Us

Posted as part of May Photo a Day Challenge.

Book Reviews have moved..

.. to Any Excuse to Read.

As I mentioned the other day, that I have been thinking on these lines, and since so many of you liked the idea, I decided to do it I exported most of my reviews, although some of them seem to have not got exported. But that’s alright i guess, at least the new ones will be there.

So do hop over and check out my latest review And for those of you who don’t want to read reviews, you won’t get bothered by them here

Go

Ready, Set, Go! Fingers crossed, it works! That’s me, all set to try my new handblender.

I wish it were as simple as it sounds, but nothing ever is, is it?

One of the side effects of relocating, settling in, and then re-relocating is that half your possesions seem to be in transit, permanently. I’ve got one stand mixer with food processor, one mixer grinder and one wet grinder coming in my shipment. So understandably, I was not too keen on buying another kitchen appliance, but. There’s always a ‘but’, isn’t there? I needed something to puree stuff and the like, so decided to buy a basic, really basic hand blender, to make do, until I get my stuff. So I went and picked up something for £6.50. Then we went to another shop(we did a LOT of shopping), saw something similar for 4.50. Had to buy that! It was 2 pounds cheaper! So I had this other blender to return which decided to do that another day.

On opening the pack, realized that it was one unit. The blade unit could not be detached so washing it would be one big hassle. Why on earth, would they manufacture something like this? Its plain ridiculous! That had to go back. So now, I have two blenders to return, and a new one to buy.

The next weekend, we went about returning blenders and buying a new one. A more expensive one this time, the cheapest clearly had issues.

All was fine, it looked perfect, had a bunch of attachments(which I didn’t really need, but were nice to have), and I looked all set. So I attached the chopper, just to test it out, and tried unattaching it. It refused to budge. It was stuck, and refused to move. I got a little worried, so decided to leave it until husband gets home, and have him have a go as well.

The next weekend, when he got home, he got to have a try, but no luck. So we had no option but to take it back to the store, where the manager looked at us rather suspiciously,thinking, I’m sure ‘who are these people who can’t make a blender work?’ but returned it anyway. Thank god for that! It would have been 30 pounds down the drain otherwise!

So I had another blender to buy. This time, I did research, loads of research, read through every review available on the net and finally picked up this one on Amazon. The first thing I checked that all the parts fit and come apart. Fingers crossed, it will work. You guys wish me too, ok? And it works, I promise you a delicious smoothie when you come visiting

Posted as part of May Photo a Day Challenge.

PJ

This has to be the toughest prompt so far.I’m sure I will have PJ pics, but I’m not too keen on having to dig them out at the moment. Nor do I particularly want to put up my pics in PJs.

Yesterday, I had this plan of going to some shop and clicking a row of PJs on display. But lost my nerve. I had clicked pictures of furniture in India, to send husband to show him the ones I liked, while we had been doing up the flat in Bangalore, and had been told off by the salespeople. Here, getting caught clicking PJs might make me sound like some perv. I’m not sure explaining about May Photo A Day would quite cut the ice.

I wish I were in India, it would have been not so difficult catching aunties in their nighties, walking about, in broad daylight. There are people who land up in their PJs on the school run here too but are better camouflaged. A friend of mine used to extoll the virtues of boots and a long coat. Apparently once you fling a long coat and boots on yourself, you can wear what you want underneath and nobody would ever know. Apparently she went on the school run in her PJs regularly. I wish I could catch someone like her on the school run today….

That was wishful thinking. Most of mums I see are immaculately turned out. Just my luck. So I have no option but to put this up.

These are harem pants. I had picked them up from an export surplus shop in Bangalore. On a lark, and loved them! Of course, can’t be seen in public in them unless I got myself some slim hips and a super nice, slim waist but are they comfortable! Just perfect! Just perfect as pajamas!

Posted as part of May Photo a Day Challenge.

Change

If there has been one huge change for me, this time round, from the last time we were here, it has to be with my means of transport.

These days you could find me rummaging through my handbag hoping to find the right change for the bus.

You see, I am ‘carless’ at the moment. Rather, I have a car which I can’t use. You see when got my license last time, I was in a tearing hurry, and we had an automatic car, so it seemed sensible to just go in for the automatic license. Husband got himself a new car, a manual one. I had plans of taking the test for the manual, but then didn’t feel like wasting the money. I could find much better use for it, I was sure. When we relocated, we sold my car, and husband held on to his, of course. Now, we’ve got one car sitting idle in the driveway, as husband works in Glasgow. So it makes more sense that I get the license and drive it, rather than buy another car. So until I take the test, I’m stuck with traveling in buses, which is not as bad as it sounds.

