tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84754170830053435732024-02-07T11:40:28.717-08:00I love Rambling!Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-47077787553292052162020-08-11T11:42:00.002-07:002022-12-09T12:19:51.365-08:00The Great Migration<div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIiuXZq2lRLfe944AWZbidKHLdLPcvahaatihoP3OxdNdhoeKig1PK8wEwmErLa87d0G6By9m7UnHwoMBOtWEGzOMbbudWVjuaD4VX5R87cpjxFU5OveVgJCickPpxqZVOQ23a165jVYQkUXT9LkhVXBScVR2E366Pdjk2Jcqx1qa8kqGsezi47hh/s4608/Mara%20Balloon%205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIiuXZq2lRLfe944AWZbidKHLdLPcvahaatihoP3OxdNdhoeKig1PK8wEwmErLa87d0G6By9m7UnHwoMBOtWEGzOMbbudWVjuaD4VX5R87cpjxFU5OveVgJCickPpxqZVOQ23a165jVYQkUXT9LkhVXBScVR2E366Pdjk2Jcqx1qa8kqGsezi47hh/s320/Mara%20Balloon%205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8pX63hNe0do7O3pEuC1QsPO3Qi6G2SZujZZdy6LUgvVJ398P0Mar6jtTnMTsomw1eVvYj0wpfdSVzt2lzsjU7gqQ3B2_jhRPHfvuM-8Bwq0i_oKeVspO0J42pCU3RGkhEYHsbd95q2qRMjvPO6xt5jxma1LJICWlakqDovKCVNsXW5eKiqktEuI9/s4608/Wildebeest%20Migration%205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8pX63hNe0do7O3pEuC1QsPO3Qi6G2SZujZZdy6LUgvVJ398P0Mar6jtTnMTsomw1eVvYj0wpfdSVzt2lzsjU7gqQ3B2_jhRPHfvuM-8Bwq0i_oKeVspO0J42pCU3RGkhEYHsbd95q2qRMjvPO6xt5jxma1LJICWlakqDovKCVNsXW5eKiqktEuI9/s320/Wildebeest%20Migration%205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHd7BSLjvzt_UfckTE2W9MnqB0ir7KPGH2LDIR-2f3dH5fPYfwjPh-C7evmRF34Bnbo8OxGTOIsRXxLf2k7RsccLY4FlJaPTvvwZ_npjJVjQZcBxqvfHRPveSQRtULoeNl453ixRMxnm5huN7761jrInWItMq-ExY3wRkXSf_sDREEkG7V4CSl9tNS/s4608/Wildebeest%20Migration%20River%20Crossing%2011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHd7BSLjvzt_UfckTE2W9MnqB0ir7KPGH2LDIR-2f3dH5fPYfwjPh-C7evmRF34Bnbo8OxGTOIsRXxLf2k7RsccLY4FlJaPTvvwZ_npjJVjQZcBxqvfHRPveSQRtULoeNl453ixRMxnm5huN7761jrInWItMq-ExY3wRkXSf_sDREEkG7V4CSl9tNS/s320/Wildebeest%20Migration%20River%20Crossing%2011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">This happens twice a year as 1.5 million wildebeest, accompanied by zebra and topi move from Tanzania to Kenya (and back) as they graze in the savanna. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It rains in one country, the grass is fresh, green and juicy. They graze until the land goes dry. Then they head to the other country in search of ‘greener pastures’. Rinse, repeat!</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The first thing that strikes you in the drive through the Serengeti (Tanzania) and Mara (Kenya) is the sheer expanse of grassland. Dotted with the herd (wildebeest, zebra, topi), as far as your eyes can see. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There is movement: as they slowly graze; as the calves chase each other for fun; as a predator in the vicinity makes them freeze; or flee kicking up dust around them. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There is noise: from the grass being pulled from the earth and crunched; loud bleating as they communicate; their hooves as they run across the grassland heading towards the river.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There is smell: of rain, of fresh blades of grass, of dung brought in by the breeze.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Part 2</u></b></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQbYE-zw-oX57GLf627p13PyLZCCqw75JXdSXqO_zFrgjtQ-SMKhrNCGKTMjBkARMSOqmglo1iCItFeddjqxsS8v6isadfUU8X_ibEbVz_hrxDonTidcSN2-gu8TrgG7LGVbU9q7n4aDaC8knJVtZksQr4CQGI0JfXjGKLh4y-4DiYPq4FI7yXebO/s4608/Mara%203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQbYE-zw-oX57GLf627p13PyLZCCqw75JXdSXqO_zFrgjtQ-SMKhrNCGKTMjBkARMSOqmglo1iCItFeddjqxsS8v6isadfUU8X_ibEbVz_hrxDonTidcSN2-gu8TrgG7LGVbU9q7n4aDaC8knJVtZksQr4CQGI0JfXjGKLh4y-4DiYPq4FI7yXebO/s320/Mara%203.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwLQSgfWevFkhqS0fJq5jsDwWwNxJWj-UwHuncl2VUEnrg-4m1rilMUsQM24HFC2l4S2IHLA0ibNgpLQxfsEA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It isn’t just the view and the movement of these million wildebeest across the savanna that constitutes the Migration. The most significant part of this event is the “crossing”. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">As the herd moves from one country to the other they have to cross the winding, long, and shallow Mara river. The river is filled with giant Nile crocodiles making it dangerous and scary for the herd.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sighting a “crossing” in the Mara is considered highly eventful, and is a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity. The actual event may take a few minutes but the anticipation of that moment, the waiting, the learning, the reality of nature being superior to us, the understanding of how each animal plays a part - is by far the most exciting and significant bit of this experience.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It begins with knowing which part of the river’s bank to go to, where the view is the best. Where the crossing is likeliest to happen. Where the herd’s path isn’t hampered by us. Where one can see both banks of the river. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">If there is a long line of wildebeest running towards the river using the well trodden path; if more herds join them on the way, of gazelles, zebras and topis. They are likely to cross. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">If there is loud bleating, and a dust storm like movement (from the sheer number of hooves running at high speed) heading towards the river even if one cannot see the herd. There is a likely crossing. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The herd’s crossing provides easy prey for the Nile crocodiles. If the crocs sense the herd’s movement towards the river, they lay in wait just under water. One can see ripples on the surface as they move stealthily. Another clue to a possible crossing.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">If it is closer to the afternoon and the wildebeest are stuck on the dry side of the river, they will likely cross before sunset.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div></div></div>Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-27973731119668663442019-11-10T11:08:00.002-08:002019-11-10T11:19:26.171-08:00Part 2 - Zimbabwe & Kenya 2019<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We arrived at the Mara around 10am and the jeep that picked us up from the airstrip took us on a short game drive. We had seen a few species of birds, a cheetah, some lions and hyenas before we reached Mara Bush Camp to check in. After a relaxed afternoon and a sumptuous lunch, we took off to the Mara River Crossing to try our luck the same evening.<br />
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We were fortunate enough to witness a crossing of many zebras and a few wildebeests, where the hungry crocs took down at least 3 of them. It was the most magnificent evening for us, since we set out on our Kenya trip for the second time to be able to witness this exact action packed crossing we had missed last year.<br />
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The next few days had us viewing less crossings and some unfortunately missed ones thanks to a whole day out trying to chase the herd. But we got to see an unusual coalition of 5 cheetahs roaming the Mara, a female leopard who we caught alone and had the best sighting for about 45 mins walking across a lengthy stretch of the bush. We also got to see a mother cheetah and her new born cub looking for her other cubs early in the morning.<br />
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We got to sight a huge pride of lions, where one of the cubs made a quick chase and killed a baby antelope, followed by a lioness with two naughty cubs who were being stalked by a hyena, and we ended one night with a mother leopard stealthily prowling and hunting a herd of wildebeest. It was way too dark and rainy for us to catch the rest of the action.<br />
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We then checked into Governor's Camp for our final stay where our good old friend Kerore took us out every day of the 4 days looking for crossings but it rained every evening and we missed a lot of action since the herd followed the rains instead of heading to the river. However, we got to see the huge Marsh pride with 4 young lionesses with at least 12 cubs of varied ages, many bird species especially the Bataleur Eagle.<br />
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Our most unusal and special sighting was the Serval which is very elusive, and many calm herds of elephants. Finally, our last evening safari ended with the lion cub getting so close to the jeep and refusing to let go. The lionesses watching with fear in their eyes at the jeep, and mine reflecting the same. It took the guide some smart moves and reversing carefully to get the cub off the edge of the jeep and driving off in panic. This was the first time I ever felt utter fear in the bush.<br />
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The next morning, we went on a short drive viewing the marsh birds, a huge hippo pod and took our flight back to Nairobi. Here we spent a few hours in the hotel room relaxing, and finally took the night flight and returned home early morning.</div>
Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-37314220882847261572019-10-20T04:28:00.000-07:002019-11-10T10:47:39.038-08:00Part 1 - Zimbabwe & Kenya 2019<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Our 2018 trip to Kenya was not a very memorable one, what with a lot of issues with the agent who booked us into the wrong itinerary, last minute issues with a good jeep and incorrect lodges. We wanted to go back to Kenya using the agent's compensation, and chose the same time of the year to see some of the crossings. We also wanted to visit a new country and decided to head to Zimbabwe.<br />
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We took a flight out of Dubai and landed early evening in Lusaka, Zambia, then took a bus ride and crossed the border over to Zimbabwe. We spent three nights 528 Victoria Falls which was run by a South African couple who also lived on the property. A green and new home that we really loved. Our first morning was spent flying in a helicopter over the Zambezi River and the gorgeous Victoria Falls. This was followed by a good 2 hour hike on the edge of the Vic Falls on the Zambezi side. We saw a lot of flora and fauna, walked past the bridge that connects Zambia & Zimbabwe which is a popular bungee jumping location.<br />
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The next morning, we went on an early safari into the Zambezi National Park that was both on the jeep watching quite a few elephants and antelopes. We also did a 1 hour walking safari with the anti-poaching squad that showed us how snares are put up and how the squad works towards keeping both animal and plant poachers at bay. The same evening was our sunset cruise over the Zambezi river and saw quite a few water birds, and the usual crocs, hippos etc. but the sight of the sun setting in Africa is always a gorgeous one.<br />
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On the 4th morning we flew out on a chartered flight to Lake Kariba's Bumi Hills Airstrip. The ranger from the lovely Musango Camp picked us up and took us on a safari through the Matusadona National Park, and when we landed in the camp, we were informed that we had no internet connections and were cut off from the outside world. What a welcome change this was!<br />
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We spent 4 days here with the lovely Steve Edwards, the most knowledgeable and kind ornithologist. He challenged himself and took us on several boat trips, and a couple of jeep rides around the Lake Kariba and covered close to 106 different species of birds. We were enthralled and looked forward to every single interaction with him. The Camp itself is thickly wooded and is a welcome home to several species of birds, with an elecric fence around to keep the big game out, we felt safe and special on the island. As part of our outings, we did some unsuccessful fishing, fed the fish eagles and took a trip to the island village nearby.<br />
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We flew out of Lake Kariba and landed in Nairobi, Kenya for a night. Our next morning's flight took us to Masai Mara, for the second part of our trip.</div>
Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-42998780360715557862019-07-04T05:41:00.000-07:002019-07-04T05:41:39.802-07:00Part 3 - Austria - April 2019<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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An evening walk around town, and the next morning to <b>Tirol</b>
for our scheduled ski lessons. Which turned out to be super fun for the boys,
and they actually learnt to ski. Both the adults managed a load of falls and
gave up quite easily, what with the realization that skiing was like doing yoga
on a floor smeared with oil. The Ski boots are super heavy (3 kgs on each foot)
and skis and sticks and the stiff walking and in and out of cable cars, this
was hard. But we had fun, and actually were happy to know that given so much
heavy duty walk and weight, the cold didn’t even affect us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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With Tirol & Skiing behind us, we drove out the next
morning to <b>Leichenstein</b>, which is a 25km long principality is a German
speaking country. Beautiful, quaint with alpine landscapes and medieval
castles, we walked all over its capital Vaduz. We then drove to <b>Appenzel
Village</b> through the narrow winding roads up the hill to take in the
gorgeous view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After stopping for some
hot chocolate and muffins we drove back to Innsbruck.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our next day began with a drive to <b>Salzburg</b>, where
the evening was spent walking through the ‘Sound of Music’ famed Mirabel
Palace, the Abbey, the Cemetery, and the Fountain. Since we had nothing much
planned for Salzburg, we decided to drive to <b>Munich</b> the next day. Regretted
not spending more time here – we saw the Marienplatz, Frauenkirche and the BMW
Museum, but missed the English Gardens. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Our next morning was spent with the Von Tropp family
locations on the second part of our Sound of Music tour in Salzburg. With a
lovely Mexican meal near the Mozart home, we wound up for the day. We drove to
<b>Vienna</b> the next morning and drove around the city, caught some views and a lot
of traffic and renovations. But our highlight was the much-needed Fondue fix,
now we were truly ready to get back to Dubai. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-63329579282315377482019-05-17T02:15:00.000-07:002019-05-17T02:15:02.095-07:00Part 2 - Switzerland - April 2019<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We took an early morning train to the cutest, quaintest, smallest
car-free town of <b>Zermatt</b>. Our best meal through the trip was lunch at an
organic restaurant here, where we had the tastiest healthy sandwiches made from
bread that was freshly baked by a family run bakery in town. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We spent 5 hours outdoors walking around, getting drenched
in the rain, and riding the underground funicular up the canton of Valais, to
see the beautiful <b>Sunnegga</b> lookout. It was snowing hard up there and was
freezing cold – it was like silent rain and felt so serene. We spent a night in
Zermatt so we could take the early morning Glacier Express to St. Moritz
– most expensive tourist spot in Switzerland.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Glacier Express</b> - The 9 hour ride through the Alps gave us the most
spectacular views – of lakes, meadows, quaint villages, snow capped mountains,
valleys, and several tunnels and bridges. Parts of the tracks in some valleys
were cleared off snow just a few minutes before the train passed, giving us a
beautiful snow path view.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>St. Moritz</b> welcomed us with a strong drizzle and
light snow. But, this didn’t deter us, we checked in and immediately went on a
long walk on the banks of the <b>River Staz</b>. The river was frozen solid,
but not safe enough for ice skaters, so it was empty but for the runners and
dog walkers around its bank. We then found our way to <b>Devil’s Place</b>, a
bar that houses 2,500 different kinds of whiskies. We needed the stiff drink,
and the boys enjoyed a yummy mugs of hot chocolate after the cold tiring walk. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It snowed all night, and the morning view from the hotel
room was a heavily snow covered city. Since our plans to do another funicular
ride up the Alps could not happen, we did the next best thing on a mini-blizzard
day. We went for a 2.5 hour tennis session to an indoor academy and enjoyed ourselves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We waited at the lobby of the hotel the next morning, before
the high-ways were cleared off the avalanches. We then picked up our car from the
beautiful village of <b>Samedhan</b>. We drove through mountains covered with
snow into green green <b>Austria</b>. We checked into an Airbnb place in the cute
little town of <b>Igls in Innsbruck. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-67722517456212802992019-05-13T04:35:00.002-07:002019-05-13T06:30:16.487-07:00Part 1 - Switzerland - April 2019<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This was a holiday that needed to be put together in a
hurry. With the Botswana plan turning out to be beyond budget, Zimbabwe losing
connectivity, Zambia being off season, and Namibia not having an embassy
outside Delhi for Indian passport holders, we were left with Europe to plan. In
a span of two weeks, we completed the research online, and made flight, train,
car and accommodation bookings. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We took off on a Friday and landed in Zurich around mid-day.
