Friday, July 31, 2009

Best Wishes to Ramani athimbare

Best wishes and namaskarams to Ramani athimbare on his 80th birthday.
(30 July). We wish and pray for his good health and happiness in the years to come.Many happy returns.
Ramu Sarada

Thursday, July 23, 2009

My next project et al

I just checked the blog to see my peacock mistaken for a parrot!!! APPA!!!! I am contemplating on what my next project (cross sticth of course) should be. But definitely something smaller, which is do-able.

I guess KN athimber and J perippa and co would have settled down to some extent now. But the actual getting used to the place will definitely take some time.

Wishing Shruthi a very happy birthday. Namaskrams to Ramani athimber on his sadabhishekam.

I tried to read "The sea of poppies" by Amitav ghosh recently. It was a very slow read. I was unable to complete the book and had to return it with about 100 pages unread.

I wonder why all our Indian authors have a sad a nd negative tone to their writing. Why do they have to focus only on what is not there in India? Probably their intention is to bring these things out. But then, everybody is trying to do the same thing (bring these points out in the light). Just penning my thoughts on that.

I would like to read "The white tiger" next. Has anybody read that? Any idea how it is?

Best Wishes to Shruti

Best wishes to Shruti on her Birthday ( I missed out on 21st). Wishing her success in all her endeveours and good health. Many happy returns of the day
Ramu Sarada

Monday, July 20, 2009

Namaskarams to Ramani Athimber on his Sathabhishekam.

Ramu C, I am sure you got a hell of a beating from Akila for mistaking her peacock to be a parrot :) I know how tough it is to do embroidery - I love doing it, managed one piece when I was in Muscat. I got it framed only after coming to Madras, and now after this painting I have even found the place to hang it!
I did another one metre x one meter jute cross stitch of a geometric design. I started when I was relaxing at K Gardens before Rajiv's birth. And completed when he was about 15 years old!!!
Akila, I am coming to taste all your bakes - sounds really mouth watering!

The painters are through a contractor who has been serving L&T employees for more than 20 years, so he is very reliable. And I can now vouch for it - the men are very good workers and very well behaved. We did not have to be after them to check each and every thing. They do offer to take out things from the cupboards and put them back, but thing is, except for the big items in the 'parann', we prefer to handle it ourselves.
Furniture polishing is still on.
Gayathri

From Ramu

1. July 30 is the birthday of Ramani athimbare and this is his 80th birthday. Tamil star was on 18th.
2. Gayathri, Didn`t you try Asian Paints offer! They do painting of the house without you doing anything!
3. Akila, the parrot has come out well.
4. It will take sometime before PCJ resumes his regular contributions to the Blog. Ramki also now-a-days is rare since his computer is in the first floor.
Ramu

Settling down

A quick post to say that we are actually moving to Brindavan today. KN and Rukku in the forenoon and Vimala and I in the afternoon. Don't know when I can see the blog again because it may some time for us to get the phone line and broadband. Shall see the last few posts only then!
The weather here is great - so cool and fresh even though it rains now and then. What a change from Chennai.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

My updates

A belated happy birthday to Anuj and hearty welcome (back) Ramya .

Perippa, looks like the comments still do not appear below the post always. Let me do some more investigation and try to figure it out.

This weekend I baked some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, am too lazy right now to post a picture of it. Though it tastes perfect (exactly like pepperidge farm ones), it is not chewy like they are supposed to be . Looks like I need to work some more on it to get that consistency (is that the right word?). The main idea behind so much baking is to give as much home-made stuff to Vaishnavi as possible.

Guess what, I finally managed to finish the cross stitch project I was working on (a peacock).


This one took me a solid 3 years to finish .

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Milestone

Anuj 'touches' 30 today!

Trust Brindavan vasis are now settled comfortably.
Painting work in our house is getting near completion - the last part seems to take longer! Wood polish wala has entered the scene today - at the rate he is working, I think he will take another three days at least!
Confined to one room, with saman and dust strewn all over the place, my mind and body has become so lethargic! Yesterday I pulled myself up and attended SundarKumar's discourse on Krishna Charitam at Venus Colony. Hope to be able to attend all 10 days. I tried walking to the place - a short cut thru inside roads - it took me only 15 minutes. Auto fellows demand Rs 40 (or even more)!
Hare Ram
Gayathri

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

From Ramu

PCJ and KN must be busy in Cbe , unpacking and setting things. It was interesting to read Ramki`s post and my mind started wandering in K.Nagar thoughts.
When I was in Hyderabad, Ashok used to say often how nice it would be if all retired children of Kunjappa and spouses, live jointly in a big house with a common kitchen and a cook!!!!! Like how all were in K.Nagar in younger days!!
Ramu

