Month: December 2000

As usual on a weekend, we all got up late and were ready by around 3pm for our new year bash.. There was no plans(Rashmi knew if we sat for planning, nothing will workout), We got into the car and then started deciding where to go.. Finally, decided to go to Feltham to the movie “Unbreakable”, by M.Night Shyamalan, and then from there to a Southindian restaurant at Southall and then on the Central London for the midnight bash.

The movie was not good.. Not upto the standard of “The Sixth Sense”. this was really off track and boring in between also. Not advisable to see.. but if you havent seen the Sixth Sense.. let me tell you.. go for that movie.. Its brilliant.

Then on the way back we went to the “shivshakti restaurant”, which had a typical udupi restaurant abience, back home and enjoyed our dinner for nearly one and half hours. Then it was off to London, We were there by 11.00 at night, parked the car and joined the crowd at Big Ben. there were people on the London eye, taking photographs and when the clock struck 12 there was a lot of cheer going on.. needless to say, we took many photos. In short, the newyear eve went wonderful. On the way back, we(Rashmi, Sunita, Girish, Zubin and yours humbly) pulled down the side windwos and were wishing each and everyone “Happy New Year”, while we were driving back home through the heavy traffic roads of Central London. We got back home by around three, only to sit discussing the New year resolutions which each should have.. before we got the sleep at around six-seven in the morning.

Wish you all a very Happy New year!!!

I sometimes wonder, if I am excluding the the wonderful thoughts I have, from my journal. It seems that I am only recording my physical existance on the journal, and am keeping with myslef all the thoughts which I have, which I feel are wonderful.. What the heck??!! Well I will continue like this till I feel like writing them..

Today, though it was saturday, I had to drive to a client site for thier month and year end, so was on the roads early in the morning to Andover.. The drive was really good.. I was driving through black Motorway (M3) and on bothsides all the fields were covered with snow.. it was snow everywhere and everything as realtively black and white. Had a lot of problems with the work, sorted them out., but has to wait till tuesday to see whether everything has gone correctly. On the way back picked up Sunita from Woking and after dinner had a good sleep, waiting for the 31st..

An Artist!!!

On friday, the morning itself I had a major problem, cleaning my car of the snow. It nearly took me 40 minutes before, I sorted the problem with a mug full of warm water. Drove to office for a schedule of hectic work(still smuggled out some time to have a chat with pradeep). I left office at around 3.00 and went to Zubin’s office, where Rashmi had also come. We had a lot of photosessions with the snowman which they created. I had seen a sand sculpture on an advertising hoarding on the way to Central London last day, of dolphins, which I decided that I can replicate in snow.. and guess what!! I did it.. I took some photographs of the dolphin in snow, which I made (wait till we get the photos developed and then I will post it on my website).. What an artistic guy I am turing out to be. Well after that we left for home, on the way we had detailed discussion regarding the lack of importance in the Indian education and social system for development of artistic skills of the people.. Well needless to say.. the debate ended without much results. I, for one, was of the opinion that, Indians are too preoccupied with the food, clothing and the housing(roti, kapda, makaan),and then saving for future and making ends meet that even when they can take out some time, still they ignore their artistic side.

Well, thats how the friday went, till we slept.

Today I had to go the Royal Danish Embassy to get my visa to Denmark. I got up early and got ready and stepped out of home only to step back in the next instant. Everything was covered in Snow. Nearly 2 inches of snow was lying outside. After putting on the winter cap, I ventured out again.. This time it was real snow all around the place.. I was not driving to Central London, hence I didnt clean my vehicle at all. Just walked to the nearest Londis to get a LT Travel Card and went to Ealing Broadway and then to Sloane Square and on to the embassy. got the visa without much deliberations, got back into office for a lot of work.

Zubin and Girish called, and they had made a snowman at their office. Since I didnt take out car that day, I instructed them to wait for me in the U9 bus, which we came to know later that, the service has been suspended due to the heavy snowfall. We three met for a good walk and got 331 back home.

Got up and rushed to office, to find Rajesh already there then tried to finish off my work, some finished some unfinished, I collected the documents, with which I have to get the visa for Denmark tomorrow. The office was realtively quiet, only a handful had come. Prasad dropped in for a chat and had a good chat with him, he’s confused and totally lost. Things that love maketh a man??!!!, I just wondered. Went through Pradeep’s journal, wanted to write a story as a comment on Meditaion, but couldnt remember the exact story which was regarding Kabir and his son Kamal so didnt post any comment. I left early, got to Uxbrige, took my passport photo, drove to Rashmi’s place, called up Appa, Prasanth and Sundaram mama as promised, chatted with them for a long time., and drove back home..

Monday evening, had good food,
Ramesh’s wife is indeed a good cook.,
And then we started to loiter around,
“Ghulam ali’s” songs had us spell bound.
(Ok.. I will try not to be poetic anymore)

Only Ramesh, Zubin and me, liked the music,
Rashmi & Sunita wanted some thing going,
and then we all started playing,
the game, where we have to keep guessing,
the name of the movie which the other is acting!!
(What a poem… this is turning out to be?!!)

Ok.. we played “Dumb Sherads”,
I hope its written that way,
We all enjoyed the game,
I was teasing all the opponent team,
till Sunita got out of control.,
She shouted at me and was really upset,
I knew, this time that I had really irritated her,
Soon, I switched sides and joined Sunita’s team,
for a new game of “Antakshari”.,

It didnt take time, to change the mind,
Of Sunita with my contageous smile,
She was soon happy, and we all enjoyed,
The game till we all went to sleep.,
Morning greeted us at around 12.30,
for a hot Chai and a round of snack.,
We got ready, since we had to leave,
Had Paratha, made of mooli,
and off were we after a good holiday.
We hit the road A1(M).,
Where I touched around 101 mph.,
soon to join M25,
Dropped of Sunita at her home,
and drove back to Zubins home,
took Girish to the temple,
Came back home with heavy eyelids,
Had a wash, had food,
Checked internet,
read all the journal,
also of Radhu,
wondered how far we have gone apart,
got a bit down,
Shook it off soon,
Went home for a deep sleep.,
and thus came to close,
the wonderful weekend,
fourdays of timepass and full of joy!!

Saturday morning, by the time I got up Zubin and Rashmi were up and Zubin suggested that we can go to Windsor Castle. They three have already gone to Windsor Castle, but Myself and Sunita had not been there yet. That was a nearest attraction also where we could go and comeback, since some of Zubin & Girish’s friends were coming from Sweden during Sunday night, and we had to be back in home by that time. So be it.. It was Windsor Castle, and by around 12.15, we left for Woking, where we would pick up Sunita, before leaving to Windsor.

Navigation to Windsor was good and we all reached there and roamed around the castle. Its said to be the only “living castle”., a castle where people still live. We had a walk by the ‘Long Walk’ a long stretch of road(no vehicles, except a horse drawn carriage) with bit of mist coming down to greet us. It was getting really cold and after the sightseeing, it saw us huddling together in the nearest McDonalds for a snack(lunch??), It was dark by that time and then we drove back home and went directly to temple at Southall. Came back from there, had dinner and decided for a game of bowling and off we went to Feltham Superbowl.