20 Years Ago #WordsMatter

20 Years Ago #WordsMatter 

20 Years ago I had passed my 10th board exams and had chosen 'Science' as my preferred stream of further studies. When I think about myself then, I realize how serious I was about life. There was zeal and a desire to do something. I was a sincere and hardworking student and academically I did pretty decently for myself. But did life turn out to be the way I envisioned during those days? Well, not very much. There have been detours and curveballs along the way and I believe I am where I am meant to be (maybe), but not where I thought I would be.

Come to think about it, I think most of us given a chance to go back in life would want to do certain things differently; certain things that might even change the course of our lives. At some point or the other, we have all said if only I had that chance, if only I had this opportunity earlier if only this and if only that. The list can be unending.

When It Rains #WordsMatter

When it rains… 

I crave for a plateful of freshly fried onion bhajis and a cup of strong adrakh-wali chai. And as I write this, the memories of many rain-soaked evenings spent with friends in Pune indulging in these small pleasures of life come to my mind.

I love rains. I always have. I love the freshness and moisture it brings to the air. I love how everything green starts looking lush after the rains. I grew up in Assam, so I have always experienced the rains of the torrential kind – not for a few minutes on some days - but for hours, for days on - like the sky would pour incessantly – relentlessly. As a kid, I would listen to the pitter-patter of the raindrops falling mercilessly on the slanted tiled roof of our house, in some rhythm of its own. just by the sound of it, it was easy to know when the intensity of the downpour increased and when it stopped.

Outside My Window #WordsMatter

The scene outside the windows can serve as an inspiration - if we are looking for it. The seat by the window has always been a coveted one - I can remember numerous occasions as a kid and as an adult when I had wanted that seat - during a car journey, on a train trip or on a flight. But what I am sharing today is not from a journey, but a scene outside my room window one evening some days back. Some days the sky can amaze us with splendid colours. Well, that was one such day and I can tell you this much - my phone camera did it's best to capture the scene - but there is still so much that you can perceive through your eyes only. 

I am not much of a poet, but seeing the sight these lines came to me automatically - simple lines written by a heart that was enchanted by the sight.


The Evening Sky Outside My Window

I looked up at the evening sky
It was painted in shades of pink
Telling the story of the day gone by
Go home I heard it say
For the sun has set for today

Another day will dawn tomorrow
And will bring sunshine and hope
Or it might rain and bring some cheer
And sooth the scorching land
Both the sun and the rains do us good
So take them both in your stride.

The things that went awry
Take lessons from them
The good moments
Forget not to rejoice
Life goes on regardless
So stop sometimes to marvel
At the splendour of the sky.

PIN IT

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I am participating in the #WordsMatter Blog Hop initiated by Corrine, Shalini and Parul. The prompt for this month was "Outside My Window".

I received this tag from Shalini at Shalzmojo. It’s my pleasure to pass on this tag to Pragnya at Life With My Penguin There are 47 of us on this Blog Hop and it will be spread over 3 days – 2, 3, 4 August. Do follow the #WordsMatter Blog Hop and prepare to be surprised!

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Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

On Decluttering Memories - Does it Spark Joy?

On Decluttering Memories - Does it spark joy?

It was early morning and my boy was blissfully sleeping tucked in the blanket. My mom was in the kitchen busy preparing breakfast. So, I thought it was a good time to check out my things in one of those tiny shelves upstairs. I donned my fleece jacket and wore my socks – it is quite cold at this time of the year (January) in Assam and when you just get out the blanket, you feel the chill all the more. So, I dressed right for the weather and made my way upstairs.

It has been a kind of ritual for me whenever I am visiting my mom’s place to go over all my old books, diaries, knick-knacks and that special pouch that safely keeps old greeting cards, scrapbooks from schools, letters and notes that I loved exchanging with my friends. It serves as a souvenir of sorts for me – a lovely reminder of the good old days. A large part of the so-called letters and notes came from my best friend from school; ironically she is someone with whom I am barely in touch these days, despite the convenience of being connected on social media.

Of New Year resolutions & Word of the Year 2019!

Of New Year Resolutions & Word of the Year 2019!

We are done with the first week of February of the year 2019 and here I am talking about New Year resolutions! You must think I must have lost the track of time or something. But, let me tell you that I have not. 

I am pretty old school when it comes to resolutions. I make them, often break them; at times stick to them and many times change them. Point is - I keep setting some goals for myself throughout the year. So, New Year is just another opportunity to set goals and I see nothing wrong with that. Coming back to my resolutions for this year, I took a different approach. I came across this picture on Instagram and it kind of resonated with me. So, my resolutions for this year can be summed up in this image.

