tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58014895192582238172024-03-18T13:18:09.808+05:30Finally...Started BloggingResmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-39932044085180349872014-11-20T13:47:00.000+05:302014-11-20T13:50:17.032+05:30Scented Advertising<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yesterday morning there was a strong smell at home, the one of a deodorant or perfume. But confusing it was as it was a new smell and source was not easily identifiable. The extra sensitive one at our home kept looking around and was very curious to find out from whom the smell emanated, as her olfactory system was getting irritated by the strong smell. It was discovered only a little later that the source was the days's NEWSPAPER. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is called as Scented Print Advertising. Emami has launched a new brand of men's deodorant and the advertising for it in the paper was creating all this odor. They have employed a technique to have the strong scent to be applied on to the paper where the advertising is present. I assume either the perfume particles were mixed with the ink or the paper was sprayed and then printed. Whatever! Bad Idea! Whenever one opened the paper, the room was filled with the strong smell and the reader is forced to close it. The smell goes high up ones nose and irritates. I hardly could stand the smell and didn't read the paper yesterday. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Back in the earlier days, we had another method of advertising, where a swatch or hard paper piece is added to the paper. One must scratch or rub fingers over it to get the smell. That was better. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The brand has even gone ahead and create a rather not-so-good video - #ShowMenSomeLove. For what? It was International Men's Day yesterday, it seems.. ha ha. It was news to me and I got the video as a forwarded message yesterday night. Well, I couldn't force myself to watch it after the initial few seconds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And for the paper, we kept it outside the house as we kept getting a whiff of the odor every now and then. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If there are people who really loved the advertising strategy and video theme, no offense meant!</span></div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-44390169243320755552014-11-19T18:12:00.002+05:302014-11-20T10:52:45.492+05:30Technical Communication<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A brief overview of Technical Communication as I am often asked what is it that I do.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><b>Early Days of My Career </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b>I have been a Technical Communicator (Technical Writer) for over 8 years now. My career began at SunTec Business Solutions, located at Trivandrum. We were a small team and people often asked what we do. We would reply that we develop the Help documentation for the products you develop. It was easier to make understand at work. But back at home, which is at a rural place, and people are still not very familiar of the great advancements of technology, I had a difficult time explaining my Job Role. I simply used to say, when you buy a TV or phone, you get a User Manual. I similarly develop User Manuals for much complex software products. Not many understood what was a software product also. When I shifted to Bangalore to work with Sasken Networks, it was a bigger exposure. It was a Services company and we were a team of 50+ writers. Here, people knew who Tech Writers are and what they do.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><b>What We Do</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b>So to describe the profile, Technical Writers are those who prepare the documentation for the Software and Hardware Products. Documentation can range from simple Release Notes to complete Online Helps. Technical documents involving information to Install and Deploy a product, Use it, Troubleshoot Issues, etc, are typical projects that a Technical Writer usually works on. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />It is not as easy as said. One must learn the product, how it works, test each scenario before documenting it, and pay attention to very fine details. To get more clarification, we browse more on the topics, speak to the developers and SMEs, and go through all the Test Cases and Design documents prepared. In my experience, the research before the actual writing takes a long time and if done properly, makes your writing better and resourceful. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><b>Tools We Use</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b>There are lots of Tech Writing tools available now. In fact, there are Technical Communication Suites also. The most popular ones are the Adobe Suite and the MadCap Suite. So we basically use good quality software to author a project, take screen captures, create flow diagrams, view the output, and even to create product videos. And yes, we use Content Management Systems to keep our work organized and safe.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><b>Being an Effective Technical Writer</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b>To be an effective Technical Writer, one must have a fair understanding of the domain and very good understanding of the product, apart from the tools and techniques of the trade. It helps a lot to refer existing documentation of competitor products and try to find gaps in the documentation of your product. The competitor documents may be better or even worse than your product's. But still, the comparison gives an insight of the different techniques being used. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Language and writing skills are two other key skills that a good writer must have. Everybody can write. But writing effectively for an audience is not everybody's skill. A technically sound person can write, but it may not be comprehensible to the audience. So a successful Technical Writer is one who conveys even the most technical details in absolutely understandable terms, accurately, to the End User. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />And having said all these, I love my profession! There were times in my career when I thought that I made a wrong choice. But now I realize that it was just the lack of right opportunities.</span></div>
</div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-14514769402582142532014-11-06T16:57:00.000+05:302014-11-06T17:00:10.739+05:30Working vs Not Working - My Experience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One question that is often popped to the ladies during a first meeting or introduction - "Are you working?" It means whether you are employed or not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I started my career in 2006 and was always employed without ever having an actual break till my maternity leave. My baby was born and I continued my maternity leave for 4 months. So whenever people asked this question, I would say, "Yes, returning to work soon." Then I started working from home for while. During this period, I stayed at my parents place in Kerala, and worked remotely. It was often assumed that I was not working as I was always at home and many were not aware of the concept of Working From Home. I didn't mind. But then things reached a situation that I had to take a break to balance my life. I was very unsure of the decision, yet I made it and quit my beloved job. