15 Marbles

…and five countries.
Sonia commented on my Three-Oh Post,and wanted to know,where all I have stayed recently..Instead of answering her,I decided to turn it into a post..:D
So,I was born in India..spent the first 9 years there
Edited to add- Lakheri(Rajasthan),when I was 6 months old.Stayed there till I was 9 years and a few months old.May ’89- 7 months in Devlali..
1990- just before my 10th birthday,my parents moved to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.So,I brought in my 10th birthday in a small town called Yanbu,in KSA.It was on the shore of the Red Sea.When we first moved there,and my parents told us,that it was the Red Sea,we were a little disappointed to see the normal clear water.We spent the next 2 and half years there and then,we moved back to India,as I was entering 8th grade and my parents were concerned about the education system in KSA.Since Yanbu was a small industrial town,there was no english medium school and the closest Indian Embassy school was a good 4 hours drive away.So,we were in Open School system.
Anyway,the next few years,we were in India..7 years 3 different cities-Nasik,B’lore & Mumbai.The 20th birthday was brought in at Mumbai..with friends and family and there was no BF on the scene.
I met DH a week before my 21st and we were married 2 months before my 24th.Then,we became wanderers..
We left Mumbai in April’04 to move to Hyderabad.
3 months later- August ’04- Hyderabad to Delaware,USA
It was a short trip,just a pit-stop for 3 months,before,we moved on to our final destination,Toronto.
Exactly one year later,just 2 days before our 1 year lease agreement ended,we moved on..And relocated to Delaware.
6 months later,April’06- Delaware to Chicago.A lovely 2-day road trip..So much fun.
September ’06- Chicago to Phoenix..Another road trip..this time a 3-day road trip..And I was 6 weeks pregnant,then.
July ’07- Phoenix to Dallas..And yet another Road trip!(Yes we are road-crazy!) This time with a 3 month old.
So far,our longest stay has been in Dallas…we were there for nearly 14 months.
End of Sept ’08-we left from Dallas to spend a week in sunny Ca..
1st Oct’08- Flew to Australia…And hopefully,we’ll stay put..[Anti-jinx] Brought in the 30th here,as you know.
We just renewed our lease and I can’t tell you how excited that made me..This is the first time,since we got married that,we actually renewed our lease and even after safely crossing the one year mark,aren’t talking about packing or living in suitcases.
Enough about me..you tell me how many times have you moved?So far..I know only one other person who’s moved so much!
Oh and are you going to vote on my bedtime poll?

No No I am not talking about a gift that I received.I am talking about the gifts that we buy,for someone else.Every month we have 2-3 invites for DH’s Desi colleagues kids’ birthdays.More often than not,I don’t know these people and its like a first meeting of a kind.So,what do you buy for a kid you don’t know?sometimes,DH doesn’t even know the kid’s age or name..you know..if the invitation is extended in lunch hour..saying ki achcha come for my kid’s birthday tomorrow at so-and-so place. Or if you are invited to a colleagues home for an informal meetup with the team and spouses.
Now,I love giving gifts ..but I am at a loss,when buying gifts for such occassions.I don’t want to bring wine to a non-drinker’s home or fit for a 3 yo gift to a 7 yo.So,mostly I ask DH to atleast check the child’s age or try to understand the hosts personality,by asking questions about him.The age he can find out(mostly)..on other occasions,he finds it too awkward to ask the parent..how old his/her child is turning!WHY?? I dont know!As for the occasional dinner,I have resorted to taking flowers or boxed candy.
Now,as for the kids,I set a budget…say X amount for someone we barely know..to Y for someone DH/I like and know and may be Z (more than x+y) for a house warming or something. When,buying gifts for kids,I normally,stick to age appropriate gift.If I know the child personally then,depending on his or her likes or hobbies.Mostly its fine and sometimes,if I like a particular gift..I buy it,even if its a few dollars more than the budgetted X amount.
But,what do you do,when you find a gift that was originally priced X(your budget) but is on a special sale with nearly 80% off? Do you buy it and pat yourself for finding a bargain or do you buy that discounted gift and also buy something for your child,and still have money left and look at yourself and say,’How Cheap?’
This is the second time its happenned to me..and I don’t know what to do..The first time was way back in September.We got one of those kiddie birthday invitations and I went to buy a gift and found what I liked and at check-out,the price was in a single digit.And this month,for another last-minute invites,I went to buy a gift and it was originally priced at X amount..and because of some ongoing sale,I got it for more than 80% off!!
The first time,I was too shocked and added some candy to the gift..to make up for the remainder of the X amount.This time,I just bought something else for Aadi.And even then,the total was not X..After finding the said present,we walked around,looking for something else,equally nicer for X amount..but everything else was more expensive,than X. So,we just bought this..after thinking and re-considering our decision over and over.But,like I pointed out to DH,if we had bought it last week,then we would have paid,full price!
What would you have done,if you were in my place?

