The Apprentice

The little one has been learning how to cook things from Grandma recently.

She retices recipes for all tiffin items in step by step sequence, with a cute Tamil accent! Have to capture a secret video of that soon.

The other day she tells grandpa "how did you like it? I made it for you". Was kind of confused hearing that.

Then saw it in action last night and took a video of it. She seems to be okay with the way she sits on the countertop and so is grandma but it was not the safest and did scare me. So going to purchase a high stool for the little one so she can sit on that and stir, add ingredients etc.

Brought me back so many memories of sitting next to my grandma and her aunt (Ambulu) next to a clay made oven of sorts on the ground and helping them make "therattu paal".

Now I have a craving to eat that at 9:30 PM. Sigh!

No thank you

Yesterday we went to a friends house for lunch. I dozed off on the couch in the middle of a conversation and while it is a big "no no" they understood that yours truly had a hectic work week and they let me stay in that state till the snoring got to disturb the conversation (or so I am told). One is lucky to have friends who will let you doze off like that...

Then my friend tells me when I wake up

"When I saw your head after your dozed off, realized that you are balding rapidly. Two months ago at my sons birthday party you had more hair!"

Me : I am not the same guy from 15 years ago when we met.. things are different. Age has caught up with me..or at least my hair. Well, don't care anymore!

Then we come home.. kids go to a birthday party and when they come home the little one does her usual lovey dovey cozying up with daddy who happens to be wearing his white baniyan only and says

"Daddy you have more hair in your kashki(armpit) than your head! Wish you could take some of that hair and put it on your head!"

Me : No thanks. Why are you so worried about my hair when I myself am not?

LO : I am used to seeing you with hair and now it is going away. How come thatha(grandpa) has more hair than you?

Me : Well Thatha was a difficult man to deal with when he was my age. So all the people who dealt with Thatha lost their hair from the stress. That is how Thatha still has his hair and I don't.

Now of course grandma hears this and is caught between defending her hubby or her son. So I quickly divert the conversation to the one topic that is worse than Thatha's hair.. my own hair.

It is only a question of time before I am going to start growing it long and put a pony tail with what is left on what will be called the "ring of fire" a narrow band that goes from ear to ear on the back which is the only area with any reasonable density of hair.

It is just hair..instead of saying "Please let it grow!" telling my inner self something different.

It is just hair..Let it go Sundar.. Let it go!

Head over heels

Well, if it is not your heels then it is your head they play with!

After a gruelling work day where 14 hours out of 24 were spent staring at a monitor came home to find the kids in a playful mood.

Had to oblige them with anything they asked for as it was just day 2 of school.

They wanted me to play outside and we tried that for a few minutes and they realized how tired daddy was. So we moved indoors and the little one said "daddy, I know just what you need. We are going to dress you up and pamper you!"

Well a six year olds idea of pampering daddy involves

1- combing your hair

2- adding rubberbands to your hair that will ensure you have a reduction in hair count that is way more than what you can tolerate

3- decorations with accessories

The only difference this time was that all these things were being photographed in the iPhone. It was nice to see the pictures and be surprised at the things that make my day!

So without much further ado..

We present..

Princess Daddy!

Did not quite understand why the glasses. The little one had an explanation for that. Apparently that was the Grandma daddy with "neththi chutti" photo! (Neththi chutti is a decoration used by indian brides on their forehead). Mommy's dolphin necklace had become a Chutti.

If she finds out....

Well.. she will when reading this post!

Why can't they comb mommy's hair, I ask and the answer?

"We don't want mommy's hair to fall out. You don't have a lot of hair anyways!"

Honesty is sometimes overrated and cruel.

and yes, usually she does things to my feet. Nailpolish, pedicure etc. Sometimes I prefer the heel treatment to the head treatment, but all said and done, head over heels in love with my little angels.

They can do whatever they want in the makeup sessions.

Kids, in case you read this blog years from now.. please know that you put me through this and I did it with a smile!