Musical Monday- Day 29

Thanks Prachi for this wonderful title and idea. Music is an essential part of our daily lives. If there’s one thing that we as a family are passionate about is music. We have music playlists for all times of the day. We have family favorite playlists as well as our very own favorite personal playlists that we listen to in solitude. When we discover and get hooked on a new song we instantly share the song in our family chats and urge each other to listen. Sometimes we instantly fall in love with the song, sometimes we reject or sometimes we realize it’s a number we can get used to! So music holds a very special place in our lives. No matter how busy we are there’s always time for music.

Now not only some songs almost take me to an era of my life but there are a few that almost transport me to certain moments and it has an almost hypnotic feeling with the smells and the sounds so real. In this regard I must mention the song nanhi pari sone chali hawa dheere ana… this song transports me right to the time when my mum would put me to sleep. I can smell the fragrance of her particular perfume, feel her wet hair and at times also get a whiff of a lingering incense stick which makes me think that this memory must be of afternoon naps. Also in regards to my mum I also have the most funniest memory of me humming raah mein unse mulaqaat ho gai…. and boy oh boy would it irritate her. I would just hum it and she thought I was singing it because of some boy 🤦🏻‍♀️. I still can’t help smiling when I hear this song on the radio.

Another song that takes me to our dating days. Now my husband and I mostly had a long distance relationship. He was working in Bangalore and I was still studying in Kolkata. I was very used to this and then came a time where he was working in kolkata for a year. That was a wonderful time in my life for obvious reasons but then quite suddenly he had to leave for the US. He had gifted me a cassette album called Down Memory Lane and it had some of the best classic romantic songs. And my most favorite was when i need you i just close my eyes and I’m with you … oh my this song still takes me back to those days of sheer longing to be with him. The song was such that I felt someone had written it with us in their minds.

Also another song that has a very special memory associated with it is 500 miles… This was during my pregnancy days and it’s one of my hubby’s favorites. I honestly didn’t think much of this song until then. It was around my fifth month of pregnancy journey when one night my daughter became overactive and started kicking me really hard. It was so bad that I could barely breathe and suddenly my hubby started caressing my belly and singing 500 miles. She immediately stopped and from then on whenever she kicked my hubby would sing and she almost instantly would settle. This also happened after she was born and anytime she cried at night, this was our go to song. But She definitely responded to my husband’s voice better than mine.

Lag jaa gale is another song that takes me back to my early motherhood days. It’s one of my all time favorites and I always sang to my daughter when rocking her to sleep. Even though this isn’t a lullaby but I loved singing this to her. This song transports me to a dimly lit room in our apartment and the fragrance of J & J. It’s a song I still often hum to my daughter when she’s upset and needs a big mommy hug.

Last but not the least is a recent addition with Buster 🐶. Yes how could he not have a song etched in my memory. So Kabir Singh playlist has been on the loop for the last few years now and I can’t get enough of it. On most days I’ll play them sometime or the other… Ever since we got Buster last year was the first time we went to India and he would be away from us for almost a month. It was couple of nights before we were to drop him at his boarding place and he was on my lap, fast asleep. I was stroking his head while tears were streaming down my face, it was like all flood gates had broken loose. Suddenly I heard myself humming kaise hua kaise hua tu itna zaroori kaise hua. I don’t know how this song became our song but ever since that day whenever I hear this song I can’t help but think of him.

These are some songs that have a very deep connection but there are numerous others that have a lot of meaning or signify an event in my life. All my moods have a favorite song but if i were to have one song as my life’s background music it would be kiska rasta dekhe.

#Blogathon2024

Day 20 – Friday Thoughts

Life was so different few years back. Friday nights it used to be daughter’s no homework day. We would spend the evening together either by going out or just staying home. If we were home, daughter sat at the kitchen counter talking endlessly and animatedly while I did my work. It was also a day she would beg and plead to sleep with us.

Fast forward now things have changed so much. She hardly gets any time to sit with us. Most of her time is taken up by school work and other activities. Whatever little time is left is taken up by the phone. Chatting with friends! How I miss my little girl who sat on my lap and had the most annoying habit of turning my face towards her if I dared look away while she was talking.

It’s just one of those days where I was going through my older blogs and reminiscing about the days where high school seemed a distant place. I can’t believe this summer she’ll be going to high school. Everything suddenly seems so real now. And this mama is not ready to let go of her not-so-little-girl. The mama refuses to grow up while her girl is in a hurry to see the world.

