Parting with my plant

I brought her home from Russo's farm, sometime in '99, when I was pregnant with my older one. She was about a foot long in her tiny pot and since then, she's been a part of the family. I'm not particularly a good plant take-carer (you get the meaning), infact I've killed many of them. But this one was so resilient, just knew how to grow and grow and grow. My mom, mom-in-law, everyone had a special place for her in their hearts. When we moved to India for a year, we gave her to a friend who took great care of her and when we returned she was beautiful, full of lush leaves, very healthy and happy. She moved with us into our new home and was given a royal spot in the family room. There again, she clung to the hooks and curtain rods and continued to flourish. She ran all around the periphery of the room. We had to request friends to ...-sit her during our long vacations. On one such occasion she became very weak, leaves started turning yellow and dropping and it got us concerned. But determined as she was, came back to full life and kept going.

Last night, with a heavy heart, my husband and I had to finally bring her down, delicately tape her creepers and put her in the car. Today we all bade good bye and gave her to a friend, who is a true plant-lover. When I heard her say 'Come on baby, I'll take good care of you' and placed her gently in the trunk of her car, I told myself 'She's in good hands'.

I cannot imagine what it must be like to give away a child for adoption.

On the one-month mark

We're a month away from flying out and I still can't believe that we've taken the decision and are actually following through with it.

We're checking items off from our "Things to do before R2I" list which is one of the numerous xyz..R2I lists that have been cropping up in our lives everyday. Visiting places, restaurants, clubs, shoppping, having sleepovers, parties..... one last time. It's a mixed feeling of happiness and sadness, happy that we're doing them and sad that we won't do them again. It's the human psyche I guess, we want to have a bottomless pot of everything. Overall, it's been a fine ride so far. Getting our OCI stamped next week, cancelled all but the essential services and cards, finalizing some financial matters etc. We're still waiting on a buyer for our house though, like the guys in Lagaan for rain, "ghanan ghanan ghan.." :)

Sarvadhaari Nama Samvatsara Ugadi Subhakankshalu

Happy Ugadi

It's a festival celebrated in south India to mark the beginning of a New Year. Each year has a name and this one is called 'Sarvadhari'.

This is a very happening year for us and I hope everything goes smoothly.

Hope yours brings you prosperity and happiness.

Cute one straight from school

April Showers bring may flowers.

What do may flowers bring?

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Pilgrims....

My take on 'Taare zameeen par'

I finally watched the movie yesterday and was quite moved by it. It's very encouraging that not only more and more socially responsible movies are being made in India, but also that the audience is welcoming them.

The boy's performance was superb, can't say the same about Aamir. To me the let down in the movie was that the situation was played down quite a bit, in a way too filmy. Also, at the end, the parents only seemed to care that the kid was finally 'normal', without understanding the kid's nature, his agony or even how the kid got those 'progress' reports. That was a bit too commercial for me. But that's just my opinion.

Hope these kinds of movies have some positive impact on the society.

Tag catchup

Choxbox, I tried to do a post about posts, but looks like I haven't been a diligent blogger so, couldn't find any appropriate ones :(
I'd love to take you up on this one though :

A -Available? Hmmmm, I think not.
B-Best friend: The one that makes me unavailable.
C-Cake or Pie? Not a fan of either.
D-Drink of choice: Corona with lime.
E-Essential thing used everyday: Coffee maker, atleast for the past 6 years.
F-Favourite colour: Lavender.
G-Gummi bears or worms: Neither, but love to prepare the dessert - worms in dirt.
H-Hometown: Cyberbad it is.
I-Indulgence: Quiet hours in the jacuzzi followed by a sumptuous meal and a long conversation with hubby.
J-January or February: Neither, but prefer Jan over Feb with the decorations still on the house and the holiday mood lingering a bit.
K-Kids and names: M&Ms - pink and blue.
L- Life: A journey, made pleasurable by my chosen companion and little ones.
M-Marriage date: In the Month of May.
N-Number of siblings: 1
O-Oranges or apples: Oranges in India, apples in the US.
P-Phobias: Afraid of the dark.
Q-Quote: "The business of living is a celebration of being alive." Read it in my 5th or 6th grade text book.
R-Reason to smile: Innocent comments and jokes that the kids bring home.
S-Season: Spring. Love the cherry blossoms and the fresh smell in the air.
T-Tag three people: Looks like the few I know have already done it, so sorry :(
U-Unknown fact about me: I used to sing classical music when young.
V-Vegetable you do not like: Bitter gourd. Used to hate it, but trying to get used to it now.
W-Worst habit: I get too critical at times, but hate myself for doing it later.
X-x-rays you have had: A couple.
Y-Your favorite food: Sourdough bread, Avocado rolls at Cheesecake factory, burritos at Boca grande, Ravva dosa, nan with capsicum masala, choxbox's mom's fresh rotli..... and many many more.
Z-Zodiac: I love and hate with a passion.

Touching base

R2I has taken a shape of it's own and it's driving us now and not the other way around. We have the final date set in stone : May 14th it is. It twists my stomach to even imagine what it's going to feel like, to just say Good bye to the land that's been home for 13 years. Anyway, not the time to get emotional. The shipping date is about 2 weeks away, so we're scrambling and running around, buying stuff. So many to do lists and so little time...... Will try to post again soon.