Sunday, March 08, 2009
March 2009 Bangalore Update
March 3, 2009
A few friends were in my neck of the woods (i.e., area) so I went to Little Italy with them.
Molly went to a birthday party today, and Charlie to Jelly Beans. Basically, the only thing Molly will miss Jelly Beans for is a birthday party.
March 4, 2009
What saves all moms--especially stay-at-home moms? Playdates. Diya came home with Molly and Anupama with Charlie. All well suited for each other--no fighting. Anupama is one-of-a-kind: hates dresses, narrates Goldilock and the Three Bears as it's being acted out on stage, is absolutely adorable, and dances to her own tune.
March 5, 2009
Went to the Polish movie tonight with Badri and Priya, then Kush joined us for dinner at Queens on Church St. A little hole in the wall restaurant with terrific Indian food at great prices. Priya and Kush go out to dinner more than any other couple I know in Bangalore, and know all the great inexpensive places.
March 7, 2009 Milestone: Prediction Machines Incorporated Today
Today Badri received news that his new venture, Prediction Machines, Inc., has been incorporated in the U.S. We'll just keep our fingers crossed that all continues on the smooth path.
Went with Molly and Charlie to the School for the Deaf. Made a donation in the name of a group of friends for Andrew's 40th birthday party.Since Maya has chicken pox, Badri brought Molly and Charlie to our friends' Sheena and George. They'd been planning a get together for Neev graduates from Maya's class: Melvin, Dhruv, Maya, and another girl--so it's too bad that Maya couldn't join in.
Tonight we went to Andrew's 40th birthday party at Oye Amritsar along with six other of their favorite couples: Brigit and Hugh (New Zealand), Sarah Salmon (Ben recuperating from minor surgery--Australia), Jessica and David (Sweden), Gabriela and Scott (U.S. and Mexico), Alice and Andy (U.K.), and Jackie and Martin (South Africa). The ambience there on the rooftop is excellent. The only minor hitch is that they'd recently renovated and hadn't worked out the kinks on the power source. We were plunged in darkness a few times.
After eating, we headed over to Taika for some dancing.
March 6, 2009
Maya gets chicken pox. off school. pragya here for playdate. vandana doesn't mind if she gets it.
Badri went for mtg with Ms. Jhumki, Maya's teacher. Thought it was time he got close to the teacher. Figured I'd do all the talking if we both went.
Playdate here with Kirsty.
Then to "Katyn", grand finale of Polish film festival, by director Wajda.
March 7, 2009
March 8, 2009
Mercifully, slept in. Maya was up in the night feeling itchy and feverish. Had a very relaxed day. Went swimming at the park with Molly, Charlie, and Priya, Kush, Kavi, and Sveva.
Today Molly and I were laying on the bed reading, and she looked at me and asked, "Mom, are you Australian?" "Why?" I asked. "Cuz you have blue eyes." I guess the people she knows well and sees most with blue eyes are Kirsty's family: Australians.March 9, 2009
Molly to Khushi's for playdate. K & M will go to different schools next year.
March 10, 2009
Maya and I went to a Polish photo exhibit at Time and Space gallery on Lavelle, then went to Mocha for a treat, where Maya wrote out postcards for ...
Went to a talk on Microfinance in India--Banking for the Poor. The Professional Women's Group of Overseas Women's Council organizes a guest speaker every month, and Eric from ? spoke. Lots of great people there--polish woman w/ woman met thru SIETAR
March 11, 2009
Sis in law Malani called. Apu will go to Vasanth Valley school. Malani will go to Delhi end March and transfer to DNA there. Talked about going north to the foothills in Oct/Nov with the families
Tiki here for lunch. Organized party
Maya horseback riding 2 of 10
Molly had a great time getting a haircut by Lucy at Passion.
March 12, 2009
visit Janaki Auntie. Now staying at IIM with Rishi and Kajoli
Kavi and Sveva came over after school. Priya in Goa doing yoga with Debra at the moment.
March 13, 2009
Again, from the mouths of babes: "In my next life I want to be Jemila," Molly says after she's looked at the dress we're giving Jemila for her birthday. She took one look at the dress, bowed her head, closed her head, moved her lips in prayer with her hands in prayer position. When she looked up I asked her what she was doing. That's when she told me she wanted to be Jemila.