Big Three-Oh is here..and I must say,upclose it doesn’t look any different from any other day.I don’t know what was I expecting..was I expecting to suddenly grow a pair of wings or wake up with 30 written in pink glitter on my forhead.??Why Pink glitter?I dunno..just feel it would have been pink glitter.Nope,I woke up..and everything was the same..I had to still sneak into the toilet quietly,so as to not wake Aadi up..and while I was in there,I had to still answer to her banging the door,telling her,I am in here..go back to sleep till I come and get you..:) Yes the world is still the same.
DH DID take the day off and it was nice to have him around.He told me to not enter the kitchen,he wanted to tidy it up..It was nice to just sit and be served tea.very nice 🙂
After tea and some munchies,we were off to Aadi’s school.The form has been submitted,fees paid..and she can start in April,after she turns three.Then,we went out for lunch..had a nice leisurely lunch..with nowhere to rush too..and since we hadn’t eaten out in a long time,it was a nice change..and definitely festive.
In the evening,Friend S came over with the most delicious mini cupcakes..very cute and delicious..
I spent a lovely day with the two people who matter the most to me..I am happy.Through out the day,my phone kept ringing..and every call,message,email left me feeling fuzzy inside.Thank you,everyone.
Almost everyone asked me how I felt,turning Thirty..I think,I feel just the same..I am excited and nervous of getting old and nooo..I am not scared of wrinkles,I am just scared of being not-so-cool 😛 In a way,I am glad to be out of the twenties..I was happy till I was about 25-26..but when I was 29,I didn’t feel like I belong..I was just waiting to cross over!:D
Looking back,I don’t think,I have any regrets for the last decade..I am happy where I am,what I am doing..I am happy.I did want to have 2 kids before I turned thirty..but hey..the thirties are here for the next ten years..and even longer..:P if I decide to freeze my age at 30,isn’t it?And I do want to get financially independent and I am working on it..
I was talking to the DH and realised that I have spent every end of the decade birthday in a different country..so 10th,20th and the 30th birthday,celebrated in three different countries and 2 different continents..Cool na?
I thought long and hard,about what to write today…my mind is still fuzzy with all the birthday wishes and so I decided to ramble on,like I always do.
And also because,when I tried talking to DH about all the things on my mind..he got into his preaching mode,and explained the ways of life to me..sidetracking whatever I was saying..LOL! And when I asked him,”can I talk now?” ,a little voice quipped from the back-seat..”No no,you wait..can I talk now?”..Sigh..See..they don’t let me talk,so I keep this blog..where I can ramble on and on,without waiting for my turn!
And I so wanted to have a breezer today..actually,I have been wanting to have one for the last 4 weeks,just never got around to it..And I know I’ve missed the deadline..but its my birthday..or was ..so..I can cut some slack,huh?
Edited to add- Oh there were some cards,flowers and Rochers waiting for me,at midnight..:D