Thenu's Diary

Tableware

2012-01-14T23:47:00.000-08:00

This bisfree rectangluar container from lock and lock is another cutie.

It is not the glass that we worry would be too heavy / drop accidently,

neither is it the plastic with bpa that we fear. It is made up of tritan,

it is bpa free and is clear and transparent like glass

but light as plastic. Best of both worlds haan? ;)

The lid has a very artistically engraved pattern.

Plus it is the locking type. And it comes with a sturdy handle!

Like always, the price is right too.

Thumbs up for my cute container from lock and lock.

Cosmetic case

2012-01-14T23:46:00.000-08:00

This is a neat container that lock and lock carries for your cosmetics.

The colors are plain attractive. Good quality. And the lid locks in place.

I like how these containers are stackable. A perfect solution for your

vanity if you have less space. And the price is less!

Sleek and Stylish Lock and Lock bebe vessels

2012-01-14T10:11:00.000-08:00

Lock and Lock carries this line of Hello bebe vessels.
They are double body constructed stainless steel - plastic combo baby items.
Look at that Soup Mug and bowls with plastic handles!
They are clean and neat with stainless steel body on the inside.
But they have a nice plastic body outside so you dont feel the heat of the food/soup.

I love stainless steel and the only problem is when handling hot foods they are not as friendly.
Here I get the best of both steel and plastic worlds. Neat, isn't it? ;)

The plastic is good quality and comes with cute characters imprinted - makes the babies happy
and hence the mom. I am glad I have this set, my friend who often visits home loves this
vessel whenever she gets to feed her baby while she is here. I am planning to gift her a set.
It is worth the price.

My Pantry is Happy and So am I

2012-01-14T09:49:00.000-08:00

You know why?! It got a new friend, a flip top storage box from our (me & my pantry) brand LOCK & LOCK!
It has long been in my wishlist to find a perfect stackable sleek and stylish container . And this storage box fits the bill perfectly.
The interlocking lid can be taken off entirely so it is easy to fill it up with the content. And the capacity is 10kg which is so perfect for my rice bag!!
And it comes with a measuring cup.
It has wheels so you can drag it easily.
It is clear white and transparent - so easy to see the contents.
Oh how can I forget the best part - the flip top opening on top!
Besides the flat top makes it easyto stack fellows of it's kind elegantly.
And the slightly angled opening is brilliant - now you can stack these folks to any height and
yet scoop from any container without having to unstack them.
Lastly the price is unbelievably low!
Now my pantry (and henceforth me) are happy happy!

Lock and Lock W.I.N.G Storage Basket

2012-01-13T10:18:00.000-08:00

It is time to reorganize the closets.
This storage basket from Lock and Lock comes to the rescue.
It is stackable and comes in bright white color. I like the unique
stackable design. Compact and Cute. The stacked baskets stay stable.
I liked it because it is not like a typical rectangular enclosed box. The half
open design makes it easy to see the contents. Perfect for towels,
stationaries. I have ordered more stackables . I wish it comes in different colors too.

That's NOT the fish I ordered!!

2011-12-07T17:24:00.000-08:00

Dear Son stuck a post-it on my back that said 'conscientious'.
Apparently it is part of his homework Today.. he has to stick few words on things he thought appropriate.

Conscientious.. me?! wow .. needless to say I was proud. I mean why wouldn't I?! According to Wiki, conscientious means:

"Conscientiousness is the trait of being painstaking and careful, or the quality of acting according to the dictates of one's conscience. It includes such elements as self-discipline, carefulness, thoroughness, organization, deliberation (the tendency to think carefully before acting), and need for achievement. It is an aspect of what has traditionally been called character. Conscientious individuals are generally hard working and reliable. When taken to an extreme, they may also be workaholics, perfectionists, and compulsive in their behavior."

Obviously thrilled, I asked DS (dear son), "Why did you choose me?"
DS: I don't know. It just reminded me of you.

*sigh* I should have left it at that. But what do I know.. fate of the day had different plans.
I exclaimed, "really!" and read the definition out aloud.

That's it! DS snatched the post-it and said, "OOPS.. wrong person! I thought it meant conscious"

And.. he stuck that to his back without a second thought.
OK.. Go ahead and laugh your heart out! ( You people are incredibly insensitive! )

Word Smart!

2011-11-17T16:51:00.000-08:00

My DH: டேய் , வீணா திட்டு வாங்காதே !
My DS: உனக்கே அது வீணா -னு தெரியுதே. . அப்புறம் எதுக்கு 'வீணா ' திட்டனும் ?
Me: Giggling.. (Now it is my turn!!)

Translation:
My DH: Dei, veena thittu vangathey!
My DS: unake athu 'veena'nu theriuthey. appuram ethukku 'veena' thittanum?
Me: Giggling..

Dummies R Us

2011-11-17T16:43:00.000-08:00

Me: Where is my Netsuite for Dummies book?
My Kid: Oh you mean "Netsuite for YOU" book?
My Husband had a hearty laugh!
Sh... between you and me, I had a good laugh too. :))

If I were you..

2011-11-17T16:31:00.000-08:00

Me: It is hot out there. Why don't you take off your full sleeves and wear this T shirt.

My Kid: Nah I am fine

Me: Ok... But.. If I were you, I would change into some comfortable clothing.

Kid: If I were me - which I am - I won't!

Me: ???

Lock n Lock Boroseal Borosilicate Round Glass Containers

2011-11-17T16:30:00.000-08:00

These Glass containers from Lock and Lock are simply great!
Very good quality glass. The snap lid that locks on four sides makes it easy to open/close.
The lid locks in place and the container is air tight. The lid has a beautiful engraving.
Perfect for lunch containers or store leftovers. It is microwave, dishwasher, freezer safe.
I prefer this one over my old pyrex glass containers with those annoying lids - I dont have
to fight with those lids anymore now that I have these containers.

Homework Made Simple!

2011-11-12T23:23:00.000-08:00

Today's homework is sentence making. DS is supposed to make a sentence using the word "Diaphragm". Poor thing, he does not know the meaning. Well drum roll please... mommy to the rescue.

I showed him this informative YouTube video that explained what it is and how it helps in breathing etc etc..

Ahem..Me so proud of my parenting, you see... I was even ready with a lecture about it if the video is not enough.

But.. but..dear son did not give me a chance.. Before I could start my lecture on human anatomy, he stopped me, "Ok Ok I get it." and finished his homework with this 'great' sentence:
"Every human being has a diaphragm."

Needless to say, he was out on the road with his friends in a jiffy! Oh well... he had other plans. What do I know!

