Hello Monday + Winner of the Birthday GIVEAWAY!

Good Morning Monday & Hello New Week!

It’s a brand new week, the end of a month, the beginning of summer and the day after my Birthday. I had a fun day yesterday.

I opened a handmade card (that my husband drew for me) at the stroke of twelve; woke up to a platter of gifts, something my mother (yup, she came all the way from another city to wish me on my day) sets up for me on every birthday; wished over a birthday candle set atop a scrumptious chocolate brownie cake with vanilla butter frosting. 

My mother and I cooked a mean Shepherd’s Pie for lunch (yup, the expected chicken + potato combo), and later all of us trooped out to Sula Vineyards for a special birthday dinner.

And while I’m talking about my birthday, let me issue a bloggy apology (for all those of you who called and got a call back from me later in the evening) . Let me write about it here, the equivalent of shouting it out from the top of the roof. Let me smile sheepishly and tell you why I couldn’t take your calls pronto, and why I was that-girl-who-takes-ages-to-finally-press-the-green-button and say “Hello! Thank you for your Birthday wishes!”

Every time I had a call coming, I was either feeding Mr. Little Person aka Baby N (and those of you who know me, know that this is one of the few times when multitasking is the furthest thing from my mind), driving or totally unaware of my phone ringing because the poor chap (I mean Mr. Red not Mr. Little Person) was burrowed beneath layers of debris inside my bag.

So anyway, it was a HAPPY Birthday in every way. A patchwork quilt of small joys and big moments.

Now we come to the fun part. The name of the winner of my First Giveaway, my Birthday GIVEAWAY. I wrote up your names on chits, folded them like ironed handkerchiefs, threw them in a bowl and let Baby N ‘grab’ the winner.

Pallavi Iyer – Congratulations!!! My favorite book 'Me before You' by Jojo Moyes (and I hope it becomes one of your favs soon too) will make its way to your bedside table (or wherever it is that you keep books) this week. Message me your postal address and number via the Facebook page or through the comment form, and I’ll have it delivered at your doorstep.

Thank you all for taking part in the Giveaway.

Have a good week!

5 Little Celebrations & Rituals fit for a Birthday Star!

Birthday doodle - capturing the magic of childhood birthdays - chandana banerjee

As children, everything we do is touched with magic and excitement. But each year takes away a little of that star dust, a layer of that undiluted joy, a lot of our ability to seek gold in the mundane. 

These days, I hardly notice my Birthday approaching, or even feel that bubble of excitement from my childhood, when I finally wake up to March 30. And honestly? I miss that fervor, that enthusiasm, that unbridled happiness at being able to celebrate the little things, the simple moments that make up the fabric of our lives.

Here are glimpses into some of my favorite birthday memories – simple stuff that added silver magic dust to my day.

When Sunshine eludes you...

I had planned to write a perky post. But today has turned out to be one of those days, when you feel weighed down by the little things, the sharp edges that life throws at you every now and then. Or rather, when you finally get tired of using humor and patience to work around these situations. And one day, let these things get under your skin. A bunch of small things that make you mighty uncomfortable like gravel in your sneaker, a fleck of dust in your eye.

We’ve been living out of a suitcase for the past several months (the life of a military wife!). Months that have added up to more than a year, and that’ll soon add up to two long years. We have no news on when we'll finally go back 'home'. For now, we're here for good.

And while our house, large and sprawling, is laid out to perfection in another part of the country, we’ve been living in a single-room transit place (called ‘Mess’ in military parlance and for all the right reasons!), shared with another fellow officer (till recently), out of two suitcases. I spent most of my pregnancy here, and have been mothering a baby boy + trying to get a handle on my work while juggling my new role, all from this place that we can’t call home because the authorities in charge, won’t let us. Because, every time we decide to get a bit comfortable, we’re shuffled like a deck of cards.

10 things I’ve Learnt/Realized/Accepted in the Past Year

1. Parenting is the most difficult job I’ve ever done, or probably will ever do.

2. It’s more fun to respond to an unfavorable situation or comment with humor than with anger or irritation. (Of course, it takes all my will power to not get ignited, but when I change the ‘lens’ through which I’m looking at said situation/comment, it can make all the difference to my mood and the day.)

3. Acceptance and lack of expectations can help me endure certain relationships.

4. It is possible to live out of two suitcases for two long years.

5. Our bodies are wise.