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...
No comments:
Post a Comment