Only Change is Permanent - Looking Back - June to September #GratitudeCircle

Finally, I am here clearing the dust and the cobwebs off this space. For almost 3 months, this place has been deserted and I am really not sure if anyone is peeping up here to see what’s up.

But, hey I know some of you are stopping by because the blog stats say so. So, all is not lost yet and yes, I am not the one to give up. Hello folks, welcome back. Make yourself comfortable as I want to share some news here.

Life at my end past 3 months has been one with lots of movements. Yes, quite literally. We have moved out of Pune and have now stationed ourselves in Hyderabad. So, you can guess what all kept me occupied. Lots of decluttering, cleaning, packing, unpacking, selling stuff, meeting people,  finding and a new place to live, and the list can go on. I am slowly settling down in this new city – the house is almost set, found a help (so important), slowing making new acquaintances. The little one resumed his preschool after a month’s break. But, there are many things that still need to be done – like getting the mobile number ported to the new state, changing the address in every damn place – bank, adhaar, etc. (small tasks, but takes up time real quick).

While chatting with a friend of mine who shifted to Bangalore from Pune while we shifted to Hyderabad, she said – ‘ aisa lag raha hain sab kuch hil gaya hai’ (everything seems to be shaken from its place). Indeed that was my feeling too when we shifted. This has been our first city change within India and with a toddler on tow, I can say that it is not a small task.

There have been a lot of things that I have been grateful for the past three months. But, I think I will concentrate on the one thing that clearly stood out and will stay afresh in my memory for a long time. And that is meeting friends.

The day I knew we were moving out of Pune, I made a list of people I needed to meet before I left the city. We live in a world that is so connected online that we often discount the feeling of meeting people for real. Of course, there are reasons why we can't meet often - jobs and responsibilities keep us occupied and sometimes the distance within cities is so much that it needs a special occasion to meet. But, trust me the feeling of meeting friends and chatting over a cup of coffee is incomparable to any online chat. I am so grateful to have made such wonderful friends in Pune – all of them made the stay memorable. I can't really express in words how I cherish all the lovely moments spent together.

Pune was a city of many firsts for us - for starters, I took my first scooter ride here (LOL), I made a new beginning as a content writer; we bought our 1st car here; we welcomed our bundle of joy in this city, we bought our 1st home here. No matter where we go, Pune will always be special and we hope we come back to this city again in the future.

Letting go is difficult – be it a habit, person, or a place. But, letting go is important. While I still miss Pune and all my friends there, I am also excited about what life will unfold in this new city. Life is all about experiences and we sure want to have varied experiences in our lives. It is what it takes to make a life rich. So grateful that I am getting the opportunity to experience living in another iconic city.

September was my birthday month and I got to celebrate my 35th birthday with my elder sister (Yes, she also lives in Hyderabad). So grateful to have family and friends wishing me a great birthday - no matter how old you get this day always seem special. I think in recent year birthdays for me are less about celebrations and more about contemplation and reflections. Does that sound like the effect of the approaching middle-age? I don’t know yet. But, I do think that I am clearer about my life goals and my priorities. Am I getting wiser?

Since the city move took most of my time and energy, reading has been laid back, so has been the blogging. But, I am soon getting into the rhythm of writing and reading regularly. Did I tell you I have ordered 5 new books (so hard to resist the temptation even when you have a pile of unread books)?

I have big plans on the blogging front this month. So, do visit by to catch up on the pending book reviews and some sumptuous recipes. I assure you, you won't be disappointed.

Have an awesome October. I am joining Vidya's Gratitude Circle for the Month of June. You can check it out too for a liberal dose of Gratitude.

If you like what you read here, do share your thoughts with me on my Facebook Page, Twitter Handle or tag me on Instagram @jyotibabel using the hashtag #jyotispages 

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

My New Year Resolutions for 2018 #MondayMusings

My New Year Resolutions 2018

At the very outset, let me wish you all a very Happy New Year 2018.

Every year we make a brand new beginning as the new year sets in. Everyone makes tall promises to change at the brink of New Year, but soon the reality of it dawns. Only calendar changes, not the person. I have never documented my New Year resolutions on this blog, in all these years, so I thought to do it differently this year.

"For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning."
---- T. S. ELLIOT

I do have a longish list of things I want to accomplish in the year 2018. Some of these are things I am already working on, and there are also some new projects I want to undertake. But, today I will share with you the 3 most important things to focus on this year.

