Hola....
How are you all doing? Talking about me and my family we were slightly hit by some cold waves which led all of us having runny noses and coughing. The house was littered with tissues all over and we had early spring cleaning this weekend. The winters have been relentless this year and now we are restless for the spring to arrive soon.
The best thing about family is that no matter wherever we stay we are always tied by some affection and tenderness. Last week when we all were sneezing and coughing my family made sure to call us every morning and evening to enquire about our health. They are of the opinion thats it's the least of the thing they can do to make us feel better. Staying on the other side of the globe when frequent traveling isn't feasible staying connected with the technology is the only solace. During the last few days my children got some extra flying kisses and me some deep deep love which can come just from family.
The week started with 'Maha Shivaratri' and we celebrate it quite passionately. While I never go to temples to celebrate, because certain things i believe celebrating at home gives the children more participation. Monday being a weekday we had a small celebration at our homes and my S had thousand questions to ask. He is always overflowing with questions and some questions drive me up the wall. Our 'Puja' was concluded with a small vegetarian meal devoid of onion and garlic. Bengali's do not consider onion and garlic to be vegetarians. Now the vegetarian meal also faced some critique and assessment but the taste i guess was positive enough.
This morning was windy too and we started the day rushing to the bus stop. I packed some 'Paneer' rice with some carrots and peas and a dash of butter. The snack box had few oranges a banana and yoghurt.
How are you all sailing through the week? Let me know if possible. Enjoy
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Tiffin Tales 89
Hola....
How was your morning coffee/tea today? I am sure a major chunk of the world population start their day with a fresh cup of coffee or hot tea. My mom refuses to do anything without her morning tea. She loves tea but I know the first tea in the morning is without milk. She still has over 3-4 cups per day which may or may not be with milk. Towards the evening she refuses to have any tea fearing acidity even if she is visiting or someone is visiting her. Her love for tea hasn't changed over the years and she enjoys her cup with equal fondness. Over the years we tried to introduce her to different flavors including green tea claiming it to be healthy but she refuses the modifications.
We grew in a place which is still famous for tea leaves. I remember as a child I have been to factories to see the process roughly. While the actual process starts with plucking the correct leaves and then drying them and then the detailed process before they are released in the market in charming packages. A good tea enthusiast can instantly smell and assess the quality of the tea very easily. One of my Uncles had this beatified quality to determine the quality of tea just by smelling or perhaps having a sip. We used to be extra cautious before serving him tea whenever he visited us.
Now, when it comes to me I never had any closeness or emotion any tea. I do sip in at times when I make some pakoras or when its pouring outside. But those memories are much warmer to me instead of the tea cup. This morning and all day I have been thinking of my mother and as usual wished to go to her. Perhaps I would have joined her in her tea time and take a dip in my childhood memories.
Well now that I myself am a mother and and my children are making their childhood memories I want to add all the colors of the rainbow in their lives. All happy hues. This morning I made broccoli stir fried rice along with some diced chicken pieces for lunch box. The snack box had pears and strawberries and yoghurt.
If you are reading this, enjoy with a cup of warm tea, I hope you will enjoy it...Catch you all soon...
How was your morning coffee/tea today? I am sure a major chunk of the world population start their day with a fresh cup of coffee or hot tea. My mom refuses to do anything without her morning tea. She loves tea but I know the first tea in the morning is without milk. She still has over 3-4 cups per day which may or may not be with milk. Towards the evening she refuses to have any tea fearing acidity even if she is visiting or someone is visiting her. Her love for tea hasn't changed over the years and she enjoys her cup with equal fondness. Over the years we tried to introduce her to different flavors including green tea claiming it to be healthy but she refuses the modifications.
We grew in a place which is still famous for tea leaves. I remember as a child I have been to factories to see the process roughly. While the actual process starts with plucking the correct leaves and then drying them and then the detailed process before they are released in the market in charming packages. A good tea enthusiast can instantly smell and assess the quality of the tea very easily. One of my Uncles had this beatified quality to determine the quality of tea just by smelling or perhaps having a sip. We used to be extra cautious before serving him tea whenever he visited us.
Now, when it comes to me I never had any closeness or emotion any tea. I do sip in at times when I make some pakoras or when its pouring outside. But those memories are much warmer to me instead of the tea cup. This morning and all day I have been thinking of my mother and as usual wished to go to her. Perhaps I would have joined her in her tea time and take a dip in my childhood memories.
Well now that I myself am a mother and and my children are making their childhood memories I want to add all the colors of the rainbow in their lives. All happy hues. This morning I made broccoli stir fried rice along with some diced chicken pieces for lunch box. The snack box had pears and strawberries and yoghurt.
If you are reading this, enjoy with a cup of warm tea, I hope you will enjoy it...Catch you all soon...
