The last couple of mornings have been so typically humourous and I have found myself laughing at the events as they have unfolded. Now, they are nothing on the grand scheme of things. But when your brolley brakes just as you try to open it having locked your front door and not having the time to run back in for another one, and it is windy, it is cold and it is very wet, it isn't nice being a damp spud on your way to work. Oh and the brolley didn't just break, it also took a clump out of my thumb, which then gushed blood all the way to work. I was damp and losing blood. I sucked it, then realising I looked silly (and I was being stared at), pressed tissue on it. It stopped and started but I eventually found a plaster to keep it at bay.
Morning two was a cold crisp day with sunshine and blue skies. Doing much goodness to my mood I walked to work with a skip in my step and a smile on how grand life is. Only to find that the platform was very busy. Clearly something was wrong. The boards claimed a train to London was due at the usual time. However, much to my surprise, a train going the other way arrived. You see, we have one platform (and no I do not live in a medieval town) and so both east and west bound trains arrive at the same platform and use the same track. So when the train arrived from the other direction I wondered what was going on. The assistant was explaining something but I couldn't hear. A gentleman (who I must add smiles at me everyday, although that is a discussion for later) explained that to get to London I would have to board this train, change at the next station and then change again later. Great fun. We were packed in on the trains like sardines. No seats of course, which I didn't mind too much but the squish was uncomfortable. Still at least I was able to board and get to work a mere 15 minutes late.
It might seem insignificant that these events took place but to me, life has finally slowed and I am finding time to appreciate the very small things in life. I am certainly in a happy place because even the most inconvenient episodes taking place in my life appear amusing. It certainly keeps my happiness flame alight.
I must say a word or two about the "platform man". Since the beginning of this year, and I'm not sure if it is a resolution of his, a gentleman has smiled at me whenever he sees me. He wears a wedding ring. He seems younger than me and I think he has a child. We board the same train. We board at the same part of the train (it is closest to the steps out of my destination station and therefore the appropriate time-saving door to board and we all know how obsessive I am about time-efficiency). I have tried to see if he smiles at other people as they pass by or stand by him. The answer is no.
He has a kind smile which makes me think he smiles at me because he knows we get the same train for work and simply wants to acknowledge the point. I am hoping that is the case although it is funny to think that I am getting any other kind of attention. I mentioned it to Toni when it first started. And now he receives regular smile-updates. Toni seems quite proud to know his wife is able to attract interest post-marriage (although I don't see why one can't - Toni gets alot from passers-by and I am quite flattered by it) and he has named the whole thing the "platform fling". Not that anything has got passed smiles, and only yesterday I was saying to my dear husband that I wonder if and when the platform man will start talking to me. And today we exchanged words. Although I don't think he was trying to make a pass at me, or spin me a line with helpful directions for getting to work! I will keep you posted of any developments.
I am all for making new friends. Keen on meeting new people. But I think paranoia gets the better of me and I usually suspect underhanded reasons for unusual behaviour. Now technically speaking, smiling is not unusual behaviour. A smile brightens up any day, especially a depressing January day when it is wet, windy, cold and grey. And I think smiling should be a condition on boarding any train to London, perhaps even the requirement to converse with your neighbour unless asleep/reading/listening to music. Trains are so very depressing places; I admit, I usually look like I'm on the verge of beating someone up, or breaking down into tears (although most of the time I just feel tired). It is nice once in a while then, and rather unusual too, when someone smiles a genuine smile.
I stood on the train today smiling at how life is lovely even though the trains were delayed. I have a wonderful husband. I have a beautiful home. I have a job I enjoy and caring family and friends around me. Life is blissful. I am beginning to appreciate things. When life is busy, you can't soak it all in. You end up missing out on lots of bits of happiness which you would have appreciated if you had the time for it.
And the sun is shining now (I can see daylight from my open plan cubicle through someone else's office) which makes me smile. And if someone chooses to smile, it is a good thing.
Thursday, 17 January 2008
Thursday, 10 January 2008
Diary entry: 9 Jan
I am aching. My exercise regime has given me a startling insight into my fitness levels, which are clearly shocking and in need of dire improvement. I did yoga on Monday and had no pains. I did cardio and toning in a circuit-like session the following morning and have been feeling stiff since although I did some yoga last night to try to stretch out the pain (I think it helped, but not much). I am pretty sure it will subside. As with all my stop-start exercise plans, the first week is the hardest. Once the muscles have softened up a bit, I should be able to stretch, tone and work them to the max, of which I am eager to do.
Other news on the Mayflower front is that Toni went super crazy with his painting skills and on Tuesday, painted both the remaining (large) bedrooms - ceilings and walls - (double coats on all) before I got home. All we have left to do are the upstairs bathroom and ensuite shower room but have decided to tackle those later in the year. The plan is to replace the standard suites with a hydro-spa bath and hydro spa and steam shower. Due to the nature of the expense, we are putting this work on hold for now. So the house is pretty much done. Time to accessorize!
