It is the truth. On Dec 22, we rejoiced because this year’s school winter vacation was twenty days long instead of ten. We thought, let’s go somewhere, rather than just stay at home. As a government employee, my husband must use Air India for all his official trips, but for those we plan on our own, we can choose whichever mode of transport we want. Oh, personally I prefer to use a bus because we can even board one at the last minute (as most of our travel plans turn out to be) and it is fun to watch the country side speed by– but train is usually the optimum, particularly if we can take it at night and reach our destination early the next morning. Plus, we get to sleep quite comfortably.
So anyway – with a good twenty days stretching ahead of us, and Vidur, being the planner that he is, organizing his school work very nicely, we were actually dreaming of taking off for a few days. So we shortlisted places, heaving a huge sigh of relief over not having to reach the booking counter at 7 am in the morning only to find that a million others had the same thought as us and resigning ourselves to standing in the queue, thanks to being able to book online from the cozy comfort of our own pc. (phew!).
No sooner did we zero in on the happy pricing of Go Air, when the first phone call came. Heralding guests. Now, I love having guests and was quite okay with deferring our own travel plans. These people were visiting from the UK and spending the weekend in Bangalore, so naturally we insisted they come over and spend time with us. We had a wonderful time.
With one week less and only a little over ten days to sneak in a trip somewhere, we were back to planning. The phone rang….and yes, you guessed it, more guests visiting from out of town.
I’ve realized that:
- I am a good cook, and a loving one
- I enjoy being at home, and in the kitchen
- There’s so much joy in feeding people with home-cooked meals
- Trying new recipes is super fun.
- I am quite the expert at one-dish meals
- My chocolate cake is perfect. I’ve made four in this past week.
- I am a creative cook when it comes to kids.
- Kids love me. And my heart simply overflows with love to feel it
- I get to use all the crockery I’ve collected and don’t care if something breaks
- I always have gifts to give visitors who come home
So, seeing as I was happily at home this past week, let me show you some indoors photos.
Welcome to my home!
Let’s start with a warm mug – yes, mug – of sweet corn vegetable soup. Not a bowl. I love this mug. Clear glass. Okay, beer mug. Never carried beer though!
Next, some dessert, wouldn’t you say? I didn’t make it – but fell in love with it when we visited our local supermarket where they have all sorts of special things for Christmas. A chocolate Christmas Tree. Tasted very good. It is hollow, in case you wondered.
And if you don’t like chocolate (gasp!!), there’s a healthier option. Bananas and pomegranates – staple fruits in our house, along with apples and pears.
As we exit my kitchen, you’ll see a glimpse of this shelf. With my assortment of mugs and serving bowls. I like assortments and mix and match.
And please say hello to Peggy. She is just a few months younger than I am. I love her. Why Peggy? Well, why not?
Let’s take a short trip to the terrace and check out how the sky looks today! I so love looking at the rooftops from there and the kites that come and perch on the pipes. Glorious as usual!
Now, I want to show you one of the regular street-toy sellers who hang around Vidur’s school. Love to watch them do their business as the children spill out of the gate and bug the heck out of their parents to buy them something: He sells colorful wind vanes that rotate when kids run, holding them in their hands.
They also sell plastic trumpets. Yes, one can blow one’s own trumpet, you see.
I was curious to see the seller’s face. So I went around, and was delighted to find he sold masks too! In the background, you’ll probably recognize the impatient guy in the helmet and the scooter next to him! His mother is busy taking photos.
And then we head back home!
We finally get the message. We are very likely to enjoy these holidays at home. My son is one hundred per cent happy about that. And no – No airline tickets for this particular destination – because it is home sweet home!
No place quite like it!
And now, over to Unknown Mami’s to travel the world. I love her for this link up!
How did your week go? Are you eagerly looking forward to 2013 like I am?
Happy 2013 to you!
Love, Vidya
oh you know i’m looking forward to 2013! absolutely love these pics sis! i havent seen a wind vain or those kinda balloons in ages.
Me too, Vani! Oh those wind vanes fly like magic and look fabulous too! They are very easy to make! I remember, as children we were forever making different versions to play with! Hugs!
You are so gracious, Vidya! I’m really glad you enjoyed your “staycation” but I’ll confess if it had been me, I’d PROBABLY have been very frustrated inside about missing going on the trip.
