Bliss.

Bliss.

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Unwelcome Relief.

So here's an attempt to try and look at the brighter side of things. Perhaps the holidays are not what I had hoped for but there's a month to go and it doesn't hurt in the least to look at the glass half full. :)

The idea is to complain less and appreciate the good things. I finally got to meet Sanjana after she did the classic trick of pretending to be mad at me and pop up at my place when I least expect it! It was the most unexpected thing at probably just what I needed then. The following day, I met Pingi and we had the usual banter just that suddenly 23 seems like a bigger number than the time when we were little kids without dreams as high as the sky!

So Di and I tried building the DJ Krishnu DogBot and the gears weren't all that flexible so we tried doing the TurtleBot which was partially successful but here again we were thwarted by the gears which just don't seem to coordinate. Yet, it's interesting to put them all together and watch the wheels in motion, if only slightly when placed in sunlight/ close proximity to a 100W bulb. :)

 I think the best part is having Di urge us to try and fix the loopholes, reading the instructions herself and trying to set up the whole thing. 


Probably my most prized possession till date! <3
This is just the setting sun!
 So last week was the much awaited Super Moon/ Blue Moon/ Red Moon with the Lunar Eclipse touted to be a once in 150 year phenomenon so Di and I headed to Lalbagh along with Sahana where I was actually surprised to see people spanning all age groups in large numbers. While the Red Moon eluded us for the most part, we did see a spectacularly bright moon later which was captured appreciably in Pingi's phone. 



The Culinary Diaries:

These holidays have been spent trying to gain some experience in the culinary department, if nothing else. What began with the initial basics of Rasam, Sambar, Palya and Batter preparation has progressed to a variety I (and Di!) are interested in. 
We've dabbled in Gobi Manchuri, Palak Paneer, Alu and Gobi Parotas, Masala Puri, Pani Puri, Pav Bhaji, Godhi Biscuits, Sweet Pongal and even some lip smacking Paneer Tikka that was in short supply after increased demand. :)
Pardon the pathetic 'plating skills',
I don't have the finesse of your television chef!

The second picture, is the all too familiar Sabudhana Kheer 
which we tried with some jaggery instead.
So you might have heard of Sabudana or Tapioca Pearls which Amma needed for a craft item she was trying out and I tried out this recipe and it turned out just fine. It's basically a Maharashtrian Recipe and it made for a good evening snack. Aided of course, by Di, who helped in every stage of it's preparation. :)

 Check out the recipe here :) 

The evenings from Tuesday to Friday are spent in the art class where little ones come home to learn drawing and painting. I'm usually assigned the youngest of the lot (the ones who believe they are Baahubali, the ones who show me the gap in their toothy smile, and the ones who ask for an 'ice-cream star' for drawing neatly) so it makes for interesting evenings. :)
When he knows only Bengali and
I know only basic HIndi
The one who wants to
draw cars, ships and trains :)


So I finally caught up with Padmaavat and was rather in awe of the Rajput culture, couture and the grand set up from their glittering palaces to the intricate details in their designer wear. Not to mention the stellar expressions, the stories conveyed through mere eye contact and yes, a mention to the maniacal ruler that is Khilji. Of course, it is a movie and just that. History cannot be gleaned from the same since it is after all, an exaggeration of reality or perhaps a portrayal of a work of fiction (Padmavat was a poem by Mallik Muhammad Jayasi).

On an other note, I recently noticed the stark contrast between myself and my close(st?) relatives whom I FINALLY caught up with. Perhaps it stems from my own disinterest that has built over time, or the paucity of time during the course of the academic year or the convenient excuse to attribute it to the prevailing situation; but I find myself in the dark about civic issues. In the sense, I am aware, yet I am not pro-active in the least. While it is commendable that they are part of ECO groups, active members of the Welfare association, plant saplings in the neighborhood, initiate and conduct a fest in their area,  organize e-waste collection drives and protest against Modi's flex banners in the event of his arrival in Bangalore, I'm currently living through each day, trying to make sure Di packs her bag and gets to her van in time, making her a snack for the evening and trying HARD to get her to open her books and read. Yes, this is from the same person who once started a nature club and tried to get people to be more eco friendly. 

I really think it's about how much of an effort we make to fight and buy time for the things that matter to us. After all, everyone has a busy schedule these days with the constant struggle between work and family but perhaps we can all steal some time for anything that WE feel deserves some attention. :)

Here's hoping for a good week! Cya readers. 

As for the title? look up "caregiver burden".