Birds and bunnies

Was in Austin again this week. So that explains the little ones usual rant on my business trips. She asked me "You have so many people working for you. Why can't someone else go to Austin instead of you?"

She has all the makings of a fine manager in the future!

This time I went only once to the Austin Downtown Yoga place. These guys crack me up everytime I visit. Last time it was the "Happy hump day" .. 

This time we are about to do the Standing bow pulling pose and when there are new students in the class the teacher usually goes over the grip by saying

Take your right hand and put your palm out and imagine you have money on the hand. Say "Mama give me money" and then without bending your hand move your leg up and grab your ankle with the outstretched hand!

Austin is a republican stronghold. Guess what the teacher asked the class to repeat at the beginning of the pose?

Obama give me money! 

I thought it was hilarious. 

Made it back thursday and so far no sickness. My previous two Austin trips ended up with me getting sick on my way back. Not this time. 

Was back in the hot room this morning in San Jose. It is a beautiful day outside and to pass some quiet time in the afternoon, sat in the van with the windows open in our driveway to try and capture this one hummingbird that was consistantly seen drinking from the Jacaranda tree in our front yard. 

After sitting in the van and enjoying the breeze for an hour caught the bird on camera. 

As an added bonus, out jumped a bunny from the bushes and posed for me up close! Now we really have a bunny invasion in Cupertino. Going to call animal control today!

It is still great out there and we plan to spend the rest of the evening outdoors..

Love summer!

Things to know about yourself

The little one handed me the Fathers day gift first thing in the morning.

It was a nice card she had made in school before school closed as part of a class activity.

Apparently I am crazy over my work.. She definitely does not like my work as she sees it as something that competes with her for my love.

Understandable considering I am going to be back in Austin soon.

Thought she got used to my travel by now.. looks like deep down she still has some misgivings!

We thought of buying another tree and planting it for Fathers day. Especially since the mothers day Japanese maple tree is not faring very well in the heat. I am the only one that waters the tree and if I forget the tree starves. It has already lost all the leaves in 25% of the branches.

Jr. : What tree should we plant?

Me : something that can be big, give lots of shade and have fruits. Lemon tree?

LO : our lemon tree is more like a bush. but do you know it has 5 lemons on it already? It will not grow big but it can be our only lemon tree.

Me: ok. so we are back the question. What tree?

LO: How about a money tree?

Me : !!!!!

Jr. : The bank is the money tree LO! You can only get money from a bank.

LO: Daddy, you say you invent things. Can't you invent a money tree or something ?

Me : !!!!!! (I have no answer to that one.) I have promised her an answer soon..

In our house your competence or intelligence will be challenged so frequently that you start deflating it as a default over time.

Celebration weekend...

Thirteen years ago, this day saw a major turning point in our life. Got married to a girl I had just met!

While every astrologer worth his salt in south India had predicted that San and me will live a happy life for a long time to come and our parents were so sure of the future, we did not know what the future held for us. At least we had an open mind to things being unpredictable.

So far, it has been an interesting 13 years. We have grown to accept each other over time and yes, cannot imagine anyone else having the ability to put up with me the way she does. She was definitely given some special skills just to deal with me and we are destined to be together or at least that is what it feels like!

We usually do three things on our anniversary if we are here at home. A visit to the temple, lunch or dinner at Chat House in Sunnyvale and ice cream at Ghirardeli square in SFO and a visit to the golden gate vista point.

Today we started off with the temple visit but plans changed. It was a 107 degrees in Livermore and by the time we walked barefoot into the temple from the parking lot the oldies and the kids had a tough time recovering from the heat. So we took it easy, cancelled the ice cream trip and decided to eat closer to home as well.

With age comes some realizations and flexibility.

Tomorrow is fathers day. So to all the dads out there who are about to be suprised by their kids with trinkets, I wish you the ability to smile and rejoice at the gift. To the others, happy fathers day. This year my dad is with me and that is our gift. I am not big on the whole special days for different relatives thing. At the most it shows you how the world has moved to having one day at least in a year where you have to try something special for a certain relative when you should be doing that everyday anyways!

If my kids can promise to behave on fathers day, why not every day? One can always hope!

The little one was moping today because apparently she had made a special card for me and mom had thrown it in the garbage without realizing it was for me! Told her that the best fathers day gift for me is a kiss from my two girls. If not for them, I would not be a father, would I?

That logic seemed to work with her and she cheered up. My own gift this year for this weekend?

Varupayaru! "What the ?" is what is going through your mind. Will explain...

When we went to Seattle recently for the BIL/SIL's baby shower, as part of the ceremony they gave us all this snack which was mixed dry-roasted grains. It is a tradition and it is a good source of protein for the pregnant woman (and guessing if it is good for her it is good for everyone!).

It has nine grains in it. Tried to find out recipes for this and finally had to reach out to older relatives to get the recipe.

San was initially not for my cooking experiement with soaking grains, drying them and roasting them etc. because she thought this would be one huge waste of expensive raw material.. but she relented.

So here we are at step 2. The grains were all soaked in different vessels and now are nicely drying out on bounty towels. Tomorrow..... Roasting time!

Will let you know how it comes out. . .

Happy Fathers day to all who celebrate it. The rest of you who think every day should be fathers day.. well, dream on!