Giant Hug

I tell Mr. Know-all the Neph that I want to give him a giant hug. The kid is really sad, and says, "But you can't do that Mausi*, you're there and I'm here." I say, "Yes, that's why I'm feeling so bad." The Neph says, "Ok, let me see what I can do. Mausi! please put your hands inside the phone."

Now, I really need the neph's Giant Hugs and I would give anything to see his million watt smiles.

*Mausi - Aunt (Mother's Sister in Hindi)

Supply & Demand

3 months ago, John Wesley Harding was EVERYWHERE, in Crosswords, in Music World and even in that other music shop. Now, when I actually want to buy it, I can't find it anywhere.

One More Weekend

I cook on weekends and find it to be the most relaxing thing. What I don't find relaxing is how my kitchen looks after I have cooked and the subsequent cleaning-up.

Hummus (For Addy who asked)

Whenever I have people over for dinner at my place, I make Hummus because it takes 2 minutes. Sorry, I have no pictures, but this recipe is the one I follow.

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves
salt to taste
250 gms cooked chick-peas (chole/ garbanzo beans)
1/3 cup well stirred tahini (Available everywhere now even in Calcutta, I know you get it C3)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 cup olive oil, or to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts (I sometimes use walnuts also), toasted lightly

Accompaniment: Pita Crisps or any crackers

Method:
In a food processor purée all the ingredients together. Simple, or what? I actually add extra olive oil and paprika or chilli flakes.

Serve the hummus with the pita or crackers.

I also use the hummus as a topping for my sandwiches and grill them. With a slice of bacon, tomato and an onion slice, it does really well.

On a Night Like This

On a night like this
I can't get any sleep,
The air is so cold outside
And the snow's so deep.
Build a fire, throw on logs
And listen to it hiss
And let it burn, burn, burn, burn

On a night like this.
Put your body next to mine
And keep me company,
There is plenty a room for all,
So please don't elbow me.

Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again

The good doc along with anti-pms-depressants prescribed pranayam and yoga to me. Sometimes, my depression even depresses me, especially when after sounding really blue to my mother on the phone, mother says, "Plumpie, sometimes be happy!" Mother too can't understand why I am depressed. How do I tell her, I'm depressed because I've not fought with any of them and I miss that very much?

Now I'm Back

I didn't mean to not post for so long. First, I was travelling, then I got sick twice, first with the ubiquitous viral fever, then with a bad attack of the tonsils. Even my illnesses are not fashionable. I mean, who suffers from tonsils these days? Who? No one, right? Not only do I get afflicted by those useless glands, I also have fevers that shoot upto 104! Added to that, my cook had to have a gall bladder stone operation, the other maid took french leave and the driver extended his leave.

So, I'm back from outer space, but the evil forces still have not abated, I fell down in my kitchen today and banged my knee and elbow and then fell down the stairs in office today and hurt the same elbow very badly. Life!