A's

I like to believe that Im a pretty practical person but superstition does get the best of me, a lot of times. I end up following not-so-crazy but still strange and weird superstitions. Its a matter of belief I guess.

One of the absurd things I remember doing was, having a very strange dislike to the people whose names began with A. I have no clue why, probably some experience at some point. Let me also add that this was valid only for people of the opposite sex! Smart me!

B was never part of the list, since he was addressed always as B and never as A. Most boys in the school were victim to this invisible list and the minute I heard someone's name, I became judgmental. But this did change. I eventually did have some very close friends whose names begin with the alphabet and it also turned out that D's partner also shared the alphabet, my first and most supercool boss has a name with the forbidden alphabet and now I have cute lil niece who is named with, ....guess what! :) The reason I remember this is because Im doing an assignment of alphabets and Im trying to figure which one to choose.

We humans are so strange sometimes. Im yet to identify with this strangeness in me. 

Blue Sweaters and Orange Oranges!

Winters have been special for us kids of the C family. Since we went all over the countryside, we saw all kinds of weather, from melting summers to freezing winters, irrespective of the fact whether we liked it or not.  Most places we have lived in till now have had extreme winters and we have enjoyed every bit of it.

Going to school in winters was difficult but extremely enjoyable. The morning started with a hot-water bath, followed by wearing layers and layers of warm winterwear ,with supershort school skirts and completed with a beautiful and smart blazer. This was followed by drinking a hot cup of milk (and making faces after that) and giving a sweet lil kiss to M dear. We ventured into the thick fog to get to the bus stop at 6 :15 AM and D and I held each other tight when we felt colder! The bus journey included tasting the hot food that M packed for us!

Things changed when D started working. Nights weren't that great to come back for her, it was as cold as cold can be and she used to sneak into my blanket and warm herself and she ending up sleeping in the same blanket at most times!

This reminds me of the time, I bought a really nice light sweater in bright blue and it fitted perfectly. The sweater was a witness to a lot of things. D went out in it looking oh-so-pretty and sometimes matched it with a red jacket or a perfect pink stole. I on the hand wore it while I went to play and also to formal parties! It was one of the best clothes we shared!

Folks at home were also the winter loving kinds. M did all sorts of things to keep us warm and safe, cooked the best meals possible, loving us slightly more than usual. M was also found to be unusually active through winter days and D and I took advantage of it by making her do all things fun with us, including bubble blowing sessions and shopping for non-sensical stuff.

One of the most beautiful memories I have of winters at home is the orange eating session. Every winter afternoon, post lunch, it was mandatory for all the members of the family to bask in the sun and eat oranges. The peeling was done by B (since we all hated the orange smell that lingered on our fingertips) and then they were equally distributed amongst all of us. B was enthusiastic all the time and cracked jokes, told stories and we all laughed. M always finished the event by giving us something sweet to eat. When B wasn't home, we managed to keep the tradition alive by eating it sans him but remembering him all the time.

Its been years since we all did the whole orange eating routine and now after a long time, Im wearing the same blue sweater, eating oranges in the sun, alone in my balcony,with the juice of the oranges lingering onto my fingertips.

Sunday Market Pleasures

Ahmedabad is famous for its bridges that connects the Old City to the New City. There are 6 major bridges in the city, named after famous personalities. One of them is the Ellis Bridge, which very well designed and it also happens to be famous for the Sunday Market that is laid out under it, every sunday (duh!)

The Sunday Market is an experience. One of a kind. Early morning shops are setup and vendors call out to their customers selling almost anything imaginable under the sun. Clothes (mostly second hand, washed ones), utensils, speakers, old books and magazines, tools, cycle spare parts, strange and not easily found antique items, birds in cages, goats, stationery items, rat catchers, baskets and what not! The rates are also very reasonable and there is scope for bargaining. The market closes at sunset.

I have been wanting to visit this place for a long time and finally found the time and opportunity, this sunday. I reached the Ellis Bridge to find it super duper crowded. I was warned by a kind man to be careful of my wallet and belongings, should I be victim to the pickpocket vultures in the market.

All guns blazing, I squirmed my way through the narrow people and animal infested mud road. I took a deep breath and looked around, my eyes lit up to find so many things that I would have never imagined to find in a place like that. I walked around, smiling to myself, clutching my wallet to dear life!

I wanted to buy a few, quirky and exciting things that I may not be able to get on a regular day. After walking around, inspecting the area, looking at prospective purchases, here's what all I bought:

1. A tool for gardening, also called Khurpi in Hindi. (Rs 15)
2. A cycle air pump (Rs 80)
3. A Political Map of India, in Gujarati (Rs 10)
4. A slate and some colourful chalk (Rs 15)
5. A stand to keep my teacups (Rs 40)

I was mighty pleased with my purchases and went out of the market smiling, looking back at it and promising myself that I would come back for things I didn't find this time! 

Distancing and Distances

Its one thing to have distances (physical) and one to be able to create them (physical and emotional). Its a rather difficult process and sometimes I feel the need to create them between things, people and at times, even places around me. I feel that its important for one to grow, as an individual and be able to face things that may come one's way. Its not the easiest thing to do, I have learnt but I feel the need to do it suddenly.

I dont want to be hopelessly attached to things and then find it difficult to let it go. (Well, thats what I tell myself)

Its probably a state of mind, its probably not. 

This is a first

To keep my sanity and some creative writing skill alive, I'm going to try and blog-down my everyday experiences, my whininess, my happiness and contentment of things around. Its purely a personal blog where I want to be me.

Shall we start today?