MY BLOGS

Life brings with a plethora of experiences, each with a flavour of its own. I wish to share with all my readers these various experiences and observations that I have made during my time here on this planet. They may be funny, thought-provoking or simple reflections. I do hope you will find these enjoyable and interesting.

Sunday 19 February 2012

A Story of a Valentine's Day And A Few Days That Followed - Part IV


Adversities and the blessings they bring


Previous part here

As I have mentioned in the past, I have had a rough time over the last couple of years when I have been restricted to home and unable to go out much or do much of my own jobs. I have had to be dependent on domestic staff to help keep my home running – something that I was never used to. But I have learnt to accept the situation.

But above all these what came as a huge blessing to me was the fact that a friend (yet another in-law) introduced me to IndusLadies. The chance to make a lot of friends, meet them personally, the opportunity to discover my ability to write, blog and use other skills enriched my life like no good times had done in the past. The need to stay at home gave me the opportunity to open my eyes and look at the natural beauty all around me. The kindness of so many people touched me – be it relatives, doctors in the hospital, nurses in the ICU who kept hovering to look after me when I was sick and to chat with me and encourage me when I was better, the friends who prayed so hard for me and kept sending words of encouragement and love and affection, waiting to see me back on line - has touched me like nothing else has before. These nurses were all old enough to be my daughters. Their affection and cheer was so infectious. Their smiles in the toughest of work situations was a revelation. Their happiness to see me smiling and chatting was so wonderful. Why should they have cared?  I was only a job, but they did not seem to think so.  God bless them. I can never forget those moments when I was lying in bed uncaring, not wanting to eat more than a morsel of food or drink a sip or two of water (under compulsion), moments when they would come along and ask so caringly if I would not like something - just a little more?  Some coffee?  No?  Perhaps some fruit juice or water, then?  Just a sip or two more?  I really should .....  This was the first time I had so many people, younger than me, really showering their care and affection on me and to one who is generally used to being the youngest around, it was really heart warming.  What I have not experienced otherwise - the bonding with a daughter - I enjoyed through this situation of pain and suffering.  It is so good to be able to see that even the worst of situations are never purely bad.  They do come with their mixed blessings.  

The doctors were relieved to see me well and able to move about.  Bless their skillful hands and their knowledge which they bring to the help of suffering individuals.

I can go on endlessly like this. But all I can say for now is “Thank you Life, thanks God for all you have given me. You have shown me the toughest times but also equipped me with an inbuilt helmet to take all the blows you showered on me. I ask for no more”.


Thanks to all those friends who stood by me and encouraged me all along.  I should be out of ICU tomorrow and back home in the coming week.  I know the road to a full recovery is going to be an arduous one.  But it will be done and I know I should be back to blogging regularly very soon.  Till then I shall content myself with making occasional appearances whenever my body, opportunity as well as time permit me.



(Source:  Google)

A Story of a Valentine's Day And A Few Days That Followed - Part III


D-Day

Previous part here

The time fixed for me to go in was fixed. They would come for me at 7.15. I was told the surgery would last 5 hours. OK, so be it. Spent Valentine's day – the day I was admitted – in going for pre-op tests and signing consent forms in between chatting with friends on line – my dear friends on Indusladies, many of whom I have met personally and many whom I have not as well as a few others. It helped me keep my mind diverted and we indulged in a lot of light banter. Evening saw a friend and her husband (actually cousins on my mother-in-law's side – but I prefer to say they are friends than in-laws) come over with flowers to pep me up and spend some time with me.

They left and I tried to get some sleep. For reasons unknown to me (maybe there was some anxiety which I was not fully conscious or aware of) I was not able to sleep too well. Hubby dear did manage to snatch some sleep, but I could tell there was a degree of anxiety in him. It is never easy for a doc to know all the implications of a surgery and watch a near and dear one go into surgery. For that matter it is not easy for anyone. He came up with me upto the doors of the OT and told his colleague - the anaesthetist - to take good care of me.

The next thing I remember was the process of going under. Considering it was around 8 am I expected to be out by 1 pm. When I finally came to and was being told the surgery was over, am I OK, is there any pain etc. it was actually 4 pm. The surgery had gone on for 8 hours. Back in the ICU I was told I had lost about a liter of blood and I had to be given blood. Something broke inside me. I have always believed in giving blood as a gift that ia entirely mine to me to give away – a gift of love towards humanity, but never imagined taking it back. And that is precisely what it seemed to me I was doing. I can never give it back again – for various reasons they do not accept my blood anymore. I wished I had thought of this event before hand and had opted for auto transfusion. But I had not been mentally in a state to think of all these things. Anyway, what was inevitable could not be avoided.