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then started a new phase in my life. That was to stay at home, with a baby, and no job at hand. The initial days were fun. We had just moved into our new home and I had lots of craft plans. Each day I thought that the mess at home would be cleared and I could start a refreshing one tomorrow. But with a baby, who does not sleep, it was difficult. My chores at home never ended. I was always tired. It took me a month or two to finally unpack and get stuff organized and accessible. By now, though I had not a moment to spare, I felt that I was actually doing nothing. I would be at home all day and night. And to make it even worse, people (new neighbors at the apartment) would ask me the same old question. I would sadly look out of the window and see people commute to work. I longed to go back to my normal life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finally, when my daughter started getting sociable and adjusted to the nap routine, I decided I had to look at my career again. I was able to get a job at a great place and now I am happy to answer that I am working mom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have derived few things from my experience:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- It is always good to be employed because you get to apply what you learned (may not be applicable for all disciplines), you are more organized, you earn your share of the family income, you are on a process of continuous learning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Not working does not mean that you are free. Many people think that housewives have no work. No! Dedicated and organized housewives have lot more of work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- You can effectively work from home only when you have everything properly set at home - right from a place to work, kids are taken care of, house chores are taken care of, and you have the motivation to work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- It is good to take a break after being employed for long. You can enjoy the small perks of life - like enjoy some quite evenings alone, watch a movie while completing the chores at home, call a friend without having to wait till meetings get over or for lunch break, water your plants without rushing and tend them, and so on.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_QLHOL0FNJEhs_20WK-DsNYNByVG-Dha2iTDSDImxDmf6C9umm09OaAY4-vzK9pwsCz1R-a9nThW5pnn3deSIsRNJXPUE1HeTU34fcSFqgr4aXJg8B6G_SMV5c6fwpjqgBxvlKDcM8Fy/s1600/20140508_114301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_QLHOL0FNJEhs_20WK-DsNYNByVG-Dha2iTDSDImxDmf6C9umm09OaAY4-vzK9pwsCz1R-a9nThW5pnn3deSIsRNJXPUE1HeTU34fcSFqgr4aXJg8B6G_SMV5c6fwpjqgBxvlKDcM8Fy/s1600/20140508_114301.jpg" height="640" width="585" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Does this sum it up a bit?</span></div>
<br /></div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-12062237774088353782014-11-05T16:53:00.001+05:302015-02-05T15:19:44.945+05:30Pangs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Days have been flying so quick that my daughter is already close to two years. Over this time, I have grown so used to being with her that letting her out of sight makes me anxious at times. When I started working again, it was a little difficult in the initial few days. I was worried - she will cry, she may not sleep, will not let her grandparents do things for her, and she will wait anxiously till I reach home. Wrong! I was totally wrong. On my first day to work, she happily waved goodbyes and blew out little kisses to me. My heart felt crushed as I walked away. There was a little silly pain somewhere in me wondering why she was not sad to the slightest extent. But over a period of time, I realized, that is the best way she made me leave for work happy and peacefully. Things would have been different if she cried. I wouldn't be happy while leaving and the thought would keep haunting me at the back of mind while at work.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yesterday, was her first day at the day care. She was excited to carry the bag and was all set for school. Again, I was worried. She would cry, may not mingle with the kids, and I will have to carry her back, howling. Again Wrong! She just went in and started exploring the place happily. I had that crushy feeling, more intense this time, as I was leaving her in the hands of strangers. Back home, I just wanted the 2 hours to fly by. But time ticked slowly. I was anxious. As soon as it was 12 30 I rushed to pick her. To my surprise she was playing. And to my delight, she ran towards me as soon as she saw me. I was a happy and proud Mom! :-) Things were a little different today though. She was happy when we left her but started crying some time later. So had to pick her up early. But I really hope she gets adjusted soon without shedding any tears or drawn faces. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKitLfifzKuGYUpXSFnC8BGIwhmNXd_VBjcAanqB_nJhmijJwLkDoz87lNwbV_SVxKzHZLQuiRJ3ebmZqD1FTL491QuvxmGgeFZeqt7Yc9k7q9ydcaUjxUh50lkvfKvX0m_wmtRFXIzBOT/s1600/School.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKitLfifzKuGYUpXSFnC8BGIwhmNXd_VBjcAanqB_nJhmijJwLkDoz87lNwbV_SVxKzHZLQuiRJ3ebmZqD1FTL491QuvxmGgeFZeqt7Yc9k7q9ydcaUjxUh50lkvfKvX0m_wmtRFXIzBOT/s1600/School.png" height="640" width="436" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These thoughts reminded me of my yesteryears. I clearly remember seeing my Mom through teary eyes, standing across from a window outside my class, on my first day at school. I cried for two days! I was nervous for the first few days at the new school, when we went abroad to be with our Dad. I cried each night for months when I was in a boarding school hostel, while in class V. Things did not change much even after growing up. Leaving for the college hostel after each visit home was still difficult for me. And worse, I broke down in front of hundreds on the day of my marriage. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My lil Angel looks braver and sensible. Hope life has better and better in store for her always.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-26033856986143580082014-10-13T13:35:00.000+05:302014-10-13T13:35:35.774+05:30Last 7 Months<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have been away for a considerably looong time. I was not getting the inspiration to actually write. Not that I am getting anything much now either :-D Thought I'll just drop in a line or two though. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Updates since the past few months:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- My daughter is now close to 2 years and very active :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- We moved into our own little home :-) :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- I quit my job of 3+ years at HP </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Took a short break of around 5 months</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Spent lot of idle days at home</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Spent time taking things out of boxes and arranging them</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Went for that year or two pending hair cut!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Lil bit of gardening - My first set of sunflowers bloomed :-) :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Realized that sitting at home was just making me lazy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Applied for jobs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Started working again in August '14</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, that covers pretty much of my last few months.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When I quit my job, I thought 'Yes, the turning point of my life!' New home, lots of time at hands, start something new and all.... But it did not actually turn out that way. With a home to setup and a little kid, alone there was pretty much nothing that I could accomplish. Perhaps it was the wrong time. And me, being the non-initiative person, lazed around during the day time and brooded over it at night. Well, one fine day I thought that was enough of time being wasted simply. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now things are really different. My new job is totally interesting with lots of fresh opportunities. That is actually keeping me inspired. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My daughter is the center of our lives now. Everything she does seems so cute, and my heart just melts looking at her at times :-) :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, life is better now :-) Only exception being - I am not crafting anything nowdays!</span><br />