#Blogathon2023

Sunday Lunch – Day 16

Sunday lunch has become a cherished tradition in our home. It was a tradition I started when we moved in our old house and soon after the house warming parties were over, I realized the dining room is hardly ever used. So I made it a point that Sunday lunch would be served in our formal dining room. It became a huge hit and we really looked forward to our sometimes simple sometimes fancy Sunday lunch.

After our move here, we continued the tradition. Then Covid happened and our formal dining table has become a place where we keep our masks, school bag, sanitizer bottles, gloves, caps… you get the drift!! This space is only cleared when guests come or when I’m in the mood and yelling at everyone for cluttering the house. Otherwise we’ve become quite used to the messy dining room.

Now our tradition has moved to our kitchen table. I hardly plan anything fancy. It’s generally simple stuff except on rare occasions but we’ve kept the tradition going. While the tradition has taken different shapes over the years but I must say we really have fun. Sometimes we discuss about the coming week, or plan something, sometimes it’s sharing our childhood memories or memories of our dating days. But it’s definitely a tradition we hold close to our hearts and I love when daughter comes up to me with menu ideas for a special Sunday lunch.

Our table today

#Blogathon2022

A Goodbye and a Welcome – Day 7

Blogathon calls for finishing those unfinished posts that have been sitting in the drafts and gathering dusts. So here it is. A post that was written in June, 2021 and should have been posted then. But I guess now is as good as any other time 😊.

We’ve said bye bye to many cars over the years. But this time it was so much more emotional. Daughter almost grew up in this one. From babbling in the infant car seat to sitting on the front seat. You’ve seen it all.That’s a hell of a long journey!! We got you on an impulse and later said it was the best decision ever. You were My first car. Saying good bye to you is proving to be hard. You always kept us safe and as you go to your new owner, a happy 16 year old, I pray you keep him safe too!

Now what do I say about you?! You are my new love! You were a dream that we cherished and nurtured for months. But the wait was so worth it! We hope to make new adventures and new memories. So let’s fasten the seatbelts and hope for a smooth ride 🙏🏽!

#Blogathon2022

Recap 2021 – Day 4

2021 was a kind year. It was definitely way better than 2020 but it could have taken a very bad turn. Thankfully like they say alls well that ends well. And it certainly did end well.

• January was an uneventful month as far as my memory can recall. Other than daughter’s robotics team getting in the states round, nothing of significance actually happened.

• February was equally uneventful except we celebrated Buster’s 1st birthday and he got his first horrible haircut just before his bday. It was so bad that I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I went to pick him up. He really looked like a goat the first couple of weeks.

• March we celebrated our milestone anniversary. It was really special. Hubby gave me that many number of little gifts and I’m a sucker for such gestures.

• April, my cousin visited us after a long time. It was an impromptu visit and it also happened to coincide with our Bengali new year.

• May also saw us getting fully vaccinated and daughter getting her first jab. It was during Memorial Day weekend we finally braved our fears and took a trip to the White Mountains, New Hampshire. It was one of the best trips of the year. And we came home happy and rejuvenated.

• June, hubby got his most awaited promotion and also completed his goal certification. Honestly, I was so happy for him that I felt they were my achievements! June was a happening month for us with lots of happy news. Daughter did excellent in her finals. She was already in an accelerated math program but she got bumped one step further. So in 7th grade she’s now doing 10th grade math. She also won 2 math competitions and 1 poetry competition. June also saw us buying our dream car.

• July we took an 11 hour drive to visit our friends in Indianapolis. It was during the long weekend. In that trip we also made plans for the Labor Day weekend. July also saw me getting a year older but not much wiser 😕. Last but definitely not the least, in July daughter also passed her piano exam with Distinction.

• August was a pretty boring month. Nothing major happened. We just took day trips to the beach. Went on walks. Did a lot of grilling in the backyard in our newly finished patio.

• September, started with a bang. Firstly we went to Deep Creek, Maryland with 4 other families and had the greatest time ever. Right after coming back we welcomed ganapati. It was our 3rd year and this time I invited a lot of friends to share prasad. Then daughter went to school in person after eighteen months. September also saw us getting our US citizenship.

• October was a month of celebrations. We celebrated Durga puja first. Then it was time for daughter’s 13th birthday. So it seemed we had back to back parties.

• November was a grim month. It started great with a relaxing trip to Shenandoah, Virginia. Right after we came back, my mum fell really ill and had to be hospitalized. Things looked really bad and the doctors had no clue what was going on. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to travel to India due to some circumstances and it killed me. I still have nightmares thinking of that time. I really thought I had lost her. But things slowly settled and worked out. She came home after 20+ days in the hospital. Now she still has a long road to recovery but is steadily getting there 🤞🏼

• December was a month of turmoil and acceptance. The first half of the month was grim but slowly I settled and made peace with the situation. Plans had already been made that our friends from Indianapolis would come to visit. Too many people were involved for me to just back out. So I went along and we all had a great time.

