Weekends

There have been a few amazing weekends so far this year that I’ve missed writing about here. At this point I am sure I’ve forgotten the little details that I would have liked to note down, but better late than never. So here’s what I remember of the adventures so far –

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A weekend in February was spent roaming around DC Metro and MD. We visited a museum or two; other than that, though, most of our sightseeing escapades involved spending time outdoors. The weather was biting cold those three days, but that didn’t deter us from visiting one waterfront after another. When there’s good company and great conversations to be had, nothing else matters, right? Amazing weekend, yes it was.

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For the Easter weekend, plans were initially made and canceled due to my fever, etc. But as Friday morning approached, we decided to go ahead and head out for the weekend. I was getting better, that was good news; also, staying home all week only strengthened my urge to get going. So, we woke up, got ready, packed, and hit the road.

We drove to Wilmington, NC on Friday and spent the afternoon there. Given that it was still early in the season, the places were relatively less crowded. We got a chance to roam around the town and its neighboring beaches without the usual hustle-bustle.

After roaming around for a while, we stepped in to one of the local cafes (how is any trip complete without a stop at at least one local coffee shop?) to have some hot chocolate in order to fight the chill outside. The owner there enlightened us with some interesting points about the neighborhood, recommended some local restaurants for dinner, and also let us in on an insider secret about how to escape the never-ending queue at the famous local shop that sold country’s best donuts. Yes, we tried her trick; yes, it worked – within minutes of putting her words into action, I walked in and out with half a dozen donuts in my hand to the envy of people who’d been standing in the line for much longer. Ha!

As time approached for dinner, the partner pointed out to the cozy Parisian looking, waterfront facing balconies in a restaurant that looked very inviting. We stepped in, asked to be seated in one of the balconies, forgetting the cold wind. We sat there, with our winter jackets still on and enjoyed the view for a while. When it came time to place orders, though, we ran out of luck. I am a vegetarian and a picky eater. The restaurant only had one vegetarian appetizer, which we ordered, and two vegetarian main courses. Of the two main courses, one had eggplant in it, which I do not eat, and the other had so much cheese in it that I decided not to have that either. Hence, once we finished appetizer we walked out in search of another restaurant for the rest of the dinner. By the time we decided on another place and went there, our appetite had died down and we ended up, again, ordering an appetizer, sharing that and calling it a meal. Good times.

We spent that night in Wilmington and drove to Savannah, GA on Saturday. What can I say about this place? Where do I start? The partner has been here before and I’ve seen the pictures he’d taken during that trip. To top that, the partner had only fond things to say about the town. So here I was, all excited to experience the beauty and form warm memories of my own. And to say that I was not let down would be an understatement. That tranquil feeling this tiny European town look-alike evoked in me was enough to make me fall in love with the place once and for all. Ireland – that’s what came to mind after the first few hours we spent in Savannah. So much that we even wove dreams of maybe someday moving to an Irish city and exploring that side of the world. Anyway, I couldn’t get enough of it during the two days I was there. And I can’t wait to go back there someday.

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When we moved here last year, I remember seeing our current home for the first time and falling in love with all the space it had to offer. Coming from a city like Boston where we lived in tiny apartments, the porches and the backyards here seemed heavenly. As we were in the process of finalizing the place, there was one thing that the partner pointed out that we put aside as something to plan when the right time came. “Look at the backyard; it’s a perfect place to play Holi, don’t you think? We should definitely do it” he had said.

Fast forward so many months and the time eventually came. We chose a day, keeping in mind the weather, to celebrate Holi and welcome Spring. Colors and water balloons were bought. Invitations were sent out. Plans were made and finalized. And the day arrived in all its glory.

As people starting coming in right around the planned time, I was inside filling the water balloons. I could hear the guests cheer, and the kids laughing and running around. The partner called out and asked me to come join the fun. “Only a few more balloons and I’ll be there”, I announced, trying hard to get the job done quicker. And by the time I stepped out, I could hardly put a name to the colorful faces around me. Within seconds, I was one of them – an unrecognizable blob of color running behind the next person of interest with balloon in one hand and powder of some bright color in another.