With nothing much for us to see in Zurich, we took in the green meadows and the
snow-capped mountains in the distance as we drove west towards <b>Lucerne</b>.
After an evening of walking around the little town, and seeing the beautiful
Lion monument, we spent a tired yet cozy night here.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The next morning, we drove towards <b>Lake Geneva</b> and
spent a night at <b>Lausanne</b>. A walk around the busy town to see the
animated clock tower that strikes every hour. This is accompanied by an automated puppet show with a history based audio. We then drove to the cathedral to see the newly planted tulip
buds for the Tulip Festival and the first view of Lake Geneva. We then headed to <b>Montreaux</b> for a really good
slow walk on the promenade. Taking in the Lake, the Alps, some quirky statues, Freddy
Mercury’s famous statue, the view of the Chillon cathedral and returned to
Lausanne for the night. </div>
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The next day marked the beginning of our snow adventures. We
drove to <b>Interlaken</b>, checked into a cute apartment, and drove up to <b>Grindelwald</b>
to see skiers enjoying the day on the mountains, and a lot of snow around town,
including roof and treetops. The kids had a lovely first time with snow. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We returned the car the next morning and walked to the train
station and went up to <b>Jungfraujoch</b>. This is the most popular tourist
spot in <b>Switzerland</b> and is the highest railway in Europe, that gets you to experience
the glaciers of the <b>Bernese Alps</b>. After a cold and freezing day up
there, we took the train back to Interlaken, and retired for the night. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-55531682273434246812018-07-11T12:46:00.003-07:002018-07-13T05:29:38.702-07:00Part 3 - Greece - March 2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We landed at Athens, checked in to the not-so-great Pan Hotel, and quickly stepped out for a 4 hour walk all around the area. We walked through Monastraki Square, Exarchia to see some Graffiti and street art, saw the Hadrian's Library, a bit of the Ancient Agora, Tower of the Winds, and saw the Acropolis on the hill top from near the Thissio Metro Station.<br />
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We began with brunch at Cafe Diogenese, followed by some gelato in Marabello near Monastraki Square, some cold beer near Exarchia, and on our way to the Syntagma Square stopped for some fresh hot falafels at Not Just Falafel. With another 45 mins to go for the Changing of Guard ceremony at the Monument, we sat down for a bit while the kids played around the garden like maniacs.<br />
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We saw the ceremony and headed for dinner to a lousy Indian restaurant called Babaji, easily the worst food we have had in this trip. Our night was very disturbed in the dingy room, and we chose to check out the next morning, before our guided day tour with Private Greece Tours.<br />
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We went straight to the Acropolis, to be able to see this beauty just when the gates opened and ahead of the crowd of tourists. We then drove through some of the places we had visited the previous day, and then through the most gorgeous coastline we have ever been on. A bright sunny day, the blue skies, perfect blue sea to match and the white sails, oh we didn't want this drive to end. But it did, at Cape Sounio where we saw the Temple of Poseidon.<br />
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We then returned to Athens and stopped at Zaxos Grill for some really tasty gyros lunch, well deserved after a long day out. We then checked into Holiday Suites, showered and went out for dinner to the lane near Thissio Station. Kuzina served some fresh Tzatziki, bread and soup. We were strategically seated outdoors to enjoy the view of the Acropolis lit up at night.<br />
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After a taxi ride back to the room, and a goodnight's sleep, we woke up really late the next morning. We went to the Acropolis Museum, visited the Ancient Agora, Temple of Hephaestus, did a bit of shopping near Monastraki, lunched at Cafe Diogenese (once again), ran a couple of laps around the Olympic Stadium, and finished the evening with gelato at Le Greche, something that the kids really wanted to have before leaving the city.<br />
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In the next two hours, we had checked out, changed, and reached the airport to take our flight back home. </div>
Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-57663098534035121112018-06-30T13:29:00.001-07:002018-07-02T12:17:13.098-07:00Part 2 - Greece - March 2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We took a short flight from Athens to Mykonos. A little "toy" town, we had to walk with our luggage from the main road to the Carbonaki Hotel. After checking in, we went up to the waterfront and had a sumptuous meal at Captain's, our first time tasting and enjoying anchovies.<br />
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Although it was a bit cold, we decided to walk up to another part of the island called Ornos. It was raining, and we were on a twisty, winding main road up the hill, for almost an hour and a half. There was nothing to see at the end of it, so it was quite a disappointing hike, but thankfully found a cab back to the room. Quite hungry after that walk and a hot shower in the room, we stepped into Sugar & Salt, a cozy little place for some lovely pizza and wine.<br />
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We woke up to a sunny day, clear skies, and the blue blue sea. Our plan to go to Delos had to be cancelled as the seasonal boats were cancelled for the week. Though, the good food and beauty of the white and blue island totally made up for the disappointment we felt.<br />
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After some hot egg sandwiches at Trio Bambino, we walked all day through town, stopping to take pictures, having some coffee, some whiskey, some hot chocolate (yes it was sunny, but cold winds needed something to keep us warm) some hot snacks at Attica bakery and returned to our room. We also managed to watch Cars, yet again! We stepped out to view the sunset, had some authentic Greek food at Appaloosa Bar & Restaurant before calling it a day.<br />
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We took a Super Sea Jet to Santorini the next morning and checked into Aura Caves in Thera. Grabbed a sandwich nearby, a rental car from Spiridakos and drove around the island. We saw the red beach, black beach, a wasted effort to see the white beach and finally to Oia to see the sunset. It is truly one of the most beautiful sunsets, the expanse of the Mediterranean waters, many islands in the distance, blazing red sky and the sun going down. A spectacular sight indeed.<br />
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We also saw the full moon's reflection on the surface of the water on our way back. Stopping quickly at the crowded Jaipur Palace Restaurant for some roti, dal and chawal, we returned late to the room.....I mean, cave!<br />
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The next morning began with walking through the village on the hill, Pyrgos Kallistis. After a bit of shopping, seeing some lovely views from the top, we climbed down to have a refreshing brunch at Franco's. Our next stop was at Santo Winery to taste some wines and cheese, which ended with a puncture (probably from the failed white beach trip on that horrible path downhill). After fixing, rather replacing the Tyre, we drove to Oia to see that part of the island.<br />
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We saw the bright white and blue buildings, hotels with pools, the famous blue domes and bell towers, and climbed down 300 steps to view the Ammoudi beach. The highlight of the evening was of course, our visit to the Atlantis Bookshop (by far the cutest we have seen) and returned to the room with sandwiches from a street side stall.<br />
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We flew to Athens the next morning to take our flight to Crete. We drove out in our Auto Rentals car from the Airport. Disappointed with our booking at the Erofili Apartments, we checked into Sundance Apartments & Suites.<br />
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We then drove through Mountain ranges, to view canyons, gorges (did not attempt hiking though.... I could come up with some excuses, but I know I won't buy them). We then went to Plaka, to see some great views of the sea, the small island of Spinalonga from a distance and to our destination....Delphini. A family run restaurant where, in true Cretan style, we chose fresh fish from their kitchen and got them to cook it for us. Needless to say, it was divine.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">We left really late, and it was a very dark, eerie drive back through the mountains to the room. The only company we had was the full moon reflecting the sun's red hue from its surface. It was gorgeous.</span></div>
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We woke up with a long list of things to do, which began with a visit to the laundromat, freshly baked croissants from a bakery nearby, a drive to the Lasithi Plateau, up the hill towards the Cave of Zeus. This was a 40 minute exciting hike up and down, that ended with the most refreshing glasses of orange juice. We then went to Knossos & Phaistos Palaces both a couple of hours from each other. Saw some Ruins of the Temple of Apollo, picked up our laundry and a sandwich in between.<br />
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When the evening ended early, we were happy to return to the room, pack, shower and go for a relaxed dinner and beers at Mythos next door. We were up the next morning, heading back to Athens, this time to see the city and not just the Airport.</div>
Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-57971473759113257272018-06-27T13:27:00.001-07:002018-06-27T23:36:21.461-07:00Part 1 - Greece - March 2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We had been considering a trip to Greece for over 2 years now. But the summer and the heat had always been a deterrent. So we made up our minds to travel during the Easter holidays, hoping it will be pleasant and a bit sunny during the day. What with island hopping and a lot of walks and climbing as part of the itinerary, we were all geared up with cotton clothing, shorts etc.<br />
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On 23rd March 2018, we took a flight from Dubai to Athens. It was only when we landed that we realized it was just about 23 degrees. For us, tropical beings, Greece was freezing and there was a hint of rain. Every soul was wearing thick winter jackets, and the four of us landed in summer clothes. Brrrr.....<br />
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We had booked a self drive car with Athens Car Rentals who had brought our vehicle to the airport. We signed the papers, picked up our key and headed out to Meteora (Kalampaka) which was a 4 hour drive from the airport according to Google Maps. Since we did not have our SIM Card yet, we ended up relying on the car's GPS... only to realize it had its own mind and directed us on a route that took us almost 7 hours to reach. Whew.... Lesson learnt! But the drive was beautiful, green, vast fields, meadows with lovely flowers....Gosh, we had missed Europe.<br />
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We landed at Dellas Boutique Hotel, which was a cozy, lovely place. We retired for the night and woke up early morning, and saw our first ever sight of snow from our window. The other side opened to a view of the Orthodox Monastery which was extremely close to our place of stay.<br />
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We were going to be driving to Mt. Olympus. The kids just had to go there for the view and to set foot on the tallest mountain in Greece and the home of the Greek Gods. Something they had picked up from their obsession of Rick Riordan books. Our drive in and out of Meteora took up most of the day. But the snow capped Mt Olympus, the view from a distance, was totally worth it. The boys got to pick up and play with some ice too (or maybe snow). We decided to turn back and saw that the entire mountain range was covered with fog, we literally would have seen nothing if we had been 15-20 minutes late. Green mountains, the water stream, the trees, everything covered in fog on our way back. It was surreal.</div>
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When we reached the sleepy town below, we stopped at a lovely lovely place called Meze Meze for lunch. They had only a few items on the menu, but the place was buzzing, and the food was excellent. We then drove back to Meteora and reached well before 7pm and had enough time to watch a movie (Baby's day out) before hitting the sack.</div>
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We woke up the next morning and drove to Delphi. This was a one night stop to view the archaeological site in the afternoon, stay overnight and wake up early to head out to Nafplio which was going to be a long drive. But we realized when we reached there that it was a holiday at Delphi and entrance to the sites was closed. So we just spent a lazy afternoon having some cheap food and walked by the promenade seeing some nice views down the hill. Our dinner was at In Delphi Cafe, a lovely restaurant that served some amazing house wine, soup and pastas. The kids gorged on some great pizzas too.</div>
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We had a light breakfast the next morning and drove out to see the Athena Pronaia, Temple of Apollo and the Museum. Some spectacular views with lots of history, mythology and archaeology dating back to the 4th Century BC.</div>
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Around afternoon, we drove out to the lovely little busy, foodie town of Nafplio. We drove through the hilly town of Nafpaktos along the seaside. We went past tiny villages, a cemetry and drove up to the top of a hill to see the view of the Ionian Sea, crossed the Rion Antiron Bridge (the world's longest multi span cable suspension bridge), passed the Gulf of Corinth and reached Nafplio early evening. We were staying at an Agrotospita Country House full of Mulberry, Orange and Olive Trees. We had some lovely Orange Pie (our first taste of this yummilicious dessert made using Filo sheets, greek yoghurt and fresh orange juice) and headed out to town to enjoy some great wine and pizza at Scuola Pizza Bar. </div>
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After returning to the country house late night, we ran one round of washing and went to bed. Upstairs in separate rooms from the kids, oh it was a good night's sleep. We woke up next morning, sunned out our clothes, and chatted outside in the lawn, and successfully locked ourselves out thanks to a cat that was trying to get into the house. We left around mid morning towards town, had some lovely croissants for breakfast in a shop that had a huge pair of sunglass shaped mirrors with the Dubai Skyline (much to the amusement of the kids), and went up driving to the Palimidi Fort. We parked the car and spent about 2 hours walking through the Fort and enjoying some spectacular views of the Argolic Gulf and the endless blue sea and sky. We then came down, drove past the palm lined beach and headed to a little cozy family run restaurant called Kontrabasso, at the foot of the Fortress steps behind the Cine Nafplio, that cooked up some amazing lunch for us. We returned back to the country house in the afternoon, took a nap, ironed some clothes and headed out again for some dinner at Goody's burger joint in town, then viewed the lit up Fort from below against the night sky. It was indeed a relaxed day for us in this "buzzing in the weekend otherwise sleepy town". </div>
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The next morning we had an early exit, so we grabbed a croissant each, and drove out to Athens Airport to take a flight out of the mainland and start our week of island hopping in the Aegean Sea. We were now looking forward to some blue, some white and some sunshine.</div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-46572215225460363862017-09-17T19:57:00.000-07:002017-09-17T19:57:05.683-07:00Review of Lalita Iyer's The Whole Shebang<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This was such a lovely, breezy yet thought provoking read. I finished it over a few hours, and already want to read it again.<br />
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A memoir revealing all the madness and beauty that goes into a woman's life. Not generalizing, not preachy, very funny, at times sarcastic, this well drawn up account on womanhood including all the sticky bits, is a must-read. The book offers fun, laughter, tears, clever suggestions and some great company; almost like an afternoon spent over many cups of chai with a good friend.<br />
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Every woman will connect with it, I found myself nodding away, saying "OMG! Me too....I know!.....Yes....I couldn't have said it better". Juggling the roles of a daughter, mother, friend, and all the other layers in between and adopting the 'I am enough' and 'I love me' philosophy, the author helps us view the little things that can simplify this complicated world we live in.<br />
