etc.

domesticity

Munmun — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:36:57 +0000

domesticity

n pl -ties

1. home life

2. devotion to or familiarity with home life

3. (usually plural) a domestic duty, matter, or condition

So,

1. home life …hmmmm… do away with the maid and buy a dishwasher and then look for a maid again to cut veges. (Is it politically O.k. to call a maid “a maid”?). Take sewing lessons for neighbours while the house waits to be organised. I owe “happy moms” to the society!

2. devotion to or familiarity with home life- dropping the kids like hot potatoes and playing cricket. Of which “c” had to be learnt. Actually, walked up to the umpire to ask if a “wide” means an extra run. Tennis lessons. First of which mom commented “Is umra mein ab Tennis sikhogi?” ( You are going to learn Tennis at this age?) That’s how old my mom thinks I am ! (O.k. she may be right. Every muscle, or almost all, hurt all the time every time).

3. a domestic duty, matter or condition – Sewing their summer wardrobe, at least two months in advance, while Scooby waits for me to help her with revision for her assessments and then send her without preparation (or almost). Drag sick children to the tennis court for lessons and practice. (“oh don’t worry , they need the fresh air”). Endlessly cooking rice and dal since “that’s what he eats”.

That’s domesticity for me

holidays over! 2012 in!

Munmun — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 06:16:30 +0000

A very relaxed me! I would say a great “mom/dad” holiday after a long time.

Uvi can’t get over “Allahabad Holiday is over”. A constant “why Dadda?” Looking expectantly at Dadda for a reply. Who gives him a half- smile in return.

On the last day Mom and I were chatting up snuggled in bed and Scooby jumped in-between. Very pensive. Mom Asked if she was sad. “No”. “Happy”. “No. In between. One eye is sad and one is happy…look.” Jumps off to look for Naanu.

It was nostalgic to see our (brother and me) childhood at our grans through them. Almost similar. (I just wish they had cousins like we had). Scooby and Uvi made good the investment that Naanu had made in buying them extra “holiday cycles” two years back. The garden was a constant joy to run, look at “my little friends”, take pictures, laze, eat peanuts, pull radish, .. yes I am ready to go back!

My days were busy lazing around, eating, shopping, docs, meeting friend, chatting up and some more. A good way to end an eventful year! Looking forward to being back again.

allahabad here we come

Munmun — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:44:41 +0000

Some time in Oct, amidst the chaos of the Chikmagallur holiday, we had booked our Allahabad holiday. Yes, Allahabad is my “native” (as asked in Bangalore). We booked and then went about our business. November came and went and we realised hols were round the corner. We discussed the plans with the kids. Bad idea. Scooby has been packing/unpacking (virtually) everyday. Uvi’s lego train has stopped going to Chikmagallur. It goes to Allahabad instead.

Scooby has no regrets about missing her Piano recital on Sunday and Uvi his king part in the Nativity play on Tuesday.

As for me, looking forward to putting up my feet, literally. Dread the early morning flight, rush to the station and then a six hours train ride.

Bags are packed with our mixed bag of emotions.

Bis dann!

Nemo b’day

Munmun — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:10:28 +0000

A post written after Uvi’s b’day and conveniently forgotten.

An update on Uvi’s 3rd B’day.

He has been watching “Finding Nemo” nearly everyday for the past six months. Very logical to have “Nemo” as the theme. “Mamma, my b’day party. For my b’day Nemo cake. Did you buy it from the cake shop? Can we get it tomorrow?” Everyday for a week we heard the same record played every few hours.

My heart was really not into it. Missed my Zurich family far too much to really get into the act.

Anyway,

The decore

Nemo’s friends on construction paper

Craft samples made by Scooby and Uvi before the party

The Cake

The Clothes

Appliqued and painted Nemo on a store bought plain t-shirt

the Craft

Paper plate fish decorated with glitter, paper, colours, bows, etc.

Th party favours

Party favours packed in nemo stamped wrapping paper

Party favours were magnetic fish game for the older ones, aquatic animals for the three year olds and pull up fish for the little ones.

And tons of food. Mini Idlis, Poha and Chocolate sandwiches for the Kids. Pani Puri and crispy carrot salad for the adults.

Special thanks to Dadda for drawing out the pictures of Nemo and friends for the decore and the t-shirt! Thanks! Can’t function without you.

why???

Munmun — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 12:45:14 +0000

Some children have the “what” phase and then there are some who jump phases. They move to the “why” phase.

Mummmaaa let’s go to the sandpit.

O.k. let me change your clothes.

WWWHHHyYYY Mummma?

?!?!

Mummaaa, biki pleeese!

Get me the bowl please.

WWWWhhhyy Mummma?

