23rd Jan : Netaji Subhas & Bindiya were born
on 23rd January. Muskan loves to celebrate birthdays. So on this
day, as Bindiya was not willing to go out for dinner, she called Mummy and Kids
for Pizza Party. And as the luck would have it, Bal from Secundrabad and Reshma
from Pune dropped in for surprise visit. Actually Bal wanted to meet Mummy and
as mummy was at B-7, they also came to meet her. It was nice to see Bal in her
normal, laughing, mode. Like Manu we have very nice memories connected with
her. We have never fought and had harsh words for each other. We had plenty of
laughing marathons at various occasions, best being at one wedding in Holiday
Inn, Mumbai, when one jealous guest told me, ‘wow, you four laugh a lot and
loudly.’ Our grandfather used to scold us for laughing loudly and continuously,
disturbing others. He would, ‘Batiha Tahak Dina tav, Chatiha Dafa Rouano
Poundav.’ You have laughed 32 times, you will cry for 36 times now! This is
philosophy of life. Thankfully, we have not yet cried, our laughter marathon
continues.
The moment I saw her, as I had not expected to see her, for
an instant, I saw my grandmother sitting there! I was taken back. I remember my
Grandmother as white haired, sari wearing lady, whereas Bal has black hair and
wears Punjabi suit, still I had this very strong vision. Mind keeps playing
such games. She is well settled now in life, with daughter married off to a boy
whom her daughter loved very much and is happy with her kids growing. Her son
Manish recently married and having a good job, earning decent money. Srichand
had some financial trouble few years back, now he is out of it and doing good. Her
health issues are also for time being sorted out and thankfully, she is keeping
good health. All in all, ALL IS WELL.
We celebrated Bindiya Birthday with Pizza Party. Somehow it
seems we have learned to find happiness in tiny things and not in elaborated expensive,
big, showy setting and activities. Instead of enjoying family outing to some posh restaurant for
dinner in glamorous surroundings, I find such simple celebrations relaxing and
very much enjoyable. We all made our choice of pizza with different stuffing.
Made Bal & Reshma to eat pizza.
25th Jan: Mona has being asking for Khandala Visit. She regularly spends her two weekends of every month at Khandala, tendering her garden and enjoying weather. She loves to take care of her Bunglow also, which keeps her very busy. Pashu and Kunal give her company. This time Bindiya – Kashyap & Dhwani dashed to Khandala for overnight stay. Kashyap-Dhwani have become relativly free now. Muskan wanted to spend night at Khandala, but I said no. Our Xrbia target is very far off and we are near month end. I do not want to miss on any opportunity. And Saturday – Sunday are main days for getting some response. With half family in Khandala, we decided to have dinner out in ‘Rajdhani’. This is at Phenix, Yervada. Thali is served with 11 varieties of Dal-Sabzi, Dahi wada, farsan, rice, roti, lassi, and two varieties of sweets. How Muskan enjoys this is beyond me. Out of eleven dishes she didn’t touch seven of them! Her food selection is very much stringent and exclusive. i.e. lot of items are excluded from her list of eatables! Akshay & Myself enjoyed the variety, I enjoyed for a change 'Over eating'. Nowadays I have disciplined myself in this department. Though the quality off food was not up to the mark, as an experience it was good.
by P G Dodeja
by P G Dodeja
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