One big happy family.....

When I got back in touch with my friends from school and realised that a lot of them were in Bangalore, I was totally excited! And then the more I thought about it, the more vary I became. We had not met in ages and all of us would have changed a lot. Would we still be able to connect with each other? By the time I was done thinking and thinking about us meeting, I was a quite nervous and was convinced that we were all going to hate each other! Despite my apprehensions though, I still decided to go along and meet them anyways.....
That would have to be one of the bestest decisions I made! It was the same school magic at first sight! All of us took to each other like there had been no gap at all.....in fact, it was better than school!
Now, I so look forward to us catching up. We dont meet often enough but each time its so amazing, we're all so comfortable with each other....its like being with my family. And in a way that is what we are, one big happy family :-)
Leena

The temple bell.....

There was a time when you take either Sai and me to an antiques shop and we would not come out without picking up loads of stuff...... Even now we are more or less the same but at least we are a lot more restrained :-)
We were driving from Thrissur to Coonoor around 4 years back and chanced by an antiques godown on the highway just before Coimbatore. Of course we had to stop and take a look! The thing with Sai and me taking 'a look' is that we lose all sense of time in bookstores and stores with antiques. And our one look must have easily lasted at least 3-4 hours! But 3-4 very well spent hours because we loved most of the stuff he had and managed to pick up some wonderful pieces like this bell.
It hangs at the entrance of one of our projects (Temple Bells) now and it looks stunning there. A perfect setting for the piece.
Leena

At the right place at the right time.....

Beautiful things happen every day, every hour, every second.....to be at the right place at the right time witnessing it is just plain luck! Sai and I were very lucky a few days back on our way to site. We wanted to take a look at the site as they were winding up work for the day and so headed out just as dusk was setting in. We reached the Horamavu Lake at the perfect time to see this amazing view. Sai just stopped the car in  the middle of the road, jumped out and froze the moment.
Leena

Tiny little Minnie.....

Whenever I think of  Minnie, the picture in my head is the way I saw her for the very first time.....a tiny tiny little mouse, all big eyes and sleepy :-) She is the tiniest pup I ever held then and I was mesmerized!
It was soon after I moved to Bangalore and one of my first few client meetings. Arati and Sundaresh had just got Minnie home. I dont remember how old she was then but she was tiny, tiny tiny! She slept during the whole meeting nestled warmly in my palm. And I sat as motionless as possible so that she wouldnt wake up. She fit so perfectly in my palm and she slept so peacefully......
Now when i meet her, shes all grown up and  a confident, fiesty young lady.....and my first thoughts are always of her sleeping in my palm. A memory I'll forever treasure.
Leena

Goodbyes......

It is one of the hardest things to do - saying goodbye. Even when you know that its not forever, its still really really tough. And when you are starting on a whole new chapter in your life, walking from things which are familiar and taken for granted to something which is new and unknown and at the same time exciting.
Nowhere can you see the emotions a goodbye more vivid than on a brides face during her vidaai....
Leena and Sai

They come and they go....

When we figured out that we were going to have pups, I was the most worried. Pups are as huge a responsibility as babies and we had enough on our hands already! Worrying didnt get me anywhere and Tiny had 8 beautiful pups...4 male and 4 female. The first 3 weeks were good....the mother took care of them and they were too small to move around and do anything much. And then after the 4th week, they started walking confidently and the havoc started!
8 little pups are really tough to contain and they were all over the house, trying to climb stairs and run between the furniture, play with my older doggies and nibble anything in sight! I'm not even going to talk about the amount of poop and pee! At that point all I wanted was to try and get them homes as soon as possible....wanted them out of my hands!
They are 43 days old today and 4 of them went to new homes yesterday and I miss them. The garden seems totally empty without all 8 (+ 3) of them bouncing about fighting with my plants! The box they sleep in is looking waaaay to large for the 4 of them left and mealtimes are just not the same....
4 more to go to different homes and our home will not be the same......
Leena

Tiny little steps....

Its always an amazement for me when I see Alia trying to do things that we've long since taken as part of our being. The first time she rolled over was a total fluke! She kept trying and trying and suddenly flipped over much to her amusement! And then she kept practicing till she perfected it. Then she struggled to sit up straight till one day that also happened. I watched with wonder when she started standing the first time and was swaying all over the place trying to find balance! I used to be near her ready to catch her in whichever direction she would fall but in all the swaying, there was a balance which only she was sure of. And then one day the crawling began! A whole new world opened for her, She could go from place to place all on her own! She has totally mastered that...she'll win races for crawling if there are!
Now, she has started taking her first tentative steps alone and i am in awe! She gauges how far away her target is and if its a few steps away then she slowly steadily lifts her feet and walks over. Its so cute to see something we take for granted being done with such care and precision! Soon she will be more confident till like us it'll be second nature to her......how time flies....
Leena

A time to cheer....

The best thing about festivals nowadays - everyone celebrates everything with gusto! Be it Diwali, Christmas or Eid, the whole idea is to have fun and have more reasons to enjoy and spent time with family and friends. And we all wholeheartedly do that now.
Its such a warm feeling to wake up, check your facebook account and see all the fabulous pictures put up by friends.....everyone having the best of holidays and all the joyous smiles :-)
I'm loving the season....more reasons to smile and smile....
Leena

The special bond....

One of the most precious bonds would have to be that of a dad and his daughter. I know from experience and I am seeing that happening everyday right in front of my eyes. Its the sweetest thing.....Alia's face lights up as soon as shes sees her 'dhaddy' and she cant wait to jump into his arms! And dhaddy is her own amusement park...all the rides rolled into one person! How she loves being flung all about by him and chased by him and tickled by him.....it definitely is a special special bond....
Leena

Maternal instincts.....

It kicks in and then there is no letting go! I had never thought of myself as anything close to maternal. I like babies and all things small but from a distance. I can smile happily and play with them but for half an hour to an hour maximum. And then it happened.......Maximillian came into our lives!
We saw him 3 days before we brought him home and i liked him but nothing else....the day we picked him up, Sai was settling things with his foster parents while I held him in the car....he was a tiny cold ball of white fur! He snuggled up against my chest and nuzzled my neck and love happened! Instantaneously! All my latent maternal instincts kicked in and how! So much that I'm thinking of the moment tying this out and I've tears in my eyes...happy fond warm lovely joyful tears :-)
I'm trying my best not to get attached to any of the pups at home now....not letting any of them come anywhere near my neck! But two days back, one of the braver pups, climbed up the stairs and came running to me.....I couldnt help but snuggle him!
Love happens and there is nothing you can do to stop it! I'm learning this again and again and again....
Leena