Age was no barrier for all the excitement that was in the air. Grownups enjoyed it as much as the kids did. Everyone had fun… even our neighbor’s father who must be 80+ years of age – he didn’t play with us, but he sat there watching everyone go crazy and that, he said, was enjoyable in its own way. It sure was a success and the kids are already asking us when we can do it again.

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This past weekend, one of our friends had us over for a sumptuous lunch; we watched a movie after, walked around Duke Gardens in the evening, played pool for a while before returning home to have another go at the grand meal that night. I still can’t get over how so delicious everything was. Yum!

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There have been other fun weekends too – the afternoon when we went on a 10+ mile bike ride, all those evenings spent at cafes listening to live music, the time we went mini golfing and bowling, the night (which turned into day by the time we were finished) we spent playing Monopoly.

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Ahh, the fun… may it continue forever.

Last Birthday and some more…

This post is going to be here and there, sort of incoherent. That’s what ends up happening when I don’t record anything for almost a year and suddenly realize that there are all incidents that need to be noted down before my memory fails me, for that happens more often than not. For instance, last week the partner and I were discussing something and the question of what I did for my last birthday came up. I drew a blank. I knew there was something about the day that made it special, but the mind refused to go back in time to try and recall even snippets. And it was the partner who finally aided my brain recollect it all.  So now, I want to go on record and say that my last birthday was wonderful.

The partner and I were driving from Boston to DC that night to attend a conference where my sister was to give a speech the day after. Right around midnight (I noticed the time only later), the partner pulled over at a service area. The dozy version of me asked him a million questions about why we were stopping, reminded him that we were already running late and I was getting grouchier by the second, and finally, gave up and closed my eyes letting him do whatever it was that he wanted to do by taking a break there. Within a few minutes, I heard the door to my side of the car open and there he was with a cake in his hand, wishing me a happy birthday. (Was there a candle? I am guessing there was, but I don’t remember. See, that’s why I should’ve noted it all down within few days.)Oh, that’s what the stop is about, that inner tube light turned on.

With the merriest of heart, I cut the cake. A cake that the partner had baked by himself. There were signs the day before, you know. He had called to ask me for a tiny detail about the recipe. He had mentioned that his roommates were baking something and they wanted to know. And I’d believed that. The thought didn’t even cross my mind that he was planning something so perfect for my birthday. A sweet surprise, it sure was. And there was more of it in store!

Once we resumed our drive, I got a call from a friend who sent big birthday wishes my way. How so very touched I was that she remembered, worked out the time difference and rang me right around midnight! And the fact that this was the first time I was talking to her made it all the more noteworthy (I had conveniently forgotten about it until now, how so unmindful of me.) I was ecstatic for the rest of the journey, needless to say. We reached DC really late and obviously, I fell asleep the first chance I got. Having gone to bed few hours before dawn only gave me an excuse (like I need one) to sleep a little more than usual next morning. The partner, though, I realized woke up way before I was even ready to open my eyes. He was getting ready to step out; I asked him where he was going. He mentioned that he’d forgotten something in the car and had to go get it so he can get ready for the day. Ok, I said and went back to my blissful slumber.

When I woke up a little later, there was a big gift next to me on the bed. Unable to contain my excitement, I sat up and unwrapped it carefully. Inside I found something I’ve wanted for months. A pair of boots! I remember going on and on to the partner and my then roommate S about how I definitely want a pair of boots for the upcoming winter. But I never bought myself one because any pair I liked I turned down because of the price tag. This pair was gorgeous. He shared the tale of when he went shopping, how/why he chose this particular one, and how he was sure I would fall in love with them. A huge grin appeared on my face and a few tears trickled down my cheeks.

There was a sign of this too, you know, only I’d yet again chosen to ignore it. The partner had called me to inquire about my shoe size the evening before. He mentioned that his sister wanted him to buy her shoes (he was to visit India in a few weeks) and he wasn’t sure what size to go for. So he wanted to know my shoe size given that his sister and I share similar stature. And yes, I believed that.

After trying on the boots and falling head over heels in love with them, I got ready to face the day ahead. We went to a café nearby to have some breakfast. And there, the partner pulled out a greeting card from his bag. The Office is one of my favorite shows and in that card, the partner had written out wishes from each of the main characters of the show in their unique style. What a laughter riot it was reading through those thoughtful messages for the birthday girl!

