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Yes, it SNOWED in Houston!!! Barely 2-3 inches of snow and the entire city came to a halt. Colleges and schools closed down, offices forced their workers to go home (with pay!), roads didn’t look the same with white snow fast turning into gray slush lining the sidewalks, white sheet of snow covering tropical plantation that can’t survive snow longer than a day at max, … it was truly a winter wonderland … only because we knew that the snow was not going to last long. It was surely to melt soon and the temperatures didn’t dip much below freezing either. The hope that it’d all soon melt away and we’d be back to normalcy soon with our green plants smiling at us made looking at snow fall out our new house bindows with a cup of hot chocolate in hand all the more appeasing. :) For if we didn’t know that it was going to melt, memories of the cold snowy Canada for 8 months would’ve sent me, if not both me and P, into a serious bout of SAD (seasonal affective disorder/depression).
I do have photos that I’d post as soon as I upload.
That was yesterday. It is Saturday morning today. Well, almost after noon now. Sun is shining bright. There are no signs of snow. I can go out in a light jacket without shivering. I don’t need gloves or a scarf. Ah the freedom!!! I did not have that luxury in Canada of course and I thoroughly love that about Houston. My plants are back to smiling again. They’re still alive. They survived! :)
On a side note, when we were coming home from work yesterday – much earlier than usual cuz all offices shut down because roads were bound to get icy later on – P said to me while driving and observing CRAZY drivers on roads who didn’t realize how dangerous driving in snowy conditions can be, “How sad does it feel to know that someone is going to die today for sure?” I was so shocked to hear him say that, that I looked at him with raised eyebrows and let out a sigh of disbelief, “Come on P, it is not necessary that it would happen. People are going home now, well ahead of time, hopefully, they’d stay home for the evening.” “No”, he replied, “take my word for it … the way people are driving, there is bound to be some tragedies tonight or tomorrow morning before ice melts away.”
Sad to say, he was right. :( Houston Chronicle narrates the tragedies of the night that snow visited Houston. I really wonder why people don’t heed to warnings that are announced and re-announced on every channel possible – on radio, TV, newspapers, friends, family, etc. – and not worry about their safety. They not just risk their own life but also risk others’ on the road too. Sad. Real sad indeed. Thinking that it was obvious that someone was undoubtedly going to be a victim of icy roads DESPITE the warnings that were issued and re-issued by everyone who knew better is disheartening.
Well, the roads are better now. Hopefully, people are more sensible sitting behind the wheel now and not decide that texting a friend about a favorite lip color is as essential as the task at hand – merging on to a highway – where if you take one wrong step, you might endanger not just your life but many others.
Lip color can wait.
So we moved in. It’s amazing how big a place feels when you don’t have enough furniture to fill it up with. ;D I’m LOVING the new extra space though!! :) We haven’t yet put anything (but furniture, TV and puter) in its place yet. All lies in boxes in a room whilst I am busy cooking in my huuuuuge kitchen with a huuuuuuge island. Love it love it love it!! :) Made Paneer Parathas in the morning yesterday, followed it up with Biryani, baked cheesy et spicy cauliflower and spicy pan grilled baby eggplants and a cheesecake for dessert (happy thanksgiving) later in the evening; today, we’ve done halva poori so far and stomach is threatening to burst out of abdomen. :)
Master bedroom is painted BLUEEEE as planned but the painter didn’t do the best job. I can see loads of areas that the paint needs to be touched up on. :/ But like Pati said, “this is the best you get with the money you gave” which wasn’t a whole lot of money considering cheap Mexican labor here. ;p Yes, I exploited. Sue me. I did pay three times the market rate though. I swearrr I did. The painter dude was so happy that he is coming back again tomorrow to touch up the walls that he messed up on. I don’t know if it will ever be the same again. *sigh*oh well. The consolation is that it’s only paint and when I have more money to waste on aesthetics, I’d get some professionals to do up the entire house. :)
For now, I leave you with a thought that Pati said yesterday which sums up our experience of the new house. When falling into bed (that we’ve had for over a year now) last night, he mumbled, “this bed feels much softer in this house than it did in that apartment” and fell asleep instantly.
