What's been up...

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 1. I really miss Dahi Batata puri. I love that dish. The crisp puris, stuffed with evenly savory potato and/ or channa stuffings and a serving of cold, sweetened curd on it. I love it and I find myself thinking of it often. 

2. Papa went to Vashi again and there was such a spring in his step when he left. I felt a little sad because he was leaving. But also because he seemed so relieved. I suppose I might have smothered him a bit watching every small move etc. But the day before he left, we went to Nature's Basket and on the way back, took a rickshaw ride through Mount Mary and Bandstand before we returned. He was quite pleased. I know that Nature's Basket can be pricey (it is if you buy imported and organic stuff). But it was so pretty and neat and cool...I don't know... it's going to be one way or the other financially for me this year (and possibly every other year) but I like going to nice, pretty places to shop around even if it is to see a pile of juicy peaches, 30 types of pastas, loaves of artisinal breads...and buy very few of them. It's important to feel rich and at ease, I think. Ideally, yes, it's important that the feeling come from the core of one's being. But until that happens, grocery shopping in a fine place is close enough. I will go to Foodhall next.

3. Work is feeling challenging. A chance to apply all the techniques of mental and emotional discipline that I had been practicing all this time. 

4. Met V after ages yesterday. Felt so good before it got complicated. I have to get a birthday gift and I saw something I liked on Amazon. I asked my father what he thought of it as a gift and he said the gift was not very meaningful for anyone who didn't use it. I asked V and he said he wouldn't use it. I would have still got it but apparently, you have to gift stuff that people can use. I find that very odd. I believe one should gift something so outrageously impractical or out-of-personality zone that it feels like a gift. A pair of golden trousers or silver shirt or blue snakeskin brogues are gifts. (Perhaps one reason my brother has started insisting on cash or gift vouchers.) It is quite hard shopping for men I feel. I can't bring myself to shop for technology (all those ugly black wires) or shaving kits. But there was one store in Palladium where the shaving kits were made of white oak wood and all that, they were really good looking. On the other hand if V wants a 'practical gift', maybe something from Nature's Basket would be good. I don't eat meat anymore but if I did, I would be parked at their ham section, especially at their smoked and honeyed ham selection. Hmm. That might be nice unless non-vegetarians have stopped eating ham, now. It's very annoying. If one isn't eating red meat or fish, just become vegetarian for god's sakes! What use is chicken? But desi chicken is very tasty. And I used to love eggs. I still like the smell of eggs, especially the kind that is cooked such that the yolk is runny and you can break off crisp toast and dip it into the centre and all that yummy yellow yolk oozes out like love from a tender heart. And then you can have slices of ham with that. 

Dear Universe, please give me the resolve to work today. It's a full day and I need mental and emotional strength. Also tea. But cook is not coming in today or the next 3 days. So there's that. 

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