Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Women - Burden or Backbone? My reflections....

The below is my entry to the Indusladies 4th Annual International Women’s Day Blog Contest!




Enough is said and written about the women liberation and empowerment in this era. Are we really? This isn't directed to a few amongst us who are so-called cultured, classy and sophisticated; who shops for groceries on-line, splurges on branded stuff, sends their kids to high-end schools and delights in either a kitty-party or a day out. Honestly, I don’t mean to humiliate those who are fortunate enough to indulge into these extravagances but what about those, whom we face each day, observe them suffering, die a horrifying death each night only to face the morning with much gusto and yet their feet firmly into the ground of realism through an abstract power to survive. Yes, I am referring to our maids, those abandoned mothers at some shady old-age homes, some homeless women roaming on the streets seeking compassion and benevolence, those little daughters physically abused each hour and those incalculable girls and women raped every fleeting second.

A woman has the greatest supremacy – the power to give birth, the power to take this human race frontward. And while we may claim that this is her prevalent forte, there are cases where the same woman is tortured and enforced to abort the foetus just because it’s a girl - another woman, in a sense! I am a born optimist. I do believe that women are undoubtedly the backbone of not just their own families but the entire human race. However, when I read about the female foetus being dumped in the trash, it irritates me; when I hear about another woman raped, it enrages me and it’s absolutely sickening when I hear cases about fathers molesting and abusing their own daughters.

Just barring a few examples, I believe we have to go far afield in accomplishing that much warranted deliverance, respect and affection for the womankind. I and you are perhaps just fortunate to have been born in the non-toxic and comfy zone we spent our childhood in, to have been married to the man who respects and cares and to have been blessed with a father, brother or a son who would lay their own lives to protect us from any odds. But each morning, when I welcome my maid along with those fresh bruises on her body (courtesy her drunkard, good-for-nothing husband) and watch her struggle for survival to meet the needs of her two useless grown-up sons and yet live a life that’s dedicated to everyone else except herself, my faith in our Goddesses Durga and Kaali shakes a bit.

Not every woman is likely to be Indra Nooyi or Sonia Gandhi or Angelina Jolie but should that stop her from being respected, valued, appreciated and loved and cared for? And when each among us is conferred with these basic moralities, just then we can proudly say that the human race has truly shed that extra burden and women are without a doubt, the backbone! 

Touché … 





Monday, February 25, 2013

A Birth of a New Hobby!

Last week just zoomed past.  The usual kiddies’ stuff, a couple of article deliverables and more prominently a melancholy of turning 35 pretty much occupied me wholly. I know, I know. I have already written a post and expressed myself about the same which ultimately helped me overcome its blues. Thank God the birthday was on Saturday and that gave me a couple of days to recuperate and face the Monday.

Apart from the birthday thing, there’s another purpose for this weekend being an extra special for me. Of late, I've been thinking of investing in a good, worth-a-while sewing machine. Blame it on the various sewing blogs, Pinterest and the numerous YouTube videos on DIY Sewing Projects.  Sewing is not a new thing for me as I have grown up watching my Mom sew everything right from our dresses to her saree-blouses all by herself. Obviously, she didn't have a high-class-loaded sewing machine so she did whatever she could with her basic Merritt model, supposed to be quite a legendary brand 35 years back. She had the one that looked similar to the Singer one shown below:



So, coming back to me, we decided to go hunting for an appropriate model for my personal use. After a brief research on the internet, I had pretty much made up my mind about the brand I needed and didn't take long to pick one up. The one I settled on is Usha Janome Allure. It looks like this…



This machine is an automatic zig zag sewing machine with two dials for pattern and stitch length selection and a free arm for circular stitching. It also has four step button holing and stretch stitching. It has 14 built–in-stitches and 7 applications of which the main ones are - stretch stitching, four step button holing, button fixing, rolled hemming, blind stitch hemming, zip fixing. Now, all this sounds a bit too technical but I am waiting for the technician to turn up and give me a demo before I get into that hobby-mode.