Ah bliss! :)
But … maybeee
Maybe it was the scrumptious food that I cooked for dinner that showed its effect by inducing hallucinations and a quick restful sleep. Maybe. Just maybe. Ahem, this is when you admire and applaud my paranormal cooking skills. Thank you. :D
And oh yes, a belated thanksgiving to all of you who cared to celebrate and eid mubarak to the rest who are celebrating it either today or tomorrow. Cheers all. :)
frig and more!!!!
I just wrote a longgg post explaining my absence and wordpress froze on me!! Is there no justice in this world? This is not fair! I vehemently protest!!! Isn’t wordpress automatically saving drafts anymore? Because I don’t find it in my drafts either! Disgusting. :( I am so upset. I come back after so long and this happens. I guess wordpress is upset with me. :D As must be you. I have no energy in me to rewrite that post but I can summarize it to you in three words: I am SoRrY! I am. But I had to leave. Blogging was getting a bit too overwhelming for me. I needed a break. And one day, I … quit. I walked away. Simply and quietly. And didn’t log back into this blog until today. It has been much over a month now. I owe you a longer explanation, I know, and I did write it out too but, as luck would have it, it’s somewhere lost in the tunnels of cyberworld. :+
Thank you so much for your concern to all of those who asked for me. :) I am much better now than I was two months ago. A few circumstances were such that needed me to be away from here. My sanity was much under question. By me of course. :D I needed to get the screws and bolts of my head back together before coming back on here and unscrewing yours. Talking of screws and bolts, our house is ready to be moved into!!! Yes yes, that quick. It started on August 14th and we signed possession on November 12th! How fabulous is that!?? We are moving in gradually. We are there every evening in any case. Can’t stay away! :) Can’t wait until when I’d be spending day in and day out there. This weekend, party’s on me at the new place. Would you like to sneak a peek???
Here we go :) … I left you with this in September:
And now:
:) Yep, that’s Pati in the last photo. Haha. Looks enthralled, does he not?
For the amusement of those who missed Pati stories, the man’s head must be an amalgamated mass of copper wires, circuit breakers, modems, routers … whatever electrical/techy sounding name you can think of. We are quite sure that is the case although we are not quite sure about what component is in exactly what proportion though. We can’t even risk getting his head MRI-ed fearing that our health insurance may not cover breakage costs of the machine after it senses all the aforementioned clutter where it is accustomed to seeing a chhota sa nanha sa human brain in normal majority of people.
So today’s story goes as such … We got Vonage today. Yes, the phone line through internet. Yes, the same one with unlimited calls to US, Canada and India. Yes Yes, that. Surprizingly, voice quality is excellent. We are quite pleased at 25 dollars a month. I thought he’d be satisfied with the deal as well. But no. Right now, he’s running tests to dial through his Iphone and making calls to my cell phone using Vonage as a carrier somehow. Umm you would think that picking up the regular phone and dialing would take just as much effort as picking up his Iphone and dialing, isn’t it? That’s what my chhota sa nanha sa human brain says. But no, the machine feels differently. I told you I married a machine. :+ No further comments.
And jes, please don’t forget to welcome the ‘me/us’ back!!!! :D Love you too.
At an all~American pizza joint at the mo waiting for the first couple slices to digest before I go for a second serving of the buffet. P’s sitting in front of me relishing his third serving and mocking my inability to eat larger portions in a go. I’m so not made for buffets. So not the money’s worth. I eat a small portion, walk out and am hungry within half an hour. Bummer. :( Today, I’m determined to persevere. I’d wait until I get hungry again. Psh! :! Second serving, just you wait! Hmph!
And how how how can we not look forward to the gorgeously decadent chocolate pizza? Have a look at the attached pictures.