Other news on the Mayflower front is that Toni went super crazy with his painting skills and on Tuesday, painted both the remaining (large) bedrooms - ceilings and walls - (double coats on all) before I got home. All we have left to do are the upstairs bathroom and ensuite shower room but have decided to tackle those later in the year. The plan is to replace the standard suites with a hydro-spa bath and hydro spa and steam shower. Due to the nature of the expense, we are putting this work on hold for now. So the house is pretty much done. Time to accessorize!
Monday, 7 January 2008
Lucky 7(th)
As I sit at my desk on the 7th, I look back at the weekend and wonder how quickly it has passed. Our dear friend Jd is moving south to be closer to us. The main reason for the move is that he has got a job and so we look forward to seeing him more often now (no excuses Jd!) - congratulations to him.
The family dinner on Saturday was a success, with the exception of watered down coffee (no wonder there was no froth). My Chacha and Chachis enjoyed my muttar paneer and gobi sabjis and mum was a great help. We gossiped away, which was certainly overdue because we hadn't spent quality time together in the last 12 months. Mum was great. It was therapy just spending time with her and after all the cooking and cleaning and getting ready, we welcomed the family in.
They came bearing flowers, chocolates and a saucepan - exactly what I needed. I was surprised that they managed to find our home without the need of our assistance. It is sometimes difficult to obtain a map of our area because it is a newly built town. The internet however is a great source, as is SatNav. We did tours of the house, showing everyone our bright coloured rooms. We served tea, did prayers and then gave the mums a rest and got the dinner ready. Aman, Gurjeet and I made the rotis and then served. I think this was the first time in history that our mums were waited on and served whilst us "kids" did the dinner. It felt nice to serve them. With Gu cheesecake on the menu set in wonderful "ramikins", dessert was the icing on the cake, that is until the coffee was served. My fault entirely - for some reason I thought that frothy coffee would need to have water in it - I was way off the mark. A lesson well learnt.
Everyone said their goodbyes at around 11.30 with smiles on their faces and tummies full of food. It was a lovely evening.
We decided to go buy some paint on Sunday to finish off decorating the upper floor of the house and send out some photos to eagerly-waiting friends and family. Toni has been gifted with a few day's rest so he plans on doing as much as he can in his break. Apparently watching tv isn't stimulating enough these days. We ended up walking to the retail park as the weather was beautiful: bright skies and crisp air. We returned with 15litres of paint, 4litres of white spirit and a ladder. Of course Toni being the gentleman and having his male-pride would not let me carry a thing even after repeated requests. Poor thing was puffing and panting when we reached home!
The stairwell is now complete and fully yellow. Toni also fitted a new lightshade in the spare room and painted the ceiling. He is a wonderful man, my husband. He doesn't waste any time. Meanwhile I was re-sorted the kitchen - nothing spectacular I admit, but I finally feel like things are in their places now - although I'm sure some re-jigging will be done before the month is out.
It is such a nice task to make your home, such a nice feeling to fix things and put things away. I feel like the house is becoming our home more and more everyday and I look forward to that familiar family home feeling.
The family dinner on Saturday was a success, with the exception of watered down coffee (no wonder there was no froth). My Chacha and Chachis enjoyed my muttar paneer and gobi sabjis and mum was a great help. We gossiped away, which was certainly overdue because we hadn't spent quality time together in the last 12 months. Mum was great. It was therapy just spending time with her and after all the cooking and cleaning and getting ready, we welcomed the family in.
They came bearing flowers, chocolates and a saucepan - exactly what I needed. I was surprised that they managed to find our home without the need of our assistance. It is sometimes difficult to obtain a map of our area because it is a newly built town. The internet however is a great source, as is SatNav. We did tours of the house, showing everyone our bright coloured rooms. We served tea, did prayers and then gave the mums a rest and got the dinner ready. Aman, Gurjeet and I made the rotis and then served. I think this was the first time in history that our mums were waited on and served whilst us "kids" did the dinner. It felt nice to serve them. With Gu cheesecake on the menu set in wonderful "ramikins", dessert was the icing on the cake, that is until the coffee was served. My fault entirely - for some reason I thought that frothy coffee would need to have water in it - I was way off the mark. A lesson well learnt.
Everyone said their goodbyes at around 11.30 with smiles on their faces and tummies full of food. It was a lovely evening.