 The day was spent visiting museums, planetarium and just walking around the city. The phone was on silent for most of the day, which meant I missed a few calls from friends. Listening to their voicemails later made the day all the more amazing. The sister joined us in the evening and the three of us went out for a fancy dinner, which was my birthday treat from the sister. She had also sent a bunch of books as gift a week earlier. What more could I ask for! After dinner, I think we went sightseeing, a few monuments here and there. All the walking took a toll, especially since it was windy and cold, so we called it a day and headed back to the hotel.

So there, it’s all on record now and I can come back to it lest I forget it again.

Oh wait, did I say I was going to write about more than one thing? (I am too lazy to go back and edit the beginning of the post or the title. So I’ll just let it be.) I should’ve known better… no matter how hard I try I can’t ever seem put down only a few lines and let things be. It’s almost always going to be a full blown post dedicated to specific happenings. Weirdly, it’s just the opposite when I talk – 0ne can ask me the most open-ended question there is and I can still manage to answer with very limited words. Hmmm. Anyway, I guess this only means there are more posts coming up. Wait and watch…

What a weekend that was!

Life is an adventure with the partner is by my side. Take for example the long weekend that was. To kick it off in delight both of us took the Friday off and made it an even longer weekend. Our initial plan was to escape to the mountains Thursday evening and spend four days in quiet and peace. But as it’s usually with our plans, it didn’t quite pan out the way it was intended. Work and other miscellaneous tasks interfered; hence we ended up spending Thursday evening and Friday at home. I won’t complain though…this gave me enough time to muster some confidence to host a dinner at our place Friday night. I cooked for six—yes, six—and it turned out pretty well. It had to happen someday and I’m glad it happened sooner rather than later; I can’t keep running away from inviting people when everyone is generous enough to have us over time and again, right? Anyway, back to the point. The dinner that I cooked was well received and much appreciated. Oh wait, that’s not really the point, but can we make it the point? here we go back to the real point…

So, off went Friday and on came Saturday. Only three more days before we had to dive into the routine again, and we had already spent half of the first day in bed. Way to go. But what’s more important than sleep? Nothing, if you were to ask me. No harm, no foul, then. We spent a good part of Saturday morning discussing where we wanted to go—the mountains or the beach? After long deliberation we decided we would head east to the shore. And I could already feel the oceans calling out to me.

We set out around noon with everything for the sojourn in place. Few hours into the drive the car made a beep and signaled to us that it was time to fill the gas tank soon. To give you some background, this is one thing that the partner and I argue about every time it happens. Our definitions of soon varies. While I am the kind who gets tense and pulls over at the next gas station on the way, the partner is someone who keeps giving assurances about how many gallons of gas there is in reserve and how far the car can go on that. Now, we had just crossed a small town and we were in no mood to turn back to the last gas station we’d passed. So, the partner, as usual, reassured that there was enough gas to take us into the next town for fill up and I, as always, became a little anxious and kept hoping to spot a gas station quickly to calm my nerves. And as luck would have it we traveled the next 30 miles with no gas station in sight.

And after those 30 miles, just like that, with no more gas to fuel it, the car started showing signs of giving up. No amount of pushing hard on the accelerator was any help. The lovely car that it is, it coughed up to the last drop in the effort to take us just a little bit further. We looked at each other in disbelief. You told me it would go at least 50 miles, I questioned. It does; it did when I drove from work to home back in Boston. I think it’s your driving that burned extra gas this time around, he retorted. All this while, the car kept moving, slowly but steadily. It even climbed up a bridge with much effort. And then went downhill seemingly easily, thanks to the slope. And the two of us, surprisingly, kept our cool and were actually laughing about the situation we found ourselves in. Right after the descent there was a parking lot and the partner asked me to pull in there. And so I did. I steered and the car took it upon itself to move with the little energy that it had left; that energy was just enough to pull into the parking spot at the far end and after that, the car wouldn’t move any further, not even an inch, and its whole system shut down…about 1.5 miles after the initial warning.