I am d e a d f r i c k i n tired at the mo!!!!! Crashed on the living room couch. Leaning back. Laptop on ‘tomach. Held in place by thighs. Feet on coffee table. It’s around 6:40ish. Curtains drawn closed. Too tired to get up and open ‘em. Kind of dark in here. No lights are on. Getting darker by the minute. Lightening and thundering outside like a typical Houston evening. The kinda weather that one might call romantic. It used to be romantic for me … a year ago … when we moved to Houston. Now, it’s an everyday thing. Almost. Warm showers. Lightening. Thunderstorms. A common occurrence, all of them. What ain’t common is that I am soooo dead tired today and it ain’t even night time yet!
I had a terribly tiring day today (if you haven’t figured that out yet). Stood in lines all day getting some chores done. Nothing worse than having to sit/stand in lines waiting for your turn … patiently. Games on phone get boring within a few minutes. Internet surfing doesn’t appeal either. Walls don’t change color. Floor stays the same too. People around you change though. But they look equally frustrated as you are. Everyone’s frustration adds up to a restless frustrated room that you want to escape from the first chance you get. Sadly, the chance takes a bloody long time to come. Until it comes, each pore of your body bleeds quiet sighs. Your brain loses control over your body which, by the end of the ordeal, refuses to move. As is the case now.
I have to cook dinner. Cuz a girl’s gotta eat rite? Instead, I am sitting here … writing this. Aite, P’s here. I’ll whine to him and ….. god knows do what next.
This was yet another useless post eh. Psh. I needs to gets my bloggings grooves backs. Hey, did I tell ya that I enrolled in a couple of classes at a local uni? It’s pretty cool being back at school … except the waiting in lines part … which usually happens at the beginning of the semester. Oh yes, that’s where I was today. At the universe of learning. Getting all the admin work done. And, boy, once again, I am T I R E D!
Ishould go refresh me now or mayyyyybeeee you … well, you … umm err you … give us a smile and refresh us pliss? :)
Belated ji … but … nonetheless. :)
How’d you celebrate yours? We had celebrations here in a Convention Centre. Unlike last year when they had Mika Singh’s performance lined up for the evening, they didn’t invite any big names for the event this year; hence, the crowd wasn’t all that great. There were a few patriots, however, like my husband who woke up early to go see the Indian flag being hoisted whilst singing his national anthem. ;) I slept in of course. :p At the event itself, I was the co-MC for a pageant for little kids of ages 5-12. Man, MCing was as much fun as I expected it to be but working with kids was what pleased me the most! Aww they were all such sweet little angels. Cute as heck. Makes me wanna make one so I can keep him/her for myself forevaaaa muhahahaa :D. Oh well, at least for a few years before he/she has had enough of our nest that me and P hope to lovingly build together.
Talking about nest, construction of our house begun on August 14th. :) They dug up the land. We went to look at it today. P went and took the mud in his hand and KISSED IT! Go figure. Uck Ugh YUCK! :D But the dude’s gotta have a reason to be doing it … so I walked into the mud too and dirtied my hands with it too. :D We did take pictures. I’ll see if I can upload them. I am excited about the house coming together. We really don’t have much to do but wait with fingers crossed and watch the whole building process unfold. We have chosen the colors for the floors and the cabinets etc. but walls, furnishings et al would need to be done after the house is handed over to us. There’s sooo much work to be done once we do get the house but, hopefully, it will be fun and well worth the effort. :)
Other than that, I got an offer to work in a Pakistani drama as one of the lead actresses. haha Another one of those ‘go figure’ situations! I am meeting with the director et al tomorrow. It’s meant to be a short term project of only about a couple of months. Let’s see if it works out. Again, like radio, I didn’t go looking for this op either. It just happened to come to me. Also, like radio, I am not sure if I should take it up. First, I don’t even know the first alphabet of Acting! Second, repeat First! :D I’ll make a total mockery of myself and waste their time if I do agree. The director, however, says that making his actors act is his job. All we gotta do is show up. Mmmmmm hmmmmmm. What do you think? Don’t I need to have some instruction in acting to be able to ‘act’ on camera? I don’t think I can act at all!!!!! Not even to save my life. But then if Aishwarya Rai is managing it, I guess I can too. ;p Jokes. I think I am to acting as Sunny Deol is to dancing. But let’s see how it goes tomorrow. Maybe the casting director won’t like my look for the role they’re looking for. I am supposed to be a divorced woman I think who is still young but refuses to remarry. Mmmm hmmmmmm again. So unlike me. It’d be a challenge. Let’s see. Pliss tell me what you think?
