A cozy blanket for my sweetums

The husband and I were blessed with a precious little gift a while ago. And a gift as precious as this should be wrapped in something nice, don't you think? Ergo baby blanket.

Baby blanket for my precious little pumpkin

I made this baby blanket with Bernat Baby Blanket yarn using this pattern. The crochet pattern is pretty easy on the fingers and fun too - what with the big needle and the speed at which you can get this done. The yarn is so so soft and warm and fuzzy, that I am really tempted to crochet a bigger blanket to use as a throw for us adults. The next time you are in the yarn section of your local craft store, do give this bundle of yarn a squeeze, and you will know what I mean ;) 

The green eyed monster

I knew he had loved her before I became a part of his life. I knew she took up a large portion of his past. But like most brides, I hoped that getting married to me would change everything. That he would gradually forget her. Alas, it didn't happen. Whenever he is with me, I see it in his eyes that he misses her. He wants her. Don't get me wrong, he loves me. But he loves her too. He feels such a connection with her, that he cant let go of her even for a single day. They understand each other without a single word being spoken. Maybe he likes the fact that he has total control over her. Maybe it is their shared interest in soccer. Maybe something else, I don't know. But I have come to accept the fact that she will be a part of our lives and he will continue to love her.

Damn you, Xbox One!

My new toy and a trip down the memory lane

I recently saw a Spirograph at a store, and was immediately transported back to my childhood days. 

My new Spirograph kit

This was one of the many fun geeky things my brothers taught me (among other things such as an introduction to the big bang theory and the fact that you can locate the centre of a circle using just a compass.) Those were the days when I didn't even know what the Spirograph was called, and could barely coordinate my hands to get a decent design. But I do remember requesting my brothers to draw a bunch of spirographs for some greeting card or bookmark that I might have been working on at that time.

So when I saw this Spirograph at the store, I was hit by a wave of nostalgia. Of course, I had to buy it again - no matter that it said in bold letters on the cover "Ages: 8+". I am 8+, aint I?!

Check out those curves!

A poem for my sweetheart

It was the January of 2012
that I first had the feeling
I had finally met the one
who had my head reeling

It felt good to know you -
at first I thought you were a flirt
For the most part you made me laugh
But at times you were curt

By February I was intrigued
By March I had a crush on you
By April I was head over heels
What was in store, I had no clue

By May, we had our first fight
The crisis in our love story
It took us time to sort it through
And some Tequila and Bloody Mary

But finally, we realized and learnt
what we should have long known
That we are meant to be together
till we have some grey hairs grown

For I want to spend the rest of my days
Till the very end, all the way
In love with you, the light of my life
Dear God, this is all I pray


For the love of my life, PD - for you :)

A quiet Diwali (now, isnt that an oxymoron!)

This was my first Diwali with PD. Diwali is my favourite festival of all times, and unfortunately we had missed celebrating our first Ganesh Chathurthi and our first Dussehra due to unavoidable circumstances (humph!) So we were determined to make our first Diwali a memorable one. Despite the fact that there were no colourful explosions lighting up the sky or sounds of firecrackers filling our ears. Despite the fact that it was all so quiet outside that you could even hear the neighbors walking around in their living room. Despite the lack of festive air all around and people going about their chores without a thought for Diwali. Undeterred, we just went ahead and had a memorable Diwali.

We set up our puja place and bought lots of candles to make up for lack of traditional Diwali diyas. I have been making a flower rangoli for every Diwali since the last few years, so much that its become a Diwali tradition for me. So we made one this year too. (I know, I know, a pookalam is an Onam tradition and not a Diwali one. But I don't celebrate Onam, and I love pookalams!) And of course, you don't celebrate Diwali without yummy festive food. So, we had pulihaara and payasam for this Diwali. So all in all, we had an awesome Diwali, albeit a quiet one!

Our puja place

A lone lantern at the door

Work-in-progress pookalam

A lit up pookalam!

Candles and flowers

More candles

“Dripping like a mermaid” is not a funny expression!

Life does have its own ways of playing little jokes on us. So today, as I headed off to office, the day started off pleasantly enough - a few clouds dotting the sky, but otherwise nice and delightful. The clouds didn't bother me too much. Having been in Bangalore for the last 4 years, I like to think of Bangalore weather as an old acquaintance whom I understand well - mornings are pleasant, sometimes even sunny; late afternoons and evenings is when the downpour starts. Bangalore weather being such, I have never had problems riding my bike (read: Honda Activa) to office even during monsoons.

And so today, as usual, I put on my helmet, pulled out my bike, nodded my customary hello to the watchman at the apartment, and rode away. Like any other Bangalore morning, it was as pleasant as pleasant could be - the kind of weather that makes you want to go picnicing, the kind of weather that people would change jobs for, the kind of weather that.. oh ok, you get the drift.

About midway to the office as I stopped at one of the numerous traffic signals, I felt a little drop or two of water fall on my sleeve. I brushed them away, thinking it was dew drops from the trees. Little did I know of the downpour that was about to begin. And the downpour did begin soon enough - quickly followed by little puddles of muddy water on the road, large splashes of muddy water from vehicles all around, and mayhem in general.

As I reached office and parked my bike, I took stock of myself. Dripping and soaking wet, with a generous splash of mud on the right trouser leg and plenty of muddy spots on my otherwise spotless shirt - didn't exactly tally with the typical image of the young (ok, I exaggerate) consultant off to work, about to change the destiny of the corporate world (ok, I exaggerate again). With a theatrical sigh, I decided I was not presentable, messaged my boss updating her of the “unavoidable circumstances causing regretful delay”, and turned around.

Now another thing about Bangalore I fancy I understand well is the traffic; and traffic behaviour in Bangalore is well correlated with the occurrence of rains. So then, as predictably as the ending of a Bollywood movie, I got stuck in the traffic. Traffic plus rain - thats the best combo to drive someone really mad. Repeating to myself for the umpteenth time that patience is a virtue (I find it quite difficult to accept that at face value, you know), I trudged along with the traffic moving at nano-speeds.

Finally, after about 50 mins and 5 kms of the snail’s race, I reached home. As I hurried to find something dry to change into, I looked out of the window and it stuck me - it had stopped raining! And just like that, Bangalore returned to its oh-so-pleasant weather.

Life does have its own ways of playing little jokes on us. I am sure that whoever was up there controlling the rain-valves today had a good laugh at poor me. Well, as some bright soul said, if God is watching us the least we can do is keep him entertained!