SURPRISE.......

It is saturday, the morning is a little cool but has promised to be a nice day and not very hot.Most of my family live far and are driving from all parts of Orange county .
Everything is set. J thinks it is a get together just so I can get to see everyone. The kids are really excited because we have not had a recent Birthday party for J.

The food has been ordered, drinks and tables all set, vijay pretends to be the DJ and tries to play some music, he likes all these mixes , even the hindi /english ones. Maya likes to dress up and look pretty. I am on the couch, cannot do too much of walking around so cannot greet my guests at the front door. Anyway most of the guests are family so it does not matter so much.I am just happy that everyone took time out of their busy schedule to make this day special for J especially since his whoole family is in India .

From where I sit on the couch I can see people arriving, some are dressed in western attire, some in Indian , some are casual and some are formal. its a mixed set of people of different ages.Its amazing when you watch how people gravitate and form groups. All the men were interested in J's new plasma T.V.they were discussing different makes and models and how clear the picture was, the women were all huddled together admiring each others clothes and jewellery.talking about the latest fashion in india be it salwars or sarees. There was a new mother in the group so her baby was the centre of attraction and mostly stole the whole show. the children found games to play between themselves.Everytime I heard a loud noise upstairs I just prayed that one of them was not hurt and they were ok.

The food had arrived, the smell of Indian food filled the air from vegetable pulao, chicken tikka, Kofta curry, aloo tikka and the likes. not forgetting the desserts. J did not know the party was for him untill the birthday cake came out and the presents. He was really happy. sorry cannot post pictures because J does not like his picture taken. All in all it was a wonderful day , except there was no dancing, first of all it was a luncheon and my family is not much into dancing, dont know where I got that gene from.

Toward the end of the afternoon we played a board game called Apples to Apples.It was a lot of fun. Suddenly in the middle of the party we heard that my brother-in-law was having chest pains and had to be rushed to the hospital. Anyway he was ok and came back home after spending a couple of hours in the E.R. So the party did come to an abrupt end.but was good. I sure got a good view of all that was going on from my corner, It was a lot of fun and especially since my family was there. Its at these times you really know the value of having a loving and wonderful family.

Thank you all my friends for all the wishes you sent J. and thinking of him on his birthday.

DESTINY

It was a warm summer day
In a land far away
You had an accident
And I was there.

Who would have thought
That an accidental meeting
Would bring us together.
To share our lives forever.

Movies, lunches, and dinners
A few dates is all it took.
We had obstacles in our way
We nearly went our ways.

It has been many years.
I have sometimes looked back
And wondered what may have been
If our paths had not entwined

But I have to look forward
And stay on the right track.
I know it is said
Fate has a part to play
I am so glad it did that day.

Happy Birthday "J" I am glad you came my way.

Jan
Pretty/handsome. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Sensitive. Down-to-Earth. Stubborn.
Feb
Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexiest out of everyone. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest And loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Horny. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizing dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.
Mar
Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Great kisser. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Observant and assesses others.
Apr
Suave and compromising. Funny and humorous. Stubborn. Very talkative. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal. Does work well with others. Very confidant. Sensitive. Positive Attitude. Thinking generous. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Able to cheer everyone up and/or make them laugh. Able to motivate oneself and others. Understanding. Fun to be around. Outgoing. Hyper. Bubbly personality. Secretive. Boy/girl crazy. Loves sports, music, leisure and traveling. Systematic. Hot but has brains.
May
Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Shy towards opposite sex. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High-spirited.

