It was a very warm London morning when I entered the Hamley's store with my parents on what was to be my one and only visit as a child to the store...my subsequent visits were all as adults and by then.. well I had outgrown toys.... but back to my first day at Hamleys... I was in the shop with a specific purpose... I wanted a remote control car!! and after testing many desirable aspirants I settled for a car that was fast and fit in with my budget... and thus began my tryst with raching remote control cars... I took it to every possible road in any country I was in.. and drove it around like a maniac... it was my bestest moment... I cherished every bit of the car and have never taken care of anything so much in my life..... Now 26 years later I decided to pass the car along to the next generation... Baby George had anyways been asking for remote control car... so i finally took out of the cupboard to hand it over to a very excited Baby George.... seeing the sleek black car - who wouldnt get excited??? Well... that was the end of my turbo charger car... first off the remote control antenna went missing... it prompted a search like never before by the entire family...and thereafter it was the wire on top of the car... by now my heart sank... when quizzed Baby George remarked "i took it off because it was not working"... kid... i have had this car for 26 years working fine... and now it is no more... so finally I took some pics (below) of my car in all its torn down glory.... and to Baby George I sing "kahan chala, kahan chala, meri car ki pungi bajaa kar"

Flowers from my garden

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Question & Answer session about food between me and the nephews

do you like Indian food?

Christy: Yes
Baby George (after Christy): Yes

Do you like Chinese?

Christy: Yes
Baby George: Yes

Do you like Mexican?
Christy: No
Baby George: No

Do you like Frenchfood?
Christy: Silent....
Baby George: Christy, why you not saying anything??

You never realise how protected and fun your life was when you were in your teens... My teens were spent first in kottayam and thereafter in law school...my days in ktym were far from perfect ofcourse.... I was too engrossed in studies and remember those days as nothing more than an attempt to get out of kotym... As far as I was concerned I wanted to get out and nothing more... Law school on the other hand was my zone of fun... Weird characters, weird and new experiences and above all a freedom from all cares of the world would make it one of my best years....

Would I recommend that life to anyone?? Oh yes!!!

How many instances have you had where you have been both sad and happy at the same time and for the same thing.....

it is indeed a very strange feeling.....

Baby Georges latest obsession is to claim very vociferously that he is not a small boy - that he is a Big boy... And he insists on this everytime he fights with his brother, his mother scolds or generally any restrictions are placed on him....

So one day I decided to generally take his case.... As always I asked "U coming?" before leaving for office... Baby George said no.. Why? I need help in office - I told a very nervous Baby George - I have documents to draft, read etc. So please come .. ... This time the reason was different.. "I am too small a boy to come to office"...

But yday u said u were a BIG boy????

Baby George ran out screaming "Mummy, vavaaunty scaring me".. Ahh kids - they will always have their moms to run to...

So it was the long weekend in Mumbai... it was the easter weekend ... and as good syrian christians we went to church on good friday .... after a long service we finally came to the best part of the day - the porridge and pulses lunch that the church serves as part of its good day service.. it symbolizes simplicity and hardsship that the Christ went through....to sum it up - it was delicious... it was after a gap of more than 15 years that I was having food at the church.. both Christy and Baby George ate to their hearts content... next stop was the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and pune warriors... frankly I am not a cricket fan.. .and if stars are not around I dont particularly care much... so since I didnt see Sachin around I got really bored ... and it is a different ball game when you are watching teh match in a crowded stadium vs. watching the match in the peace of your home... no jostling... no hooting ... no pushing.. it was a relief to get out of the stadium in final analysis....

next stop over the weekend was a trip to Alibaug... I have never been there myself... so it came as a pleasant surprise.... the most amazing part was that we hired a private speed boat to get us back.... and we were back in Mumbai in 15 mins!!!! wowow.... i could see visions of a developing town called Alibaug where Mumbaikars would build homes while working in South Mumbai... and reach office in 15 minutes on a fast track speed boat... ahhh a long time away...

Baby George transformed into a poser through the trip... he transformed from a camera shy boy to a camera trigger boy... he kept possing for me... climbing the stairs... with two hands... swinging from the stairs with one hand... sometimes calling out to me saying "vavaaunty, click here".... and I obliged... he also very sportingly put up the peace sign everytime and said cheesssseeee.... in the most cheesssyyyy way yes....

some pics from the tripp....

So I came back from London and as instructed by me, my sister and the kids came to pick me up... there is something about being picked up at the airport that warms my heart... it shows concern and care... I am always thrilled to bits when I am picked up at the airport.... so I didnt shy away a bit before summoning my sister to pick me up - as I told her "you just have to"... she did...

Baby George was in the car too.... he didnt speak much... so I asked him "So Baby George, how are you?"... no response.... hello.....finally a response - "you left me here and went".... what?? what are you talking about Baby George? "you didnt take me to London"....surely I didnt expect this kid to remember that he got into the car thinking he is going to London..... sorry baby george.... to diffuse his mood i promptly produced the goodies from London... "So who wants a toy?"..... and promptly Christy put up his hand...ah old habits die hard....Baby George melted only when I showed him the toy plane I had got for him ... he was so excited as the plane looks like it is going to take off and has a red siren on top.... even I was excited about it for a while.... Baby George soon got so attached to the plane that he started hiding it... my sister even warned me off ... "if you take it he will get up in the morning and make you fly"...I didnt try after that...

this morning while getting ready for work I asked Baby George "U Coming?"... "where?" ........."Office" ........."your office?" ......."yes" .. "but your office is very dark"... huh?? Why is my office dark? turns out Baby George notices the dark glass panes outside and thinks its very dark....hmm... something to think about ... all you people in glass offices... you do not appeal to children...