Manly Halloween Festival

As a compulsive list person, it is apparent that one of the first things I do in any new environment, is make a list. I arrived in Australia last year and settled myself in. Then I made a list. A list of things that would go on my pseudo-bucket list. Let me call it the wish tree. I don't really have a name for it. Maybe I'll think up one soon. 

One of the things on the list was to do a Halloween thing. I suppose it broadly meant getting out and about, dressed in costume. I did not have a real plan. Maybe I wanted to go pub crawling. Maybe I wanted to go trick-and-treat-ing. I don't know. Nothing happened last year, except it remained on the list. This year, a friend suggested checking out the Manly Halloween Festival. I was pretty sure it was kids stuff and not sure I was that desperate. In the end, I did go. Not in costume, of course. Just loose trousers and a tee. The curiosity of the what might be in the parade enabled the trip. It turned out be much more fun that I had expected. 

We arrived there early enough to see the cars being prepared for the Street Parade in the evening. Up and close enough to examine some of them. A number of makeshit stalls, in the form of little tents, lined the main street. They had everything from bits for costumes to toys and candies. The best thing about parades, of course, is that the roads are closed to traffic. Well, maybe not the best but I like walking on the street without having to look left and right for speeding cars. People dressed in garbs of red, black and other bizzare colours strolled along the road, trying to look as creepy as possible. The abuse of colours was apparent, as is wont in any Halloween event. While the adults stuck to their dark sides, the kids dressed up in costumes ranging from vampires to superheroes. There was also the odd angel, princess or warrior, among some kids. Mushy parents, I suppose. 

We picked one side of the road and cruised through the stalls, as you do at such events, knowing fully well that we had no intention of buying anything. The sellers watched, quietly assessing whether you were just a passerby or a potential buyer. They seem to ignore you while you're looking but suddenly spring to life the moment you pick up one of their wares and show the slightest consideration of loosening your purse strings. We easily moved on from shops that sold generic stuff not related to Halloween. We stopped longer at the ones that had wigs, capes and other things that would be useless after that day. There were expensive stuff ($25 wigs! Really?) and there were the Chinese stuff ($5 wig anyone?). 

When we started off, little K was wearing a little mask and a tiger cap with antenna sticking out of his head. As we waited for the parade later that evening, my mate wore a B&W tribal wig with blood dripping off her vampire mouth. In my bright red wig, horns and vampire face paint, the Halloween item on my list was ready to be crossed off. K had the full face of a vampire, complete with the freaky expressions he was putting on. My mate's husband was our personal photographer, as husbands seem to end up most of the time.

The games spread over the festival campus were amazing. I wanted to be a kid myself, so I could try some of that stuff. The stage at one end of the road invited enthusiasts to take a free fencing lesson. You could walk around all afternoon and find something amusing at every turn. In true Aussie style, one family of witches, wizards and weirdos had a barbie set up near the beach (Aussie slang. barbie => barbecue). Beach, food, music and all things crazy. Halloween festival alright. 

The parade started in the evening. When you've spent an afternoon in a crowd filled with the creepiest and whackiest costumes, a street parade fails to ignite your senses much unless there was something different. Scores and scores of creeps walked the streets, failing to impress. Then the cars drove by. Ah! Creativity unleashed and gone berserk. It was freak-a-bulous! There may be some who think all that blood and violence freely roaming the parade would have a negative influence on the children. Get a life! This was fun. 

Maybe next year, I'll get a full costume and go pub crawling. Or trick-and-treating. In any case, Halloween is marked as done on my wish tree. 

Urgent!! Spellchecker Required!!

Is it odd that this totally bothered me at the stadium the other day?

Creating Opportunities for VULNERABLE Children

While we're at it, can someone define 'vulnerable children' to me, please? Are we.. er.. uh... they all vulnerable?

Still A Twenty Something: Good Morning

Quiet, peaceful, a mug of coffee in one hand and the newspaper in the other. That is my kind of a morning. Noise causes short-circuits in my wiring.

Loud voices of Mother and Brother in my room woke me up this morning. On any other day, this would make me edgy. Today, I welcomed the noise in a heavily groggy state. Struggling to open my eyes, I sensed a couple of handshakes before somebody thrust something into my hands. By the time my senses were awakened and I realized what was happening, all I could see was a pair of gluteus maxima heading out the door. I went back to sleep, clutching the envelope.

Minutes later, I woke up and opened it.

"It wasn't originally meant for you but you can get your headphones with it. Tell me if it doesn't cover the cost", Brother had said.

The words registered only then. It was a Landmark gift voucher for a couple of thousand rupees. I was beside myself with joy. I could finally get those Bluetooth headphones! If not, I still love bookstore vouchers. Lov-e-ly!

When I subsequently woke up, Husband and Dog came to hug me, with a mug of warm tea. Mother and Sister-In-Law came looking for me. Sister-In-Law handed me a beautiful red box, with a lovely greenish candle tied with an olive green ribbon. Candles and ribbons are a weakness, I could not wait to open the box. All the womenfolk moved towards the living room, where I carefully tore off the delicate wrapper, ripping the sello-tape with the concentration of a chemist in a lab. The box had the most beautiful lantern I have ever owned. Rustic-looking, made of glass with a super-thin latch, it stole my heart from the word go! I need to find a place to hang it in my living room or bedroom.

