, I am weird!).

Then we got into this conversation about whether ghosts exist and stuff like that. S said he didn't believe in it. I said I do believe there are spirits, how else can you explain this feeling that someone touched you or you get up in the middle of the night when you are sure you heard something?

I remember when I was a kid, I went to Delhi for a vacation and my cousin narrated a ghost story so well that I didn’t sleep for many days. I also watched ‘The Alien’ along with my brother in my neighbour’s place and came back home with horrified images in my mind. For atleast a week, I would get up in the middle of the night and cry that my stomach is swollen and an alien is going to burst open! My poor Mom had to go to work the next day and she too had sleepless nights, thanks to yours truly! She would scold me that if you are so scared, why do you watch all this crap??!!!

I am incorrigible that way. I still watch them even now fully knowing i'll have sleepless nights. Especially if S is away and I am home alone, I can’t wait for the day to dawn! I will count from 1 – 3, and run to the bedroom from the lounge. If I am thirsty and I would feel like drinking water, I won’t go to the kitchen for water. I will simply sleep thirsty!!

I don't know why I do that but I recollect the scary images from the movie, and then utter shlokas to calm myself or to sleep. :D I have to watch ‘normal stuff’ before I go to sleep.

Wish me luck coz S is gonna be away travelling and I really hope there is no horror movie on T.V! Anyone has similar stories to share? :)

Its a GOOD sign!

A few days back, Amma told me that she has been reading 'Sai Charitham' for good things to happen to both her children, me and my brother. She called me at work and asked me to go to a Shirdi SaiBaba temple, if possible, and that too on a Thursday and it was that same day. She felt she had an intuition and good feelings about it and insisted I should go right in the evening.

Though, I was real tired after a long day at work, I decided to go to the temple atleast for Amma's sake. I parked my bike as it was a super busy road and walked up to the temple. I went in, prayed and did my namaskaarams and when I looked into his eyes, I could see a kind face with really warm eyes and I felt as if he was saying to me 'Don't worry, you are my child. I will take care of you'. I felt really good and felt a sense of calm...I honestly felt nice going to the temple. I was quiet for a long time, at peace with myself, which is really rare with me!!

Today, an elderly couple whom I have never met before, but stay in our apartment complex, came home to invite us for the Sthapna of Sai Baba. They gave us the most beautiful invitation I have ever seen, ornate with embroidery and I was so excited to see the exact picture of Sai Baba on the cover, that I saw in the temple!!! I am overwhelmed with joy and feel its a good sign from HIM.
I don't think its just a coincidence.Thank you God, for being so kind to me and for everything you have blessed me with!! :) I called Amma to tell her this and she was overjoyed to say the least!! :-) KEEP THE FAITH.

Let go!

Every one comes into your life for a reason (Courtesy Brian A. "Drew" Chalker). Some of them stay for a reason, a season and a lifetime. We all often learn and unlearn a few things from each other. Though, I often proudly declare that I don't care what others think about me or perceive of me, I was wrong. I do care! But I have realized that my concern is misplaced. Respect is very important in every relationship, be it a friend, your partner or your sibling. PERIOD.

Most of us spend a lot of time wondering what others will think of us or trying to please someone who is not totally worth the effort. Life is short and is filled with numerous possibilities. Make the most of it, hang on to your loved ones and experience joy. Believe in HIM, he will take care of everything. Have faith, Be good...he does. He knows when it is the right time and everything will fall into place.

In fact, I remember Preeti writing a post on 'Radiators and Drains'. She explains how some people come into your life and radiate positive thoughts and how some Drains do everything they can, to make you feel miserable, sad or unworthy. Stay clear of such associations. Move on. My mom often tells me 'Nobody is worth suffering'. I have come across many people who do not let you feel happy and harass you emotionally. This is all I feel right now - “Treat others as you want them to treat you because what goes around comes around”.

S often tells me 'You cannot get hurt until you want to get hurt yourself '. I am hurt today coz I want to get hurt probably. I have learnt a lesson, the hard way round. Right now, I have decided to let go. LET GO. I am in a happy place now and noone can take it away from me, by God's grace. I am good. Infact, GREAT!!! :-)

Lighter moments...

...For some reason I remembered this and I need to put this up here!! When I was staying in my rented flat, a dear friend and neighbour S ( she reads this blog too) would come over for a chat with her daughter. One of those days, she went down to her place to run some errand while her 3-4 yr old daughter A stayed with me. I was wearing a colorful beaded bracelet and she wanted it. As we played with each other, she pulled the bracelet with all her might and it came off and all the beads were strewn over the floor. She looked at me for a long time and then came up to me and said ' Mein tere pav padthi hun, mujhse galthi ho gayee...mujhe maaf kar do! ' ( I fall on your feet, I made a mistake, please forgive me) with a very sad face and cuteness-personified. I forgot all about my lovely bracelet and had a hearty laugh....and said 'of course, its ok!! You don't worry baby...'

Kids!! Influence of TV!! I don't think I can ever forget that episode...I relate it to people all the time!!! Kids are sooo cute sometimes that you can't stay mad for too long :-)

People need love even when they don't deserve it

....I have always believed that LOVE is what makes us all happy and I posted the Poll on the blog to reiterate my belief. The Poll results confirmed that and how! Everyone voted only LOVE as their source of happiness as compared to Money or success.

One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is LOVE!

I don't understand why...

Its ok to smile and laugh when you are happy, but its a sure sign of weakness if you cry.

If a man is assertive and confident, he has a great personality while a confident and assertive woman is arrogant and aggressive.