<br /></div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-43950941137644651532014-02-14T15:46:00.003+05:302014-02-14T15:46:39.364+05:30Mittu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This was a long pending post. I really was confused whether to not to write about this. But today as I was going through my old posts, came across this. I just read it and tears filled my eyes. I have to share this. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our Mittu is no more. He passed away on the 23rd of December, 2013. It was totally unexpected and a big shock to all of us. Just like any other day, he was at our home in Kerala, when he was attacked by a cat. He fell down and hearing the noise, my parents rushed to the spot. The cat sped away. Mittu seemed fine. There were no bruises to be seen or any bloodshed. But he seemed to have a problem with his legs. He was not able to grasp onto anything firmly. On closer examination, my parents found a small hole or wound on his neck and few feathers missing. They did some home remedies, took him to the vet and also gave him some medicines. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was in Bangalore and dad informed me. We all kept hope thinking he still had lots more of years to be with us. But we were wrong. He was drawing into himself and was getting more and more drowsy and finally by evening the last grain of life in him was also gone. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was one of the first experiences in our life of losing a pet and probably the last one too. We never had any pets other than our sweet Mittu. It was unbearable for all of us. My dad dug a small pit in our compound and laid his body to rest there. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Its been almost 2 months since this happened and even now not a single day passes without he being remembered. He was a sweetheart. He was with us for 10 years and it was not enough for us. Still we dream of him often. Slightest sounds make us think he is around. And the of his favorites bring his memory fresh into us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We just miss him every now and then. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vQGjkgmRnkmtvcKMX1Cotm5EOKdohUYyIdbG-OdmD4K4N4fmi-Mt8gekrR_HP8gRiRBywKrGkf90eRG9PxM9qPHxZe-brsaHnu8HsQ7PXaaxKq2hDeV10TKKUUVmFi5d4ThYlhQn8833/s1600/mitt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vQGjkgmRnkmtvcKMX1Cotm5EOKdohUYyIdbG-OdmD4K4N4fmi-Mt8gekrR_HP8gRiRBywKrGkf90eRG9PxM9qPHxZe-brsaHnu8HsQ7PXaaxKq2hDeV10TKKUUVmFi5d4ThYlhQn8833/s1600/mitt.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>In all his glory</i></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-76809722857827566212014-02-14T12:38:00.000+05:302014-02-14T12:38:32.835+05:30Planning to write more often<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How ironic! I am writer by profession and don't get to write my blogs at all. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So what has been happening in my life - lots. I finally made up my mind to quit my job! It was hard to decide. I work with HP and the brand is a lot value. Deciding to give it up was not easy at all. I thought and tried for one year and finally put in my resignation in the month of January. Life was really hard the past one year. I struggled to balance my work and life. With my ever-crying baby, back-to-back project releases, the ever growing work at home, and the inability to lead a peaceful life... all these made me to arrive at this decision. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I would be quitting work in the month of March. After that what, is not very concrete. I do have some plans. Let's see what materializes. There are lot of things I kept pushing off owing to my tight schedule. Apart from that, we bought a home some time back. Work was still going on and we could not move it. Last week, we were finally done with the registration and look forward to moving in by around mid of April or hopefully before that. So that is another big thing for us to look forward to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My daughter, oh I just love her! She is now a year old and has changed a lot. She walks, babbles a lot, plays around, gives us kisses, and loves to cuddle with me. I just love those moments of being with her! We have been taken her out very often and she does love the whole process of going out. She loves to watch the dogs, cars, lights, butterflies, and children of course. She is a keen observer and has started imitating sounds and our mannerisms.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And about me, I miss a lot of being myself! I have no time to craft. I do not sleep comfortably. I cannot watch movies uninterrupted. In fact, everything just revolves around my angel now. I do love that though :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That's all for now. Hope you keep writing more often.</span></div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-88414490072676874872013-10-17T16:05:00.000+05:302014-02-14T12:41:16.553+05:30Had to blog today<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Its my birthday. When I was a kid, I used to wait eagerly for this day. Birthday then meant wishes, new dress, chocolates to school, cake cutting in the evening, and an overall feel-good day. When I grew up and during college days, it was all about wishes and gifts from family and friends. Once I got married, this turned out even better. One special gift, again lots of wishes, and a quiet cake cutting in the evening. And this year, now that I am a new mom, all I want is some rest and time to my self :-) I wish for no more. Loving every one and everything around me.</span></div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-33616690985551505802013-08-09T03:24:00.000+05:302013-08-09T03:26:22.460+05:30Too much...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">... has been happening around me!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yes, I am a new mom. As if dealing with the new-mom-blues was not enough! My parents left back for Kerala when my baby completed 5 months. And I started working from home. Juggling with baby care, work, and household tasks was leaving me with no time and space for anything else. I had long To-do lists everyday and most of the items kept getting carried over to the next day. Same with my work too. I somehow kept pushing it. Late night work, attending calls and meetings, trying to keep myself motivated, everything seemed least achievable. My only soothing times used to be the late evenings when hubby returned from work and used to take over the baby care. I used that slot for cleaning, taking a shower, and cooking. And late nights, after she slept, I used to do my office work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Things were running so when another thing happened. One Friday morning I receive a call from my husband saying he met with a minor accident on the way to office and has a shoulder fracture. I really didn't know what to do - having an infant, I cannot just leave home like that. Luckily hubby's colleagues were with him and I waited till he was back. Finally he came back wearing a hand sling and shoulder cross belt. He was in pain. Doc asked him to take rest for 6 weeks. My misery started there. This incident initially meant that hubby would not be able to actively participate in baby care. But there were more to it. The pain was excruciating for him. He used to wake up at nights, could not sleep, wanted to have the belts readjusted, and for everything, poor thing, he needed my help. And my baby, she too!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There were days when I slept for just 2 hours. My whole body and mind ached. I just wanted things to be on track as before as quickly as possible. But even after a week, hubby's pain did not subside and he could feel the bone fragments moving inside. A second opinion, and we discovered that there were multiple fractures and surgery was the only way. What!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We prepared to get the surgery done within 2 days. My dad came down. Hubby was hospitalized for a week. I used to reach the hospital in the morning with my baby, stay there the entire day with her, and leave for home at night. Phew! 1 week somehow passed. When dad left, in-laws came down for a week. And they also left.