Am I homesick / capricious / just a foodie ??

In a span of 24 hours...here is a list of my cravings! :~D

Me to sru: I feel like eating pizza!
Sru: Ok
Me to sru: (while eating pizza) I feel like eating rice & not pizza.
Sru: Ok
Me to Sru: (while eating rice) I feel like eating colocasia curry that mom makes & not rice.
Sru: Ok
Me to Sru: (while eating colocasiai) I feel like eating poori & not this.
Sru: Ok
Me to Sru: I feel like eating tiramisu.
Sru: Ok.
Me to Sru: I feel like eating french fries.
Sru: Ok
Me to mom: I feel like eating the veg rice you make.
Mom: hmm
Me to dad: I feel like eating idly, dossa, poori, vada and hmmm..
Dad: Sure, but when you are here.

Me to Sru: I feel like eating...hmm
Sru: :~O
Me to Sru: I do not know what but I feel like eating something.....
Sru to me: I think your problem is that, you are never happy with what you have. 
Me: I know that!
Sru: I think you are just home sick.
Me: hmmm...

PS: I am tired of being the caterpillar in the cocoon. 
I love my family for putting up with the crazy me.
I haven't yet eaten tiramisu. :~|

Cleaning the Fridge

 I decided to clean our fridge today!

Though I do not enjoy housecleaning activities, I thought it might be interesting to clean our fridge as I never did that before. Following are a few photos that pretty much explain how I cleaned the fridge today!

Before picture of Fridge - 1

Before picture of Fridge - 2

As clean as it can get!

I found a cool place to hang out. 

Broken bottle of fruit juice.

Broken bottle and juice spill - picture perfect!

There is beauty in broken things, isn't it? :)

Since I don't get to take a picture with a broken bottle all the time!

It's okay to be obsessed with taking pictures but be aware of the environmental hazards. -Lesson Learnt

The kitchen floor now smells of fruit!

After picture of Fridge - 1

After picture of Fridge - 2

Cleaning the fridge isn't an easy task to do. It does get boring if there are no broken bottles or spills to clean. Though cleaning and organizing might take a couple of hours, the neatly organized and clean look of the fridge is so nice to look at!

Happy cleaning! :D

Love,
Archana

Everyday conversation: part unknown ;)

Sru and I argue as we talk on phone with mom.

Me: Huh. I won't fight. I am doing yoga so that I will have peace of mind. (In a calm voice)
Sru: huh

Mom: hmm...so you are doing yoga so that you won't irritate Sruthi.
Me: NO. I am doing yoga so that when Sru irritates me I won't lose my peace of mind.

Sru got more support than I do in my family.😪

Sru looks at my sweatshirt and this is what happens!

Sru: :-O 😳do not tell me you wear this?!
Me: yes I do.
Sru: yuck😖
Me: that's my cooking sweatshirt. I wear it each time I cook. it got chocolate on it. (Looks at the chocolate stains and other stains on the sweat shirt, impressed) 😊
Sru: :-/ :-O 😱 (basically speechless)
Me: it's like, you wear apron at work and I wear this sweatshirt when I cook. It inspires me. And, I am not washing it anytime soon.
Sru: (still speechless) :-/😱


Mom: Kali said Sru told her to be cool at all times and not be upset over petty things.
Me: did not she say about anything I taught her?
Sru: what did you teach her? Other than saying baby and sweet heart and love you?
Me: well...that's important too.
Mom: Kali respects Sruthi.
Me: what about me??
Mom: huh... she loves you. Like she totally blindly loves you.
Me: 😊 :-)




Sent from my iPhone

Tomato bruschetta

Tomato bruschetta

I found this recipe originally in piniterest.
Ingredients:
Tomato
Garlic Clove (minced)
Bread powder ( I blended plain croutons to make it into powder)
Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Procedure:
1. Slice tomato into thin circular slices and lay them in a tray.
2. Add minced garlic, bread powder and Parmesan cheese on top of the sliced tomato.
3. Coat with olive oil.
4. Place the tray in an over for ten minutes at 420 degree fahrenheit.

I hope you enjoy making this, as much as I did.

Love,
Archana

Tornado warning!

Cloudy Sky!

Rain and wind!