JUN
You've got the best personality and are an absolute pleasure to be around. You love to make new friends and be outgoing. You are a great flirt and more than likely have an a very attractive partner. a wicked hottie. It is also more than likely that you have a massive record collection. You have a great choice in films, and may one day become a famous actor/actress yourself - heck, you've got the looks for it!!!
Jul
Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people's feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. spazzy at times. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Love s to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.
Aug
Outgoing personality. takes risks. feeds on attention. No self-control. Kind hearted. Self-confident. Loud and boisterous. VERY revengeful. Easy to get along with and talk to. Has an "every thing's peachy" attitude. Likes talking and singing. Loves music. Daydreamer. Easily distracted. Hates not being trusted. BIG imagination. Loves to be loved. Hates studying. in need of "that someone". Longs for freedom. Rebellious when withheld or restricted. Lives by "no pain no gain" caring. Always a suspect. Playful. Mysterious. "charming" or "beautiful" to everyone. stubborn. curious. Independent. Strong willed. A fighter.
Sept
Active and dynamic. Decisive and haste but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people's problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Usually you have many friends. Enjoys to make love. Emotional. Stubborn. Hasty. Good memory. Moving, motivates oneself and others. Loves to travel and explore. Sometimes sexy in a way that only their lover can understand.
Oct
Loves to chat. Loves those who love them. Loves to takes things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn't pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Brave and fearless. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care to control emotions. Unpredictable. Extremely smart, but definitely the hottest AND sexiest of them all.
Nov
Trustworthy and loyal. Very passionate and dangerous. Wild at times. Knows how to have fun. Sexy and mysterious. Everyone is drawn towards your inner and outer beauty and independent personality. Playful, but secretive. Very emotional and temperamental sometimes. Meets new people easily and very social in a group. Fearless and independent. Can hold their own. Stands out in a crowd. Essentially very smart. Usually, the greatest men are born in this month. If you ever begin a relationship with someone from this month, hold on to them because their one of a kind.
Dec ( I dont like the baby smoking and dont endorse something like this.)
This straight-up means you are the most good-looking person possible... Better than all of these other months! Loyal and generous. Patriotic. Competitive in everything. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Easy to talk to, though hard to understand. Thinks far with vision, yet complicated to know. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having lots of ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Has that someone always on his/her mind. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Abiding. Able to show character. One guy/girl kind of person. Loveable. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves music. Pretty/handsome. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt.

WHICH BABY ARE YOU?

FRIENDS WE NEED YOUR HELP
A fellow blogger Shankari http://shankari-rajesh.blogspot.com has requested me to post this .If anyone else would like to post this on your blog please do.Public awareness may bring some help. Perhaps it is you who is destined to save a life.

Dear Friends, we request your help. Nirali Naik of Chicago, IL a sweet and wonderful 18 month
old girl - and the daughter of dear friends of ours is suffering from Leukemia. Please seehttp://www.savenirali.com

All of us well wishers of Nirali are trying to find a matching bone marrow donor for her. We are doing this by organizing numerous bone marrow drives around the country. SAMAR (South Asian Marrow Association of Recruiters) is helping us do this.More info on SAMAR -http://www.samarinfo.org


We urge you to please come to the drives that are located near you - (they are listed in Nirali's website) and register for bone marrow donation to see if you can save her life. Because Nirali's race is Indian, the likelihood of finding a matching donor is highest among Indians. As you can see from the SAMAR home page, there are many patients of Indian origin who are waiting for a Bone marrow donor - this is a chance for us to potentially help out many others as well.At a bone marrow drive, potential donors are asked to fill in aform and the test for marrow match is very simple - most likely an oral swab (or a blood sample). It is absolutely FREE for minority races. The samples are then tested for a particular series of Antigens (called Human Leukocyte Antigens) and the information is stored in a national database maintained by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).

If the donors are potential matches with patients (including Nirali), the NMDP will contact them directly. Bone marrow donation has no long term side effect at all.Please forward this email to Individuals/Organisations of Indian race who might be interested in helping.Feel free to contact us - Hiral & Anurag (hirald@hotmail.com) or SAMAR directly for any questions.

If there is no drive located in your area and you would like to help in arranging one, SAMAR will provide all the resources free of cost and thiswould be a huge help.Thank you very much for your help in our efforts to save Nirali.Sincerely,Hiral DesaiPosted on August 23, 2006, at 12:20 AM by Rakesh Mahajan

We have organized a drive on Sunday 27th Aug 2006 in San Ramon, CA from Noon - 4: 00 pm . The organizer from LTI are Sadanand Krishnan and myself. Address CABANA Club house , Country Brook Apartments 12355 Alcosta Boulevard San Ramon , CA 94583 We have spoken to AADP and organized for the sample collection and also the logistics is in place.

We will be sending out an appeal to larger audience outside LTI community to tap Chevron Indian population, other IT companies and also thru temple and India Grocery. That is the bear minimum we can do to help Nirali. Hope to have a great drive to help the cause. Thanks Rakesh Mahajan, PMP,CSCP Certified SAP Consultant and PMI Project Manager Certified Supply Chain Professional LTI-Center of Excellence Manager(Chevron ADM) USA Internet: rakesh.mahajan@Lntinfotech.com (732) 925 0327(Cell) (925) 680 3080(Concord)

A Blogger Portrait


A new, national phone survey of bloggers finds that most are focused on describing their personal experiences to a relatively small audience of readers and that only a small proportion focus their coverage on politics, media, government, or technology. Blogs, the survey finds, are as individual as the people who keep them. However, most bloggers are primarily interested in creative, personal expression - documenting individual experiences, sharing practical knowledge, or just keeping in touch with friends and family.