Flip top storage box

2011-11-12T22:22:00.001-08:00

YAY! I am excited about my flip top containers that I got from the Lock and Lock Today.
It is a two way flip top. The smaller one is for pouring and
the bigger one accomodates measuring cups. Perfect size for pancake mix, sugar on the countertop.
The slender size occupies less space yet holds good volume.
I like that the sides are ribbed for extra grip. Good design!
The flip tops make it easy to open/close.
No more tug of war with the lids. It just snaps on/off. I am going to order
few more to spice up my pantry. Uniform containers always are appealing.

Cookplus Sauce pan

2011-11-12T22:21:00.001-08:00

What you see above is a cookplus brand sauce pan carried by Lock and Lock.
I am pleased with it's light weight and the easy grip handle.
The handle is silicone coated and nice bright yellow.
The pan comes with a lid which I prefer very much.
The knob on the lid helps use the lid as a bowl when overturned. Cute idea!

Oh and then if you are into chopsticks,the knob has 2 small holes in it to hold them.
The pouring spout is another convenience. It has measurements too.
I am going to put this pan to good use.
Here I come, cookplus speedcook sauce pan!!

Is it buffering Yet? Worry not.. Clap with Glee!

2011-04-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

DS was clapping his hands swiflty as his favorite cartoon was loading in YouTube. When the bewildered me asked for the reaon, he says,
"Yesterday when it took so long to buffer, my friend clapped his hands and BOOM the video loaded faster!"

DH and I laughed a lot, yet we let him hold onto his new theory. He still believes that clapping in front of the monitor somehow loads the clipping faster. Infact, we remind him, "Kuttima, konjam clap pannuma. It takes so long to buffer.." and he claps!!

I know.. I know.. we are two wicked people united in the sacred bond of matrimony.
In our defense, we want to videotape his innocense. So till I get it on tape, it is our little secret.. deal?

As I type here, my little boy is still clapping his hands with eyes fixed on the video progress bar.
Oh well. what do we know.. like the Butterfly Effect in chaos theory this might be another theory for the future.. It reminds me of a joke..
A rooster: Oh Dear GOD! Why? Why Me?! Why does it have to be ME always, to 'wake up' the damn Sun every single Morning?!

Make her angry!

2011-04-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

DS bought some glow in the dark sticks. The instructions said, "to activate the glow stick, bend the stick till it snaps".It was too hard for me to bend the stick. I was really frustrated (angry in my son's words) and gave it one last try.. the stick snapped and started to glow.
After a while, his friend came home. Now this is what I heard when i unintentionally eaves dropped on their conversation.
DS: Dude, did you get your glow stick to work?
Friend: No dude. I don't know how to.
DS: Ask your mom
Friend: She doesn't know, man.
DS: Dude, it is really simple. My mom knows how to do it.

(Me proud. Hehe.. comeon.. that was too hard to bend but I did it! Ahem.. where was I?! oh yeah.. me proudy proud. Then I eaves dropped 'intentionally'.)

DS continued seriously: There are only 2 steps dude.

Step #1: Give the stick to my mom
Step #2: Make her angry. (Me goes )

THOU shall not read between lines!

2011-03-17T08:59:00.001-07:00

We were watching the D40 TV show. It was actually a coverage of the rehearsal wherein a bunch of actresses including Divya Spandana were practicing their dance moves.
Did I mention that they were MINUS make-up?Apparently, the supposedly 'hot' heroines were not hot enough that day.

Hubby Darling exclaims: "Look at them.. Look at her.. How did she even become an actress?!!"

Needless to say I was so happy to hear the comment. I mean, who wouldn't?! Me joins him merrily: "I know!!"

Shaking his head in disbelief he continues, "These days anybody can become an actress!" and then stops with a deep gaze at his wife..

after the momentary assessment he says..
"Actually you can become an actress. No, Seriously.."
Now.. is that a compliment??!!

Well.. Thou shall not read between lines.

Forensics and Parenting!

2011-03-15T16:05:00.000-07:00

Ever seen a picky eater grab the banana with no excuses?! My LO grabs it in no minute and hits the street in the pretext of 'I eat while I play'. Given his aversion to food, and my passion to 'investigative journalism', I grew increasingly suspicious.

One day, wearing my investigator cap on, I asked DS, "I heard you are trashing the banana.. is that so?"

DS gets all defensive. "NO! I throw off only the peel"

"Hmm.. Interesting! The trash man is complaining though"

"It could be someone else!"

"You sure? Because they can easily find it out"

Seeing that DS is still unshaken, I summon my knowledge on forensic science. All the FBI files, I had watched relentlessly for hours dumping DH in solitude, come in handy.
I say, "I mean.. haven't you heard of DNA"

"Really?" , DS gasps. Oh it takes a fancy term DNA to get his attention!!

"Yeah! Remember your saliva contains your DNA.. They can match the DNA from your saliva to that on the left over banana!"

Now my little boy is convinced. He comes closer and wraps his arms around me and whispers, "Amma.. I admit.. It was me who threw the banana."

I control my giggles, "Oh Thanks for admitting Honey. See Mommy does not get mad if you speak up the truth.. and.."
Let me save you guys from the rest of my lecture. I assure you it was nothing like this though:

(He knows it is implied.)

When I poured it all to my DH as part of my daily routine, he asks DS. "Someone from the company DNA, inc. called up.. what did you do kuttima?"
Poor DS reiterated once again innocently. Oh yeah same lecture in different choice of words from Dear Dad to Dear Son happened merrily while I was smiling in the kitchen.
PHEW!! All my forensic knowledge finally paid off!!

My son is security savvy!!

2011-03-06T12:36:00.000-08:00

Scene: DS (dear son) launches an online game site
(The login screen pops up)

Mom: Hmm.. looks like you have to register, da.
DS: I did already

Mom is very proud! Wow my son is net savvy!

Mom: You created your account all by yourself?!
DS (proudly): It is really simple

He types in his username "tyfgI4h6j3"

Mommy is surprised at the random string of alphabets and numerals!

Mom: Oh My! your username is very complex
DS (confidently): It is supposed to be that

Mommy is very very proud now! Hmm.. my son is not only net savvy.. he is 'security savvy'!

DS types in his password "bbbbbbbb"

Fine Print: Ofcourse those are not 'actual' username/password if you are worried about a possible 'security breach'.

He said that !!

2011-02-01T13:27:00.001-08:00

He said that! DH said that!
He said it Today! Just 2 minutes ago!
YES! He said, "I Love you Too!"

Well... to be specific, he mailed me...
He mailed,
"wake up. What படம் ?
You got to pay the bill.
ஐ லவ் யூ 2 :)"
(Wake up. What movie?
You got to pay the bill.
I Love you, too)

To be more specific he replied to this mail from me:
" படம் ரொம்ப சூப்பர்-pa.
Bill pay பண்ணனும் மறந்துடாதீங்க.
ஐ லவ் யூ. :)"
(Dear, Movie was very nice.
Do not forget to pay the bill.
I Love You. :) )

Hmm.. To be more and more specific,
he also mailed another one in few seconds..that read:
"My mistake
I replied to a 2009 mail "

Err.. Men!!

