It's raining...

COCOA!!!!

Ok, first an apology for having disappeared this long. So, here's what has been happening. As you all know, Vaishnavi's hol's are going on now. So, weekends are really busy and filled with activity (nope, nothing cross stitch)!!!

Let me do this in sequence. I bought a cycle for V. Boy, was she delighted . Initially, she was only pedalling it half way, then in a day she gained confidence to go around the apartment on her own.

We then went to the local museum. We just visited the children's hall. We did not want to tire the kids out.

That's one of my best friends with the kids. Don't they (all 3 of them) look cool .

Now, what do all these have to do with cocoa raining ??? I have been baking chocolaty stuff like crazy lately. Last weekend I made this express no-bake "brownie". Everybody just loved it.

This weekend I made chocolate chip muffins and chocolate cake with the frosting et al. I even shaved a few pieces of chocolate on the glacing!!!

Oh chocolate.. hhmmm .

And guess what, I have a new follower !!! Welcome Kim and thank you for joining my blog. Hope I am able to hold your interest.

DH is still not back. I am desparate to get my stuff. And he's refusing to even send me a picture of the parcel. Isn't this cruelty .

It's wednesday, just 2 more days of work and I am all set for my break .

Ok guys, hope to see you all very soon. It's mid-night, let me read my book. Oh I did not tell you that I borrowed Mistress of Spices from the library. So, I am half-way through it. I never knew that our spices had so many powers in them till I read this book. So, let me have my glass of cold cocoa (yes, cocoa again!!!) with my book. Doesn't that sound heavenly. Yes, this definitely is the part of the day I very eagerly wait for!!!

Good night guys and take care.

Lovely Giaveaway

There is a wonderful giveaway here. Do visit to see what a lovely giveaway it is. Her blog is amazing too.
The temperature is soaring here. It is almost 40 deg centigrade now!!!! So, just trying to stay cool during the heat. What with the vacations going on, am also forced to take DD somewhere during weekends!!! Phew!!!

Have a great weekend.

Happy New Year

Wishing all Tamilians and Malayalees across the world a very happy and prosperous New Year. Today (april 14th) marks the birth of a new year as per the Tamil calendar. As per the tamil calendar, the first day of the month Chitrai usually falls on the 14th and sometimes 13th april each year. It is the day when the sun moves into the Meda veedu or Raasi. This is the day when the sun starts its travel across the 12 zodiac signs starting with Mesha/chittirai.


On the eve of the new year, we decorate the altar with a lot of fruits, flowers and money. Then we decorate the deity with jewels.

This is a picture of a decoration of the altar (no, this is not what I did at our place today). Ours is usually a lot simpler.

Elders usually gift a small amount of money to children. When we were kids it was great fun waiting for the elders in the family to give us some money, even if it was just a rupee. I used to collect all these and when it reaches a sizeable amount, I used to buy something that I wanted. Oh what fun those days were!!! We used to go visiting all elders on these occasions. But today, I did not even step out of our apartment!!!! I was totally tired for some reason.

Of course, each festival is associated with its own list of delicacies!!! Poli and vadai are usually part of the menu on the Tamil new year's day. But the MUST-Be-Made dish is the maanga pachadi. This is made with raw mango, jaggery, neem flower, a red chilli. Wondering, what kind of a funny combination of ingredients?? haha. Well, this is to symbolically say that the coming year ahead should be a well-proportioned mixture of a little bit of sweet, little bitterness, something sour and something spicy!!!

Before I sign off for the day, wishing all friends a very happy and a prosperous new year again.

Another finish!!!

Yes, my second finish in 2009!! Looks like this is a great year as far as my cross stitch accomplishments go. I managed to finish the card and give it to the teacher on time!!! Here is a picture of the card.

I did not have my handycam with me to take a better picture of the card. So, took a picture with my mobile phone camera, for whatever it's worth it.

DD's hols have started. So, I am making another attempt to get her into some activity. I bought her a sand art kit today. She loved it. And the kit really is very easy to do. Here is her first craft.

And here is the artist :d

Now I am gathering all my mojo to get back to the peacock. Come on, just a few more stitches, including the back stitch!!! I hate back stitch!!! But then I tell myself, come on that adds the real highlight to any work right???

Happy stitching!!!

And finally

After a long long time, I have a stitchy update . I am almost done with the bouquet I was doing for Vaishnavi's teacher. We have a PTA on the 8th, to collect the report cards. I plan to give the card to the teacher then.

Here are some pictures

And another one slightly closer.

I have pre-cut cards in white and a brick colour. Which do you think would look best? As the fabric is white too, would it look good on a white card?

Am still around

But again no stitchy updates :( Work is going to be very hectic the whole of this month. And today I had a small argument with my boss :( I hate to argue, but had no choice today.

Last sunday was vaishnavi's school anniversary day. The little ones did an amazing job. But the arrangements made by ther school were pathetic!!! The hall was overcrowded with no seats, air-con was very poor, we were all totally suffocated!!! I could not take any pictures as the school management requested us not to take pictures and that the school would send us a copy from their album.

Summer holidays start from the 8th of April. Am looking for some music and dance teachers. Vaishnavi is showing some inclination towards both music and dance. Hope she enjoys her classes.

Hope I have some stitchy updates in my next post.