The “Wwwwhhhyyy Mummmaaa?” can’t be written. It needs a note sheet with a series of full notes with four as the note signature. Am I supposed to answer this or take it as a filler sound?

Puzzled and puzzling over it.

delayed gratification

Munmun — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:14:53 +0000

An issue we have been trying to deal with for ourselves and for the kids. Obviously, we started with the big question: Is there a need for delayed gratification at the first place? We want a book, we don’t even bother to step out of the house. We order online. We want one, we order five (o.k. a little on the outside here). And then they sit on the bookshelf while we are busy reading a borrowed book which needs to be returned and could not wait to be borrowed. We go to buy shoes, we end up buying a wardrobe. Where is contemplating the absolute requirement??? Where are the days when we would zero on a book and then work towards acquiring it and then savour every page? Consumerism has a very tight hold on us. No escaping!

At some point we decided we needed to bring this in perspective for the kids. So we talked about it, debated it, killed each other and decided to implement it.

Meanwhile our kids had their own agenda.

ACT I, Scene I: While we were still debating over a few months and working on implementation, an evening after Dadda returns from China.

Dadda: Scooby I got you a backpack from China. Should I give it to you now?

Scooby: OOOHHH! PLEEEESE!….It’s so pretty. Thanks Dadda. …..But Dadda, my backpack is still good. I don’t need another one now. …Let’s keep it away. I will use it in the New Year.

Any Tom-what-hit-me-expression will do. (BTW, Tom and Jerry)

Act I, Scene II: The same evening, while Scooby is downstairs at the park.

Dadda: Uvi, I have a gift for you!!!!

Uvi: What? I want it. A helicopter, Dadda? (a long awaited requirement)

Dadda: YES!

Uvi: Can I pllleeeese have it?

Dadda: Should we open it?

Uvi: ….No, No,No! Let’s wait for Akka!

This was the classic Tom-hit-by-a-baseball-bat expression. Totally stumped.

Dadda: How did these kids become delayed-gratification champs????

Act II: Mamma slogging to make Laddu’s for Scooby since all Daadi made Laddus finished the previous day…

Scooby: Mama, Hungry SNACK!

Mom: Hey made some laddus for you in the afternoon.

Scooby: WOW!…Couldn’t you have at least waited for one day before making it. You know, the laddus got over just yesterday. At least a day (a you-should-know-better expression on her face)

Me ready to jump from the balcony while ma’am busy gorging on them.

order vs. request

Munmun — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:12:06 +0000

“Anyway” to my poor neglected blog *sigh*

The stage: Yesterday in the living room.

Dadda: Scooby can you please clean up.

Scooby: NO!

Dadda: WHAT?

Scooby: Didn’t you ask?

Dadda: NO! I was being polite! That was a polite way of asking! (Tempers rising)

Scooby: Then you should have not asked…you should have said “clean-up NOW”!

sighes all around…including me in the kitchen

cheap thrills

Munmun — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:44:31 +0000

There is something nice about seeing the kids off to school. Even better to watch a movie in the morning. Better still to watch it with Dadda. Best having to buy the balance tickets to make a minimum number for the theatre to play it for us.

The movie – BOL

Reminded me of the Smita Patil genre of movies.

Very powerful. Catch myself replaying the scenes. What a performance!

A must see.

give-up or persist

Munmun — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:22:46 +0000

How we almost gave up on Scooby learning to cycle without the support wheels and then she decided to surprise us.

Last summer on our trip to Venice we had picked up a bicycle for Scooby with the target of getting her started and “finished” on cycling. Keeping the cycle in cellar usually doesn’t get too much done and we are no different. When we landed in Blr, we did the needful. We kept the cycle in the corridor. That’s what the world does in this part of the world. Gradually it found its way to the park and sometimes we would spy it not parked. Then Mamma decided to get the trainer wheels removed. Now we spied it parked often. Then Dadda decided to take matters under his control and raise the trainer wheels and forget about the girl on the cycle. A couple of days later we realised she was balancing. Dadda took the next logical step. Our lady is riding her bike almost possessed.

While the lady was doing this Dadda was persistently trying to get Uvi to chuck the finger sucking habit. A kindly (read nosy) neighbour could not resist sharing the magic solution with us – Femite. Something so horrible that our man could not risk putting the finger in his mouth again. All of two days and very stressful nights we declared our child sucking free.

August a milestone month!

28th of August in 2011

Munmun — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 01:41:39 +0000

Happy Birthday Chottu Baba!

You turn three and a very big boy indeed. We sure had a very eventful year but, as usual, you have been a sport.

I know Switzerland seems a very distant past and so does your second b’day but you have truly grown up. The chatterbox and the explorer can vouch for it.

From kicking the “finger sucky” habit to experimenting with mom working to adjusting in half-a-room for a school you have been on top of things.

Love you Babba! Have a lovely year ahead!