So, how am I going to make it work for me?

I have always done things better when I have written them down, hence the idea to post it here. Writing things down works for me because it gives me a chance to remind myself of my goals, it pushes me to get things done, and also gives me the opportunity to recheck and reassess when needed. The only way to make it work in the long term is by making myself accountable for it. Don't you agree?

So, let's get started with my New Year Resolutions 2018.

Health:

This is the number one area of focus in most new year resolution lists. Mine is no different.

There are many things that I need to change in my daily routine to move towards a healthier lifestyle. I have made efforts in this area this year as well, but I am not quite there yet. After much introspection, I realised that in order to really succeed in this area I have to follow the old age maxim - early to bed and early to rise. If I can join the 6 a.m.club, I am sure I will have the time for the things I need to do to move towards a better and healthier lifestyle. 

This is my simple 5 point agenda for health this year -
Brisk Walk for 1 hour every day (or at least 5 days a week).
30 minutes of meditation every day.
Drink 2-3 litres of water every day.
Eat right. (That sounds vague, but I am clear about what I need to do, maybe I will elaborate in another post)
Get 8 hours of sleep every day.

Read & Write {More}:

Okay. This bit is for the reader and writer in me. Ever since I joined the mommy club, my priorities changed drastically. Now that my LO is soon going to turn two and I am long done with my sleepless-nights phase, I need to shift the focus a little bit (if not all) on me. I have to learn to make time for myself if I don't want to feel burnt at the end of every day.

On the reading front, my goals are clear and simple. I aim to read at least 2 books every month in 2018. I want to catch up on the blogs of my fellow bloggers (I have discovered so many amazing new blogs recently). And yes, I also want to write more, and more often. Anywhere between 6-8 posts a month for each of my blog will give me peace!

Declutter:
This is actually a work-in-progress idea from last year. Somewhere in the second half of 2017, I came across a video on WhatsApp on the importance of decluttering and when I watched it, it made so much sense to me. In essence, the video gave the message that when we declutter our surroundings, we bid adieu to chaos and negative energy and make way for positive vibes.

I went into a reassessment mode after I saw the video and realized that there were so many things in my house- in my wardrobe, in my kitchen, in my storage spaces, etc., that I have not used over a year. Anything that has not been used for a prolonged period is essentially ‘clutter’. There were clothes that did not fit me anymore; bottles and jars I thought I would use as food props and they kept piling up. There were books that were of no use to me and not to talk about the pile of documents that should have been shredded long ago, etc.

You get the drift, right?

Ever since we welcomed baby M into our lives, there has been an exponential increase in the baby items (gear, toys, etc.) in our house. A little more space in the house was more than welcome as it could go a long way in keeping things organized. So, I began my journey of decluttering. I have given away a lot of things that were of no use to me but were useful to others. The space this exercise has created inside my wardrobe, storage areas, and kitchen shelves have given them a breather. And strangely I feel so much lighter.

There is still more to do in this area. In the year 2018, I don't just want to do declutter, but I want to go a step ahead. I want to avoid gathering more clutter. I am often an impulsive buyer and many a time I get things that I don't really need. Recently, I came across this article on My year of No shopping and wondered if I can follow suit. Maybe with a little bit of planning, I can. So, to test the waters, I will make a conscious effort to be more mindful of my purchases. Minimalism is one of my mantras to live by in 2018. That can save me money and much hassle later. A win-win deal. Isn't it?

That's all for now on my new year resolutions 2018. I will love to hear your thoughts on New Year resolutions. Do they work for you? Or you do not believe in them. Whatever is your story, let me know about it by leaving a comment below.

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!



Linking this to Corinne's #MondayMusings hosted at EverydayGyaan

Anything But Books Tag

Anything But Books Tag #Ramblings

Long ago I had been tagged by my blogger friend Tarang for this interesting tag post – Anything But Books.  For reasons unknown, I have taken almost an eternity to answer it. I took a blogging break in September when I went on my annual holidays to my mom’s place. After coming back, blogging has somehow taken a back seat and that is evident from the sparse posts I have done in the past 2 months.

Anyways coming back to this tag post, there are some interesting questions that are not related to book in this tag and the tagged person has to answer it and pass it on to other bloggers. Let’s start now.

Name a cartoon(s) that you love.

As a kid, I loved watching Mowgli (Jungle Books), Duck Tales, and Tom & Jerry. I am somehow glad that in our times we didn’t have YouTube and had to wait almost a week to watch our favourite cartoons. That taught us to be patient and to value our precious Sunday TV hours.

What is your favourite song right now?

