20th Jan 2014 – 26th Jan 2014 [Bithday ]

 

23^rd Jan : Netaji Subhas & Bindiya were born on 23^rd 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

13th Jan 2014 – 19th Jan 2014 [Busybees]

 

Dhwani is turning into quite a aggressive business woman. Officially she is PRO of cut-it studio, but I see she is handing clients also. Kash-Dhwani team is turning into a very good team. With Sanket as outsourced photographer and editing team of 3 youngsters, one guy for production work, the Cut-it organization has arrived. Lets see the which progress path it is taking. Kash added one more machine, ‘Hakintosh’ a combination of Mac & Window. It is at the half the price of iMac, with more power. Only thing is that is machine is assembled by local buy. Hope this works fine.   

Muskan is busy daily jumping with joy, every time when a picture of Kunal’s baby is received by her on mobile. I remember Manju, when she used to get all excited with Palak Stories. Now we will hear ‘Kunal Baby’ stories. The story telling is on.

Breaking News: MAID EMPLOYED AT B-7. HER NAME IS GUARI.

Bindiya is fortunate in maid department. During her life time she is rarely without maid for more than 2 months. Mostly maids stayed with her for years. According to me best among them was one Indira [Left to get married], two Ramesh [High jacked by Anita when they shifted to Powai], and best maid ever was Hira [Left to get married]. I also endorsed her, simply because they both matched in nature department to large extent.

Bindiya was tensed up on account of maid, during our shifting process from Mumbai to Pune. I promised her that we will by hook or crook arrange for maid within one week. But she was not convinced and was in big tension. I remember Kashyap informing me with happy face when ‘Hira’ agreed for Pune, ‘Papa, now everything is Ok. Mummy is happily  ready for Pune!’.  I saw Bindiya relaxed and happy to move to Pune. This is maid power!

Yesterday, Muskan was sitting on sofa, smiling all the way. I made expression of ‘What’? I wanted to ask her why she has this smug expression. She understood but kept making happy faces in her typical Punjabi way. I was kept wondering. Finally the mystery was solved when our new maid, ’Gauri’ brought a piping hot tea, along with bread and butter. ‘Papa, this is Life. I am sitting on sofa like a ‘Malkin’, getting tea in hand.’ She was enjoying the ‘Maid-Sewa’ moment. For last few months, we have being without help.

Friday 17^th: Chinky is in 10^th standard. Today is her ‘Send-Off Party’ day. Mummy told me to take out her photographs, as she will dress up for the first time in Saree with make-up and all. But she is so embarrassed and angry, that I doubt she will allow being photographed.

Sunday 19^th : Dhwani says that our creative days have being taken over by XRBIA. How true. We all, [Myself-Lali-Akshay-Muskan-Avi] spent our Sunday at XRBIA stall collecting Leads. This must be a very unique and rare Sunday when every one of use skipped ‘Koki’ breakfast and ‘Kari Chawar’ Lunch. Kash-Dhwani returned from weeklong shooting schedule in Mumbai. 

This is a line for those who talk less and type more! BBM Zindabad!

 

by P G Dodeja

6th Jan 2014 – 12th Jan 2014 [Birth and Birthday]

9 Jan : Muskan updated her status by becoming ‘Buaa’. She was very excited and had gone to Mumbai to be with her family. Kajal was in Delhi, and her doctor has planned delivery on 9^th morning by operation. And a baby boy, looking like his grandmother was born.  The similarity is very much striking and accurate. 

 Nandini while accepting congratulations said, ‘Uncle tell Muskan to make me massi.’  I told her, 'Mere Dil Ki baat, Cheen Lee.' 

 So this is my way of telling her to make Nandini  ‘massi’. And ofcource lots of other people will also change status. Most of us will move to next generation.

10 Jan : Dhwani wanted to Cut her Birthday cake exactly at her birth time. i.e. 8.30 pm.  Whereas Bindiya is very punctual and follows a very accurate time line, Dhwani on other hand is exactly opposite her. She does not have time measuring knack. Her two minutes can be 30 minutes and 60 minutes can be 5 minutes.  Everyone knows this. So it was 8.30 and I was relaxed, watching TV along with Bindiya. Not expecting Dhwani and party to reach home in time. Suddenly bell rang, all kids of the family entered and table was set on war footing. And believe me, Dhwani cut the cake at 8.36 pm! An achievement in itself.