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All you men and women out there, go grab a copy! Men - throw prejudices in the trashcan before reading this one. Women - put on the kettle before you crack open this one!</div>
Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-24002950611530964852015-09-26T05:52:00.001-07:002015-09-26T05:52:13.585-07:00Why moving to Dubai was a good idea for my boys!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My husband and I lived with our two boys (10 and 6.5 year olds) in Mumbai until two years ago. We were happy to send them to an ICSE school there, knowing it was an extremely grounded one. It gave them the much needed foundation in terms of introducing the concept of school, timings, uniform, being independent, and largely sticking to a time-table for the day. But what the school offered in terms of education has always been a favorite topic of debate and discussion between the two of us, and among friends in India with school-going kids.</div>
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Education in India three decades ago did not do as much for my husband and me, as did the way we had been brought up, or the experiences our lives had given us. What schools and teachers taught us outside the curriculum has made us what we are today. Our scores and rankings were poles apart at school and college, yet we have been equally successful in our careers. Our ability to handle situations, make decisions and to reason out issues are comparable.</div>
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The system that was followed in India back then has changed in many ways, in order to accommodate the easy access to information today. But the basic framework is the same: subjects, tests, text books, homework, heavy bags, projects, learning by memorizing etc. The more we spent time in Mumbai, the clearer we were that this was not the kind of education we wanted for our children. Our children needed much more learning outside of books to prepare them for the future.</div>
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The International schools in Mumbai offered much better facilities, extra-curricular activities and the kind of education that we wanted for them, but they were unaffordable. Moreover, we wanted their early years to be spent with children that belonged to a similar economic background.</div>
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So, in 2013, when we were transferred to Dubai (a move that we had actively pushed for), we instantly looked at enrolling the kids into an international school very close to home. We have gone through a lot of challenges and changes due to this move, but it has given them the kind of experiences that education cannot.</div>
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<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The curriculum at the school here is based on learning to think, rather than just learning. They are encouraged to explore on their own with basic guidance from the teachers. They are tested not based on their knowledge of “correct” answers but based on opportunities that mandate application of their learning. This is almost always done without the children even knowing that they are making that effort.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We have hardly had any homework since we moved, except for a few weekends where work has been given that would require parents to share some ideas with the children. A lot of their free play during the evenings is invariably influenced by all that they are learning in school. It is so interesting to see them use varied material as props to support their games.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The school uses programs that are based on monthly or term-wise topics across the primary school. Hence, both the children are learning the same topic but the extent is different. Our weekend discussions revolve around the same subject. They come up with some amazing questions, quite thought provoking even for adults. They are always hungry for more information, and that is exactly what we want the school to do for them.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Their teen years will likely see them all confused about many things. The school will, however, present them with many opportunities and expose them to varied professions so that they will be better equipped to make decisions on what to study at university. It will also give them the courage to do something out of the ordinary and to follow their passion, if that’s what they’d prefer.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Their tolerance towards members of different communities, nationalities and culture is much higher thanks to an international set up. Yes, they make stronger bonds at this age with other Indian kids since they can relate to each other better, but with the others, they already know what works and what doesn’t.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In India the choice was between taking the school bus or the car or an auto to school: which was the most convenient mode to get from Point A to Point B. Here, the children needed to be educated about incomes and expenditures and affordability to make them understand why we could not buy a luxury car or a sports car.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We were now arguing and discussing pros and cons of having their own devices; why carrying a book made more sense than carrying an iPad to school every day; why being a 10 year old does not mandate carrying or having a mobile of his own.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The older one took a lot more time to settle into the school. He had to break into a group that had been together for 7 years; he had to move from being ‘popular’ in India to ‘insignificant’ in Dubai and then to ‘acceptable’ in his class; he was also being bullied for a long time by another child in his class. It taught him and us as a family a lot about his coping mechanism, but it was an ordeal we went through for a large part of the first year.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They are now exposed to older kids in their bus-ride back from school. This unsupervised interaction gives them a lot of unwarranted opportunities to learn about things that we are not sure they are ready for. We are having to sit with the 10 year old discussing appropriate / inappropriate behavior, objectification of, and respect to privacy of, women, sex, sexual preferences. In fact, at the end of the first day of school, we were wondering how we could tell him it was ok to be the only one in class who didn’t know the meaning of the ‘F-word’!</li>
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In a way, the last two years have seen an incredible amount of growth in their personality, knowledge base, and in their ability to make decisions. Yet, they have quite suddenly lost their childhood, innocence, and some of the important life skills that educating in India would have retained in them.</div>
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After all this, do I think I made the right decision 2.5 years ago? I most definitely do</div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-12824631088173162802015-08-13T11:42:00.002-07:002016-09-08T07:03:07.344-07:00Our Trip to South Africa (Last Part)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Our drive to Kruger was lovely, very different from the garden route, but as good as....<br />
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It was a fairly long 4 hour drive because we did get confused between GPS and Google Maps and finally landed up at the wrong entrance to the park. We were then redirected through another path within the park, and this one forced us to rely on the Camp's signboards. </div>
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For about 7 minutes, we simply followed the well-driven path with our windows and doors locked. We saw a lot of impalas, ostriches but we did not see any sign board, and I was starting to get worried. And when I asked my husband, what we would do if we saw a lone male elephant on the road right in front of us, he said, let's find out, look who's there up ahead..... Scary but beautiful... Our first view of Kruger.</div>
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Thankfully we saw the jeep from our camp on the other side of the elephant, and we knew we were on the right track. We were checked-in 10 minutes from then into the best one ever - <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g471852-d471930-Reviews-Honeyguide_Tented_Safari_Camps-Manyeleti_Game_Reserve_Kruger_National_Park.html" target="_blank">Honeyguide Tented Safari Camp</a>, and this time our older child, the 10 year old was sick. So we took the day easy, and were ready for the next morning's safari.</div>
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Kruger gave us the best setting of the lot, we were right in the middle of the park where animals roamed around freely and there was NO fence. Animals could walk up your path from and to the tent at anytime during the day. We were given clear instructions, 'Do not run, just calmly walk up to any tent next to you, and let the animal pass by'. We were talking about small herbivores, monkeys, elephants, and hold your breath, lions. We were told that a big pride of 11 lions came to drink water from the small swimming pool behind the lobby just a few hours before we had dinner. We did see some fresh paw prints too.</div>
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All our meals were with our ranger, and other guests from our jeep. The food, the service and the care taken by the staff of this lodge was far far better than all the others we had been to. We didn't miss any of the safaris over the next few days, but we did go out on a 45 minute drive to Hoedspruit, to see the doctor.We desperately wanted to see the leopard, hyena and cheetah, but we did not see any through our 4 day stay. But we saw tons of animals, and many many different birds. Our ranger was very sharp and spotted so many of them for us, and patiently gave us information about each, and also waited for us to take pictures. </div>
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Every night, after our safari and dinner, the ranger would take a bright flashlight and lead our way to our tents since the path wasn't lit and we could encouter any animal enroute. It was so exciting. </div>
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During the night and all through the day, our tents were closed and locked with the help of thick zippers and string to tie them together, because if we didn't this naughty monkey sitting just outside would have pushed through the smallest gap and entered. They were so many running up and down the roof of the tent. We heard animals, calling out, rustling of the grass just at the side of the tent all night too. We saw fresh elephant dung very close by in the morning. Only wish there was a way we could actually see them, would have been so exciting.</div>
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On the last day of the safari, our ranger told us that a lion pride had killed a buffalo a couple of days ago. Since all the buffaloes in Kruger national park have tuberculosis, they were vaccinating two lions at a time. We were taken to the spot on our way back from the evening safari, and we could see the efficient medical staff doing their jobs. The kids were so excited to see this.<br />
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There was a morning when the older kid was quite badly off and so we skipped our safari, but there was a walking safari of 45 minutes, and my husband went with our ranger who carried a gun, into the bush. He did not see any animals, but he got to see some unusual things like the hyena's poop (white because they eat only the bones), and the beginning of a water hole, and a wart hog's burrow that could well be occupied by a leopard (hence the shot from the side and not from front).<br />
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The next morning, we woke up early and after a quick shower and a good breakfast, left the camp. It was the best 3 weeks ever, completely satisfying, brilliantly ended, quite eager to go back home (unlike our usual one or two week ones). But our appetite for bush hasn't been satisfied. </div>
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We had very long drive (5 hours) to the Johannesburg airport, and a 9 hour flight back home to Dubai. We will come back Africa, we loved you!!</div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-33853930333297357602015-08-12T07:53:00.002-07:002016-09-08T06:48:06.314-07:00Our Trip to South Africa (Part 4)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Our drive to Port Elizabeth the next morning was for 2 hours and it was the last part of our scenic garden route drive. We soaked-in every bit of it, the green pastures, the golden fields, the rainbows, the animals, the sunsets, the many different textured and shaped mountains. We were staying at the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g312559-d1186838-Reviews-Ibhayi_Town_Lodge-Port_Elizabeth_Eastern_Cape.html#photos" target="_blank">Ibhayi Town Lodge</a> at Port Elizabeth for just one day, before we took the flight out to Jo'burg for the latter part of the trip.<br />
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We reached PE at around lunch time, and were desperate by now for a good Indian meal (after having great food everywhere for 12 days, we still yearned for comfort Indian food). We hunted for one nearby, and landed for some nice butter chicken, naan and dal at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g312559-d5959698-Reviews-Royal_Delhi_Restaurant-Port_Elizabeth_Eastern_Cape.html" target="_blank">Royal Delhi Restaurant</a>. Seemed to be a local favorite, we saw Indians and others on a weekday afternoon here. Service was good, but the food on hindsight, I admit was quite rich and oily (buttery, to be precise).<br />
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Our night at PE, did not go too well, since the 6.5 year old started a bad fever and cough. With a home delivered burger from Mc Donald's and some quick medication, we spent a disturbed night. The next morning, we returned our car at the PE airport, and flew to Johannesburg. With the help of a friend, we quickly got him some medical attention. Stress out of the way, we sat down for an amazing vegetarian lunch at <a href="https://www.zomato.com/johannesburg/dulce-cafe-bryanston" target="_blank">Dulce Cafe</a>, within the Fourways Life Hospital. The Avo & Halloumi salad and wrap were to die for.<br />
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A 2 hour drive from here on a rather boring route (psst.... compared to the lovely ones so far) took us to Suncity, we were staying at the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g312652-d306616-Reviews-Cabanas_Sun_City-Sun_City_North_West_Province.html" target="_blank">Hotel Cabanas</a> just for one night. We just had to see Sun City, so we stopped here, but we thought it was a destination that was highly over-rated. Its association is more with a few movies, and the fact that it is the first man-made resort etc. The service was very very sad; after being on the garden route and meeting extremely friendly, pleasant and helpful people, this was really a let-down. A Pakistani man at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g312652-d1725955-Reviews-The_Raj_Restaurant-Sun_City_North_West_Province.html" target="_blank">The Raj</a>, was the only guy who was happy to see our family coming in for some biryani and raitha. Suncity was just good for one thing, a break in our 4 hour drive to the latter part of our trip - The Safaris.....<br />
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<u>Safaris:</u><br />
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All Safaris and animal encounters are alike. Except for the weather, the time of the day, the location, the scenery, the animals, the birds and of course, the biggest part, it has to be a lucky one....<br />
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<li>We stayed at places called game lodges which were situated right in the middle of the national park. </li>
<li>Our rooms were tents with four poster beds, open bathroom and toilet (the bed being the barrier, but no doors), no TV, no Internet, no phone, no fridge. (Blissful)</li>
<li>The stay included three meals a day as part of the buffet at the restaurant. We were not allowed to go to the room or the restaurant after 6 without someone from the lodge. This was just to ensure the free roaming animals weren't alarmed by our presence.</li>
<li>The schedule for each day was the same. Early morning wake up call with coffee, then go on the safari, stop for another coffee or hot chocolate and snacks in the bush. Come back for breakfast, rest for a while, lunch, rest for a while, tea, then safari again, stop for some wine or coffee and snacks in the bush, come back in time for dinner.</li>
<li>A ranger who was assigned to us would take us on the safaris and show us the animals and birds, and ensure our safety. Each safari lasted 3 to 4 hours depending on how much we wanted to or got to see. There were hot water bottles and blankets to help us keep warm during the early morning and late evening open drives.</li>
<li>The rangers were extremely efficient, knew what we wanted to see, where to stop, were patient for photo ops, gave us loads of information on all the animals and birds, spotted the most elusive animals in the bush, were extremely pleasant and supportive of the needs of the kids in the jeep.</li>