So, yes, we found ourselves gas-less in the middle of who-knows-where. The parking lot we pulled into turned out to be of the town’s visitor center. HA! We got out, ran in (as it was closing time) and inquired about the nearest gas station. We learned that it was just half a mile down the road. What a relief it was that we didn’t have to walk under the scorching sun for long. After freshening up, we set out to get fuel for our vehicle. And during that mile’s walk there were more smiles and more talks about how funny we found the whole thing and how it all had played out well enough to keep us amused but not make us agitated.

Like I said, life is an adventure when the partner is around. Had I found myself in the same situation alone, I am sure I would have lost it. I don’t think I would’ve been as calm to be able to think on my feet about what needed to be done next once the car started showing signs of shut down. But, all credit to the partner, I thoroughly enjoyed this whole experience instead of letting it get to me. The partner has a way of putting a positive spin to things that happens around him. He has a way of brimming with optimism even at the worst of conditions. He has a way of making me smile and teaching me how to take it all, the circumstances that I would otherwise find stressful, lightly. So, as I stood there filling gas in the car and saw him clicking photos of our savior gas station, I couldn’t help but feel grateful that he was around to share this memory with me.

The rest of the vacation? Well, that was fun too, with some exceptions.

We spent a little time Saturday evening and the whole of Sunday at the beach. I enjoyed soaking under the sun and then finding solace in the droplets of rain that trickled down from the marshmallow clouds, reading, writing and napping by the ocean, playing in the water, trying to but not really helping with the sand castle that the partner built, and so much more.

And Monday, we visited a lighthouse nearby—spotted from the top of the lighthouse the colliding of two ocean currents; noticed a bunch of dolphins playing in the sea, pretty close to the shore; and, stopped by at the museum there to learn about the lighthouse’s history, before heading back.

Now the exceptions: it was so extremely humid on Saturday that it became impossible for us to sleep in the tent. We tried for hours before we called it quits, drove the car up to the parking lot and slept in the car. While the humidity went down Sunday night, we had something else that kept us awake on and off—Chigger bites, as we learned later—kept us busy scratching all night long. There were so many bite marks on my body as I woke Monday, and the itching didn’t stop for days after. I still have the marks to show (hoping hard that they’ll fade with time), but thankfully, the need to itch has worn-out. I wouldn’t have been so glad to return home had it not been for the burning bites.

Because really, what’s not to love about ocean side breeze? Or about the sound of the waves singing you lullaby as you slept? Or the endless views of the horizon?

The little guests… (continued)

With our eyes half open and our bodies not wanting to get out of bed, the partner and I spent some time debating who will wake up first this morning. And somewhere in the middle of the discussion we ended up dozing off for a bit longer and thus, a got up littler later than our normal weekday schedule. (Not that I wake up too early every morning, just that I ended up sleeping in for bit longer than the usual today). So, by the time I got ready and came down for breakfast the little ones were up and about, and that only left me wishing I could take the day off spend all the waking hours in their company.

As I was stepping down the last of the stairs, the partner was saying his goodbyes and leaving for work. I saw him off and went to the kitchen to get my breakfast ready. Little feet followed me and I was shown how she could do hula-hooping for a bit longer than her previous attempts. I pat her on the back and told her that she should practice as much as she could during the day so that I can videotape her performance in the evening. And the practice began right away.

I was washing and cutting berries to add to my breakfast when I saw the other little one looking up to me and flashing her sweet dimply smile. I scooped her up, showed her a raspberry and told her how she was as cute as that red berry. She smiled wider. I’m going to call you Raspberry from now on, I told her. I am not sure what she understood, but she was very generous to show off her two dimples again. I kissed her for as long as she let me and put her down so she can run around with her tiny blanket.

Why are you naming her Raspberry? She doesn’t even like berries! came the concerned big sister’s voice from the dining area. She doesn’t have to like it; it’s just that she looks as cute as one, don’t you think? I asked. Yes, agreed the proud sister. And I am going to name you Strawberry. You are as sweet as a strawberry, and also, it’s a little bigger than raspberry right? I uttered. Yeah and I even like strawberries, she said animatedly, showing how pleased she was with her new nickname.

