Final letter to my Grandmother

Dear paati,

I miss you so much already. You were and will always be my favorite. You were my EVERYTHING since my childhood. My first love! My role model! My first fan! You left me and this world around 6pm on Feb 24th 2024 and I’m writing this letter as I fly to India to see you one last time.

You were a very very special person in my life. You sacrificed a lot for me. I was blessed to have you as my paati and you loved me and showed abundant care and love that no other granddaughter would have ever received from her grandmother.

My childhood memories with you are still fresh and I will never forget all you did for me – Right from soothing me whenever I cried or got hurt, making sure you were home when I got back from school, making sure my favorite after-school snack was ready everyday, making sure I got ready on time for my evening classes, making sure I walked safely on the sidewalk in the busy roads, making sure you stood where I could see you when you came to pick me up from my classes, making sure I’m not getting tanned playing in the sun, making sure you knew all my friends and making sure I was comfortable wherever I was. You did everything!!! I am who I am today because of you.

There is not a single close friend of mine who doesn’t know you. Some close ones even now remember how much I have troubled you while eating food. They still remember how we used to run behind each other (actually you chasing me) with my food plate all over the street. I was such a naughty little girl! I wouldn’t eat anything but you had so much patience to feed me and take care of me every single day.

Oh I’ll admit! I hated you when you started liking Lemon more than me after marriage. The first thing you asked me every time we spoke the past 14 years is “how’s Lemon”! 🙂 Lemon and I are both forever grateful for all your love and care.

I miss you so much paati. No other grandmother-granddaughter relationship in this world could ever be equivalent to ours! Our relationship has been the bestest!

You may have passed on now but your memories will always be with me. I will never forget you. I will never stop loving you.

We were a small-family-of-four. Both you and Amma have now left this world. Please give strength to me and appa to live in this world without the two of you. We need your blessings.

Love,

Lavender

And it comes to an END

Victory!!! 31 posts in 31 days!! I am impressed at myself! 😉 Can’t believe the Blogathon is over ~ 31 days of continuousness. 31 days of dedication! 31 days of writers block! 31 days of fun! 31 days of staying in touch with fellow bloggers! 31 days of loving this space of mine!

Last year, I was too busy living my life, to actually write about it. Whenever I came here, I felt like I had little too much to write about and just gave up. This year, I want to take the time to write. So, I have started with this Blogathon. What I love the MOST about the Blogathon is the discipline that comes with this commitment and of course reading all my favorite blogs.

Thanks to her for initiating this and thank you to her, her and her for a whole month of entertainment!! I may not have commented in each and every one of your posts but I plan on reading them all again and commenting very soon.

My blog is deeply personal and everything I write here is very important to me. Although not very detailed, I promise to update this space as much as I can. I may not come back tomorrow but will definitely be back here very soon.

#Blogathon2023

Random Letters

To the lady who always smiles at me,

You are such a sweetheart! Your warm welcome makes me feel super comfortable visiting the hospital every day. No matter what time of the day I come in, you are always there to welcome me with a sweet smile! Thank you lady!!

—-

To my favorite colorful dupatta,

I purchased you a while ago. I have worn you only twice now and I have already got enough compliments from many people that you look gorgeous. Everyone loves you. Your vibrant colors grab everyone’s attention towards me. Thank you for making me feel special!!

—-

To the dull boring guy in the zoom call,

Dude! You earn more than me! You have a bigger title than everyone else in the zoom call.. You can definitely afford to buy some nice shirts and look much better. Why don’t you go shopping today? Or at least this weekend? Wearing such pathetic shirts even to an important meeting…. Not so cool at all dude!!

—-

Dear guy in the blue shirt,

I could not see your full face with a mask on. And, I’ve never seen you in anything other than blue. I’m sure you look smart and are super talented. I wish I could see your full face at some point this week.

—-

To the almost-torn-black-shoe,

I cannot let you go. You are so comfortable. I’ve never had any problems walking with you. I’ve never tripped or fallen running with you. Please don’t wear-off anytime soon. I cannot find the “exact-you” again and I don’t want to lose you. Please stay with me. I cannot let you go!!

—-

To you,

Yes you reading this post! I see you! Thank you for stopping by my blog today. You make my blog stats blooooooooom!

#Blogathon2023

I smile…

Every time my chapathi’s puff up 🥰

Every time I get parking on the 4th floor 🥹

Every time I see these two… especially the one on the right! Seeing them on the big screen together was sooooo 🥰🥰🥰

Every time I go shopping…
This pic was taken when I went jacket shopping 😉 I like the color of the jacket, but should I keep this jacket or return? I’m not sure yet!

#Blogathon2023

Saturday Scribbles

I decided to relax today. I woke up late. I made lunch and went to my favorite salon. I had my hair retextured, came back home and ate lunch.

From wavy hair….

…to straight hair

Come afternoon, I got ready and went to hospital to visit Appa. While I was there, Appa wanted to talk to the kids… So video call it was! Thatha and pethi were talking and I used the opportunity to make Lily practice her Carnatic music swaras since she has a vocal test tomorrow.

That’s Lily and me practicing music via video call 😅

I wanted to go shopping in the evening but was too tired to do anything… so I picked up pizza on my way home for our dinner…

And this was our dinner today….

When we all finished dinner, I got a call from P and she said her car broke down and she is stuck with her kids at a gas station…We jumped to help them! While P was waiting in the gas station and getting her car fixed, her kids came to our place to play with Lime and Lily.

