2 weeks (yesterday) until departure day.
3 days until my leaving do.
1 week until the packers arrive.
...and I'm feeling remarkably calm, errr it just doesn't seem real at the moment!
Sunday, 24 May 2009
Friday, 22 May 2009
Happy 2nd Birthday Luke!
I can't believe that our little boy is the grand old age of 2 years today. His 2 years have been a whirlwind for his parents in more ways than one but he seems to have come through it all pretty much unscathed!
Daddy has been in the US and UK for the past 2 weeks and arrives home in the early hours of tomorrow (Hallejuleigh!), so today has been low key and busy busy with jobs, school concerts and sorting out. Tomorrow we will celebrate with a little party with some close friends and our staff.
Wonderful people come and wonderful people go...today is a very happy day but also a sad day for me and my sister. Miss you so much Mum xx
Daddy has been in the US and UK for the past 2 weeks and arrives home in the early hours of tomorrow (Hallejuleigh!), so today has been low key and busy busy with jobs, school concerts and sorting out. Tomorrow we will celebrate with a little party with some close friends and our staff.
Wonderful people come and wonderful people go...today is a very happy day but also a sad day for me and my sister. Miss you so much Mum xx
Friday, 15 May 2009
MOF MOF...From A Saucy Chef
MOF MOF - "Minimum of Fuss, Maximum of Flavour", the motto of Chef Antonio Carluccio...a man after my own heart.
With exit day looming ever closer you'd think I'd be sorting out, chucking out, selling stuff and getting organised. Well I'm trying to muster the enthusiasm...but on Tuesday I took a bit of time off and headed to The Park Hotel (remember our take-away Christmas lunch and our best party ever...THAT Park)
Chef Antonio OBE, 72, is, I suppose, a consultant of sorts for The Park Hotels throughout India advising and coaching their chefs in all things Italian and whilst he was here in Chennai he gave a fabulous cookery demonstration to a room full of doting women. I think it's probably fair to say that there's not many men his age who can make a room full of women 'Oooh' and 'Aaah' and 'Gasp' in quite the way that he did! Now was it HIM? The food? Or his saucy jokes...you decide!
What treats did he have in store? Mmmmm let me tell you... Pesce in Carpione (Sardines marinated with onions), Peperoni Mandorlati (Peppers with Almonds), Egg Ravioli, Pollo Alla Limone (chicken with parsley and capers) Parmigiana Di Melanzane (Aubergine Timbale)...and...the old faithful...Tiramisu
Telling another joke...this was probably 'The Boobs in Soup' one!
And the best bit? We all got to stay for lunch and sample all his lovely dishes - DE-Lish!
With exit day looming ever closer you'd think I'd be sorting out, chucking out, selling stuff and getting organised. Well I'm trying to muster the enthusiasm...but on Tuesday I took a bit of time off and headed to The Park Hotel (remember our take-away Christmas lunch and our best party ever...THAT Park)
Chef Antonio OBE, 72, is, I suppose, a consultant of sorts for The Park Hotels throughout India advising and coaching their chefs in all things Italian and whilst he was here in Chennai he gave a fabulous cookery demonstration to a room full of doting women. I think it's probably fair to say that there's not many men his age who can make a room full of women 'Oooh' and 'Aaah' and 'Gasp' in quite the way that he did! Now was it HIM? The food? Or his saucy jokes...you decide!
What treats did he have in store? Mmmmm let me tell you... Pesce in Carpione (Sardines marinated with onions), Peperoni Mandorlati (Peppers with Almonds), Egg Ravioli, Pollo Alla Limone (chicken with parsley and capers) Parmigiana Di Melanzane (Aubergine Timbale)...and...the old faithful...Tiramisu
Telling another joke...this was probably 'The Boobs in Soup' one!
And the best bit? We all got to stay for lunch and sample all his lovely dishes - DE-Lish!
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
All the Way to Pondicherry...and Back
We've been spending alot of time apart as a family at the moment so when Ian arrived back from his 3 week US stint we decided to get away for some family time.
The Dune resort near Pondicherry came very highly recommended so we trundled off down South again in the hope of some 'chill out' (Ha ha ha!) time. Unfortunately it was not to be.
The place was lovely, our 'Kerala House' which had been renovated and transported to Dune from Kerala was beautiful and full of character but the A/C was minimal and with temperatures soaring way above 40C and with very little shade to be found unless you were inside we began to melt.
It had a fantastic pool and beach but again, no shade. We arrived lunchtime on the Friday, the kids played and we all had a refreshing dip in the pool around 5ish. Fine so far. Luke was up and down and all over the place and then he discovered the pond in the garden...Well, that was that neither Ian or I were going to be able to sit still and relax ever again and short of tying the little tike up there was no way to contain him. More to the point I was beginning to get concerned at the speed he was going and how little he was drinking and was imagining heat stroke or drowning.
