Dearest daddy,                            Happy Father's Day in heaven! It's been 32 years since you left us and the day was even sadder because you departed on your wedding anniversary. Well, Mom's there up with you now.  As I write this, the memories come tumbling out. My tall, burly, genial dad sporting his signature crew cut and khaki trousers riding his red and white Lambretta always a song on his lips and a smile for all. Your good humour cheered many. That Lambretta scooter gave me rides to school, church and college. Those were good days, Dad. Ah dad, you had the pleasure of signing the report cards when they were all bright and shining. Poor mom, she was given the dirty work! You loved your darling wife, son and daughter to bits. To you, Mom was the best chef in the world but Dad sorry to say, your little girl doesn't much care for the kitchen. Ha Ha. By the way, I have inherited your booming voic...

  It was a match made in heaven and a fairy tale wedding. She willowy and beautiful,  he tall, muscular and handsome. They had been married for two happy years when he began to get restless and took to golf. He started to participate in out-of-town golf tournaments. Sheena was always left behind but he brought back expensive presents for her." I need some space Sheena," he brazenly told her.   She chatted nineteen – to – a dozen regaling him with tales of how she had spent the days that he was away. And he hung on to every word that she uttered. She went away on some weekends to her mother’s house in a town about four hours away. She said that she wanted to give him some space and he rejoiced. Then one day she broached the subject of having a child. He said that he would think about it. “Let’s enjoy ourselves, Sheena." Life went on… Sheena and Rajiv came across as a very happily married couple. They went out on dates and holidays cleverly planned by Ra...

  You knew my ancestors Then you got acquainted with me I brought  to you A whole  new world  To experience and see.  You text and forward Call and search Click selfies so many Post a greeting or a prayer Spicy gossip you do share. I wake you up each morning Lest you sleep all day. You shop and pay your bills Even order your pills I guess I'm quite indispensable. To your children I'm a big distraction You tear your hair in frustration. When I ring I'm often out of reach Then we play a game of hide and seek.  When I'm lost You're so forlorn I wish I could wipe your tears As you think  I'm forever gone.  You've been advised  Not to look at me Soon after you awake. And switch me off  An hour before You bid the day goodbye.  It's hard, I know To adhere to advice so severe But use me well And your life will be swell. 

    As I sifted through the belongings of my deceased mother, I was struck with wonder and awe. Mom had always been a stickler for cleanliness, neatness and order but I had no clue that she was organized to such a degree. Bank documents, receipts and bills, keys, knitting needles, a stack of school report cards that belong to my brother and me, letters and old photographs all neatly packed and labelled and placed in boxes, envelopes and cupboards. I ought to hang my head in shame! Yes, I am trying hard to practice what I preach. This a beautiful legacy that she has left me. Why Should I Declutter? ·         Free, clean, decluttered spaces at home and work improve the quality of my life. Clutter leads to chaos, stress, procrastination and unproductivity. It interferes with my thought process and I just can’t give my best. ·         Both physical and digital clutter makes it harder to find things l...

  Life's hardly a Bed of Roses I must tackle a curve ball every day Amid fear and hopelessness Despair and frustration Against all odds I must stand straight and tall I've got to keep the faith Believe that it is not the end of it all Never mind if situations resolve at their own pace I'll simply carry on with God's abiding grace.  This post is part of the blogchatterbloghop link. 

  Zucchini se milo Tender, mild-flavoured and healthy, Zucchini has since of late become a popular wellness food. Zucchini is a summer squash also called courgette or baby marrow. It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family along with melons and is referred to as a vegetable, though it is really a fruit. Zucchini resembles a cucumber in colour and shape. Zucchini may be pale green, yellow, striped or orange.  The inside of the fruit may be a pale yellow or a pale green and contains seeds. The fruit is harvested before it ripens because it is then that it offers the best flavour. Zucchini is a summer vegetable. It is well suited to the Indian summer as it is nutrient-dense and high in water.  In recent years Zucchini has been used as a healthier replacement for pasta or independently. Vegetable spiralizers are used to cut Zucchini into thin long strips that resemble noodles that are then called Zoodles. Zucchini is a popular ingredient in Mediterranean, European, African and Mi...

  Yellow Capsicum - Go yellow! Yellow Bell Peppers are simply green bell peppers that have matured. The difference in colour of red green orange and yellow bell peppers is on account of their maturity and ripeness. The green peppers are the unripe ones, being plucked prematurely. Red peppers are the ripest of all. They require more time to grow and thus are also priced highly.  the yellow ones fall somewhere in the middle. Red and yellow peppers contain twice the amount of vitamin C than their younger sibling, green pepper. As they ripen, peppers vary in nutritional content.  Yellow peppers are botanically called Capsicum annuum and belong to the Nightshade family. They are native to Tropical America, growing since ancient times. The Spanish and Portuguese explorers brought Yellow Peppers to Asia and Europe around 1493. Besides the element of crunch that they add to food, they are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants they are said to have a higher number of nutrients th...