Deja vu.

While I was cooking lunch today, my little son, E, comes up to the kitchen with a little Thomas the Tank book and sits smack on the floor in the middle of the door and proceeds to read his book. When he reads a book, of course, he has the book and I read it and mind you, in the background, I have 2 burners burning away furiously! What struck me most at this moment was what I used to do for years before I got married and became the mistress of my house and kitchen. As far back as I can remember, I have always studied in my aai's kitchen! I used to get all my books and "study" at the table while my aai went about her work. Then, a lot of other topics would come up in between me explaining the mechanism of action of penicillin to my aai. We would talk about the relatives and the gossip in town, about who was getting married to whom and who shouldn't be getting married, all the girl talk! I do not know how much I would really study at these times, but those mornings are a beautiful page in my memory folder.
Some days, my aai's kitchen would be replaced by my ajji's (mom's mom). I spent a few years with her and the same thing would happen there. Now, my ajji (who I am extremely fond of) is militant about waking up early in the morning. And of course, when i lived with her (in my late teens), I COULD NOT wake up early in the morning. But i would make an effort because then, I could sit with her in her kitchen, sipping hot coffee (with the book on my lap) and alternately study and talk to my ajji. I love my ajji and have spent the most memorable moments with her. I loved to hear her talk about religion, the puranas, the stories in ramayana and mahabharata and why we celebrate some festivals in a particular way. All these conversations always took place in the kitchen. I know my bro, A, who also lived with her for a few years tells me of the good times he has had in her kitchen.
I remember when E was but a wee one, I would put him in his high chair and roll him close to my kitchen island where I could talk to him as I got dinner ready. Maybe ,this is the start of a new generational kitchen talk between me and my little baby! When I read this post a few years from now, maybe I will have a million conversations to add to the story of Thomas the Tank Engine.
Here's to a long and beautiful tradition of kitchen talk with you, E!!! I can't wait for the stories.

I dare you - Most annoying habit.!

So, I was thinking the other day, (wo)man is such a creature of habit, isn't (s)he? If you analyze any one's behaviour in detail, you will find that people do not break habits. I remember a very interesting program I heard on NPR once where they were talking about why we keep listening to the same music over and over again. Why are we so averse to listening to something new? I can say from my experience that I do keep going back to my play lists. My brother, A, has tried, in vain, to introduce me to classic rock but that is one genre I haven't taken to, yet. I always go back to my western classicals and oldies -hindi and english and guitar. I guess it is about one's comfort zone. Familiar things bring with it a sense of contentment and comfort that new things don't.
Well, is it true of habits, too? Take for instance, any one annoying habit that you have wanted to change. Maybe not something as drastic as to quit smoking but something lighter. In my case, it is my consistent inability to keep things back where they belong after I am done with them. My mother tried to get me out of this habit as long as I lived with her i.e 22 years and my very organized and neat hubby has been trying for the last 9 years. I have come a long way but even now, i find myself working twice as much to clean up because the jars didn't make their way back to the kitchen shelf or the clothes are still on the bed. I used to excuse myself so far by saying that it takes longer and i am always multi-tasking since i have to do everything at home and then work. but now that the pace of life has slowed down a little, it should change my habit. Alas, it hasn't gone away completely. I catch myself throughout the day, but i still do it. I will keep at it, though and there will be a time when I will spend a whole week where every chore was completed, the first time around.
So, now that you have finished reading my sorry state, how about sharing the most annoying habit that you would like to get rid of? Go on, I dare you, spill your guts, do it anon if you want...will make for some interesting reading!

That was a long break!

I have not been well for the last few days and my blogging has suffered as a result. But today, i decided to get back at it anyway, in the midst of my sneezing and coughing!!
P has been very busy, as usual. With a final exam evry 6 weeks and a midterm, halfway between that, it is to be expected. E and I have been keeping ourselves busy with activities around the campus. The other moms and kids have formed a playgroup that meets thrice a week and the kids can play with someone other than moms! It is amazing how E is adjusting to life here.
I am thinking of starting a whole new blog tot alk about E! Whenever I start to talk about him, it is as if there is no end, i can go on and on and on. Also, I need a better way to chronicle his growing years than just random posts on this blog. The first year of his life has been noted down and photographed to the tiniest detail and i am falling behind, this year. So, look out for the link to the new blog.