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now we are back to being mom, dad, and baby at home. Baby - rolls and rolls over, does not sleep during the day, is very active, wants mommy with her always, and is ready to cry the moment mommy is out of sight. Dad - recovering slowly, but still needs help with dressing the wound, and anything that involves using both the hands, taking medications, and some cause side effects, which again cause some problems. Mommy - taking care of both, doing my work, somehow balancing things at home, and now the late night sittings periods have extended.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All said, I have no complaints. I love each moment of being with both of them :-)</span></div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-39138199617897457162013-05-20T17:08:00.003+05:302013-05-20T17:08:55.866+05:30Back<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well... It's been a very long break I took from my blogs. But yes, I have a strong reason now. I am a Mom now :-) My angel is now 3.5 months old and a darling. She was not in her very good moods for the first 2 months, which gave me a complete nervous breakdown. Sleepless nights, incessant cries, tiredness... I thought these were to last forever. But no, now she is a real angel, though troublesome at time ;-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now she has started to gaze at things, recognizes us, smiles a lot, plays by her self, and the most recent update - started turning over! She is the sweetest thing that happened to me. Yes, I do have a lot of work now. And now that I have joined back to work, I find no free time at all. One good thing is that I am working from home, so I save at the least the travel time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I enjoy all the new things in my life - innocent smiles, sleepy eyes, cute bottom, tiny hands and feet, washing the tiny clothes, breathing in her smell, cuddling with her, and sometimes even the way she cries! And this leaves me with no time to craft, cook, or do gardening :-) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And as I write, I see her lifting her hands and feet in the air, signalling me - Mom, I am going to wake up soon. Get ready! So you may see very little of me here or if she allows, regularly!</span></div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-41831205068699011822013-01-01T00:26:00.003+05:302013-01-01T00:26:51.604+05:302013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Perhaps the worst new year of my life till date - sitting alone in a hot and humid room - no phone - trying to connect with loved ones using a slow internet connection! How boring can a New Year eve be?</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy 2013 to all of you!</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-17670715623886436162012-12-29T23:52:00.001+05:302012-12-29T23:52:16.898+05:30Nothing too interesting...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finally reached that stage in my life which I dreaded the most. But now realizing that it is not that bad or terrible. For sure, once I pass this stage I will be missing these days badly. Yes, I have discomfort, I have swellings, cramps, uneasiness, tiredness, and what not. But yet, I will surely miss those sometimes soft and sometimes turbulent movements in my tummy. Ha, how I love to see the movements outside!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am almost nearing the completion of this stage. Yes, fear and worry does increase with each day. But it has to pass. There is no escape. So, taking it the way it comes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am now in Kerala from the past few days. Not liking the weather at all. It is hot and humid. I am not in my comfort zone. Dependent on somebody for anything and everything. My routine has changed. Yet there is something I love about this place and staying here. I will be here for a few months from now. Hope everything goes through fine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I, no longer crochet, stitch, do gardening, or leave the house. I am always at home doing something or the other. But trust me, I am finding interesting things to do at home. Each day I wake up with an objective and very often am successful in achieving those. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The only discomfort I have that bothers me now is that I am staying away from my husband. He will have to keep traveling over the weekends for some time from now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Otherwise, everything, so far so good. Will keep you all posted!</span><br />
</div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-37072137760532522612012-10-08T13:58:00.000+05:302012-10-08T13:59:03.220+05:30Continuation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A continued updated on our <a href="http://finallystartedblogging.blogspot.in/2012/10/pet-update.html" target="_blank">Mittu's story</a>. Though it has been a few weeks since the incident occurred, till date, people call up and enquire about him. How kind! Yes, I would like to write about all the kindness that people showed on my parents during the 3 days when we thought we'd lost him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My parents spoke to over a 100 strangers within the two days when articles about Mittu came in the newspaper. Initially we thought that the news appeared only in the district edition but it seems that it appeared in other city editions as well. So the coverage was more! People from different parts of South India itself called up and enquired about Mittu. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now the interesting part - what did all these people enquire and speak about:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Some wanted to know how we could keep a pet bird for so long without it being caged. How come it did not go away earlier.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Many were amazed about the fact that my parents loved their pet bird so much that they went ahead and gave the news in the local cable TV and district newspaper office. They were not convinced that people could love animals to such an extent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- There were a lot of other callers who shared empathy. They talked about their pets and how some had gone missing and never to be found. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Many called up just out of curiosity to know more about our Mittu and his habits.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Interestingly there were a bunch of people who offered prayers for Mittu's safe return. This was really heart touching. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Lot of people from the nearby places called up asking our address so that they could come and visit Mittu. My parents have been invited to many homes as well :-D</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- There were follow-up calls by many to enquire if Mittu is doing fine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- And there were some kids also who called up wanting to hear Mittu speak. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And so goes the list. As we are currently far away from home and we had to keep calling our parents for updates. Though we did not get a direct experience of the incident, we could make out how deeply touched our parents were by the acts of kindness and genuine interest of all the people who cared to enquire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Even I was amazed to know that in today's world when we have no time for ourselves, there are still a lot of people who are kind, find joy in the simple pleasures of life, and care about others.