So, while I am trying my hands on something I never thought I would, you guys have a great week ahead!

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Turning 35! Happy Birthday to your's truly....

35 feels like a bit. An onset. A new beginning, maybe!

I am turning 35 this weekend and for some reason it seems to be a bit of a breakthrough.  Thirty-five. Five years since Thirty; Five years from Forty. When I turned Thirty, I barely noticed. I was yawning in the troughs of nurturing my new-borns.  A “milk production, constant diaper changing, ever baby cuddling, never resting and sleeping” device! I barely noticed what season it was, leave alone that I had turned thirty. It seems that ever since I have had kids, my ageing  my evolution, my progression in some way has sort of come to a shrieking standstill. And that’s been tolerable actually. I have been gifted to pretend I am still 29, the age I was when kids were born. I have virtually allowed myself believe that everything is just at a halt, waiting for me to be back into the spectacle when things are much clearer and the kids are a bit more self-reliant.

But here it is – I’ll soon turn 35. Age is banging hard on my door, whether I like it or not. Body mass has redeployed itself – stuffs around the back have appeared to have slurped through my body and settled down on the front. I've got some grey hairs, sun burns have become more superficial, and I can’t concentrate up close while reading quite well as I used to.

The other factual symptom that my life is really not at halt waiting for my reappearance is the fact that my kiddos are growing up. Nothing validates the fleeting time more obviously than children growing in front of your very eyes. Almost six years have passed by since I have entered motherhood and also turned thirty, and my growing children have ensured I don’t live in denial about that realism.

Voilà!  As so many do, I am on my way to crank into the-big-thirty-five, reacting with a squeak when I am reminded about that. Obviously, I am not too happy about it and do feel sorry for myself. But, what the heck! This defeatism and self-pity crap is surely irritating, and you know I am not the lone who does it. Why can’t we just accept this unavoidable ageing progression and the milestones that compliment it?

So to turn it up, and smack some wisdom into myself, I consider this might be a decent time to take stock. I think to cheer myself up and truly rejoice this mark of 35 years; I must list all that is worthy about this phase.  So read along as I attempt really hard to get into the mood and comment on what a marvellous half full glass 35 in reality is.
  • I can eventually just be comfortable into my own body. It is what it is! The genes have already worked their magic and the baby-making is over and done with. Well, I just can’t jump into that bikini straight away but I don’t need to give a damn to anyone while picking that maxi-dress at a store.
  • By this time, I have to recognize something. I have to have adequate life experience that I can be confident about the way the world goes round. And if someone asks for my advice on anything that I can, it better hold some water.
  • It wasn't too long ago when I was in a different set of clouds; engagement, marriage and then the babies before my child-bearing age was over. And now, I've done it! I got that wrapped up. Now it’s time to work out the next steps devoid of that crazy burden over my head.
  • Years ago, before kids were born; I despised to be on my own. It looked senseless and lonesome and too discreet. Now, I relish some time alone in my own company. To recollect myself from the past, reflect my own feelings, craft my own outlooks. OK!  I still don’t enjoy flying unaccompanied for too long, but mind you, whatever little time I get to myself, I savour and treasure.
  • At 35, all radio stations are my melodic companions. I enjoy the latest Top 10s as much as some oldies that I hum since my childhood. These melodies make me feel that I am still unaffected and when I unknowingly start swaying to the tune of ‘Pehlaa Nasha…’ I know it’s not over yet!
  • Grey hairs on me can be given up for lost as “highlights”. At least I’d like to believe so. And while we're on the subject, I know a lady who has ‘coloured’ her hair grey, so you know what I mean!
  • I give a damn to “What Not to Wear…” recommendations! At 35, I still feel like I can buy those t-shirts with all those funny little messages printed on them and get off scot-free.
  • Laugh lines just proves you've been happy and joyful. And those laugh lines just enhances your beauty when you smile.
  • As I nurture and raise my adorable Twins, in any case I know that one day, I have departed from this world with something really worthy and precious. That undeniably negates any alleged bitching and nit-picking about my age.
  • 35 is MERELY 35 and I look forward to more milestones and more achievements.
So, now that I have acknowledged I am at the refined, intelligent and gratified age, perhaps I can stand my ground and truly display how I have acquired a clue in future years. Every year onward, I am going to try very hard not to dwell (“try” being the keyword) on the “ageing” bit. Surely, enough already, it’s just frustrating. I want to live through it and keep taking stock and having a good time celebrating those achievements – big or small. And moreover, I need to get enthusiastic about what I still need to tackle, learn, rejoice and relish. My chipmunks are growing up and a little more independent – let’s deal with it, there is so much to accomplish!