What was worse was a searing pain going down my left hip and leg which the doctors assured me was post-op pain which would settle within 2-3 days. I was not so convinced – why should post op pain radiate downwards? This was not the first time I was experiencing a post-op situation. Anyway I did not argue at that point of time. Did not think I would cut any ice.

I could not turn on to my left side nor lie on my back. Any such effort would send the shooting pain back. It was a night in hell in the ICU. There were 3 patients there and I was lying awake for much of the time. Many times when I opened my eyes I would find a couple of nurses hovering around me and looking down with great concern. The feeling was like having angels standing by your side, knowing you needed their tender help. At one point in the night, I heard some nurses near the desk talking in Kannada and said something that sounded like “sicktilla”. I asked the nurse who was standing besides me what the word meant. It sounded very incongruous to me in an ICU with all “sick people”. A sense of relief flooded over me when I realised that I was able to laugh at something through that pain. I was still there. Heard one patient telling the nurse he was in an apartment and wanted to go to the hotel. When she told him where he was, he insisted she was talking nonsense. Part of my mind was taken by the absurdity of the situtaion, part of it went out to the patient who was obviously not aware where he was or what he was doing and part of it went out to the nurses who probably experienced such patients every other day. I asked the nurse how they handled such difficult ones. She told me they could sometimes turn violent and slap them too, which was really terrible. After all this they are so cheerful and laugh through the situation. Next day this patient wanted to go to sleep early. The nurses told him it was only 6 pm and if he went to sleep, he would be up by 1 am asking to go to the hotel. So better he try and keep awake for some more time. :-D Could not help being taken in by their sense of humour.

The next morning came. Time to get mobilized and to try and walk. They tried it. I went along, but could barely manage to drag my left leg behind me. It was in severe pain and I could not move it properly. Something worried me immensely. A fear swept over me and I wondered if I would ever walk properly again. Who would look after me? What would I do? Had I done a major mistake going in for this surgery? The pain only intensified through the day despite all the narcotics, steroids, antibiotics and pain relieving drugs that were given to me.

Next morning the doctors finally decided that something was not quite right and went in for a CT scan. My haemoglobin had plummeted to around 8. The effects of the general anaesthesia and the medications were ravaging – I was immensely sick and my body felt like a chemical factory. That was another cause for alarm. My mind was already travelling in the direction of detoxification treatments. :-P  The mention of another scan immediately told me that I was going on for something major. I was taken for the scan. The movement from ICU to the radiology department and back only made me feel sicker – motion sickness. I was grateful when the bed was stationary again in the ICU. I don't know how long it was – maybe half an hour later perhaps – when my husband came and said “Swati” in a tone which told me that the news was not good. What else could it be?  Another surgery was required.  I knew it inside.  A screw was not properly placed, there was a lamina which was fractured behind the screw and a nerve going down to the leg was trapped between the two.  This was no surprise.  I just told him “Well, I knew that was coming. What to do? If it has to be done, it has to be done. Don't worry, all will be OK”. Then we got into the mundane details of trying to organize another 3 units of blood with the help of a blood bank where I had worked a few years ago. It was so heartening when they remembered me with great affection and assured me not to worry, they would organize whatever was necessary. Then came more transfusions and I was moved back to OT. The same routine again and then 2 hours later I was being told it it was all over, could I move my leg, was there any pain, move my toes up, push my foot down – all of which I did but could not open my eyes. That made me panic. Tried desperately to open my eyes which I could do about after half an hour later. But to my great relief, the pain in the leg was gone. I was out of the shadows. Finally. I could deal with the post op pain. I did not feel the need for any great doses of pain killers.

The night passed relatively peacefully. Was able to sleep on both sides which was an immense relief. The next morning I had a vision – not once, but twice. I saw dad lying in my place. Saw his face very clearly. It was not an imagination. No imagination could bring him so clearly to me. The only sense I can make it was he came, lay in my place, took my suffering away from me, told me all was well and went. I know I can count on him to come back whenever I want him again. I am sure there will be many who think I am totally nuts ….. but I can live with that.