There are some instances when it drives me crazy, though. Like the time when I miss the bus by seconds. Or when I lose track of the time, while I spend the day cleaning and ironing, and miss the bus. Or when Amazon decides to deliver a package just when I am about to step out, and naturally, I miss the bus. Or when I miss my stop because I’m lost in my thoughts, and then have to walk all the way back. Did I tell you that I managed to walk back 3 miles one day? I walked and walked, because the next bus was half an hour away, took the wrong turning, and ended up in a lane where the bus does not go. Finally reached the next bus stand, after walking for 30 minutes, only to find that the bus was a few minutes early and had already left. All I could do was walk all the way back home. It wasn’t too bad, because I was in no hurry, and the weather cool enough to enjoy the walk. But I do wish that the bus is late, sometimes. At least on the days that I am late. Thankfully, none of this happens on the way to school in the mornings. Mornings are the one time, when we are normally perfectly on time and so are the buses. Early days, though, who knows how they will change.

Sometimes, I hate the extra time(and effort) I spend, but it’s not too bad actually. Husband does not understand why I can’t just take a taxi. Well, taxis are not half as much fun! The people you see, some are sweet characters, full of cheer and goodwill, even when drenched completely in the rain. There are some who are lost in their own worlds, some who are busy herding their children through the bus, exhausted with the effort of ensuring that none of their brood has got left behind at the previous stop. Some intrigue me, like a girl and her mother who are always on our bus. Actually I’m not sure if she is the mother. She looks young, late twenties, while the daughter(if she is her daughter) looks about 12 or 13. And I’ve never seen them exchange a word. They get on, sit apart on different sides of the bus, and yet they are together. On the way back the older lady/mother carries the girl’s bag. There is something weird about them. I’ve just figured watching them that they are together, but can’t figure out what their relationship might be. Not that it is any of my business, really. But I guess you can figure out why I find buses so much fun.

There are other benefits of becoming a frequent traveler on the buses, the drivers come to know you. Once, a driver stopped the bus, mid way, way before the bus stop, so that daughter and I didn’t have to run! I was so shocked, and delighted, I must have told him a million ‘thank you’s.

And yes, the one thing that is annoying is, hunting for change, so I’ve gone and bought myself a bus pass. No more change, it’s just a wave of the pass now.

Edited to add I would think this qualifies as change too. New beginnings, changes…

Posted as part of May Photo a Day Challenge.

I care about…

..water.

Or to put it better, the water situation in Bangalore. I care about it, and worry about it. I wonder how it must be for those people who can’t get a glass of clean, drinkable water. And how long before all of us are in that situation.

To add to it all, husband sent me this link. According to the authorities, Bangalore has just enough water for the next 15 to 18 days. That is scary. I know, some might wonder why I’m so bothered, when I don’t even live there right now. But I can’t help but care. If its Bangalore today, it is likely to be somewhere else tomorrow. Isn’t it time that we did something about it? Especially when it is something that will affect us eventually, however insulated we might think we are.

My domestic help in Bangalore used to tell me how difficult it was for. The days when they got water, they would be up at 3, to catch and store water. Missing that time would mean no water for them, until the next supply day, whenever it was, because they didn’t even get water everyday. She would tell me how her heart broke when she saw children leaving the taps on, and the parents turning a blind eye. I wonder how they must feel coming to work to our swanky apartments, with swimming pools and water features.. when they don’t even get the bare minimum amount of water. Husband was telling me that he had read somewhere that in India, if we do have a civil war, it was likely to be over water. When you see such disparity, it does start to look rather likely. Of course, today, a lot of us are forced to buy tankers of water, because there is no government supply, but if we go on without a care, it is more than likely that even money would not be able to buy that precious resource – water.

One of things that I wish I could do is try and make some difference to the water situation. I did not face the brunt of the water shortage in Bangalore, because I had left by then, but I did try to do what I could. Sensible use of water, in every way I could, reuse of RO water, having only bucket baths, teaching daughter to conserve water… I wish I could do more, something that would make a real difference, beyond the little everyday things.