And to conclude, in a casual conversation, one of my friend mentioned that the day we are born isn't intended for regretting about our grey hairs and worn-out body parts! Remember, this day is special because someone heck had a hard time herself to make your entry into this beautiful world all worth for. Yes! It’s none other than your mother. What else could be a more earnest occasion than this day to offer her a kind gratitude for her indeed incredible deed?

Whoa! We have blessed this world with our gracious presence, done some really cool things, added value in whatever big or small way and people have respected and loved us for it. And for those who want to cheer us on, we have a duty to accept that love, blow some birthday candles and get on with the party. So, a very very Happy Birthday to yours truly! Happy birthday to another stage of my life…. A bit more mellowed yet lot more mischievous!

Cheers to a new beginning!

(Many thanks to Women's Web for publishing this article on my birthday today! You guys just rock...:-)

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Advice for stressed out moms!

As I have nothing substantial to deliver in near future, all I do is reading some noteworthy blogs, especially written by those who have been there…done that! I've realised that this has hugely facilitated in overcoming some of my own deficiencies as a person, a friend, a wife and more importantly a mother. One such, I could hardly ignore and hence sharing it here word-by-word. The original post can be found at:



And if you are a busy mom too, you'll certainly co-relate...enjoy!

*****************************************************************



Advice for Stressed Out Moms


I don't know about you, but I am at my wits end.
The never ending pile of laundry, the constant meal planning and preparation, driving kids from here to there, a home that is never clean, a car that is never clean, children that are never clean, and then whiny, disobedient kids to top it off.
On top of everything mom related, there is work issues, wanting to be a good wife and all that entails, wanting to keep in touch with and be a good friend to others, to volunteer and give back in the community, as well as meet personal goals.
stressed out
I am stressed out.
The second I even let my head get in a place where I think about the stress and annoyance, the mom guilt slips in.
“But Jane is suffering from cancer and she still has a spotless home.”
“Lucy has five more kids than me and always looks flawless and calm.”
“Jill works a full time job, has two kids and four pets, volunteers at church, and has never complained once.”
“I love my kids, being constantly upset with them is wrong.”
My friend Sonya shared a great quote:
Highlight Reel
 Which reminded me of this quote: 
comparison is thief
 Go Theodore!  He is exactly right.  I have found certain satisfaction in accomplishments only to turn around, see someone else “do it better” and immediately assume mine are awful.
And as a mom, wife, daughter, etc. I know that even when I am not comparing myself to others I can be overwhelmed with life’s daily tasks.
Sometimes its just hard.
I wanted to put together a list of things that can help!  So here are a few things I do to ease my daily burdens and frustrations.
1. Embrace paper plates.  Seriously.  Get all natural organic recycled if you have to, but just try it.  At least once a week.
2. Try saying yes to a child.  I find myself saying NO all day long.  No candy, no TV, no jumping, no screaming, etc.  If I allow moments of “yes” I am finding that there is less fighting, less headaches for me, and less backtalk when I ask them to fulfill a different task.  Its good to be consistent on important issues (like no running in the street and no hitting) but the occasional piece of candy is not worth me losing my mind over!
3. Hop onto your computer and laugh.  I have this Pinterest Board called Quotes and it makes me smile every.single. time.  All it takes is a good belly laugh for me to change my mood, perspective, and ability to respond to life like a normal, sane person.  (Try reading this pin aboutRandom Acts of Kindness if you need some inspiration and joy!)
Funny Quote
4. Make time to pursue your passion.  I happen to love baking.  I bake cakes and cupcakesand brownies and cookies.  I get a sense of satisfaction in creating something beautiful.
Neapolitan Rose Cake by iambaker.net
Maybe yours is scrapbooking or needlepoint or karate or cooking or garage saleing.  Just make sure you set aside some time for you.
Most have heard this before… but I had to hear it a 1,000 times before actually listening.  I always felt like I was being selfish or unreasonable to take time away from my family to do what I felt like doing.  The truth is that nurturing your self and soul is not selfish, it is our God given duty.  He wants us healthy and calm and able to love as He calls us to!
5. Check one thing off your “list” everyday.  Now, this one was painful for me to learn.  I am talking excruciating.  Being exhausted at night hardly lends itself to the extra motivation you sometimes need to complete tasks, and in those weak moments I would much rather leave things for the morning!
Know why that is a BAD bad idea?  Then you start out your day in a negative.  Having to clean to kitchen before you can make breakfast or having to start laundry so kids have clothes that day.  Making the (sometimes hard) choice to do it that night allows a peaceful morning, and allows you to “fresh” state of mind when looking forward.
 All that being said… one of the best things I can recommend is having a trusted sounding board.  Maybe its heartfelt prayer time with God, venting while cuddling with hubby at night, or getting together with friends to compare notes.
No matter what you do, know that you are NOT alone! :)