An "I LOVE YOU Too" for
an "I LOVE YOU" I sent 2 full years ago?!
And on top of that, he wants 'me' to 'Wake up'?!

So you are going to be..?

2011-01-12T21:57:00.000-08:00

One fine Morning, I go to my new client company.
After a meeting with him, the founder of the company casually informs me
that a new team member may join the company the following week.
On my next visit, I see a new person talking in the hallway.
We exchange smiles and shake hands.. all formal introductions..
He says, "Hai.. I joined Today.. I am so-and-so"
Just so to put us at ease I say casually,
"Hey.. I am blah-blah-blah.. I joined recently too.. couple of days.. no.. I think a week back.. I am not sure.. bad memory"
He has a quizzical look and asks, "So you are going to be.."
I fill in the blanks for him, " the Architect.. for the Web Services"

All is well till now.. that is until the curious george in me opens his mouth..
Fiddling into my handbag, I carry on the conversation carelessly, " So you are going to be..?"
And he says, "The CEO".

OOPS.... now where the heck is that 'supposed-to-join' member?!!! Late Latif!!
I put my hands over my head right there but yet could not stop giggling..
Don't worry, after my giggles took a short break, I did say apologetically, "Sorry about that".
and got back a graceful "Nah Nah.. don't worry about it" from my "CEO".
Very nice of him!
What else would he say to such a nut case like me!

And then.. I better stop..

Easy Way Out!

2010-08-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

DS left to school with mild cough.
My motherly instinct worked overtime!
I made special Garlic Rasam and his Favorite Side (vege),
packed it hot 'n' fresh and ran to his school during lunch hour.

DS gave me the welcome smile but
he went poker faced at the lunch box.
(Can't blame him yaar.. after all he is a boy! )

He finished the Side religiously.
But pushed aside the Rasam mercilessly.

There I am staring at the 'rejected rasam' and
the 'adamant kid'.

In a faint hope to convince him, I said,
"Kuttima, You just turned down the food. If you keep doing this, there is NO WAY you can grow!"
(Kuttima, ippidi etha kuduthaalum vendamna, nee valarave mudiyathu! NO WAY!)

He quipped, "There is a way!"

I went all ears.. only to hear:
"You can make 'Better Rasam' next time!"

A Sensational Duet!

2010-08-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. DS was busy with his novel.
DH was working on his laptop. (Yeah he does the lovefest with his first wife on weekends too. )
I was in my kitchen happily humming an old Tamil melody:

"Anubavam Puthumai.. Avanidam Kandaen"

I was blissfully engrossed with the cooking and humming.. all the while imagining DH and I inplace of Ravichandran and RajaShree. And just in time for the male voice, DH pitched in.
(How romantic! You would think.. wouldn't you?! )

With his manly voice he sang his part:
"Blah Blah Blah.. Blah Blah Blah.. Blah.. Blah.."

It is supposed to be "La La Laa.. La La Laa.. Laa.. Laa.."

Then what?! I tried to make a face but instead burst into laughter.
Is Love not only blind but deaf too?
How else would you explain his Blah Blah sounding La La to me? ;)

I said Almost!

2010-08-12T20:00:00.000-07:00

Frustrated with our dark colored vehicle absorbing too much heat, DS vented out:
"I am going to buy 2 cars, a dark colored one for Winter and a light colored one for Summer"

DH counters, "For that you need more money.. for which you got to land on a good job..
So study well and aim for a better job"

DS: "Ah.. I already decided I am going to be a scientist/inventor.
A new idea pops up almost everyday!"

Eyes filled with expectations, the intrigued DH hurries happily ,
"Really?! Tell me what popped up Today. I am very curious"

DS quickly replies,
"Duh! I said almost everyday. Today is not one of those days!"

What next.. As usual, we had a hearty laugh.

A Romantic Evening in Maui

2010-07-29T22:20:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful evening at the Kahana beach in Maui. The sun was already calling it a day. The sky was turning magical with marvellous colors.

DH (Darling Husband) whispered something to DS (Dear Son). They both drifted away slowly. Soon they started scribbling something on the sand at a distance. I was banned from their territory. It was the most curious minutes ever.

DS then lifted the ban. I was allowed to go near. There it was.. a lovely etching on the sand, "We Love Thenu" gleaming in the evening sun, so romantic and so passionate!

DH was smiling as handsome as ever. DS was grinning ear to ear.
My excited heart raced with the waves to capture the moment picture perfect.

The Darn Door Sign

2010-07-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

It was a mini vacation.
After sight seeing we entered the Gift Store at the vicinity to pay 'compulsory' homage to the trip!

Lots of door signs were hanging. One particular sign caught my eyes.
It read, "Please! Clean this room - signed Mom"

With a grin I said, "DH, I may buy this door sign"
DS interrupted with an equally big grin, "Appa, I may buy this sign"
The sign apparently read: "No Parents Allowed"

A Clever Excuse!

2010-07-04T23:56:00.000-07:00

Last night, DS and I were discussing about African Elephants..
how they were poached for their tusks.
DH interrupted, "If there are no buyers for ivory, there will hopefully be no poachers."
DS readily agreed.

DH in hope of teaching DS some principle continued,
"So what do you say we make a pact to buy no animal products ever?"

DS quickly added, "And that includes FISH. What?!... Fish is an animal!"

A clever excuse for picky eating!

Is it Water errr.. Dirt Proof?

2010-07-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

Any new item will stay 'new' only till the very second Dear Son becomes its rightful owner.
His new Sandals we bought Yesterday was no exception.

He barged in after his playdate. Sandals was all muddy.
One look at the disgruntled mommy, he prepared his script at Jet speed.

"Well what can I do.. the sandals is 'Water Proof' not 'Dirt Proof'!"

What did I do? I rushed to my blog. :-)

A Good Deal!

2010-07-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Son came up with a bet this Morning.
"Amma, if I win, I get 3 episodes of TV"
Considering his marathon TV session throughout the day in celebration of the Summer Holidays,
the deal did sound fair to me.
He continued: "If I lose, I get just 1 episode of TV."

I was about to sign the contract!
But wait a second.. while it sounds OK, what do I get if I win?!
He says "Well, I will not bother you for the rest of the day - I will be playing & watching TV"

Now, how is that for a deal, haan?! Either way he gets what he wants - play & watch TV.

Pecking comes natural to Hens

2010-06-22T16:32:00.001-07:00

I happened to witness this cute conversation between two 5 yr olds at school.

Raju (complaining to an adult): I sat on the wrong table for lunch because my table was wet. And my friends say that they are going to tell on me to the teacher..

Stephanie (his classmate) in accusing tone: Ms.Tansel said you are not supposed to sit on other table. But you did.