I am still a big fan of songs from the old B&W Hindi movies. I remember their lyrics too. Unfortunately, I am not very mindful when listening to songs these days – I can’t even recall the lyrics if you ask me. Generally, these days I listen to songs on Radio sometimes and I love the songs by Arijit Singh. But, no favourite song in particular.

What could you do for hours (that isn’t reading)?

Spending time on Pinterest and fantasizing about cooking flawlessly decorated cakes and exotic dishes. However, I seldom get enough time to do that. Maybe someday!

What is something you love to do that your followers would be surprised by?

I have nothing very surprising to share. But, there is something I like to do that I have seen not many people like to do – if my mood is set (of course not every day) I can spend hours in cleaning and organizing my kitchen and home. Yeah!

What is your favourite unnecessarily specific thing to learn about (this can do with books, I guess)?

I didn’t get this question. If it means what I want to learn - well there are a ton of things. I want to learn how to swim (Yes, I can't swim - maybe I will learn with Baby M), I want to learn to apply makeup (I am too bad at it and usually don't bother about it ) and many more things (the list would be too long if I went on writing).

What is something unusual you know how to do?

I thought really hard, but I don’t think I have any such special talent.

Name something you’ve made in the last year (and show us, if you can).

I think I can mention about some new dishes I have learnt to cook. Check out my Vegetable Biryani, Beets Brownie, and Tortilla Chips from scratch.

What is your most recent personal project?

I am working on my second blog. It is still in a work-in-progress phase and will most likely go live from January next year. Apart from food, I will be writing about a number other things that interest me.

Tell us something you think about often (maybe while staring out of windows).

I think my mind wanders easily when I am staring out of the window. Often the thoughts vary drastically – like sometimes I might be thinking about what to cook, and somedays I might be pondering over the philosophical nuances of life.

Give us something that’s your favourite, but make it something oddly specific, not like your favourite food, but like your favourite food when you’ve been studying for hours and forgot to eat. Or, you know, something like that.

Studying for hours and forgot to eat! Yes, that has happened to me in the past. But, I can’t think of any food item I would crave then. But, here is one thing oddly specific – when I am watching a movie in a movie theatre I want caramel popcorn. If that’s not available, I would rather not binge on anything else.

I would like to pass on this tag to a blogger I recently discovered through Twitter – Anagha. If you happen to read this post, do check her blog too.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Blog Updates, Rants and a Picture

I have been trying to keep this blog going with picture posts for the past few days. Needless to say, days have been busy and then will be so in coming days as well. In all the hustle bustle of life, I really find it difficult to squeeze time for blogging. It's not that I don't want to, but it seems like I am not very efficient in managing my time. But, things need to change now.

And for that, I have laid some rules for myself.

I have decided to blog more often, even if it is just a picture post. I will put up updates about what I am reading, any new books I have bought. I will interact more often on my Facebook page, on twitter and will try spending some time on Pinterest and try out recipes and stuffs I have pinned on Pinterest. I know that is easier said than done. But, I have to do it. Seriously!

On the reading front, I have read 'The Oath of Vayuputras' by Amish Tripathi. Review will be up soon.

To make things interesting for my readers, I am going to announce an event here soon. And it will come with some prizes too.. So, stay tuned.

And before, I end my short post, I want to share another sunset picture. I had posted one recently here.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Books Update

I can't believe that already half of the first month of 2013 have passed by. It was only some time back, we were all set to welcome the new year and now already so many days of 2013 have passed and soon it will be time for the next month.

On the blogging front, I have been super lazy. I don't know why but, I feel I haven't had the time to sit down and blog about a new recipe or lie down with a book. I haven't even had the chance to round up my favorites for the year 2012, like the one I did last year. If I go on to make a list of things I wanted to do, but didn't, the list would be really long. Instead, I should start doing what I didn't. That would definitely help to shorten my to-do-list.

There are some books I read last year that I have not reviewed here yet.

First one is 'The Hunger Games' series by Suzanne Collins. I know by not writing about, I am not doing justice to the series. I was a great read. I was literally glued to the series till I had completed the last book. The first book of the series was the best of the series. I would write about it in detail soon, but for now a simple rating should do.

The Hunger Games - 5/5
Catching Fire- 4/5
Mocking-jay -3.5/5

Revolution 2020 by Chetan Bhagat - 2.5/5
I am not a Chetan Bhagat fan, but I have read all his books. I generally read them between serious reads. Revolution 2020 didn't entice me much. You can give it a miss..

