Best friend – Day 61/10

Happiness is

you call parents and your best friend picks up the phone. He wants to surprise you but you surprise him by recognizing his voice just with two hello 😊 20 years of friendship..

I laughed out so loud that people around me, everyone of them in the heated station room turned their eyes towards me. But I didn’t care a bit and continued to laugh along with him 😊

This happened just few mins after I missed the train in style (style is when the door shuts on your face)

Went to gym in the morning after about 3 weeks of break.

Packed Pav bhaji for Adi’s lunch!

Taking breakfast for my colleague who is going through hard times! Egg whites scramble with loads of veggies and a touch of basil.

Day has started on a great note! Let’s see how it unfolds!

It’s a big day for LHB. Hope it will all turn out well. I will hear from his teacher in a week or so!

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Something right – Day 59/9

You feel you are doing something right somewhere and got your values right

when you meet a colleague after 3 weeks and she breaks down instantly and ask you for a hug. She is going through tough times and she needed a tight hug to feel better. I gave her a big bear hug and let her cry. I told her its okay to cry and she is a strong person. She will figure out the way to come out of this.

when another colleague tells you how she missed sharing small stories with you all these weeks

when anyone you see greets you with a “happy new year” with a broad smile. Some stop for couple of minutes to ask about your holidays and a quick chit chat.

when your diet buddies remind you about dieting which was otherwise long forgotten.

when your junior coworker is excited to finally get time to put our head together into something, succeed in the effort and appreciates you with couple of special tea bags.

Felt great to sit at my window seat and glance at empire state building by just tilting my head to the left.

Took a deep breath and counted my blessings. Happy to be back at desk 😊

Today – Day 58/8

If we plan something, God plans something else! Have to finish this post in 3 minutes!!!

So, with so much sulking and cribbing, I got ready and boarded my train late than usual in the morning to go to workplace. The train stranded one station before the station I was supposed to get off and the connecting train was also suspended. Fortunately some of my colleagues were waiting in the connecting station. So, I joined them in a short while.

We decided to head back home, came out of the station and booked Uber. The phone we used to book Uber promptly shut off while the driver was 3 mins away!! It was so cold and all that the poor phone and we needed was some warmness. So, we came back in to the station, boarded for the next train that was super delayed and reached home around early afternoon. My toes were numb by the time I reached home. Thanks to the colleague who dropped me home.

So much for all that sulking, cribbing in the morning. I should have just stayed home. Did I say it already? I hate this weather, for the first time in a decade of living here.

All I did for the rest of the day was to hide inside two blankets and carry on with my work until the rest of the clan came back to the nest.

I sent out a much needed email and made the much needed phone call that was procrastinated. Also, got couple of other items checked from my list. So, not a bad day overall! I feel much better than yesterday and thank you all for the hugs. Today is definitely better 🙂 I only hope it continues to stay the same at least for a while if not always. After all life is about ups and downs isn’t it 🙂

LHB quotient: We followed out evening routine of “studying” and played a game of chutes and ladders. The boy is still fascinated with the slide more than the ladder. who wants to win when sliding is so much fun!!

I sent out evite for LHB’s birthday party and guess who accepted it right away? My little crush from his class is coming for the party 😁😁😁

My little drummer – Day 57/7

I forced myself into resting mode today as workday/school routine begins tomorrow and its then going to be just running behind schedules. I am going to go to workplace after almost 2.5 weeks (boarding two trains, running to station to catch the train that’s about to leave in 2 minutes, eat from my dabba, random chit chat with colleagues, drink hot water from my bottle, gulp down countless number of hot flavored tea and above all braving this weather!! Sighhh!! I digress!!!!

So, today is a video/picture post to save some time from writing.

My little drummer (drums made from cardboard boxes and kitchen plate). He calls this song a “sugar song”. His favorite TV time pass has changed from cartoons to watching songs back to back and dance along 🙂

Adi’s recent random art during snow day. She says she messed it up but I liked it!

Musical jigsaw puzzle by Adi’s piano teacher (She said it took one whole day to do this and this is her way to destress). I should try this someday with the kids a 1000 piece puzzle. An apt display for her living room.

 

LHB – evening routine – Day 55/6

I am glad LHB now understands that he can’t skip “studying” at home as part of his evening routine. It is now up to me to follow this routine on weekdays so when he starts to get formal homework from school its easier for me to follow the routine.

Mind you, our current definition of “studying” is sitting on the ninja turtle chair/table along with Amma and having some quiet time with no TV. What we study doesn’t count but the concept of having that one on one time with Amma is all we call as studying.

During this time, we try many acts like

• balancing the pencil in one finger
• placing the pencil behind ears
• dropping the pencil like one million times and trying to take it with two toes
• checking if Akka is doing fine in the other room
• asking for fresh water
• initiate conversation about school with Amma even if she doesn’t show interest
• show a sorry puppy pouting face when Amma pretends to get upset
• write just one letter one time and then pretend to look sleepy (yawn/rub eyes etc..) making Amma feel so evil to torture the poor little boy
• go hunt for cars and trucks that are totally forgotten at other times
• get into Amma’s nerves by keeping the tip of pencil on the paper and then get distracted when you are just 0.1 seconds away from start with writing. (Only Amma knows the effort it takes to make you bring the pencil in contact with paper again)
• ask Amma why she is short? whether you can call her grandma **rolls eyes**
• look for the TV remote and keep it right next to you so you can switch it on the second Amma sets you free

and so on….. this is just the beginning of the endless list!!!

P.S: I am not in great mood today but typing this post definitely made me feel better and look at the happy quotient of my life.