Raju (all defensive): That was because my table was wet. I don't want to get my pants wet!

Stephanie: You could have wiped it off with a napkin..

Raju: mm..but..I don't want to get my hands dirty

Stephanie: You could have washed your hands after!

Raju (frustrated): but.. but.. I didn't want to

Stephanie (in disbelief at the guy's ignorance): Why?! Washing hands also makes your hand cleaner!

Raju (kinda sorta convinced): mm... yeah.. you think so?

Stephanie: YEAH! you could just wipe it off with napkin and wash your hands and eat with clean hands.. DUH!

Raju: OK..

I was amazed at the maturity of that 5 yr old girl & the ease with which she convinced the boy just like that !

But then, what is there to wonder? Stephanie is a girl. She will be naturally more matured than Raju. (Men, no offense.. you heard nothing, ok..)

A Rule is a Rule is a Rule!

2010-06-22T16:26:00.001-07:00

My DS was at home, reading a book checked out from his kindergarten school library. I offered him a banana.

He took a bite and exclaimed, "Wait a minute! I can't eat anything while I read this book".

I didn't get it. There have been numerous times he had eaten something while reading a book. Infact, DH & I used to pester him to put down any book while eating, at times. Now what's with the sudden enlightenment?!

He continued, "Don't you know, this Morning I signed a paper agreeing to not eat while reading the book?"

I still didn't get it. "What paper?", I asked.

"The library rules paper - my Teacher gave at school. It says, I should not eat while reading the school library book! Well, I signed it!"

There! My little boy is responsible or what?! Or.. is that a novel excuse to defer the banana?! I better go with the first guess.

Theorems - You Name it, We prove it!

2010-06-22T16:19:00.000-07:00

DS had to do a research project on Venus Fly Traps - an insect eating plant.

One fact, We both learnt was that VFT does not eat dead insects.
His write up further read "Clearly, VFT is a fascinating carnivorous plant"

Just to strike a conversation I asked, "So DS.. VFT eats other plants?"
"No!! Don't you remember we read VFT eats only insects?"
"Yeah.. but how do you know it does NOT eat other VFTs?"

His puzzled look was funny to watch. I decided to have some fun at his expense, so just made up a convoluted theorem to confuse him furthermore.

"Well, VFT eats insects. So if another VFT eats this one, it is the same as eating insects. A VFT eating another VFT that eats insects. "

DS almost agreed.. but then he screamed.
"Wait a minute! That does not make sense.. "
"How come?"
"Amma.. You know VFT does not eat dead insects right?
When a VFT eats an insect, the insect is dead. If another VFT eats this VFT with a dead insect in his stomach, it means that VFT is eating a dead insect. And VFTs do not eat dead insects! So VFT does not eat another VFT!"

Now THAT is a theorem!

Publish Post

(How about plants cannot move so cannot catch another plant?!Kids!!! )

Who must thank whom?!

2010-06-22T16:16:00.001-07:00

I made Kale (a type of spinach). DH and DS gave 5 stars.

DH said, "WOW! Thanks for the wonderful dish"

DS interrupted, "Appa don't thank her. Thank yourself - you are the one who bought the Kale"

I came to my rescue. (who else would come?! )
"Naan thaaneda senjaen? (But.. But I was the one who cooked it)"

DS: "But if Appa hadn't gotten the spinach, you wouldn't be able to cook it!"

He further added, "He bought the Kale. Brought it home, Gave it to you!
You just cooked it! Now who should thank whom?! You do the Math!"

Then, how am I supposed to say Thanks?!

2010-06-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Son (DS) got on his dad's nerves.
An age old issue is he mostly 'forgets' to say "Thanks".
Most recent issue: He wasted food third time in a row that day.

When the casual DS right royally claimed ownership of the TV remote,
my DH laid out his famous '1 minute' rule (that is the expected life span of his 'rules'):

"No T.V for you! Don't even say those 2 letters. Henceforth you have only 24 alphabets in your vocabulary"

DS quipped, "Then, how am I supposed to say 'Thanks'?!"

(This was me at the corner: )

Silly? Who? Me?!

2010-06-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

DH bought an extra laundry basket one Evening on way back from work. (God knows why! He had no business in my laundry department ever!)

I did not feel the need for it so was asking him to return it for quite sometime. He went on and on about it's convenience, finally I gave in and said, "Ok let me keep it"

The next day DS saw a neighbor using a similar basket.
His dad said, "Everybody likes that model except your mom"

DS exclaimed,
"I know why.. If everyone uses the same kind, how to identify hers?!"

My DS siding me?!!

DH said, "Loosungala (silly you both!), What a lame excuse! Can't you just write your name on the basket?"

I was eager to see which shining armor DS would wear this time to defend his sweet mommy. For the records, I was still amazed at DS supporting me!! (rarest of the rare moments)

DS said, "Appa, I said, 'what Amma was thinking'. It was not my thinking.
And Amma, I agree with Appa! You are being silly! Why can't you just write your name there? DUH!"

And when did I say that was my concern?! or where exactly in the above did I even open my mouth?! And they call me 'silly'?!

A Field Trip Deal

2010-06-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

It is Fieldtrip day at school. DS is very excited.
I pack a disposable snack - a bunch of grapes and a bottle of juice.
Then we walk through the usual DOs and DON'Ts - be with the group, be safe, eat your snack..

DS interrupts.
"Amma, if, I say IF, which means it probably will not happen - if I do not feel hungry or thirsty during the field trip, I will not eat the snacks, which will not be true because remember I said, IF? "

Mommy goes, "My dear DS, if, which means it probably will not happen - if you do not eat the snacks, I will get really really mad, which is going to be true"

My DS is least intimidated.
He says, "Well then you better not blame me. I cannot inform hunger or thrist to be on time"

Do they teach law at school?!

Knowledge of Patterns

2010-06-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

DS (Dear Son) bought Fruitloops cereal.
I warned him, "Everytime you buy, you never eat this more than once"
He assured, "No I will not waste this time"

He tried it once and as expected the next day he went back to his regular Cheerios.
The following day too he asked for Cheerios. Then I stepped in to dance to my "I told you so" tune.

Me: See! I told you, you will waste the Fruitloops!
DS: No! I am planning to alternate between cheerios and fruitloops.
Me: Oh, Is that so?! Then For Your Kind Information Sir, Yesterday you had Cheerios.

DS was caught redhanded or so I thought!
Within a split second he managed:

"Yeah Cheerios, Cheerios, Fruitloops, Fruitloops - that type of alternate. DUH!! "

Room pottu yosipanungalo!!
(Where do they come up with such ideas?!)