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<u>Madikwe</u><br />
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The drive from Suncity to Madikwe was 3 hours, most part of this was off-road (thankfully we had a 4x4 Nissan) and we kept seeing impalas, warthogs, cows, donkeys, guinea fowls, forest chickens, mongoose.... But our drive was great and we finally reached the beautiful <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g471868-d617282-Reviews-Thakadu_River_Camp-Madikwe_Game_Reserve_North_West_Province.html" target="_blank">Thakadu River Camp</a> after lunch time. (Thakadu is the name for an Aardvark in the Tswana language of Botswana, so their logo is a black aardvark). Madikwe is on the edge of the Kalahari, and is covered from all sides by mountains. This part of the bush is so full of green in the mountains that surrounds it, yet the ground is brown. The air is really chilly and there are quite a few water bodies. Apart from the common ones like the rhino, elephant, lion, impala, wildebeests, giraffes, we saw the African wild dog which is supposedly a rare sight.<br />
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<u>Pilanesberg</u><o:p></o:p></div>
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This national park occupies an extinct and eroded alkaline crater, and is right behind Suncity. It is surrounded by an industrial area, suburbs and seems like a zoo because it is reclaimed agricultural land. But in effect, about 40 years ago, 6000 animals were released into this park, and they have grown since then, and a large number of animals and birds are roaming freely in the wilderness. </div>
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We checked into <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g312650-d2042370-Reviews-Black_Rhino_Game_Lodge-Pilanesberg_National_Park_North_West_Province.html" target="_blank">Black Rhino Game Lodge</a> in the afternoon, and found that this was a fancier game lodge. It had stand-alone cottage like tents, with fridge, TV, and an unusual open air shower area. </div>
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The highlight of our stay here, was the hot-air balloon ride with <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312652-d4680805-Reviews-Airtrackers_Hot_Air_Balloon_Safaris-Sun_City_North_West_Province.html" target="_blank">Airtrackers</a>, that lasted 60 minutes and floated over the park slowly. One should never assume, that the grey elephant, white rhino, black and white zebra, brown lion, deep brown giraffes are of different colors. It is only when they come together in a park with tall brown vegetation, that one realizes that all these colors camouflage and blend in so well. From that distance up in the air, we could hardly spot them. (See if you can in the pictures below) Expert binocular view is what actually helped us. We also saw the eroded crater in the distance. We were taken to the stylish <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g312650-d308970-Reviews-Bakubung_Bush_Lodge-Pilanesberg_National_Park_North_West_Province.html" target="_blank">Bakubung Bush Lodge</a>, for our breakfast at the hot air balloon table. The buffet was huge and the food was amazing.</div>
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Our longest drive so far was the one from Pilanesberg, up further north. So we broke the journey at this quaint and lovely small town called Dullstroom. As we were close to the place, we noticed the terrain changing and looking like some on the garden route, it was full of green mountains, many water bodies, bridges, winding roads, hilly drives, and we witnessed a beautiful sunset. We stayed at the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g472515-d1487243-Reviews-Dunkeld_Country_Estate-Dullstroom_Mpumalanga.html" target="_blank">Dunkeld Country Estate</a>, which is a great weekend place for fishing, horse riding, golf. Our room overlooked a green pasture where we saw zebras and bonteboks grazing.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">We had a late dinner at their restaurant and after a good night's sleep, left early morning. On our way out, we saw the town slowly and lazily waking up on the Monday morning. A chirpy place served us some scrumptious breakfast. </span><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Restaurant_Review-g472515-d8425040-Reviews-Waffle_Co-Dullstroom_Mpumalanga.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Waffle & Co.</a><span style="text-align: left;"> and their waffles, omelettes, shakes and juices were out of the world. Our next part of the journey, a 4 hour drive up and down and winding around the mountains, was to the spot we want to call the 'icing on the cake'...... our more than perfect end to the 3 week holiday.........</span></div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-68372300827755065482015-08-11T11:48:00.003-07:002016-09-08T05:51:18.295-07:00Our Trip to South Africa (Part 3)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Our first stop was to see elephants at the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312664-d459761-Reviews-Knysna_Elephant_Park-Knysna_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Knysna Elephant Park</a>. It was a bit more expensive than we had expected. And yes, we did go through
that moment of uncertainty, 'Do we want to do this ‘captive animal’ visit'? But,
these were not captive elephants. They were roaming around freely in the open green
fields behind the building that housed their reception and the shed. The park
leaves the shed open, with a lot of warm hay on the floor so that the elephants
can walk in whenever they want, and sleep there. They even have an option of
renting a room on the first floor, for the night, and you can sit out and have a cup of tea and
watch the elephants resting in the shed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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From the shed, they took us into the park which was
essentially the side of a beautiful green hill, in a safari van. We went to a
spot where visitors were feeding some fresh fruits and vegetables to a small
herd of elephants. It was lovely to see them getting excited seeing the colorful
snack buckets knowing they are going to be fed. We were asked to stick to one
ranger who would help us stay with one elephant and take pictures. These were
rescued animals and we saw that the park really took good care of them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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From here, we drove down to Plettenberg for our 3 day stay at<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g312558-d447146-Reviews-Beacon_Island_Resort-Plettenberg_Bay_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Beacon Island Resort</a> on the beach. We rested the whole day and
stepped out for dinner and drove up the hill. Since it was the weekend, <a href="https://www.zomato.com/garden-route/the-table-plettenberg-bay-western-cape" target="_blank">The Table Restaurant & Bar</a> place
was packed and service slow, but the food was outstanding. Their chocolate banana spring roll was really good.</div>
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The next morning we left to do some horse riding with <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312558-d6739510-Reviews-Hog_Hollow_Horse_Trails-Plettenberg_Bay_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Hog Hollow Horse Trails</a> around the hills that stretched out till the sea. It was a breathtaking view, layers of green in different shades, and cattle, ducks, steenboks grazing. The morning was spent well.</div>
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We then drove to <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1382495-d982994-Reviews-Monkeyland_Primate_Sanctuary-The_Crags_Plettenberg_Bay_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Monkeyland</a>, a place where rescued monkeys
are allowed to roam freely within a large area. They are not fenced in, but
monkeys stay within the area since there is constant supply of food. There were
many that were rescued from pet owners and kept in cages so that they can learn
to survive in the presence of other monkeys. Over time, they get familiar with
the others and are allowed to slowly step out and mingle. The kids loved to see and learn about the different monkeys, and enjoyed the walk on the small suspension bridge.</div>
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We wanted an easy afternoon, so we headed back to the hotel and enjoyed the view of the ocean from the window, and also caught a rainbow in the distance. It was beautiful. </div>
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The next morning after another round of sea-sickness medication and some biscuits in our tummies, we went out on our speed boat ride with <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312558-d1520069-Reviews-Ocean_Blue-Plettenberg_Bay_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Ocean Blue</a> to see some humpback whales. It was an amazing ride, and we saw about 4 whales, unfortunately we did not get to see them breaching, but they came up to breathe a few times. We did not get to click any pictures of these, thanks to their quick intake of breath, and the bobbing boat..... but I think the memory is quite strongly etched. (Click on Ocean Blue link for some good pictures of the whales). We ended the ride by sighting hordes of seals, which the kids were very happy about. </div>
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We headed straight for brunch at <a href="https://www.zomato.com/garden-route/nepo-plettenberg-bay-western-cape" target="_blank">Nepo's</a> and spent a lazy 1.5 hours chatting over some amazing omelettes and bread.<br />
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We drove out for an hour and reached the most 'dramatic' coastline at the Garden Route's Tsitsikama National Park. We checked into <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1179426-d459826-Reviews-Storms_River_Mouth_Restcamp-Storms_River_Tsitsikamma_National_Park_Eastern_Cape.html" target="_blank">Storms River Mouth Restcamp</a>, and our camping lodge facing the ocean, was right at the spot where the waves broke on a rock, and they went up to almost 6 metres. It was spectacular, just sitting there and watching them come so close and suddenly go up that high. We did a 2 hour hike on the mountainside and over the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312561-d459827-Reviews-Storms_River_Suspension_Bridge-Tsitsikamma_National_Park_Eastern_Cape.html" target="_blank">Suspension bridge</a> that is built over the mouth of the river (the spot that joins the sea), and got back in time to have a light dinner and go to bed. </div>
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It was really cold, but a glass of some lovely South African wine, a warm bed, and the most calming sound of the ocean, helped us drift off to sleep. Something we badly needed after a long but lovely day.....</div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-35286115669207385292015-08-09T11:12:00.001-07:002016-09-08T05:31:42.439-07:00Our Trip to South Africa (Part 2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<u>Gaansbaai</u><br />
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The much awaited trip from Hermanus was to the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g472522-d1463262-Reviews-White_Shark_Projects-Gansbaai_Overberg_District_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">White Shark Projects</a> (Cage Dive) in Gaansbaai. The morning went smoothly with the kids having an extremely light breakfast, followed by some sea-sickness tablets. The drive took us about an hour from the guest house, and we reached there in time for our trip out to sea. The crew carried a load of fish as bait for the sharks. They then set up the cage on one side of the boat, and let the divers in. The bait was thrown into the water closer to the cage, to attract the sharks that would swim close to the divers.<br />
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It was an extremely cold morning, and we were not keen to dive or go into the cage. But just the feeling of a close encounter with the great whites was extremely exciting. (See if you can spot the great white in the second picture). The entire trip took us a good 3 hours, and we were brought back to the office where we were served a nice warm Minestrone soup to help thaw ourselves.<br />
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From Gaansbaai, we left to <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g1746831-Betty_s_Bay_Overberg_District_Western_Cape-Vacations.html" target="_blank">Betty's Bay</a> that has far more penguins than Boulder's Beach. We walked on the boardwalk to the edge of the water and saw 1000's of penguins and cormorants. It was raining and was really cold, but the kids were very happy to see penguins in such large numbers. </div>
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We were quite hungry by now, and stopped at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.za/ShowUserReviews-g1746831-d7787346-r258216776-On_the_Edge-Betty_s_Bay_Overberg_District_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">On the edge</a>, which is at the parking lot of Betty's Bay. We had a nice warm slice of carrot cake with vanilla ice-cream. Probably the best carrot cake we have had in a long time. We then drove back to the guest house in Hermanus and ordered some dinner from <a href="https://www.zomato.com/capetown/debonairs-pizza-hermanus" target="_blank">Debonair's Pizza</a>.</div>
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The next morning was our longest drive so far, on the garden route and we were heading to the small and open town of Oudtshoorn. This being a cantonment town, there isn't much of a buzz even in the central part of town. We checked-in to the nice <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Hotel_Review-g312667-d483492-Reviews-Hlangana_Lodge-Oudtshoorn_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Hlangana Lodge</a> and rested for a while and stepped out for some dinner. The town looked extremely quiet, with hardly any street lights. This was the first time in South Africa that we really felt a little scared to be out on our own in the evening. So we stopped at to <a href="https://www.zomato.com/garden-route/the-black-swan-oudtshoorn-western-cape" target="_blank">The Black Swan</a>, that had a lot of cars parked outside, and the place was crowded with live music etc. The food here was good, but the service was a bit slow.</div>
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After a night of restful sleep, we set off to see the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attraction_Review-g312667-d459915-Reviews-The_Cango_Caves-Oudtshoorn_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Cango Caves</a>. It was a cloudy day and the 9:30AM drive up the mountain was right through the clouds; every sharp turn that we were driving towards was covered by the fog and it was spectacular. </div>
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The Cango Caves gave us a great view of the Stalagmites and the Stalactites, and our walk into the caves was part of a one hour tour. There is also a 3-hour tour that would have taken us to the deeper parts of the cave where the entrances are much narrower, but we were not keen to do this. I don't know if the kids would have been ready, but we were quite sure that our unfit bodies would neither be able to make it through those entrances, nor handle the low oxygen levels inside.</div>
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On the way back from the caves, we stopped at the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attraction_Review-g312667-d459929-Reviews-Cango_Wildlife_Ranch-Oudtshoorn_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Cango Wildlife Ranch</a>. We have been trying to avoid going to zoos and places where animals are kept captive. But this was different; the big cats here are rescued and taken good care of. They are not fit to be left back in the wild, since they are not fully recovered enough to be able to defend themselves or hunt on their own. It is a well maintained place, but it was an expensive ticket for what we got to see. </div>
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From here, we went to the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attraction_Review-g312667-d459926-Reviews-Highgate_Ostrich_Show_Farm-Oudtshoorn_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Highgate Ostrich Farm</a> which has a guided tour for 60 minutes by the hour. The guide showed us how eggs are hatched in their nursery, history about the ostrich feather that was once a fashion statement, and took us on a guided tour around the farm. We fed the birds, got to sit on one, also got to stand on two eggs and finally saw a 100ft race by the birds.</div>
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From here, we left to Wilderness, a lovely place on the coast. We reached there late afternoon, checked into the most beautiful <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Hotel_Review-g312610-d459732-Reviews-Dune_Guest_Lodge-Wilderness_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Dune Guest Lodge</a>, the hostess who has a small baby maintains this villa which looks out to the beach. The view from our room was lovely, since the wall facing the beach was made of glass. We just sat there and enjoyed the view, hoping to catch something interesting in the distance. This is one place we wish we had spent a little more time in. We headed out to dinner to <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g312610-d2560264-Reviews-Royal_Siam_Thai-Wilderness_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Royal Siam Thai Restaurant</a>, that served us some great food. Since it was the weekend, it was very crowded, so the service was quite slow.</div>
