What a weekend!

It was Dad's birthday on Saturday and Amma and Anush baked a lovely Banana cake for the world's best grandpa. More on the place we went for dinner later.

We attended a mehendi function, an engagement, a house warming and  met up (blog) friends from Hbad - utbt and from Delhi- nm over the weekend!

My mom's friend from 35 yrs ago paid us a visit.

 A very tiring but exciting weekend.

Summer Cool

Got the first batch of small green mangoes for maavadu. The cart was right across our apartment.

Celebrated Navy's star birthday yesterday with home made coconut cookies and gifted him, among other things, the grand finale to the Earth's Children series. I cannot believe I kept off the book for the last 2 months since I wanted it to stay a surprise for him.

Anush went on her maiden solo shopping expedition to the neighbourhood Nilgiris. I could not resist following her, of course, at an appropriate distance. Once she completed the task, i revealed myself and she was not pleased ;-)

Chilled out

Anushka is out on her first school picnic today. Hope she has fun given how excited she has been about it

I am Kalam was a lovely movie we saw last night. A realistic movie with a hope filled end that leaves you feeling warm.

My cousin N and her mom, my aunt were here for a few days and it was wonderful to see the kids bond.

Catch this review at ST , my first this new year.

And we won another third at Artsy Craftsy!! Yipee and thanks MM.

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It was nice to spend a relaxed weekend at home but for a visit to the doc (where also Aditi kept us entertained despite being unwell.)

Family reunions

Always nice to have family over. And after a gap of 4 years, there is a lot of catching up to be done.

My little cousin is a young lady now, doing great at academics, athletics and music ( piano).

Anushka is inspired and Aditi is besotted.
Am sure the Goldfish, Maple syrup and Godiva only add to the appeal.

Gajavadana!

Happy Ganesh/ Vinayaka Chathurthi! Anush is holding the play clay one she made. Of course the one we bought is not colourful and is a plain clay one.

Ganesh has been the favourite Artnavy family deity. We have slowly stopped collecting idols for want of space and novelty. Time to revive our quest as Navy told me a couple of days back.

The girls had a great time with T Anush's buddy who had come for a sleep over. One of the many fun things they did:

Mela on the Menu

My SIL from Boston has never visited an exhibition on her trips to des in the last decade!! Priority has only been family/ friends.

This time we finally mananged to take her and she got herself a beautiful Sanjhi paper cutwork piece among other things and spent some exclusive one on one time with Anush who adores her.

A quick trip

Did a whirlwind trip with my maternal aunt from Delhi to Chintamani.

The drive in the rain was amazing. Everyone had a ball in any case at home.

Was wondering again why Snickers can't set up a plant there given the awesome quality of peanuts you get.

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I had a haircut and am mighty pleased with the results. On the way to short hair again.

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Aditi has measles- must be why she has been out of sorts since we returned from Tirupathi.

New learning- vaccines are not a complete guarantee.

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I have been given a new account recently at work- one that will take me to Delhi at least once in couple of months. Beginning August. Shopping, M and MM here I come.

Brothers and Sisters

A year ago....

This year, last week....Hope they stay as close as this forever.

My dear Appa!

Mr Fix it, Mr Googlemap, Mr Efficiency , Mr Fun, Mr Resourceful
The Complete Man and undoubtedly the best Grandpa in the whole world!!

Happy 60th Appa.

Food and friends

Had cousins over for the weekend and what a blast we had.

Also went to Cream Centre and to Ente Keralam on various occasions and loved both.

Missed mentioning this Davangere Butter dosa place off Gandhi Bazaar- really a yummy bfast place.

Anush has just begun an Intro to Keyboard classes and the keyboard gifted by her grandfolks a long while back is being put to good use!

Happy Birthday!

Dear Navy, This morning I think your girls ( all three of them) let you know just how much you are loved. Here is hoping that even if life gives you a few lemons, you enjoy the lemon juice! Happy Birthday big baby! Love you always, as always, Art.

Celebrating Ugadi and Ganesha

I think this was the first time we were in Chintamani for Ugadi. Lots of new clothes, the cricket World cup final and food apart, we also had beautiful weather on one of the days and played a bit of badminton as well. This is the first time I saw a natural athletic ability in Anush. Aditi on the other hand is very athletic in general and was a naughty monster this trip.

We also visited a Ganesh temple in Kanipakam, Chittor district. Lovely idol, fairly clean temple but very commercial and very crowded. Excellent drive nonetheless.

Anush sets off for summer camp today , hope she & T enjoy it.

Luck by chance

Anushka's annual school report was very reassuring. She also got a book from the founder and a lovely note as well. She ran back to them as we were leaving to say that she would visit them when she had holidays from her next school! I think I saw one of her teachers in tears. Anushka's best pal T is off to Valley and Anush will be in another school. So T's folks have put her into the same summer camp so that the girls will get some time together this summer. On a whim, Navy and I went for a dinner (without the kids after many- many months), once they had slept off. It was a great feeling and the food did not matter but it turned out to be good as well at Tandoor. I understand that we have been fortunate indeed. Am off to C'mani for the weekend. Happy Ugadi folks.