A cute bargain

2010-06-08T17:50:00.000-07:00

DH: Orange chicken வேணுமாடா?அந்த கடை பேரு சொல்லு போலாம்.
(DH: Do you want Orange Chicken. Tell me the restaurant name we shall go)

DS: I will tell you the name if you promise not to 'திட்டு' (scold) me for the rest of the day
(DS got a remark from Teacher so DH did 'thittu' him lightly)

DH:Well.. I don't need the name then

Bargain gone bad!!

frustrated DS: Appa.. just don't 'திட்டு' (scold) me for the rest of the day, OK?!

DH giggles. I giggle. DH stops. I fail to notice. I giggle more.
DH: ஏன்டா உங்க அம்மா loosu மாதிரி சிரிக்கிறா?
(DH: Why is your mommy giggling like a loose?)

DS: Because she is!

I giggle even more. DH joins .
The smart me jumps at the oppurtunity to take revenge.

Me: ஏன்டா உங்க அப்பா loosu மாதிரி சிரிக்கறார்?
(Me: Why is your daddy giggling like a loose?)

DS: No he doesn't.
(DS never gives up on Dad)

I giggle again
DH: Loosu, இதுக்கும் சிரிச்சா உன்னை loosu-னு சொல்லாம வேற என்ன சொல்வான்?
(DH: Loosy, if you giggle at this again, what else will he call you?)

DS: yeah! DUH!!

Poor Me: பசங்களா.. நான் உங்க பேச்சுக்கு வந்தேனா?!
(Poor Me: You guys!! Did I utter a word? Why do you have to pull my legs?)

The boys team giggle at me!
So much to 'silently' witness a bargain going bad!

A 2nd grader's Mother's Day Message

2010-05-06T03:47:00.000-07:00

My Mother

My mother never is mad at me
My mother's favorite food is curd rice
I'm so glad my mother knows how to make dhal rice
My mother helps in my class (volunteers)
My mother looks long haired
My mother makes ghee rice
My mother looks great in even normal clothes
My mother always says "You are the Best" to me
My mother is crazy over me
My mother thinks I'm great at grammar
My mother always likes me
My mother is named Thenu
My mother goes happy when I get good grades
Thank you Mother, for making time for me

This is the Mother's day message, my little one wrote for me..
I am so thrilled. A perfect window into my little one's precious mind!
And who would have thought that the everyday little things we do seem so big to those little souls!

Some of his lines are funny and so innocent..
like he is happy that mommy knows how to make Dhal rice (Paruppu sadham). And that I 'make' ghee rice (mix ghee, rice and salt - phew!! what a tough recipe!) And that I look 'long haired'. LOL

Am I smarter than a 1st grader?

2010-04-22T10:17:00.000-07:00

I am not smart.. says my dear son (DS).

In a fight for the TV Remote DH and I as usual lost the battle with my DS on purpose. Ended up watching, "Are you Smarter that a 5th grader" Game show.

It is a game where adults try to answer subject questions from 1st to 5th grade level. The prize is big money but if they lose, they have to utter the dreaded words "I am NOT smarter than a 5th grader" on camera.

There came a question on Grammar I believe it was 1st grader level.. not sure...

Q: How many Singular Possessive Nouns are there in the following sentence: Pablo's cats jumped on his children.. yada.. yada.. yada..

I don't know if it was fate or just my English Teacher's curse, I got mixed up with Possessive Nouns & Personal Pronouns and blurted out with confidence "the answer is 2". My DH was like "WOW.. my DW knows so much.."

But when the TV host said, "And the correct answer is.. ONE".. my DS gasped, "I can't believe I let you teach me!!"

Karthik @ Leisure

2010-04-12T22:49:00.000-07:00

A Romantic Novel for M&B or RamaniChandran Fans

2010-02-14T16:37:00.000-08:00

If you like RamaniChandran Novels, you will definitely love this story. Just in time, for the Valentines Day!

I am a big fan of RamaniChandran. I like many authors too like Sujatha, Sivasankari, Lakshmi, BalaKumaran, Kalki, Agilan, Rajeshkumar, Anuradha ramanan, .. the list is endless. But slowly I drifted to Ramani Chandiran and now anchored to her.

And how did this ardent reader become an amateur writer?.. It all started so sudden.. Thanks to my dear husband who seeded the idea in a very unassuming way. :-)

I have around hundreds of RamaniChandran books. And read her stories 'n' number of times.
When there were no more of her books to read, my husband laughed at my restlessness and teased me saying, "Anyways you say RamaniChandran follows a set template, so why can't you write a story in a way you like and read it yourself ? May be you could publish it in your blog and 'crazy பொண்ணுங்க' like you can also read it! "
And thats how it all started. :-)

(I know, I know..RC fans like us are in no way crazy. If anything, we are crazy after our husbands.

பாவம், அறியாத பையன்.. தெரியாம சொல்லிட்டாரு.... அவரை விட்டுடுங்க. He is such a darling. ;-) )

So here it is.. my 1st novel: Irul Maraiththa Nizhal (இருள் மறைத்த நிழல்) http://thenuwrites.blogspot.com

I am sure RamaniChandran fans will love it. Please leave your comments. They mean much to me.

I dedicate this novel to My Dear Handsome Husband and all RamaniChandran Fans.

The Making of Lakeview Cottage

2010-01-28T23:32:00.000-08:00

Lakeview Cottage - 17

2010-01-28T22:53:00.000-08:00

Lakeview Cottage - 16

2010-01-22T09:24:00.001-08:00

Lakeview Cottage - 15

2010-01-15T09:05:00.001-08:00

Lakeview Cottage - 14

2010-01-11T10:51:00.000-08:00

Lakeview Cottage - 13

2009-11-20T10:44:00.000-08:00

Lakeview Cottage - 12

2009-11-12T21:30:00.001-08:00

Lakeview Cottage - 11

2009-11-05T21:29:00.001-08:00

Lakeview Cottage - 10

2009-10-29T21:35:00.001-07:00

Lakeview Cottage - 9

2009-10-26T19:51:00.000-07:00

Lakeview Cottage - 8

2009-10-16T10:05:00.001-07:00

Lakeview Cottage - 7

2009-10-09T11:32:00.001-07:00

Lakeview Cottage - 6

2009-10-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

Lakeview Cottage - 5

2009-10-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

A convincing dream

2009-09-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Karthik rented out a children's video last night. It was bed time so he had to wait until the next morning to watch.

He said, "All night my dreams are going to be about this video".

His dad teased, "I know, for a change, dream about doing Maths"

Next morning, Karthik affirmed, "I had 2 dreams last night. The first one is Maths, Second one is watching that video".

We tried to suppress our laughter and asked, "Really, And we are sure that the Math dream was shorter, right?"

"Yeah, and you know why the Math dream was shorter? Because I finished my Math problems so fast!"

