Winter Sports.

The arrival of winter meant that our weekend was also snatched by the kids. They have ice skating bang in the middle of the afternoon on Saturdays and Skiing on Sundays which takes up at least 4 hours of the day. Hd is in charge of weekends but still the cooking, cleaning, getting the kids and the husband ready and throwing them out of the house in time takes such a toll on me! Hd also conveniently went off to India for a week during the kids Ski break which meant I had to take Antu almost every day skiing on my own. 

Ashu, thankfully, agreed to go to a ski camp again this year. So she was gone from 8.30 to 4.30 every day for five days. She had fun, got a medal but swore she is done with skiing and will never ever ski again. This was two weeks back. She went skiing again today of course! :) Antu had started skiing last year and hated it. But she warmed up to it this year and also had her best friend for company so that went well. She moved up a level and took the T bar and skied in a beginner slope today which was a big deal for her and made for a proud dad! :)



The skating show was yesterday and Ashu had fun even though she complained shes in the babies group and they just have to go in circles! :) Some of the girls who did solo performances were amazing! Made me wonder how much much more dedicated and hard working the olympians would be! Antu agreed to ice skate this year but she said no to participate in the show! "Because I am not good at it, Amma", she said! While Ashu is the exact opposite. So Ashu had to take a test to move up a level in Ice skating and she was desperate to pass the test because she thought she was too old to be in that group with 5 and 6 year olds! So the doting dad signed her up for a few private lessons so that she gets individual attention. I took her for a few lessons and she enjoyed them immensely. The day before the test, she asked when the next private lesson will be and I told her that there will be no more private lessons and she better focus on the tips and pass the test if she wants to move up. So she says "Its ok if I dont pass the test. I loved the lessons and I would like to do more. I just want to keep learning, Amma."

"Naan karai eritten. Neenga innum karai eraama nikkarele?"* moment!

* Slap in the face

Spring is in the air!

I dont know if its because we did nt go to India or the US during the December holidays (like we usually end up doing!) but this winter has been tooooooo long! Hours and hours of skiing, ice skating, driving, drinking gallons of tea, pot luck lunches and dinner parties,.... How can anyone bear all these after a point? Not to mention the heavy jackets and boots one has to wear even to step outside for a minute! And for a Hausfrau like me who has to step out a dozen times a day, its highly frustrating! In and out between freezing cold and warmth makes you have crazy thoughts! Like buying a one way ticket to Hawaii just for yourself!! (Sigh!) 

And right in the middle of February, there is this 2 weeks Ski break! Ashu went for a ski camp the first week and read like a million books, the next week. (The latter deserves a separate post!) The camp was quite intense and poor thing did nt complain. One hour by by bus, 2 hours of skiing, lunch break, another 2 hours of skiing and then back in the bus for an hour! She did this Monday to Friday! Not to mention wearing the ski boots all day long, lunging the skis, helmet, etc... I know I would have quit sometime in the middle of the first day!! (Right after the lunch break! ;) And she was also in a ice skating class every Saturday and there was a final performance last weekend which was beautiful! Antu of course does nt embrace winter like Ashu does since shes more like me! Ice skating class - "NO!" Skiing - "ok! But I will cry the entire time! And you have to carry my skis and hold my hands while I walk with the skis and be handy with a tissue to wipe my runny nose and tears"! End of story! Somewhere a four year old Ashu is judging me!!

Anyway, for the first time in four months the weather seemed warm yesterday and I could nt believe my eyes! Is it really warm or am I hallucinating? Are they really kids I see playing outside? The pond melted and the ducks are out? Is it really the sound of the stream flowing? Are the birds chirping? Oh my God! I cant explain it in words! I could actually HEAR the change in the season! Thats when it hit me! That its the silence which is really unbearable about winter! As if Mother Nature is mad at you and decides not to talk to you for a few months! Ashu and Antu went to the shed where the cycles were hibernating and brought them out! I stood in the balcony and waved at them! Of course, nothing lasts forever and the weather forecast says its going go below zero next week but Spring is almost here and with the little preview we got this week, I cant wait!

All about our US Trip, School dance, Snow and a Spa Weekend!

When I said there is loads to tell in my previous post, I was nt kidding. 

Oct 5th to Oct 19th - The girls and I were in the US! It was a sudden trip and if you know me well, yes it was a surprise for my sister! I did tell BIL because for one his parents were visiting them and it was only proper to ask him and two, I wanted to make sure they are in town when we landed! Of course my sister had to work from home that day and when BIL walked into the house and we trailed behind him, Sis did nt know what hit her but managed to ask "So your husband finally threw you out?" Yes my dear friends, thats my sister for you! We had a fantastic time just chilling and preparing for Navarathri and Golu and the girls had a ball! My parents had no clue I was going to the US either so as usual Phase 2 of the surprise was done in Skype when they were talking with my sister and casually me and the kids walked in! I live for moments like these, I tell you! :)

Once we were back, I got busy preparing Ashu and seven other girls for the Indian group dance which we do every year for the school fest. Even though we are not part of the old school anymore, the socializing has nt stopped! It was quite tough this year to coordinate and meet and practice but somehow, we pulled it off! The performance was last Saturday and the girls did a great job! They danced to "Des Rangeela". Antu refused to be part of the dance though! Even though she is in ballet class this year and loves dancing, she was nt ready for stage yet! :)

And then it snowed an entire weekend in October! Need I say more?

Add to it, the umpteen coffees and lunches and Diwali dinners, it was crazy two months out here! But the best was when two friends and I went for a spa weekend! Ah, bliss! God knows why we dont do this often but I think I ve added five years to my life just by sitting in the jacuzzi and talking non stop with gal pals. We started talking as soon as we got into the car on Saturday morning, talked the entire way, lunch, spa, room, tea, dinner, room (until 3 am), then spa again the next morning, massages, lunch and the entire drive back! Long live BFFs!

Yathaa Sthaanam.

Sanskrit for "in its own place". I love the word. It fits us gypsies perfectly.

So much happened the past 4 weeks and I have duly forgotten what I wanted to write in the chaos of the past 2 days trying to settle into our routine. Its tough when the house is like an igloo and the daily chores beckon.

I remember this one incident which happened in Madras and I ll leave you with that. So we were coming back form Mahabalipuram and Hd wanted to get a cup of coffee and we stopped at the Cafe Coffee Day. We waited in the car while he went in. Ashu who is an avid reader these days read the name.

"Coffee coffee day? Thats funny!"

"Read whats written below, Ashu".

"A lot can happen over coffee?"

"Good Job."

"But what does it mean, Amma? What can happen?"

As always I gave my ready response. "You tell me, Ashu. Take a guess."

"Hmmm... The coffee can spill. Or the cup can break."

"ha ha ha"

"Am I right?"

"Absolutely!"

It has begun!