I responded to a couple of texts. I like messages on mornings like these. Phone calls eat into my time and space. I am grateful for that. I wondered about the other Sister-In-Law, who was yet to call.

Husband wants to do a lot of things, he just does not know what they are. I wanted a long ride, so did he. The late morning forced me to skip mine, in order to make way for more pressing matters. He went ahead. I have got some 'me' time, I really need it. I can’t say why, just know that I am grateful for the hour by myself. I did some reading and writing. I also mucked about the social networking sites for a bit. Habits are hard to break. Like Mark Twain says, they need to be coaxed down the stairs, one step at a time. There is also a lot of correspondence to catch up on but that's for later.

The morning has turned out well so far. Eventful, in a quiet manner. Just the way I like it. Husband has promised to take me to The French Bistro for breakfast. I can’t wait, I hope the place won't disappoint me. I need to hit the temple on the way to breakfast. Ayyappa Swamy temple, one of my favourites! 

Lucky hasn't said anything to me as yet. She does not know. She will, once we bring the cake out. She loves cake. It speaks a language to her that none of us can. Chocolate cake sends her drooling like an overflowing reservoir. Husband has bought me the Royal Velvet, from Bliss. I don't remember the ingredients but when I'd read it on the menu at Bliss, the last time we were there, I had liked the sound of it. It's a tiny cake, expensive but I think it will be yummy. Small helps me stick to my diet too. Brilliant!

The cake ceremony has been moved to the evening, when Brother and Sister-In-Law are all home. I would like to bring home the in-laws but I do not see any hope for that. I might try asking, anyway, what have I to lose in inviting them? There is a 10% chance they might come and that gives me enough reason to make the call.

Expecting a phone call around noon. As per current plan, I should be free to take the call. A few more delightful moments in the charming day this promises to be. 

Mother has bought me a long kurta last evening. She always wants me to wear simple, traditional girl stuff. Now that I've turned into a rotund structure of excessive lipids, I oblige her. She is happy. So I am. We also bought a couple of embroidered dress materials and left it at the tailor's with measurements. I should get it before my nakshatra (star) day. She is pleased. So I am.

'Me' time is over now. I have to shower and be ready before my man gets home. He only needs 10 minutes to get ready. It will make my mom happy if we work to that plan. She wanted the same too. I seem to want all the same things that everyone else wants. Barring Lucky, maybe. She wants to play. Actually, I want to play with her too. Maybe I will drive her to a playground, with the husband later today. After breakfast, I have promised to help mum with the cooking. I will cut fruits for the fruit salad and custard that she has planned. She will make me vegetable pulao. I love fish and meat but today I am happy with vegetable pulao.

By the time, the plan is acted upon, the morning will slip into afternoon. Lunch is the only plan right now. Late afternoon might involve us visiting parents of a friend of Husband. He has a gift to pick up, long overdue. I intend to do a ride later in the day. That is about the plans, as I know right now. Will see how the day goes.

9.13AM

Guest Post #6: Getting Into My Pants

A fellow-blogger and colleague, Jeena was one of the few people I initially approached for a guest post on my blog. I won't accuse her of making any promises this time. In fact, this time there was no promise but it was delivered. 

I love the variety that the Guest Blogger Week has brought to my blog. After crazy men nagging about women nagging them and LBs, Kannada stories and Math equations, it's now time for some chick lit... 

Bumblebee has accused me of not carrying through with some promises. When she asked me to write for her, I agreed so that she wouldn't typecast me once again.

My brains have been working overtime thinking up a subject to write on her behalf. And finally, after discarding various topics, I am gonna launch on my pet peeve.

Haven't most of us at one time or the other had clothes in our wardrobes that we aspire to get into at one time or the other? The first on the list would be jeans or trousers, then those tops that don't show the bulging paunch and last would be those salwar tops which get stuck somewhere over your neck or shoulder and will tear if you try to jerk it down.

I started becoming conscious of my paunch only after I started college. But then, I used to be 57 and the only worry I had was the tiny paunch. Four years later I was still 57 but I was unable to get into those 100 bucks tops. I promised myself to start exercising but soon forgot my resolve when my eyes alighted on some sweets.

My only pair of jeans started pinching when I started working, so I got myself another pair. Two pairs of jeans later, I still have the first in my wardrobe, waiting for the day I will shed 10 kgs and manage to get into the first pair.

Why I started on this topic? That's because I watched this mallu movie "Bodyguard" starring the fave South Indian Actor Nayan Tara. And she's super-sexy-thin and shows off her curves in well selected wardrobe.

During the interval, looking at the mirror, I saw a reflection of a leaner me. I asked my husband if I looked any different and he was kind enough to disillusion me. Apparently it was the effect of one and a half hours of Nayan Tara. After another hour and a half, I resolved to make an effort to shed some fat to look fleeting like her. I am sure that only a minority looked at the hero in the movie. Both men and women alike wouldn't have been able to stop checking her out!

Yeah yeah, I pick my girlfriends carefully. No place for slim, sexy babes in my life - can't afford to have them pick on my eating habits and drive me crazy with their calorie calculations. Not to mention them taking away the attention of all the cute guys around (there's acute shortage, as it is).