Sunday, September 28, 2008

Happy Birthday Duck!

"I'm late! I'm late! Oh my God! She's going to have a fit", screamed Silo as she ran towards Granny's house with a huge cake in her hand. As she scampered across Evergaldes, the zillion beads on her back made a loud trinkling sound making her running partner, me, giggle with delight.

Are you wondering why we are running with a cake in hand? Or why the porcupine is having so many beads on her quills? Well today is...no wait let me start at the beginning.
It all started one late summer evening by the shores of Lake Mochassa. Let me see, there was Yuri, Gif, Boaz,Silo and me. Griz was getting ready for her slumber party so we excused her and Duck was nowhere to be seen.

Well, you see Duck was like that. She disappeared now and then and over the years we had learnt to let her be. It wasn't that she hated our company, though Gif claims at times we do ruffle too many of her feathers. Anyway, it must've been the cool breeze from the lake or the setting sun sending many golden ripples our way, we just knew we had to have a party.

"Let's have a secret party for Duck", I said. 
"Does that mean we keep it a secret from her?" asked Yuri. 
Gif half-opened her eyes and gave Yuri a look as if to say 'Where did you land from'. Now Yuri was this Chinese panda born to a Japanese dad who had just come to our jungle and everything was new and fascinating to her. Infact, the other day....wait! That is not important. Let me get back to my story.

"No silly. We do everything as a suprise and then call Duck. Then we hide in the dark and..." Before Boaz could complete her sentence, Yuri jumped in, " We hide so Duck comes and sees there's no one and goes away. And we eat the cake? Right?"
"NO",  we all screamed in unison.
Sigh. Multi-cultural friendships are tough, I tell you.
"We hide and when Duck walks in we scream 'Surprise' and then celebrate her birthday. Got it" said Gif.
We could tell Yuri was confused but the darling that she is, she offered to bring her Mom's Firecracker Pakodas for the party.

Of course, it being a surprise party we HAD to tell the whole jungle. Thankfully Dee was not around to listen to the yapping monkeys. Hours were spent at Mango Mumpteen finalising the plans for the party. Tiny, the elephant offered to hang the banners across the banyan tree and we were all for it until we realised it was a surprise party.

Silo was in charge of the birthday cake. And that answers why Silo has the cake in her hand. As for the beads, she decided last evening that she needed to make a fashion statement. We spent all this morning stringing every single quill of hers with beads and now we are late for the party.
I still feel beads are not for porcupines but who listens to me??

Just as we reached Granny's home, Gif walked out.
"You guys are late. What took you so long? Silo what are those things hanging all over you?"
Silo gave her a glare and walked in, shaking her beads as she passed us.
Completely out of breath, I managed to gasp, "So is Dee in already?"

Gif winked and replied, "Well she is not a Princess for nothing. We just sent an entourage led by Griz to bring her."
I smiled at her and sat on a toadstool. It was going to be an awesome party. I just knew it. So why don't you guys join us in wishing Princess Dee a very Happy Birthday!

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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Writing Exercise

scooters, vacation, fall.
Those are the words blogger cites as examples for labels. Why not bicycles, work, winter? Or gum, crap, swindle? Why have labels at all?
Anyway I tried to write 51 word(or less) snippets for each of the labels to keep the blog alive. And the limerick on Fall is dedicated to Maya's little monkey doll :)
scooters...
I have always hated scooters. The sound they made when kick-started was like a demon coughing on his meal. As a kid you either stood in front of the driver trying not to step on his toes or sat uncomfortably between the two seats. The Butt of All Pain – yours.

Vacation…

What is not to love about vacations? Whether they are short breaks from school/college or the long one for all eternity, we always tend to look forward to them. Or do we? Are vacations an escapist’s Utopian ideal? If Death is indeed a vacation, how and when does one return?

Fall…

I am an orange loving monkey

And they call me an Orange Fronkey

I dance on a rolling ball

Never ever do I fall

And I’m in love with your pet donkey.


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Tuesday, September 23, 2008

We miss you...


Tom Brady. We really do.
Sigh. 

*shakes head despondently and marks calendar for 2009 season opener*

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Friday, September 19, 2008

On a Friday morning in the jungle

Griz slowly opened her eyes. Sunlight was streaming into her cave slowly, bringing to focus the cluttered mess that she'd closed her eyes to for some time... really long winter. Empty bottles of honey strewn everywhere, blankets in every hue and pattern, a rolled up Haaz taking over half the bed and a tiny bundle of cubs at her feet. Griz wondered how she ever got any sleep all winter.

Gingerly she climbed out of the bed, making sure she nudged no one on her way out. A nippy spring day greeted her. The jungle looked different from the image in her memory. Well wouldn't it when you sleep through an entire season? Where was everyone? Griz looked around to see if anyone had come looking for her and left notes. None were to be seen.

Then she remembered; Princess Duck was planning to fly South for winter. Sigh! I guess a pair of wings made one a globe-trotter while an unruly coat of fur just took you underground. Gif and Gef should be at their new home. Did Gif really paint her walls green like she wanted to? What were Zeb and Boaz upto? Did they really colour their stripes purple? Griz could imagine the headlines: "Zebras make fashion statement at Jungle Fashion Week". What was the latest drink at Mango Mumpteen? Did Rodney finally go on a diet?

Griz realised she had slept too long and missed most of the action. Could one really be present and yet be absent from it all? Should building a new life always exclude the best bits of the past? Can't there ever be a stop at Mango Mumpteen on the way to Honey Market?

She looked back into the cave. The fur ball that was Haaz was twitching under the bright morning light. Somethings can't be swept under the carpet; maybe grape juice stains were just the art the carpet needed. Maybe somewhere in between all the spring cleaning and fur-trimming and honey hoarding, a small drink with Zeb can be had. Or a dance with Princess Dee. Or even an evening with Gif exchanging stories. Maybe.

Griz smiled endearingly at her cubs. A long season of overhaul was in store and it all starts with a firm kick in the butt. For her brood.

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Saturday, September 06, 2008

You know you're a NEW MOM when

  • you still waddle to the bathroom...8 months AFTER giving birth :)
  • the 7 AM grocery shopping becomes a blessing!
  • The Mr's offer to load the dishwasher once a week makes him a Superhero in your eyes.
  • less baby food and more frizz makes it a 'good hair day'.
  • a spontanoeous night about town with your girlfriends needs a 2 week notice.
  • a date night is just an excuse to slouch on the couch and snooze before you hit 'Play' button.
  • 'Baby is sleeping' replaces 'I love you' as the most romantic 3 words you ever want to hear!

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