HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

Here's to many, many, many, many more!

We love you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MUM!

First, the cake.

(Pineapple and cream, yum!)

 And then, the present.

(A hamper, with Mum's favourite products from The Body Shop, some chocolate, foam-and-chenille-stem flowers, gauzy silver net and silver and gold ribbon to pretty up the basket. Think I succeeded. Or at least, Mum assures me I did. That's mums for you!)

FOR DAD

Remember the time Dad played chauffeur? All those play dates, rides to school, dance class, art class, Math lessons... Or days when it'd pour the proverbial cats and dogs, and Dad would drive you out in near zero visibility conditions just to have a hot corn-on-the-cob by the sea? How you'd feel its tangy lemony flavour hit your tastebuds even as you watched the rain safely ensconsed in the car, Dad by your side? How Dad could be counted upon to drive you anywhere, anytime, all you had to do was ask? Or sometimes, not even that - he'd just know, and you'd see him waiting patiently by the car, keys in hand.

Cut to the present, a rainy day in June 2011. Dad needs to get to work, and his car is at the service station. Solution? It's now *my* turn to drive in the pouring rain, drop Dad to work and then head on to office myself.

For Dad - for all those times he's been there, unconditionally.

CAR-MA

Remember when you learnt to drive a car at 18 (or 16, depending on the legal age where you are)? Your first encounter with another vehicle (a cab, in my case) which swore you off driving for a bit? Feeble attempts made over subsequent years, more off than on? If yes... read on!

Finally, at the insistance of the significant other, I did get back down to driving. Initially, it seemed like he was inventing ways to torture poor not-so-little me, but given that for this project his will power was stronger than mine, I did get behind the wheel after all. No negotiation. The total sweetheart that he is, he went all out to buy me an automatic (yay!), making my journey (literally!) easier than it would've been, given Mumbai's horrific driving conditions at the best of times. Really, changing gears on a manual is NOT the best way to spend your time in this city. Estimate this: for a six kilometre (or about 3.72 miles) stretch from home to work, it takes me *only* 40 minutes - one way. Sigh.

This is what the newbie looks like:

THE BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER

With love from the significant other. Couldn't've asked for more.

NOSTALGIA

For My Parents - They're simply the best.

Got hold of some old children's' songs, those that Mum and Dad would sing to me when I was in the single-digit age group, or have me listen to on tape (Yes, there was a world before DVDs and whatever else!).

I can only pray that someday I do as good a job as they did.

WEDDING BELLS!

Thrilled.
Excited.
Ecstatic.
Full of plans.
Can't stop smilin'.

That's what I am right now. There's (a) wedding bell(e) in the family!