My Urvaan

My India trip was  also filled with heartache. Couple of days before returning to US (on 10th May 2013), we lost our beloved Penny . She died of natural causes and is buried near the Chenab river at Jammu, foothills of Ma Vaishodevi. Her loss has hit all of us terribly, specially my parents. People who ever lost a pet, like a loved one can understand the heartache it is. She was 13 years old. All four of us were present and Rishi did her burial. She was so happy and active when I first saw her back in April, excited jumping and running around. Waking me in middle of night, asking the food I bought her from US and just being her naughty self. I miss her terribly. I came across a text from Plato where he said, "We consider death as evil when in reality we don't know. It may be the greatest blessing" .  I like to think it that way. She was blessed and is in a far happier place now. May her soul rest in peace. Here is the last picture of her which I took in...

Lived in: Kentucky, US 2012 was a difficult year.Honestly, I have been waiting for couple of months for it to end. The year was marred with  loss , suffering and setbacks. It did had some occasional highs like both AB and I were promoted at work , travel s to new places ( New Orleans, Upper Michigan and Philadelphia) and some new experiences like attending my first concert ( Lady A), watching Zakir Hussain perform and learning Spanish . For Christmas holidays, my cousins, uncle and aunt visited us from Canada and it was so nice to spend sometime with them. I and my sisters baked brownies and chocolate covered strawberries. After they left, we drove up north to Philadelphia to meet AB's friends.We celebrated New Year's Eve with them. We did dress up but ended up staying at home, dancing to loud hindi music, drank, chatted and saw fireworks from our friends's 17th floor downtown apartment. Ending the year in the company of family and friends was the best kick ...

I believe in reincarnations and I believe that all souls have to undergo various life forms before it achieves the form of human life. Human life is said to be the ultimate gift from god and our opportunity to break free from the cycle of life and death and ultimately our path to Moksh. Now, I am not sure whether my life would qualify for a Moksh but I sure do know that there are things which I MUST experience before the end comes knocking, I call them Giftcards and have classified them under Familia, Travel, Adventure, Sports and ultimately as Experience Everything Once.  Familia- 1. Fall in love and marry the nicest guy on Earth ( Got married in 2009) : What else do I say, I got lucky . I often tell Abhi that he is my " Happy Gift from God". Yes, thats the only explanation I can think of, someone up there is Happy with me and Abhi is the way he shows his blessing. Its been 4 years since we met and will be 3 years of our marriage in Feb and our marriage has bee...

Year 2011 Lived in- Kentucky, US It has been year of Firsts.. The year started with us visiting India for the first time after our wedding, almost after 2 years. Its amazing how more the things change, they remain the same. There is something so deeply fulfilling to meet ones family and close friends after a long time, and to pick up conversations as the 8,000 miles never really did matter. I was especially happy to see my nani ( granny) in excellent heath ( knocks on wood) and pray that god bless her with many more happy and healthy years. Grandparents, they are always so loving and adorable and so very important. Then I and AB inched closer to our dream of home ownership. Yes we did a very adult thing and bought our first house in good ol Bombay. We were nervous and yes the inflow and immediate outflow of salary towards mortgage is draining but I am proud of our self that we stuck to our financial plan i.e have sufficient money for down payment and buy what we truly can affo...

Year 2010 Lived in: Kentucky, US Got my first paycheck in over a year Tasted Pancakes and Key Lime Pie, Fajitas dipped in Avocado, whole grain breads with Cranberry Jam, drank Glenlivet and Saki. Got carried away with the Cheesecake and gained 20 pounds. Learned to play Chess and Poker, made some new acquaintances. Got my US driving license, drove down to Cumberland falls and Smoky Mountains, visited the largest cave on earth, the Mammoth Cave and spend an amazing weekend at the most gorgeous city down south, Charleston, SC where we lazed at the beach, drank a bottle of wine in couple of hours while having soul steering conversations, learned to use coffee maker at the fancy resort and then saw the pretty town in a carriage ( the best vacation of this year).  Watched Roger Federer win the Western & Southern Open at Cincinnati, watched American Football at Papa John Stadium (U of L v/s Cincinnati Reds)...cut my hair real short and dyed them ash brown (in hindsight...