Lakeview Cottage - 4

2009-09-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

Lakeview Cottage - 3

2009-09-12T17:35:00.001-07:00

A rule is a rule

2009-09-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

Karthik was reading a book from his school library. I offered him a banana. He took a bite and exclaimed, "Wait a minute! I can't eat anything while I read this book". I didn't get it. There have been numerous times while he had eaten something while reading a book. Infact, Tamil & I used to pester him to put down any book while eating, at times. Now what's with the sudden enlightenment?!

He continued, "Don't you remember, this morning I signed a paper agreeing to not eat while reading the book?"

I still didn't get it. "What paper?", I asked.

"The library rules paper - don't you remember? It says, I should not eat while reading the school library book! I signed it."

There! My little boy is responsible or what? or is that a novel excuse to defer the banana?! I shall go with the first guess. :-)

Lakeview Cottage -2

2009-08-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

Sri Ganesa Chathurthi Celebrations

2009-08-23T16:05:00.000-07:00

Lakeview Cottage - 1

2009-08-21T11:41:00.000-07:00

Onto my next quest..another painting. After many days of picture hunt and none to my satisfaction, I was about to give up. I would pick a picture/photo for my next painting but then some aspect of the picture won't fit into my expectation. Then Tamil gave me an idea..why don't I pick up the bits and pieces I like from different pictures and put them all together into a new one? When it comes to his suggestions, hey, I am all ears!

And..my next one is the result of that mix and match strategy. I used Adobe Photoshop to create the scene I like from 2 different pictures. It is a lake with a cottage in a distance. The lake is from one picture and the cottage from another.

The challenge that lurked in mergng them was that the cottage must be in proportion to the lake and distance of the cottage from the lake. Again the cottage was in cold colors and lake in warm colors creating a bit of an awkward match. I am just hoping to blend the colors seamlessly as I paint. The sunshine was in different angle in 2 pictures..so I have to work on the shadows carefully. Let us see. In any case, I am sure this will be a rewarding experience to paint from a kinda sorta imagination rather than resort to mere replication. I owe all credits to Tamil, my best critic.
That said, here is the day 1 of this painting which like to call Lakefront Cottage.
The outlines took about an hour and I just managed to paint the sky background a little bit. I used Magenta, White to arrive at a kinda pink color. Then I toned it down a little by adding very little of brown. That gave me the needed dull pinkish hue in the sky. Then I used the same magenta, white, little of blue, very little brown to get the toned down bluish color. Used a round brush to paint the background. Then to take out all the texture and give a plain clear sky look, I used a flat brush to blend the colors well. I applied horizontal s going over side to side to the full length of the sky area. That really blends the blue and pink areas. So far, so good.

Dream Paradise

2009-08-14T14:20:00.001-07:00

I am very pleased to share my 2nd Oil Painting with you all, folks!
Click to enlarge further.

Also, my 1st painting in a better resolution:

The Making of "Paradise Found"

2009-08-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

Paradise Found - 18

2009-08-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

Paradise Found - 17

2009-08-06T22:08:00.000-07:00

That's where it happened!

2009-08-03T21:44:00.001-07:00

Karthik was seriously reading the Goosebumps series, "Return of the Mummy". It is supposed to be a thriller book series. I just complimented him, "Wow! karthik, you are so brave. You are reading Goosebumps!" He casually said, "It is not even scarry" I could sense the pride in his voice. In the next couple of minutes, he came running towards me from the couch, screaming "Ha! There is an insect!" He snuggled into my lap, and I controlled my laughter and said, "why don't you go back to ur couch and read?" And there goes my boy, "That's where it happened!" Now if you happen to see that brave boy let me know. :-)

Paradise Found - 16

2009-07-30T23:04:00.001-07:00

Paradise Found - 15

2009-07-30T23:03:00.001-07:00

Wanted kind visitors from Austin, Texas

2009-07-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

I was checking out the visitor log for Karthik's homeschool blog out of curiosity. I then told Karthik, "Kutty, looks like someone from Texas checked out your blog". Without raising his head from the book he was reading he seriously asked, "Is that from Austin, Texas?" Tamil & I got all the more curious and asked, "Why Austin, Texas?" He said, "I wish someone from the capital visits my blog". Would someone from Austin, Texas be kind enough to visit his blog?! :-)

Site Statistics

2009-07-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

Tamil has been telling me to put a site counter on my kitchen and schooling blogs for quite some time. I was reluctant at first.. I felt site counters are outdated add ons. Finally when convinced, I set out on a search for one & found a stat gadget that was very appealing to me.. It sends live feed on the traffic to your site and also provides a traffic map. I don't know if I was living in a cave or this thing is a new trend..but it certainly made its way into my blogs.
Here is the traffic map for my kitchen - it is very interesting to see that this kitchen reached different corners of the world. Great gadget.

Paradise Found - 14

2009-07-16T22:08:00.001-07:00

Paradise Found - 13

2009-07-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

Paradise Found - 12

2009-07-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

Palindrome is not a Palindrome..

2009-07-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

During last night's bed time chat, Karthik had this intriguing question: "Amma, Why do they call a palindrome, a 'palindrome', while 'palindrome' is not a palindrome?"
Interesting question..( sounds more like a tongue twister).

I can't help but wonder, wouldn't it be cool if whoever coined that word 'palindrome' had instead, come up with some other name that is a 'palindrome' in itself..like 'palinilap' or something? silly, sleepy thoughts. ;-)

Surya Namaskaram

2009-06-30T07:53:00.000-07:00

I have always thought of Surya Namaskaram as a religious ritual and just let it go.
Infact, few of my friends do this surya namaskaram regularly. Not that I am an atheist but I never broadened my horizons into performing complex pujas or customs. I am up for a simple prayer in day to day language than sanskrit slogas. I believe God is multilingual. ;-)

But, I was greatly intrigued when an ophthalmologist himself strongly recommended Surya Namaskaram. Then I learnt that a national chess champion did surya namaskarams to aid his mental/physical wellbeing in his Gurukulam. I needed no further push..my curiosity drove me to the internet. And I realised it is Yoga for all - oh the naive me!

A little more digup in the internet turned up few great videos on Surya Namaskaram. Thought I would share them all with interested folks. Use this slow paced video to learn and perfect all the steps. This video really makes it very simple and teaches you in no minute!

Courtesy: nojahbloke

Once you get the hang of it, you may perform the namaskarams daily using this video:

Courtesy: Hindu Swaymsevak Sangh, USA

Paradise Found - 11

2009-06-26T09:00:00.001-07:00

Paradise Found - 10

2009-06-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

Class-mate, Room-mate...Marriage-mate?!

2009-06-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

We got into some talk about genes. Karthik asked if Tamil and I shared any genes. I said that since we were not blood relatives, there is no chance of sharing any gene. Tamil said,"I saw your mom just before marriage". Karthik said, "Like, I will meet my marriage-mate.."
Marriage-Mate... sounds more kid friendly than girlfriend, doesn't it?! Probably I should submit the word to Urban Dictionary. ;-)

Paradise Found - 9

2009-06-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

Paradise Found - 8

2009-06-12T08:52:00.001-07:00

Is Parenthood our Extended Childhood?