We had dinner, very nice...French (ish!), Luke finally fell asleep and we turned in for the night...only Ellie couldn't sleep, it must have been past midnight by the time she settled and guess which little person it was that has us ALL awake at 6am? I don't think I need to tell you.
We were all in the pool at just gone 7am, we had breakfast, we took the kids on bikes to visit the animals on the Dune Farm and all the while the temperature was rising and rising. At 10am Ian and I looked at each other, looked at a tired and melting Ellie, looked at Luke bombing around the pond with sweat soaked hair...and asked ourselves what exactly are we going to do until 5pm when it's comfortable enough to go back to the pool? Neither of us wanted to be the one to disappoint and suggest the inevitable but then a little voice piped up.
"It's too hot here, I want to go home".
Within minutes we were packed up and ready to go, we called Kumar to meet us in the car park and I think he was as relieved as we were..."Too much hot here Madam". Tell me about it!
We have never enjoyed an A/C car drive home as much as that one and as we had plenty of time we stopped off along the way and took in some of the sights.
By the way, if you are thinking of going Dune it is a lovely place...probably more comfortable in December/January/February!
The Dune resort near Pondicherry came very highly recommended so we trundled off down South again in the hope of some 'chill out' (Ha ha ha!) time. Unfortunately it was not to be.
The place was lovely, our 'Kerala House' which had been renovated and transported to Dune from Kerala was beautiful and full of character but the A/C was minimal and with temperatures soaring way above 40C and with very little shade to be found unless you were inside we began to melt.
It had a fantastic pool and beach but again, no shade. We arrived lunchtime on the Friday, the kids played and we all had a refreshing dip in the pool around 5ish. Fine so far. Luke was up and down and all over the place and then he discovered the pond in the garden...Well, that was that neither Ian or I were going to be able to sit still and relax ever again and short of tying the little tike up there was no way to contain him. More to the point I was beginning to get concerned at the speed he was going and how little he was drinking and was imagining heat stroke or drowning.
We had dinner, very nice...French (ish!), Luke finally fell asleep and we turned in for the night...only Ellie couldn't sleep, it must have been past midnight by the time she settled and guess which little person it was that has us ALL awake at 6am? I don't think I need to tell you.
We were all in the pool at just gone 7am, we had breakfast, we took the kids on bikes to visit the animals on the Dune Farm and all the while the temperature was rising and rising. At 10am Ian and I looked at each other, looked at a tired and melting Ellie, looked at Luke bombing around the pond with sweat soaked hair...and asked ourselves what exactly are we going to do until 5pm when it's comfortable enough to go back to the pool? Neither of us wanted to be the one to disappoint and suggest the inevitable but then a little voice piped up.
"It's too hot here, I want to go home".
Within minutes we were packed up and ready to go, we called Kumar to meet us in the car park and I think he was as relieved as we were..."Too much hot here Madam". Tell me about it!
We have never enjoyed an A/C car drive home as much as that one and as we had plenty of time we stopped off along the way and took in some of the sights.
By the way, if you are thinking of going Dune it is a lovely place...probably more comfortable in December/January/February!
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Sunday, 10 May 2009
4 Weeks...
Until we leave India.
When I looked back to see how I was faring 4 weeks before we moved out here, it was a different story altogether! I was disappearing under mountains of cardboard and deliveries and chaos and the packers were due any day to ship our belongings.
This time round it feels far more civilised. The packers will be arriving just one week before we leave and our shipment will go directly to the US ready for our arrival after our summer in the UK.
At this point in time there is just one spanner in the works that may slow things down...apparently once your belongings are packed in the container and at the dock they have to wait there for 3 weeks before setting sail, now I can understand 1 week if you'd just managed to miss the boat, but 3 weeks?? We pressed for further information and in India (only in...??) the powers that be have to obtain confirmation from the airline that you have definitely left the country before allowing your stuff to sail, and of course, as with most things here - the bureaucratic cogs turn slowly and it all takes a long time.
Something has just crossed my mind and it has just dawned on me that we are all going to be living out of suitcases for a long time...might not be such a civilised move after all!
When I looked back to see how I was faring 4 weeks before we moved out here, it was a different story altogether! I was disappearing under mountains of cardboard and deliveries and chaos and the packers were due any day to ship our belongings.
This time round it feels far more civilised. The packers will be arriving just one week before we leave and our shipment will go directly to the US ready for our arrival after our summer in the UK.
At this point in time there is just one spanner in the works that may slow things down...apparently once your belongings are packed in the container and at the dock they have to wait there for 3 weeks before setting sail, now I can understand 1 week if you'd just managed to miss the boat, but 3 weeks?? We pressed for further information and in India (only in...??) the powers that be have to obtain confirmation from the airline that you have definitely left the country before allowing your stuff to sail, and of course, as with most things here - the bureaucratic cogs turn slowly and it all takes a long time.
Something has just crossed my mind and it has just dawned on me that we are all going to be living out of suitcases for a long time...might not be such a civilised move after all!
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
The BEST way to have a PARTY...Ever!
Those of you that know us...know that the Wilson's enjoy a good party!
