Sometimes, I seriously question my life skills. It took me an entire lifetime to grasp the one golden rule – never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. The result? A cart full of mysterious snacks with instructions in languages I don’t speak, leading to a day of Google Translate and regret. My heart is way too manchala and hence the problem below.
“Chill, everyone’s got tummy rolls,” I remind myself every other day after realizing that my glorious child-birthing hips won’t fit in my old pencil skirts anymore. I might have to forgo a few ribs to accommodate the zipper on my pretty size 6 dresses. Can you imagine I spent a solid 20 minutes in a deep existential crisis, trying to decide where exactly the waistband of my jeans should sit – above the belly, below the belly, or just surrendering to fate? Well, happiness is in accepting that the tummy rolls are here to stay. Extra cushion for my son where he loves to rest his head.
The little cheeky boy often asks why my belly is squishy and bigger than Dad’s. I told him it was his very first home, and I needed extra space to keep him warm and comfy. He loves hearing stories about how he started out as small as a peanut, grew into a watermelon, and would kick my ribs whenever he was hungry. We don’t even need books for bedtime; he’s content with these stories.
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You know how recipes insist that onions must turn golden brown before adding anything else? Well, mine have two settings – stubbornly raw or hopelessly burnt, clinging to the pan like a long-lost friend. What even is golden brown? In these tragic moments, you will usually find me serenading the stove out of pure frustration.
You’re hot and you’re cold,
You’re good I was told,
I wait and I look,
still, the onions won’t cook
I once asked on my Instagram story – “At what age do kids stop banging on the bathroom door while the mother is trying to do her business?” A friend promptly replied, “I still haven’t stopped.”
Well, my son D is almost six, and the door might simply fall apart at this rate. I’ve officially stopped locking it. Back when he was a toddler, I had to wade through a trail of spoons, forks, and ladles as he explored his sensory abilities. Now, it’s a minefield of LEGO, and I am pretty sure we all know those pesky tiny bricks are far deadlier, especially when your failing eyesight misses one.
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My distressed jeans sparked a full-blown meltdown back home. My mom took one look and was aghast like I had offended our ancestors. My dad couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing, saying, “You actually paid for something that looks like phota kaani”. My husband egged her on to sew it up with a needle. She also strictly banned me from wearing them anywhere near my hometown or my sasural. Fashion crime level: unforgivable. Sigh!! Here I thought I was a cool millennial.
Here’s the culprit. Yes, I am still in my ripped skinny jeans era. 😆
One of the best things I did back home was hiking with my dad, who turned 75 last year. We probably last hiked together when I was in primary school. Along with my sister’s family, we drove to Kakochang Waterfall. The path was well-maintained and serenaded by tall bamboo trees. A stream, that originated at the waterfall, flowed alongside the metal stairs. The waterfall took my breath away. Powerfully gushing down the hill and forming a stream that eventually flowed into Borgang River. The Borgang River, which is a part of the larger Brahmaputra River basin, adds to the beauty of the region.
Tummy rolls! I’ve been trying to get rid of mine for so long—with no success.
I don’t own ripped jeans because I had a pair years ago, and they started tearing so easily that I might as well have stepped out without pants altogether. Seriously, I’m that uncool millennial. 🙂
This was a lovely read, Raj!
D is so lucky to hear such stories! Your tales are always so fun.
I love wearing distressed jeans too and I still wear them every chance I get. I’ll never get bored of it 😀
Tummy rolls are my constant companions ever since my daughter was born, 36 years ago. 😀 She still loves to cuddle up and rest her head on my jiggly tummy. I think you can still lose them with your yoga practice. I am like your mother when it comes to torn jeans:). Parents are the best and spending time with them is a gift, I miss mine. Loved reading your post with my chai.
Thank you for sharing these little snippets of your life — they’re always such a joy to read. The stories you tell your son are so sweet! And the poem you’ve been serenading the stove with is one which I can thoroughly relate to. Why are onions so hard to caramelize? I might need to work on my cooking skills and my patience. Gorgeous photo of the Kakochang Waterfall!