The morning saw me feeling positively chirpy – chirpy enough to tell hubby dear that I was ready for the third surgery if necessary or alternatively to go for a drive. There was jubilation all around. Hubby looked so relieved. Everyone kept telling me how anxious he had been, going up and down between his department and the ICU and asking all the time if I was out of surgery, how terrible he had looked over the past couple of days. He told me how he had been unable to think straight and he had tried to find relief in chatting with his colleague for some time. My heart went out to him when I thought about how painful it would have been for me, had the story been the other way round.

This was what Valentine's day was all about. Keeping up promises. Living out one's promises. How many times do we hear of husbands or wives who break under the pressure and abandon their partners in the toughest of times! I am grateful to the core to have a husband who has stuck by me through thick and thin, in health and in sickness, for better or for worse. He might not be the type to spend a lot of time with me, but I can depend on having a tower of strength to lean on when the chips are down.

.....contd here

A Story of a Valentine's Day And A Few Days That Followed - Part II



The events thereafter


Previous part here

My upbringing has never allowed me to put up any face other than a stoic one, no matter what the circumstances. Besides, my own pride does not allow me to be otherwise (except when I underwent a surgery as a child and literally ran away from the hospital to be caught and delivered back to the docs). The years have also brought a tremendous degree of acceptance and courage to face life as it comes. I have developed a stiff upper lip over the years.  The knowledge that there is someone with me all the time looking after me – be it God, my guardian angel, my father who I firmly believe is always with me (more than he could be if he was in the physical form) has given me immense strength to walk in and out of Operation Theatres as if I had gone in to pass the time of day.

It was slightly different this time round. There were innate doubts about whether the decision to undergo surgery was the right one. There was no one statement on outcome. Whether it be taking opinions from more than one doctor, or talking to  people who knew people who had undergone this surgry or watching fusion diaries on Youtube or reports of friends who had undergone the surgery, the outcomes were very varied. But then sometimes life gives one very little choice – you either choose the devil or the deep sea. And when being with the devil gets you nowhere, you have to per force opt to jump into the deep sea and check out what is there. So I chose to undergo the surgery. There was basically no other choice. But getting mentally prepared for it took some time. Maybe that is why I was forced by “Circumstances” to postpone it twice after the dates were finalized. I came to a point where the pain was unendurable and I was finally ready (or should I say desperately keen) to take the plunge and see where it led me.  Mental preparation came automatically with that.


......contd here

A Story of a Valentine's Day And A Few Days That Followed - Part I


For better for worse, in sickness or in health


(Taken from Photobucket)

Valentine's day – a day which has captured the imagination of the entire world and has become something of a craze, hysteria, fad, a commercial opportunity - whatever you choose to call it. To some, it may be a day of great significance.  Why do I choose to talk about this day 5 days after it is over? I never bothered about it all my life. I have always wondered about the meaning of this much touted word “love” which seems to be bandied about so easily these days. However, this year the day came to me with a difference. It brought back the words of the wedding vows to me.

"I, take you to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; and I promise to be faithful to you until death parts us".

I am not a Christian, but I love these vows as they are so meaningful and taken consciously by both the bride and the groom, knowing fully well, what it is that they are promising, the enormity and purport of the vow. It is taken in front of so many witnesses in front of the altar, in a language they clearly understand and cannot claim ignorance of. So neither can say later that they did not understand what he/she said and wants to backtrack.

This time a friend asked me how I was going to “celebrate” Valentine's day and it brought back to mind the wedding vows - which we did not take in those particular words  – especially the bit about “in sickness and in health”.

So that I can make clear what I am going on about here, I shall just briefly mention that I have been through 9 surgeries to date in my life time. One of those was when I was a kid, the rest in the course of the last 12 years. Life has gone on nonetheless and I can confidently say I have achieved whatever I had the potential for (even if it has not been anything spectacular) despite all the setbacks.

This Valentine's day saw me getting admitted to the hospital for my 8th surgery – a spinal fusion for a problem which has been with me for the past few years. Although I knew that it would involve a considerable amount of endurance, I had not bargained for what followed – I knew these possibilities existed, but they always happen to other people, not to oneself or so one thinks. More about that follows. So it came to pass that I and my other half spent the day after Valentine's day holding hands in the ICU.


.....contd here

Monday 13 February 2012

Time to stand and stare


"What is this life if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare".