Snow day – Impromptu Sleepover – Day 54/5

School is closed today too. So, a short visit by the neighbor kid yesterday evening turned to be an impromptu sleepover. I am glad to have this family as my neighbor as her mom keeps me updated with any local/community news and the girl is a good companion to Adi. They are in same grade and have similar kind of interest like no makeup, no face wash, no hair brushing, live out of just two pairs of shirt and jeans et all

Banana walnut cake – check (Made by the girls duo)

Family board game – check (We played Trouble and LHB was a trouble all through the game misplacing our coins and distracting us)

Movie watching – check (Watched Coco. I recommend this movie to all. Must watch. My plan was to setup the bed, blankets, kids, start the movie and then catch up on my office work but my eyes were glued to the screen all through the movie). Again LHB was a trouble maker initially asking to sit between the girls, not sharing pillows but then slowly he settled down when we threatened that if he is not cooperating he has to go upstairs to sleep. Towards the last 30 minutes, he came to my lap and we wrapped up the movie with cuddles and warm hugs.

LHB didn’t quite like the idea of Adi having a sleepover with her friend. He kept asking where will they sleep? they will not allow me to sleep with them. I will have a sleepover when I am a big boy.

I could see the jealous in his eyes. So, all four of us decided to sleep upstairs while M was chucked out of the room. He was convinced by that and filled his Akka with sorry’s, hugs and kisses for all his naughty act so far.

More giggles happened during bedtime and Adi did a little bit of show off brushing her teeth during bedtime (which otherwise never happens without me reminding her 10 times) and asking her friend if she doesn’t brush during bedtime 🙂

Yesterday was a snow day well spent! Let’s see how today unfolds!!

That’s LHB doing starfall in the evening

Snow day – Day 52/4

Its Snow day today.

Yesterday @ 9:45pm:
I get a call from Adi’s school that school is closed today. LHB’s school is also closed. The next minute the whole situation at home changes. LHB has been held back from going to bed, Adi does a instant jiggle dance and I settle back in couch relaxingly to read all my favorite blogs. We switched on the TV that was just switched off to start bedtime routine. M was in his own isolated world as usual.

The kids and I spend the next two hours in the living room playing back to back party songs and celebrated this instant change in our own way

LHB: Dancing non stop to the songs with his home made cardboard box drums. I acted as his DJ playing songs based on his demands. “Sunshine in my pocket” by Justin Timberlake is his current favorite.

Me: With this delicious delicacy called heaven on earth @ 11pm (Idli with molaga podi aka gun powder and gingly oil). The idli came out so good that it well absorbed the oil. Feeling super proud and accomplished to finally crack the trick to make better idli batter. Also, finding the hottest spot at home to ferment it quick.

What? What did you say? Weight management? Ohh let’s talk about it tomorrow okay?

Adi: With her phone and the poor girl was also finishing up all her homework as she wants the snow day to be all day fun day!

Small joys when the weather is being so cruel. Its freezing cold. Hoping to have some family fun time amidst working from home and working for home 🙂

Story of a table – Day 51/3

We had a heavy wooden table that was used as a TV stand for few years. The table was no longer needed when we upgraded to a bigger screen but somehow it stayed in a corner. We talk about disposing it every now and then but then it stayed put at the same corner for more than a year though the small screen was given away long back.

After last year India visit, when the decluttering mode took over me, I decided to give the table away for free and posted a pic in community group. On the same day, a lady contacted me and stopped by with her family to pick it up. We had a casual talk for few minutes while her husband was loading the table into their mini van. They were new to the country and she was looking for a job. I shared with her the contact of my friend who works on job placement field. They had follow-up calls and she was placed in few months. We were in not so regular touch since then and last week she added me in FB.

I accepted the invite few days ago and browsed through her profile. She was tagged in few pictures by one of my ex-colleague’s wife and apparently they both are sisters. This ex-colleague and me have joined the company on same day and we have known each other well. All I could say is world is getting smaller day by day with social media. The whole world could just be wrapped in our palm very soon (Ullangaiyil Ulagam)!!

Every incident in above story could have taken different direction but they all fell in place for a purpose.

Little did I know that summer afternoon, that a give away of small heavy wooden table will unfold into these series of incidents in the following months.

Best of 2017 – Day 50/2

I am not summarizing the best of 2017 but just quickly sharing one thing that I consider as the best of all.

Towards the end of road trip, when we got nothing much to do I started a conversation with the girl.

What are the best things happened to you in 2017?

Guess what she said???? (Guess before you read further and comment on your guess please)

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The elective that I chose for her few weeks ago. Hope you all remember my earlier post on this subject.

I am not exaggerating at all. That moment I just wanted to roll down the windows of the 80mph fast moving car and scream on top of my voice, a happy one 🙂 🙂 🙂

This post deserves to be considered the best of my 100-happy-days post 🙂

 

2017 ended on a grand note – Day 48/1

48/1
48th happy day post
1st 2018 blogathon post
Ani rocks 🙂 🙂 Thank you Thank you Thank you. I know I am smart 🙂

2017 ended on a grand note. What more can I ask for when things like this happen just before bedtime that too when I was down with stuffy nose?

• LHB – Amma I have something for you. I hope you like it and it makes you feel better (hands me over this)

• Adi – Brushing her teeth without me nagging.
• M – Setting up the vaporizer without me reminding him multiple times.

What has happened to my people all of a sudden? That too when there was only few hours left to wrap up the year. Shock after shock and I just couldn’t take it. But, I must admit this nullified all the dull moments of 2017.

And 2018 has started on a grand note too. More on that in next post 🙂