Now that I have my the sweetest and cutest Strawberry and Raspberry around, I can eat them when I’m really really hungry, I revealed to them, my fake evil intentions. Hmmm, which one I should eat first? I wondered out loud. The Raspberry, of course, it’s more delicious, came the quick suggestion from the big sister, while the little one, the said Raspberry, was gleefully roaming around chewing her blanket, oblivious of the fact that her sister just signed her off to me.

They followed me around for the next 15 minutes that I spent at home. They gave me company as I had my breakfast. Strawberry sketched and colored sun, watermelon, banana and berries for me, and Raspberry made me her much celebrated squiggly lines art. While I discussed with Strawberry her level of excitement about starting kindergarten soon, the little Raspberry vied for my attention with her hmmmms and haaans and cooos and caaaas. We talked the game of scrabble we played last night and made big plans for the upcoming evening. Hugs and smiles and kisses were plentiful.

Aunty, can you come home and then go shopping in the evening so that I can join you? I was presented with an option worth pondering, as I fished for my keys in the bag. No, that wouldn’t work. It will be too late if we had to do that and the shops will close. So I’ll get the game, you wait at home, and we’ll play as soon as I get back, I responded. Ok, but without me how will you know what exactly I want you to buy? she asked in a disappointed tone. I’ll call you and make sure I am getting the right one, I told her. Still unsatisfied, but with no other option, she said Ok, I guess that’ll work. Come back soon, ok? I’ll be waiting. And once you’re back we can make a surprise for Uncle like we did yesterday and give him a call to ask him to return soon. We agreed upon the deal with a smile, a hug and a kiss.

Little hands waved me goodbye. And I opened the door to rush out to work, because one more minute there amidst all that fondness for my company, I would’ve called in sick.

The little guests…

Key in one hand, and grocery bag and my laptop bag in another, I walk the driveway towards the front door after a long day at work. As I pass the living room window I see a little being standing there, looking out and waving shyly. I smile at her and walk a little faster. Just when I put the key through the hole, I hear some shuffling inside and I realize that she’s rushing towards the door. I open it a little, carefully, in case she’s standing too close. I see a pair of expressive eyes; she’s there, at the entrance to the living room, leaning against the wall, only her white dress visible in the dark room.

Her smile welcomes me home. Hi, I say to her. Hi, she responds. I am starting school from tomorrow, she says, enthused. Congratulations, I tell her and drop whatever I am holding to give her a hug and plant a kiss on her forehead. Why are you all alone here in the dark? I ask her. Everyone else is napping. I couldn’t sleep, and I had nothing else to do. I was getting bored, she says, dialing down her excited tone. Let’s go see what we can find for you to do, I tell her and she follows me with a hop in her steps.

We put the groceries in place and I tell her I’ll be down with her in a bit as soon as I freshen up. She follows me still and stops as I start to climb the stairs. Aunty, may I come upstairs with you and see if I can find anything in that room? she asks me. Of course, I tell her and wait for her to join me. As I wash up and change, she plays around with the hula-hoop. And as soon as I step out all fresh, we set out to find something for her to do.

DVDs, she asks. None, I say. Games, she points. Not suitable for you, I reject. TV, she lights up. Haven’t you already watched it for a while today? I retort. After going back and forth like this for a while, we decide we will find her a notebook and some pencils so she can practice writing or just draw. We find a few crayons, grab a notebook and go back to the living room to start her art venture. She sketches fruits and vegetables and colors them appropriately while I mull around about what book to read next. And as soon as I find one, I settle next to her and we are lost in our own worlds, yet sharing the tranquility that surrounds.

I hear murmurs. I silently lean back and notice that two tiny hands, slowly and carefully, aid the little one up the stairs. After she pulls herself up, she looks around to make note of who is where and as soon as she spots me, she goes running to the kitchen into her mother’s arms. A lot of cajoling, bribing and persuading later, she comes to the living room, settles next to her sister and gets hold of a crayon. She looks around not knowing where to write. I hand her a paper and she starts scribbling. She’s proud of her creation; she smiles at its wonder and goes around showing everyone her craft. It’s my turn now. Just as I expect her to skip it conveniently, she startles me. She walks over, I hold my hand out, and she places the paper on it while flashing a smile so beautiful that I melt million times over. Grasping the rarity of the moment, I scoop her up and hold her tight until she squeals to be let go.