We had always planned to have one (probably more if we were staying) in India but when everything went topsy turvey it seemed that we were never going to be able to fit one in!
Enter the BISC (British International Social Club) who asked me if we'd be willing to host a 'Spring Garden Party' one Friday evening. 'We'll invite everyone, the Park Hotel will cater for everyone and bring the whole shebang with them, the bar will be taken care of' Hmmm...let me think about that for about a nano second...Fine with us, bring it on!
On the Tuesday before the event there were about 20 people confirmed and it looked like it might be pulled. On the Thursday there were 40 or so and it was decided it would go ahead. By Friday afternoon 60 were confirmed, and, on the night a whopping 90 people turned up! 90 people in temperatures of about 90 degrees, boy was it a hot night!
"It's a cocktail party in a sauna" commented Allan. He nailed it right on the head!
Despite the balmy temperatures I think a good time was had by all...the last stragglers departed and Pushpa and I finished up and went to bed.
So where was Ian when all this was going on? Poor chap, he was flying back from the US and arrived home about 5am...
Ian: Hello darling, I'm back.
Me: (V groggy after 3 hours sleep and needing more) We missed you, now go to sleep.
Ian: How did the party go?
Me: Fine
Ian: How many people in the end?
Me: 90
Ian 90!!!! No way! It doesn't even look as though anything or anyone has even been here...where's the mess, the debris, the aftermath??
Like I said - The BEST way to have a PARTY....Ever!
We had always planned to have one (probably more if we were staying) in India but when everything went topsy turvey it seemed that we were never going to be able to fit one in!
Enter the BISC (British International Social Club) who asked me if we'd be willing to host a 'Spring Garden Party' one Friday evening. 'We'll invite everyone, the Park Hotel will cater for everyone and bring the whole shebang with them, the bar will be taken care of' Hmmm...let me think about that for about a nano second...Fine with us, bring it on!
On the Tuesday before the event there were about 20 people confirmed and it looked like it might be pulled. On the Thursday there were 40 or so and it was decided it would go ahead. By Friday afternoon 60 were confirmed, and, on the night a whopping 90 people turned up! 90 people in temperatures of about 90 degrees, boy was it a hot night!
"It's a cocktail party in a sauna" commented Allan. He nailed it right on the head!
Despite the balmy temperatures I think a good time was had by all...the last stragglers departed and Pushpa and I finished up and went to bed.
So where was Ian when all this was going on? Poor chap, he was flying back from the US and arrived home about 5am...
Ian: Hello darling, I'm back.
Me: (V groggy after 3 hours sleep and needing more) We missed you, now go to sleep.
Ian: How did the party go?
Me: Fine
Ian: How many people in the end?
Me: 90
Ian 90!!!! No way! It doesn't even look as though anything or anyone has even been here...where's the mess, the debris, the aftermath??
Like I said - The BEST way to have a PARTY....Ever!
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It's Official
In just 4 weeks and 2 days we will be leaving India and now we know where to. About time...it's been a very long wait with our exit date looming ever nearer.
Firstly we will be returning to the UK for a few weeks and then we will be heading off to North Carolina, USA for Ian to take up his next assignment. We are all very happy and excited at the prospect and the opportunity!
However our move is tinged with sadness as we will of course be leaving behind our wonderful staff. The drivers will be fine, but after I told Kumar the news and saw his reaction I just couldn't bring myself to tell Pushpa and Mary by myself. Ian and I broke it to them yesterday evening and it was truly heartbreaking. These two women have been more than just 'maids' to me and between them they have looked after us so well and made settling into India an awful lot easier than it could have been. I hope to be able to find them new jobs before we leave as they deserve that much after all their hard work and loyalty.
So, it's back to the beginning of this blog in some ways...Ian is off to the US and UK for two more weeks on Saturday, I'll be packing up, sorting out and saying goodbyes but I have made a promise to myself that I am not going to stress and worry as I did before. I'm sure there will be moments but I've done it before so I should be able to do it again. Right? Wish me luck!
Firstly we will be returning to the UK for a few weeks and then we will be heading off to North Carolina, USA for Ian to take up his next assignment. We are all very happy and excited at the prospect and the opportunity!
However our move is tinged with sadness as we will of course be leaving behind our wonderful staff. The drivers will be fine, but after I told Kumar the news and saw his reaction I just couldn't bring myself to tell Pushpa and Mary by myself. Ian and I broke it to them yesterday evening and it was truly heartbreaking. These two women have been more than just 'maids' to me and between them they have looked after us so well and made settling into India an awful lot easier than it could have been. I hope to be able to find them new jobs before we leave as they deserve that much after all their hard work and loyalty.
So, it's back to the beginning of this blog in some ways...Ian is off to the US and UK for two more weeks on Saturday, I'll be packing up, sorting out and saying goodbyes but I have made a promise to myself that I am not going to stress and worry as I did before. I'm sure there will be moments but I've done it before so I should be able to do it again. Right? Wish me luck!
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