WHY DO YOU BLOG ?

I was all alone at home one day
Surfing the world wide web
When I came upon a blog
Written by someone in a land faraway

I made my way through all the posts
And found other bloggers too.
Sometimes I left a comment
Or left without a word or two.

I was afraid to have a blog
Not knowing what to write.
But took a chance
To post my views,make friends
And hear what others had to say.

Everyday my friendship grows.
Across the world
In leaps and bounds.
I have met so many wonderful
People along the way.
You have helped me through
Good times and bad.
Given me courage to hold on
And helped me not to be sad.


I read many posts
Some are sad
Some are funny
Some are about love
And some are about money.

There are stories, poems
Recipes and news.
Pictures to share
Journeys to take.
Music to listen to
Words of inspiration
Words of praise.

There is a whole world out there.
A world that I had not known
A world that has made me see
right from wrong.
A world that has taught me
not to always think of myself.
A world that has shown me
That others have problems too.
And that there are nice, caring people
Like you.

Thank you all my blogger friends
You made my day and helped me along the way.

This is the reason I blog.

The best kind of friend is the kind you
can sit on a porch and swing with,
never say a word, and then walk away
feeling like it was the best
conversation you've ever had.




It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.






Don't go for looks; they can deceive.
Don't go for wealth; even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile because it
takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
Find the one that makes your heart smile.



May you have enough happiness to make you sweet,
enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow
to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.


Always put yourself in others' shoes.
If you feel that it hurts you,
it probably hurts the other person, too.


When you were born, you were crying and
everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so that when you die,
you're the one who is smiling and
everyone around you is crying.

WEEKEND HUMOR


These are from a book called Disorder in the Courts of America, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters that had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place. ( I really dont know if this book exists or it is true. just sharing something I got in the mail and thought it was funny)

ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active?
WITNESS: No, I just lie there

ATTORNEY: What is your date of birth?
WITNESS: July 18th.
ATTORNEY: What year?
WITNESS: Every year.

ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.

ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?

ATTORNEY: How old is your son, the one living with you?
WITNESS: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
ATTORNEY: How long has he lived with you?
WITNESS: Forty-five years.

ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?
WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo

ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar Exam?

ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS: Uh, he's twenty-one

ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Would you repeat the question?

ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: Uh....

ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?

ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?

ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?

ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.


ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people? WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.

ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK?
What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.

ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, ¢®Where am I, Cathy?¢®
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan.

ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!

ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Huh?

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.

ATTORNEY: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.


HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND ALL MY FRIENDS:

I have been tagged by Karmic Jay ..really don't know what to write, just too much about me.I will try to make it short so as not to bore you.

I AM THINKING ABOUT: What I am going to write. I hope blogger does not go down while I am writing because lately it has been misbehaving. I have to wake Maya up for a Dr appointment. Wake Vijay up because he has summer school. what to have for breakfast and if today is going to be a good day.

I SAID: Maya you should read the comments on your last poem. you are talented and can write really well.

I WANT TO: Have my back fixed, be able to go to the beach, just watch the waves, bask in the moon light under the starry skies. I want to learn to dance and I want to go on a vacation with "J". I also want less squabbles and more fun.

I WISH: There was peace in this world. Most illnesses to be eradicated, there was no poverty and also I wish my mother was alive. I wish she could see my children, she would be proud of them. I wish I had told my mom that I loved her and I wish I was a better child and had not given her too many problems. I wish I could go into space , I wish "J" and me will have less arguments.

I WONDER: What the world would be like 50yrs from now. Will people not step out and just sit in front of their computers, maybe it will be just hanging around their necks . There is so many advances in Technology that sometimes it scares me. I wonder if people will be taking vacations into space. I wonder what will happen to my family when I die. I wonder if I am a good parent, I wonder if I am doing things right. I wonder when I will be well. I wonder if the world will ever be without war and terror.

I REGRET: Many things in life. I regret not pursuing my education further, I regret working when my children were little, regret not spending too much time with them. Regret not telling my mother I loved her or even A thank you. I took her for granted and thought she would be with me always. I regret saying unkind things to "J". I regret making him sad. I regret not taking better care of my back . I really have a lot of regrets. But I want to make every day a better one so I don't end up having a life of regrets.

I HEAR: The birds chirping in my back yard. The sound of a plane in the distance. People talking about the war and terrorists. I hear things that I don't want to hear. I hear music in my ears.