We decided to go buy some paint on Sunday to finish off decorating the upper floor of the house and send out some photos to eagerly-waiting friends and family. Toni has been gifted with a few day's rest so he plans on doing as much as he can in his break. Apparently watching tv isn't stimulating enough these days. We ended up walking to the retail park as the weather was beautiful: bright skies and crisp air. We returned with 15litres of paint, 4litres of white spirit and a ladder. Of course Toni being the gentleman and having his male-pride would not let me carry a thing even after repeated requests. Poor thing was puffing and panting when we reached home!
The stairwell is now complete and fully yellow. Toni also fitted a new lightshade in the spare room and painted the ceiling. He is a wonderful man, my husband. He doesn't waste any time. Meanwhile I was re-sorted the kitchen - nothing spectacular I admit, but I finally feel like things are in their places now - although I'm sure some re-jigging will be done before the month is out.
It is such a nice task to make your home, such a nice feeling to fix things and put things away. I feel like the house is becoming our home more and more everyday and I look forward to that familiar family home feeling.
Sunday, 6 January 2008
5 days in...
January is a busy month for us Bhullars.
We saw the new year in with a few pleasant mortals at our new home partying til 5 in the morning. I made keema tikkis, marinated chicken, honey and mustard sausages and home-made chips. My vodka jelly (with blackberries to add some health points) was osmosised into a fruity, "jungle"-like punch. We had stocked up on the wine and on the strike of midnight, opened the bottle of Moet that our home's previous owners had left for us. We played games, ate lots, drank plenty, discussed til we were blue in the face, danced and then ended with sentimental I love yous.
We spent new year's day recovering and clearing up the aftermath. I had broken a champagne glass whilst dancing the new year in so we ventured to Lakeside to replace it, only to find that I had broken the replacement on the way home. We decided then that 5 champagne glasses and no more at the Bhullar residence it was.
The 2nd day of the month and both husband and wife returned to work to try to settle into the humdrum once again. Toni has been harvesting a cold but I had no excuses for feeling run down or tired except for the unacceptable over-consuming and over-exerting ones. It is Friday the 4th (which has arrived with rapid ease) and I have finally begun to feel like I can handle some work. Toni's cold is beginning to leave him but somehow he is managing to hold onto a tickly nose.
My resolution for 2008 is to get fit and healthy. Toni had said during our new year's celebrations that he was intending the same, but he somehow managed to erase his memory of this fact the following day. I usually exercise emphatically most of the year round. But getting married and the busy-ness of 2007 had got in the way of my usual psychotic obsession. I had developed a loving pain in my lower back from October too which hindered any hint of activity (except for packing and moving home, although at best I managed to lift my index finger). I concluded (rather sensibly) that I should not commit myself to a vigourous schedule for this first week of the year. Instead, I would eat less, take the stairs to my office (instead of the very inviting lift) and power walk to work and back.
I decided that come the 7th I would (theoretically and hopefully "actually, mentally, and physically") be in a position to tackle some exercise. Yes, I have planned a fun-filled program of alternating cardio and yoga/pilates work outs. Watch this space.
The 5th will be witness to our first official family dinner in our new home. As much as we have announced the doors-always-open policy, the family still nevertheless requires a formal invitation. So we have started (as one should) with an invitation to my dad's brothers and their families. Mum has insisted that she come over in the morning to help with the cooking (probably a good thing, to make sure nothing gets burnt).
Coinciding with our eventful first week has been the beginning of the presidential elections in America. The caucuses and primaries have started and it's an exciting election with potential-history-making players involved. Barack Obama has starting on top in Iowa and it should be interesting to see if he remains the number one Democrat.
The UK has started on a terrible note. The media has reported 3 teenage murders and a car accident with a bendy-bus killing 3 others. Thousands of workers have seen ridiculous commuting conditions due to the late finishing of engineering works, which can be atttributed to the hungover workmen - typifying the country's drinking culture. Hospitals and the emergency services were stretched on new year's eve due to the drunken silliness which took place in the capital. Electricity bills are shooting up due to the rising costs to the providers.
Kenya has seen violence and mayhem following the rigged re-election of President Mwai Kibaki and 300 persons have been killed to date, some burned alive in church in Eldorat. The inquiry into the death of Benazir Bhutto has commenced with assistance from Scotland Yard. Her son, Bilawal, has been appointed as chairman of her Pakistan's Peoples Party with her allegedly-corrupt husband assisting whilst Bilawal returns to his studies at Oxford. The north half of the UK has seen flurries of snow whilst the south has had its pitiful rain showers. Temperatures have differed dramatically day to day - another pointer towards the climate changing (as if we needed one).
With such terrible news at the beginning of this leap year, it is difficult to see how anyone can be happy. We look at the world and see it is such a terrible place. We look at our lives and are glad to be fortunate not to be involved in civil wars, hunger, poverty or devastation. We see our loved ones and feel lucky to have warmth in our lives and happiness. Although they do not get reported as much (in fact, hardly ever) there are happy people in the world.