2009-06-02T14:28:00.000-07:00

Nowadays it has become my routine to see Karthik at his lunch hour with fresh hot lunch.
Each day after he eats to his content I feel very satisfied. The extra trip to school feels so worthwhile when I see his welcome smile and his hippity hop walk towards his mommy. Except on the days when I push the envelope a little too much by nagging him to eat off his plate, he seems to enjoy my presence at the lunch time.

I recall my schooldays..My mom never had the time or luxury to drop by during the lunch hour..so to speak, my parents never made it to the parents day or such school functions. My mom was working and it would be very unreasonable to expect her at school during lunch. But children wont know what is reasonable and what is not. All they have are emotions and expectations.

I had always had this lingering longing when I see some parents in my school campus with lunch packs and serving plates etc , tending their offsprings. Ofcourse they were all stay-at-home moms.

Since I valued it so much, I find time and energy to run to and fro to my son's school 4 to 6 times a day. And I wonder if my son would value it the same way?! Does it seem worthwhile to him seeing his mommy over his shoulders that often? I am sure my parents would have done something that they had missed as a child themselves. I am also sure I would have overlooked some of those acts of love. Will my act too slip through the cracks in my son's world? What is his longing that he may make it a point to bring into his kids' lives?

Are we all parents reliving our childhood at the expense of our kids' lives? Are our children in someway our proxies to the world we wished for? Is Parenthood nothing but an extention of our childhood orchestrated by the child within us?!

Paradise Found - 7

2009-05-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

My lawn has grown more grass now. The stream is fuller. Light reflects in the water. The rocks around the stream are happier with the highlights.
With all the richness around, my house screams for a renovation.. It looks like recession took a hard hit on that house. :-)
So long I had been overlooking the house (not becoz of the recession fever, but becoz it seemed to be a time consuming segment). I think it is high time I do something about it.. The brown bag house is not doing much to bind the beauty to the paradise. I may summon my patience and try my hands on the house and bridge for the next update. Lets see..

Paradise Found on Week 6

2009-05-21T23:08:00.000-07:00

The waterfall got a makeover this week. Mainly highlighting the falls to make the water more denser. I used a white with very little blue tint for the highlight. The next area of focus was the bushes on left side. I prepped the base of the bushes with black-brown. Added some green leaves and then the flowers. To bring out the depth/layers of the bushes, I laid the flowers in bunches.And then added few highlights on some of the flowers. Same way added some flowers between the rocks. I feel that the rocks need more definition - I may revisit the rocks and make them more darker and higlight them in the coming days. I did some legwork on the right side for the bushes by laying out the dark base. It would be dry and ready in 2 or 3 days so i can work on the bushes there. Next I filled in the rest of the water area with a lavendar base. I acheived the lavendar color by mixing a bit of white, blue, red.

Fishing for Compliments

2009-05-21T08:28:00.001-07:00

Last night, while karthik was about to nod off to sleep, I just asked him, "Who do you love the most in the world?" He said, "Parents". The elated me thanked him. He quickly said, "Thank yourself". The puzzled me asked why. And he says, "You have to thank yourself because, it is what you do that makes me love you more" As flattered as I am, I took it a little further and asked, "And what do we do?" Here I am desperately fishing for compliments and he determinantly says, "You do what you are supposed to do". Is he a man of few words or what?
I couldn't just let it go, so still pestered him, "And what are we supposed to do?"
It is past 10pm and with a sigh he said "Amma, don't just ask me such questions at night, I am sleepy" The nagging me wanted to know if she will get her answer in the morning. The busy boy says, "If I have time". I pushed that envelope a little too much. Didn't I?

Karthik's Folk Dance

2009-05-19T17:05:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year at the Tamil Academy here..Annual Day. Like the past 2 years, dance is Karthik's (and my) choice this time. He danced for the remix song "Manapaarai Maadu Katti" (மணப்பாறை மாடு கட்டி). This is in contrast to his last year's "Raja Chinna Rojavodu.." dance. A pakka folk & yes, I left a footprint on YouTube too so interested folks can watch him dance here or here.

Paradise Found - Week 5 of the 2nd painting

2009-05-15T08:33:00.000-07:00

My baby is shaping up well. And I am bored of refering to it as 'my 2nd painting' so why don't I name it, mmm...'The Paradise Found'..what do you think?
The new developments include the waterfall and more rocky layers, and oh yes, the bridge and few rails. I didnt find enough time to do a lot this week. Hopefully I will catch up in the coming days.

So..how was your Mother's Day?

2009-05-10T23:01:00.000-07:00

A day to rejuvenate the moms. How rejuvenated am I Today on this Mother's Day? Being greeted by 2 beautiful cards with touching words from the 2 men I love the most - my husband and my son, can't complain. :-) To top it off, just minutes before bed time, when I asked my son to name one thing that he liked in me the most, he said, "You are YOU. I like that you are my Amma (mom) because I love you so much - sometimes I wish I were you."

Still can't believe he made all that speech so spontaneously..no seriously..isnt that too articulate for a school going little one?..I am even wondering if he knows what he means..He couldnt elaborate but he added another reason for the liking - I, helping him with his homework. (Now, that corraborates with his Mothers day paragraph he wrote in class..that says one of the reasons he liked me is that I teach him Grammar. May be this guy means what he says. It better be. ;-) )

That said, Can my day be any better?! The Mother's Day did rejuvenate me to the fullest..enabling me with energy and inspiration to fine tune more..

Acting..Reacting..Over-reacting..Not reacting..

2009-05-09T22:51:00.000-07:00

There are times when you have to react to a certain happening. There are certainly times we tend to 'over-react'. And there are times you may as well had 'not reacted'. The catch is to identify what fits when! Sometimes I see a lot of good in the not so widely practiced reaction - the 'not reacting' reaction. It extinguishes the verbal firestorm. By 'not reacting' I dont mean to suppress your rage and let the heat build up within your system, making you a ticking timebomb. Just let go whatever that bothers you. Assure yourself that this might not be that big a deal as it seems to be. Chill out. Dont react. There is a misconception among people that you 'must' react to every happening. Realise that no reaction in itself is a reaction. And see how easy your life becomes.

Ofcourse, knowing when to react and when not to react is the key. It is an art you will master with time and trying situations.

All I can say is after I look back into my road of reactions, there are many a times I had wondered if only I had taken the 'no reaction' exit. Now that I am more than familiar with my route, whenever such an exit makes sense, I never miss it.