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We left early the next morning to catch the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attraction_Review-g469395-d1788507-Reviews-Wild_Oats_Community_Farmers_Market-Sedgefield_Knysna_Western_Cape.html" target="_blank">Saturday Morning Wild Oats Market</a>. It was so good to be out there and see all the stalls with home made stuff and good food. We spent some time there and drove up the hill to see <a href="http://www.southafrica.net/za/en/articles/entry/article-the-big-tree-in-tsitsikamma" target="_blank">The Big Tree</a>, the view from the top was really nice. The town of Wilderness and the river winding through it, stretching out from the base of the mountain to the sea.</div>
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The small but lively town of Knysna was our next stop but we could not stay there since the hotels were fully booked thanks to the <a href="http://www.oysterfestival.co.za/" target="_blank">Knysna Oyster Festival</a> that lasts 7 days, and is great fun for sports lovers. But we passed through this little town looking forward to our next few exciting stops. The children couldn't wait....</div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-60553464779461527632015-08-05T13:27:00.000-07:002016-09-08T05:19:23.344-07:00Our Trip to South Africa (Part 1)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This trip of ours required a lot of planning. We had three weeks at our disposal and were pretty sure we wanted to do South Africa, since the kids would enjoy seeing animals and birds in the wild.<br />
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We escaped the summer in Dubai and took on a cold winter and rain in South Africa. We needed to be well prepared with winter clothes a.k.a layers, caps, gloves, thermals. Not to forget, the rain ponchos too.<br />
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We took the Emirates Flight from Dubai to Cape Town and landed at about 5 in the evening. It was dark when we did, and could not see the city at all. We were staying at the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g312659-d309207-Reviews-Waterfront_Village-Cape_Town_Central_Western_Cape.html">Waterfront Village Apartments</a>. They sent a mini van to pick us up and take us to the apartment. The two-bedroom place for a four day stay was really lovely. I fell in love with the open kitchen and utility area. The boys enjoyed their room and we enjoyed ours. We saw the lovely sunrise at 5:30, the next morning. A beautiful orange hue to the sky, the apartments, the canal, the giant wheel, made for a nice view from the apartment. But it was very very cold. Google weather reported 5 degrees in Capetown and 50 degrees in Dubai.<br />
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We took a walk to The Watershed nearby and had some breakfast at <a href="https://www.zomato.com/capetown/cooked-v-a-waterfront">Cooked</a>, then took the Big Red Bus to look around the city. It gave us the option of hopping on and off anytime over the next two days, across many routes. We first headed to the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312659-d2083328-Reviews-Table_Mountain_National_Park-Cape_Town_Central_Western_Cape.html">Table Mountains</a> to see the lovely view from the top. The bus took us to the entrance where we picked up tickets to go up the mountains in a cable car (which rotates, so you get 360 deg view). There was also the option to do a 2-hour hike up the mountain, but we avoided it since the kids would not have been able to manage that.<br />
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We spent close to 2 hours drinking in the view of the city, the seas, and the mountain range, and the clouds that form the tablecloth. We also had a picnic lunch up there.<br />
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We then headed out to <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g312658-Camps_Bay_Western_Cape-Vacations.html">Camps Bay</a> for an easy evening and watched the sunset over the sea while the Table Mountains stood behind us. The sand here is almost white, something we had never seen before. We saw dogs being allowed at the beach so it was a lovely sight to see families with kids and dogs having a lovely time. My boys enjoyed running around too, when I got busy clicking pictures.<br />
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We then wanted to have some Italian for dinner close to our apartment, so we decided to try the Waterfront Mall and enjoyed a very tasty authentic dinner (the place was full) with wine at <a href="https://www.zomato.com/capetown/primi-piatti-v-a-waterfront">Primi Piatti</a>. The next morning, after a light breakfast in the apartment, we took the bus to explore the streets of Capetown.<br />
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We spent some time taking pictures of the Market place and the Church behind Long Street, and broke for some good lunch at <a href="https://www.zomato.com/capetown/kings-cafe-cbd">King's Cafe</a>. Next, we were on the bus that took us to the Vineyards. It was drizzling all the time, and we did not get off the bus at all. But the drive up the mountains, past the Bird Park and the Botanical Garden, through two vineyards, was beautiful. The view of the sea from atop the mountains was lovely; so were the winding roads dotted with old colonial houses. We moved on to the historical tour and saw a different side of the old city which was beautiful with its less crowded roads, churches, the castle, and old buildings.<br />
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We then headed to the Mariner’s Wharf and had some fresh fish and chips. The place was crowded and we were asked to be careful with
our bags, cameras, phones etc. The leftover fries were promptly shared with the
sea gulls. Although I am quite unhappy that they got to eat junk-food, they
seemed to be quite used to it and were waiting in flocks for the fries.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our last ride on the bus took us back to our apartment,
where we saw the sunset from the sit-out and
went to bed early. 9am the next day, we had our guide pick us up and
take us to Stellenbosch for our wine tasting tour. We passed green green green
farms, saw lots of farm animals, including ostriches, zebras and some steenboks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our first stop was at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g2290566-d592972-Reviews-Fairview_Wine_and_Cheese-Suider_Paarl_Western_Cape.html">Fairview</a>, where we tasted some wine and
cheese, and picked up some cheese, spices from their store. Second stop was at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312673-d585898-Reviews-Warwick_Wine_Estate-Stellenbosch_Western_Cape.html">Warwick</a>, that gave us lovely wine and the story of the marriage cup. (The husband drinks wine from the cup that is the
figurine’s skirt and the wife from the cup that the figurine seems to be
holding up. When the husband tips the wine into his mouth the other cup tilts towards the wife's mouth. The one who finishes first dominates the marriage. No prizes for guessing which one!!)</div>
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We did go
for some yummy pizza lunch at <a href="https://www.zomato.com/capetown/col-cacchio-pizzeria-stellenbosch">Col Cacchio</a> after this, where we took a break. Our last stop was at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g312673-d2644784-Reviews-Waterford_Estate-Stellenbosch_Western_Cape.html">Waterford</a>, to taste some good wine with chocolates, plucked some tangerines from
their trees and spent some time in their winery, bottling and labeling
factory. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We drove back to Capetown, saw some flamingos on the way,
and through some heavy traffic that was returning to Capetown, reached the
apartment early enough to pack up and get set to leave on the Garden Route.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We woke up early next morning and after a quick breakfast in the apartment,
left to <a href="http://www.rentalcars.com/en/country/za/bidvest/">Bidvest Car Rentals</a> to pick up our car that would take us through the garden route over the next 9 exciting days. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We went straight to Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. We saw
more farms, greenery, mountains and the ocean on our way, and finally reached
the spot. We saw hundreds of cormorants, lot of kelp (sea weed) and some
ostriches closer to the cape. We also saw the lighthouse from the cape point
but did not want to spend too much time climbing up to it, since we wanted to
head to Hermanus before sunset.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On our way to Hermanus, we passed the small but busy Simon’s
Town, where we saw lots of surfers in the sea, a huge flock of gulls. We then
went to <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g319718-d629864-Reviews-Boulders_Beach-Simon_s_Town_Western_Cape.html">Boulder's Beach</a> and walked up the boardwalk to enjoy our first sighting of penguins; they were swimming, dawdling, feeding their chicks, and sitting on their eggs in their small burrows.<br />
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Kids were quite excited. We had a
lovely sandwich at Coffee Terrace (not listed on Zomato), near here in Simon’s Town before we drove to Hermanus. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The drive was lovely and we made it just beyond sunset. Our
lovely hosts (Leslie, John and their friendly dog) at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g312663-d787393-Reviews-Aloe_Guest_House-Hermanus_Overberg_District_Western_Cape.html">Aloe Guest House</a> were waiting for us. With
their warm smiles, they showed us around the house and took us to our family
room which was right at the back in a private space with its own pool, and braai. The bathroom walls were made of glass, looking out into a small patch of a
green garden and a high wall providing enough privacy. Our first experience in a home-stay setup and we loved it already. They recommended
we go to <a href="https://www.zomato.com/capetown/fabios-hermanus">Fabio's</a> for some yummy hot Italian dinner and some great wine, just about 2 mins from the guest house. </div>
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We were happy to get back and hit the sack after a long day. Next morning was our drive to the much awaited activity. </div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-59085095640814019372013-12-04T06:07:00.000-08:002013-12-04T06:07:26.774-08:00Ayush-ism reloaded<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Happy Birthday, Ayush!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: Happy Birthday!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Say Thank you, Ayush, you don’t have to wish me back!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: I am not wishing you, I am wishing myself!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Oh! Why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: Because I want more wishes for my birthday<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Scene: Ayush stubbed his toe on the bathroom door ledge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: Ouch.....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma saw and didn't say anything, hoping he will get over the
small one<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: Mamma, I just got hurt, you don't care about me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: I do, but you didn't cry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: But it hurt badly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Don't worry you will be ok, I stubbed my toe last morning
too, and I was ok very soon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: You are an adult, so you can handle it, but I am just a
baby!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Mamma is still wondering if this one is a 'baby'!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Mamma is sitting with Aryan for his Maths practice.</span></div>
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Aryan: Mamma I am unable to focus since Ayush is singing too loudly<br />
Mamma: Ayush can you go to another room for 5 minutes<br />
Ayush: No please Mamma I promise I won't sing<br />
Aryan: Mamma I still can't focus because Ayush is constantly asking you
questions!<br />
Mamma: Ayush can you talk later? Or can you go to your room for 5 minutes?<br />
Ayush: I want to be here in your room please!<br />
Mamma: Ok then stay silent for 5 minutes, no singing no talking.<br />
Ayush: Can I atleast breathe?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My 8 yr old just proved he is getting close to preadolescence!
Conversation between him and his 4 yr old brother!<br />Aryan: I have asked daddy to rent a 6 bedroom house next time. (Spoilt brat)<br />
Ayush: Why? We always take 3 or 4 bedroom! (Puzzled brat)<br />
Aryan: Because, soon I am going to need a room of my own! (Proof 1)<br />
Ayush: Oh! I am going to need an 8 bedroom house! (Need to compete)<br />
Aryan: Even if I need a room of my own, the whole family will be
comfortable with 6 bedrooms so why do we need 8 bedrooms? (Logic driven)<br />
Ayush: The 8 bedroom plan is not for our family! It is for me, for when I grow
up and live on my own! (Perpetual forethought)<br />
Aryan: Why do you need 8 bedrooms to live alone? (Not environment conscious,
just jealous!)<br />
Ayush: I won't be alone, I will be marrying many people! (Progressive for a 4
yr old)<br />
Aryan: Yuck! I will never get married. (Proof 2)<br />
Ayush: Why?(Shocked)<br />
Aryan: Because it is a silly thing to do! (Proof 3)<br />
Ayush: Then you won't also be able to have children! (All babies are so cute)<br />
Aryan: I don't want to have children either! (Proof 4)<br />
Ayush: Why? (Shocked again!)<br />
Aryan: Because, anyway children hate parents and parents hate children! (Proof
5 & 6)</span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Ayush: Mamma when
you were a child did you play on the iPad?<br />
Mamma: No baby. When I was a child there was no iPad or computers!<br />
Ayush: Why not?<br />
Aryan: Because Mamma was a child in the olden days<br />
Ayush: Woah! Mamma you are so lucky!<br />
Aryan: No Ayush she was actually unlucky<br />
Ayush: She was lucky Anna! She must have lived with dinosaurs and travelled in
the titanic!<br />
(And I am hoping this has nothing to do with my speed greying!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Annual holiday
officially starts......... and here is a conversation at the dinner table....<br />
<br />
Aryan: I want to be on a holiday forever<br />
Daddy: Wish I could too, but not possible<br />
Ayush: Why not possible?<br />
Mamma: Because if you are always on a holiday, you cannot work, and if you
cannot work, you cannot earn money and then you cannot go on that holiday.<br />
Aryan: I don't want to work, I can manage by begging all the time<br />
Ayush: I don't want to beg, because then I will have to live on the streets<br />
Mamma: So, Ayush, will you work hard and earn money?<br />
Ayush: No, I will always take pocket money!<br />
<br />
Now, if only life was that simple....... WTF did we grow up? WTF do these kids
need to grow up?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Aryan: Mamma, is
this Dhokla home-made or ready-made?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Ayush: What is the
meaning of ready-made?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Aryan: Something
that is ready to eat that we can buy from the shop or restaurant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Ayush: So if Mamma
gives us food it is home-made and when Daddy gives us food it is ready-made. Is
that correct?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Mamma: Woo-hoo…..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">What happens when
you have a forty year old trapped in a four year old boy? And a mother who
constantly needs to remind him to come back to reality and stop wanting to be
in a movie all the time?<br />
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The four year old says, "I am now going to switch off the volume of this
noisy movie called Mamma!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">8 year old: Mamma,
what did the cannibal say to the man who irritated him?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><br />
Mamma: Cannibal said 'Stop it!'<br />
8 year old: No, cannibal said 'You are going to get into hot water!'<br />
<br />
4.5 yr old: I don't want to have lunch at the table today!<br />
Mamma: Why not?<br />
4.5 yr old: Because it is a 'dining' table!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">On Mother's Day
Ayush decided to give me a name that he would call me by forever - ogre <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">While trying to
teach Ayush to use fork and knife he told me "mamma wait you are tying my
hands up!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Me: Why are you
sounding so rude, baby?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Ayush: I don't know!