A week into January 2008 and we already have a busy time planned. Our diary this month is full of Capricorn birthdays, dinners with much-missed friends, work outings, lohri celebrations and a planned break away. How I will manage to get into shape before the month is out is beyond me at this stage. But I'm sure, with the dogged perserverence that I am renowned to possess, I shall reduce the bulge, strengthen my core and start to feel less lethargic come the fabulous month of February.
Wishing you less of the blues this month...
We saw the new year in with a few pleasant mortals at our new home partying til 5 in the morning. I made keema tikkis, marinated chicken, honey and mustard sausages and home-made chips. My vodka jelly (with blackberries to add some health points) was osmosised into a fruity, "jungle"-like punch. We had stocked up on the wine and on the strike of midnight, opened the bottle of Moet that our home's previous owners had left for us. We played games, ate lots, drank plenty, discussed til we were blue in the face, danced and then ended with sentimental I love yous.
We spent new year's day recovering and clearing up the aftermath. I had broken a champagne glass whilst dancing the new year in so we ventured to Lakeside to replace it, only to find that I had broken the replacement on the way home. We decided then that 5 champagne glasses and no more at the Bhullar residence it was.
The 2nd day of the month and both husband and wife returned to work to try to settle into the humdrum once again. Toni has been harvesting a cold but I had no excuses for feeling run down or tired except for the unacceptable over-consuming and over-exerting ones. It is Friday the 4th (which has arrived with rapid ease) and I have finally begun to feel like I can handle some work. Toni's cold is beginning to leave him but somehow he is managing to hold onto a tickly nose.
My resolution for 2008 is to get fit and healthy. Toni had said during our new year's celebrations that he was intending the same, but he somehow managed to erase his memory of this fact the following day. I usually exercise emphatically most of the year round. But getting married and the busy-ness of 2007 had got in the way of my usual psychotic obsession. I had developed a loving pain in my lower back from October too which hindered any hint of activity (except for packing and moving home, although at best I managed to lift my index finger). I concluded (rather sensibly) that I should not commit myself to a vigourous schedule for this first week of the year. Instead, I would eat less, take the stairs to my office (instead of the very inviting lift) and power walk to work and back.
I decided that come the 7th I would (theoretically and hopefully "actually, mentally, and physically") be in a position to tackle some exercise. Yes, I have planned a fun-filled program of alternating cardio and yoga/pilates work outs. Watch this space.
The 5th will be witness to our first official family dinner in our new home. As much as we have announced the doors-always-open policy, the family still nevertheless requires a formal invitation. So we have started (as one should) with an invitation to my dad's brothers and their families. Mum has insisted that she come over in the morning to help with the cooking (probably a good thing, to make sure nothing gets burnt).
Coinciding with our eventful first week has been the beginning of the presidential elections in America. The caucuses and primaries have started and it's an exciting election with potential-history-making players involved. Barack Obama has starting on top in Iowa and it should be interesting to see if he remains the number one Democrat.
The UK has started on a terrible note. The media has reported 3 teenage murders and a car accident with a bendy-bus killing 3 others. Thousands of workers have seen ridiculous commuting conditions due to the late finishing of engineering works, which can be atttributed to the hungover workmen - typifying the country's drinking culture. Hospitals and the emergency services were stretched on new year's eve due to the drunken silliness which took place in the capital. Electricity bills are shooting up due to the rising costs to the providers.
Kenya has seen violence and mayhem following the rigged re-election of President Mwai Kibaki and 300 persons have been killed to date, some burned alive in church in Eldorat. The inquiry into the death of Benazir Bhutto has commenced with assistance from Scotland Yard. Her son, Bilawal, has been appointed as chairman of her Pakistan's Peoples Party with her allegedly-corrupt husband assisting whilst Bilawal returns to his studies at Oxford. The north half of the UK has seen flurries of snow whilst the south has had its pitiful rain showers. Temperatures have differed dramatically day to day - another pointer towards the climate changing (as if we needed one).
With such terrible news at the beginning of this leap year, it is difficult to see how anyone can be happy. We look at the world and see it is such a terrible place. We look at our lives and are glad to be fortunate not to be involved in civil wars, hunger, poverty or devastation. We see our loved ones and feel lucky to have warmth in our lives and happiness. Although they do not get reported as much (in fact, hardly ever) there are happy people in the world.
A week into January 2008 and we already have a busy time planned. Our diary this month is full of Capricorn birthdays, dinners with much-missed friends, work outings, lohri celebrations and a planned break away. How I will manage to get into shape before the month is out is beyond me at this stage. But I'm sure, with the dogged perserverence that I am renowned to possess, I shall reduce the bulge, strengthen my core and start to feel less lethargic come the fabulous month of February.
Wishing you less of the blues this month...
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