Dear friends let's thank the almighty for giving us one more opportunity to say "Merry Xmas" to our friends,  family members, well wishers and those who are dearer and nearer to us.

               Wish you a

    " Merry Christmas "

Greetings

A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to the world!
~ Charles Dickens

As ever,
Rajeev.

Merry Christmas And a Happy New Year

We Wish you all a Merry Christmas and A Happy New year, May 2011, bring many more happy healthy beginings to you all and your families.
Whats everyones vacation plans? Stay at home.. work..? visiting families.. hope you all find some time to catch up.
Hope to see more news from you all. Have a Blast. wishing you all and your families the best. Any get togethers?Keep in Touch.
take care. God bless you all.
.

What am I up to these days?

It has been a steep learning curve in this new position and there is a lot more to go. So, life has been busy. I am also taking some courses outside of work and that has kept me busy as well. And then there is family life....

I have been hopping from conference to conference mostly within the province, but to those of you who know Canada it is a big country - geographically speaking.

Arul is going for tenure this year, so he has been very busy with that process. James is doing fine in school and this year he is actually enjoying school (Whew!)

But in spite of all that we managed to host a good Diwali part with 25 some people and we are looking forward to Christmast Holidays ( Now I get them too :)). We will be staying home for Christmas.

We hope to go away for holidays during our spring break and then again in May.

Hope you guys are all well (and are probably busy as well). But let us keep this blog alive.

Love to all,
Maha.

Happy Diwali

Prem said he wanted a post but he likes to read- Not write!!!!!
We have Venki who does a lot of speech's, now I am sure, but no time for Writing on this blog.
Miller too busy working? Gladi comes reads, if i tell him there is a post,he is so busy too like the rest... Rajeev what happened to you? Murali does he come online?.
Maha new job must be very busy.. suni... ?
Roshin has her hands full.. rest of u all..?All of you are working,then house work,i am at home don't find time..!!!
I was busy with a house full of guests.A break before next guests come.
Hope and wish you all a happy Diwali, may the season bring all of you and your families the best in the years to come.May You and your families have great health and happiness.
Now prem, i hope you and others don't just read and go back to busy lives.. please stop and comment in the chat box or in the comment box.I am sure everyone of you have your busy hectic schedules.Please take a few mins to lighten your lives and others. Take care.

Reva's arangettam

Here are pictures of Venky's daughter's arangettam yesterday evening. Annie, Grizilda, Prem's family including his sister and son were there. Couldnt get any pics of Annie and Griz as they left before the programme got over.

Flagstaff

This was a national park called walnut willow park. We stopped here on the way to grand canyon. These were the homes of early Native Americans(cliff dwellings)wonder how they reached it/lived.we were able to access a few.
serene place. sat on a rock and waited for others.narrow paths with deep gorges .Climb up was worst.Nature is just amazing.

Bhatt Family

I got into our blog today after my trip to India and was shocked to see this message. I have such fond memories of the whole family. I spend many evenings at their place and had such wonderful meals with the family. I always looked forward to maam's meals, they were a welcome change for me from the hall meals. I used to walk with Poopy and Priya in the evening all around the campus, they used to take me to all the remote areas of the campus where none of us would ever try to venture. They were a loving couple, they cared and respected for each other so much, it was a treat to watch them. I used think lucky are those people who truly find a soulmate in their life. There were days when maam got back from work and she felt very tired and would go and lay in her bed and ask sir if he could massage her legs and sir would very lovingly do it for her, those images are still fresh in my mind. I also had the pleasure to introduce Jay( my husband) to them and Jay has been able to meet them many times after that. He loved them so much. He will be shocked to hear such a sad news. Sir was the reason I chose a red saree for my wedding. He had suggested me to choose a red saree since the color red is very auspicious. True or not I really feel blessed in my married life. I had such a great time with them. I will miss them a lot. They have been a great part of my life and will continue to be. Sir and Maam are truly great souls and I feel blessed to have known them. They will forever be in my heart and their kids in my prayer.
I hope the kids are able to cope with the loss of such wonderful parents.

