Contemplations and Ruminations

So the parents had gone on a Holy Land Trip to Jordan, Israel where they visited Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth and Cairo. They were pretty excited and I was excited cause I would get to be home alone, which let me tell you is a rare occurrence. I always seem to be surrounded by people... not that I am complaining. Growing up in a small town, people would drop by often and there would always be extra food on the table. After getting married and coming to the city, things haven't changed much... I am still surrounded by family and relatives. So the prospect of an empty house does seem beckoning, it's like a day off from school, no schedules or elders to adhere to. I connect the speakers to the country music channel, I cook only when I am hungry, no elders to chastise with horrors of ulcers or importance of eating on time. I hardly cooked this time though because of the oppressive heat, all I could manage to do was whip up some buttermilk and keep sipping at it throughout the d...

So Facebook, where to start... you were rather entertaining and interesting at first, but now it has become more of a chore using you. Friends are good, but the over sharing of information is not. I mean, seeing their birthday or vacation pictures once in a while was good, a neat way to say hi and other pleasantries. But when they tend to go overboard by uploading pictures every alternate week, raking up enthusiasm for them can be draining. By friends I really mean acquaintances, those people you wouldn't even be in touch with if it weren't for Facebook. The real friends (who help me stay sane) are no problem... they are pretty cool and like minded, they know the value of privacy. We too upload pictures from time to time, but every album has a privacy setting, that enables only family, cousins and really close friends to access the pictures. Isn't that how it should be, instead of unleashing a torrent of pictures onto every Tom, Dick and Harry's wall. And then you ar...

So poori and potato, I am not a big fan of the deep fried poori , how healthy can anything deep fried be? But I love the potatoes, I love the way my mom makes them, not liquidly but a mashed potato kinda masala that can be folded within a poori and eaten. Makes for a great packed lunch too, neither messy nor fussy, just convenient and pretty good.  First, cut the potatoes and boil them in water till they are cooked. Finely chop a green chillie and an inch of ginger, and saute them in a little oil. Finely slice a couple of onions and add them to the pan. Now the onions have to be sautéed till they caramelise, and turn golden brown. This is the defining moment, this is what gives the simple potato its awesome quality, that sweetness of the brown tinted caramelized onions along with the wholesome goodness of the potato is as good as any breakfast could get. Nicely caramelized... this takes bout 10 to 15 minutes, while you stir conti...

So while checking stuff on Pinterest, I came across this beautiful poem and I had to save it (click on the images for a larger view). I was that enamoured by the simple beauty interwoven in the phrases 'landscape of my pillow' , 'hillside of yours' and 'curtains of your eyes'. He sure can weave magic with words, so I checked him out online and apparently he has these whole typewriter series of poems   that are wistfully beautiful. They tug at your heart and take you off into another world. Here is another one... That made me smile... 'Saturated in your silhouette', who comes up with stuff like that...  Needless to say, I'm beginning to think I may have the slightest bit of crush on him.