Week 4 of my 2nd painting

2009-05-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

I managed to set the total background by this week. It is a bit crude at this point with solid edges and strokes for the grass and the path. But as I said this is just the under layer. As I build up the foreground, the grass will look more, you know..'grassy'. For the path I used a bit of burnt sienna, yellow, red, white. I need to work on the path to make it more wiggly and natural. Since the background is pretty much set, once the paint dries up, I plan to work on the next layer which would be the rocks and a base for the water..

Teach your kids Grammar..Here's why

2009-05-04T13:30:00.000-07:00

If you want your kid to like/love you, better teach him Grammar. Hey, it worked out in my case, as per my son. :-)
Karthik's classroom has showcased a Mothers' Day assignment of all the 1st graders Today. Each kid has written a paragraph - the topic is "I like my Mother because.."
Karthik's 3 reasons in his own words are, "I like my mother because
1) she bought me Wii for my birthday
2) she teaches me 'gramar' (grammar). She taught me about present progressive, past progressive, future progressive.
3) she taught me Homophones

I was laughing out loud at the class entrance. What good reasons! Grammar and Homophones..who would have thought might hold the key to love.

Week 3 of my 2nd oil painting

2009-05-01T22:49:00.000-07:00

My second painting is also a landscape. This again is modelled after a Kinkade. Week 1 for the most part was outlining the picture. It took about an hour to finish the outline. Then I did a bit of painting. I started with the sky. But I wasn't satisfied with the choice of colors I made for the sky. It took a lot of painting and repainting to fix the sky..it was all solid and honestly I was about to throw the canvas and start off with a new one. But the outline had comeout so good and was very time consuming..didnt have a heart to redo them - Then Tamil looked at the week 1 work and he said it is not all that bad. Oh that was so nice to hear. It gave me the needed push to continue.
Week 2 - I did the mountains and some distant trees on the right hand side.
The painting looked better.
Week 3 - I made great progress - By now, the upper half of the painting has all the background set. I even get to paint the house a base color. The trees and mountains, some mist .. It looks far far better.

The Young Connoisseur

2009-04-26T22:04:00.000-07:00

I had put my Autumn Lane oil painting as the wallpaper on my laptop. Karthik saw that and he said, "Isn't that the one you painted?" He took a good look at the painting again and continued, "Amma, Thousand Thumbs up! I am not saying this to make you happy. It really is good." And then he went into more details like how the sunlight, the little leaves, the bushes, twigs, sky and such things had come out so good. Then he paused and added, "It is like a pro".
Infact, I was admiring his maturity and that little 'connoisseur' look in him.
(I liked that 'I am not saying this to make you happy' part especially)
It felt so good to be appreciated by that little boy who took up the role of an adult and encouraged a novice painter.

Decision Maker

2009-04-24T09:59:00.000-07:00

Offlate, whenever posed with options or ultimatum, Karthik relies on his 'Eeney Meeney Mauney' a variation of 'Inky Pinky Ponky, Father had a Donkey..' Two days back I asked him what he wanted for snack - a banana or boost. Obviously he resorted to eeney meeney. I stopped him and said, "Forget about that eeney meeney thingy. Decide on your own. You have to decide what you want to eat, not some 'eeney meeney'". He said, "I know. I know..Whichever option I start the eeney with, it will end on the same option. So I always start on the option I like!"
Apparently now he is the decision maker. :-) Fair and square huh?! (But who does he have to convince..can't he just go with his choice outright, without that eeney meeney thing? Wish I could see through his little mind.)

That self control

2009-04-18T21:38:00.001-07:00

The deal is to take a 5 min break after each chunk of homework. Karthik translated that 5 min break as TV time. I was kinda skeptic at first..what could he possibly watch in just 5 mins.. wont it be a teaser. I tried to divert him onto some self play or reading stories during the break but he stood stubborn on the deal.
To my surprise he really carried out the promise word by word. He had no problem switching off the TV after each 5 min break.. I was very impressed at his self discipline and that self control! As an appreciation I cut short his homework time and offered a full episode to watch.

Stretch that playdate

2009-04-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

It was spring break and the kids got out to play. It had been an hour and Karthik came back knocking on the door. His friend wanted to use the rest room. It was an unusual request but not that odd, I let him in. Karthik blurted, "Do you know why he wants to use our restroom?" After all, what could be the big reason..Could be that he just realised he has to go and this house is the nearest he could make it quickly? I thought I know, yet wanted to hear from him. I asked, "OK tell me why"
"If he would knock on his door, his mom would say, 'playdate is over. get in'. Thats why", he said. They sure did dodge that bullet. :-)

The Autumn Lane - My First Oil Painting

2009-04-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

I am so thrilled upon completing my first oil painting. I spent nearly 14 hrs over a period of 7 weeks. The experience was unparalleled. I feel a peace when I indulge in painting - it is like meditation.

Or..should I say addiction..And you can see where this addiction has led me into..thats right, my next painting.

A Married Couple - one single entity?

2009-03-31T12:52:00.001-07:00

Shoud a married couple be thought of as a single entity? Let me debrief it a little.

A friend of mine felt so let down when her husband did not reflect her views on a matter. I dont want to go into the details for the sake of their privacy. But, it got me thinking because this is the same old complaint I hear from many wives including the ones in my family circle :-)

Just because they are married, is it fair for the wife or the husband to expect the other to act/react the same way they would react?

In my perspective, if only the couple start realising that they are two different entities with souls loving each other, many distasteful arguments can be avoided. Giving the spouse the space he/she needs and allowing to be their selves around them would definitely radiate more attraction towards each other.

Instead if you would expect your partner to 'recite' your script and act in the way you tailored, you may end up being the one who hurts and gets hurt.

So the next time if you think your spouse would not react to a situation the way you would anticipate, better anticipate his/her way and prepare yourself to embrace it. Remember, you both are in for a lovely journey together. It is not just You..It is You AND He/She who thinks and acts in his/her own way.

You can share your thoughts, soul everything but the brain is still one for each.

A cookbook and no recipes?

2009-03-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

AS3 cookbook caught Karthik's eyes. He skimmed it for a minute and said, "Amma, This book doesn't make any sense. It says 'cookbook'.. I read few pages and it is telling about 'Exiting Method'..Why do we need an 'exit method' in cooking?..makes no sense!"

What can I say..Well 'exiting' could be Plan B when your cooking isn't all that 'exciting'. ;-)

Adios KUMON

2009-03-13T19:17:00.001-07:00

After all the talk about 'Why Kumon?' and 'How Kumon?', I have come to terms to take Karthik off of Kumon. Why? Just that, for the past few months, we are not being religious to get the work done on time and I see no point in paid, undone worksheets piling up with a slim hope of ever catching up! Well, we crave a break. And seems like we have already availed the much craved break by simply procrastinating the homeworks.. And now when I come to my senses, here it is - the logical thing to do - An 'official' adios to Kumon.