12 ways to beat the blues!


Everyone has a doomed day when your ‘oomph’ goes missing, nothing enthrals you and your motivation is playing peek-a-boo with you. It’s as though there is a lead weight on your ‘charming self’. What can you do to get your zing back and feel happier again?
With demanding jobs, a zillion things on our ‘to-do’ list and the constant effort in living an ambitious life; it’s only human to get down in the dumps occasionally. To add to it there are other factors that aggravate; traffic in gridlock mode, kids that won’t stop sulking, maids in a huff or the economy. If this wasn't enough, many of our cheerful mornings are wiped out with just one look at the newspapers. 
We aren't always fortunate to make a trip to the spa or invite our friends or family over to de-stress and cheer us up. In this article, I will share twelve sure-fire techniques to guarantee a ‘no-prescription-required’ breeze of cheer.

1. Carve your thoughts

It’s been proven that writing down the inner thoughts can immediately benefit in feeling free and relieved. Are you peeved about a bad day at work? Write about it. Blogging is another great way of an emotional ‘pick-me-up’, since a simple act of transferring the thoughts from your head onto another medium will give you spirits of resolution.

2. Get into workout mode

Isometrics, whether hard core Pilates or even a casual stroll releases endorphins which are otherwise known as ‘happiness chemicals’. Hence, it’s a good idea to take a brisk walk whenever your mood drops. You are sure to feel the difference.

3. Organise yourself

Cluttered drawers and desks can sometimes be really alarming. Your head will be much clearer just as your working area if you take some time in organising your surroundings. You don’t have to totally empty your closets to get such an effect, however simply sorting out things in a drawer or even in your kitchen will instantly boost your morale and thus productivity.

4. Jam-jam-jamming

Music is a great source to release those ‘feel-good’ chemicals in your brain. Next time you feel low, tune in to ‘your-kind-of-music’ to blast away those dejections. Your all-time-favourite melody can transform your sulk into euphoria instantly.

5. Soul searching

None amongst us is alien to the technique of relaxation – meditation. Studies have shown that it can defend the psyche against gloomy thoughts and anguish. Try taking slow yet deep breaths just for about five minutes and you’ll be amazed to notice how light you actually feel.