Okie enough rambling from my quarters, hope all you’s doing well and better. I miss you!!! I am almost depressed for not getting to blog often. I’ll be back! Sooner than later!! With lots more to update on … for now, some pics to share:
1. First couple are from the Independence Day celebrations. That would be me on the stage and obviously, it was P on the camera. He didn’t think taking a pic from up front would be a good idea for some reason :<
2. It was only after we got home that P realized that he should’ve taken better pictures. He asked me to pose in our dimly lit hallway so he could take a picture. Obviously, it couldn’t possibly turn out good … but, nonetheless, I am visible in it at least even if exposure (light) gave us dhokha:
3. Anddd did you read up in this post that I kissed the soil of the land that our house is to be built in? Now you can see for yourself that I did not lie. :p But hey, I swear my lips did NOT touch that!!! It’s just a pose for the photo op. Uh huh uh huh!! :))))
More later, luvers. I will answer your comments ESPECIALLY on that one post … you know what I am talking about. :) In due time. Thanks for bearing me with such patience and love. Y’all rockkkkkk!!! Muaaaaaaahz. The drama queen signs off now. Adios. I sleep. You sleep. We all sleep now. :D
Really!
Hats off to women (or men) bloggers who have a full-time job, maintain a house (without any hired help), have children to take care of, have weekends packed with ‘entertainment’ stuff and yet find the time to blog!
MAN!
I guess you really have to be extremely passionate about writing to take time out for something that you love the most. Like I take it out for dancing. It’s time I change my ‘About me’ section. My interests and passions have just been through a shock treatment and, as a result, I am more clear in my head about where my true interests lie. I do like expressing myself … but writing down all my thoughts and feelings doesn’t necessarily have to be a means every time. My two hours of radio in the morning suffices for the overtly talkative individual in me to calm down for the rest of the day.
Am I making sense?
I don’t subconsciously think of material to blog about anymore. If there is something that comes up that I really have to have to have to share with someone, I call someone up and share. If that doesn’t work, I go say it on the radio next morning. :|> I really don’t know where this post is headed (as I rarely do anymore). :< So, I'll leave it at that.
Kudos to all you bloggers who've been blogging for years providing free entertainment for the rest of us who are either too lazy to blog or don't have enough material left after the day's end. Or maybe we don't have the darned time to blog cuz we choose to prioritize our lives differently for various reasons. Talking of shortage of time, I should be leaving for a lunch meeting that I have in 15 minutes. Adios, darlings. See you soon. :)
I’m being given up on. :p. Nahiiiiiii. heh Sorry Sorry ji. Y’know I logged on to wordpress after dayssssss. I didn’t even come read the comments or anything … and I come today and read threats :p. Chalo, everything’s all fair in love and love. :D But pliss not to give up. I am not completely hopeless yet. :D
I know that apologies are not enough to make up for my _________. You can fill in the blank yourself. ;0 But what to do, life has been so busy that I am barely getting 3-4 hours of sleep every night. A few things are keeping me busy:
1. radio
2. concerts that I am beginning to get involved in
3. a course that I am taking at the uni
4. prep for a dance performance we are doing for a non profit organization
5. volunteer work with a couple other organizations
… and this and that … The past couple weeks have been absolutely nuts! I finally threw in the towel today and went to get a Thai massage. Oh my body so deserved a massage despite it costing a good chunk of moolah. I think that I am going to get addicted to it. The pains and aches that I’ve got from an awkward posture won’t leave me that quickly. I’d be back at the massage parlor in a couple of weeks. By that time, as per the pace I am going at, I will need it in any case anyway.
