Deep Ties

  There is this little guy who has a strong hold on all our hearts, and stays there – our very own swashbuckling Sam. He is all of five going on six and a curious blend of ‘the life and soul of the party’ and ‘a bull in a china shop’, but he does make his presence felt.                                                                                                       Vecteezy The other day we were all having a conversation in the car when he responded to something I said with “I am sarcastic!” I was flabbergasted that he even knew the word. When I asked him the meaning, he stumped me further by replying – “It means to say something and mean something else.” That’s Sam for you. We take him swimming with Zo and for the entire ...

  The Sheer Joy of Reading Facebook Yesterday, Zo, Sam and I sorted out their bookshelf in the lounge. The little ones have so many books of their own that P had to shift her books into the bedroom cupboard. I have always believed that books are the most attractive adornment in any room. So, there we were, sorting out books according to their sizes, with Sam meandering off to a corner wanting to read a book he had not seen in a while. There were drawing and puzzle books, loads of unused diaries, sheets of the children’s artwork, story books and long illustrated volumes. Putting them in order was therapeutic. Zo warned me not to keep anything on the two bottom shelves because of the dogs’ keen interest in books. As people around the world celebrated Easter, it was time for us to move out of the house as well. We had been invited by V’s parents for an Easter lunch, and it was a wonderful occasion, with P having organised games for the little ones, four of them, and for us adults as...

Quick-Fix used to be the clear glue that could fix anything in the past. I think it was replaced by Fevicol, that was rumoured to fix broken hearts, and even had a Bollywood song to glorify it further. Fevicol Se was a popular number from the movie Dabangg 2 which was a Salman Khan blockbuster.                                                                                              YouTube The first time I heard of the term 'jugaad' was when P turned two. G, my better half and I had gone birthday shopping for her and we came across a cute dhoti salwar in red and black. We both loved it on sight and picked it up, confident that the little missy would look wonderful in it. It looked something like the orange outfit below, except that it was a single piec...

  What we call 'return gifts' back in India are 'party packs' here in Johannesburg. No birthday party is complete without these. Since we were here well in time for Zoya's special day, we went to one of the China malls, which is the haven for gifts, little, medium and big. The above-mentioned shop stretches out with arrays of articles, from birthday treats to homeware and knick-knacks for every occasion. I remember picking up a collection of stickers - stars and smileys, plus bright little accolades like 'Well Done' and 'Good Effort' which always come handy in school.                                                                                                Joburg.co.za So, there we were, traipsing down the aisles, scouring the shelves for ...

  When we leave home for the mall, it is like an oasis , calm and serene, with everything worth chewing or destroyed placed high above where the dogs can reach. When we get back, there is often an ominous silence within. Archie, especially, the little beagle, has proved that he is a trifle obtuse , but obstreperous . He is at sea about what he wants to destroy but particularly stubborn that something, or very many things, should be (destroyed)!                                                                                              Dreamstime.com Bronn, on the other hand, is king Solomon, the calm overseer who stares into the distance, disowning his pesky companion, preferring not to be involved in his outrageous activities. Not long ago, he...

  Zo had a netball match yesterday after school. So, P, Sam and I made it to the venue, which was another school, by Uber. P had thoughtfully packed snacks for Zo as she felt she would be hungry. Of course, there was a special hamper for Sam who is a bit of a foodie. “At least that will keep him busy!” was the experienced mom’s remark. When we got there, the match had already started. We spotted Zo at the end of the field defending the goal as the action swirled around her. She wore a jersey with GK on it which stood for goalkeeper. She did not have to do much in the first match, except wait for the players to come towards their goal, and she looked a wee bit overwhelmed. We kept cheering her on, and she kept smiling listlessly waiting for the ball to get to her.                                                               ...