NEW RATION CARD IN APRIL

Issue of new Ration Card is planned from April 2010.
I came to know only yesterday that all existing Ration Card holders should go to their existing Ration shops with the Ration Card and sign in a Register provided there.
Aishwarya`s father came from Trichy yesterday for this purpose ( their Ration Card is in Chennai address ) and I came to know only then. I have not seen any notification in papers or in TV news!
This has to be done before end July.
Ramu

Milestone

Gayathri,
What is the milestone Anuj will be reaching now!
Ramu

Best wishes to Rajani and Koushik

Best wishes to Rajani and Koushik on their birthday today 15th July. Wishing them good health, happiness and prosperity. Many happy returns of the day.
Ramu Sarada

Sunday, July 12, 2009

another july baby

Another July baby is Anuj Kapadia, who reaches a milestone this year on 18th. J Chittappa, sorry I haven't informed you earlier - I myself realised only now that his name is missing.
It is now 5 years since we moved into this house, and right now painting of the walls is going on. Last week was a total mess, especially when the kitchen and dining room were being done. We just managed to get that finished before Appa & Prasad arrived. Both the painters & us (we?)have taken a well deserved breather over the weekend. They will be back tomorrow morning and my guess is that there is another 8 to 10 days of work before I can get the house back to normal living condition.
Chittappa and Athai are leaving tomorrow - you will see this only after settling down at Brindavan. Anyway - Goodbye, and Good Luck!
Gayathri

Moving and Fruits.

This is Ramakrishnan Speaking. We shifted house on 20th May at Kovaipudur and it took some time to settle down and get the BSNL Broadband too. Then on 16th June I got a virus fever which ws so virulent straightaway that I could not even sit up and did the rare thing of calling the doctor home. I have still not fully recovered and feel more tired than usual. So I have not visited the blog for quite some time. Today I am in Madras on a visit at Gayathi's house and will be going back in two days.

I have seen all the postings in the blog in this month and find that very interesting things are going on, about fruits, shifting etc. In Kovaipudur, Saradam is very very upset that Chandru and Mythili are going away to Brindavan as they have been very good company to us and gave us a feeling that we have help so near.

I have been close to KN right since his marriage was fixed with Rukku and at that time every Sunday I would go to their house in Egmore in the morning and then we woould both go to the Udipi hotel for breakfast. Later it was he who put the idea into my head of buying a plot in Karpagam Gardens and building a house and if today I am benefitting by that decision enormoously (in fact it is what is sustaining me now), I should thank him for it. I know he was devoted to his work and good at it and able to absorb the culture of the organisation which is very important in a newspaper and I have seen him grow from strangth to strength. Soon after his marriage, he had a very serious spine surgery and had lie down flat face up for six months and I can never think of it without shuddering at how he withstood the ordeal. I wish him and Rukku good health and peace with the change in location.

Jayaram and I have been close right from childhood and we have fought to the extent of holding by the hair and knocking the head on the wall. And as you all know, we t ttused to sing together and it brought us closer I think. It must have been difficult for hom to take the plunge to move to Brindavan, leaving his grandchildren behind. I wish him and Vimala all peace, good health and contentment in Brindavan.Coming to the fruits, Jack fruit is one of my favourites as also chakkai varatti. I do not like Banana varatti so much. Sithaphal is a very tasty fruit though as a boy I thought it was not for us. In Hyderabad we also get a Raam Phal which is more reddish but tastesthe same. Thambi used to make very nice fruit salad, cutting all the fruits into very small pieces and soaking them in sugar syrup. That brings to my mind the PRASADAM we used to make during Avani Avittam, a mixture of many fruits and also . Vadai, Appam and coconut and curd and we, hungry afer the rituals, used to relish it. All of us, including Pattuappa used to participate in preparing it. But the ladies at home for whom we brought the PRASADAM did not like it.

I have spoken too long already. Bye.

-Ramakrishna

Update long overdue

Hello family,
My apologies for being incommunicado for so long. Amma's been urging me to read the blog and I only just got around to doing it.

I loved the "Fruits" chain:) Amma, my banana-hating days are over. Even rather over-ripe ugly bananas don't disgust me anymore! The only fruits I truly dislike are the papaya and jackfruit. Sitaphal, Kiwi and Leechi are fruits I haven't even tried because a) Kiwi is also a bird and I feel like i'm about to eat one, b)Leechi reminds me of a leech and c) Sitaphal is just weird looking. Talk about being picky!

Akhila, did you bake the muffins from scratch? Banana nut muffins are my absolute favorite! I bake pretty often here. The ready-made mixes makes it really easy to bake. I'm going to now try my hand at making jams. We stayed with a French couple in Paris during our tour earlier. The lady of the house makes the most amazing jams. I thoroughly enjoyed spreading a different variety of jam on fresh brioche everyday.