Sunita-

Obit 2

Mrs. Radha Bhatt passed away yesterday at her Chennai residence. She had been ailing for the past two months. Had various complications including diabetes, fibroid, I hear.
Such an energetic and pleasant lady, she was. I cant forget the rasam and rice she fed me some afternoons when we were visiting sir. They had seemed such a happy and content family.

The Party

Was Happy to see the New Party being floated in TN and Venky playing a crucial role. Residents of Chennai can see Venky picture in Banners and posters all over Chennai and I am sure TN. All the very best Venky.

Cheers.

Tight-rope walk?

I wonder how they put the clothes on the line on a daily basis?

Jesus and Christ

Just through with reading Philip Pullman's The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ.(Maha, I assume you have read it.)
It comes as a handy book for beginners too, especially in understanding some aspects of Jesus' life and his teachings. But as the author says, This is a story, and an atheist's interpretation of the life and death of Jesus. Hence good Christians might not exactly appreciate the book. The book portrays Jesus and Christ as twins, and how one betrays the other unwittingly.
But altogether a good narrative and an easy read (which is expected as Pullman is a children's writer). But beneath the seemingly easy prose, there are complex  theories, thoughts and questions for us to ponder. I particularly liked the Garden of Gethsamene soliloquy, which reflects some of my doubts and fears.

April....Happy Easter.

Pull a fast one on your friend and celebrate your friendship on April Fools' Day.

Happy Easter.
Wishing everyone to new beginings. Easter fills us with hope, joy and warmth. Hope you all enjoy your easter eggs, chocolates, egg hunting and all the other things you all plan on doing.OR a day of rest!
May there always be baskets of Easter goodies in your life.
Have a great week end.
Hope this brigtens the day after the previous blog!!!!!!!

40 th Birthday!!!!!!!

Soon or some may have already reached the 40th birthday.
My hubby turned 40, 1 card he got for his birthday,had me thinking , shortly i would be following hmm.. already aches pains, our parents better than us!
Thought would share the words of the card ,you guys may enjoy it too!
First one said
On your 40 th birthday
The
secret
to staying

young
is
eating Right,
Exercising,
Taking your
Vitamins,
Getting Plenty
of REST...
(inside the card)
And Lying About your Age!

Tryst With Nature

This year on New Year day decided to spend some quality time with Nature with a Wordsworth Poem in my heart..

I WANDERED lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Creek

......Enjoy.

Decline on medical treatments.?

There has been a lot of recent deaths of family and friends due to the same factors which you all mentioned.
They go with pain, they are told nothing on EKG/ no Bp they send u back.. there were cases ,where the patient goes back and then they are told wait, we will send u to another hospital: we don't do it.(kerala). (my hubby's uncle passed away Feb 8)
The patient leaves to be with God. Leaving behind grieving Family ,friends and relative.With thoughts what if we had gone there,or what if i had done this.Lot of this seen .
last time ,i was visiting India,my grand auntie came visiting me(some of you met her) she had swelling on her throat and was tired. one look made me think she had cancer,it took them weeks before she could get admitted and surgery done,her son had come here to help with his sister(undergoing cancer-related issues) .I was surprised they did not push surgery ,although they told her to hurry.
She wanted to wait for her son to come back. After all that, now they have given her time!Her daughter is still fighting for her life. They both don't know each others situation.
I have had Personal experiences in North, where i put my foot down on their treatment methods ,flew back to mds and got just a cream from my local Dr.stopped all the medicines from North .Few days i was better. while i was under treatment with antibiotics which caused ulcers,painful,iodine treatment for month.There was a incident when i went with severe pain, the night duty Dr prescribed meds. My hubby ran got it. I took it and had severe side effects.. told him, he took me back next morning and the morning duty Dr,who had just come in was mad ..she asked which "idiot" gave u this. I told them their Dr, she charged out gave a dose came charging back tore the prescription!
Many incidences i can tell, i know each one of you have your own to tell. I find here too, one has to be careful.Regarding Good Dr coming here,some of us like having Indian DR for treatments,some of us run away from them.Because of their careless attitudes or bedside manners or their money minded nature .We have urgent care system where we can go and they will do x-rays, blood work, prescribe medicines thats open till about 10.Thats where we go, when your regular Drs office is closed. Emergency, if we go we land paying 100$.(With insurance) You pay before they start treatment.
Recently , an Indian Dr was arrested locally for insurance fraud for millions of dollars.Here we ask each other look up Internet sources also check with other Dr.before we take any major decisions.
Another decision of ours we put off, thanks, to 3 different Dr opinions.
Some are Good, its in their system to help.They tell us your insurance will not cover,or will give only so much before they give us a heavy bill.They tell you pros and cons.