Saraswati Park by Anjali Joseph - 1.5/5
This was simply not my kind of book. It was rather painstakingly slow and uninteresting. I left it unfinished.

I am keeping my reading list short this year and have only joined GoodReads challenge this year. My target it to read 36 books this year. Currently, I am reading Chanakya's Chant by Ashwin Sanghi. This month I also plan to read 'The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi and Not a penny more, not a penny less by Jeffrey Archer.

What are your reading goals? Any books recommendations? Would love to hear. 
Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Diwali Wishes| Recipes| Books update!

Time seems to have put in wings! It is Diwali time again.

Wishing You All A Very Happy And Safe Diwali.

Coming back to blogging, I feel guilty of not giving due attention to my blog of late. With so much happening in life, blogging actually have taken a back seat. I wish there were more than 24 hours a day. There are a lot of books whose reviews I need to post. But, seriously, I have not been able to sit and put my thoughts into reviews. So, I thought it would be a good idea to make a list so, that I can get started from there. Here goes the list:

The Immortals of Mehula by Amish Tripathi
The Secret of Nagas by Amish Tripathi
The Sins of the Father by Jeffrey Archer
Revolution 2020 by Chetan Bhagat
What Young India wants by Chetan Bhagat
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I know these book reviews will keep my blog going for a while. But, since it is Diwali time here are some sweets and savouries that you can choose from.

Sweets:

Kalakand

Carrot and Almond Kheer

Bread Rasmalai

Savoury:

Nimki/Namak paare

Onion Bhajji

Samosa

Once again wishing you a joyous and safe Diwali. Cheers!

Jyoti's Pages on 'Scene of the Blog' and other Books update

Have you ever wondered about the work space area of bloggers around the world?

Ever wondered how their creative corners look like, where they sit and churn out beautiful posts..

Cathy of Kittling Books was intrigued by this question which led her to start a meme -Scene of the Blog where every Wednesday, she features a blogger from any part of the world to share their scene of blog.

This Wednesday, my space is being featured in Cathy's Scene of the Blog series. Wondering how my creative space looks like, go check this out.

Coming back to the books update, about two months back I had made a list of books I wished to read before my India visit in September. Well, in a line I can say that was an ambitious list, These are the books from the list that I have read:

My Friend Jesus Christ by Lars Husum
1Q84 Book 1 & 2 by Haruki Murakami
A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir
Prince of Ayodhya by Ashok K. Banker
Ninepins by Rosy Thornton
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

Apart from this I also read Skid Marks of Logic by Divya Diana Dias and 1Q84 Book 3 by Haruki Murakami

I will read the rest of the books from the list after coming back from my India visit. To tell you the truth, I don't really feel like reading a book now. Give it to my excitement of visiting my home country and meeting family and friends or to the numerous chores I have to do before that, I am unable to concentrate on reading anything. So, I am giving my books a rest while I deal with other things in life.

By the way any books you would like to suggest to pick up in India. Suggestions welcome.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

A Small Island in a Big Ocean

 Ireland - A Small Island in a Big Ocean (Video)

There are times when I tell people that I live in Dublin, I am met with the question - where is that? I tell them it is the capital of Ireland. I get the answer, OK...and where is that?

 Image Courtesy- Wiki 

Yes, it's true and it has happened to me quite a few times. People from this part of the world might feel it a weird question or blame it to lack of general knowledge, but let me tell you many in India hadn't heard of this country until recently. You might ask why until recently? It's all because of Cricket.

Sometimes back, my husband showed me an article on Times of India which said that when Kevin O'Brien made the world record to scoring the fastest century, people in India went about locating Ireland on the world map. Team Ireland astounded the world by beating the veteran England team in a game during the Cricket world cup 2011.

 When I recounted my experience to him, even he asked me, what I knew of this country before coming here.. Well, my general knowledge is not very good and geography has never been my favorite subject, but I did know of a few famous Irish names.

  Jonathan Swift

 I am sure most of us have read Gulliver's Travel and have been fascinated by the little Lilliputs and the giant Gulliver's story. It was a part of our school curriculum and all thanks to that, I knew Jonathan Swift was an Irish man and was born in Dublin.

  George Bernard Shaw  

 The Bernard Shaw cafe/pub near my house.

Another famous Irish man I knew because of my school curriculum. I remember having read an essay as a part of my studies (I can't remember the name). Today, the place where this great man was born is just walking distance from my home.

James Joyce
I am sure most of us have heard about Ulysses. Again thanks to my English lessons, I remember having read a story named Ulysses and the Cyclops. I was very fascinated by the tale of Ulysses and the giant one eyed Cyclops. I knew then that Ulysses is the novel by the Irish author, James Joyce.