6. Be rainbow bright

Get dressed in your most favourite colour, so what if it’s bright yellow. It’s been proven that colours have a reflective influence on how we feel and compose ourselves as certain shades have been associated with particular emotional states, for e.g. blue can stimulate creativity while red can aid in accuracy.

7. Relaxing scents

When you’re emotionally low, essential oils can make you feel more optimistic, calmer and blissful. A cup of tea with two teaspoons of the whole Lavender can help you unwind and feel more enriched. A few drops of the essential oil added to a warm bath at the close of a taxing day helps to battle exhaustion and ease your qualms.

8. Give me some sunshine

The sun plays a dynamic role in our fitness and well-being and not getting enough of it can make us feel pretty gloomy. So, if your morning didn't really turn out the way you envisaged, don’t fret over it with the curtains closed feeling pathetic about yourself. Instead, open the windows and blinds and enjoy that sunlight flooding in. If nothing else, this will certainly lift your mood in a tick.

9. Watch a funny video

Internet is the greatest source of funniest videos – right from the Gangnam style dancing babies to dogs on the skateboards to the re-run of your favourite comedy TV shows. It’s worth noting that laughter releases endorphin which is awesome in boosting the mood promptly. Hence, next time you feel blue, try catching up with ‘Comedy Circus’ or ‘Friends’ or even an all-time-favourite movie ‘Padosan’ which will definitely release some giggles and guffaws.

10. Flip through old photos

Who wouldn't be exultant and content looking at the photographs of good old times and our loved ones? That feeling of ease and joy is a sure remedy to revitalize your day. We seldom tend to reach for our old photo albums and what else can be a better motive than to chase off our solitude and anxiety!

11. Sex

Great sex may be one of the ultimate mood boosters, if it is within a mutually committed relationship. In fact, semen contains dominant and potentially addictive mood-altering chemicals that may enhance your mood if some of them are absorbed through the walls of the vagina.

12. Stock on snacks

We've all had our days when we’re totally dragging and instead of reaching for that pack of chips, there’s a smarter way to beat that crash. Stashing some or all of the below snacks in your fridge can be a great saver for that insta-energy.
Dark chocolate
Yep, I know I've just typed those two ridiculously sinful words. Besides having special antioxidants in it, dark chocolate keeps blood vessels in fine fettle. It also causes our body to release endorphins which enhances our mood.
Nuts, like almonds or walnuts
Nuts are confirmed to contribute an additional vigour helping you stay attentive due to the presence of Omega-3s, a well-known mood booster. So, it makes perfect sense in having a handful for munching on or adding some to your salads. Delish!
Fruits and veggies
As veggies are full of H2O, your body will promptly respond to them. And more water means energy boost. Certain vegetables like tomatoes have outrageous amounts of antioxidants, which again bless your system with happiness and good health. Fruits like oranges and grapefruits are rich in Vitamin C and hence are immediate energy promoters battling fatigue instantly.
Seafood
Seafood and shellfish contains Selenium that is accountable for the contentment that you feel, and can support you to ease anxiety and enrich you with the ‘get-up-and-go’ attitude.
Plenty of water
Sticking to that “8 glasses of water a day” rule is one of the most treasured things you can do for your physical and mental health. Revitalizing your body with more water is proved to have instantaneous energy effects adding a happy boost.
(The above article was published at Saffron Sunshine, a leading e-publication)

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Valentine's Day...what is it?


I am pissed…I am frustrated….I am upset…I am distressed…I am disappointed… and if this is really not enough, I AM irritated, angry, exasperated….and tired, too!

NO, I wasn't scrutinizing my vocabulary on the adjectives; I was fairly sharing my emotional state of being ALONE…well-nigh all by yourself, with kids hitting the sack and no one to talk to. Well, this is the typical scene at my home day after day but today? Wasn't today exceptional? Wasn't it meant to be for all those who're bound by affection, love and care? Wasn't it doomed to be spent together; with someone close to you?