How many times have I kept repeating the above lines which resonates with a craving to have a bit of time to be able to enjoy the little of joys of life! Life has a way of catching up and tying each of us down to our routines in such a way that we are unable to look beyond our noses, our daily routines, responsibilities and problems. Life stops being “life” and deteriorates into being nothing more a day to day existence, a monotonous grind.

The past couple of years have wrought a lot of changes in mine. Life has not been what it used to be - in more ways than one. My life which would start out with going to work, doing housework, running errands on my scooter, visiting friends - a hectic pace to put it in short ..... till I was laid up with a severe spinal problem. I was unable to go to work any more or do very much on my own at home. Had to enlist the help of domestic staff to ensure groceries and vegetables were bought, cooking was done, the house was maintained in presentable state .....

BUT there were a lot of other things that changed too. Along with my routine, my activities and my perspective of life underwent a radical change. Firstly I changed from an A type personality to a B type and for that I have no regrets.

Life has grounded me physically for a while, but it has put me in a position where I can say (with due apologies to the poet W.H. Davies) : "I enjoy this life with nary a care, I have plenty of time to stand and stare". And what I see when I stare, hear when I listen has filled me with a joy which nothing else, no riches on earth could provide me with.

This has been the time when I have experimented with writing – something which I always fancied doing, but never had the time or ideas for. I have witnessed some glorious sunsets, observed the various flowers and trees around me. This year has also brought a host of birds to my doorstep and I have enjoyed the sheer bliss of listening to their tantalizing calls, running to the window or balcony to spot them. And I have seen the most beautiful birds outside of picture books and National Geographic. I have had the opportunity to bring out my camera and capture these moments for posterity. I was able to be at home, bring my mom to stay with me and look after her for a couple of years. I got to improve my computer skills, sign onto a few websites, make a lot of new friends ..... These are the friends I chat with almost every day, friends who make me laugh and help keep my spirits up.

This time has taught me to be cheerful and patient. It has really opened my eyes and made me realize from my heart that every adversity is a mixed blessing. When God closes one door, he opens another. Both have to go hand in hand - you lose something, you gain another. And believe me, there is a huge difference between hearing this said, believing in it and really and truly experiencing it.

So I am really grateful to have been put through the grinder to learn these important lessons in life. I am grateful that I had to stop work for a while, otherwise I would never have had the time or energy to stand and stare.



Sunday 12 February 2012

Rituals and Women


Recently it was Mother's day.  This occasion spurred me into articulating a lot of other thoughts which have been troubling me ever since I started to think consciously about what I do and why and this pertains especially to the rationale surrounding various traditions and rituals.


Come Mothers' Day and one sees a flurry of activity around. The world is gearing itself up fully to celebrate motherhood and mothers. Which is very commendable. No complaints about that. But does anyone spare a thought to those women who do not have children of their own? What do they go through on that day? Celebrating Mothers' Day is a kind of ritual that has caught on all over the world. However, there is nothing about this celebration that consciously or intentionally puts down childless women. Apart from that, there may be children who have been adopted by these women and a void is filled. And if that is not the case, there are many who consider these women affectionately as mothers. In short it is a relationship of the heart. It need not necessarily be a relationship by birth.


Take Rakshabandhan or Bhaidooj (Karthigai in the South). The day women in India celebrate the love and affection between brother and sister.  There is no corresponding festival (correct me if I am wrong – there might be something I am missing out on) to celebrate the affection between two brothers or two sisters. What about those brothers who have no sisters or sisters who have no brothers? As in the above case many men and women who feel this vacuum so deeply have “adopted” brothers or sisters.  So we can safely assume that those who feel so strongly about the issue will find a way to fill the gap.


Now I wish to come to rituals / functions such as “haldi-kumkum”. In this ritual all married women, whose husbands are still alive exchange haldi, kumkum, flowers, betel leaves, betel nuts, a coconut and a blouse piece.. This is denied to a widow, who might be sitting there in their midst. These days she might be offerred a coconut and blouse piece (in the relatively enlightened families). However, even here, many widows would not accept the other items either due to social conditioning or out of fear of what “others might say”. How much pain must these women be undergoing? It hurts me every time my mother wants me to offer haldi kumkum to ladies who have just visited us and are leaving. She refuses to offer them herself, but insists that I should. I do not want to offer anything that they cannot accept from my mother. Similarly I do not like to offer something to one woman which I “cannot or may not” offer another. I feel deeply guilty about it. But no amount of arguments works.