May be I could not have located Ireland in the world map then, but I did know something about this country. I had read about the great famine and I knew Dracula had its origin here. Long back when I had seen the video below, I was amazed and proud to know of the significant contribution this little country had made to the world. Do check out the video below.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Books and Lucky Library Picks update

I have not posted anything about Lucky Library Picks or my To Read List Books for the past 2 months. The reason is simply that I have not been picking up as many books from the library of late. With my India trip only about 2 months away, I want to finish reading the books I already have on my shelf. And I tell you, I have more titles than I can actually read. So, I thought it would be a good idea if I could just make a list of the books to be read in the next 2 months.

To start of I have a few books that I abandoned mid way, not because they were not good but, because I got something more interesting to read. I wish to complete reading them before my awaited India trip. Of course, there will be a whole new bunch of book to buy from India and they will only add to my already long TBR pile.

Here goes the list:

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

I have read more than half of it and hopefully it will not take me long to finish it.

Ninepins by Rosy Thornton

I received this review copy from the author. I had enjoyed her book The Tapestry of Love and I am looking forward to reading her latest book.

The Little Shadows by Marina Endicott

I received this review copy from the publisher. This is one of the book in my priority reading list.

The Difficulty of Being Good by Gurcharan Das and Saraswati Park by Anjali Joseph

These are titles I had picked up on my last India trip. I don't know why I have not read them till now. I have to read them before my India visit this year!

Apart from these I have some books from the library that have been sitting on my shelf for rather long. They are:

The Indian Clerk by David Leavitt
One Day by David Nicholls
My Friend Jesus Christ by Lars Husum
1Q84 Book 1 & 2 by Haruki Murakami

Of course, I don't want to return them to the library without reading them!

Apart from all these, I have 2 books that I am presently reading:


A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir. I received a review copy from the publisher.

Prince of Ayodhya by Ashok K. Banker. This is the first book of the author's series on Ramayana. I had reserved a copy of this book long time back in the library. Actually, I was not even hoping to get it as, it was showing missing in the online catalogue. When I received a call from the library that this book has arrived, I was very happy. I am planning to buy next few books of the series from India.

Well, this is going to be my reading list for the next 2 months. Hopefully, I will reach my target.

Apart from all these books there are 2 books that I brought from the library with the thought that I would enjoy them. But when I started reading them, I realized they were not my cup of tea. So, I abandoned them and returned them to the library. They were Ghost Light by Joseph O Connor and The Goddess Village by Nuala Woulfe

Meanwhile, if you could suggest me some good titles by Indian authors it would be great. I need to make a list of my 'To Buy Books' from India :-)!

Have a nice weekend. Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

Updates! Updates! Updates!

Well, the title of this post was just to catch your attention. I have been missing from here for quite long so, I was not sure if you will stop by to read this.

I don't want this post to be full of excuses as to why I have been away from this space  and blogosphere for so long. Things had been busy till a few days back. After our trip to Ibiza, my in laws came to visit us for a couple of weeks. Days passed fast and what is left now is memories of great time spent with family. After they went back last Sunday, the house seemed so empty. For two days, I didn't feel like doing any thing. Slowly I am sinking back into my old routine and blogging is a part of it. So, hopefully I will be regular from now on.

There are a lot of things I want to write about here. But, I am not feeling inspired enough to put my thoughts into writing. I have not been reading much lately and although I have a dozen of recipes in my draft to keep this space going, I don't feel like posting them. May be I am suffering from blogger's block. I am sure many of you understand what I mean. Hopefully, it is just a passing thing.

While I have been away from this space, I read 2 books, Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri and The Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer. Enjoyed both of them and will post the reviews soon. Currently, I am reading Andy Leelu by B L Gautam and A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir. I received book review request for both of them.

I feel guilty for not giving adequate attention to the ongoing food event in this space - Cool Summer Sips. I have received many entries but have not sent any acknowledgement mail. The credit goes to my laziness! In fact, I have not even posted one entry for my own event. That's why I am extending the event's last date by a month i.e. to 30th July. So, don't forget to send in your entries.

This much of update is all for now. I will be back tomorrow with some more. Stay tuned.
Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Back From A Refreshing Break

I have been away from this space without any notice for quite some times now. But, there were a couple of things to keep me busy. Firstly, I am just back from a nice, relaxed and refreshing holiday to Ibiza, Spain. So, you can imagine how it was, post holiday shopping, packing and now when I am back, there are a lot of laundry and household chores to deal with. Catching up with the blogging world will take another few days. I do have a few book reviews and recipes to post from the drafts. I hope they will keep this space going for a few days.