</span></div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-48512714668434528002012-10-01T16:37:00.002+05:302012-10-01T16:48:53.251+05:30Pet Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Most of you know that I (rather my parents) have a pet parrot, Mittu. He has been with us for over 10 years now and is just a member of the family. People close to us know how he is more like a younger one in the family rather than just a pet. He has his routines, favorites, mood swings, and all characteristics just like a human being. And I appreciate the way my parents look after him. He is never caged against his wish. The cage is always left open. He goes in only when he wants to take a nap peacefully. There are ropes tied from his cage to different directions - one leading to a tree, which is very much his own. So as and when he pleases, he chooses the directions and seats himself comfortably wherever required.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJIDu4eYTMgvAl0GdVhY6divpk9iwAKTfMNPNGVxtUfleJzxSNcvaKgp4wpnUvrN1-KnCoMpF7kL4xHqhf_mEJKruivx3cY2Wo55Q4TqkoRlJmKIXe9J9LD_6Ln7jr4e89X7sbLlc5mBE/s1600/19_12+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJIDu4eYTMgvAl0GdVhY6divpk9iwAKTfMNPNGVxtUfleJzxSNcvaKgp4wpnUvrN1-KnCoMpF7kL4xHqhf_mEJKruivx3cY2Wo55Q4TqkoRlJmKIXe9J9LD_6Ln7jr4e89X7sbLlc5mBE/s320/19_12+016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JMZsLI670E8i0hJY5Y6Y9O70Dd5SXJlFe6hwbpnt9EPHrgZY52te9i89WpaN2FVVCQ-itonIs69fhOzxmN2kNA6d6-yqZjxPrJzYuLdyqNRe35Ddw4mSnukDO9v1tZEzwkqv3MrNE7Px/s1600/19_12+405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JMZsLI670E8i0hJY5Y6Y9O70Dd5SXJlFe6hwbpnt9EPHrgZY52te9i89WpaN2FVVCQ-itonIs69fhOzxmN2kNA6d6-yqZjxPrJzYuLdyqNRe35Ddw4mSnukDO9v1tZEzwkqv3MrNE7Px/s320/19_12+405.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfqrLYdwBihkphAsiUgaLwVwNGKM0DCr_QBlscTAJD4PwomZCKIUr3N0o0d5FBqCHHanW70TySwBTFDmxK8sAjDyKHoWsaJ95vdN1L-MFtnmio24f_p_EauNWacIo7aBQN5_jN2JgLcQH/s1600/IMG_3516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfqrLYdwBihkphAsiUgaLwVwNGKM0DCr_QBlscTAJD4PwomZCKIUr3N0o0d5FBqCHHanW70TySwBTFDmxK8sAjDyKHoWsaJ95vdN1L-MFtnmio24f_p_EauNWacIo7aBQN5_jN2JgLcQH/s320/IMG_3516.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But two weeks back, an incident happened. As every morning, after his sip of tea, he was sitting on the rope and checking his feathers when he heard quick sound. As usual, as a reflex, he flapped his wings and flew. My mom kept watching the direction in which he flew. He flew very low and towards the road. My dad rushed to the road (which would have taken him a minute) and by then he was not there. A kid in the neighborhood informed dad that a passerby caught him, got into an autorickshaw and went away. My parents were devastated. My dad tried searching the nearby places in vain. Mom was also tensed. And we also got to know of the incident when we called up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To most, it just seems trifle - a pet going missing. But for us, it seemed too much more than that. My parents were the worst hit. Every moment they kept hoping that they would get him back. An advertisement was given in the local television channel also. A day passed by and there was no news of him. Then my dad decided something - to give an advertisement in the district edition of the newspaper. He approached the district news office and detailed the incidents. The reporter took an interest in the news and promised my dad that he would do a small write-up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Next morning, from 5 am, people from different parts of the district started calling up at home inquiring about our parrot. And finally around 8 am, Dad got the much awaited call. A family, staying almost 20 kilometers from our house had got him. They were travelling by our route, found him, and took him. It was the-moment-of-relief. By noon, Mittu was home. :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was a happy ending to the story. But the calls continued. People kept calling all-day long. Some shared their experiences of having lost pets, some were quite amused that pets can be loved so much, and some were just curious as to the news got any response. The reporter from the newspaper called up and dad informed him that they got him back indeed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And next day, there comes a follow-up article in the newspaper that Mittu has come back. Actually he did his bit of the job by making the article more graphic and adding some perky lines :-) This day the calls were even more. People kept calling and calling. We were actually surprised as to how many people were interested in a lost pet and the emotions involved. Many were actually happy to know that Mittu was back. And some are still doing follow-up calls to know if Mittu is doing fine :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was one of a kind of experience for us. Our parents experienced it direct and thanked all the people who called to inquire. I was equally amazed at how there are still people who care for others' sorrows and loses. Humanity still prevails!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Following are the news articles.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLA784JlT5teB7k4FJMmxAaFs3FTeN71pe5I3sQ8Z7TI5sWKMswWe2YvTOGHvOiRILXsq3sSkHnEh2KDYIJtPVwLDMmcJiSOwZNjOfHyJnoULg6s5Dq7YhvCwkdCpo1z0OfYZNlL31tfFy/s1600/Mittu_Article_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLA784JlT5teB7k4FJMmxAaFs3FTeN71pe5I3sQ8Z7TI5sWKMswWe2YvTOGHvOiRILXsq3sSkHnEh2KDYIJtPVwLDMmcJiSOwZNjOfHyJnoULg6s5Dq7YhvCwkdCpo1z0OfYZNlL31tfFy/s320/Mittu_Article_1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbg5JRRzA5Wjgs6XuHws6hXwOzYLLhrL5WDQ27VSQwPNaEiFnSmYgHjwYFozQAlbR77ciCE1WklYK0zVMoLKThl5eU3kNYNKmTGJi1WCkkZWbPLDZDrdQQgEOqZXJS0j6Nqgaf6JNu9Ih/s1600/Mittu_Article_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbg5JRRzA5Wjgs6XuHws6hXwOzYLLhrL5WDQ27VSQwPNaEiFnSmYgHjwYFozQAlbR77ciCE1WklYK0zVMoLKThl5eU3kNYNKmTGJi1WCkkZWbPLDZDrdQQgEOqZXJS0j6Nqgaf6JNu9Ih/s320/Mittu_Article_2.jpg" width="294" /></span></a></div>
<br /></div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-22406642782087443232012-09-11T10:59:00.001+05:302012-09-11T10:59:45.542+05:30Trying...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Being a little unhealthy for a while, a trip down to Kerala for a week, again a week of unhealthiness, and a short period of being lazy - all these kept me AGAIN away from the blogosphere.<br />
<br />
I am still recovering from what I have of the left over cough, trying to be active and pleasant always, and trying to keep up with the quickness of time!</div>
Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-76057458821901570332012-07-23T10:01:00.001+05:302012-07-23T10:11:24.309+05:30Getting Back on Track<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A month since I even saw my blog... Weird... I know. But yes, there were a lot of things happening around me. We shifted from our old lovely house to the new one. Though I am not so much in love with the house and surroundings as I liked the old one, I am getting adjusted. The silver lining that keeps me going is that we'll be moving out from this place soon :-) Yes, I know, one more shifting. So it took us quite some weeks to bring things to order at the new place. Now travelling to office takes a while longer for me. So in the evenings, we get very less time to do things at home. And over the last one week, work took away most of my time. There was a lot to get done in a short span. And finally that is almost done now and I am almost getting back to normalcy [;-)] now. My health also had not been the best, which again kept tiring me out. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now everything seems to have fallen on track. My weekdays start very early these days as I have to be at the bus stop a lot earlier than before. And I reach home almost an hour later than I used to. But one good part about moving to this place is that hubby's office, which earlier used to be 25kms away is now just within 10 kms and he reaches much earlier than before. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So I may start blogging as usual going forward. See you :-)</span></div>
