Love You Mom!

Coco and mommy in Lansdowne

It was a chaotic morning as usual this Friday, like all school day mornings. To add to my stress, Coco was in a bad mood, sleepy, whiny and not ready to go to school. Somehow, we got ready and reached school. But he refused to get down from the car and insisted that the school was closed today. I gathered up my last fragments of waning patience and asked him if we could just go and check whether it was open or not. If it was closed, he could come back with me. If it was open, well, we shall see then! Nope, not ready to come!

Chef Coco on Labor Day 

Thereafter, I tried to convince him by telling him that Mother's day was around the corner, so there might be some card making today, it will be so much fun and he will give mommy a card today. Nada! Not charming enough. At last I picked him up and deposited him inside the school gate where one of the teachers received him. As it is, we are always five minutes late, no matter how fast we get ready. But it is still acceptable because a lot of kids are coming around that time. Any later than five minutes, and the school gates look abandoned. Everything suddenly seems to grow eyes, looking at me accusingly, 'you're late!'

The whining turned into wailing that I could hear from far away, but kept walking to my car. Mornings are sometimes tough like that. 

When I went back at noon to pick him up, it was a happy sight to see the children coming out and handing a colorful flowery card to their respective moms, with the teachers reminding them of how they taught them to say 'I  love you mom.' I waited for my turn as I saw smiling, glowing mothers walking out with their kids. So, my prediction this morning was correct. Though there was some more activity scheduled solely for mothers the next day, a card was a must today. However, 'I love you' is something that Coco and I say all the time to each other. Expressions of love need not be restricted to special days.

In a few minutes, Coco came out smiling, holding a paper poppy flower and ran straight to me saying, 'See, ma'm gave me caad.' His 'Ma'm' interfered, asking, 'Coco, how should you say it?' Coco thought for a moment and held the card to me, saying, 'Ye lo, Mother Day.'

His mam asked, 'And?' He racked his brains, then mam hinted, 'Love you?'

His eyes lit up as he remembered and jumped, 'Love you mom!' 

'Aww, I love you too baby!' I said and hugged him, picking him up instantly. Though I knew I was going to get a card and hear 'love you mom,' it still made my heart skip a beat. I smiled at the teacher, wishing her good day, thankful for my dark sunglasses which didn't show my misty eyes. All of a sudden, I was missing my mom.

Sunny Side Up

                                     

Hello there! A lot has happened in between my last post and today. The calendar has changed for starters! So wishing you a great year ahead. Stay happy and keep visiting this place. :)

The weather in these parts is awesome. While the rest of Northern Plains are shivering in a foggy winter, we get some respite with the bright sunshine and clear weather. The above picture was taken yesterday, in a moment of wondering how much bluer the sky could get here! Though we got our share of rain showers last week too, it was not too much of an impact.

Meanwhile we are making our hay while the sin shines.. ;) I mean, we enjoy our daily routine of bean bag-tea-knitting-playing-running in the garden, which has also been planted with flower plants and we hope to see some flowers by next month.

This time the project is for myself, and I am really happy with this colour and the feel of this Oswal Moher-lon yarn, which is a blend of Mohair and nylon ( my best guess). Best part is it is quite photogenic :D. Being the follower of a few foreign craft blogs, I often wonder about the sad state of yarns availability in India, and the sadder state of knitting. No information is provided on yarn labels, and the sellers are equally uninformed. In the past month I have visited 3 handicraft/handloom fairs and have seen what they are selling in the hand-knitted sweater shops and am really disappointed. 

Anyways, my last project which was a red sweater and beret for my sister was successfully completed and delivered and liked by the recipient. I just could not get a decent enough picture of it clicked and would hope that she would get one for me.

On that note of great hopes and expectations in this year, I once again wish happy sunny days ahead for everyone.

Happy Diwali!

Of the five Diwalis after my marriage, this one was only the first time that we three were together, Coco, his father and I. It had to be special. I remembered what I used to do on Diwali during my college days. I would spend the entire day decorating the house with flowers and making rangoli. These used to be two of my favorite activities on the festival of lights, which actually gave me the feel of the festival, apart from my mom's Dahi-vada. Somehow, I could not carry on both these practices for various reasons after I left home.

Celebrating this Diwali as a family of three, I chose to do what was closest to my heart, but in a much more organised(read scopeful of being lazy) manner. I asked my husband to bring marigold garlands and left him to decorate them as he pleased. That is one major task done! Without even moving a finger. I love delegating tasks suddenly. And I love my husband :)   

Then , I dedicated myself to making rangoli, with colored semolina (sooji), which was also coloured by yours truly the previous night, while preparing Dahi Vadas and Gulabjamuns on special demand. :) (I am not so lazy, people!) With most of the cooking out of the way, this day was carefully kept aside for decorating garlands and making rangolis etc. so that we could enjoy everything about the festival without being too rushed. And I must admit that the task of making rangolis is not only enjoyable, it makes you proud at the end of it too. 

See what I mean? I have captured a picture of this rangoli from every angle possible, feeling better at every shot. A sense of relief, calmness and happiness, all come together and envelope me.

 And this is the bigger picture, which shows where actually was this small semi circle of colored sooji present on my veranda. (Those spears have a long story. Some other day!!) And you can very well sample the fine work that my husband did with those flowers. ;) Earthen lamps were placed on the rangoli in the evening after Laxmi-pooja duly and happily, though we were getting terribly late for our social gathering. 

 And this is something that was lying as an empty rum bottle behind the dustbin in my kitchen for a couple of months. Then it spent a few days on my craft-counter, among paintbrushes and colours. Their company surely transformed its personality but on Diwali day, it took 5 minutes and a fairy light string to further transform it into this glamorous lamp, suitably lighting up a dark corner.

It was intensely gratifying to see how I could give shape to my own celebrations with gentle touches of colour and creativity. I am happily skipping like a little girl, standing on the threshold of the main door, craning out to see the rangoli, then peeking back in to see the bottle-lamp, now rangoli, now lamp and again...yayyy!! 

Oh, I remember, there is one more bottle lying in my kitchen, this time donated mindfully by my dear husband, after he witnessed what I could do with rum bottles, er.. empty ones I mean!   

It is amazing how small things are capable of providing such great happiness. One only needs to find the right thing. Small enough!

Happy Valentine's Day

8 a.m. approximately

Me: Baby, good morning!
Coco: (sports his toothless grin)
Me: Happy Valentine's Day...
Coco: Ghh....boo!