Bangkok – the Ultimate Sin City

Decided to take a break during Christmas holidays.. Met up with Jeeya, Miki and Pragya in Bangkok. They say Bangkok is the ultimate sin city – I totally agree. Somehow you just let loose and you feel free. I went wild.

Was busy catching up with the girls, clubbing, playing pool and shopping. Daily routine use to be club till 4-5am, come home and eat supper, sleep and be awake by 11am to go shopping. Back by 7 pm and then hit the clubs again by 11pm.

Ayub was kind enough to house all of us. The 3 girls slept in one room while I took the sofa in the hall.


Highlights –

* Jeeya being picked up in the clubs (why me was her mantra every night)
* Me playing pool and winning quite a few games – considering I don’t know how to play pool
* Me getting hysterical at the pool table – crying, laughing and splitting out water from the mouth while trying to control the laughter
* All of us getting drunk and high 4 nights in a row
* Miki sleep walking and deciding to sleep on the floor in front of the toilet
* Jeeya sleep walking and just going round and round the kitchen, hall and bedroom
* Shopping and more shopping till we dropped – see the dark circles under my eye.

* Went wild buying t-shirts for the gang
* Eating good home cook meal 4 times a day – breakfast, lunch, dinner and after clubbing supper. Though I still don’t understand why we cant have dhal for 2 days in a row for both lunch & dinner?!
* Arguing with a drunk Ayub every night about how I should sleep in his room while he takes the couch. In hindsight, I should have just recorded the convo on my hp and played it out every nite
* The foot massages were to die for!

After distributing all the gifts I bought in Bangkok, I realize besides 2 tops – I bought nothing for myself!!!

I need another trip!

shalini

Sheena – the world class globe trotter

Oh what an eventful closing of the year it has been…

Sheens came back from London with this t-shirt for me – yes she does love me! I believe so. Trust me.

Poor child. Had to travel 18 hours from London to Sin via Doha and then travel onto Delhi for another 6 hours flight on the same day. She had a 5 hour break in Singapore where she slept for 2 hours and woke up with a splitting headache. But she managed to pull herself up and get to the airport and flew to Delhi. And there - she slept and slept for the next 24 hours. I don’t blame her – poor child. Like I had stated in the earlier blog on her laziness, if she wants to do it, she will do it. Otherwise you can scream and rant – and nothing happens.

And this time – I was smarter. Got her to call me from Doha airport. It cost 60 bucks for the 15 mins convo but it was worth every single penny. I spoke to her and I was calm.

Of course the kiasu mother turned up one hour before the plane landed and waited for the precious cargo along with Nidhi. Half an hour later, still no sign of her. Nidhi and I looked and looked and we couldn’t spot her across the glass. So called her – and she says – mom I am right in front of you, I can see you and you can’t see me? And true enough – she was standing right in front of me waiting for her bags. My excuse is – she was in black and she was so skinny – I couldn’t recognize her.

But it was good to have her back.. and she lost so much weight! I tried feeding her but no luck… well she will be normal in India when mom starts feeding her all the ghee stuff.

shalini

1st SMS from London

Sheens 1st sms from London received today at 2.45pm:

Hello mummy... (isnt that the best sound in the world!)

its not too cold at all. More like india but our hands tend to freeze more. The weather is lovely! I can't seem to sleep for some reason. Dinner was awful, I had to eat vegetarian coZ MY teacher thinks i'm muslim. Thus I didn't eat anything. First day was great. We went to some poet's house and walked around a bit.. It gets colder at night, but we've got heaters. And i'm much better covered than others so i dun feel the cold at all :)

:) :) :)
Thank you God - my baby is safe and she's good - I must have re-read the message ten times and I know I will read it all nite again and again. I just can't stop smiling now.

shalini

Cling-y Mom

Kids - they decide who and what you are everyday!
I became a Clingy MOM today...

Nisha left on Nov 14 for her annual delhi trip to my ex inlaws place. First it showed how comfy she was and also how well she has adjusted to the family. Sheens was not going till Dec and yet Nisha was clear that she wanted to go "home" regardless of Sheens being there or not. The first few days I missed her like crazy and call her at least 3 times everyday. I use to wake up saying I wonder how she's doing. And sheens use to say "Oh Grandma starved her and she's dead' or "She's been kidnapped" and the best being "Oh my grandparents sold her off as a slave" and gives me that wierd horrific look - Grow up MOM. I know Nish not my birth daughter but I can't help it if I feel/care so strongly for her.

Sheens left last nite for London. And guess wat - after 15 hours i broke down. This is the first time I never had any sms or call from Sheen for such a long long time. We talk (either sms or phone convo) every few hours wen she's in sin or in india.

First time for 15 hours no news - no convo - no sms.

I freaked out - i started crying. Called Parul and she did not pick up the phone. Called Victor he did not pick up the phone. Called Rakhee next and thank god she picked up the phone and told me to not worry, she's safe and in a flight. Of course she's safe and on a flight! But that "lost" feeling is persisting. I calmed down a bit though.

Kathryne came over to keep me company till sheens calls me. And victor called finally and made full fun of me. Let go - stop being a clingy mom. What happens if she goes away for a weekend with her bf in future or if she elopes. To which my reply was I will pick you up and we will hunt her down - period. No two ways about it.

Finally sheens calls after 18.45 hours. She's ok. A bit cheesed off that her brand new winter jacket's belt has gone missing. It fell off somewhere.

She's ok - and I'm ok now. Victor came over then to take me out for dinner. I had no mood to eat earlier but since Sheens had called, Victor says you will eat now.