</div>Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-78941016859209267402012-06-12T15:54:00.003+05:302012-06-12T15:59:53.019+05:30Shifting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Shifting from a house is, according to me, a very tiring and painstaking task. Reason, once you have decided to move, there are a lot of tasks involved. Changing postal addresses, getting TV, Internet connections, newspaper, and the like disconnected or discontinued. Sort out all the things you plan to take with you and keep the rest apart. Out of the unwanted stuff, again sort which has to be thrown in the trash and that which can be sold off or given to someone else. Get boxes to pack your stuff (in all required dimensions). Then slowly start packing your things. But be sure to keep your essentials out till you pack. This usually goes wrong with me. I would pack something thinking that it is not required till I move, but that proves wrong. I may have to open the packet again or buy a new one. So one solution is to not seal your boxes till the last date. Just close them and keep it around so that you can dig in and find something if it is urgent. Pack the not much used vessels in the kitchen. Pack all your decorative items in the living room and those lying around else where. And so the tasks go on and on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The reason I am saying this (you might have already guessed) is because we are shifting AGAIN! It was a quick decision based on some situations. We finalized on the locality to which we wanted to move and for weeks kept searching online as well as roaming around there searching for a house suiting our requirements. Finally we found one (though there were some complexities involved). We decided everything and had a word with the owner and yes, we are planning to move over this weekend, if everything goes as planned. It is a newly constructed apartment and so yes, I am saved from that dreaded task of cleaning up the old tenants' mess. Unlike the house we are in now, we may not have a private terrace and lots of plants. I will definitely miss that. But the new place is airy and bright. I like that. And before marriage, I was living in this same locality. So everything looks fine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The house we are in now is in a bad shape now owing to all the boxes around, stuff piled up here and there, and there is a lot of chaos. I am having a tough time deciding on what to pack, what not to pack, what to throw, and so on. Throwing away things is a great pain for me. I cling on to things emotionally. So overcoming that is the toughest part. Then we have a few things to be given away which we are still finalizing on. Hubby does help a lot in the packing and moves around all the heavy things :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And saying about the current house we are in now, it has been one of the best places we were in yet. The house was spacious and great. The locality was nice. We loved the balcony, terrace, and my plants. I loved the stairs in the house. Some of the best things of our life happened when at this house. And it never seemed to be small when we had friends and family visiting. Once we had around 10 people staying in the house. Yet there was enough room and everything was in order. We really loved this house. But priorities in life change, and we have to move on! :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So you might understand our plight now. And once we shift, again it takes almost a month or so's time to settle down in that place. I am just hoping that time passes quickly till that phase and everything should be smooth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">See you all....</span><br />
<br /></div>Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-371886577996607302012-05-15T10:26:00.003+05:302012-05-15T10:26:32.743+05:30Rains<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The weather here in Bangalore has become a little pleasant over the last few weeks. Though it is hot in the afternoons, we are experiencing evening showers. Even yesterday, it rained very heavily for almost half an hour when I was at office. It was lovely. Literally nothing outside could be seen properly. Everything looked foggy. And the best part, nights are cool now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I usually like the rains, but like all selfish people I don't prefer to be held up in the rain or don't like any of my activities getting delayed owing to rains. Last week I had such an experience. Usually I always make it a point to carry my umbrella when the rainy season starts. I also made a few futile attempts to find my umbrella which I was not using for a very long time now. One evening, on my way home, when I was in the bus itself I noticed that the clouds were getting darker. As I was nearing my stop, big drops started falling. But I did not care a bit, as my home is just a 3 minutes walk from the road. While I thought of these things, in a matter of seconds, it started to rain heavily. It was raining so heavily that the drops falling felt like pin pricks and I was almost drenched by the time I crossed the road and ran to the shelter of the shop by the road. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It was way too windy also. Everybody started taking shelter and even people with umbrellas did not dare to go out in that rough weather. After almost 30 minutes, it calmed down a bit. By then people with umbrellas and who had their own vehicles started heading home. It was still raining heavily and I could not run home. I decided to wait for another some time. During this time, I envied all those people who had umbrellas, who had their own vehicles, and those who had their dads, husbands, or siblings who came to pick them. The feeling was horrible. I waited for another 15 minutes and then made a decision - to run home. If I were to stay there I would have stayed there even longer. So I got out in the rain and almost ran till home, occasionally halting under the big trees for a moment or so. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Once I was home and changed into a fresh dress, I loved the rain all over again. It was a cool and even nicer with a hot drink watching the rains.</span></div>Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-27799506662733926372012-04-24T10:10:00.001+05:302012-04-24T10:11:52.702+05:30Doodle - Check it out!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I like most of the google doodles and I loved the one for today. It is for Gideon Sundback, associated with the work on the zipper. Just head over to </span><a href="https://www.google.com/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Google </a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and check it out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Just to give you a sneak peek, the page looks like this. You can use your mouse to drag open the zipper. :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlnDhN1-6QvWSc7aUd-zLYp0vCV9p1CwDkxE-5-hOb9n5y4yYKjxMp9e0GXnkbI8ocdglNR7653x5VAXJJPAxmXKWm2Nt74yBrnb2TZixJjnyWOVw0tuBztKYlOw3hnR0WVvc1QJC0NSi/s1600/doodle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlnDhN1-6QvWSc7aUd-zLYp0vCV9p1CwDkxE-5-hOb9n5y4yYKjxMp9e0GXnkbI8ocdglNR7653x5VAXJJPAxmXKWm2Nt74yBrnb2TZixJjnyWOVw0tuBztKYlOw3hnR0WVvc1QJC0NSi/s320/doodle.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And even if you are a day late, you can check it out at the </span><a href="http://www.google.com/doodles/finder/2012/All%20doodles" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Google doodles museum</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span></div>Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-81215379043660885392012-04-11T10:51:00.001+05:302012-04-11T10:54:09.351+05:30Over the past couple of weeks<div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Its been a long while now. Not that my life is not sweet anymore. It is just busy! My job keeps me busy during the day and once home cooking and other things keep me even busier. Phew, I just wait to get the chores done and lie down on the bed. Crafting also is slow. Gardening involves only watering the plants now. I have not been planting anything new. Reason - we will be going out of town for a week. I have made a temporary arrangement to get my plants watered for a few days. So didn't want to plant anything new during this phase.