Take other celebrations such as the “naming ceremony” of a child, when a childless woman is not allowed to bless the child in the same manner as one with a child. How cruel can we get? Are our celebrations, rituals and religion meant to hurt or offend others who may not be so fortunate as us?


Women are denied entry into temples when they are menstruating.  This is as normal a physiological function as any other - like the functioning of the kidneys and the intestines. Are the products of these anatomical systems any cleaner than that of the woman's reproductive tract?  Who has formulated these rules and regulations?  How can a woman who is capable of having children, and whose physiology is functioning normally be “impure”?  God help this same woman, if she were incapable of bearing children. She would be "clean and pure" but then she would be “inauspicious”. If we accept that God is the creator and He loves all his children alike, and that He created mothers because He could not be everywhere, then how can we accept that He would forbid women entering his temple at any time branding them as “unclean” or “inauspicious”? Is it not time to sit down and rethink our beliefs?

Saturday 11 February 2012

Today's gastronomic offering

Dinner time and it is time to think of what to eat again.  I want to eat something really yum - of course it has to be healthy as well.  Peas (Matar in Hindi or Vatana in Marathi) season is still on.  So what better dish to contemplate than the "Vatana-Batata-Flower rassa"?



So here friends is how you make it.  :-D

Ingredients: (to feed 4)

Florets of Cauliflower (small sized)
Shelled peas (250 gms)
Potatoes cut into medium sized pieces (2-3 small sized)
Grated coconut (1/4 of medium sized coconut)
Large onions -2
Green chillies (1/2 medium sized - adjust to individual needs.  This is for a mild-moderately spicy preparation).
Garlic (3-4 cloves)
Pepper corns - (4-5)
Cinnamon / Dalchini - 1/2 inch piece
Cumin seeds / jeera - 1 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsps
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Salt - to taste
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Corriander leaves (finely chopped)

Procedure:

Chop the onions and fry till brown with the grated coconut, pepper corns, cinnamon, chilli and garlic (1 tbsp of oil).  Blend in a mixer.  Keep aside.

Heat one tablespoonful of oil, add the cumin seeds and allow to brown.  Add the vegetables, turmeric and salt to taste. Allow to almost fully cook.  Then add the blended gravy to the almost cooked vegetables and allow to cook fully.  Add the lemon juice and corriander leaves after taking the vegetable off the fire.

This is a great dish to eat with phulkas and shrikhand.  Ummmm......... Yummmmmmmm...........

So go ahead friends, enjoy. :-D

Friday 10 February 2012

The Red Whiskered Bulbul

Have been tantalized by these beautiful calls.  It is a real sight to see 3 to 4 of them dancing and prancing about on the trees.  They are so active.  However, one decided to pose for a picture and here it is.

Red Whiskered Bulbul

Monday 6 February 2012

The aviary in and around my house

These birds are driving me to distraction.  As they hop from branch to branch, tree to tree, they keep chirping and calling so enticingly, I keep running every few minutes from window to window to balcony back to window trying to catch these elusive creatures, camera in hand.

I have already posted a picture of a white cheeked barbet taken from my balcony as well as a video of a purple sunbird hopping around.

Purple Sunbird


Today I have a still picture of a very small greenish brown bird.  This bird is very hard to catch as it is very well camouflaged and extremely active.  It hardly sits still for a few seconds. I am told this is the green munia or the green avadavat.  Got it after great difficulty today. 

Green Munia / Green Avadavat

Here is one more beauty in all its vivid colours.

Brahminy Kite


Well, the story does not end there.  It is of course wonderful to have rare birds calling out on the tree just outside my window.  But it is also interesting to see what surpirses my old time friends - the pigeons spring on me. 


Two days ago, I saw a couple of pigeons sitting in one of the empty pots in my balcony garden.  By the time I tried to click them, one flew away.  I quipped to my domestic help that pigeons were growing in my pots.  She took a look inside and whoa - what a surprise.  Just check it out for yourselves.





Saturday 4 February 2012

The Versatile Blogger Award

Wow, what have I done to deserve this?  A second award?  My co-bloggers are indeed very kind to me.  I have to thank Nityakalyani for this prize. Thank you so much Nitya.