The cake was a present from Kashyap & Muskan. They had baked this unique cake made up of exotic product range like some very special cheese, strawberry paste and fresh strawberry, some imported diet biscuits, few other ingredients which I cannot pronounce. All sourced from Dhorabjis. The whole birthday celebration was done in very fast forward manner, so much so that we do not have a picture of cake also! It got finished within 5 minutes. This is Fast & Furious generation, so be it. I agree we enjoy food, but to me also this is the limit!

Dhwani again also celebrated her birthday at office. The staff of Cutit decorated cabin with ribbons and brought a nice creamy cake for her to cut. So the second cake was cut at cutit studio. Lali wants to start this celebration system for all staff members of Noble Printer! But I find it childish.

11 Jan: Kashyap & Dhwani left for Nashik. Dhwani’s ‘Phuiaya’ had some urgent work in Devlali. They returned home at 3 0”clock in morning. And Akshay also returned home at 2.30 am. Today's generation's sense of timing is very much improper. Maybe the internal clock setting is changing in all human being. For centuries, human being timing was set by rising & setting sun. Now that for last 100 years due to electricity the need for Sun is not so strong, this timing is changing.

Here is very interesting episode of Akshay. Around 2.3 pm, I received a call from Akshay, all excited. ‘Papa, arrange for 250 Voyager 11 Silver color bag. Inquiry is very strong, get in touch with Robert, who is out of reach, as he is attending annual meeting.’ Just after few minutes, Amol called with same request. Now Voyager's sell in year itself is much less than 250 pieces in all sizes and colors. So this was worth pursuing, and no one for a minute though about genuineness of inquiry.

The story behind this inquiry is unique. Ali is a distributor in Hyderabad. Last night he was feeling bored, so at 11.0 he started for Solapur in his car. He picked one distributor from there and reached Pune in early morning. He called all AT dealers with whom he had enjoyed Andaman Trip, and generated the 250 quantity inquiry of Voyager! He played this prank with all and by evening all dealers, Akshay included meet him. They all realized the truth of this inquiry and laughed. They then planned ‘Sinhgad’ trip.  But by 7 O’clock in evening Sinhgad gets closed, so they have to return back. They all went all the way to Lonavala to eat dinner at Tony Da Dhaba! This guy Ali, returned back to Hyderabad after 40 hours roaming around! What people do for boredom solution.

 

by P G Dodeja

30th December – 5th Jan 2014 [Surprise Contacts]

Monday:  Wow opening of the week. We had to make payment of 25 Lakhs to AT for target achievement. We had planned to take 15 Lakhs loan from Vashu, but at the last minute he ditched us. Akshay managed to get advance payment from 3 parties and some additional temporary loan. Somehow, we reached target (with shortfall of 4 lakhs which Robert managed) and 2013 just managed to turn into profitable year. Otherwise it was turning into major loss year.

I saw Muskan in full tension for the first time in my life. Kunal’s baby is undernourished, so Doctor asked Kajal to get admitted for saline feeding.  

I got three calls in succession from the people who were not in contact with me for long time. All calls came within 30 minutes! First call was received by Ramesh Munyal. This was first call after Noble deal in Sept 12. Then Vishnu Munyal called and said he is in Pune and will visit office. And finally Madon called saying he is also in Pune!

Saturday:  Madon /Mohan gave us a pleasantly surprising visit, paying his regards to mummy and meeting us. It brought back the memories of Ghatkopar Life.  Last when I saw Mohan, he was on strict diet and in lean and fit AVTAR. But it looks he gave up that life style for usual Dodeja Roop created by eating lavishly. He was carrying good pot belly, but he looked tired and aged. Well we all are approaching retirement age, but he looks like he is carrying all the worries of the world! 

Madon was his usual self with touch of sadness, passing compliments and making witty remarks. He has become more philosophical and less aggressive. But he is still sharp in mind and interested in all the people around him. I diverted discussion towards ‘Matrimonial’ issues, so that we can pitch for Sharat’s match. Instantly Madon took over the initiative and suggested a proposal with his usual marketing skills. We will get the details in next week and proceed ahead. Lets see what future holds for Sharat. On 31^st December 2013, it was agreed and decided that now match-making process can be started in 2014. And here we are getting first offer on its own on 4^th, Wow, keep fingers crossed and watch future additions of this blog.

Always behave like a duck - keep calm and unruffled on the surface but paddle like the devil underneath.

Jacob Braude

 

by P G Dodeja