</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And when I say out of town, it obviously means going down to Kerala. Its been some time now that we visited our families. So we are just eagerly waiting for it to be the weekend and hoping that the next week goes sloooowly. Though we know that what awaits us there is the hot humid climate, lots of travels, and tiredness. But still we love all those when in Kerala :-)</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here, over the past few weeks we had been doing some shopping. Yarn shopping topped the list. I did purchase two bagfulls of yarn while I went to Commercial and Raja Market. Next on our list was baby girl dresses for my husband's brother's kid. We often get exhausted shopping for her because all baby dresses are cute and we have a tough time deciding the best ones. On one of my ventures to the Commercial street I found some cute aprons which I readily picked up. They looked like the Cath Kidson aprons and there were a lot with floral prints and pleasant colors. Some baking supplies also came along - cute measuring spoons and silicon cup cake moulds and oven spreads. Those would have to wait until I am back to be used though. Then I did a little bit of fabric shopping as well. Well, I have improved a bit on my sewing front. I have been successful in stitches a couple of kurtis for myself and now hubby agrees for fabric shopping also without a change in expression ;-) I don't remember what else we shopped for. I just know that my travel bag is almost full now. Need to dump in our clothes more, and we are good to go.</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The next few days will be even more hectic for me. Finishing off all the perishables in the kitchen, shifting the pots to a shady location, cleaning the house, making a list of essential things to do before going, paying off the bills for the month, doing the last bit of shopping, laundering, folding, ... phew!</span></div>Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-40182701870542825612012-03-22T09:46:00.002+05:302012-03-22T10:17:49.452+05:30Lemons Drizzle<div><div><span >Ever since I saw <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2008/03/sunday-baking.html">Lucy's Lemon drizzle cake</a>, I had the urge to make one. I was not very sure of how it would turn out but decided that I should try it. I did substitute a few items due to unavailability. I had bought a new whisk recently and took this opportunity to try it out. </span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >As the baking progressed the house was filled with a sweet fragrance of the lime. I just loved it. And I made the drizzle also. Oh! Loved how the cake was glistening.</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >Once it was cooled, I couldn't wait any further to taste it. I took a slice. It was heavenly! Usually when I bake, I throw in more ingredients. But this recipe was so simple and very less ingredients. And yet I think it was the tastiest I made. </span></div></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >Time for some pictures now.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><span ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bRSisQjVeUGOd9rT3pyCHKpw3A6r9xLg20zPFFOAqKLi6JAouzqTseMx4xyXai34EhdsMgwtYZq1FgY-OXnvSJ5j9HX9eazKbt-pr4otZutD9rQvVBxo26yup4wve0DvhLF8taC2WKZK/s1600/Picture+019.jpg" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bRSisQjVeUGOd9rT3pyCHKpw3A6r9xLg20zPFFOAqKLi6JAouzqTseMx4xyXai34EhdsMgwtYZq1FgY-OXnvSJ5j9HX9eazKbt-pr4otZutD9rQvVBxo26yup4wve0DvhLF8taC2WKZK/s400/Picture+019.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722577264273667890" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil96IVOGyync9cCtOIriYNLasHraNzleFKKqCBJ-n_Vw_FOVxiSTRHctJ6jicmJDj0J_ezL7BUInx4AwRPC0NrD5jWEIlSrPVnwxUCy6RHb_jhAIVTFT3HveY6PVg5if_WgnBWXch2P6It/s1600/Picture+020.jpg" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil96IVOGyync9cCtOIriYNLasHraNzleFKKqCBJ-n_Vw_FOVxiSTRHctJ6jicmJDj0J_ezL7BUInx4AwRPC0NrD5jWEIlSrPVnwxUCy6RHb_jhAIVTFT3HveY6PVg5if_WgnBWXch2P6It/s400/Picture+020.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722577259759126226" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2laEmthERnpFh48zz8Rnk6Jf50yj1KYrR2oYNAIqBI11UGsOYO2dY2yizfWMDrUt0Z8PZyKO_sfvfPbg1p4A0tMHtq6s_sH1BLiw1Snoa8zkkxhEJYhDR8EN9_JrfNPfpmsINRTSQ-l8/s1600/Picture+021.jpg" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2laEmthERnpFh48zz8Rnk6Jf50yj1KYrR2oYNAIqBI11UGsOYO2dY2yizfWMDrUt0Z8PZyKO_sfvfPbg1p4A0tMHtq6s_sH1BLiw1Snoa8zkkxhEJYhDR8EN9_JrfNPfpmsINRTSQ-l8/s400/Picture+021.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722577252760410242" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3R2r6vyF-zJzmxdeFX7nZn1DD0mimSJ8yOtqMAAaEDHxMv9d9D3e-T2H77DDI9KaOS7eaO5XWNCPdd4e1T_U2SDHiOzrkBploZRjEcUrTnURHA_xbRLIfcaQZ7_O5-TTQCy9cbSKPFR0/s1600/Picture+022.jpg" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3R2r6vyF-zJzmxdeFX7nZn1DD0mimSJ8yOtqMAAaEDHxMv9d9D3e-T2H77DDI9KaOS7eaO5XWNCPdd4e1T_U2SDHiOzrkBploZRjEcUrTnURHA_xbRLIfcaQZ7_O5-TTQCy9cbSKPFR0/s400/Picture+022.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722577245322253762" /></a><br /></span><div><span >Next time, I may use some cream and toppings! :-)</span></div>Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-25502096864956539392012-02-13T12:56:00.004+05:302012-02-13T13:12:42.111+05:30Beginning to get Greener<div><div><span style=trebuchet>There is a lot of sprouting activity happening in the pots on my terrace and in the kitchen. Each day I see tomato sprouts, tendrils on the green pea shoots, chillies foilage, lovely red leaves on the red spinach, and many more eyes and buds on the stem cuttings. I literally love to see the buds and sprouts. It makes my heart jump with joy. </span></div></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><span ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGA_xxDDaLmOomXaYv_84NBWhVjiOtWkUPukwKv3bAl0i0jOuSzxQ0hhj6FzOb2P6D8z1AG-KM1HOa9iPfhFabZ0EcMqM98BPMmu_3U6p1UnRmUyOz_dOWZpJpzevkN9fqhlV5wO40blsA/s1600/Picture+178.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGA_xxDDaLmOomXaYv_84NBWhVjiOtWkUPukwKv3bAl0i0jOuSzxQ0hhj6FzOb2P6D8z1AG-KM1HOa9iPfhFabZ0EcMqM98BPMmu_3U6p1UnRmUyOz_dOWZpJpzevkN9fqhlV5wO40blsA/s400/Picture+178.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708518624344547570" /></a>Yesterday hubby and me transplanted tomato and chilly seedlings into their originally intended pots.</span><div><span ><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9N6sK542Bwm3yPrxjVHt60PfTs-KI3TM0rthsSY47L9g0Cb_O0StKC7nINcjSqtzeqtkZl6aAKSFf8aX8WrR6k0Gbz6hE3-Rb0rjDFdUItAJqBXYV-gbAgDwrMN3EIMEo0cMBIdZ962W/s1600/Picture+173.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9N6sK542Bwm3yPrxjVHt60PfTs-KI3TM0rthsSY47L9g0Cb_O0StKC7nINcjSqtzeqtkZl6aAKSFf8aX8WrR6k0Gbz6hE3-Rb0rjDFdUItAJqBXYV-gbAgDwrMN3EIMEo0cMBIdZ962W/s400/Picture+173.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708518617079837218" /></a>What I hate and love both about gardening is my hands getting dirty. I am not using any gloves (I may have to start using though) and initially don't like messing up my fingers in the sand. But once I start the digging and raking and my hands are dirty, I end up playing in the sand like a kid only to realize how dry my hands become later.</span></div><div><span ><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwCSNQvSIWi3ykzcrwramnQom3SuQDQnZMD7iphzXj_4KX672Tqg9l5oFyL831gc6uhplkA8_fJAGe5sbruJSASkzmF4MDKJtb0p4TRKeEGpry6b5sDeLIl-oy0Gz-75A2Tg6Iw_rU1xR/s1600/Picture+176.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwCSNQvSIWi3ykzcrwramnQom3SuQDQnZMD7iphzXj_4KX672Tqg9l5oFyL831gc6uhplkA8_fJAGe5sbruJSASkzmF4MDKJtb0p4TRKeEGpry6b5sDeLIl-oy0Gz-75A2Tg6Iw_rU1xR/s400/Picture+176.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708518611792841506" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeZyzOBATnGQcCnUcfIRN8zV4TaBYwnMJxJUnBODchZkOEfmMzhB9zUG4qJXWw98d1U7yI5YegQRLzvlbqHeHEg5YanBea_YbQ6ihWzPxLSV7TqhaTbhOGqbbMwVhqcsNnXLmo-D0Nz6H/s1600/Picture+174.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeZyzOBATnGQcCnUcfIRN8zV4TaBYwnMJxJUnBODchZkOEfmMzhB9zUG4qJXWw98d1U7yI5YegQRLzvlbqHeHEg5YanBea_YbQ6ihWzPxLSV7TqhaTbhOGqbbMwVhqcsNnXLmo-D0Nz6H/s400/Picture+174.