I have been MIA from the blog scene for about two weeks now as I am vacationing in India, and even though it’s late at night here and I am tired as hell, what I write today had to be blogged about.
October is Breast Awareness month and today I am doing my bit to spread the awareness.
Now as you all know (well, by “all” I mean those few of you who follow my blog), I am a big time procrastinator. I had volunteered for Frosting for the Cause a while back and knew much in advance that my post would go live on the 24th October. And even though I did not want to procrastinate this post, I did. It’s not entirely my “procrastinating self’s” fault. I have been real busy the last couple of weeks, with my parents visiting me and then me coming to India.
I won’t bore you with the details, but bottom line, I left this post- this very important post-for the last minute.
Why is this post important?
Because I am guest posting forFrosting for the Cause, a unique on-line project bringing together 365 volunteer bakers and bloggers across Canada, the United States and beyond. ‘Frosting for the Cause’ aims at raising funds and awareness for research into cancers affecting women.
Head over to their site for my guest post and the recipe for Whole Wheat Carrot Cake cupcakes.
Barring a few little frustrating events that happened, yesterday was a good day. It started with the wonderful news that my parents’ Canadian visa got through just a day before their flight. Had it not, they would have been with me this weekend, but at a cost of losing a few hundred dollars in flight cancellation, re-booking, etc. My mom’s parents and her brother stay in Canada and my parents’ plan was to first visit them and then come visit me. They have a ten year US visa but they needed a Canadian Visa. Never thinking that their Canadian Visa would pose any problem, they had booked their tickets some time back. But the Visa did cause a lot of last minute panic, and only a day before their flight to Canada did their passport arrive with the Canadian Visa stamped.
Happy with the news and excited that my parents will be visiting me two weeks from now, I left for the baby shower we were throwing for the mommy-to-bes. It was a triple baby shower and all three of the ladies are having boys, that too only a week apart from each other!
It was a fun filled baby shower with great food. We, bunch of ladies, could open a great restaurant with all the talented cooks we have. On the menu was chicken enchilada, olive mozarella salad, linguine pasta, homemade bread (which was really good), olive, pickle n ham on a stick, (taking a break to breath and wipe off the drool) BLT sandwiches, pakodas, jello snicker rice krispies, chinese noodles, lettuce and french dressed avocado and my contribution lentil samosas and mini oreo sandwich “cake”.
After a great time catching up and seeing the three mommy-to-bes tear up after opening their presents, I was back home to Target greeting me as soon as I opened our gate.
“Johnny, Johnny Yes, papa, Eating sugar? No, papa Telling lies? No, papa Open your mouth Ha! ha! Ha!”
It’s my dad’s birthday today!
Yup, while the whole of America celebrates their Independence Day, we, the Chauhan family, celebrate my dad’s birthday.
My dad’s name is Johnny. It’s actually Jasvinder. Johnny’s the name that his course mates gave him. I can totally imagine my dad as the boy in the rhyme. He was a chubby kid, lost weight during his NDA days, but then put it back on, later in his life and weighs quite a lot these days. (Don’t worry Papa, I am not telling anyone how much you weigh)
Its not that he doesn’t exercise. Oh! Poor thing! he exercises and tries so hard, but like me, he has this love affair with food that he just can’t break. Unlike me, though, he doesn’t snack, but, when he eats his meals, the portions are pretty big. The main damage though, happens when he is invited to someone’s house for dinner. He is every hostess’ dream- he will for sure be going for seconds and as a result ends up putting on weight!
He loves food. Loves trying out new stuff. If its raining outside, he will always tell my Mom, wishfully, to make pakodas (fried Indian goodness and of course,fattening!)
He also needs something sweet after every meal. Its his way to know that the meal is over.
This time when I was in India, I taught him how to use the bread machine. So, these days he loves making his own bread, and then eating it too!
I have never seen my dad sick (touch wood!)- barring this one time when he had a slight fever and cold (and of course when he had his ejection). Seeing him unwell I had tears- I guess one always thinks of their dad’s as invincible and don’t realize they too are normal human beings.
And of course, like any daughter, I think my dad is the best (no offense to everyone else’s dad). I’m of course, biased but had I been an outside spectator and a judge of my dad as a dad he would have got top marks for the job he does!
You tell my dad that something is to be done, even if you just mention it casually to him, and though you might forget, he for sure would remember and do it for you. Something he gets from his father. My grandfather is a really efficient man and so is my Dad. Every wish of ours has always been their command.
He has always given me whatever I have asked for, and remarkably, not making me a spoilt kid in the process. He, along with my mother, has kept both my brother and me grounded and I will always be thankful to them for that!
I am really proud of him. Hope one day I can give him the same feeling too- of being proud of me!
I have been MIA from the blog scene for about two weeks now as I am vacationing in India, and even though it’s late at night here and I am tired as hell, what I write today had to be blogged about.
