22 December 2016

‘Tis the season to be jolly..

This is one hilarious family!!!
Last night, it was pretty late by the time I came home from Milwaukee. I had a quick dinner and went off to sleep.

Early this morning, I woke up and was making coffee for the family when I noticed what the two daughters have been up to! In one of those rare moments of sisterly collaboration, Natasha – who is home from New York – and Nikita have put some some Christmas wish lists on the refrigerator. I wish I could say there was no selfish desire behind this.

What is really funny is the content in the lists… Looks like Natasha wants some colorful pens (that is sooooo me) and a few books. It also says – “any one book” lest we thought she is crazy thinking she wants more than one book. And get this – permission to dye her hair!! An 18 year old asking for permission??? I must have done something right!!

Niki – spoken like Niki – went straight to the point – money! And another dog!! And no Saturday math!!! And if she got all that, she was down with some world peace and all that mundane stuff!!!

Sharmila, no doubt, worn by a whole day of the two sisters under the same roof just wants peace and serenity. To which one of them wrote “No promises”!!

And finally dad had a clean slate, till somebody – and I am going to go out on a limb and suggest Nikita – wrote down her impression of daddy really wants – get this – “Facebook Likes” apparently!!!

Somewhere Zuckerberg must be high fiving himself!!!

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18 December 2016

Nikispeak – or rather, Niki action

Nikita had to go to a friend’s party. Apparently, the dress code was “ugly sweater”. After finishing up some math with her, I told her that she probably should get upstairs and get ready and asked her which sweater was she planning to wear. She went upstairs and after about ten minutes came back to ask me what I thought of it.

It took me a second to realize that she had taken one of her sweaters and had duct taped a good size mirror to it. It took me more than a second to figure out how it was supposed to be “ugly”. Then it hit me!!!

That was outrageously funny, wicked smart and really, really mean at the same time. And such are the days that she really makes me proud of her 🙂

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5 December 2016

Deja vu all over again!!

The refrigerator is bedecked with detailed instructions on how to make rice and what food is there in the fridge. That can mean only one thing. She is leaving for India!! Indeed, she did!

Here is the irony: She thought Nikita will not do her homework – apparently, I give her so much latitude. Well, she is done with all her homework and is also now way ahead for stuff due in school two weeks from now.

Now, I am not suggesting we did not have our fun moments. Somebody – and let’s not take any names her – but say, Nikita – dropped a whole box of dog treats into the washer which somebody else – again no point taking names – we are a team – but let’s say me 🙂 had to clean it up.

All in all though, dad, daughter and dog having a great time!!

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28 November 2016

Ending her birthday the only way every Sunday ends…

At our watering hole … very little has changed in ten years!
Watching the Sunday NFL game … I remember having done this in four different countries with her!
She can name more players than I can… but I can name more plays than she can!
Over a couple of drinks… sometimes for large values of 2!
But always making time to catch up on the week with all the employees there… as we shut down the place together with them!

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27 November 2016

A sense of deja vu

After Natasha left, the three of the us went up to the Georgia mountains to have some wine and lunch. We had tried out quite a few spots before – so I chose a new place that I had never heard of before after researching in Google Maps. An hour later, as we pulled into the dirt parking lot, I thought there was one part of the winery building that reminded me of another winery.

As we walked in, I asked the lady if there was another winery in the area that had an outside patio structured exactly the way Kaya (name of the vineyard we were visting) had. She realized what was happening. She mentioned that what is Kaya today used to be Blackstock Winery before. There is a new owner, more area, more vineyards and wholly new constructed building.

That is when I realized that almost ten years back, when we were completely new to Atlanta – the same three of us – Sharmila, Nikita and myself had come visited Blackstock Winery with Frank and Laura (who were the prior owners of our house and with whom we became great friends till Frank passed away suddenly) and had enjoyed a glass of wine there. I remember the wine tasting place and had met the owner – I think David was his name.

In any case, it turns out that the new owner has completely redone the place – and has done a mighty great job – and reopened a few months back.

What a coincidence that to celebrate Sharmila’s birthday, we landed up accidentally at the same spot that we had come to celebrate moving to Atlanta ten years back! What is really funny – the spot Nikita chose today to settle down with her books as we checked out the whole place – there used to be a sofa there those days. And our entire trip there ten years back, Nikita – then barely three years old – had slept in that sofa. Exact same spot!!

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