20th May 2013 to 25th May 2013

It is nice to have children around in the house. Muskan announces their arrival with loud ‘Vanur Sena’ has come warning. I prepare myself for what I call, a new real time episode of Akshay-Chinky serial. I gently push Akshay-Chinky to fight for control of TV Remote.  Akshay will use his strong voice to subdue Chinky with no effect, then he will say, ‘Only one ‘Gabbar’ allowed in this home, and that ‘Gabber’ is Akshay.’ Chinky will continue her pleading, request and aggressive stance for control of Remote. When we all get tired of their fight, I enter the argument and allow the Chinky to take control of remote. I know, Akshay hardly watches the TV. Chinky will get busy switching from one channel to other.

Does TV show’s preferences in family mean something?

We all watch together, one show regularly, ‘Tarak Mehta ka Ulta chashma’, film based shows like Award Nights, special episodes currently running ‘Bollywood@100’ are also liked by most of us.

Rinky-Bindiya-Muskan-Mummy all earnestly see all episodes of ‘Master Chef’. Chinky’s favorite is ‘Devon Ka Dev, Mahadev.’  And finally I am told Akshay-Muskan enjoy at 10.30 ‘Bade Ache Lagte Hain.’  Dhwani and Bindiya like to see crime shows like ‘Adalat’ and ‘Sawadan India’. And Kashyap likes to see English movies, History Channel. In between whenever I get opportunity, I switch to News Channels. All in all we see whole range of shows.

But why in our family no one is crazy about IPL, or reality shows like Big Boss, Khatro Ke Khiladi, Kaun Babega Crorepati, Nach Baleye etc?

This vacation, kids are taking full advantage of Swimming pool.

Friday: Kash-Dhawani left for Mumbai. MIM is growing satisfactorily. They have plans to have 5 meetings with prospects. Akshay is busy at ‘Sakal’ Exbhition.

Saturday I had after decades an opportunity to teach and play one card game which Lali-Rajni-Ashu and myself used to play for hours. This time I played with odd group. Muskan-Chinky-Rinky-Palak. In all three generations! 

And the sindhi name of the game is ‘Ghar Phir’. And the time placed a one more marker in chawla girls history. Dimpi, Shobha's daughter gave birth to duplicate Dimpi in London, who was promptly named 'Ananya'. The child's first picture and video clip was shown by Akshay on his mobile. It was received exactly after 39 minutes of her birth, wide eyed and splashing her hands around. Mummy remarked, earlier child will take 3/4 days just to open eyes, and few more days to get active and today they are active within 30 minutes! 

by P G Dodeja

13th May 2013 to 19th May 6, 2013

On Monday 13^th  it was Pizza Night at sacred heart. Mummy-Chinky-Rinky were to stay at sacred heart for few days, as is standard practice during the holidays. Pinky was involved in a small car nudge with military truck so she was in bad mood due to dent and scratch on her car. To enlighten her mood, Muskan invited her and Avi for Pizza Dinner. This Pizza Dinner has become a kind of game for us. Every member will create own pizza with all kind of stuffing’s. For stuffing we had, Pizza Paste, Onions, Tomato, Capsicum, cheese, butter, paneer, mushroom and corn. And if someone made a good combination, that poor guy will not be able to enjoy it. All other ten members will ask for one bite and he/she will be left with tiny morsel in end!  

Our Beautiful National Bird!

Summer season is at its peak. On Sunday, Muskan brought ‘Hapoos’ from Mumbai. So on Tuesday 14^th May, I asked mummy to prepare Aloo Bhaji, Puri and Aam Rus. Dhwani also got excited on hearing Aam Rus, she being real Guju! Mummy makes the best Aloo Bhaji with perfect blend of Aloo, Rai, Mirchi, Haldi, Curry Patta and Salt. I took one tiny ‘Nivala’ and topped it with two spoons of Aam Rus. Wow!  Heaven. I was first to start and last to finish dinner. I challenged all kids for Puri eating or Mango Rus drinking competition, no one dared to take up this challenge with me. I missed Lali! Muskan finally got carried away with our excitement and agreed to one spoon of mango Rus, which she never touches!  Rinky was shocked to hear that there is someone in our family who never touches Mango Rus, that also her favorite Bhabhi.

On Wednesday 15^th , Muskan and Mummy both were busy in creating an excellent ‘Mogra Sarbat’. I cannot gulp this down in huge quantity due to my constant cough but still I skipped dinner and enjoyed to my heart’s content multiple number of glasses of heavenly ‘Sarbat ’.  

And yes, Dhwani gave two good news. Well, not the kind which every reader is thinking. The news she gave were One, her part time job will Billabound school as psychologist has being confirmed at good salary. Two, Kashyap finally got his first wedding movie order along with advance payment. The kashyap’s  Client stay’s in Mira Society and knows us as Dodeja family. Small world!