To keep this starved space going, I am just posting a few pictures from my trip. More about the trip will need another post. Till then treat your eyes with these pictures!

Playa Iletas. The beaches there were crystal clear shades of blue. I love the bright turquoise colour here.

 Ibiza Harbour. Loved the rustic ship, it reminded me of Pirates of the Caribbean.

 Another scenic view on the Es Vedre tour.

 Beautiful shades of blue at Cala Bassa beach

One of the most beautiful sunset I have seen at San Antonio Bay, Ibiza.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Yes I know I disappeared again

Yes, I know I disappeared again. And this time it has been longer. I was sick again and this time I was down with chicken pox. Yeah, you heard me right, of all things - chicken pox. Many would say, it is something children get. Well, yes. But, I never had it as a child. So, I guess I wasn't immune and was an easy prey to it this time.

Before you ask, let me tell you, I am far better now. Motivated enough to update this blog. The blisters were not very wide spread. So, I guess I was down with a milder one. But the symptoms were annoying - fever, sore throat, back ache, lethargy and the constant desire to itch.The blister are drying up now and hopefully in a day or two, will scab off. I have been on a very bland diet for the past 10 days and have to be so for a couple of more days (so, I have been advised). A dear friend took care of cooking things for me all these days. I can't thank her enough for all the help and concern. I am grateful to God for blessing me with such good friends.

So, you can guess there hasn't been much cooking and clicking of late. Although, I have a number of drafts for recipe posts, I don't feeling like posting them. I will however post a few, if I am not cooking anything new for a few days.

Past 10 days I have rested like I have not in years. No household chores, no TV, no cooking. Only long distance calls and unlimited sleeping and a little reading when ever I felt like. I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. So, expect the reviews for these book soon. I have 3 other books that I am reading now Lingering Tide and other stories by Latha Vishwanathan, Freakonomics by Levitt and Dubner and The Little Shadows by Marina Endicott.


Among other updates, I have been on twitter (@JyotiBabel) for sometimes now. Although, I am not much of a tweeter myself, I love to check what the world is tweeting about. Recently, I found from twitter that Instagram App for Android is out. I have seen many people sharing pictures through this app and so I signed up on Instagram instantly (as I recently got myself an Android phone). Instagram is a fun way of sharing pictures. So, if you have an iPhone or an android phone and love taking pictures, Instagram is for you. If you are already there then do check out my profile at JyotiBabel. After Pinterest(jbpages), Instagram is the thing I am hooked to.

Hopefully, this space will be active with a few book reviews for the time being. Stay tuned.

Thank you for stopping by. Cheers!

Hello World!

Knock knock! Any one there?

It is unusual but this space has been silent for over a week. It was not the plan.

 But, the good news is that I am back and hopefully will be regular from now on. I was down with a sudden illness and the medicines (how I hate them) made me drowsy and tired. For a few days, I felt as if all energies have been drained off me and I felt sorely clumsy. Thankfully, I am far better now and back in action.

Hope you all had a great Easter weekend. Mine was somewhat quiet, largely because I was not feeling well and partly because the weather wasn't that great. After a nice month of March, temperature are plummeting now and it rains so often. I hope it gets better soon. It was one of the rare weekends when I didn't do much cooking (I will make up for it soon). On the reading front, I have been ever so lazy. I am still reading the book I had started two weeks back 'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak. Hopefully, I will finish it in a day or two and post the review here. This space has been starving for book reviews for some time now.

On the personal front, a very good friend is relocating to a different country. I have silently shed a few tears and I know how I would miss her. It is only in these circumstances, I realise how we take things for granted. She is a very good cook and there has been always something to learn from her. An interested reader, I have often shared my enthusiasm about some books with her. All I can say know that I will miss here dearly. People come, people go. But some makes a place in your heart. She is one such person, I am glad to have known.

I have a good number of recipes in my draft to keep this space going. But, I don't really feel like posting one. But, I think I am going to do exactly that later. For now, I just wanted to talk.

Enough of my rants for now. I will be up with something more interesting soon. Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Forgetfulness Episodes

Yes, I do tend to forget a lot these days. And mind you, I am not really that OLD when you can start associating forgetfulness with age. Let me tell you a few of my forgetfulness episodes and do tell me if you have faced similar situations.