Monday, February 25, 2019
Tiffin Tales 88
Hola...
Welcome to another week. What's up with everyone and everything? I hope you all are enjoying or even if not taking deep breaths to escape the chaos around you or taking a small vacations to rejuvenate yourselves from time to time. Whatever you do make sure never to neglect yourself or your health. If you are fit then you will generate that feeling to the people around you.
I had a virtual friend of a few years who was a nice middle aged lady with two kids. Being a working mom she used to leave early and come home in the evening. She regularly used to make nice meals for her kids and husband to ensure they all get the best nutrition and to spend some quality time at the dinner table. With heaps of work in the office she used to mange some time to get herself clicked whenever she wore a new dress or anything new for that matter. She was quite active on the social media and enjoyed her attention. She was a doting mother too and never missed helping her kids with their home works or any other assignments.
As I always say life always has its own route and somehow and at some point we align ourselves to move towards that direction. Last week we woke up to the shocking news that her husband who was in his mid forties passed away due to cardiac arrest. I pinched myself to believe that and couldn't even comprehend what she was going through. Like a house of cards which smashed her life along with her children is in tumultuous state now. Losing someone who had no prior illness is the hardest thing to accept. We can offer condolences or pray for her but the storm in her mind and lives can only be slowed down by time. It will take some time before they find a grip over their lives once again. Life can be so harsh at times. When we snatch a toy from a child, the child cries for a few minutes but in case of adults the tears never stops whenever our closed person is snatched from us. The pain never really goes away we somehow learn to live it. I pray for her and her children so that they too can bear the pain and walk the path to future. Let the lost love resonate from all corners of the universe and protect them.
I am sure by now you all must have envisaged what I am trying to say. Love the people around you because time abducts and sweeps away a lot of things. This morning for my S's lunch box I had 'roti and subzi'. By now I am sure you know what these are ;)
Stay well and take care everyone...
Welcome to another week. What's up with everyone and everything? I hope you all are enjoying or even if not taking deep breaths to escape the chaos around you or taking a small vacations to rejuvenate yourselves from time to time. Whatever you do make sure never to neglect yourself or your health. If you are fit then you will generate that feeling to the people around you.
I had a virtual friend of a few years who was a nice middle aged lady with two kids. Being a working mom she used to leave early and come home in the evening. She regularly used to make nice meals for her kids and husband to ensure they all get the best nutrition and to spend some quality time at the dinner table. With heaps of work in the office she used to mange some time to get herself clicked whenever she wore a new dress or anything new for that matter. She was quite active on the social media and enjoyed her attention. She was a doting mother too and never missed helping her kids with their home works or any other assignments.
As I always say life always has its own route and somehow and at some point we align ourselves to move towards that direction. Last week we woke up to the shocking news that her husband who was in his mid forties passed away due to cardiac arrest. I pinched myself to believe that and couldn't even comprehend what she was going through. Like a house of cards which smashed her life along with her children is in tumultuous state now. Losing someone who had no prior illness is the hardest thing to accept. We can offer condolences or pray for her but the storm in her mind and lives can only be slowed down by time. It will take some time before they find a grip over their lives once again. Life can be so harsh at times. When we snatch a toy from a child, the child cries for a few minutes but in case of adults the tears never stops whenever our closed person is snatched from us. The pain never really goes away we somehow learn to live it. I pray for her and her children so that they too can bear the pain and walk the path to future. Let the lost love resonate from all corners of the universe and protect them.
I am sure by now you all must have envisaged what I am trying to say. Love the people around you because time abducts and sweeps away a lot of things. This morning for my S's lunch box I had 'roti and subzi'. By now I am sure you know what these are ;)
Stay well and take care everyone...
Friday, February 22, 2019
Tiffin Tales 87
Hola...
It's another weekend and amidst all the rain and snow we moved this far. Well, Saturday its going to rain again again...Boo, Boo..
As I discussed moods and weather are similar. To an extent I feel relationships are too. I am almost in my mid life and still cannot figure out who are the real keepers for life. Some old and trusted relations get twisted and turned in the tides of time. I am astonished how circumstances change and we react so differently. No matter how old the relations are yet there is a surprise element to it. Most of the times we are hurt and feel dejected at some of the relations but mostly its because of our expectations. We expect from almost all our the relationships around us. We receive some major blows when they do not turn out our ways.
Well actually in my family there is so much going on that I am completely perplexed. Age old relations are tangled by circumstances and there seems to be no exit. The wise men of the family say that time will detangle everything and its the beauty of time but I am scared to death that before the 'actual' time comes everything doesn't go to debris. Long silences, tight lipped conversations (if i could explain that) very formal family meetings and less warmth in the hugs. My mind is in mayhem and my heart weeps, but again time will fix, as they all are saying. I personally cannot fix much but I tried my part. A cousin of mine says that ignorance is bliss but some relations are so close to heart that its preposterous. The time seems to be crawling now...
