New colors at home...

While the internet was down for a few days, I have been busy doing this...many
more to come! :-) Like? ( Its a used yoghurt container!)

My redefined Lap-Over!

Brightest Diwali in Paris!

We decided to celebrate Diwali in Paris in our little way at home! I love the festival of Diwali; so meaningful - celebrating the victory of good over evil; knowledge over darkness - the bright and beautiful lights drive away the darkness from our lives. It signifies the victory of inner good over the evil within all of us.



















We began with our favorite Ganchu ( I have a lovely lamp that I brought here from Pune; shaped like Lord Ganesha - one of my favorite things at home!)

These are lovely tea-light candles, my friend's Mom gifted me. My friend and her mom buy me gifts all the time!!! I know, its great to be 'me' ;-)

These are little 'travel jam bottles' that I cleaned and painted like this. They are too cute to be thrown away; so I decided to use it like this for Diwali. My little thing I did for our Diwali here...(not a great picture, I know!)

Capturing at a different angle....

( Aroma sifts through the air...again a gift from my cousin! I bless her everyday when I get back home!)

This time, as always, we updated the curtains instead of clothes! ( Who am I kidding??!! Even today, post Diwali, we bought some clothes...) Anyway, I bought some sheer-curtains first and then realized though it looks pretty; it glares and the light reflects on the T.V. So I went back and got some more. So, now I have two sets....which I can change to my fancy! I am in 'home decor heaven' now!

and now, last but definitely not the least....the brightest unique light as promised in the title!

I am not going to lie....I did miss the air of festivity back home in India. But by evening, my spirits were really high. We went to a friend's place for a '70's theme party' and we had a really good time. We met some lovely people and I felt so much at home with so many people around. Here's to a unique and different Diwali in every sense!!! Hope all of you had a good one too! :-) Making the most of everything in life; THAT is the elixir of happiness!

My Daddy - Strongest!!!

When I was a little girl, may be 4-5 years old, I am not sure....I would brag to my friends that my Appa ( Dad) is the tallest and strongest man in the world. Well, he was the tallest coz as he would carry me in his shoulders, the world looked really small from that height for lil 'me' and I used to think he must be really tall and big ( My Dad IS reasonably tall!)....I remember sleeping blissfully in his neck and I would nuzzle my head in the softness of his neck....I can vividly remember!


As for my Daddy being strongest ( there used to be an ad on T.V where all little girls would squeal 'My Daddy Strongest!, I used to love that Ad!)...I would very confidently boast that my Dad was the bravest and I would animatedly explain how he valiantly jumped in the middle of bullet-firing to save Indira Gandhi during her assasination. I even said they could see the mark on Appa's chest for proof!! I am sure my friends thought this girl is nuts!! The truth was that I had pestered my Dad about a mole he had...and he had jokingly said it was a bullet wound that he got when he tried to save the then Prime Minister, (Late) Ms. Indira Gandhi! I was so innocent and had so much faith in him that I really believed so! In my defense, it really does look like a hole and not a mole! To this day, it brings a smile on my face and peals of laughter from my Dad! ( which is a rare occurence!)



Handsome Appa in his younger days!

My very first glass painting!

P.S - It adorns the home of a very close family friend!

I am lucky in 'Love'!

....absolutely I am!! There is so much love around me, in me, for me, with me and it does not overwhelm me. Don't we all crave for love in some form or the other? Often, the highlight of my day is when I get a bear hug from S or if I am with my parents; I plonk myself on my dad's lap or lie down in my mom's lap or kiss my brother. Everything seems alright when a friend gives a reassuring hug, for sure!

I am blessed with so many people who make me feel so loved and cared for! I am very expressive about how I feel; be it verbally or physically through hugs and kisses :). Its such a warm fuzzy feeling to be hugged or kissed, is'nt it? ( I don't mean with any sexual inundations here!). When I first came to Paris and as we all know, the French have their own style of greeting each other. They usually hug and kiss each other on both cheeks! ( Initially, I found it really wierd to kiss acquaintances and their husbands!)...but I am not sure if it has grown on me. But I really feel the gesture is genuine and it is always nice to be hugged for no reason, sometimes! :-)

I am not one of those 'balanced' individuals who keep their emotions in check and do not react extremely to any good or bad news. I am impulsive, spontaneous and every emotion shows; and frankly, I like the way I am...most of the times! :-) I don't want to be someone who regrets later in life, that I did'nt show the people I love how much I care and love them!

So go ahead and make someone's day; give someone a bear hug or if you are not a 'hugger', its easy to smile? :-) Lots of hugs coming your way, virtually!