The other day I came home and switched on my bedroom light and realized that the bulb has fused. I made a mental note to go downstairs and buy one immediately (We live in an area where the supermarkets are just walking distance). Then I went to the living room, read a book for a while and then headed to the kitchen. I was so engrossed in cooking that I forgot all about the bulb. It was only when DH came home (quite late), I realized I had forgotten about the bulb. Anyway, I thought I would buy one first thing in the morning. That didn't happen. The day passed and towards the evening, I went to the supermarket ONLY to buy the BULB. I browsed stuff, checked what is on offer and bought a number of things. I came back home and when I entered the bedroom, I realized I didn't buy the BULB but had bought a number of things I didn't need immediately. Yeah! that's me! I went to buy something but came back with a set of things but NOT the thing I went for in first place.

Needless to say, I went again to buy THAT bulb and I made a point to make a list of things to buy on paper before heading  out to the store.

Well, these episodes didn't end here. One fine day, the bulb in my kitchen gave away. I don't know what it is with bulbs in my house these days. But, this time I made a list of things to buy and jotted them in my little diary. I went to the supermarket and bought things, but I FORGOT to check my diary and came back without the BULB. Now that is heights of forgetfulness! Well, the bulb episodes, for now, have ended here as no other BULB has given away after that. But, my forgetfulness episodes doesn't end here. I keep forgetting what DH asks me to do every now and then. And of course, he accuses me, that I forget things he asks me to do but not the ones I want to do, like reading a book. 

Sometimes back, he asked me to fill in a bank slip for rent payment. He had been very busy with his office work at that time and so I was more than happy to do my bit, to help him manage time. I usually keep a some extra bank slips at home, but that day I couldn't find where I had kept them. I decided I would pick one from the bank on my way to work (I work voluntarily for a charity) and since the day was bright and sunny, I decided not to take a bus, but to have a nice walk to my workplace.

The day was bright and the air was cool and I was happy because of the nice weather. I loved the soothing breeze and walked briskly towards my destination. I walked past the church, the canal, the BANK, grafton street and reached my workplace well in time. The day passed and it was by 3.30 in the afternoon, I realized I didn't take the slip from the bank. I promptly called it a day and headed for the bank. On the way, I remembered that I didn't have fresh coriander at home and decided to buy it from the Desi shop opposite the bank, after picking up the slip. The banks here on particular days closes as early as 4 pm, so, I had to hurry. Well, I reached in time, just 5 minutes before the closing time and did my little work. Relief washed over me and happily I headed for home.

Only when I reached home, I realized I didn't stop by the Desi shop. I have a crazy habit of adding coriander leaves to everything I cook. I cringed at the thought of heading out again and almost shouted - Stop Forgetting, but not with a happy face as below!

For all who would advise me to have almonds in the morning, I must tell you, I have already started!

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers

Reading List and A2Z Book Challenge 2012

Time flies! I can't believe, its December already and we are just a couple of weeks away from the new year!

The last month of a year is the time for me for contemplation, to look behind at all the months gone by and to rejoice the successes that were there and to learn from the stumbling blocks. It is also the time of the year when I make plans for the coming year, some resolutions and some personal milestone etc. Last year, I had made a list of To Read Books 2011 and its time to check how I have been faring. Of all the books I had listed to read, I think I am going to leave a few of the deliberately. You must be wondering why?

I came across this A2Z Book Challenge 2011 in Lindy's Blog. It is hosted by Lindsey of Babies Books and Signs and I have made up my mind to gear up for this challenge. It is a simple concept but somewhat challenging, you have to read a book starting with each letter of the English alphabet. Here are the two ways how Lindsy says it can work:

A - Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet. For example: A - Atonement B- Black Beauty C - The Count of Monte Cristo D - Dances with Dragons etc.

OR

B - The lazy way (how I do it) : Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Hope that by the end of the year you have read one book for each letter. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.

Since it is really hard to find titles beginning with X, the letter X just needs to be in the title somewhere.

Of Course, I am in for the lazy way and here is my alphabet list which I intend to fill up by the end of next year!

A. Arranged Marriage by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
B. Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel
C.
D. Deception Point by Dan Brown
E. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
F.
G.
H. Home by Manju Kapur,
I.
J.
K. Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
L. Last Man in Tower by Aravind Adiga
M. Miss Masala by Mallika Basu
N.
O. Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer
P. The Playgroup by Janey Fraser
Q.
R. The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks
S.
T. Touchy Subjects by Emma Donoghue
U.
V.
W.
X.
Y.
Z. 

The books I intentionally choose to leave will fit in this list. I will write about my 2011 reading experience in a different post later!
Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!