ExplodeImplode!

Christmas! Its Christmas! I used love and hate the holidays when I lived in the West. It hardly made sense to me, I have never done the gifts or the turkey or whatever (still staunchly vegetarian, yo!). No cake either. Not that excited by cake. Likewise in Mumbai. It was just a time to chill out at home and get 'recharged' for semester two. And to plan an evening of fun for New Year's Eve, which, hopefully did not involve just the two of us sitting on the floor of our flat and bemoaning the fact that we had no friends and nobody loved us, etc.

Somehow, I am very excited by it this year, here in Chennai. I don't think I mean the exact day of the birth of Jesus Christ, but just the time of the year. I want to buy gifts. I want to plan a party. I am super excited that so many people are visiting and want to see every single one of them. I want to go out. I want to have them home (though that involves figuring out what on earth happened at the homestead. Why there are so many things lying around. What are those things? Who dragged that stuff in, really? Who?). I want to wear red clothes and green earrings. Or green clothes and red earrings. I want to find the reindeer horns and wear them. I have been trying to make the monster wear her green skirt that has snow flakes on them (she has refused point blank and worn her white bunny ears for two days in a row). Yeah! Excitement! New Year! Christmas! Fun! Frolic! Snow!

What is going on, kenny? What is it?

I went to a karaoke party on Friday night. It was so fun. Even if I could not drag husband away. I had to make two trips home. First I brought the monster back and deposited her in bed and told her to read and that would chase away monsters. Then I went back for the husband. I was a bit upset then this song came into my head "What would you do if I sang out of tune, would you stand up and walk out on me?" Of course I won't. I couldn't. I managed to handle that well, I thought.

Next morning I woke up early, heard the snores and took myself downstairs to my beloved kitchen where I proceeded to launch into some rice and idli and so on. I packed up dabbas of puliodarai and curd rice and idli and so on - the cook came in soon enough and threw me out and finished up the tasks for me while I showered and packed. We got in the car and drove non-stop and screeched our tires at mum's place. I climbed into my bright sparkly diwali salwar kameez and we went to my high school reunion. It was about the most fun thing that has happened to me. Teachers came too. So lovely. One of the ladies looks so beautiful, I was afraid to touch her. Like a doll she is, at 65. And they said the cutest things. Yes, this one is a separate post. And the guys & gals, my fellow conspirators for ten years. I love you all!

Next morning we went into a bit of a funk because of losing the monster's glasses at the party (she fell asleep). She was super hopping mad at us, of course, deservedly so. Anyway we got in the car and she slept almost the entire way, cause, hello, she couldn't see. I told her about Lord Emsworth losing his glasses and tried to make a joke of it. Imagine having a rose garden and a yew alley and the Empress of Blandings, and not being able to see them! Imagine! Again a non-stop drive back to base, spare glasses, dinner, and a welcoming (if creaky) bed.

I am trying to sort out my office boxes now. I had a most entertaining breakfast, and a good 'networking' coffee already. And miles of things to do. My to-do list has grown like a weed. But still, I am very excited! Christmas! New Year! Mumbai Marathon! Macbook Pro! Here I come. Here... I... Come...