While I did have a rough patch but I can’t be more grateful for how things turned out in the end. Lesson learned was to not take anything for granted be it good or bad.

#Blogathon2022

Musings of the Mind – Day 7

This is a pic I clicked just before we landed in Kolkata airport in July 2019. It’s when the heart is happiest. It’s when you know in matter of minutes you’ll see those precious faces. In my case it’s been just my mum’s smiling face for the last 10 years.

Under normal circumstances 2021 would be the year we would visit India again. Generally in Jan when the gloom sets in that the holiday season is over, we look forward to planning holidays. Especially if it’s going to India, we start to look at ticket prices. This year I can’t help but feel sad.

Sometimes I just wish we would all wake up from this nightmare and once again lead a normal life that we once led. A life that had vacations, a life where kids went to schools without fear, a life where we could host and attend parties. A life where we celebrated happy times with our friends. A life where this constant threat didn’t loom large on our heads.

This last year has been very stressful for me. It’s so difficult with my mum being all by herself. It’s been so difficult to deal with the constant what ifs. And it still is. Some days are just worse than the others. Every day I go to bed with a prayer that she remains healthy and that I can go and hug her soon. But till it happens I relive the moment by looking at this picture.

#Blogathon2021

Introducing Mr Buster B – Day 2

Last April our family grew by 4 legs. Yes, finally my daughter’s dream came true. Thanksgiving 2019 we met our friend’s golden doodle and instantly fell in love with the sweet temperament of this breed. After doing our own little research we decided to take the plunge. So we booked a doodle in December from a litter that was to be born in February 2020.

The wait was hard and our excitement knew no bounds. Our Amazon cart was ready with everything a puppy needed except the pooch wasn’t even born 🐶💕!! We had decided that we wanted a male pup and the name we mutually agreed on was Buster.

The breeder kept in touch with us with constant info on the mom. On February 14th, Valentine’s Day the litter was born. The wait became all the more difficult as now we could see the sweet faces and hear their squeals.

Around 6 weeks the breeder had scheduled puppy meet up and selection but that time COVID-19 had just started to create havoc in our lives. We were all in total lockdown mode so that selection happened through photographs and videos. This was the pic we saw and boy oh boy did we fall hook line and sinker with this little dood.

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🐶💕💕

April 11th 2020 was daughter’s first day of spring break and the day we welcomed this little goofy furball. He’s definitely been the constant source of entertainment ever since. Amidst all the bleak days 2020 threw our way we were thankful he was there and made us smile with love or tear our hair with exasperation.

He’s spoilt rotten by his sissy whom he treats like one of his own littermates. He chews on her hands, walks all over her when he can and bestows her with the best kisses and loads of licky licks.

He loves his daddy and goes to him for all the fun games but otherwise he’s a mamma’s boy who loves to snuggle and lay on my lap for hours on end. I must say he’s been the perfect addition to the MTW home.

Leaving you guys with some of his pics from the last 8 months.

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  Chill time

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  Hiding after naughty business

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  Just checking the counter

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  1st Halloween

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  Sleepy

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  Handsome dood

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  Doesn’t she get tired of clicking my pics

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  Christmas presents 🎁

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  Baby it’s cold out here!!

Blogathon2021

90’s – Day 4

Already, the first 3 days of 2020 is over and few hours are left on this fourth day. By now most of you must be set with your goals. I honestly don’t have anything other than what I’ve had the last few years. But anyway that’s not what I’m writing about today.

Few days back, I was talking to a friend about how back in the days making resolutions was so much in, my daughter heard the conversation. Later she told me ‘resolutions’ is so 90s. So what’s wrong with that I asked. In a typical tween voice she told me ninetieeees that’s like in the nineteen hundreds … that’s soooo old. If I didn’t already feel old, the way she said made me feel ancient. Really ?? I asked … I always thought 90s was such a cool time. Did you guys even use the word ‘cool’ she asked and that’s when I realized cool was a word that came around in the late 90s. God I felt old !!

But till this day, I honestly think in India growing up in the 90s was pretty cool. The shift from DD metro to cable tv. Archies card shops became so popular. Cricket was such a rage then. I guess it still is but I somehow associate watching cricket matches more in the 90s. Mid 90s saw coke and Pepsi become so popular. And the ever so hip baggy jeans.