Each year, I make a puerile wish and desire for something different. I hope for a variation in the monotony. I hope for something that will really sweep me off my feet. No, I am not a college kid and I am very conscious of the fact that I shall soon be turning 35, the big breakthrough in womanhood when the clock is meant to be ticking the reverse way! Well, I am someone who’s been married for the last Twelve years with an adorable set of Twins. (Disregard my recent post condemning Motherhood…that was just momentary thwart)

Still…..I love being showered with roses, gifted with chocolates, offered with amazing perfumes and invited over for a lavish, romantic, candlelit dinner! I recognise that he loves me profoundly but I also know for definite that he wouldn't do any of the above…no chance, at all!

Hence, I decided to indulge myself and make me feel special. I got these beautiful red roses, each dedicated to the most adorable people in my life. Yes, you read it right! They are dedicated to the man I love the most (after Pa, of course) and my two beloveds who undoubtedly enhance my insanity sometimes but make my life all worth for!




And although, you don't give me roses and chocolates and perfumes are perhaps, the least you are thinking, I still love you!


Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Book Review: Milan Vohra's Tick-Tock We're 30!

‘Interesting, isn’t it, how someone is always utterly attractive to someone else? For every male tree frog, there is a female tree frog whose dry skin and warts and bulging eyes are the most divine. and to you, Lara Bagai, a karela is a thing of beauty,’ Nishad comments.
So he remembers I love karela. So what?
‘I take it your interest in frogs is purely academic?’ I snigger.
‘I promise you I am not in danger of being madly besotted by one anytime soon,’ he half-smiles.



Honestly, I am not too much into reviewing the books. The only reason I agreed for this one is because I could get a chance to read one...more so, a love story that I am ridiculously addicted to and because it’s a Milan Vohra book, the Indianised version of Mills & Boon!

The book takes you through a very interesting storyline where a bunch of friends decides to celebrate their ‘turning 30’ as they had once decided to do so whenever the last one hits the mark. So, as Lara Bagai is the youngest one and the last to do so, it’s time for the celebration through a union they plan. Like Sita names it, the OTWT,' Oh Teri, We're Thirty!' affair.

The gathering has Lara cheerful and all prepped up. But there's an added deal that, unluckily, concurs with this one. The one that Lara and Nishad had made one evening agreeing to marry each other if they were both single and available by the time they both turned thirty. Lara is pretty sure that this pact was made when she was wasted.

As Lara was totally smitten by Ranndeep, her male biker boyfriend, the last thing she could ever think was the possibility of the deal turning into reality. But what the heck! She is soon turning thirty and still single as Ranndeep turned out to be a douchebag and moreover, Nishad hasn’t forgotten about the pact.

Then comes Perzaan, the Turkish bartender and Lara’s fake boyfriend for a week until the SN gang is in the house. Does she pull through this or the smart Nishad sees anything through this pretence? Well, this is not the only story playing hard at the pajama-wala uncle’s house and there are few others playing out, too. Old flames are wafted and relighted, odd couplings materialize, sensual angles get definite, and sexual dysfunctions get amended! Full of mischiefs and excitement, food carousels and journeys down memory lane, tricks and fights, Tick-tock, We're 30 ensues at an incredibly curt speed.

There is sufficient melodrama in these 400-odd pages. The characters are superbly outlined ---from the recurrently constipated Thin Rita to pleased eye, Sai. Odds are that you'll have a pictorial silhouette of each one of them in your cognizance while analysing this book. Great on comedy and dialect idioms, you will somehow not complaint the fact that the book is a bit too extended. In spite of everything, you'd still need to see who each one will end up with and in what way. It will also make you wonder how such a dissimilar set of charismas can be so unified too.

Milan Vohra inscribes modestly and for India's first Mills and Boon novelist, her style is amazingly without overemotional slush and sugary romanticism, although assumed the topic, it could so effortlessly have gone down that street.