Despite all the individual measures that we could take, the issue is such a huge one, that we need a collective effort. I know that there are several groups of people working towards resolving this, but unless the government takes it up on a war footing, nothing will really change. While individuals and citizens groups can make a difference, governments can do so much more. Rain water harvesting across board, ensuring that all buildings confirm to water saving guidelines, maintenance of water pipes, water meters made mandatory in all apartments to prevent misuse of water… The way we have carbon foot print offsetting, how about water usage offsetting for huge consumers like hotels and large apartments? Construction permission given only when there is enough drinking water for everybody. So many things that can make a huge difference. Makes me wonder why our governments are so lethargic even when faced with such a drastic situation.

A friend was telling me how Chennai tackled its depleting water levels problem by a massive rain water harvesting program. And apparently today, the water situation is much better there, than it was a decade ago. If one Indian city could do this, what is stopping the others from emulating? The only reason I can see is the reluctance to anything unless it reaches the point of no return.

The only silver lining is the people’s involvement in all these issues, at least in Bangalore, from what I have seen. The 9-10 months that I lived there has made me optimistic that despite governance bodies that do nothing, there are people’s groups who care deeply and are making a difference. Hopefully, one day, the government will wake up to the seriousness of the issue and take some big steps. Until then, I guess we can do our bit, in whatever way we can. After all every little will help.

Posted as part of May Photo a Day Challenge.

Light

The light that brings joy, has to be sunlight. Well, atleast when you live in a country where you get stingy quantities of it.

When we moved to Bangalore, it would make my heart skip in excitement when I saw the lovely sunlight streaming through the windows. Of course, that excitement lasted only for a some time. Soon I was yearning for some rains. But even so, the warm sunlight, the smell of clothes drying in the sunlight… Just simple joys which you appreciate even more after living in a place where you don’t get enough of it.

After moving back here, one of the things I loved was the early morning sunlight that streams into the kitchen. There is nothing more uplifting, than the warm rays of sunlight, warming up the kitchen while you put the kettle on for a cuppa. On the days that are sunny, that is.

Posted as part of May Photo a Day Challenge.

My Favorite View

This one had me racking my brain. What exactly would figure as my favorite view? So many to choose from.

Some from holiday destinations, sunsets in Oia, the view of the Grand Canyon, the gorgeous seaside views n Goa.. but which one could count as my favorite?

When I think of my favorite views the ones that spring to mind are the ones from our homes. One of the wonderful views that I will always cherish is the view from our flat when we had first got possession of the flat. It was gorgeous, green all around, we were in the middle of nowhere. Those days, that area was undeveloped, and frankly, just lovely. I wish I could say the same now. Now, its just flats everywhere, and the only time you get a lovely view is early in the mornings, when the sunrise makes it all just gorgeous.

The one thing I have loved in our UK homes has been the greenery around. Glancing outside the windows, I could always get to see greenery, even in the winter months. I missed that in the flat in Bangalore, but tried to make for that with plants in the balcony.

Back here, I can’t complain. Not when I get to see this everyday.

Posted as part of May Photo a Day Challenge.

Want

Wants and Needs.. are always part of our existence, and funnily so often they, change, interchange, or reverse themselves in priority.

In Bangalore, all I wanted was some rain, while here, all I want is some sunshine! I would have loved to take a picture of sunny day, if only we got one!

All that Daughter wants at the moment is the next book in the Harry Potter series.

She’s completed the first and second book, and desperately, desperately wants the third. I’m torn, because I’m not sure if its a good idea. I’m worried, but husband thinks its fine for her to read. We’re toying with the idea of getting her the third book and letting her read if she is comfortable. She could stop if it gets too scary for her, I suppose?

So what I really want is some advice. What do you think? Should we go ahead and let her read and let her decide for herself?

Posted as part of May Photo a Day Challenge.

Season

The season I love to rave about, has to be spring! At least as far as I am in this country.

Spring comes as such a huge break after the cold, bleak winter. Trees start sporting new leaves, daffodils everywhere, bursts of colour in gardens. Longer days, gorgeousness all around. It is, of course, another story that this year winter is finding it hard to let go. She comes back every now and then, making us turn the heaters back on, and hang on to the warm clothes. But never mind, it is still spring.

Cold or warm, spring is also time for some gardening. As you can see, we are all set to start to do some.

Posted as part of May Photo a Day Challenge.