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708518612593233986" /></a>I intend to transplant the red spinach seedlings next week. Taking pictures are really difficult these days. By the time I reach home, it almost starts getting dark and so am not able to click pictures that do full justice to the beauty of the leaves and shoots. </span></div><div><span ><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpr704tEn6er4BwoPGdwCeXC0RpOBB-MLflMb4anb8jUFHf9-MlOsROTmHhMZ_Cf_pWEUYv2tqW3TuSZx56kHG2d8Gz0sExb0ynH3R4-rzWUduDti5onQSw4pQUwDRjlYX7h0cVZ1vjTS/s1600/Picture+177.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpr704tEn6er4BwoPGdwCeXC0RpOBB-MLflMb4anb8jUFHf9-MlOsROTmHhMZ_Cf_pWEUYv2tqW3TuSZx56kHG2d8Gz0sExb0ynH3R4-rzWUduDti5onQSw4pQUwDRjlYX7h0cVZ1vjTS/s400/Picture+177.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708518608039492082" /></a></span></div>Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-85948435648301833432012-02-03T09:41:00.002+05:302012-02-03T09:55:37.367+05:30Dried to Green<span ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My plants have been in a pity state for a quite some time now. There were many evenings when I was so busy to go up to the terrace and water them and many a days I completely forgot owing to the other jobs I had at hand. And to top all these, we had to travel for a couple of days on short notice without being able to make arrangements to water the plants. Result,</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwBTTYi4HTgqqenMp7a45S7znymEN1gx-ch0D7kqn9nCwGLscn17mPUQLkRbIBGWJ1Gfa-DPguech-vL4XkHLkuZvERAHsPMrCtddbyAjnpd6HDbAjs7SXyLIcJGTFuY6WwIDQjglbboZ/s1600/Picture+123.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwBTTYi4HTgqqenMp7a45S7znymEN1gx-ch0D7kqn9nCwGLscn17mPUQLkRbIBGWJ1Gfa-DPguech-vL4XkHLkuZvERAHsPMrCtddbyAjnpd6HDbAjs7SXyLIcJGTFuY6WwIDQjglbboZ/s400/Picture+123.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704757468354102226" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurwNZAtqR72kuDHyi9YuAULnb6YQzldijUQ4XveNNlUpEX34lnqstwW0OM0-qLjjgjuFWbfqaIA4u431qJnaBn0ACUBc9Fiiv8iRnYvgbn5p7_sNFCX6gV8rYFGTo-t9komAme2qKF2hj/s1600/Picture+122.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurwNZAtqR72kuDHyi9YuAULnb6YQzldijUQ4XveNNlUpEX34lnqstwW0OM0-qLjjgjuFWbfqaIA4u431qJnaBn0ACUBc9Fiiv8iRnYvgbn5p7_sNFCX6gV8rYFGTo-t9komAme2qKF2hj/s400/Picture+122.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704757466616195330" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZTYMKE6n2KxYEH8kSDfzUiQ7xC4YrQLC2T49-jyyLYRYbU5oHQ-DX3tkiGW63uWcAexLuTCmUf1UjRHPjl9jMaxM4nK2Gvc0df6giX1vWUZGniFsVXGi2FKF3Cnhnki3DUjEFSTUH0xb/s1600/Picture+118.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZTYMKE6n2KxYEH8kSDfzUiQ7xC4YrQLC2T49-jyyLYRYbU5oHQ-DX3tkiGW63uWcAexLuTCmUf1UjRHPjl9jMaxM4nK2Gvc0df6giX1vWUZGniFsVXGi2FKF3Cnhnki3DUjEFSTUH0xb/s400/Picture+118.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704757460033512514" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yes, all my plants dried. One or two which were strong enough to survive, I gave them ample of time to wither.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Now my terrace has just a lot of pots with soil and no greens.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So what am I doing now? I am replanting. I started on with taking the soil out of the pots, aerating them properly, and filling it back. There are 26 pots - small, medium, and large. Till date, I have been able to refill only 9 pots. It takes a lot of time for this task as the soil has kind of got set in the pots. So before I start on the raking, I have to water the pots, wait for some time and then start off. Once half way through the pot is raked out, I can tilt out the rest of the soil. This is easier in the smaller and medium sized pots. But doing it alone for the big pots is very difficult owing to the weight. I left out those pots for a day when hubby is at home. Currently, each day, after office hours, I get around 30 minutes at home, before it gets dark. In this time, I am able to complete the refilling process for three pots.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So in the 9 pots I have refilled, I have started sowing seeds and putting cuttings. Indoors also I have started sowing seeds so that they sprout quickly and don't get dried up in the hot sun these days.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmDLsmaInUpTLF0Zz0AeoQOibNb_-XD2Fo2jmeuCVM-E2LBcapZsQfl3Ao9M9EGOLMPi1gKcJdGPPjVDS5gbqDjjvcajQhgLcjAuF8t8Z-lCOvxw1acc3kLfjaf35hUfRQnkaesHYgr0x/s1600/Picture+149.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmDLsmaInUpTLF0Zz0AeoQOibNb_-XD2Fo2jmeuCVM-E2LBcapZsQfl3Ao9M9EGOLMPi1gKcJdGPPjVDS5gbqDjjvcajQhgLcjAuF8t8Z-lCOvxw1acc3kLfjaf35hUfRQnkaesHYgr0x/s400/Picture+149.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704757458743360962" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9J1YH0yjUHhsX-lgLcGVz0V8lFr7Ub4m9sVck_fyEmBWLPu9-Llq5LSi6qTR12XfK5anN1ymfrTmdR7twNU4-oUghR_YAUJrddJrZsjldyYbRZ4slwM5xU1Uf9tjGMZtdReXb6NTjsLR/s1600/Picture+150.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9J1YH0yjUHhsX-lgLcGVz0V8lFr7Ub4m9sVck_fyEmBWLPu9-Llq5LSi6qTR12XfK5anN1ymfrTmdR7twNU4-oUghR_YAUJrddJrZsjldyYbRZ4slwM5xU1Uf9tjGMZtdReXb6NTjsLR/s400/Picture+150.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704757456795524770" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Well, lot of work is still left to be done to make my garden healthy, green, and lively again!</span></span>Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-73443232304912950422012-01-03T16:45:00.002+05:302012-01-03T16:50:46.175+05:30End and Beginning<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Finally said goodbye to 2011 and started on with 2012. Everything seems normal and okay till now. I haven't taken any new year resolutions as I know resolutions never work out for me. Just taking life in the pace it is coming to me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As usual there was the annual company shut down for a week. So got a few days off and went down to Kerala. As always, it was hectic - travelling. And the days went past so quickly that within no time it was time to board the bus back to Bangalore. For a few days, my co-sister and kid came and stayed with us. It was joyful when they were here. The kid is just a year old and now learning to speak and walk. It is hilarious when she tries to speak - alien words and phrases. But her expressions are cute. Walking is another nice part. I love to see the way she falters when she tries to walk without help. And even better is to watch her yawning when waking from a deep sleep. So cute!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">On the day of New Year, they went back to Kerala. We were back to being the two souls in the big house, lonely! Going back to office seemed very painful after the vacation. Now we are falling back on track and hoping for the best in this new year!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hope you all had a wonderful time!</span>Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801489519258223817.post-61245014168304520902011-11-24T14:50:00.001+05:302011-11-24T14:51:34.572+05:30A day at Home<div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yesterday was a slow day for me. I did not go to work and got to spend the whole day at home relaxing. Hubby had been to work and there was food so that I didn't have to cook (and waste time ;-)). My time was spent in the following order till evening - reading, crochet, reading, crochet, sleeping, crochet, and reading. Whoa! I just loved it. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In the evening, an idea suddenly struck me - Swiss Roll. I love this thing and had been wanting to make it from a long time. And the day arrived yesterday. I was happy that all the required ingredients were there in the kitchen. I browsed through a couple of recipes and started on the process quickly. Within half an hour, the Swiss Roll was ready. The only improvement required, as I felt, was that I had to beat the eggs a little more to have made the cake softer. But that's fine; Next time! And I was really thrilled with the result. I didn't have the patience to even photograph it. Bro, hubby, and me finished it within no time!</span></div>Resmi...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07716360329895283136noreply@blogger.com1