Man, although I feel relieved at the moment but it hurt a lot when I was getting it done. My neck has been a umm pain in the neck ;p for a while. The masseuse lady, God bless her, spent a good amount of time on it today. And it hurt!!!!!!!! It hurt until I had tears in my eyes but by the time I was done, it was hurting a lot less than I had gone in with. So yay!! I approve of Thai massages!! Go rite ahead.
It’s 2:59 AM. Yep, the time that I normally sleep at these days. I should sleep. Eyes are dying to close. Starting tomorrow, I promise myself to take things easy. This can’t work in the long run this way. I need to take care of myself. Hurting neck, hurting back ain’t a way to go eh. *breathe in breathe out* I need a breaker! thanks for sucking me back in here.
C you soon! :)
It’s 12:12 AM at the moment. We just got back home from a visit to a circus in town. Ringling Brothers, it is called. We got tickets through my radio show and the kid in us was ever so excited to visit. The only thoughts I am left with after show are: “Is that how a human body is supposed to function? cuz mine surely is not even close”. :D Man, the agility, the precision, the strength that the acrobats display … absolutely amazing. The only part I couldn’t enjoy at all was the part with tigers. Somehow, I couldn’t digest seeing them as domesticated animals meant to entertain us. I am desensitized to the idea of dogs for entertainment or even elephants … but tigers? Nah, I couldn’t even watch. I had to look away. Something in me twisted and turned in knots when I saw them do their exit bows. :| Such majestic beings being imprisoned and forced to perform cuz they really have no choice. “Atleast they have food”, I reasoned with P, “if they were out in wild, they might have to fend for themselves and go hungry many days”. He replied, “It’s the same difference as us being in a prison but being well-fed and taken care of, and being free and having to fend for ourselves. What would you choose?”
:| Of course, answer was obvious. Freedom any day.
Also, guys, remember the impulse house-buy that I did talk about a couple of weeks ago? And then I said that we’d lost out on the lot we’d decided on. Well, guess what, the lot became available and we have it now! :) Roopie’s got a house again. Yes yes yes, keep the blessings coming in. It’s only with your best wishes and blessings that we’ve got it back. :) Hopefully, all will go well. We start building it next month and it should be ready by December for our first ever move-in to our first ever house! :) Can’t wait. Will keep you guys updated. :)
I’d be regular soon, I promise. As you can tell, things have been crazy in RnP household. I have a Kailash Kher concert to go to tomorrow night and then the WeEkEnD! :) Sooo much to catch up on. One thing though … y’kno although I missed interacting with you guys and writing, I didn’t particularly miss ‘blogging’. I had thought that it’d be hard for me to stay away. So not true. I can detach myself when I want to … which is good, in case you are wondering hehe. So gimme a yay please. A big YAY for roopie. Lemme hear it!! Yes, you. Of course, you. Gimme a YAY!!! AND SMILEEEE! Better yet, laugh to yourself. Bah, laugh out loud! Who cares if the dude in the next cubicle would think you are weird? Let him. Just give me a hearty laugh. Would you please? Gimme a laugh. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha :)))))))))))))))))))
Yeh, circus has been good for me. :D P now calls this lame blogger to bed. So she shall leave, take a shower and sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep zzzzzzzzzzzz. More soon. Huggggz. You did laugh, rite? ;)
Cheerz maties!
I should be back tomorrow. :p
Sowwie for disappearing like this.
*runs to hide her face behind the couch*
I badly needed some ‘me’ time. Lots happened in life recently that I needed time to come in terms with. The past that I was most certain that I’d left behind reared its head back up due to some uncontrollable situations and affected the present again to a considerable degree. Thankfully, the impact wasn’t all that much as it used to be once upon a time. Or perhaps I was prepared this time. Whatever the case, I am almost back to normalcy … again. I really needed a few days to myself. Hence, the complete cut-off. I is backkk now. :) Back in Houston. With P. Life is falling back into routine that gets broken when you go away from home for weeks at a stretch. :)
Talk to you very very soon!!! :)
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