On the downside, she could have cut down on certain explanations reducing the number of pages! In all, a good bed-side read!

(This book review is a part of the Promotion conducted by Women's Web, a leading online publication for today's women)

Thursday, February 7, 2013

My kinda days!

It’s been a real long time I have updated anything on my Blog; and I still pride myself calling a ‘passionate’ blogger…..Huh! Doesn't go too well down the throat, isn't it?

It’s not that I wasn't; I really was meaning to be here, write here, vent out my emotions and trust me, I badly needed doing that over the last few days. Things have been particularly challenging on the home-front. Since my last full time maid gave it a quit, I am in a bad shape. Not that I don’t manage home well, I certainly do. What’s challenging and particularly strenuous is managing home and two 5 year old simultaneously.

Any mom to a toddler will sympathise with me and more specifically because I am dealing with two at a time. Imagine, just while you are dumping the laundry into the washing machine, you hear the screams and shouts in kids room and you rush leaving that damn thing alone. You finally manage to load it, start it on and just while you are hanging the freshly laundered clothes on the dry-line, you make another quick dash to attend ‘I-am-thirsty-need-some-water-right-now-Mamma’ calls. And after you've managed the laundry, other mundane routine, attended those thousand ‘Madam-you-need-a-personal loan/credit card’ and similar other calls, ensured kids are well fed, you are finally just about to dig into that bowl of fish curry and BINGO! You hear another loud shriek… "Mamma, Potty!” Damn the Motherhood! I know I've just won a blog-contest on the similar theme that even featured in 'Mother’s World' magazine but still…Damn the Motherhood at such insane times!

From all the above, I've learned a hard lesson. I am not perfect and certainly not a super-mom and neither aspire to be one any time sooner. All I am asking for is a little help to support me overcome these blues and tackle the responsibility I've chosen. Yes, the responsibility of bringing up my Twins!

Hence, the last couple of weeks were totally dedicated towards the ‘Maid Hunt”… There’s a peculiar thing I have to share here. My maid search really turns out to be pitiful and nasty each time I try; however after a couple of court-martials, I am always fortunate to nail one of the good ones; although it's a different story that our association doesn't last long enough to cherish. So, when I shooed-away those couple of ‘trial-basis’ maids, I knew somewhere deep down that the ‘good one’ is still to arrive and I guess I was dead-on there!

Finally managed to employ two maids – one exclusively for cooking and the other to take care of other chores like doing dishes, cleaning the cooking hob, kitchen appliances, etc.  Well, just to mention, in addition to these new hires, I am lucky to have been blessed with another one who takes care of cleaning/mopping/dusting/bathrooms/etc. So, that makes my home disposed to three different maids at three different times. Hubby dear wasn't particularly happy about my choice of employing two maids in addition to the one we already have. Not to mention, I convinced him…well, honestly, he didn't have another choice than getting convinced and that’s a separate story…need to blog about that in a separate post!

So, finally, my two new extended family members resumed their respective duties on the first day of this month which was an apt anniversary gift for me which we celebrated on 3rd. And the fact that, one of them is still working while I write this, makes me believe that some of our stars have matched well....(until now).

Finding a good maid in Metros is a real pain in the a**. With a number of ‘both-husband-and-wife-working’ families around, they are highly in demand and are easily susceptible to even a slight salary-raise. Only few actually value the relationship and the bond which gets eventually built up as the days, months and years pass by. Hence, though finding a good maid is a hazard, managing to keep one stuck to you after all that time you've invested in training her is a rather bigger and on-going challenge.

Well, for the time-being, I am enjoying some ready-made food and more so excited about the pleasure of dumping a used plate in the sink without having to worry about cleaning the kitchen and keeping it spick- and- span.

Voilà! I'm finally having ‘my-kind-of’ days and am loving them! Bring it on….:-)

Friday, February 1, 2013

Boys will always be boys...

A picture says a thousand words....what say???



But Boys are fun, too....especially the little ones....I love mine..:-)