Me: I am not scared of tornados.
Sru: hmm...me neither.
Me: hmm
Sru: I am not scared, but I don't want to be in one.
Me: It's in my wish-list....to see a tornado real close.
Sru: :-|
:
:
:
Me: :-) :-) :-)
Sru: stop being so excited.
Me: it's getting dark.......might be a toranodo??
Sru: :-/
:
:
:
Me: (a potato chips packet in my hand)
Sru: :-0 why?
Me: to store it in the bathroom along with our passports...just in case of an emegrgrncy.
Sru: :-/ you are not taking potato chips to the bathroom. Period.
Me: ok. Shall I take cookies?
Sru: :-0
:
:
:
Sru: (goes to the bathroom to look at my arrangements)
What is all this???
Me: to be safe
Sru: we would be in the bathtub...and more over this is a BATHROOM
Me: :-/

It would be a bummer, if we don't at least get a tornado warning Siren.

It is not that I am weird.....it is just that I love nature and to be able to see the aggressive side of nature would be super cool. But, I hope no damage to life or property is done by severe weather...ever.

<3 ma famille

Mom and dad, sent us some stuff from India which I received by post today. 

I asked them to send an Indian dress for Sru, so that I could give it to her on her birthday as a surprise, which my mom sent.

When I unpacked the package I got today, I found a dress for myself. Mom told me that Sru asked them to send one for me, as a surprise. :-D  And that Sru and I think alike.

But the surprise dress for Sru is no longer a secret, cause dad dearest got too excited and gave Sru a hint about her gift. Sru being the detective she is, found out about her surprise gift between dad's silly cover up and my giggles. So I ended up giving Sru her so called birthday gift which I gift wrapped (which looks gross though I put in my best efforts to make it look pretty). 

I am blessed to have a family that cares and loves each other so  much. 

  

The fedex package from India.

Gloves, shawl, scarves and dresses, that we got from India.

The glove mom knitted for me, which I am absolutely in love with.

The saree that mom designed and stitched mirrors on, which I absolutely love.

I tried my best to make it look like a decent gift package.

I hope you have a great time, with your family and people that matter to you....no matter how close or how far away they are.

Love,
Archana

PS:  Some times, a rock found on a sea shore given as a gift with love ,ends up being more precious than the most expensive diamond given sans love.

Happy halloween !

 Hellooo!! It's been a while since I blogged. Life has been constant the past of couple of months. I am really hoping for a positive change though....for more real adventures and fun in my life.

 Meanwhile, nature has been busy in transforming from summer to winter through fall. Though it's been a short autumn this year, the pretty colors of fall leaves were beautiful. 

We did a lot of 'fall' kind of activities this year, like: handpicking apples from an orchard, decorating the front porch with pumpkins, carving the pumpkins, baking the pumpkin seeds and handing out candies for trick or treat (which I am currently doing). 

Though winter doesn't officially begin until the 21 of December, the cold weather has began, unofficially terminating autumn. Yesterday we had a storm due to which all the leaves of the tree in our front yard blew away. It kind of makes me sad looking at the barren tree, for some reason. 

Bowl of candy for trick or treat.

Pumpkins in the front porch.

Half a bushel of apples from the Orchard.

Carved pumpkins.

Tree with fall leaves.

Barren tree.

Though I wish Autumn lasted a little longer, winter is still my most favorite season of the year. There is a different kind of beauty and charm, in the bitter coldness and sad-lifeless-barren trees of winter.

Have a good time,

Archana

A music album in the making.

Me, Sru and mom talking on phone.

Me: mom. You know I love Sru.....?

Mom: silent

(15 seconds later) Me: right?

Mom: umm...yes.(in her very feeble tone)

Me: I have decided to dedicate an album to Sru cause I love her so much.

Sru: (rolling eyes and probably wishing this is all a nightmare)

Mom: that's a good idea. 

Me: yes! Will you donate one song in my album for my sister?

Mom: what??????

Me: a music album for Sru.

Mom: OH NO.She is going to be dead. I thought you meant a photo album. 

Sru: heeheahaha. Tell her about what you were reading to me in the morning.

Me: I sang a song. That's called singing. 

Mom: (suddenly starts singing a very old song on sisters)

Me: Mommy. This album is for my sister not yours. And please use your own lyrics.

Mom: oh okay. (And starts singing a newly made up song)

Me: shhh...it's going to be a surprise to Sru. 

Mon: ok ok! I already got a good idea ...I shall work on it and write down the lyrics in a book. 

Me: cool! Ask daddy and Kali  if they too want to donate a song in my album for sru. 

Sru: [gives that 'o my gosh...I have the dumbest sis ever look' but I think she is secretly happy with all my efforts to make her happy... ;-)]

Ps: I love love love to irritate Sru in all ways possible. 

Sent from my iPhone

Everyday Conversations Part: 1+ something

Sru and I go to K-mart to buy vegetable oil. 

After an hour or so, we reach our car with  vegetable oil and a cart of other(not really on our ' things we need list').

Me: I can't believe we spent $xyz for vegetable oil.
Sru: Yes. We did and I am broke.