It's Friday again folks, and you guys enjoy. For my son's lunch box I made mixed vegetable paratha with some curry and his snack box had banana and a small bag of chips. Meet you all next week...
It's another weekend and amidst all the rain and snow we moved this far. Well, Saturday its going to rain again again...Boo, Boo..
As I discussed moods and weather are similar. To an extent I feel relationships are too. I am almost in my mid life and still cannot figure out who are the real keepers for life. Some old and trusted relations get twisted and turned in the tides of time. I am astonished how circumstances change and we react so differently. No matter how old the relations are yet there is a surprise element to it. Most of the times we are hurt and feel dejected at some of the relations but mostly its because of our expectations. We expect from almost all our the relationships around us. We receive some major blows when they do not turn out our ways.
Well actually in my family there is so much going on that I am completely perplexed. Age old relations are tangled by circumstances and there seems to be no exit. The wise men of the family say that time will detangle everything and its the beauty of time but I am scared to death that before the 'actual' time comes everything doesn't go to debris. Long silences, tight lipped conversations (if i could explain that) very formal family meetings and less warmth in the hugs. My mind is in mayhem and my heart weeps, but again time will fix, as they all are saying. I personally cannot fix much but I tried my part. A cousin of mine says that ignorance is bliss but some relations are so close to heart that its preposterous. The time seems to be crawling now...
It's Friday again folks, and you guys enjoy. For my son's lunch box I made mixed vegetable paratha with some curry and his snack box had banana and a small bag of chips. Meet you all next week...
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Tiffin Tales 86
Hola...
In my last post I discussed that I was disturbed which I still am but somehow life has its own route. It takes us the way which is preset and moves at its own pace and we mostly go with the flow. The tides of time are always heavier and finds its own way to keep moving.
Life for me is like weather. Some days are like bright happy sunny days while some rainy and gloomy and so on. The sun today shone and we went out to get some fruits and milk. I am quite a regular at a particular store where there is a certain lady. We never exchange words but always have a warm smile for each other. Today today she was kinda free and again we smiled at each other. We exchanged some pleasantries and soon we started to talk and talk. We realized we have so many things in common. Of course I was cautious enough not to waste her work time. Our discussion reached a stage where she promised that she would always keep me in her prayers. I was so elated. The best place to live is someone's heart and prayers and today my heart found a new place. When a stranger smiles that is enough to brighten any day and a conversation was soul soothing. My conversation uplifted my mood and it will always remain in my memories.
The morning started with a nice text from my friend. My son had been asking me to make pasta for dew days, so I made him add some vegetables like broccoli. Yes, he 'eats' broccoli and I am proud so far. Let's see how long his love continues. The snack box had berry special today, so packed some strawberries and blueberries along with a pack of yoghurt.
Enjoy each of day your as it comes for there will be no same day.
Friday, February 15, 2019
Tiffin Tales 85
Hola...
How are you doing? Today I will not start with weather reports but about the attacks on my country men who lost their precious lives. We are so, so sad with the news and have been praying for the martyred souls since then. This disturbing news has made think on so many levels.
I have never been political but follow any news very closely but when the news involves my countrymen my restlessness reaches another level. We all love our respective countries and the people we grow or grew up with. When some innocent souls lose their lives while serving their motherland its a different feeling altogether. Their is anger, despair, betrayal and a great sense of loss which the families feel each day and day after day. While politics will change its religion and play its own level of games, their every move costs some innocent souls. The families are torn apart while we just offer condolences, which is the least we can do.
It's been already a day since the surprise attack cost so many lives leaving so many of us baffled. The families must be wriggling in pain and grief and somewhere this pain affects us all. Some children will never see their fathers again, not even for that the last time. Wherever we are we all want people to be safe, stop the blood shed in the name of religion and politics.
The morning started with my news feed showing the news and somehow its affects the mood and the day. While I am deeply saddened yet I prayed a silent prayer for the families who lost their precious ones. It's least I could do.To give them the adequate strength to move on with their lives even though their lives will never be the same again. I barely could talk to my children this morning and did not pester them to finish their milk or breakfast. The thoughts were looming large in my head and it will take some more time to accept what happened.
I request everyone please spread some more love wherever we go because we never know what grief the person next to us might be carrying with them. Perhaps a smile or a nice word could make them feel a lil better. Lets do some random acts of kindness, who knows, someday the world might be a heaven once again...
How are you doing? Today I will not start with weather reports but about the attacks on my country men who lost their precious lives. We are so, so sad with the news and have been praying for the martyred souls since then. This disturbing news has made think on so many levels.