On Thursday I had this very strong intuition. Very soon I am going to get involved in vacation of my life time. Better than 92 trip. Can anything be better the 1992 trip? It is very difficult to say yes.  But there was my feeling, intuition, déjà vo, sixth sense, whatever you may call it. Normally I do not share this thought. But I am doing that as on Friday morning I woke up early around 6’0 Clock and I had some vague idea forming in my mind on this same topic of vacation, which looked desirable and about to happen! I am really excited about this. And budget for it was 3.0 Lakhs! Only 3.o Lakhs for a trip better then 1992. It is a cheap bargain.

Sakal Exbhition starts and due to LBT strike our staff is also free. We expect good response to this Exbhition due to market closure.

by P G Dodeja

6th May 2013 to 12th May 6, 2013

Few family members are facing some health issues, mostly related with food! I am affected with loose motions and stomach ache. Now I am taking more than 3 days to recover from such health problems. Earlier I needed one day rest. Akshays ‘Chapaka’ is coming and going, in spite of two months medication from Skin Expert. ‘Chapaka’ is due to his high acidity and wrong food eating and irregular timing  habit. Sharat is having on-off stomach problem since two months. But he takes good care of health, so this health issues needs to be looked into by some expert.

One day participation by Kashyap at Westin resulted in 80 leads. This week, Dhwani & Kashyap were both busy meeting two prospects and making quotation. The learning process is on.

On Friday, Akshay went to Aurangabad to attend a wedding! All watch dealers had booked one 22 seater and Akshay also joined them. On the same day Mona-Pashu visited Sacred Heart, had a south Indian lunch in some ethnic restaurant with Bindiya also joining them. She can easily say no to us, but not to Mona. And yes, I took few picture of Muskan and Pashu. It being 10^th May, Manju invited her favorite family members for dinner.

LBT strike is on, so we are relaxed as workload is not there.  

Two good offers are in pipeline. One is from Comfi. A Delhi based company, which is trying to make place for itself by manufacturing unique styled Bags. The company head spend few hours in our office convincing us to take up agency. Robert was trying to appoint distributor for samsonite Belts & Wallets with no success, so when he saw us getting this and Tommy offer, he also asked us to be distributor for samsonite! Both agencies will require 10 lakhs capital.

On Sunday Kash-Avi and myself went on adventure, on space ship USS Enterprises. Yes, saw morning show in 3D of Star Trek! A morning show after long time.  Akshay & Muskan were on the way to Mumbai, for Cousin meet and mothers day!  

 

by P G Dodeja

29nd April 13, 2013 to 5th May 13, 2013

Muskan, Akshay & myself were in Pune physically, but mentally we were with our family in Himalyas. All our attention was focused on Hrishikesh. Muskan will announce at 6.30 p.m., today we will not pick up any call from them [i.e.Dushman Party!], we will not discuss anything at all. Within 10 minutes, all this will be forgotten and if no call comes, she will give ‘Question Mark’ look. Again I will start the Haridwar topic. I have plenty of old stories to tell. Maa-Manu-Lali trip, 1992 trip, Akshay Jhand trip, Daddy-Bhabhi trip and so on. If this will not work, one of us will make a call. This will continue haphazardly till 10.30.

                                                LUCKY ONE IN HARIDWAR!!!!!!!

1^st May, Times Newspaper has published an excellent article of Gulzar’s visit to his native place in Pakistan. It was a simple, emotional narration which a great poet like Gulzar can only express. I had read so many articles by Dad on this topic, it always touched some cord, but the way Gulzar’s article brought tears, was different. Or was it because for last 12 years I have not read or spoken on this topic with Dad? What a beautiful way to describe his entry to Pakistan via Wagha Border. He says ‘I removed my ‘Mojari’ and with tears in my eyes, steped over Zero line. Picked up ‘Mithi’ of my birth place and applied on my forehead.’

And being poet, he wrote ’ I am standing on line Zero, my shadow is across, as Sun is shining behind me…’

Family returned from 5 day trip. All were praising Madon-Mohan arrangement to sky. They have taken around 180 guest for Bhagwat Saptah at Hrishekesh.  This trip was fully paid, flight, stay and food by them. In between everyone enjoyed short excursion on various location around one being River Rafting, Yoga on 'Ganga Kinare', Ganga Aarti etc.
Old people like Arjun Dodeja, Janki, Mummy were given special care. All in all excellent experience,

On 2^nd, Chinky – Rinky gave a nice surprise Birthday party to Pinky.  Nothing exciting about it, but the thing which made me proud was that they prepared elaborated dinner. Starters, Main Dish [Pasta], appetizer, sweet dish. All cooked by them with ‘tele’ help from Bhabhi’s!

Cut-it studio participated on Muskan’s advice in “Wedding’ Exbhition held in Westin Hotel on 5^th. Everything was done in war footing. Booking of stall [Akshay-Dhwani], naming the division [Memories in Motion], making Logo / VC [by Imran], printing of leaflet [Avi], making of small clip for VCR display. They got good response in sense that they now have more then 80 potiential clients, whose wedding are slated from 13^th May 2013 to 31^st December 2014!

Seiko Exbhition was also over on Sunday. Last Exbhition we sold 51 clocks, this time it was 71. Very good progress.

 

by P G Dodeja