Me: :( Shall we return some of the stuff since we are broke.
Sru: (gives me 'the look' as usual)

10 seconds of silence later....

Me: I am serious.
Sru: Yes! That's a good idea. And I shall return 'you' too, to K-mart.
Me: Oh! No. That would make you a billionaire.
Sru: What??
Me: If you return me to K-mart that's the amount they would pay you back. Since I am a few billions $ worth. (with that proud and confident and I am always right look )
Sru: HUH. I am just scared my bank account would go into negative balance if I return you to them.

Me: (shut's the mouth and tries to be silent for a while so as to change the topic.)
Sru: hehahaha.
Me: (gives the I am not listening  hence I don't care look.)

*******************

Tall Dwarfs vs. Short Giants

Me: Sru, do you think we are short people?

Sru: hmmm...we are short. But there are people shorter than us.

Me: Just answer in one word... Yes or No.

Sru: YES.

Me: Well, I think we are just really tall dwarfs, living in a world mostly occupied by really short giants. :~)

Sru: :-|

*******************

Not a Dumbo 

Me: Can I ask you something? (in a tone that equals puppy eyes)

Sru: (nods a yes...which South East Asians only can understand)

Me: You think I am quiet a dumbo sometimes, right?

Sru: (nods a yes...this time quite vigorously)

Me: hmmm...I was thinking all night yesterday and it occurred to me that...Most smart people in this world are dumb. People like Einstein and all great scientists...they are absent minded and sort of dumb some times. So, it just means, I am very smart and that's the reason you find me dumb sometimes.

Sru: (shakes her head in disbelief) 

Me: :) Do you think I am right?

Sru: (nods a no...again this is something which South East Asians only can understand)

*******************

mornings and mournings

Following is a conversation between Sru and me (mostly me and me), in the car and on our way to our destinations of interest. :-D
......
Me: I am wearing all black today.
Sru: hmm
Me: I am wearing black today because I am mourning.
Sru: hmm
Me: I was supposed to get that ...I did not.
Sru: The 1000th time you are saying that.
Me: you know how I feel?
Sru: hmm
Me: I feel like a PREZ..dentsial candidate.
Sru: what?
Me: I feel like a presidential candidate who just lost the elections.
Sru: okay. :-/
.............
Me: hey ...you know...
Sru: yes
Me: oh no..you drive. No talking and driving.
Sru: you should have done since the last 15 minutes.
Me: (not talking....working on fog art)
.........
Sru: hey!! WIPE IT.
Me: oh you saw. :-/
Me: This is art.If I was Picasso or somebody famous...you would've been aking pictures of this window with my fog/whatever art....blah blah blah
Sru: okay. WIPE IT.
.........
Me: are you going to miss me?
Sru: what?
Me: at work...
Sru: No. I won't.
Me: that hurts.
..........
Me silently takes the iPhone out and takes random self photos that scream out loud 'narcissist'.
Me: om suryaya namaha.....om Adityaya namaha ....om baskaryaya namom namaha...
Sru: :-?
Me: do you know what It is...
Sru: surya mantra..
Me: I said it so that sun god will understand and stop being stupid and stop showing his face on my face.
Sru: :-//
Me: hey...this sun god...blah blah blah
Sru: hmm :-(
.............
Ps: the way I deal with stress? I share it (pass it on) with others.

What makes me good cook ...

When I told momma the ingredients I used to make 'chutney'. She said adding random ingredients and blending them together along with a generous amount of chilli powder isn't the recipe for chutney. :( I felt.

But today when I served my so called chutney to Ani, he came back to me asking for a second serving saying that the "chutney" was really good!

Lesson learnt: starving someone and then feeding them with my innovative recipes makes me a really good cook! 

Sent from my iPhone

Escape

ONCE UPON A TIME POST

Being sleepless for the past five nights, the fatigue and fear in her eyes was evident. Few of her friends tried to suggest a solution and few others made fun of her. But to her it was an issue as scary as death.


"No matter what I will be done with him today", she told her colleagues with vengeance evident in her bloodshot red eyes.

'All set’, She thought and tried to sleep that night hoping all is gonna end by the time she woke up.

It was 5 in the morning. With footsteps as light as a feather she carefully and silently went in to her kitchen and switched on the light. 

What she just saw made her beam with a smile.

But in a fraction of a second all her smiles vanished and she stood dumbstruck watching the act that was so unbelievable. Jumping up and down and on freeing himself from the trap, the rat escaped into the creeks of the cupboard to be seen nowhere.

P.S: Once upon a time post.

1) Hey Sru akka..this one is in found memory of the cute rats in your home.