Of course when I think of 90s I can’t ignore the music. Do I love those songs… some I do and some I don’t. But each song has a memory. Till this day, I remember one incident. I was probably in 10th grade and I happened to see my crush when returning from school. He was also returning from school 😂😂 and just seeing him unexpectedly put me on cloud 9. I came back home singing Raah mein unse mulaqaat ho gayi and kept singing that for the rest of the day much to my mum’s annoyance 🤣🤣. Till this day I think of that whenever I hear that song.

So how many of you grew up in the 90s ?? Don’t you think it was the coolest time ever ?? Why don’t you share what was your favorite part of growing up in the 90s ??!!

#Blogathon2020

A Quote and a Gyan – Day 19

“It’s better to wait long than to marry wrong” – anonymous

I was going through some random quotes and Daughter was reading them from over my shoulders. I had scrolled down some more and then Daughter said, “but mommy what if I wait thinking it’ll take long and by then there are no good ones left”!! It took me a few seconds to realize what she was talking about.

Hubby who had also read what she was talking about without missing a beat said, ” but you still wait. There’s no hurry to find the right one. You wait and wait… wait for a very long time, then you’ll find someone right. But first you need to study, go to a good university and get a very good job. Rest everything will happen in due course.”

I honestly didn’t know whether to laugh at this or applaud him for throwing his parenting gyan whenever he saw an opportunity. She was around 8 then. At 10+ I’m sure the discussion would not end at that 😃😜

#Blogathon2019

Moving Day – Day 3

This is a post that is long overdue. But better late than never. For posterity sake I want to document this day since it started a new chapter in our book called life.

5/30/2018

Our home ready to be handed over

It felt weird. I had already packed 2 suitcases for us, which sat at the corner of our master bedroom. I cleaned our home for one last time. The house was empty and spotless.

Most of our good byes were done. Daughter still had half day of school the following day and she wanted to do finish that. She had a play date with friends in the neighborhood already scheduled for that evening. So with everything done the hubby and I decided to go and check in to a nearby hotel for our last night. Later in the evening, we picked up Daughter from her friend’s house. They hugged and gifts were exchanged. Even though the girls would meet each other the following day, they were all so emotional. Some of us moms were misty eyed too !!

It felt strange to hop on the car and not walk up the hill towards our house while leaving their home. Since she wanted to ride the bus one last time with her friends the following day, we had decided to stay in a hotel close to our neighborhood. So after grabbing dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant, we retired for the night.

5/31/2018 (The Day)

Customary last day of school pic

The next day dawned bright and sunny, we dropped Daughter at her bus stop. She was pretty upset and quiet. It was only a 2 hour school day and our house closing was scheduled for 12 noon.

Goodbyes are always hard

Quickly the hubby and I finished off the last few errands that we had kept for this time. Soon it was time for Daughter to get back and I with my mommy’s gut knew a meltdown was approaching. I was doing some last minute touch ups to our home which would soon be some one else’s and hubby went to pick her up. As the door flew open in a few minutes, sniffles followed by her flinging her little body on me and crying. Finally I heard the words I knew were coming, “Please mommy I don’t want to go… I love my school … I’ll miss my friends, I don’t want to go … this is our home….please we still have time let’s call them up and say we changed our minds and won’t sell our home … their boys will make my purple room blue… I don’t want it mommy” !! I held her and listened to all she had to say.

She had handled everything like a trooper up till now. And I had been expecting this for a long time. I cuddled her and told her it’s alright to feel sad. For once I didn’t tell her how she could write or FaceTime her friends. I knew she didn’t want to hear that. I told her we were very sad too. Somehow that helped her.

Soon we reached the realtor’s office where the closing was to take place. Our part of it was the easiest and they had us do it first since we were to drive away that very day. Keys were handed over and I did my best not to start bawling my eyes out in front of a room full of people. We wished them good luck and walked out.

We went to a restaurant to kind of celebrate an end to a special chapter and beginning of another. The three of us tried to cheer each other and made plans for the summer. That’s when hubby surprised the Daughter and me. He had booked a weekend getaway to the beach for the following day. Knowing we would be sad and the truck was supposed to arrive after the weekend, he thought it would be a good break after all the stress and living apart.

Daughter got super excited and I was touched by his thoughtfulness. He had secretly packed our swimsuits and Daughter’s boogie board in preparation for the trip. Planning surprises and weekend getaways aren’t his forte, so I could well imagine his efforts in keeping the secret and planning the whole thing. We started our 5 hour drive around 2 in the afternoon. This was a drive we often did to visit our friends so I knew this route well enough but it felt weird knowing we won’t drive back in a couple of days.

We reached our rented apartment around 7 in the evening. Hubby already had the apartment somewhat set up with basics. That night we slept good knowing that once again our family of three was back together. At the end of the day family is what actually matters and home is where the heart is ❤️.

#Blogathon2019