Rekha's Ramblings

Several years ago, when my parents were visiting, I took them to church for Easter Sunday mass. It was the first time I had driven since becoming a mother… for the second time around. This time, I had “twins.” They were less than two months old. I hadn’t driven in several months. I thought I could use the break from taking care of them. The church was not too far, I would be gone for at the most an hour and a half. Little did I know that it would be a defining moment in my journey as a mother. While at church, I just could not focus, they were at home with their father, they were safe, but that was the first time I had left them at home and gone somewhere. We ended up leaving before the final hymn. I was in a hurry to get home, only a few minutes from home. Sleep-deprived and anxious, I ran a red light. That split-second decision cost me more than I can explain. By the time a police officer got there  and approached the car, I had had a complete meltdown, bawling at the s...

  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...