Of Sea and Sand

This weekend we went to Sai Vishram- a lovely retreat tucked inside a place called Byndoor.

The cottages are pretty and there is a lot of wicker and eco friendly construction. The beach is pristine and pure. No vendors, no voyeurs, it was almost like our own private beach. The resort does not belive in active marketing and this has kept the crowds away and those who we met there, were very like minded families. The food is veggie and excellent and what's more it is extremely child friendly- they honour all your little one's wishes- strawberry milkshake at odd hours included.

Getting there is the only slightly difficult part but we managed our first overnight bus ride with the kids pretty well. We used a sleeper bus- a first for me as well. It was Aditi's 18th month birthday and I am glad it was spent this way introducing her to the much loved sea and sand. She hated it on day one but loved the dolphin sighting cruise ( yes we got to see dolphins), wanted to feel a crab a fisherman showed her, enjoyed the resort dog who was truly endearing. She played about in the sand, tried eating sev puri on the beach, even tried the trampoline with her sister. Anush had an adrenaline rush with the ATV ride, Jet ski and Banana boat. She tried the bungee trampoline combo and did not quite like it after a point. She loved the trampoline and as usual collected shells, did not want to get out of the water, enjoyed jumping waves, building sand mounds and so on. The high point for me was Anush, waking up around midnight, saying" Amma I am enjoying myself so much" and then dozing off.

Events of the weekend

My little cousin has been recruited by Google. Am so excited for her. They sound like great employers and I hope she will have a fun and exciting career.

Anush had her first tablet for her cold, courtesy her paternal doctor grandpa. She wanted me to put it on record. So here it is.

We had a fun weekend in Chinatmani and saw a mineral water plant and the adjoining bottle/ can - cap making unit. Wonderful and clean. Anush and Aditi had fun with chalk rangoli. Navy and Anush baked fairly tasty cookies for the first time. Next time they plan to do it with a proper oven and recipe and am sure it will turn out great

Aditi is into numbers and says two- three if she hears the word' one ' in any context.

Anush's school had the parent teacher meet where I almost burst with pride at their report on Anush. Though I think I am an objective parent, it is nice to know your child is doing well as per a qualified outsider's assessment.

The school search for Anush has left me confused since there are pros and cons with all the three that I am considering for her. Also I think a large part of how kids shape up is due to home and family and having my mother around has been such a positive influence on them. Does a school matter that much I wonder...

This Pongal Weekend

We had a wonderful Pongal/ Sankranti spent across both sets of grandfolks.

Enjoying both kinds of pongals, watching the milk boil over, shouting PongalO Pongal, serving rice balls to well decorated cows, making sugar dolls, messing about with colourful rangoli and of course wearing new clothes and having fun and enjoying the togetherness - that is what the weekend was all about.I must mention I missed Chennai, especially the lovely kolams that our active building would put up early in the morning.

The weekend flu by

All at home down with flu.

Still managed a quick trip to Kala Madhyam on Sunday. After so many Dastkar and Dilli haat kind of melas, I felt it was the usual suspects. But my prized purchase was a long desired mural ( Kerala style). Also got to see a bit of the Leather puppet show. Could not manage the Sattva fair- guess it must have been interesting.

Last Friday, in between client calls, in Chennai, I also went to the new public library - supposedly the largest of its kind in Asia. Absolutely awe inspiring. Not yet ready but they have good staff and great plans. The Braille section was amazing. The kids section is largely dominated by Oxford University Press but it is still a work in progress. The reading area is very cheerful and well lit.

Best foot forward

There is a tradition like this in Navy's home

Every occasion is marked with making a mock shoe with kumkum and turmeric. Anush loves it, just as her father did and probably still does?


Greetings from the Artnavy home to yours!

Watch over me

Anush got a great big watch from her Greatgrandmother who likes "Rose" colour just as Anush likes pink.

They were the best of friends when Anushka was a baby but now they do not spend much time or have too much converstaion together. My paati could not lift her even as a baby but would love to sit by her when she is asleep or playing or in a good mood in general.

Aditi however has taken on Anush's erstwhile role in my grandma's life and it is wonderful to watch them together.

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Yesterday we had an off beat tasting session at a soon to be opened restaurant with three very fun women- JLT, Mamamia and Apu of Women's web. And did controlled shopping at Fab India.

What a weekend!

Had a full weekend. Managed an ST meet with Pratham bookshsop visit thrown in( missed Apu though), a visit to Kaveri and a day trip to Chintamani.

Visited one of Navy's cousin's gorgeous independent home, after eleven years of postponing the same! Blame it on Navy of course. Here is a chair from their home which I loved-

Here are somethings on my table ( to be specific the printer on the table) for Patty's August Theme.