When your pumpkin shrivels...

Just carve yourself a new one..

My workplace had a pumpkin carving contest. They gave us all a free pumpkin to carve. We also had the Halloween bash at Balaji's. Thought I could kill two birds with one stone and carved a nice one on sunday. By tuesday, the thing shrivelled and became so unrecognizable that it wouldn't be worth bringing anywhere near the display.

So I did one, last minute. Did not win, but got complimented by almost everyone. Made the kids very very happy when I got it home tonight.

Here it is..

Had to black out the spider on the surface so I wouldn't carve it out by mistake.

If only I could keep them from shrivelling so fast!

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Feelings

Jr.: Don't say that daddy.. you are hurting my feelings.

Mom : do you know how many times you hurt your daddy or mommy's feelings?

Jr.: You are adults. You don't have feelings. Only children have feelings!

Me, Mom : !!!!

We really do not know who teaches her these things, but it sure makes us smile.

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Patience is a virtue

That is one virtue that I don't have and I know it!

Jr. on the other hand seems to have been gifted with infinite patience.

As the video clearly demonstrates, she just sat there for a full 8 mins, then continued to be there for another 5 before she got all upset that the battery charger was not turning green..

Finally I took the half charged battery and put it in the camera. She now takes pictures with the old S30. Her hands shake when she finally clicks the shuttter but the pictures still come out okay.

I seem to be going through a Jinx. The Tamron lens wont autofocus when the subject is close. The Zune player's screen cracked and it was not even dropped. It cracked because of temperature fluctuation is my guess. To top things off, there is a viral infection in my eye and all this happens on Sunday.

This is one of those weeks where I just want to go close myself in a small room and shout .. no.. scream!!

Would like to think on the brighter side of life though. The manual focus ring still works and my fingers are not bandaged, so I can take pictures. The Zune dudes aka Microsoft, said that this is a most common failure mode on the player and I should be able to get this screen in any local electronics store (although they won't pay for it) and my eyes are getting better or at least the pain is gone with the drops they gave me.

It may be a day or two before I come back to blog...

Until then..

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Navarathri

Previous posts on the Golu found here and here..

Last year, we did not cover as many golus and we did not have pictures. This year with the little ones both at an age where they take great pleasure in dressing up, the weekend was hectic.

Here are some snaps from the various Golus we visited and the little ones in all their finery..

They would change their dress between visiting different golus!

The visits will keep going till next saturday!

When life gives you a remote control

Have a massage!

The little one is almost two and she is learning fast.

Already tells me "Daddy, sit properly", "I finished my mammu" and points to a truck with a barrel and says "concrete truck". The best part of the deal is that she picks up different words from daycare, daddy, mommy, grandma and mostly her akka and gives us pleasant surprises by using these words in some unique situations.

She has also figured out how to give herself a massage!

I bought this Relaxor thing way back in 1998 and sent it by mail to India. It was stuck in customs and they wanted my parents to pay the equivalent of 150 dollars to claim it. Considering that I had bought it for $99 and paid another 9 bucks to ship it, I requested that they return it to sender. That thing came back damaged on the return shipment and has been lying around in the garage till now! I found it, duck taped it and now it is working for the little ones.

My attempts to teach energy conservation obviously failed. Will have to keep trying...

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