I have never been political but follow any news very closely but when the news involves my countrymen my restlessness reaches another level. We all love our respective countries and the people we grow or grew up with. When some innocent souls lose their lives while serving their motherland its a different feeling altogether. Their is anger, despair, betrayal and a great sense of loss which the families feel each day and day after day. While politics will change its religion and play its own level of games, their every move costs some innocent souls. The families are torn apart while we just offer condolences, which is the least we can do.
It's been already a day since the surprise attack cost so many lives leaving so many of us baffled. The families must be wriggling in pain and grief and somewhere this pain affects us all. Some children will never see their fathers again, not even for that the last time. Wherever we are we all want people to be safe, stop the blood shed in the name of religion and politics.
The morning started with my news feed showing the news and somehow its affects the mood and the day. While I am deeply saddened yet I prayed a silent prayer for the families who lost their precious ones. It's least I could do.To give them the adequate strength to move on with their lives even though their lives will never be the same again. I barely could talk to my children this morning and did not pester them to finish their milk or breakfast. The thoughts were looming large in my head and it will take some more time to accept what happened.
I request everyone please spread some more love wherever we go because we never know what grief the person next to us might be carrying with them. Perhaps a smile or a nice word could make them feel a lil better. Lets do some random acts of kindness, who knows, someday the world might be a heaven once again...
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Tiffin Tales 84
Hola....
Phew, whaaaat a weather. It's been snowing and raining sometimes a mix of both and what not. The weather department must have decided to declare this month as cloudy and windy by now. The temperatures are constantly oscillating with children being the worst victims.
Life is so strange. We grew up in a tropical climate and used to get excited on seeing snow on screens. The television used to broadcast weather reports from all around the world and snow reports used to gather more attention from us. Now decades later when I see snow it certainly amazes me for the first couple of hours. Later when my feet and the car starts to skid I don't have too many nice words for snow then. The pristine beauty is at its peak when the sun shines brightly the day after snow and everything looks shimmering. Growing up in tropical climate has taught us deal with insects and other rodents. Spiders and lizards were common and we never freaked out the way my children do now. In a way life taught us a better way to live in our eco system or rather patiently living.
The snow has been relentless for the past few days. The slushy roads along with big grains of magnesium salt has all been a part of our lives this winter. We are impatiently waiting for spring to arrive this year.
This morning started with winds and then the clouds giving way to sun. Last night my S dropped a packet of chips on the carpet and I guess out of guilt he woke up early to clean the mess. I appreciated his gesture and applauded the fact that he did not do that out of fear but as a sense of responsibility. When the child slowly starts acting responsibly we mothers get happy kickstart to do our job of parenting on a more higher level. Last night I made 'crumbled paneer' to go with 'dal'. I saved some because my S liked it. This morning I used those along with rice and vegetables to make it paneer fried rice. I added some cashew nuts and a few raisins to it. The snack box was simple with a banana, a small chocolate and a yoghurt.
Enjoy the season till it lasts while I am enjoying now is with fresh oranges. Plum and juicy its the perfect accompaniment to enjoy the winter sun...
Phew, whaaaat a weather. It's been snowing and raining sometimes a mix of both and what not. The weather department must have decided to declare this month as cloudy and windy by now. The temperatures are constantly oscillating with children being the worst victims.
Life is so strange. We grew up in a tropical climate and used to get excited on seeing snow on screens. The television used to broadcast weather reports from all around the world and snow reports used to gather more attention from us. Now decades later when I see snow it certainly amazes me for the first couple of hours. Later when my feet and the car starts to skid I don't have too many nice words for snow then. The pristine beauty is at its peak when the sun shines brightly the day after snow and everything looks shimmering. Growing up in tropical climate has taught us deal with insects and other rodents. Spiders and lizards were common and we never freaked out the way my children do now. In a way life taught us a better way to live in our eco system or rather patiently living.
The snow has been relentless for the past few days. The slushy roads along with big grains of magnesium salt has all been a part of our lives this winter. We are impatiently waiting for spring to arrive this year.
This morning started with winds and then the clouds giving way to sun. Last night my S dropped a packet of chips on the carpet and I guess out of guilt he woke up early to clean the mess. I appreciated his gesture and applauded the fact that he did not do that out of fear but as a sense of responsibility. When the child slowly starts acting responsibly we mothers get happy kickstart to do our job of parenting on a more higher level. Last night I made 'crumbled paneer' to go with 'dal'. I saved some because my S liked it. This morning I used those along with rice and vegetables to make it paneer fried rice. I added some cashew nuts and a few raisins to it. The snack box was simple with a banana, a small chocolate and a yoghurt.
Enjoy the season till it lasts while I am enjoying now is with fresh oranges. Plum and juicy its the perfect accompaniment to enjoy the winter sun...
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