The next chapter

Like most of you predicted, I wasn't able to stay away too long! So here I am, beginning a new post, a new chapter of the second act of life. I hope I last this one out.

I celebrated my 1st wedding anniversary on July 18. Can you believe it has already been a whole year? I can't. It's as if it were only yesterday that I was getting jitters about marriage. Though time has zoomed by, it has left some very major impressions on my life. You see, married life is not the blissful journey I thought it to be, rather, wished it to be. It isn't bad, but it makes you grow up real fast, whether you like it or not.

Soon after the honeymoon, hubby and I were staying together, but not with my in-laws. Boy, what chaos! I didn't know the first thing about running a home! It was literally madness in the first couple of months - I couldn't cook so that added to the mess. Somehow, with help from my mum-in-law and mom, I got things going. But the loneliness killed me. I wasn't working at the time, so the empty walls of the house bored me to death.

During this time, my father-in-law's (Dad) health deteriorated. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer and his condition showed no sign of improvement. That is when we took a call to move back in with my in-laws. It turned out to be a life saver for me. Not only has it helped me learn the ropes, but has also given me a chance to get to know everyone better. There were times when I had to be at the hospital with Dad for hours. Cancer has a knack of taking a toll on everyone's lives. It sure did on me, because I felt connected to this new family, shared their sorrow as if it were my own.

Dad passed away in March this year. The house is suddenly quiet, devoid of any real joy. My happy-go-lucky mum-in-law puts up a brave face, but I know she misses him the most. I can't even imagine what hubby went through...he's without a father now. The thought itself makes me feel like something's died inside me. But the best thing about all this was that we were united in our grief.

Things have somewhat gone back to normal. I've quit my job and have started freelancing from home. This way I get to be with mum-in-law more often. When I look back at this one year, I realize it has changed me. I am no longer the dreamy-eyed girl I once was, but a more practical individual now. I'm still wishful at times, but try and remain grounded. I wonder what the years to come will bring in, but I know now, for cerain, that I won't be beaten.

Au Revoir

Hi folks! I'm back, and all married by now! Gosh that does feel strange! Had a blast on the wedding, and an even more amazing honeymoon! Oh btw, we decided to do Uttarakhand: Corbett, Ranikhet, Kausani, Binsar and Nainital. Mindblowing natural beauty. Binsar was my favorite, coz it wasn't like a typical honeymoon destination at all. It was in a resort right inside the forest, and we didnt have a 5 star luxury suite, but a treehouse cottage! The 13 km forest trek was the cherry on top! I never imagined i could find such serenity, so close to home. The other places were just as beautiful and romantic. And thank goodness, it wasn't raining. In fact, the weather was slightly chilly... just the way I like it! Had the best time ever, and I love my hubby for that! :)

Anyway, coming to point, I'm abandoning lifeheadon. After a month of being married, and living by yourself, I've realized it's not exactly cakewalk. There are suddenly less hours in a day and lots to be done. And trust me, it's an eye-opener for someone like me, who doesn't know the first thing about running a home! So my blog is one of the many things I will have to give up, also because I won't be able to do justice to it. Just wanna say it's been a wonderful experience being here, and whaddyuknow I might just decide to come back later, with more grown up posts maybe! :) Will miss you all, and of course my email ID is on my profile, so anyone of my blogger buddies can just drop in a mail, if you miss me too! ;) Take care you guys... love you all! Mwah!

Honeymoon Woes

Finally got time to pen down something! Whew!

Weddings are crazy. Seriously folks, the single ones and the ones in the process of tying the knot, always go for a court marriage, if you want to remain sane till the D-day. There's just so much to plan! Right from finding the right dates, to arranging for the venue, to making the guest list, to deciding what to put on the cards, to shopping, to packing, to deciding for the honeymoon... ah yes, that one still needs to be done. Aaargh!

This is probably the first time in my entire 22 years of existence, that I'm cursing the monsoons. I, rain-lover, don't want it to rain. That's because in the month of July, it's raining everywhere!!

Honeymoon planning isn't as easy as we thought it would be. Sure it's easy to say, hey go to Europe, or the States, or Scandinavia... but because both my fiance and I have a time constraint, we decided we don't want to waste half the day in traveling. so all of the above is ruled out, including Australia.

China... you must be kidding. Pakistan, Afghanistan, all the other 'stans'... maybe one day, but not for a honeymoon. Egypt, Dubai and other Middle Eastern places... too hot. Africa... um, no thank you.

That left us with Mauritius, Bhutan, Indonesia, Singapore, Maldives, Phillipines and the like. Oh did I mention, that it's gonna be RAINING?!

So, dejected, we come back to Mera Bhaarat Mahaan. Rajasthan... too hot and too boring. Maharashtra... nope. Gujrat... too hot. Kerala... RAINS! Darjeeling, Sikkim...very appealing, but rains again, and there's some political unrest there I believe. Coming to North India, Leh sounded great, but I don't know whether it's the best place for a honeymoon. Kashmir, again very appealing, but alas, unsafe. I don't want a 'Roja' happening. Himachal, I've practically lived there all my life, so no point going there. And Uttaranchal, umm, not exactly WOW, although the Ananda Spa did catch our attention. We also thought of Coorg and Kodaikanal, but my fiance's been there and seen all.

So now, I'm so frustrated that I've told him to do what he wants, and surprise me.

High hopes... sigh!

I love Delhi today!

It's awesome, awesome, AWESOME weather here! Everyone knows how much I love the rains, and this time it's pouring so much! And it's May! Yipeee! I hope this continues till July! ;) I so love my city these days, all green and wet and great-smelling! Sighhh