I was born like that!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Some questions at
the Dining Table:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">1. Can you please
make blue coloured khichdi?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">2. Does the agency
put babies in a packet when giving to parents?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">3. When I was in
your tummy what was my address?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">4. Is ear wax made
out of olive oil?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">5. Is salt made out
of cayenne pepper?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 8pt;">6. Can I name my
first daughter 'Whiskey'?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Me: What do u want to wear to play in the
water?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">: I
don't know!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Me: Swim suit?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
No!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Me: Swim trunks?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
No!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Me: Chaddi?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
No!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Me: Then you tell me what you want!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">: I
will wear only my penis!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Am feeling cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Shall I switch off the fan?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: No, maybe a hug
and kiss will be good.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Can you wear your shirt by yourself?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Yes I can! (And wears it inside out)</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: </span><span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;"> look at how you are wearing the shirt!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Oh am so sorry! I got confused! It is ridiculous!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"> Mamma: (speechless.... Is this a 3 year
old talking?)</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Were you a naughty boy at school today?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">3 year old: Yes!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: What do you mean?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">3 year old: I pushed a small boy and hit him on
his head with my waterbottle!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: (In utter shock!!!) Huh? Really? Who....
When.... (Frantic short breaths).... Why..... How....?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">: (Grinning)
I was "joking", and telling "lies", to sound funny!!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: What do cows give?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Cows give us milk!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: What do sheep give?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Sheep give us wool!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: What do chickens give?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Chickens give us eggs!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: </span><span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">, you are very good!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">: I
know one more!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: What?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">: What
does </span><span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;"> give?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aryan: </span><span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> we
are talking about farm animals and birds, not humans!!!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Ayush: Ayush gives us us yellow su-su!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: ROTFL</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Location: Kids' Salon</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Scene: Stylist finishes the haircut</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Stylist to 6.5 year old: Ho gaya beta.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Aryan: Thank you!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Stylist to 3 year old: Ho gaya beta.</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Well done!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ammammai: Ouch!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: It's ok!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ammammai: I know it's ok, but it
hurts!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: It's ok!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ammammai: It is not ok, you should
say "Sorry!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Ok, Sorry!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ammammai: That's alright, you didn't
do it deliberately!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Yes! You know it
was a mistake, no?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ammammai: Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Then, why did you
ask me to say Sorry?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> crying on our
way back home from school!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Is daddy there at home?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: No, he is at work!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
(Crying) I told him not to go today. He should never go to office.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: But if he doesn't work, we won't have any
money!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
That's ok!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: Then we won't have a home, food and
clothes!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Where will we go then?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: We will have to live on the streets!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Also me?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: Yes!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Will you, Anna and Daddy also live with me on the streets?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: Yes!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Yay, then its ok!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kids eating breakfast this morning!</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: After finishing your toast,
have your milk!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aryan: Is the milk sweet?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aryan: Then, I will pretend that the
milk is my dessert!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: And, I will
pretend that the milk is my ‘jungle’!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: You are
a dead person!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Me (Flinching): Why are you saying that?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Because you ARE dead!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Me: How can I be dead? I am talking to you and
playing with you!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">: I
know that, but you are dead.... Because, Anna told me this morning that Mummies
are dead people!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Good Morning, baby! Come let's go brush
your teeth!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Give me five mins more!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: It's already late, baby! By the time we
go, Anna will already be done!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
OK! I got your point!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Mamma, Anna was
about to get hurt just now!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: How?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">: I
will be honest, and not selfish!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: </span><span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">, how come you are using such big words? What's the
meaning of 'honest'?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Honest means 'I won't do it again'!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">(P.S: Anna was about to get hurt because Ayush
pushed him.)</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Scene: Mamma driving at 7pm and </span><span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> fighting
sleep next to me...</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma (Worried about him not having had dinner
or shower): </span><span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush…</span><span style="background: white;"> no sleeping!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Am not sleeping</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: I saw your eyes closing</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
That's not sleeping…. that's called blinking!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: What if I go to Chennai and never come
back? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: I will think you are dead...</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aryan laughs at something that </span><span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> is
doing...</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Shhh.. Not another word from you!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Just when we were leaving for his painting
class!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Today I will tell teacher that I want to make a pterodactyl!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Me: What if she says she doesn't know what you
mean?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Then I will tell her it is a flying dinosaur.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he spoke to Aryan for a few mins and comes
back and...</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Mamma, also pterodactyls are predators</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Mamma, I got hurt.
See, I am bleeding!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: Awww, it’s ok. It’s a small bruise.
You'll be fine.</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
But the skin is gone, so put some new skin..</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: What? How can I put new skin. You don't
get skin... It has to grow over time...</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Yes, you can. You need to go buy it in the bakery!!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Scene: English Grammar lessons practice</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: Aryan, make a sentence using 'special'!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Aryan: Hmmm.... Send me a special snack for
school tomorrow!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: Good one, now make one using 'squeaking'!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Aryan: I heard some squeaking and I found it was
a mouse!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Can I make one too?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: Yes...... Make one using 'very'!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Can I also sing?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: (Puzzled) Yes, even better!</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Why this kolaveri kolaveri di!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #FFFFCC; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> came rubbing
his forehead and crying to me this afternoon.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: Why are you crying?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Anna and I were playing, and he fell on me!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: What happened to your head?</span><br />
<span style="background: #FFFFCC;">Ayush</span><span style="background: white;">:
Anna damaged it...</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush (Very seriously): Mamma, do you have a
bum?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: Yes I do!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Ayush (Genuinely surprised): Huh? Really?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: Yes!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Ayush: Then how come I've not seen it before?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: Because it is a private part!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Ayush: That's not fair!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma: What do you mean?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Ayush: If you can see my bum, you should show me
yours...</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mamma is still reeling with shock!!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: Can u play chess with me?</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: Stop working, come play!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Ok, go get the chess board!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: Here, I brought it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Set it up, I will come<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: Here, I have set up white, you
set up the black for yourself!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mamma: Please, can you set up black
too?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ayush: How many jobs should I do? I
think I have to do ten thousand jobs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Scene: Serving Ayush some puffed rice<br />
Mamma: Ayush, do u want kuwmuwa?<br />
Ayush: What?<br />
Mamma: Kuwmuwa!<br />
Ayush: I am a baby I can't say 'wa', so I say 'wa'. But you can say 'wa'
pwopely, so speak pwopely.<br />
Mamma: Ok, Ayush! Do u want kurmura?<br />
Ayush: See. You sound nice now. When you said kuwmuwa like me, you sounded vewy
silly!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Scene: Reading Hansel and Gretel<br />
Aryan: Mamma, you are a good Mamma. Sometimes you are naughty.<br />
Mamma: Sorry…. Sometimes I am also bad.<br />
Ayush (Matter of fact tone: Didn't bat an eyelid: Pointed his palm at me):
That's because you are a step-mother.<br />
<br />
<br />
Scene: Morning of a school holiday and the mother has some hope of sleeping in.
Kids decide to wake up earlier than usual. Have loud conversations / giggle /
argue /play / fight at 6:30am in their room. Then the 4 year old saunters into
mine.<br />
Ayush: Mamma, its morning. Wake up. Stop being so lazy!<br />
Mamma: Please Ayush, I want to sleep for some more time.<br />
Ayush: You are a Mamma, you should wake up wight now.<br />
To think I make an effort to give them a nice slow loving huggy kissy wake up
call on school mornings..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Mamma:
Where shall we go for our next holiday?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Aryan:
Let’s go to Alaska.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Let’s go to Pangea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Me:
Ayush, be gentle with Anna’s car<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Everyone has to learn to share.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Me:
And you have to learn to talk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
I already have!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Me:
Ayush, please step out of the room, Mamma needs to change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
So, why should I step out? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Me:
Because you should not see people changing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
But you have no private parts!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Me:
What do you mean, you have no private parts?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
You told me, remember? That you don’t have a penis?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Scene:
This morning when he was sitting on the pot.... Was pensive for a bit and
then.......<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Mamma, are you ok?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Me:
Yes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Are you sure?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Me:
Yes, why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Are you feeling unwell?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Me:
Not at all, but tell me why!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
You have been very well behaved, and haven't shouted at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Scene:
Waiting for a blood test at the clinic. Pointing to the laboratory.....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Mamma, did you see that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Me:
What?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
That pathologist is testing someone's su-su.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Scene:
Real estate agent is walking in with prospective tenant into our Mumbai home to
show him the place<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Who is that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Mamma:
He is an agent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
What does he do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">I
gave him the answer and both of us went back to what we were doing while the
agent took about twenty minutes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">to
look around, and finally said bye and left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
(Vocabulary is very strong, yet stumbles here and there) Mamma, has the oxygen
left?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Mamma:
Who? Oxygen? What does that mean?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
That man who helps people find homes...... you told me he is a real estate
oxygen!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Scene:
We went to pick up some reports from a nursing home nearby. He met a very old,
extremely frail, nightie clad lady walking in the corridor. She asked him a few
questions about his school, class, teacher and he chirpily answered her.
