Free Write - Amms in Bangalore!

"Free Write" was the  prompt for the week at WT.

What is a free write? It is essentially writing without conscious thought.
Most free writes go like this: You write down whatever comes into your mind for 15 straight minutes either as a word purge (no topic at all) or on a prompt. You could read more about it here

Now writing without a prompt would have been disastrous for somebody as fickle-minded as me! So while I was clear I would be writing about my niece, I let the words flow. Here is the final draft with not much of editing. Tell me how you liked it!

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 Last week was dedicated to my little niece who was here on a short vacation. Through her, I lived my dream of  a complete family - “Ma, Pa N the little One”! Just drove home the fact that am more than ready to start a family ~~ Hoping it’s a day soon!

Another facet that her visit reaffirmed is my love fo weaving stories and I couldn’t have asked for a better audience than the little one. We spent a day each at Thar Desert, Ooty and even experienced the bitter Chicago winters. We woke up to morn yoga on Goa beaches, had a nice continental breakfast, sunbathed with Mr & Mrs. Adam before flying down to London to meet the queen ;).  And when all this traveling was getting to us, we had a career makeover and became a fisherman and farmer in turns :-D. Her incessant question of “So where\What are we today” even when she wakes up in the middle of the night is all the ego boost I needed :-D.

A Day in Thar!

Today after she’s left, I miss the daily thirty mins late night session in the park – just her and me swinging gently, weaving these stories and getting lost in far far away lands … bliss!!

Now for all that she enjoys this story telling sessions, I wonder why she hasn’t yet taken to reading - this when her house is filled with Amar Chitra Kathas and many others. Is it cause nobody has taken the pain to read it to her? Maybe she should have started with something simpler – something she enjoys and then slowly upgraded the reading standards! Her frustration when I insisted that she reads “Charlie and Chocolate Factory was obvious – does she feel reading is a chore and so doesn’t really enjoy it?

Amms, I miss you darling… muah!

If only you were here...

They start their life together a few decades ago - young, clueless, stars-in-eyes! Life seemed a bed of roses until well “life” happened – they toiled to build a family together, to make ends meet facing the everyday challenges! But for them, this struggle – this journey was worth all the trouble simply because they had each other….

But today in the twilight of his life, despite the relaxed routine without the ensuing daily struggles and company of doting grandchildren, he was filled with a sense of incompleteness. The only thought constantly looping in his mind is “if only you were here”…

This piece is in response to Write-tribe 100 Words on Saturday of  "If only you were here"

Today my mother lost one of her best friends to cancer, a few months ago she lost he fav BIL to heat-attack! Death is a sad reality that snatches away our loved at the most unexpected of the times. The pain of the one being left behind...

Here is hoping that we get the chance to drive to the sunset of our lives with our better halves for company - Amen!

Colors of Aarthi.....

Aarthi was dressed in a peach sari that perfectly complimented her toffee brown complexion. The simple string of white pearls added to her delicate-feminine look - a far cry from the tomboy she is known to be!

She knew her attire will win over the nerdy Venkat – her to-be fiance she was meeting for lunch. But as Aarthi gawked at herself in the mirror, she realized she hardly recognized the girl staring back!

Few minutes later, Aarthi felt truly alive as she stepped out dressed in her favorite Orange tee, blue jeans with a sling bag to complete the look.

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This fictions post is in response to two prompts 

The prompt of "Colored" at WOW  and the prompt of "Truly Alive" for  100 words On Saturday at WT

 

What happened at Midnight? ** Day 7 - Festival Of Words **

"Write Tribe" the amazing write club am a part of  is hosting its first festival of words from 1-7 Sep on the theme "Seven". You could get more details about it here....

Am choosing to write of the seven loves of my life....
 
Today on the last day of the write Fest, I bring you a piece of fiction simply cause it was at WT that I realised I can write fiction(!). Today I enjoy it so much, that every time I "people-observe", my mind goes into a overdrive trying to weave a story around them :)

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Mukundan - the SI of Kulmee rural police station - has been hiding amidst the bushes for last three nights. There has been a spate of serial murders in the village for last few weeks and everytime the police  had fished out the body from the lake on the village outskirts.