I AM: A wife, a mother of two. only 5ft tall. I am simple, quiet at times , don't have a lot of friends. love to have fun and enjoy the simple things in life. I am what I am.

I DANCE: Actually I don't know how to dance. If I get up on to the dance floor I just do my thing. I think dancing is a lot of fun. I am going to learn to dance. Once I got up on the table in our hotel room in vegas and danced. The kids thought I had a little bit too much wine. I was really pretending so as to make them laugh.

I SING: Sometimes when no one is around. I don't sing in the shower. I like to sing hindi songs, a lot of romantic and sad songs, sometimes spiritual ones. I dont sing in front of my family.

I CRY: when I am sad and sometimes when I am happy. Most times I cry when I have arguments with "J". I cried when my parents died and when my kids went off to school. I think I cry quite a bit, may be to fill a pond, but if you ask "J" he may say it is more of an ocean.

I AM NOT: always what people think. I try to hide my feelings. is very emotional or get hurt easily. I trust too many people. I am a pretty much of a private person. I think its only since I started blogging have I exposed so much of me. I am for most part what you see. I try to do what is right and fair.

I MAKE WITH MY HANDS: A home cooked meal for my family. I can make a sweater or a scarf either knitted or crochet. I can sew a simple garment. I like to paint and make simple stuff.

I WRITE: When I am happy and I write when I am sad. Most of my emotions are in my poems. it is straight from my heart. I think writing relaxes me and i am able to expose my feelings. When I have no one to talk to I write. Actually I like writing a lot.

I CONFUSE: people with my sense of direction. I dont know which direction North, south, East or West is. I confuse "J" with stupid questions sometimes.

I NEED: peace of mind. I need to get my back well. I need to stop arguing , i need to slow down and smell the flowers. I need to take a trip to India . Have not visited since 1995. I need to buy "J" a birthday present. His birthday is on Sept 1st. I need to go to the gym and I need to eat more healthy. looks like I am very needy dont I?

I think I have said enough about Me. I need to tag a few others so they can write about themselves. I tag Scribblez, Neers, Faith, Fresh ink, Passerby, The preacher ( I like to know what the preacher has to say) And the teacher Hip grandmom. Rajbir , Neihal, and Jhantu.

World Of books
BOOK TAG.....


I have been tagged by THE Preacher and by Passerby55.. Lately I have been doing too much blogging and little reading but here I go.

ONE BOOK THAT CHANGED MY LIFE..

There are many books that have helped me along the way.really cannot pick just one. But the one that I really liked was "The purpose driven life" By Rick Warren.It unpacks the the big questions of personal meaning and motivation and points the way to a more purpose filled life."Magnificiant Obsession". by Llyod Douglas.It is a classic novel of goodwill, compassion and service to others.
Another book I liked was FINDING JOY By Charlotte Davis.. 101 ways to fee your spirit and dance with life.


THE BOOK YOU HAVE READ MORE THAN ONCE.

MAYA ANGELOU "I know why the caged bird sings." Namesake By Jhumpa Lahiri and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall By Anne Bronte."The prophet By Khalil Gibran."
I have read a few others but cannot think of the names .


ONE BOOK YOU WOULD WANT ON A DESERT ISLAND

If I am stranded on a desert Island.First I am going to look for company, then something to eat, then enjoy the beauty around, sleep as much as I want, then write, keep a journal and when I am tired of that I would like to read the " Harry Potter series." may be I can been transported to "Hogwarts castle".


ONE BOOK THAT MADE YOU LAUGH:

SHPOHOLIC & SHOPOHOLIC & SISTER written by Sophie Kinsella. It tells of the one woman shopping phenomenon Becky Bloomwood. It is a heartwarming tale of married life, best friends, and long lost sisters. and the perils of shopping and the things you must have.And also Shopoholic takes Manhattan. I also enjoyed Funny & Farshi.

ONE BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY:

"A FINE BALANCE" written by ROHINTON MISTRY. this book captures the cruelty and corruption, dignity and heroism of India. It takes place in 1975 where four strangers- a spirited widow, a young student, and two tailors will be thrust together to share an apartment and face an unknown futeure. The characters move from distrust to friendship and eventually to Love. It made me cry. I think it is one of the best books I had read.


ONE BOOK YOU WISH YOU HAD WRITTEN
I can think of many books that I have read over the years that I wished I had written or could write. I really cannot name just one.

