(Mar 21, 10:56pm)

Last night at home... leaving for Delhi tomorrow!

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Had a quiet day at home... went out for a couple of hours in afternoon, but came back by four... I was particular, that I should spend more time indoors..

In my home, which gives me a very positive and peace feeling!

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Let's see what kind of house I find myself in Delhi.. Ideally, it should be an apartment... not a builder floor one which lacks privacy, but a society one..

And ideally, it should be high rise.. say 6th floor or above... and though it cannot be as big as my Grands Pallavi Apartment in Patna, but it should be at least 650 sq feets..

I think that should be a comfortable carpet area for one BHK..

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But the rent?

That's the most annoying part..

Between I'd prefer a furnished one... Frankly, I'm not the type who can hire a empty house and do with a couple of matrice and few kitchen items and utensils spread in one corner of the room.. I'm just not made like that..

Even though mumma was particular that one should not be used to any one particular circumstances in life.. she thought, one should rather have the ability to make any circumstances the happiest for oneself..

Surely, she did it in her life... despite being in circumstances that were at least ten times more depressing than what I had been facing in the first two and a half years after her death, she was never depressed.. NEVER!

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But that was mumma.. I'm different... I need a proper I BHK, that is bedrrom, hall kitchen, a couple of washrooms and a balcony.. and of-course, fully furnished..

XXX

(Mar 20, 12:20am)

The last time I bought Nandan, the children's story book published every month, was in September 2010..

That was a time I was getting ready to leave for Mangalore.. To join work at The Hindu..

Everytime I'm shifting base from home, whether for studies or work, I like spending some time on my hobbies - reading topping the list..

And somehow I have retained my interest in reading children's books.. Skm sir, the ACJ dean, said he did too...

But that was not to be.. Mumma passed away unexpectedly, and that last copy of Nandan was lost without my reading it at all..

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Today, as I was re-arranging my old book shelf, I found the same copy.. the September 2010 issue of Nandan!

Incidentally, these are similar times.. I am once again shifting base from home to begin work.. This time in Delhi...

And that adds to my renewed interest in reading that copy.. In fact I am doing that now, as I prepare to sleep..

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Between, I went to see Mrs Ghosh today, that old colleague of mumma and former principal of mumma's college..

She is an avid listener and likes talking to me.. She asked me to narrate every detail of the Kashmir trip.. and saw the pictures rather keenly..

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(Mar 17, 8:21pm)

It's been a good Holi... but most of my friends weren't in Patna this time.. keep watching, i'd be blogging later in the night... I told you I'm back to regular!

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(Mar 14, 11:55pm)

It was a very tiring day.. got the house thoroughly cleaned up.. for it's barely three days to Holi..

Then, thankfully, all the bank work got sorted out.. which means I'll have enough cash to settle down in Delhi... i'm leaving from Patna on 22nd..

I went to the temple, too.. it's exactly three and a half years today.. I mean, since 14th Sep, 2010.. so prayed for muma's peace.. and I brought a garland too, which I then put around her display photo in our hall..

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I'm nearly done with my wardrobe.. My Kolkata uncle said I should not use too many of my dresses now, once the are drycleaned.. else, I wouldn't have time to dry clean them again before leaving for Delhi..

Then, of-course, we both reminisced how greatly we all had enjoyed in Kolkata.. this week, while I was holidaying with the Dasguptas..

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The presents from Kashmir... the handicraft items, the tumblers, the almonds, were all lying up in the heap of clothes and papers in my room for the last three weeks..

But of-course, I got the room arranged today.. I got so nostalgic seeing them.. it was such a wonderful two months in the valley..

I'd be writing about it in my successive posts..

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(Mar 13, 10:25am)

Just returned home after a week's holidaying in Kolkata.. with uncle and aunt... and I'd be leaving Patna to settle down in Delhi in another 9 days..

So want to make the best of this time, here at home... Holi is on 17th.. that wouldn't be too exciting, as none of my friends are here.. even Rohan canceled his tickets at the last moment..

Anyway, i'd be blogging two times a day from today... and I'd be starting from where I left.. Kashmir!

XXX

(Feb 20, 8:11pm)

I'm back to Patna.. and that is so good a feeling... I was wondering if there would be still some cold there..

I like home more, when it is the month of January and February.. and things are slower than usual.. it reminds me perhaps of the 1990s, my childhood, when things weren't as fast..

And a good, cold weather means I'm mostly indoors.. and reading more keenly and enjoying that too.. since everything would be quiet and still..

Thankfully, the very next day I arrived here, it rained heavily and the sun did not appear next three days.. so, it was exactly that feel I had been craving for..

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Financially things aren't fine... I mean mom had a FD, the same one which I could not trace when I needed money badly in 2011...

Those were times when I had quit job in The Hindu, and those were my worst days in all the ways.. even though I have found the FD, there is no nomination..

That means there's a lot of paperwork to do.. but once I get this, I'd be well-off for now.. and man, did I tell you I have a couple of job offers..

I'd be joining after Holi.. so basically, there's no problem.. just that I need to get the FD liquified..

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I'd be sharing so many things with you about Kashmir... I guess I would be writing regularly now... till Holi.. this is one month, then I'd be travelling to Delhi.. for the job.. settling up there again..

This also reminds me of 2011.. after all those ghastly days, I finally had job.. and money too.. and I'd be blogging so often then.. till I left for Delhi....

Only that I am three yours older.. and much more patient.. not because I have grown surprisingly wiser for my age.. or found some guardian to look after me..

But I have realised the Goddess.. and also the Gods.. will assure I am well off.. and doing good in my career...

I talk about the Goddess less often now.. but my faith has become more steady.. and silently overwhelming..

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Keep watching the space for all the Kashmir stuff..

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(Feb 11, 1:04pm)

Let me reach Patna day after tomorrow.. and then I will have so many interesting anecdotes to share.. all from my Kashmir stay..

And I'm sure you would like them.. I'd be once again regularly blogging for you... stay tuned..

I'm in Delhi since Friday.. still nostalgic about Kashmir..

XXX