KN athimber, you've been with the Hindu for as long as I can remember. In fact for a long time, I believed that you owned the paper! Here's to a glorious career that we youngsters can only aspire to have.

To all those moving to Coimbatore - enjoy the peace and tranquility of a simple life! I hope I will be able to sneak in a visit to CBE this winter.

Happy Birthday to all the July babies:) July 15 is a very special day!!! Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince releases in the US:) Of course I'm going! I'm trying to decide whether to sport a robe or a witch hat!!!

Love
Ramya

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Wishes and Comments

As appa says, Gayathri akka has expressed all our feelings very well!!! Last saturday, while returning from adyar, we all had a big lump in our throat!!! But then, we sincerely do wish and pray that the movers :) get what they expected and much more.

Anyway, you are all just a phone call away and a mail's distant away :)

Perippa, about displaying comments always, if we go to customize and go to the Settings tab, under comments, select "Embedded below post". I think this would always display comments under a post.

Good Luck,Jayaramanna / KN

1. Best wishes to Jayaramanna, Vimala manni, KN,Rukku. Since a month my mind is constantly thinking only about their shifting to Coimbatore and Sarada & I talk about that daily. Gayathri has said very crisply, what is in our mind.
2. We sincerely pray that your stay in Coimbatore should be as you expect and all of you should be comfortable there.
3. Like Gayathri says, eventhough we do not meet regulary, we will be very much missing all of you.
Good luck.
Ramu Sarada

Monday, July 6, 2009

PSC Family HQ

PSC family HQ is now COIMBATORE! Could we have ever foreseen this?! Soon I guess Lalitha athai also will move there. Thambi & Raju peripas, & Ramu C will still be in Chennai. Quite a few of us of the second gen still here, but still....
It is not as if we met very often or anything, but still the thought that so many of you are moving out definitely leaves a gaping void.
Well, that's being selfish, wanting your presence here for our own sense of security. So, here's wishing all the Movers (& Shakers, hahah) a wonderful relocation to Brindavan. That includes Mythili athai-Chandru mama too, of course, though they are making the move a bit later. Praying that you are able to find peace and comfort in the better climes of Coimbatore!
Gayathri

Change of address

Vimala and I will be moving to Coimbatore shortly. Our address from around the 18th July will be:

B-237 Brindavan Palm Grove
Kempanur Road
Muthipalayam
Thondamuthur P.O.
Coimbatore 641109

For the time being, we shall have only the mobile phone - number 9444004330.

KN/Rukku are also moving at the same time. Their address will be as above, with the door number B-238.

Please wish us luck!

Jayaraman

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Anniversary of the blog

Our blog steps into its third year today. I was trying to think of something profound to say but did not succeed. But this I should say. I have enjoyed the blog and the inputs of all our participants. Let us keep the ball rolling.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Comment by Aishwarya

Gayathri, please scroll down to my post of 31st May on the occasion of Aishwarya's birthday. Aishwarya had said thank you in a comment.

I know another blog where the comments are visible always on the blog. One of the members had made this possible by doing something to the blog's basics. Akila, do you know how this can be done?

Fruits

Chakka varatti is one my favorites. The kela-varatti sounds yumm, will definitely try that this weekend.
Talking about including fruits in diet, I would like to somehow introduce a fruit with Vaishnavi's breakfast. She now has muesli, with some dry fruits. Are the fruit juices available in stores really as healthy as they are claimed to be? Vaishnavi does enjoy them (as expected), but I am not really sure about the health factor. Also, they are whoppingly expensive!!!
KN Athimber's writing is simply too good. That last Monday article really touched my heart - every time my admiration grows and grows! Pattabhi Chittappa's writing is also a class apart - even now when his articles are reproduced, we can see the difference in quality. A big namaskaram to their caliber - konjamaavadu namakku pass aaguma!
I could not find Aishwarya's comments. Chittappa, can you please bring it out - like you did the first time?
Clock-calendar is a nice addition. But I wondered if it was taking the place of the picture slideshow; Happy to see the slideshow on now :)
Gayathri

Birthday wishes to Adhitya & Ramesh

Bset wishes to Adhitya ( birthday on 1st ) and Ramesh ( today ) on their birthdays. Praying for their good health and prosperity.
Ramu Sarada

Thursday, July 2, 2009

The blog

I have added a clock/calendar to theblog. Also a search tool through which we can recall old posts. Comments on changes and improvements are welcome. To remind members, do not add comments through the 'comments' tab under posts. They will go unnoticed. How many of us saw the comment of Aishwarya on of the recent posts?

Jayaraman