ONE BOOK THAT YOU WISH HAD NEVER BEEN WRITTEN:

I have to agree with passerby .."Mathematics" I still cant get it and dont think I ever will. I will go to my grave never knowing how to calculate a % . A simple thing I still have a hard time with. It has been explained to me over and over but I still dont get it.My answer to the problem on the right would be (C).

ONE BOOK YOU ARE CURRENTLY READING:

" Reading Lolita in Tehran" By Azar Nafishi... It is a poignant tale about the secret ways Iranian women defy the regime and the radical islam war against women.Her memoir contain important complex reflections about the ravages of theocracy, about thoughtfulness, and about the ordeals of freedom.

ONE BOOK YOU HAVE BEEN MEANING TO READ:

MY Life by Bill clinton and Men are from Mars and women are from Venus."Night watch.By Terrence Dickerson , it is a practical guide to viewing the universe. and "The heart is a lonely Hunter" By Carson Mcullen..It follows the lives of lonely misfits looking for a connection in a small town. What unfolds is a Poignant exploration of the mysteries of the human heart.



Now I tag Margie, Keshi, Priya, Karmic Jay , Twisted Dna and Ari4u. Any other of my blogger friends please take up the tag. there were too many names to pick from .

Pictures of Butterflies with Transparent wings. Thought it was so beautiful Wanted to share with you all.

BUTTERFLIES


A butterfly hovers closely
And then quickly moves away,
Swiftly going where so ever
Her heart may freely say.

A butterfly lowers and rises
With the winds's gusty breath,
As if coupled within a dance
Of a loving tenderness.

The butterfly only knows
How it feels to have wings,
To kiss the petals of flowers
In such elegant flitterings.

To have but one moment
Of such an exquisite flight,
Would be like a dream
Where all seems so right.

Author Unknown

SUNSET

By Maya
age 13

Feeling the warmth against my skin
The coarse sand beneath my feet.
The wind carressing my face
Turquoise waters splashing
Along the coast
Sparkling rays
Glistening like diamonds
On the rippling waves
Orange and rose highlight
The expanse above
As dusk slowly falls.

WHY I AM STILL MARRIED.

My husband and I have our share of squabbles.For the most part it is bickering about small stupid stuff. There are no fights about money, infidelity or anything else. I think it is due to the fact that one person wants to be in control.It is just do as I say and dont ask questions.My husband is for the most part a wonderful person and a decent human being. We have been married for a long time and have two wonderful children, a loving family both here and In India. May be I am expecting too much being the hopeless romantic that I am. We have been through a lot and held on to each other through troubled times and have made a nice life for each other. I think its this strength that we have is what keeps us together. Our marriage is like the Ocean with its high tides and low tides and serene moments between.

There are times we laugh and talk about anything, enjoy watching movies but at the same time both of us have this sensitive side that gets hurt when something wrong is said. I think I am more sensitive than he is. I may be wrong I dont know. Sometimes I think I am right and sometimes he thinks He is right , there is no common ground.At various times we have resolved to stop but somehow we dont.

In my heart I truly love him and I am in this marriage because..
1. I Love him dearly
2. Cannot wait for him to come home in the evening.
3. Miss him terribly when he is away.
4. Want to cook everything I see in the food blogs for him.
5. Want to grow old with him
6. Want him to see all the interesting things I see because I know it would interest him.
7. Want to travel the world and enjoy life together.
8. Cannot imagine a life without him.
9. Want to be with him till death do us part.
10. And most of all He can still make my heart skip a beat.

LOVE AND MARRIAGE

Love & Marriage . . .

One day, Plato asked his teacher, "What is love? How can I find it?" His
teacher answered, "There is a vast wheat field in front. Walk forward
without turning back, and pick only one stalk. If you find the most
magnificent stalk, then you have found love." Plato walked forward,
and before long, he returned with empty hands, having picked nothing. His
teacher asked, "Why did you not pick any stalk?" Plato answered, "Because I
could only pick once, and yet I could not turn back. I did find the most
magnificent stalk, but did not know if there were any better ones ahead, so
I did not pick it. As I walked further, the stalks that I saw were not as
good as the earlier one, so I did not pick any in the end. His teacher then
said, "And that is love."