Since the kids were all hungry, I made pasta for their dinner…

Kids just finished their dinner and are all happily playing together… I’m sitting in my favorite spot in the house and writing this post.. Will P’s car get fixed on time? Will the kids be more hungry after a while? Will I get to watch a movie tonight? Will I do anything more today? I don’t know!

You all peeps just stay tuned to know more…

#Blogathon2023

Picture Friday

Me and Lemon at a friends house today!

#Blogathon2023

Cheat post?

People! Know what? I been posting consequently for 26 days! Quite an achievement it is!! Someone please pass me an award already!

What should I write today? Hmmm…. let me think…. what is today’s date? Jan 26th!! Oh! That means there are only 5 more days left in the Blogathon… I know what to write!! Here we go –

##### With just 5 more days left in the Blogathon, I am sad. I don’t want to stop the flow but definitely need a break after the 31st!!

#### With just 4 more days left for the last day of January, I am happy. This month has been harsh on me.

### With just 3 more days left for Monday, I am so sad. Another week starts in 3 days?? I hate Mondays!

## With just 2 more days left for Sunday, I am excited although I’ll be spending the day with appa at the hospital.

# With just 1 more day left for the weekend, I am smiling. Weekends this month has not been great but this weekend is important for Lemon. Our wedding anniversary is coming up next week so he better use this weekend to go shop for me 😉

#thispostcounts

#Blogathon2023

Waiting is hard…

…especially waiting for Lemon! Sometimes he makes me wait long. Sometimes he makes me wait for no reason! Uffff!!! What do I do with this boy?

*** He says he will be home in 2 minutes. So, I wait for 5 minutes and call him to ask where he is. He says, “Oh! I’m filling gas in the car. I will be home in 5 minutes”. So, I wait for 10 minutes and call him back to check where he is. He says, “Oh! I’m on my way! 2 minutes!”.. So, I wait for 15 more minutes and get furious! I call him back to check where he is. And, he does not pick up!! He reaches home 20 minutes later.

*** I call for Lemon… “Lemon…!“. He says “Um“. I wait and I call again. “Lemon…”! He says “Umm“. I wait and I call again. “Lemon….”! He says nothing. So, I shout – “LEMON!”. He says “Ummm…”. I get furious. I expect him to look at me when I call. I expect him to come wherever I am after I call. Is this too much of an expectation? I don’t think so.

*** He says he will go down and get me some water. So, I wait for his help. After 10 minutes, I ask him for water again. He says, “Yes I will go get it“. So, I wait. After 10 more minutes, I ask him and he says, “I am going now“. After 5 more minutes I get furious and go get water myself!!

*** He says he will go pick up kids from after-school program around 4:30 PM. So, I call him at 4:20 to remind him.. He says, “Yes, I am finishing up some office work.. I will go at 4:30!“. After 20 minutes, I call him to check if he is on his way. He says, he will go in another few minutes! So, I wait. I call him around 5:15 to check if he picked up the kids. He says he is just starting!! He reaches so late that sometimes Lime and Lily are the last to get picked up!

Till date, Lemon has never done something as soon as I tell him. He needs to be reminded at least 10 times (yes 10! sometimes even more!!). These may be such petty examples but it makes me wonder if all people in relationships are just like us. To what extent do you remind your better half’s to do something for you?

I know Lemon is never going to change but my views are here to stay!

#Blogathon2023

Ten on Tuesday

I have been feeling pretty low for the last couple days (again!). Everyday scares me to the point of becoming paranoid. Some say I am a natural worrier!! During challenging times like these, it becomes especially important for me to count my blessings. Otherwise I will lose all perspectives.. right? So, I’m going to list down my blessings today. All things I feel good about –

1. I am alive! And I love my life and the way I live! I have the sweetest parents and the greatest husband ever!
2. I am blessed with two beautiful children! They are my world!
3. I am reasonably healthy! I had a great childhood and an innocent transition to adulthood. I never had to worry about anything as a child/teenager. Everything was taken care of for me.
4. I went to a great school and a good college. My school days were quiet and my college days were busy. The toughest hardship I faced was being forced to travel to Mumbai for my first job when I wanted to quit it and stay in Madras.
5. I love to dream and can enter my dreamland any second!
6. I have couple people in the family who I can call even at 3 AM and not get yelled at. I have 4 close friends with whom I can share anything and everything. I have many other friends who I can go shopping with, watch a movie or just chat.
7. I am a proud owner of a newly constructed house. I love my house and I enjoy decorating/admiring it each day.
8. I love to travel and have worked in 6 cities, 2 countries and 2 continents.  I am good at what I do and great at picking new skills!
9. I can walk into any store (be it expensive ones or the thrift store kinds), and shop whatever my heart fancies. I love shopping that much. My wardrobe is so full and overflowing but I cannot let go anything.
10. I like to write and blessed to have you all stop by (you lurkers too!) and appreciate me.

I have more to add to the list but I will stop here for today… I hope you guys will feel inspired to share a similar list in your blog or put in your comments in the space below.

#Blogathon2023

It all starts again

Good News: Appa does not have cancer. All tests came back negative.

Bad News: We have to admit him back in the hospital tonight to do additional tests/scanning for diagnosis.

I am not sure if I must be happy or sad. Although they have ruled out the scary disease, he still has something… they now think it could be some kind of infection.

Hmmm…. I’m tired already. I will have to juggle between home, work and hospital from tomorrow. I have to do this for Appa! I have to stay strong for him! God please give me strength. Please cure appa soon!

#Blogathon2023