Rekha's Ramblings

Day 19 , Music  We did not grow up here in the US and wanted to make sure that the children had the opportunity to try different things we did not have access to or the resources when we were growing up.  After having decided sports were not going to be our thing, we turned towards music. All three of our children took an instant liking to the piano and they learnt a few other instruments through the school band program.  As a matter of fact, playing on the piano is their stress buster. When they are home, they spend hours playing on the piano and I never get tired of hearing them. They feel the house with music. That is one of the things we did right. It brings me enormous joy and the thing I miss the most after becoming empty nesters.   All three of my children were in school band for all four years and the younger ones have continued at their university. We couldn't be any more proud.  What about you? Are you a sports family or a music? Dear music, thank...

  I , as a mother of three children have always looked forward to summer vacations ever since my first born started going to school. It didn't matter how hard or the extra work I had to put in towards planning, packing ; I looked forward to those times  we spent as a family, the getaways from the daily grind. They weren't all necessarily elaborate, fancy trips each year. Some years, we travelled internationally when time permitted and some years, they were mere road trips within our state or to neighboring states visiting friends or family. But, year after year,  I treasured the times spent together , each summer had a story and like they say, travelling is the best education one could get and I wanted my children to have that education.  Last year, however, I was disappointed as we couldn't get away due to scheduling conflicts. This trip , had it happened would have been special as it was their last final year of school. I was sad, heartbroken. But then, magic happe...

 I wish I had known this 25 years ago, back in the days without Google.  First Thanksgiving in the US. The then employer used to give free turkeys. I had never heard of or seen Turkey until then, didn't know what to do with it, so gave it to one of my colleagues. Second Thanksgiving in the US, by now heard of  and eaten Turkey. This time brought the turkey home, a massive ,> 10-12 pounds I would say.  My colleagues failed to warn me, they didn't realize that I was still fresh off the boat and that it would be my first time cooking a turkey and I had no family here to guide me.  Imagine the fiasco on Thanksgiving morning! My friends who came off the same boat with me didn't know any better either.  I put the still frozen turkey in the oven for 8 hours.... Obviously, it wasn't cooked. I don't know what we ended up eating...it stayed in the oven all night that night, I think.  My sister and I ended up fooling with it the next day, still clueless. Needl...