Semiya, Gongura and more..

My mother in law always made her signature Semiya payasam for every good occasion in the family - birthdays, anniversaries etc., I did not want Subhash and my father in law to feel that gap now that she has gone, so I made some yesterday and also last week while my father in law was still here (he is now visiting in Boston) for his star birthday. Last year we were in the mourning period so making sweets at home was ruled out. I don't know if it turned out as good but at least in small ways like this I try and bring her back. There is a few other things that I learnt from her like Gongura pachadi (I know both my mom's style and hers!!) Nuvvu podi etc which I try and make as closely resembling hers as possible. It's one way of keeping her alive amongst us still. And hopefully minimise the culinary impact for my father in law :)

Thirty Six!! Really?

Today Subhash turns 36! And I find myself going back to the same thought - that when I first met/knew this guy he was 20 :) Merely 20! 36 is an age for older cousins, not us. When did we get here? ;) Well, as long as we had fun on the journey, I guess that is all that matters, a life well lived, so far at least :)

Happy Birthday to the best guy I've known, ever! :)

Sirf 3 lakh!

There is a new ad for the Tanishq Inara collection (of diamond sets). There is a sister pair (one of them presumably a soon-to-be-bride) out shopping for diamonds and they ask the Tanishq guy for the latest collection and simply love the necklaces. The sister who is getting married asks the guy how much it costs and he says "Around 3 lakhs ma'am", to which the sister responds "Sun na, sirf 3 lakh ka hai, maine socha mehenga hoga". And the other sister makes some joke about it being expensive anyways since she is having to marry for it.

First time I saw the ad I was mildly amused. It seems that the point at which 3 lakhs stopped being "mehenga" just zipped past me without me noticing it ;) I don't know whom Tanishq is trying to target this ad at ;) It doesn't seem to be to the middle class nor to the super rich ;) maybe some category in between?

Dominos art by Rohan

In an amazingly creative way, Rohan has figured a way to use Dominos as building blocks. It is something I am really proud of! So I will make an exception and post pictures :)

He has definitely taken after his Dad in the creativity department :D

 Tower

 One more tower

 A house with street lights included ;)

 The great wall of China? :)

Close up of the great wall.

People power?

We had not been getting Cauvery water at all for the past year+, BWSSB was making some excuse or another. We used to get their tankers, very rarely, after much calling and pleading and supply in the line was very very rare. Finally all the residents of this colony - this is a very old layout, 20+ years old, decided to form a residents association and take things into hand together rather than approaching them individually. For a long time BWSSB officials kept saying pipe problem, water problem etc. There were no rain last year so we kept quiet thinking it was a drought year but this year with the excess monsoon, there was still no water and that started to rankle.

So off they went as a group (Subhash represented our home), 17 people one fine Saturday to inquire about it. And were promised resolution in a week and these folks promised to go to higher ups in two weeks if water was not released. And lo! the third week water has started coming (people constantly kept following up with the BWSSB engineer). Initially on Monday, it was slow and only for 4 hours, but yesterday it came back to its normal supply.

I am hoping it will last.

Is this an example of people power? United we stand? Or a sad example of how we need to fight for even basic amenities in the world's most populous democracy? :) I prefer to look at it the positive way ;)

Amen to people power!