On another day, Plato asked his teacher, "What is marriage? How can I Find
it?" His teacher answered, "There is a thriving forest in front. Walk
forward without turning back, and chop down only one tree. If you find the
tallest tree, then you have found marriage". Plato walked forward, and
before long, he returned with a tree. The tree was not thriving, and it was
not tall either. It was only an ordinary tree. His teacher asked, "Why did
you chop down such an ordinary tree?" Plato answered, "Because of my
previous experience. I had walked through the field, but returned with empty
hands. This time, I saw this tree, and I felt that it was not bad, so I
chopped it down and brought it back. I did not want to miss the
opportunity." His teacher then said, "And that is marriage. You see son Love
is the most beautiful thing to happen to a person, its an opportunity but
you don't realize its worth when you have it but only when its gone like the
field of stalks. Marriage is like the tree you chopped, it's a compromise . . .

LOVE LOST

Has the love died
Or is it Inside
I ask myself.

I see signs of weariness
Signs of Distress
Signs of unhappiness
Signs of stress.

Words that are said
Insensitive and without thought
Wounds my soul inside and out.

Am I just the person seeing it
Am I the person feeling it.
I dont know.

Is there any love left
Has it died
Can it be re-kindled
Will I feel the same inside.

Has the love died
Or is it alive
Only time will tell
I say to myself.

IS THE GRASS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE:

We have had Surya tv for some time and noticed that the same movies keep repeating itself,time for a change my husband says.We changed to Kaireli TV. The first few days were exciting, there were movies we had not seen. we were overjoyed but this joy did not last too long because after sometime we noticed that the movies were starting to repeat itself. We normally prefer to watch Malayalam Movies but thought we would give Sun TV a go. This is a Tamil Channel. After watching a couple of movies we decided that Surya was better even if we had to watch repeat movies.We were back to where we started.

I was thinking about this and felt that we all do this sometimes, in different ways. As Human beings we are always looking at some thing or some one else and wishing we were like them or wanting something they have.When you are single you look at a married couple and wish you were married. When you are married you look at the single people having fun and wish you were single.

I think it is human nature no to be content and always be on the look out to see what someone else has.There are ups and downs in life and even though the grass looks greener on the other side it may have its downfall.A different situation always appears better than ones own.The grass is greener when it is watered and cared for.

It is our discontent that thrives on the illusion that the grass is always greener on the other side.Whatever side you are on, what you have is a blessing, enjoy and learn from ones experiences.I think Happiness and fulfillment starts on the inside. We keep looking and looking, sometimes the grass is greener on the other side, but before you leap over the fence do some research and ask yourself if this is where you want to be.Once you are there it may not be as green as you thought it was.

I looked over my neighbors fence
The grass was greener
The house was bigger
The wife was prettier
The people who lived there were happier.

I stepped over the fence
My house looked bigger
The grass greener
I heard children laughing
Everyone appeared happy
Thats when I realized
The grass always looks greener
On the other side.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS THE GRASS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE?







HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY TO ALL MY BLOGGER FRIENDS

TRIBUTE TO WORKING MOTHERS

Whether we work in the home or outside the home a mothers work is never done.A full time housewife has as much work to do as a mom who works outside the house, I think each in its own right needs a tribute.I am a working mom so I thought I should write what my morning used to be.

Its Monday morning , you would think that after a weekend of rest I would be bouncing off my bed when the alarm goes off, but I press the snooze button hoping to get a few more winks. After five minutes the alarm goes off again, I drag myself out of bed, barely awake I make it downstairs. Make a cup of coffee for me and "J", turn on the Tv to get a wrap on the weather and the headlines, scan the traffic report. Wake up the children, pack lunches for all.

Pour cereal for one
Toast for another
No time for breakfast for mother.
Take a shower, get dressed
Take a quick look into the childrens rooms
Make sure they were up with the first call
And are dressed.
Straighten a shirt, Pull up a skirt
Buckle a shoe and tie up a lace
Wash the toothpaste off ones face.

Pick up my bag
The children their backpacks
And head to the door.
Get into the car
But one has to go back to retrieve
The homework that was left on the floor.

I turn on some music
That will be enjoyed by all.
Amidst cries from the children
To switch to another.
Because they dont like the
Choice made by their mother.


I try to drive with caution and care
To set an example for the future
Drivers that are in here.
We make our way through traffic and rain
Before I drop each one off
At their final destination.

I make my way to work
Try to look fresh and ready
To tackle the world
In a wizardly fashion.

During lunch breaks there is still work to do
Make doctor appointments,
Pay some bills,check after school activities
And make a "to do list" too.

After work there are children to pick up
Games to go to.
Dinner to prepare
Drop one off for Tennis and one for Basketball
Check homework, help with projects
Catch a show on Tv
Try to do it all.

A Parent's work is never done
Tomorrow will be another run.