My friend from yoga class, Kala, came over for lunch today. We'd both stopped doing yoga at Acharyas, where we met about five years ago, but met up again at the yogis' visit last week. She's such a serene, good humored person. The good humor I think I have, but the serenity--not like her.
Chloe's third birthday is today, so Kirsty and Andrew came over with a gigantic Barbie birthday cake to celebrate. Lots of laughs and fun. Badri was there, too. Chloe adores him and they have a joke between them that they always go back to: when Chloe gets hurt and cries, she says that Badri pushed her even if he's not been in the same room.
Molly, meanwhile, went to Jemila's birthday party and had a blast. She managed to part with the beautiful dress and gave it as a present.
Sarayu came over and we went to Shiro's. My first time there. It's a new shishi restaurant in town, voted best decor, best ambience, etc., what they call a resto-lounge. Had a great time catching up with Sarayu until someone told me: "Aren't you a little old to have a five year old?" This is coming from a pudgy looking middle-aged English bloke. I was too shocked to retort. Only later I thought, I should've said, "Aren't you a little young to be senile?"
Coming home, I realized I forgot my keys. It took quite a while of tossing pebbles up to our bedroom window before Badri heard us and opened the door. Gotta get spare keys.
March 14, 2009
Went to Veronique and Emmanuel's house for lunch and a kiddie pool party. She's one of the best cooks I've ever met. One day we had dinner at her house and one of the guests was gushing about her cooking. Emmanuel said the only bad thing about that is that people hesitate to invite them over for dinner because they're afraid their own cooking will pale in comparison.
In the evening went to Marylouise's birthday party at Sheena and Suresh's.
March 15, 2009
So nice when people who've lived here come back to town for a visit. Actually, it doesn't happen all that often! Marion Leslie came for a work trip and Jessica, Marylouise, and I met her for dinner at Rim Nam. She's still as hilarious as ever. Her funniest story: she works from home one or two days a week, while hubby Phil stays at home with daughter Josephine, about three years old. At 5 pm on the days she's at home, she quietly leaves her home office, then walks in the front door, shouting, "I'm home!" and Josephine comes running, having no idea mummy's been there all day.
March 16, 2009
Khushi and Shyam came home from school for a playdate today.
March 17, 2009
Maya's Gotcha Day, as well as St. Patrick's Day. Went to Hard Rock Cafe for dinner.
March 18, 2009
Swam with Kirsty at the Park Hotel pool in the a.m., and went to Kitty's for lunch.
Mira and Pragya came home with Maya for a playdate and we made sugar cookies.
March 19, 2009
Swam with the kids at Park Hotel today.
Movie night at Priya's with her and Kirsty. Forgettable film
March 20, 2009
Maya horseback riding. 3rd of 10
Tiki party for pre-going away for Priya, Jessica and Kirsty. Raaga catered
March 21, 2009
To Aditi to measure uniforms with Maya
Birthday party for Tarika and Ankitha. Went with Maya and Charlie.
Jemila slept over -- her first ever
Charlie slept over at Kavi's. His first sleepover away from home
Maya to Mahika's for a playdate
March 22, 2009
To Aditi with Charlie to try on uniform
March 23, 2009
To visit Janaki Auntie. next round of chemo tom'w. endometrial cancer metasticized to colon and liver
Charlie playdate at Shyam's
March 24, 2009
Molly graduation
March 25, 2009
Maya horseback riding, 4 of 10
Badri boys night out with Manoj, Vandana's husband, Pragya's dad
March 26, 2009
swim at Park and lunch with Priya
March 27, 2009
Hannah here for playdate and sleepover
March 28, 2009
to Bheemishwari fishing camp w priya and family
March 30
Iccha and Kavi here for playdate
March 31
last Jelly Beans
Molly to Khushi's birthday party at McDonalds on Old Madras Rd
Maya to Chinnappa in Langfordtown. she was bitten by a dog again, and I wanted to find out from Dr. if she needed a whole new series of rabies shots