For all his bravado and macho exterior - he cares about me and is a true true friend. He came over as soon as he was free, and kept a tab on me till sheens called and finally insisted I eat and took me and Kat to Chicken Rice.

And today I gain the title - Clingy Mom!

shalini

Sheens in Hospital

Does she looks sick to you at all? It just looks like she has a bad hair day rite?

Well she was sick. Got herself admitted in TTSH all because she refuse to see a doc wen she felt her first few pains at her back. God child!

Pain means you are ill. See a doc - get medication!

She had kidney infection. Was in for 5 nites and she was a total baby at the end of it. Was crying with pain cause of the drip connection. Here's a pic of the drip-


She gave me such a scare - even to Parul & Sunil. Come day 3, the nurses forget to give me her medication dosage and the ward doc did nothing about it. By evening, she was in such agony that she couldnt move her right arm. Finally got the doc in and he realised that she had missed a dosage. Gave her an instant dosage via the IV and she was fine in 5 mins. But was a scary & horrifying experience. How could they forget!

Day 6 dawns and she decides to discharge herself. She did. Why - because she got some camp she has to go for. She promised her 2 best friends Hazique & Zhi Yu.

Aiyo.

But she survived the camp and recovered well and now preparing for her London trip.

Thank you god! And thank you Parul, Nidhi, Gana, Lala, Chacha for doing hospital duty of entertaining her. Nisha for being my 2nd arm and always being there at Sheens back and call in the hospital. Muneer & Serena for the high school musical book that kept her entertained for 2 nites. And Kat, Kim & Celine - the flowers and the teddy bear. That brought a big big smile on her face (even mine!) Though I am still wondering - why did i not get flowers when i was admitted? Sigh - life is not fair!

PS - yes the 2 best friend plus some guy named ming yao took good care of sheens, made sure her medication were taken with tons of water and returned her back in good form and spirit albeit without a voice. They even showed her Madagascar as a bonus and till date she can't stop talking abt her camp and her friends - thank you guys for being her angels :)

shalini

Horoscope

Saturday morning. In the kitchen - cooking for lunch since the gang was coming. Sheens starts convo by saying that a school friend for her, Zhi Yu, created her horoscope online. Site being www.cafeastrology.com. No big deal - I dont believe in astrology anyways - as a muslim, there is no such thing!

But guess what - sheens reads the horoscope and everything i believed in flew out of the window. Forget being a muslim, forget being a logical person with brains (at times!), forget being a rational person - just forget it.

According to Zhi Yu's newly discovered site - sheens will not marry. And if she does it will be at 34 and she will not be faithful! No children, she does not like doing housework, is lazy but though its politely defined as she knows how to separate leisure time with work time hence she appears lazy to others.

As HER mom, let me tell you - she is lazy. Period. No 2 ways about it - no matter how beautifully you phrase it. But if she's in the mood, she'll do everything - mopping, vacuming, clean the house to perfection. Otherwise the tea cup will sit on the table till it becomes moldy and smelly but she wont lift a finger at all to wash it. And she has the making of being a good cook - she has that magic in her hands.

Now back to sheens horoscope, she will have good job and money. She likes finer things in life and becomes materialistic.

Panicked - I started by saying:

Me: Listen sheens - marriage is sacred institution. its important to be faithful and committed in any relationship. And it is each individual human being duty to marry and reproduce.
Sheena: Where is it written mummy?
Me: In the Islam & Hindu religion (remember her dad is Hindu)
Sheena: Yeah rite
Me: In the society we live in!
Sheena: Yeah rite
Me: In my book Sheena!
Sheena: Sighs and give me that weird look

So I start again by saying marriage is sacred and how its a holy institution - yada yada yada. And she turns around and says - I am not getting married today Mom! So chill mom.

I did the next best thing - I called India. Spoke to mom and got dad to go to the pandit there and then. Relax Shalini - says dad. Apparently when sheens was born, her khundli was done. And it says she will marry at 32 and have 2 kids. Phew - relief.

Then bomb drops - timing on the khundli is wrong. Aiyo. Panic again and sent dad out to the pandit immediately. Now he goes to some physco pandit who says he wants sheens india time of birth and it will take him 3 days to do it. So am waiting.

Then told sheens to do nisha's horoscope. Bad bad bad choice. She becomes a drug addict! Aiyo! But she gets married and have lots of kids. In hindsight, yeah right! Nisha is the straightest and the sweetest kid around.

In walks Victor for lunch - seeing me frantic he says "kya hua shalini?" and gives me a big hug. Told him the issue. And you know what he does - "Hei Sheens - good job - you have a rocking life" and hi-fives sheens. Next parul, sunil and montu bhaiya walks in. They all are just too happy she has a great life ahead and agree with Victor. And I am left stunned!

Where have i gone wrong? What values have I thought my kids? To be a drug addict, not get married, have no kids, be unfaithful. Oh god - where did I go wrong! Was in a drugged state the whole weekend. And all nisha could do was - laugh and sheens was all smug!!!

Today is Tuesday and am in the office - reality is surfacing in me. Slowly I am coming out of the haze! My mind clearing. I did my level best with the kids, its not something i know, its a fact of life. I refuse to believe my children will turn out such in future. They are good kids with good values. They are my pride and joy and they will not disappoint me.

Besides - how can a website be right - right? And its a horoscope - i have better faith in my kids and my parvarish!!

And sheens you will avoid Zhi Yu whenever she is visiting funny websites! If I ever meet that child....

shalini

Eid Photos