Chocolate IS a health food. At least that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!
Keetha, Initially we were a wee bit disappointed! But it turned out to be the best thing for us because we enjoyed ourselves so much. I agree about the chocolate – especially dark chocolate, which I am partial to! Hugs!
I’m sorry you had to cancel your trip, but oh! Your vacation at home sounds lovely!
It was, Emily! Hugs! And happy 2013 to you!
Hi Vidya,
lol 😀 Vidur had to wait until his mom taking photos? Well… I hope he knows why 😉 Anyway I don’t think I would take snaps that way very curiously on the road though 😉 Hmm… Let’s see.
Ah… Chocolate Christmas tree 😉 You are lucky ’cause you mentioned you tasted it Vidya. Else you would have send some here.
The toys are very colorful 🙂 They get the attention at first sight of course. Do they able to sell most? Or it’s more about hard working? 🙂
Wishing you to have a HAPPY, HEALTHY, WEALTHY and SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR Vidya 🙂
Cheers…
Hey Mayura! 😀 Thanks for your comment. Vidur is used to me clicking photos all the time. Earlier it used to be the bulky digital camera – but now it is so much easier with a phone!
Yes, if you lived nearby, I would have gifted you a chocolate tree!
Oh yes, those toy sellers sell quite fast, because they are clever in terms of location.
Wishing you a fabulous 2013, Mayura!
Such pretty pictures! Thank you for sharing your home. I always enjoy when someone shows a bit about themselves. I giggled at the \’fred flintstone\’ plate. 🙂
Happy New Year!
Thank you, Tami! 🙂 Hehe.. Love the plate! 😀 Happy 2013 to you, too! Hugs!
Vidya,
Love the street toy sellers, so beautiful and colorful!
Thank you, Jodi. They’re a joy to watch!
You are so lucky! I could totally use a staycation right now!! Glad you enjoyed yours!
Dear Dorothy – I learned to take staycations a few years ago when we could not even hope to go anywhere. Sometimes an extra half hour in bed, not cooking and ordering pizza and a long bath make a very nice mini-staycation 😀 Try it. Just a break in the routine does it for me.
Love, Vidya
I too prefer to take the bus as you can sit and watch the countryside go by. Not to mention stop at dhabas and drink roadside lassi. Nice pictures, is that really a glass of sweet corn vegetable soup?
Yes, Shalu – that really is sweet corn veg soup. Usually the Knorr version is whitish and thick. The new Maggi range where the packet has granules – is very good. Not that we have it often, since I prefer to make soups at home. But I always like to try something new – and this was tempting. It also tasted very good 😀
Happy 2013 to you and thank you so much for visiting!
Our vacation is all about the airline tickets as we are in the USA visiting Sir’s family. It has been a really wonderful Christmas.
Happy New Year to you
Mollyxxx
Dear Molly, Hugs! Thanks for coming over 🙂 I love seeing your photos every day! Happy New Year to you, too!
I would come and visit straight away if I could. If anyone doesn’t like chocolate I will take their share!!
Stasha, just let me know when and I’ll get that BIG slab of dark chocolate (or milk, if you prefer) and welcome you in! Hugs!
You are such a generous host Vidya! But you are so right when you say there is \’no place like home\’. You can\’t beat it.
Happy New Year 🙂
Giving guests a good time is a non-negotiable at our place, Carolyn. Ah, I hope I can have you over some day. Yes, I love my home. 😀 Hugs!
Your guests are all very lucky.
May I have some chocolate on the Flintstone\’s plate? Thank you. =)
Happy, safe and healthy New Year, Vidya.
xoRobyn
Yes, Robyn, you may, with great pleasure!. I love that plate. I rather suspect that I bought these things as much for myself as my son as he was growing up. The other day I was looking for something and found this in the storage, and thought what a shame to keep it hidden away like that.
Hugs and a very happy 2013 to you!
It looks like you had a wonderful time. I am so glad that you shared with me. Unlike you, I am not a good cook, so Hubby and I usually end up at a relative\’s house with a sidedish to contribute to the meal. I would love it if I could cook well so that I could stay at home for the holiday.
Hi Glynis! Welcome! You know, I rather think I became a good cook by default because we were all expected to help out in the kitchen. I like to think I learned most things by osmosis 😀 as if there’s such a thing. But at the end of the day, it does feel good to be able to dish up things.