If a man prioritizes his family over everything else, he is a family man while a woman is unprofessional and makes excuses.

If a woman has a career and even remotely ambitious, she is running after money.

If women chat up, its gossip, while the men are having an intellectual conversation.

When the woman takes up a job, it is only expected that she support the family when the standard of living is so high while the man helps out a bit at home, he is nothing less than a martyr or hero!

If a man gets promoted, he is capable and deserving while the woman surely must be having an affair with her boss or flirts too much to get there.

Disclaimer: The above observations are not reflective of my personal life but just a few things I have noticed happening in and around me, some of them with me too!! I am also not a woman's libber or anything, I just find that this is absolute discrimination.

SUPW!

Wondering what SUPW is?? Well, back in school, we used to have a period dedicated to SUPW, which means Socially Useful and Productive Work. We would all do some craft work with glue and other little shiny stuff...and we did pretty well. Over the weekend, I did the same thing as S was watching cricket and I wanted to give him at least some time, before I demand that he switch channels!! :D So I did some craft work in my pet-project, my teeny little garden!!!

1. Took some random stones and stuck it on the mutka which we don't get to use!

2. Rearranged the rack to include a night-lamp that we don't use!

3. Stuck the un-used sunflowers which do not float anymore for some reason unknown to me, on the wall.






















4. Stuck some blue stones on the clay-uruli amma got me, when we all went to a home decor exhibition in Pune and put some floating flowers in it.

5. Took our magazine rack and put it up on the wall.

Even if i say so myself, I am mighty pleased with it!!! :D

Little things!

I am stuck in a traffic jam for more than 3o minutes and totally frustrated with the whole situation, coz I really want to go to my cozy home after a long day at work.....when a baby smiles and coos at me and continues to smile, from an auto nearby! I can see spectacular fireworks in the sky, some one has saved some crackers for Diwali! :-)

There is a huge smile on my face and I am in a happy place! :D

For Pasta Lovers!

(Picture sourced from the net)

Ingredients:
For the sauce:

ginger paste
garlic paste
tomatoes - 3
chopped onions - 1
1 cup milk
2 cheese slices
oregano and other herbs for seasoning

Pasta

any pasta you like - macaroni, fussilli, etc.

Assorted vegetables - chopped ( mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, beans, etc..)
Procedure:

1. Pour some oil in a wok and fry the ginger and garlic paste till it changes color. Meanwhile, grind the chopped onions and tomatoes into a puree.
2. Transfer the puree into the wok and fry for about 3 - 5 minutes till the mixture starts leaving out water. Add the seasonings, the oregano and other herbs.
3. Warm the milk in the microwave for a minute or till it is slightly warm. Cut the cheese slices and add it to the milk.
4. Add this milk-cheese mixture into the tomato puree mixture in the wok.
5. Simmer for 5 minutes, you may also add some more milk if you feel it is too thick. It must have the consistency of condensed milk yet not too thick.
6. Boil the pasta like you would normally do ( In warm water with salt and a drop of oil) and keep aside.
7. Saute different vegetables with salt till it is cooked. Add this to the boiled pasta..
8. When the pasta is ready to be eaten, dribble the sauce over the pasta-vegetable saute and have an awesome meal! You can sprinkle some grated cheese before you serve ( if you want to!)
   Bless me as you eat! :D

Preparing for the trip...

Preparations are in full swing for our Italy Trip...we have started processing the visa formalities and also been discussing what can be covered in Rome, Venice, San Gimignano, Capri and Naples...like the 'must-see' places...any suggestions are welcome, please hit the comment space!

Got an awesome bag yesterday while we bought a big trekking bag for the trip. I am going to inaugurate it only on the trip...which is exactly a month away, and if you know me personally, you would know how much self-control it required for me to not use something new! But i will wait...after all, patience is a virtue!

I finally found a cordurouy coat in Camp ( in Pune) and it looks pretty awesome! I love it, was not as expensive as I expected it to be...

S and I will need to take a day off for the Visa, as we need to go to Mumbai for the interview. I have heard so much about the 'Deccan Queen' from my friends that I wanted to go there by 'Deccan Queen'. S is not too keen, he prefers a taxi, but I convinced to go atleast one way, maybe when we get back here...So the plan is after the Visa interview, we will go shopping in Mumbai, I know of "Linkin Road", can localites or Mumbai-experts give me some suggestions for shopping? We might as well make use of the day off, and I have heard so much about the variety-price advantage in Mumbai, I have to see it to believe it. I am only going to window-shop, I promised S! Between you and me...yeah, right!! ( Again, please hit the comment space, if you have suggestions)

Edited to add: My Mumbai trip is cancelled and my shopping plans have gone kaput! Coz the visas got stamped without an interview as S has travelled to Europe earlier and I have also been to UK a couple of years back. So much for my plans! Hmmppph.....S is very happy about all the money we have saved!

This weekend was good fun, watched movies back-to-back on Zee Studio, HBO, Star Movies and Cable that I have lost count of how many movies we saw! Also, I am mighty thrilled about my culinary expertise. We go to a restaurant called 'East Street Cafe' and another Italian Cuisine Restaurant, I forget the name, they serve some amazing pasta with the most fantastic sauce. I figured out how to make that sauce at home by trial and error and I was able to figure out the ingredients as well. It was super awesome!! Now, we don't have to spend so much money eating outside, I can make it right here at home and that too that tastes exactly like the one served in the fancy restaurants. My love for pasta is an acquired taste, thanks to S! I am so glad I can make it myself now, I wrote it down in my recipe book lest i forget...any takers?