In 2014, I worked hard in office and at home, not that I did not work hard before; but the rewards that your hard work pays you make you forget all the pain and bask in its pleasure. As an employee, a professional, and an individual the happiness of receiving an award and appreciation for your work, is immense, especially when you put in a lot of efforts and churn it with your creative juices. This award was followed by an opportunity to showcase my skills of documenting and anchoring, which were again, rewarding! Along side I could read, watch movies and sing too, which kept me relaxed during stressful times.
Lucy comes home!!
My first ever experience of having a pet..... that too a dog, but she attracted me and Minty instantly. She came home on a chilly winter evening as a month old pup. Due to lack of pet knowledge I could not make out if she was a labrador retriever or a golden retriever. Eventually I learnt that she was a labrador. Oh! how tenderly we used to hold her and feed her. She used to sleep for most of the time and played for a while in winter sun. The moment she drank milk, she couldn't walk, as we did not know how much to feed her. But the fact is she has been a relief from my wary thoughts during my health hiccups. And how quickly she grew...... cannot imagine not having her in our lives now. Since she came home, every day has been a wonder with her small actions and gestures. Perhaps that's the power of affection.
She is an year old now and wants to have all possible varieties of food that we have. She waits for me to come home from office and gets impatient if I am late. Never fails to show the same amount of excitement every day to receive us home. Very affectionate and adorable doggie who seldom troubles. When it was time for Minty to leave home for Delhi, she was very upset as she would miss Lucy badly. But, I guess, she's lucky to have another pup coming home, where she stays. Simba is a brown and black german shepherd, equally adorable. Now both of us have become huge fans of doggies and I find cuteness in every dog I see. More of "The Lucy Show" in future...
Blissful miscellany in 2014
- January saw my humble garden blooming with roses. I resolved to grow a herb garden but could not accomplish the task; hoping to do it this year atleast.
- While February brought in with it the freshness of Valentine's Day, March brought in a happy harbinger of meeting a school friend, after almost 27 years. He dropped in enroute to a place in Rajasthan on official work. We met for lunch and chatted away happily. The joy of meeting friends and reliving the moments of childhood is bliss!
- March to July was a hectic period with a variety of examinations that Minty was taking. Class XII followed by a range of admission tests. She made us proud with her meritorious performance in Class XII Boards and also by securing admission in the most coveted Delhi University. Though after a bit of emotional melancholy, she learned to live her life well. I'm sure parents of single kids will understand the trauma of leaving their kids all alone in a new place; and we learn to get over it.
- August and September were stable months with routine activities.
- October was filled with some good moments and shopping at Bangalore, Mysore and Ooty. Loved the wooden monkeys!
- November was an official learning experience and Diwali at home.
- December was again a professionally busy month but the highlight was meeting another long lost friend with whom I reconnected just in October. My official visit to her city was a chance for me to meet and chat up. Very glad to have reconnected and relive the college days!
Of books, movies n relaxation....
Erma Bombeck! The one who you cannot miss reading. Bought two more of her books this year. Truly, how to view your woes from a humorous angle, one can learn from her. I loved this husband-wife conversation from one of hers:
"I see our children as kites. You spend a lifetime trying to get them off the ground. You run with them until you're both breathless... they crash... you add a longer tail... they hit the rooftop... you pluck them out of the spouting... you patch and comfort, adjust and teach. You watch them lifted by the wind and assure them that some day they'll fly... Finally, they're airborne, but they need more string and with each twist of the ball of twine, there is a sadness that goes with the joy because the kite becomes more distant and somehow you know it won't be long before this beautiful creature will snap the lifeline binding you together and soar as it was meant to soar - free and alone."
"That was beautiful. Are you finished?"
"I think so. Why?"
"Because one of your kites just crashed into the garage door with his car... another is landing here with three surfboards with friends on them and the third is hung up at college and needs more string to come home for the holidays."
Cannot agree more!! though our kite is quite responsible and seldom troublesome ;)
Among good reads Ashta Vakra Gita and Mitch Albom's The Time Keeper are worth mentioning.
Among movies of 2014, Highway and Rang Rasiya are well made. I liked them both. Also collected and watched some very good Marathi movies, fun stuff like Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai and some serious stuff like Natrang, Kak Sparsh. During Christmas season I collected some Hallmark Channel movies. Watched some like The Golden Christmas, The Christmas Shepherd; planning to watch the others too. Among Telugu movies Manam, Vennela, Seetamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu were good. We enjoyed watching them. I remember watching Marley & Me with Minty. It was past midnight when it got over by which time both of us had two damp hankies by our side and we ran to check upon Lucy.
“Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.”
― Late Sh. B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life
Yes, it does. I have realized it again. Especially during stressful times, it gives you the required strength to endure and tide over. Though I tend to be lax in incorporating activities into my routine some times, I do resume after a while. I'm glad I do and have gotten back to it now. Also attended a "Happiness" program of The Art of Living (AOL); liked the Sudarshan Kriya method of Pranayama. I follow some pranayama techniques like Anulom Vilom, Kapal Bhati, Brahmari, Bhastrika and Ujjayi, as a part of yoga regimen. But as I said, it is difficult to stick to a plan if you are alone. Attending the weekly follow up sessions of AOL along with other participants provides for guided pranayama. Thinking of joining the group....
Missing Tarla Dalal...
She had the wizardry of turning ordinary things into extra ordinary as far as food is concerned. Her simple and practical recipes have made a cooking-uninterested person like me to change her point of view. As I got married soon after finishing my college, I hardly knew how to cook. I must admit that my husband was my first cooking guide. Then I bought myself a Tarla Dalal's Pleasures of Vegetarian Cooking. That is how I started taking nuances in this business. I am not a great cook, but my family loves when I cook. They prepare themselves to walk a mile after food, when I cook. What can be a better appreciation than this!! When I came to know about my high blood sugar levels, I was devastated. That is when again Tarla Dalal came to my rescue (not to forget the contribution of walking and yoga in my life). Her blog and website became my instant look-up and reference point. I could overcome the fear of food. My food is what the family eats happily. One of my favourite recipes from her blog is: Varagu (kodo millet) Upma. This humble millet is very healthy for all. There are several other recipes that can be tried with this millet. More in future...
Source: www.tarladalal.com
Thanks for reading this post.
I hope to write some interesting stuff in coming weeks.
Until then have a wonderful weekend and stay tuned!
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