I would be totally delighted if you came over with a side dish 🙂 Huge hugs to you! Your blog is so beautiful!
Hi Vidya! Love your wonderful pictures, as usual! So colorful and descriptive. And, my mouth is now watering for some chocolate cake. I am very much looking forward to 2013. I have plans…not resolutions. I say “plans” because I intend on carrying them out, each and every one. I won’t list them here, but suffice to say, I have my work cut out for me. Much love coming your way. Wishing you and yours a very safe and Happy New Year! XOXOs
Terri, I simply loved that status you posted on Jan 1 on Facebook. I am thrilled to hear about your plans and I am quite sure you are going to be successful with all of them. For my part, I am eagerly waiting for your next two books (I believe you said you were working on two).
I look forward to 2013 with you. Load and loads of love and hugs and always cherishing your support. I am so lucky to have you in my life!
Home Sweet Home, no place like it…
Indeed, Bill! So good to see you. Happy 2013!
You sound like a lovely host, Vidya. Your friends and family are so lucky that you love to cook and enjoy entertaining. Maybe some travel for you later in the year. This is such a hectic time to get anywhere for us that is it always nice to just stay home as well. Take care!
Dear Cathy, Yes, travel will come later in the year 🙂 In fact, that’s exactly what we thought – even as we tried getting tickets, that every place would be so crowded with people traveling to or from home – it turned out to be a good decision not to go anywhere. We had our guests come to us! 😀 It was great fun!
Happy New Year to you!
I love the colour Vidya…and yes, home can be a great place to enjoy, even for a holiday
be good to yourself
David
Thank you, dear David. You’re 100% right! We had an excellent time! Hugs!
How inviting! No wonder your phone keeps ringing with guests. I’m glad you enjoyed the visits thoroughly. Your meals look so enticing.:) I especially have my eye on that cute chocolate Christmas tree. How nice that you are so fluid and flexible!
Oh Sandra, I would love to gift you a chocolate Christmas tree. 😀 You know, back in the day when we were a big joint family with three generations of people living in the house, we simply took it for granted that whoever visited our city would stay with us, eat with us…and of course, visitors never left without a meal. As we grew up, we used to joke with whoever came home in the evening, asking if they were staying for breakfast (the next morning). And they usually did. What a happy warm atmosphere. I am glad we’ve all individually carried that tradition through even after we’ve all moved, gotten married and settled down in different cities.
Blessed you are here today. Hugs!
Some of the best vacations I’ve had are at home. I’d love a slice of your chocolate cake.
Oh Claudya, I learned to make that instant cake just recently and have been making it every alternate day, if not two days since then. It comes out so perfectly (fudgy) each time! Of course, we’ve also upped our walking distance, just to be safe. :-). I am slowly beginning to be convinced that whenever I make the cake, we’ll have visitors!
I would love to have you over at my place. Hugs!
No surprise that people come from all over the world to bask in your presence and enjoy your hospitality. (That soup looks delicious!) Your guest room must always be full of happy, contented company.
Galen, I would love to have you over. 😀 I’d also give you a foot massage. We’d chat, have chai. I’d make you overeat. And take you to my terrace to see colorful sunsets. Hugs!
That soup IS delish!
Vidya those wind vanes are fantastic. Sounds like you had the perfect holiday, trekking anyplace could simply not match that joy.
Maggie, they’re such fun, you know. It is a treat to see kids pestering their parents to buy it for them and gleefully running around, delighting in the way they swirl with the power of the wind. I’ve enjoyed a lot of these as a kid. Thanks for coming by!
i hope you spent a great holiday Vidya
wish you all the best in the new year:)
Hi Farouk! Yes. I had a great holiday at home sweet home! It was meant to be that way, and I am so glad it was! Wishing you a gorgeous year too! Hugs!
Hi Vidya,I am a new comer to blogadda.I read your post. It is very interesting.I loved to see all the colorful photos specially your collection of kitchen ware.Chocolate Christmas Cake looks interesting.I also like to bake cakes. Have you posted the recipe of this lovely cake? I would love to make it.I will be happy if you find time to visit my posts and have your comments.
I love seeing life in your city and world. I would love to come visit you someday and eat your food.