Deepavali!!!!

Past Forward:
Deepavali reminds me of Bhigili vedi (The loose single ones that go with a pop sound). I would have a competition mainly with the neighbouring boys and would actually run out of packets and would take a hike to the fireworks vendor to get more. Of Course, the boys would do fancy tricks like throwing this from their hand or even the mouth. My mom was a big fan of atom bomb and unlike other women who would never venture onto the roads to light up a bomb, she would be the ONE. My father would stick to the boos vanams (flower pots). Ironically, one of it decided to become an atom bomb and burnt his thumb - He still has a mark from it. So, its not the brave ones that got hurt but the opposite. Then we had the really yucky snake which would totally mess up the parapet walls. Me in my pattu pavadai running around with my sparklers is a still fresh in my mind. Anyway, deepavali was the natural mosquito killer in chennai so we would light up our crackers with great gusto. One thing I don't miss is the deepavali marundu(medicine that is made from ginger,sooku etc) that my mom compulsorily makes me eat - Since I am an adult and I get to decide what I cook - No marundu for us, what fun!

This Deepavali:
It truly delighted me that the kids are finally realizing what fun it is to light crackers. Till the last time, I had to prod them and say it was fun while Arya would look at me in a weird way and go: Is this safe? I am scared. Vik was of course too young. This time, Arya lighted all his fireworks and got mad if his daddy helped him light his - He wanted to do it all by himself. Vik wanted more of the sparklers. Byers station(The community we live in) is home away from home - We had so much fun celebrating diwali with our neighbours and did everything we possibly could - Fireworks,hot chai with gossips, Eating a sumptuous diwali dinner complete with ladoos,video conferencing to India.

Ladies Night thingy

From the days of yore women have been known to get excited for small things.
This is one such thingy - Ladies Night out!!!! The excitement was that we could leave our husband to look after the kids while we spend the night chatting ironically about the husband and kids. So, a bunch of ladies in our community got together one night in a house that was husband free (The poor husband was sent away to school to do his MBA). The host decided to set the dress code to be PJ'S - Of course, everyone showed up with PJ'S with heavy make-up on them ;-). Food and ladies go together like beer and men so that was not a problem - Bhel, Puffs, dessert etc provided the SKC*. Of course the C here is the margarita. Here is a gyst of conversation surrounding the margarita.
Lady 1: C'mon yaar - This is almost like lemonade - Try it. Nothing will happen.
Lady 2: What if I faint?
Lady 3: I would like to try it (although I come from a good family....this line is understood by all) but I need my husband near me.

Rrring Rrring. The lady in question picks up the phone - She beams at us because we all think its kind of cool that her husband is checking on her in the 1/2 hr that she's spent here.

Some random conversations we had...

How we(all the pairs) fell in love (Background exclamations that this is so bollywoody)

Courtship period and life after kids with in-between discussion on what lunch to pack for the kids.

Movies with discussions on hush-hush.

Thankfully we also had David Letterman scandal - So we had one more other husband's head to break!!!!!

All's well and that ends well - So, I had a great time!!!


SKC- A slang used in Madras for sweet karam coffee!!!!

General happenings...

Arya always corrects me when I mention he is 5 1/2 - He would go I am 5 3/4.
Thankfully he turned 6 - Now I can be politically correct.

Endru oru thagaval guy passed away - He was a big part in my childhood when we used to listen to him in the mornings as my mother used to oil my hair and do braids before going to school. The program was just 5 minutes but he had a nice way of telling a humorous story along with a message. There are not many like him and the goofballs who think they are doing stand-up comedy in SUNTV can learn a thing or two from his show. RIP.

Vikram pee..ed in the potty - YEAH,ITS A BIG DEAL TO ME.

Shyam acted surprised in his birthday party (After Arya told him not to go down the basement on his birthday)...so that was nice.

Went to good old Binghamton and met Dr.Hari along with the family - I was thrilled. Me and the husband went around visiting old places and reliving our memories which included a graveyard and $1.50 theatre. Met Pat Wrobel too - that was nice!