some study to become Dr giving money with less marks (back home )one is always worried.Dr also are guessing our problems(one good example).Last time i was in for pain,swelling, the Dr I had were not Indians they told me , sorry ,don't know why- we have to go fishing, well they fished by sending me to all sorts of painful prod, poking, scanning tests and came with- maybe one kind of arthitis and said few names.. no meds,nothing: but pain swelling came down.Still when too hot or cold my fingers, toes swell up.Part of age catching up.
May God bless all of them.

My day

Some pictures from today - pineapple cake, Arabian dinner, bouquets
from hubby and colleagues for the first time ever and catching up with
some long-lost cousins. Just what I needed to make this day the
bestest bday in my 30s.

What I'm reading

Hey guys,

I just finished reading "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova. It is the story about a Harvard professor who is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers is widespread here although from what I seehear it is not as common in India. Scientific papers (I've read) show our curry powder, esp. turmeric helps fight Alzheimers. Anyway it was a good read. I would recommend it.

It struck a chord in me because my maternal grandma who's in her 80's is doing somethings similar to that of the main character in the book. But her family won't get her checked for it because they firmly believe it is her age. Maybe I am just paraonid.

Anyway, read it and we can discuss if you like.

Oxymoron

An oxymoron is usually defined as a phrase in which two words of
contradictory meaning are brought together:-

1) Clearly misunderstood

2) Exact Estimate

3) Small Crowd

4) Act Naturally

5) Found Missing

6) Fully Empty

7) Pretty ugly

8) Seriously funny

9) Only choice

10) Original copies

And the Mother of all......

..

11) Happily Married !!!! (Pls take this in a lighter vein !! )

Fantasy land

1. A Hollywood set for flash floods, tankers bursting into flames, mountians..
2. This is where different Disney costumes are made.

We drove to Disney in Orlando (Florida) during Christmas vacation. B-i-l came with his daughter. We drove though Virginia and South Carolina - saw beautiful snow-covered trees and mountainous regions). Halted in a motel for the night. Kids enjoyed the halt as 3 of them were throwing up.
Coming back, we took the Georgia-Atlanta-Ohio route. Saw scenic distant hills, countryside, lakes, rivers. We stayed in Atlanta.
Ohio had snow fall and roads were bad, traffic was real slow, many cars in front of us skidded and was stuck in the ditches... police, accidents. We were blessed with a slow, safe ride.
Disney is really for those who love fantasy. They have live shows, parades, 3D movies, fireworks, rides, a lot of walking.
Lines were, of course, huge with 1-hr waits . They have a system of fast pass, so one goes running to pick those up. Then run from east to west or north, south, depending on where the next pass was for.
The parks are really huge. Their parking areas to the entrance takes 30/45 min. They had some kind of trains/buses to take us in.
They have all sorts of ideas. But tends to make a hole in one's pocket. There were people from Paris, UK who had just come there.
It was tiring with kids whining, cool/warm temps, being on one's feet the whole time. Well, not easy. From morning to night 7ish we were there. Although our hotel was just a 5-min drive away, by the time we reached there it would be 9ish!
But all said and done, it was a good experience. Everyone loved the place.