And so I get pregnant again, manage to last till the 7th month, develop the same complications and lose the baby again.

Wow, my cup of joy can overflow no further. I have actually managed to pack in one more miscarriage. Someone up there must really love me.

Amma

We were a happy family, an extremely happy family.

September 2004, my father passes away. January 2007, I lose my baby in the sixth month of pregnancy. June 2007, my mother meets with a road accident and passes away. I don't even have the energy to ask "Why us?" Whenever I feel the anger well up in me I try to think of the Holocaust victims or of some other situation more tragic than ours.

WTC vs WA

The whole world remembers our wedding anniversary- unfortunately not in a good way. Yup, you guessed right- Sept 11^th- the day B and I were joined in holy matrimony. Our wedding happened a year before “The Day”. Cut to Sept 11^th 2001. I come home whistling for I am still young and madly in love :). I switch off all the lights, arrange the gifts our friends have given us in what I believe is an artistic manner, light a few candles and decide to have a refreshing bath before the beloved arrives.

I hear the front door being unlocked and wait expectantly…

B- “Shit I didn’t buy anything”!

Ouch! And I spent so much time and effort selecting the perfect gift.

I hear the TV being switched on, followed by a loud “Oh my God, oh my God!” By this time I am thoroughly annoyed and come charging out of the bathroom. I see B sitting in front of the TV with a horrified expression on his face. I am terribly shocked and upset too. Call me self- centered/selfish whatever, its still our first wedding anniversary and I want to go out. So after giving B a tongue lashing for not having bought me anything, I insist that he get ready to go out for dinner. He’s still reeling in shock and is in no mood to oblige. Me being me though, manage to drag him out of the house. Its pouring outside. We drive to this fancy schmancy restaurant that serves ridiculously priced salads and has a foreign sounding name for boiled potatoes. No matter, I am still grimly determined to enjoy my first wedding anniversary. We place our order and settle down. I look at B with what I presume is pure unadulterated love. No response. He appears to be staring transfixed at someone over my shoulder. I turn around and what do I behold? An absolutely humongous flat screen TV. No prizes for guessing what B is looking at. We silently watch the scene unfold again and again and again. I am shocked, saddened and filled with revulsion at the depravity of the human soul. Events over the past few years haven’t done much to make me change my mind. The day will remain etched in my memory for ever.

So, what has changed over the last 6 years? We have grown older and fatter together and…. yes I love you B! Happy anniversary (belated:))!

P.S And now Surya and Jyothika have the dubious distinction of sharing their wedding anniversary with us! :) Congratulations!!

Appa

I see you in your mother's eyes

I see you in your brother's walk

I see you in your sister's smile

I hear you in your son's voice

I wish I could see you again

All’s Mangalam that ends Mangalam

I love swimming. I’m no expert swimmer, in fact, I look ridiculous when I am attempting free style (I haven’t figured out yet when exactly you are supposed to breathe) but I do a mean breast and back stroke :) A bunch of us girls were practising baltis in the IISc pool. Flip - feel slightly nauseous- surface, that was the routine.

I came home, sipped my morning filter coffee and casually scratched my neck- my mangalsutra was missing.

Me (hysterical)- “B! My mangalsutra is missing!!”

B (complacently)-“ Oh? Its ok, it happens” (goes back to the Hindu).

Me (bleating)- “What shall we do? What am I going tell our parents??”

B (complacently) “ We’ll think about it” (goes back to the Hindu)

Apart from the sentimental value of course, the mangalsutra was (1) REAL expensive and (2) had been bought by my in-laws. I was quite certain I had lost it in the pool so I dragged B there immediately. I tried jumping in right away with all my clothes on, B managed to restrain me. The cleaning lady and the life- guard (pathetic excuse of one actually) shook their heads disapprovingly. “What kind of girl loses her mangalsutra?!” The life-guard climbed delicately into the shallow end of the pool, swam a few laps and informed me that he couldn’t see it anywhere. By this time B was convinced that we were never going to find it and decided to head to work. He advised me not to do anything stupid or life threatening and departed.

Naturally I had forgotten to bring my swim suit along with me. I ran to ask my friends for help. One of them, a slight waif- like creature, who fit into the palm of my hand, offered to lend me her suit. I was too upset to think so I just squeezed into it. I jumped into the pool and…. “rip”, there was an ominous sound (well what did you expect??). Who cared? I dove right in and out popped my contact lenses. Now I must tell you, I am extraordinarily short sighted. So, there I was floundering around blindly, while people gaped. My guardian angel appeared in the form of one of our security officers. He had been watching my antics for a while and his heart simply melted at the sight of a half- blind young woman in a torn swim suit fighting so desperately to retrieve the sacred symbol of holy matrimony (mangalsutra, sindoor- they never fail to touch a chord do they?? :) ). The fact that he was an ace swimmer helped of course. He dove in gallantly and resurfaced empty- handed. Not one to give up easily he dove in once more. He disappeared from sight (at least that’s what I am told) for about a minute and HALLELUJAH appeared holding aloft the trophy triumphantly! I am not too sure what I did after that, but I am fairly certain I wept tears of joy and between sobs managed to get the angel’s name.

The next day I discovered (after some detective work), where the security officer lived. I reached his home holding a big box of sweets. He seemed embarrassed but touched. He told me gravely that I must not thank him but thank HIM for having helped me in my hour of need :) I am not a religious person at all but what can I say except- “ Thank God it was a swimming pool and not the sea :)”

Ignoramus

Ignorance, I plead guilty to ignorance, ignorance is not bliss :( See, I went to blogroll.com and linked all of you guys but I don't see it anywhere! I also went to blogroll me. It appears for a second and then vanishes. What happened?? Somebody help me please (laugh all you want but after that HELP me!!)