The three of us continue our activities – reading, drawing, scribbling, racing down the stairs, coloring, hula-hooping, watching out the window – while we wait for the partner to return. As I hear the sound of the motorbike pulling into the driveway, I tell them that Uncle’s home. No he’s not, the elder one replies, while she scans outside and tries to spot him. I ask her to look out the side window and so she does. As soon as she sees him approaching the door, she announces that she’s going to hide so he can find her upon arrival. And the door opens. There I am saying hello to him and telling him that someone’s hiding for him to find her, the little one runs screaming into the kitchen, having been scared by the man in the helmet. Her mother coaxes her into good mood; it’s then followed by cooking, having dinner, relaxing and finishing up the remaining chores.

And like that the evening whizzes by in no time and diffuses into a peaceful night.

Guests

Ever since I started living by my own, I haven’t had a lot of house guests. Back in Boston, since I shared the apartment with my roommate, I was way too wary about inviting anyone should it disturb her in any way. It’s only been either my mother or my sister who’d come for overnight stay a handful of times. And then a close friend’s parents and his sister visited me for a couple of days once. Other than that, I do not remember having people over.

Now that I have a place to call my own, the idea of inviting friends over sounded enticing. And, so, more than a month after we moved in, our first house guests arrived at our doorsteps. I’ve been very eagerly looking forward to this since it was initially planned. And that excitement only grew with time. By the morning yesterday, I couldn’t keep myself from picturing what the house would be like come evening. And when it finally happened, I ran out of the door onto the lawn, barefoot, not worrying about all the insects waiting to bite me, and welcomed them with a big smile.

One Two of the biggest reasons for my excitement, other than the fact that they are our first house guests, were the little guests. The eldest is 4 years old and the younger one is 18 months old. And they are both just so cute! I love being around kids; I think I’m more comfortable when I am around kids than when I am among grownups. I spent few hours last evening playing with them – running up and down the stairs, turning lights on and off, helping them fetch things and put it all back in place, learning how to skillfully solve jigsaw puzzles and what not. It was wonderful. They are going to be around for a few more days and I can’t wait to spend as much time as I can with the kids (along with maybe learning how to cook simple, delicious meals). Bliss!

I am very jealous of the partner when it comes to kids, though. While I put in a lot of work, do all the running behind and playing around to keep her entertained around me, all that the partner had to do was look at her and smile, and she runs to him, hands over all the toys remote controls, coasters, one by one, thus creating a new game of which only they two are part of. And it’s not just her; I’ve noticed this many a times… something about him gives good vibes to babies / kids, I suppose. And they love being around him, without him putting in any effort. Sigh.

Summer…

…starts today.

 I know, I know…it’s almost end of summer here, but since the move happened early summer, we haven’t had a chance, yet, to go on our getaways. Usually, during summers, we go camping almost every weekend. This year though, with all our stuff put away in storage for over a month and then us taking our own time to settle down in the new home, weekend after another were spent shopping, lazing around while waiting for something or the other to be delivered, or just completing chores that were screaming to be taken care of. Now, with almost all the essentials in/around the house in place, we have some space to breathe and hence, resume our weekend adventures. YAY!

Only a few more hours, and I’ll be off to the mountains – to the place I went to on my first ever camping trip years ago. I am so excited – more for the partner than myself because he needs this more than I do. He’s been under extreme stress at work and nothing but a retreat like this can help invigorate his spirits.  Anyway, I got to go now and pack, so the fun can begin without any delays from my part.

Oh, from this trip on I am planning to take a little notebook and pen along. That way, I can write down all incoherent thoughts that ensue given that these environs generally nurture creativity (or so I hope).  Even now, as I sit here typing this, there’s this little blue bird outside my window pecking at something I can’t even see; there’s a squirrel on the tree intently searching for some treasure to add to his collection; there’s a yellow butterfly hovering above green leaves; there are tiny white flowers blossoming from plants that appear to have been nourished by the rains from the last few weeks; there’s the sound of crickets singing; and, there’s a little bunny on the lawn, hopping here and there, munching on something he seems to find appetizing. How can these things not inspire me to write? Oh well, it shall have to wait, though…duty calls now and off I go to get ready and leave.

Have a wonderful weekend folks. See you on the other side.