 It was the middle of the night - The entire village was fast asleep. Mukundan struggled to keep his eyes open when he suddenly heard a rustle. As he looked up, he saw a young man stealthily  moving about like a ninja with a bandanna tied across his head. Mukundan ducked deeper into the bush and kept him within his sights As he looked on, the young man looked furtively around and carefully took out a wrapped package. Just as he was about to throw it into the lake, Mukundan pounced on him and ........

The next morning, police woke up to the news of yet another dead body found in the lake.... the police divers went deep into the water and bought to the shore the body of a man  with a bandanna around the head.....

Happiness is..... ** Day 6 - Festival Of Words **

"Write Tribe" the amazing write club am a part of  is hosting its first festival of words from 1-7 Sep on the theme "Seven". You could get more details about it here....

Am choosing to write of the seven loves of my life....

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•  I wake up in a evil mood and try pulling a fast one on a friend! For the heck of it I predict that she will be "Engaged" over the weekend! N guess what happens - thou now am ruing the fact now cause  somebody is so busy day dreaming n doesn't have time for mere mortals :-/
• I have sent up prayers hoping for a strangers marriage to break up soon! Don look flabbergasted... It so happens that a friend of mine realized wee bit late that she is in love with him and v conveniently that fellas marriage is on the verge of divorce ;)
• A little gal all of 6 years saves a cupcake from her share, just to give it to her 'favorite aunty' :-P
• A friend who will come all the way over just to meet you
• Friends who will play the fool, who will willingly give u a shoulder to cry, who tempt  you so much with their their menu until you decide to move your lazy bum ;)

But well you may say this is what friends are for! Just that you do not know that they are all 'virtual' except a few I have met here and there.....

I have been blogging for a while but what I wasn't a part of is the commodore of fellow bloggers! But well all that changed with WriteTribe - I found not one but several bloggers there with similar wavelength and what a boisterous time ensued!!  Today most of them are way beyond 'virtual' friends and are what I consider close friends :)  Funny, no-nonsense, drama queens, book words, movie aficionados, foodies - they come in all flavours and ensure that there is hardly a dull moment online or offline!!

Corinne - Thank You for bringing all the nuts together under one roof and opening up this new world to me :).

As for the nuts, well you know who you are dont you :-D - Thank you for being a part of my life and believe me you, just your presence has seen me through some tough days........

As somebody shared on my my FB timeline yesterday....

A Bangalore Getaway ** Day 5 - Festival Of Words **

"Write Tribe" the amazing write club am a part of  is hosting its first festival of words from 1-7 Sep on the theme "Seven". You could get more details about it here....

Am choosing to write of the seven loves of my life....

 A weekend getaway once in 3 months and a big bang holiday once a year is my idea to refresh the body and soul ;). But there are days, when I want to get away from the daily trudges of city life even if its just for a couple of hours....

Thus one Sunday, we went on a trip to this quiet and peaceful lake called Thattekere which is an offbeat picnic spot in Bangalore part of the Bannerghatta National Park.  The lake was supposed to be a haven for bird sighting  sighting but all we could see were painted storks and few other birds. But err I wasn't complaining - Imagine we were the only souls around - surrounded by pristine, literally untouched nature and a large waterbody to gaze n introspect on life!

But an hour or so later, a few forest officials came marching and chased us away - supposedly this spot requires forest permit for access! They even threatened to seize our cameras. :-P.

Though let me tell you the short time we spent there cleared away so many cobwebs from my mind :)

All I need is a book in Hand......

Food Stories ** Day 4 - Festival Of Words **

"Write Tribe" the amazing write club am a part of  is hosting its first festival of words from 1-7 Sep on the theme "Seven". You could get more details about it here....

Am choosing to write of the seven loves of my life.... 