Then.....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Is this your home?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Old
lady: No, this is a nursing home!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Then, why are you wearing a nightie?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Old
lady: Because I am unwell and I am admitted here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Why, what happened to you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Old
lady: I had fever and pain in the stomach, so I am getting treated here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Do you have pain now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Old
lady: Yes, I have pain, and I am old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Are you going to be better soon?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Old
lady: I don't know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Then, why don't you just die?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Old
lady: That is what I am waiting for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Good!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">We
are walking around in the park. Mamma: Come let's go up and come walking back
down.<br />
Ayush: No, 'you' should follow 'me'!<br />
Mamma: Why?<br />
Ayush: Since I say so!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
Scene: Dinner outside, orders given, and we get our food served at the table.<br />
Ayush: Anna, what are you eating?<br />
Aryan: Mysore Masala Cheese Dosa!<br />
Ayush: Show me....<br />
Aryan pushes the plate towards him, and Ayush gives it a good look, peering
into the rolled up dosa and....<br />
Ayush: Anna, but where is the Mysore??<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Ayush:
Mamma, will you read these two books to me?<br />
Mamma: Yes! But I will clear up the kitchen and come in ten minutes.<br />
(After ten minutes I go to him and he is sitting with my book on the sofa!)<br />
Mamma: Ayush you are waiting for me so sweetly. Thank you for your patience..<br />
Ayush: Huh? Patience? I don't have any unwell people here with me!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-19537574284862163962013-09-26T21:21:00.001-07:002013-09-26T21:21:19.873-07:00My birthing story.....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #141823; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">"The baby does momentarily distract you
from what you have gone through. It almost feels like yes, it was worth the
unnecessary intervention. But that’s just transient. Don’t ever believe anyone
who says, ‘When you hold the baby, you will forget everything.’ Because every
woman remembers everything about her pregnancy and delivery (although there are
flashes of amnesia), and recounts it whenever she is sharing with another woman
who had gone through the same, perhaps, worse. Your birth story can very often,
scar you for life. Talking about it, sharing it, even documenting it can help
you come to terms with it. Sometimes this can take months, sometimes years.<span class="textexposedshow"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #141823; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #141823; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">This part
of Lalita Iyer’s book “I’m pregnant, not terminally ill, you idiot!” got me
thinking. We really should be sharing our stories especially the ones we don’t
want to….. So here I go…..<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #141823; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #141823; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Pregnancy
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #141823; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #141823; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Ate
for two and put on oodles of weight, and had to walk up and down my hall way in
the middle of the night farting and burping away all the gas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #141823; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #141823; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Used
to wake up several times in the night, sweating or screaming. Thanks to the nightmares I had – being fully
pregnant in the middle of the train track and petrified of the engine coming
towards me; clouds loudly abusing me when I walked to my office complex; going
for a trip with my friends and seeing ghosts who tell me they will take my baby
away the day I give birth….<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #141823; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #141823; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">It
felt nice to strut around with a belly without being conscious about having a
paunch and being asked ‘Are you pregnant?’ when I actually wasn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #141823; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The
3D scan in my second trimester totally creeped me out. Imagine being scared of
your own baby, especially when the doctor said, ‘Baby is smiling and waving and
saying hi to Papa!’</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">The end of second and the
beginning of third trimester saw a surge in my libido. Got desperate enough to
see a bald, potbellied, jerk in the bank and was imagining being in bed with
him! And, of course ended up in bed with a frightened husband instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">A month before the baby was
due, the nesting instinct took over, and I cleared up two shelves in my
wardrobe and stocked it up with nappies, cotton jablas, onesies, wrapping
clothes, diapers, wet wipes….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Birthing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">I was desperate to have a
normal delivery and did not even want an epidural. My mother who had four
deliveries without any pain killer shots, told me it is the best thing to do,
and I believed her and felt inspired in her presence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">As luck would have it, my water
broke 4 weeks ahead of time and had to be rushed to the hospital. The
sonography showed the baby having a cord around his neck and that warranted a
C-section. And I was petrified of epidural (heard stories of back issues,
paralysis, neck pains) and went for a GA. The baby was born and didn’t breathe
for 12 seconds and had to be given oxygen for 45 minutes to revive him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">I was up the second day because
it was boring to lie down and take rest all the time. I wanted to read the
paper and check emails and respond to sms’es, and walk to the nursery to see
all the babies and walk to the pantry down the corridor to see what was
cooking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">Having the baby in my room
every two hours to feed him felt like I was handling a new gadget without the
instruction manual. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">I chose to have a C-section for
the second baby, because, he went beyond due date, my back pain started getting
really intense and I wanted him out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">When I was sleeping like a log
after the surgery, the nurse put the baby to my breast without even waking me
up and I was pissed at her and the baby for spoiling it all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">I was discharged in 3 days, and
the baby cried all night and never slept. The older one went to school and came
back fully charged in 3 hours to spend his whole day with me. I was at wit’s
end on the third day and actually went back to the hospital for 3 more days so
someone could take care of the crying baby while I slept. And finally returned
home when I found a night nurse, I even cribbed and cried that I should not
have had a second baby. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Breast feeding<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">I died of the pain of
engorgement after both the deliveries. I actually had nurses helping me pump it
all out, because I was tired of doing it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">I fed my older one for 18
months and exclusively for 6 months. After 18 months, I had a bad winter
allergy cough which refused to go even after medication for 2 months, at this stage
I had to stop breast feeding since the doctor put me on steroids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">I fed my younger one for 1.5
months. He was a winter baby and nobody told me I needed to moisturize my
nipples, and they cracked like crazy. Every feed time I was in acute pain,
pumping didn’t work, engorgement hurt, and I used to cry when I fed. My older one
once told me ‘If this new baby is making you hurt so much, why don’t you go and
leave him in the hospital?’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">Then one morning the baby spat
up some milk and I saw blood in it, I was traumatized and we got him tested and
a complete checkup revealed that my nipple was oozing blood with my milk
(Yuck…….. I know that is disgusting!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-IN">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-IN">With that I ended the saga of
the breast feeding in 1.5 months and it was a blessing in disguise. I spent
more quality time with the older one and they bonded better with bottle feeding
being the highlight of the day for the older one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">So there, now start sharing yours…………<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-51844268737775898682013-09-22T00:53:00.003-07:002013-09-22T00:53:47.013-07:00I'm pregnant, not terminally ill, you idiot! - I loved it..........<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
You could call me biased, and totally loyal to one of my
close friends, Lalita Iyer! But I would love to shoot all those people who
claim to have written pregnancy books. I am guilty as charged for reading them
and following them, but always always knew that there was something very
important that I was missing. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I never was able to put a finger to it, and gave up trying
once I finished the baby making, baking and birthing business.…. Until one day,
when I laid my hands on “I’m Pregnant, Not Terminally Ill, You Idiot!”, and
found what I had really missed…………… a real pregnancy book, with some real
answers and, most of all, the feeling of not being alone in those supposedly
weird situations and thoughts that ran through my head when I was pregnant.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We should go out drinking with other pregnant women to bitch
and swear and share the lousiest moments of pregnancy with, instead of
pretending to be what those stupid books and movies expect us to be. There is a
lot of joy in having a baby, yes…. which is exactly why I decided to make not one
but two, but there are also some really difficult, tough and
never-happened-to-anyone-I-know kind of moments one faces during pregnancy. And
I so truly agree with Lalita when she says that the mother of the mother-to-be
is the only one who shows sympathy and acknowledges your experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I found myself smiling, laughing, crying, sighing with
relief, but most of all nodding to every word and line in the book. With
Lalita, I travelled 9 years back in my life, and rekindled every emotion, only
this time with answers</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While every reader may have different things to take away
from the book, I, much to my husband’s chagrin, took away this: “I want to have
another baby, please!” I am pretty sure Lalita didn’t intend it, but I want to
finally enjoy and live out a pregnancy in the real world with real feelings,
and most of all get into it knowing what is going to hit me! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you Lalita Iyer for one of the most enjoyable reads
ever. There is a charm to reading a book written by someone you know
personally. It was almost like sitting on that sofa at home with a mug of hot
diluted South Indian Kaapi and chatting with you. The topic was heavy, but the
read, breezy. The lovely details in the black and white illustrations give the
book so much life. My 5 year old has scanned through them a million times and
loved them too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I must confess that I have read it a couple of times already
and can’t wait for another one from you! <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-82490293721402756242013-08-26T08:59:00.002-07:002013-08-26T10:58:53.624-07:00Of Birthdays and Courtesies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Dictionary in my head defines Birthday as “A day meant
to wish people to celebrate the day of their birth. An opportunity to hear
their happy voices, to show them I remember and I care enough to make that call
once a year. A sure way to catch up atleast once every year. And mainly, the
desperate need to wish on the same day to keep the charm intact!” The same
dictionary also defines Courtesies as “Being thoughtful, polite, grateful and
nice to people!” Unfortunately, the same stupid dictionary also defines Expectations
as “Hoping people would do and be the same towards me!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have celebrated 6 of my birthdays with parties organised
by friends and family – surprises, candles, cakes, birthday songs, gifts, the
works! People have celebrated the rest of the 32 with me, with midnight visits,
midnight calls, gifts, flowers, greeting cards, calls all day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Slowly over the last few years, emails would pour in too,
from people who could neither make calls nor send messages but who preferred to put a
personal note on email. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then came FB, reminding my friends, family, acquaintances,
friends of friends, acquaintances of acquaintances with a “Today is Sailakshmi
Deepak’s birthday, write a birthday wish on their timeline!”, and gave them an
option to wish me, and they did. It was a godsend for those who would have
otherwise forgotten, a pain in the neck for people who don’t really know me, a
chance for people who genuinely care and wanted to wish me, an additional
channel for some who wanted to send me more and more wishes, a general news feed for those others who are addicted to FB and have no clue of who and
where I am, and maybe even forgot who they actually did wish, even 2 mins later!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Soon there was WhatsApp, BBM and free SMS, for people who
actually remembered and wanted to send a message to me. Over time, I saw this
perfect </span>down-slide<span style="font-family: inherit;"> of </span>personalized<span style="font-family: inherit;"> wishes. Finally, I ended up moving to Dubai
being completely out of bounds for local and national calls. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have been trying to swim against this tide for too long
now. I foolishly call people and say hi only to hear a very puzzled ‘Really?
You just called to say hi?’ Then they say ‘Oh that is so sweet of you’ and get
totally chatty and it feels like old times. Or they say ‘Ok then if it isn’t urgent, I will call you
back or give me a couple of hours am in the middle of something’ and most of
the times they never call back nor do they take my second call. Also, I
stupidly call all my closest friends and family for every single birthday and
anniversary of theirs only to hear ‘Thank you, thanks for remembering and you
never fail to call!’ and we get totally chatty and catch up on stuff. Or they
say ‘Hey thanks ya, can I call you back?’ and they never ever do. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I totally understand that where there is expectation there
is always disappointment. So I am a bit stunned by this feeling I am going
through. FB asks me what I am feeling and I started putting up this long write
up and thought it makes for a good round of rambling, so here it is. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, yesterday was my birthday. It was hugely different from
the 38 I have seen so far.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My family and friends are the best, undeniably the best, but
my birthday was a totally disappointing one. Numbers don’t lie, and neither do
I.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Number of people I made personal calls to, in
2013 for birthdays and anniversaries = 44</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(Data from my diary where I note down
important dates and ensure I call them personally without caring about which
part of the world they are in. And ensure the kids sing a birthday song for the
ones who they know very well!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Number of Emails sent, Skype calls, Gtalk calls and
Phone calls made in 2013 just to say Hi and saying ‘I miss you’ = 200 approx. to
about 50 people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(Data not accurate because I don’t track my
local, std, isd, skype, gtalk, talkonaut calls to see how much time and money I
have spent on keeping in touch, and understanding that people always hesitate
to make STD and ISD calls.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->August 25<sup>th</sup> – My birthday (With due
respect, love, appreciation and gratitude to all those who made this effort)</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">a.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->No. of phone calls – 5</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">b.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->No. of Skype calls – 4</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">c.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->No. of emails – 4</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">d.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->No. of WhatsApp and SMS messages – 8</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">e.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->No. of calls I made to get wished – 1 (I wasn’t desperate;
I know this forgetful friend would guilt trip herself later and I wanted to
save her from that!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 72pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Facebook Messages – Over 200, and I have
personally replied to each and every one of them. And I already said what I
think about FB wishes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So this evening when I checked FB, it said “What are you
thinking?” I really wondered “What was I thinking?” and all those numbers
stared into my face reminding me that I am the biggest fool ever. Nobody
celebrates birthdays anymore, nobody celebrates a person anymore! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Nobody can ever give the smile on a birthday girl’s face,
when she sees the name flashing on her screen knowing a warm wish is coming her
way. Nobody can ever experience the charm of hearing the happy voice of a
birthday girl when she knowingly takes that call. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Nobody can ever hear my happy birthday voice or see my happy
birthday grin for another 364 days even if he/she tried. Too little too
late.....</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And for all those who don't believe in Birthdays and Celebrating theirs....... You grew up too soon, that child in you has gone to sleep for way too long!!!</span></div>
</div>
Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-2993627739311819922012-12-13T19:49:00.002-08:002012-12-13T19:49:55.265-08:00Potty Talk<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;">An old post - actually 3 years old....</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;">Parents are expected to teach kids that certain topics are not to be discussed in public, one important category being what happens inside the bathroom. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;">My 4.5 year old has taken a fancy for talking about precisely this – POTTY. He loves the topic....and we have no idea why! Thankfully, we are subjected to the dialogues only for 10 mins a day, while he is doing the job! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;">He gets very offended if we tell him firmly, not to talk about it... He assumes we don’t want him to talk at all. Then he tries haggling... “Can I say just one more sentence and then stop?”, “There is just one thing I need to say”, etc etc. So we let him finish and hope that it would be the last time we would need to discuss it. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;">When we try and ignore the talk, he makes himself really really loud and clear. “Mamma, you know how much I did today?”, “Daddy, I did hard potty!” </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;">There are times he sounds so gross, yet funny, that we end up in splits, and that is exactly the reaction he seems to be waiting for. These times, there is just no stopping him. I am deliberately avoiding the dialogues, because I really don’t know how many of you will want to read them! But all I can say is that the descriptions that we get are comparable to the cricket commentary coming from Harsha Bhogle. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px;">With these different approaches, one would think that he would start losing interest, but the crowning glory is this afternoon’s dialogue, when he skipped his routine. “Mamma, my potty seems to be having too much fun inside my tummy, it is refusing to come out!” – Characterisation is the last thing we expected ... or wanted! </span></div>
Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-8129437344956898782012-12-04T03:02:00.001-08:002012-12-04T03:02:15.377-08:00Ayush-ism....... <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Conversations I enjoyed with the feisty 4 year old in the last 2 years......</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Me: What do u want to wear to play in the water?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: I don't know!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Me: Swim suit?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: No!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Me: Swim trunks?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: No!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Me: Chaddi?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: No!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Me: Then you tell me what you want!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: I will wear only my penis!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Am feeling cold.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Shall I switch off the fan?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: No, maybe a hug and kiss will be good.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Can you wear your shirt by yourself?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Yes I can! (And wears it inside out)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Ayush look at how you are wearing the shirt!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Oh am so sorry! I got confused! It is ridiculous!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"> Mamma: (speechless.... Is this a 3 year old talking?)</span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Were you a naughty boy at school today?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">3 year old: Yes!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: What do you mean?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">3 year old: I pushed a small boy and hit him on his head with my waterbottle!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: (In utter shock!!!) Huh? Really? Who.... When.... (Frantic short breaths).... Why..... How....?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: (Grinning) I was "joking", and telling "lies", to sound funny!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: What do cows give?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Cows give us milk!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: What do sheep give?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Sheep give us wool!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: What do chickens give?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Chickens give us eggs!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Ayush, you are very good!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: I know one more!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: What?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: What does Ayush give?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Aryan: Ayush we are talking about farm animals and birds, not humans!!!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Ayush gives us us yellow su-su!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: ROTFL</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Location: Kids' Salon</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Scene: Stylist finishes the haircut</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Stylist to 6.5 year old: Ho gaya beta.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Aryan: Thank you!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Stylist to 3 year old: Ho gaya beta.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Well done!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ammammai: Ouch!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: It's ok!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ammammai: I know it's ok, but it hurts!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: It's ok!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ammammai: It is not ok, you should say "Sorry!"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Ok, Sorry!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ammammai: That's alright, you didn't do it deliberately!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Yes! You know it was a mistake, no?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ammammai: Yes!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Then, why did you ask me to say Sorry?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush crying on our way back home from school!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Is daddy there at home?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: No, he is at work!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: (Crying) I told him not to go today. He should never go to office.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: But if he doesn't work, we won't have any money!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: That's ok!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Then we won't have a home, food and clothes!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Where will we go then?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: We will have to live on the streets!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Also me?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Yes!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Will you, Anna and Daddy also live with me on the streets?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Yes!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Yay, then its ok!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Kids eating breakfast this morning!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: After finishing your toast, have your milk!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Aryan: Is the milk sweet?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Yes!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Aryan: Then, I will pretend that the milk is my dessert!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: And, I will pretend that the milk is my ‘jungle’!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: You are a dead person!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Me (Flinching): Why are you saying that?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Because you ARE dead!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Me: How can I be dead? I am talking to you and playing with you!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: I know that, but you are dead.... Because, Anna told me this morning that Mummies are dead people!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Good Morning, baby! Come let's go brush your teeth!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Give me five mins more!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: It's already late, baby! By the time we go, Anna will already be done!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: OK! I got your point!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Mamma, Anna was about to get hurt just now!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: How?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: I will be honest, and not selfish!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Ayush, how come you are using such big words? What's the meaning of 'honest'?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Honest means 'I won't do it again'!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">(P.S: Anna was about to get hurt because Ayush pushed him.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Scene: Mamma driving at 7pm and Ayush fighting sleep next to me...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma (Worried about him not having had dinner or shower): Ayush… no sleeping!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Am not sleeping</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: I saw your eyes closing</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: That's not sleeping…. that's called blinking!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: What if I go to Chennai and never come back? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: I will think you are dead...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Aryan laughs at something that Ayush is doing...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Shhh.. Not another word from you!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Just when we were leaving for his painting class!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Today I will tell teacher that I want to make a pterodactyl!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Me: What if she says she doesn't know what you mean?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Then I will tell her it is a flying dinosaur.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Then he spoke to Aryan for a few mins and comes back and...</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Mamma, also pterodactyls are predators</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Mamma, I got hurt. See, I am bleeding!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Awww, it’s ok. It’s a small bruise. You'll be fine.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: But the skin is gone, so put some new skin..</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: What? How can I put new skin. You don't get skin... It has to grow over time...</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Yes, you can. You need to go buy it in the bakery!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Scene: English Grammar lessons practice</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Aryan, make a sentence using 'special'!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Aryan: Hmmm.... Send me a special snack for school tomorrow!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Good one, now make one using 'squeaking'!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Aryan: I heard some squeaking and I found it was a mouse!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Can I make one too?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Yes...... Make one using 'very'!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Can I also sing?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: (Puzzled) Yes, even better!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Why this kolaveri kolaveri di!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush came rubbing his forehead and crying to me this afternoon.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Why are you crying?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Anna and I were playing, and he fell on me!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: What happened to your head?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Anna damaged it...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush (Very seriously): Mamma, do you have a bum?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Yes I do!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush (Genuinely surprised): Huh? Really?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Yes!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Then how come I've not seen it before?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Because it is a private part!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: That's not fair!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: What do you mean?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: If you can see my bum, you should show me yours...</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma is still reeling with shock!!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Can u play chess with me?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Yes.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Stop working, come play!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Ok, go get the chess board!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Here, I brought it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Set it up, I will come</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Here, I have set up white, you set up the black for yourself!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Please, can you set up black too?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: How many jobs should I do? I think I have to do ten thousand jobs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Scene: Serving Ayush some puffed rice</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Ayush, do u want kuwmuwa?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: What?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Kuwmuwa!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: I am a baby I can't say 'wa', so I say 'wa'. But you can say 'wa' pwopely, so speak pwopely.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Ok, Ayush! Do u want kurmura?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: See. You sound nice now. When you said kuwmuwa like me, you sounded vewy silly!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Scene: Reading Hansel and Gretel</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Aryan: Mamma, you are a good Mamma. Sometimes you are naughty.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Sorry…. Sometimes I am also bad.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush (Matter of fact tone: Didn't bat an eyelid: Pointed his palm at me): That's because you are a step-mother.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Scene: Morning of a school holiday and the mother has some hope of sleeping in. Kids decide to wake up earlier than usual. Have loud conversations / giggle / argue /play / fight at 6:30am in their room. Then the 4 year old saunters into mine.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Mamma, its morning. Wake up. Stop being so lazy!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Please Ayush, I want to sleep for some more time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: You are a Mamma, you should wake up wight now.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">To think I make an effort to give them a nice slow loving huggy kissy wake up call on school mornings..</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Mamma: Where shall we go for our next holiday?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Aryan: Let’s go to Alaska.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Ayush: Let’s go to Pangea.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-19783834277244991772012-04-25T06:12:00.000-07:002016-03-07T22:32:43.352-08:00What women's day means to me!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today is Women’s Day! I believe everyday is Women’s Day, and I don’t think there needs to be a special day to celebrate being a Woman. I also don’t believe in Woman Power and the desperate need to be <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">equal </em>to men.</div>
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If I shut my eyes today and look back at the 40 years that have passed by; there have been so many achievements that I am proud of. At the same time, there are many incidents that have left me unhappy, scarred, but I look at them more as experiences.</div>
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As a kid, I enjoyed being a little sibling to my first sister who is 12 years older to me. I saw a mother, friend and role model in her. My second sister who is 10 years older to me brought the balance in my childhood by being the home-bound one since she is physically handicapped. She gave me warmth, silence and the much needed feeling of being accepted for the whacky kid that I was. I found it a matter of pride to be the daughter of a mother who lost her husband when I was all of 5 years old. Growing up in a household full of women, achievers in their own way, I don’t see the need to acknowledge anything special or powerful. An all-girls school and college gave me more opportunity to see achievers in academics, sports and arts. When I stepped out of college and went on to complete my computer course and joined work, I started having the opportunity to meet and interact with men. I realized that my perception of woman power hadn’t changed, since I continued to see that women excelled in every field.</div>
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Now I am all grown up, and live with 3 boys! It does make me feel special because they make me feel like superwoman. So..... I do not need a particular day to celebrate it!</div>
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As a mother, I would love to teach my kids to respect women for what they are and the choices they make. But that is something I would teach them about every human. Hopefully they will get there.</div>
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I don’t think I will ever teach them the significance of a Women’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day etc. If they happen to pick it up from school, newspapers or from friends, they can get fair and true answers from me if they want to know….. but that’s about how much I will do for Women’s Day!<br />
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All you people out there, stay happy and stay blessed, today and everyday.</div>
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Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-33192252955813046962012-04-25T06:08:00.002-07:002012-04-25T06:08:27.110-07:00How my kids have fun while building their vocabulary!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My 6.5 and 3 year old boys are using big words all the time, and it is all my fault. Ever since they were born, the one thing that I have been doing consistently is talking to them like I would, to adults. Of course I enjoyed, and still enjoy baby talk, but only when it comes from them.</div>
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While this bit has ensured a strong foundation, the vocabulary building has happened over time – literally. When they have more than 5 minutes, and they know they can’t run around or play with their toys, they never say “Mamma, we are bored!” because they know that Mamma is always ready to play word games. We play while waiting at the restaurant, doctor’s clinic, drives, time on the flight, sometimes even when they are on the pot in the morning.</div>
<ul style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rhyme Game</b> – My son would say a 3 or 4 letter word and we would take turns calling out a word that rhymed with it. That’s easy! But I also taught him how to find them. For example, when he said ‘try’, I would ask him to replace the first letter with another, in the order of the alphabet, so he would mouth out ‘ary’, ‘bry’, and say an excited ‘cry’, followed by ‘dry’ and along the way learnt new words (with meaning of course) like ‘pry’, ‘wry’ and so on. Now we have progressed to starting with ‘hive’ and rhyming it with ‘chive’, ‘drive’, ‘five’, and brilliantly connect that ‘live’ can be pronounced in two different ways, and learning new and longer words like ‘naive’, ‘survive’ and so on. It is a beautiful experience.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Beginning and Ending Game</b> – We both would decide to make as many words as possible that began and ended with a particular letter. He would say, start with ‘p’ and end with ‘t’, and we would take turns saying ‘pot’, ‘pet’, ‘pant’, ‘part’, ‘pest’, and I knew he was thinking of words just like we did in the rhyme game – put the letters in the middle in the alphabetical order. But now, he has progressed to ‘paint’, ‘protect’, ‘prominent’, and sometimes learns on the way, that ‘primate’, ‘procrastinate’ actually end with an ‘e’.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Association Game</b> – This is a game that even the small one enjoys playing. He says a word that comes to his mind and the next person says an associated word (connected to the first one’s). For example, if he says ‘cycle’, his brother says ‘bell’, and I say ‘jingle’, and we go on with ‘christmas’, ‘snow’, ‘winter’, ‘wool’, ‘sheep’, ‘farm’ and it is endless fun. Sometimes you can introduce a new word here and there, since they will remember better when there is an association. Sometimes, when they come up with the weirdest of links to words, I stop and ask them to actually associate it, and it is so amusing or wondrous how they can connect so beautifully. (My small one once connected ‘pasta’ to ‘doctor’ and his association was “I had pasta for snacks in school today, and when I took the plate back, I fell and hurt my knee, and we had to visit the doctor!”) Actually, this is my favourite game, because it is simple, breezy and is enjoyed by my 3 year old as well as my 80 year old mom.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Word Building</b> – Say a word and the next person says another starting with the last letter of the original word. He would say ‘car’, I would say ‘rat’, and this could go on to ‘table’, ‘egg’, ‘gas’, ’soda’, ’airplane’, ’enter’… Now we add challenges to this and just play with a theme, and the current favourite is names of cities / countries / continents – where he has to build the word and tell us if it is a city or a country or a continent…… so it would start with a lot of fun and mostly end with frustration of landing up with ‘Australia’, ‘America’, ‘Argentina’, ‘Antarctica’, ‘Austria’, ‘Asia’ and then a desperate attempt to change the theme to another favourite which is names from the animal kingdom – where he also needs to tell us if it is a bird, animal, predator, carnivore, raptor, marsupial, mammal or reptile. Over time, you could make this a <b style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Connecting Word Game </b>and start with ‘coffee-break’, ’break-fast’, ’fast-track’, ‘track-suit’, ‘case-file’, and of course give up or go on….</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Three Letter Game</b> – We started playing this last year when he was about 5 years old, where one player (THINKER) thinks of a three letter word (KEYWORD), and the other one (FINDER) tries to guess it by saying some more 3 letter words. Thinker now has to say 0, 1, 2, 3 depending on how many letters in the Finder’s word actually match the Keyword. Suppose, Keyword is ‘rat’, Finder says ‘sip’ and Thinker says ‘0’ (no match). If Finder says ‘not’, Thinker says ‘1’ (‘t’ matches). If Finder says ‘try’, Thinker says ‘2’ (‘r’ and ‘t’ match)…. and the Finder has to use the same letters in more words and try to find the Keyword. The rule is to use words with as many letters as the game, so you can’t use ‘pop’, ‘add’ ,’mum’, ‘tall’, ‘pasta’ etc. Over time, one can progress to challenges like finding the keyword within 20 turns, or trying to find 4 or 5 letter words, and this will keep the kids totally occupied.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Difficult words </b>– We play this 5 minute game where I deliberately use only difficult words when I talk to him. It could be regular conversation about anything. For example, instead of “Don’t run on the lawn!”, I say “Refrain from running on the lawn!”, or instead of “I want some water, it is so hot!”, I say “I need some water to quench my thirst!”, and I sometimes introduce idioms like “Pot calling the kettle black!” or “Cock and bull story!”. And it is so interesting to hear them ask for the meaning and try their own examples using the new words.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Silly words </b>– We play this 5 minute game where we make deliberate silly mistakes in grammar, pronunciation, sentence structure, word usage and giggle away until we split our sides laughing. For example, “Mamma, are we going where?”, “We is on our way in the zoo!”, “Can you pass me the remote? I am thirsty!”, “Thank you for brunging the towel!”. Although I suggest, nobody play this game too often, lest we have children forgetting the correct usage forever!</li>
</ul>
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So while the dads are body building, moms are image building, let the children do some vocabulary building and have some fun at the same time! And I specifically warn all parents that these are addictive games, so all the best!!!</div>
</div>Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475417083005343573.post-80145418047875852672011-08-11T10:21:00.001-07:002011-08-11T10:21:45.622-07:00Is it right to write?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 34.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A month ago, I was informed by my 6 yr old son’s teacher that he needed to brush up his writing.....now, I know for a fact that he speaks very good English and is extremely fluent. With a bit of probing she clarified that she meant ‘formation of alphabets’.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 34.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 34.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">His books anyway reveal many red marks and remarks on his writing. This is because he changes his font (calibri / comic sans / courier new / Georgia) from line to line. He has a logic to everything, and the one he gave me for this is – “I hate writing, so I tried to do something different in each line. Now my page looks beautiful, not really boring anymore!”<span> </span>As a parent, yes, I was filled with glee that my 6 yr old was imaginative, creative, and I needed to help him explore this side of him. But as an Indian school student’s parent, I was left with no choice but to tell him that he could do all this in his rough book, but had to stick to rules (however boring and hateful they may be) when it came to his class work. The teacher herself suggested that I keep erasing every bit of incorrect formation until he gets it right. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 34.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 34.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One weekend later, he looked around for a pen that I needed, and, much to his amusement, he didn’t find one. He came back with a grin saying “There is no pen in this house, and that means, nobody writes, so why should I learn how to”? True to his observation, any writing happens on the laptop and so it set me thinking. Why don’t we just teach the kids how to type instead? He is already familiar with the qwerty keyboard, and although he uses just his right index finger, he loves typing things in a word file, and was very happy to find the spell check function. Now he is questioning the need for dictation. I am yet to figure out how to answer that. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 34.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 34.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The educational system isn’t really keeping pace the rapid evolution of human intelligence, so I started looking at games online that taught children how to type... and learnt that some states in the US have introduced typing for kindergarten kids. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 34.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 34.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yet, just two days ago, I was chatting with a friend of mine who has a 9 yr old daughter. While we were busy exchanging notes on kids, schools, maids, classes etc, I happened to mention about the feedback that came from my son’s teacher. Up until that moment, the 9 yr old girl was completely lost in a game on her iPad with her head down, back hunched, right index finger-tip moving vigorously on the screen. She looked up now, and plainly said, “Why bother writing or typing? Ask him to use the Dragon dictate app, it just needs voice”!</span></div></div>Saihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03571073804350310908noreply@blogger.com6