One condition for accepting the prize is that one has to give 7 reasons why you are justified in accepting this.  I would like to be outright honest here and admit that I am not averse to accepting awards.  That is my primary reason for accepting it.  (Take it before they change their minds).  Anyway, since I also have to satisfy the pre-condition, here goes:

  1. My blogs are mostly humorous.
  2. I am not averse to some reflection on social, philosophical and spiritual topics.
  3. Occasionally when the mood takes me, I enjoy writing a bit of poetry / limericks.
  4. I have been adventurous enough to try my hand at fiction.
  5. How can I forget to mention my favourite hobby - EATING of course, and consequently writing about food and cooking.  
  6. My latest addition to my repertoire is Nature Photography.  Of course, I still have a long way to go in getting anywhere near perfect.
  7. I have also opened my account in blogging about my travels in a very simple way.


Whew, that was a tough one.  Trying to say more than 2 things about myself is always a challenge.  Oh, well, I managed 7 today.  Maybe another good reason to allow everyone to believe I am versatile.  Smiley

Now coming to doing the honours.  I would like to pass on the award to:

  • Mira Murli who never ceases to amaze me with the variety of  skills she exhibits in her blogs.  She has been a source of tremendous inspiration to me and has helped me with designing my blog.
  • Surya Prakash, a colourful butterfly, who brings colour into the lives of all her friends and who is extremely creative.  She too, like Mira has helped me with my blog.
  • Nityakalyani for being such a dedicated blogger.  The sheer variety of her blogs, her crafts as well as her writings is highly commendable.
  • Sudha Kailas for the amazing elegance and grace she brings to the jewellery she makes.
  • Usha Srikumar for her eye catching Tanjore paintings as well as for her writings.


Friday 3 February 2012

Sunbird songs

Looks like I am in luck.  I have always loved looking at birds, but never really spared much time or attention to the different varieties that inhabit my surroundings.  Put it down to lack of time, too many preoccupations or just no particular reason.

Suddenly I find myself with a lot of time on my hands and a fascination with my camera.  And as if the whole universe decided to connive in my favour, a whole lot of new birds are arriving in the colony.  It just happens that all these factors - availability of time, a peaceful mind, arrival of new birds has suddenly spurred my interest and shall now try to get to know more about the ones that present themselves to me.
I don't think it would require any great stretch of imagination to believe me when I say, it is a real treat to rediscover Nature in all her glory and to derive joy out of these simple pleasures handed out on a platter to me even as I sit inside the confines of my home.

So here is one of those musical as well as optical treats that I revelled in yesterday.  This is a purple sunbird.


Wednesday 1 February 2012

Liebster Blog

Yippppeeeeeeeee!  I am so delighted to receive the Liebster award from a fellow blogger and dear friend Nityakalyani.  


The word "Liebster" means favourite and this award is meant for upcoming blogs with less than 200 followers.

Thanks so much Nitya for this award.

Give Nitya a pair of knitting needles and there is no stopping her from coming up with the most imaginative and fascinating creations.  Or read the little pieces from literature that she shares.

My choices for the Liebster award are:
  1. Surya Prakash from http://riyakathir.blogspot.in/   This young lady is recently married and discovering the joy of converting a house to a home and brings a tremendous amount of originality and creativity to her efforts.
  2. Limerickwala http://limerickwala.blogspot.in/  This is a unique collective effort of a group of people who enjoy writing their thoughts in 5 lines of verse.  Limericks are typically nonsense verse, but the topics of these limericks vary from nonsense verse to the most topical.
  3. Padmavathi Krishnamurthi of http://allthoughtswidenwonderful-padmavathi.blogspot.in/ .  This very young lady indulges in humour with a subtlety and refinement that belies her age.
  4. Mira Murli of http://my-hobby-lounge.blogspot.in/ .  She is a real powerhouse of talent.  We share a common weakness - FOOD.  Whether it be blogs on recipes, art, travel or snippets Mira never ceases to amaze.
  5. Sudha Kailas of http://sudhaoutofthebox.blogspot.in/ - the newest member on the block is another amazingly talented lady.  Her proficiency at jewellery making is remarkable.  Each piece of art is more eye catching with her and she has only herself to compete with.
Orkut Myspace Congratulation Scraps, Graphics and Comments
Surya, Limerickwala group, Padmavathi, Mira and Sudha

Looking forward to some wonderful blogs from you.

Please accept this award by copying and pasting it to your blog, linking back to the person who gave it to you and pass on the joy of receiving this award to 5 of your favourite blogs with less 200 followers.