If you been in this space for sometime you know that food is my one true love! But when somebody taking the effort to cook up a dish simply cause u like it - it speaks volumes of their love for you!  So every 3 months, Pheno's 87 year old Grandmother religiously sends across home made(by her!) "Idli Podi"(Locally called "Gun Powder" as it can be explosive to your taste buds :-D)  simply cause it's his favorite.

Off late, she's been bed ridden for few months due to a recent Gall bladder removal surgery that she had to undergo and is now barely on her foot! But when she heard that we have exhausted our stock of her "gun powder" absolutely nothing could deter her from dragging herself into the kitchen and hand roasting-pounding until her signature "podi" is ready exactly how her grandson loves it!! If this doesn't speak of her love for him I dono what does.....

Thou it ought to be a family "secret", I will be generous enough to share it with you ;)

1. Boiled rice           1 cup
2. Urad dal              A handful
3. Chana dal            as above
4. White til               one level table spoon
5. Hing                    half tea spoon
6. Whole pepper      1 teaspn
7. Red dry chilly       12  ( more according to taste)
8. Jeera  :                 half teaspoon
9. Salt                      2  teaspn(  or accrdng to taste) 

 Method:

Dry roast  items 1   to 6  except  hing  till  nicely  fried (Rice should  be  crisp). While frying red chilly use a little oil. Hing and salt can be added while grinding. You can also roast curry leaves and add to it. Allow it to cool. Grind coarsely. The powder should not be very fine. 

Day 3 - Let's Go!! **Festival Of Words***

"Write Tribe" the amazing write club am a part of  is hosting its first festival of words from 1-7 Sep on the theme "Seven". You could get more details about it here....

Am choosing to write of the seven loves of my life starting yest...

Phenomenon is one of those who believes journey is as important as the destination.... so "road trips" are a given in most of our hols! Today, five years down the line I have come to enjoy these long as much as him.... Its uncanny how all the biggest problems seem to fade away into inconsequential as miles tick away......

Here are a few pics from our recent road trips
clicked along the route....

Route Less Traveled...

Imaging driving thru a water fall :)

Half submerged temples on the way..

Coconut Trees swaying to the monsoons - Nostalgia re-lived!

Unexpected sightings like gives me a heart-attack cause the driver forgets he is driving!!

Driving thru Eucalyptus Groves....... A pleasure to city-tired eyes!

Mover over CCD - Nothing to beat the original Degree Kofi!

Book Review - Time Traveler’s wife ** Day 2 - Festival Of Words **

This is the extraordinary love story of Clare and Henry who met when Clare was six and Henry was

thirty six, and were married when Clare was twenty two and Henry thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry suffers from a rare condition where his genetic clock periodically  resets and he finds himself suddenly pulled into his past or future. In the face of this force they can neither prevent or control, Henry and Clare’s a struggle to lead normal lives is both intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

Above extract is from the blurb of the book “Time Traveler’s wife” – Now honestly the concept of “Time Traveling” seemed more of a sci-fi to me and that’s a genre I am not v fond of. But considering the rave reviews the book received I decided to give it a shot. The initial pages as expected were a drag. But once I got my head around this idea of “Time Travelling” I was sucked into the story plot and what a whirlwind ride it was through and through.              Imagine me going back to a time when I was 5 or maybe going into a day of my life when am 60 – unimaginable!!

A book I enjoyed to a large extent! I will recommend this book simply because this idea is so unworldly that it deserves a shot….. 

"Write Tribe" the amazing write club am a part of  is hosting its first festival of words from 1-7 Sep on the theme "Seven". You could get more details about it here....

Am choosing to write of the seven loves of my life starting Sep 1...

Day 1 - Festival Of Words....

"Write Tribe" the amazing write club am a part of  is hosting its first festival of words from 1-7 Sep on the theme "Seven". You could get more details about it here....

Am choosing to write of the seven loves of my life......

 Speaking of love, As on yesterday I finished 6 years of marriage  with pheno who ensures that the journey of life is indeed an 'Phenomenon' come rain or sunshine......
 

Journey of Life.....

As we embark on the "seven year itch" journey, here is hoping this year will bring us more luck, hope and happiness :). N of course more goodies, more hols, more laughter.....