It's Friday and I wanna go home and get some sleep. Almost all attempts at diet and exercise have been frustrated over the last week - G and I have had wedding dinners, parties and get togethers to attend EVERY DAY of last week. Most of that is with family so "No" is not an option!
The next evening I have free is the 30th - and if G accepts an invitation on that evening, heads will roll! December is also the time when all the out of town cousins visit. My cousin is visiting right now (she's half English and insisted on cooking a full Christmas dinner last night - she worked really hard and it was really very nice!!) and since I see her only once in 3 years or so, I have been trying to spend as much time as possible with her. Tonight she comes to stay with me and we are taking her and another cousin's brother in law to a party. I hope I'll be able to stand past 10:00 P.M.!!
All that and I still woke up for kickboxing this morning. Hemal has started to really push me again and he is not unhappy with my fitness levels - they haven't fallen as drastically as I thought they would. I've taken off most of my holiday weight, but I am afraid further progress might be delayed till I can actually take the time out to go for a walk once in a while!!
Still, I am raking in the compliments at all these events! The only thing is that all the blouses on my saris have become loose and since I haven't bothered to have them fitted, they get a bit fiddly and I have to pin them around me. Oh yes! A major NSV - I was out to buy a nice new top for new years and I looked for an XL (of course), they didn't have one so I tried an L and it was too big! I finally settled on a M and it looks really good! A MEDIUM??!! Wow! I am quite excited about that!
My absolutely fave assistant, Janet, did all kinds of baking for Christmas and brought me all kinds of snacky stuff as well as a coconut cake at the office today! Another coconut-strawberry and almond sweet, a guava jelly-like dessert, home made marzipan and other salty stuff. It was great - I had quite a bit of it today. She has promised not to do such a horrid thing to me again till next Christmas
I am getting read to take a stock of my life this past year and make some good resolutions. I am NOT going to make any grandiose weight loss or diet resolutions. I am quite happy to tweak the way I eat when I need to, but I am not ever going on another diet. I am in this for the long term.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!!
I haven't been on here for what feels like forever and I have just been catching up a little. I got back from Delhi and Amritsar last week two kgs heavier, my belt noticeably tighter and really feeling it. By the way, can I just say that G was NOT exaggerating when he said you get the most awesome food in Amritsar - I am sure both kgs were from my one and half day there!! The food was AWESOME, I made no serious attempt to restrain myself (though I've noticed I just can't eat quite as much as I used to anymore anyway) and I discovered you can definitely eat a whole lot more when the weather is cold!
The wedding was great too. I've spent loads of time with G's family - they are a really nice group to travel with and going to the wedding in the cold Delhi weather was fun too. I enjoyed getting all dressed up and wearing all my really heavy clothes since the events in Delhi are generally more formal than in Mumbai (not to mention that wearing really heavy clothes in Mumbai will earn you heat stroke as well as strange looks )
Then the whole family went on to Amritsar by train. We stayed at their old "haveli" (mansion) there. The place is disused and almost closed down except for a couple of wings, but I was so glad to stay there. It is an old old house that has housed four generations with this generation leaving only because of the terrorism in the 1980s. There used to be orchards and fields around the house as far as the eye could see - it's all just concrete developments now as the lands were parcelled and sold off - something that usually happens in a joint family where there are 10 - 15 heirs thanks to the big families in the old days.
I also discovered that G can use the title "Raizaada" as his family owned the entire jaagir (district??). Haha - for the first time since I've known him, I've discovered that my husband is titled - apparently some of his cousins still use the title! The title is kinda like "Lord", but thanks to the movies and cultural references, it also kinda means spoiled rich brat. G laughed when I told him he should use it - I wanna be married to Raizada Gaurav Singh Bakshi Vaid instead of plain old Gaurav Bakshi and I wanna be a Raizaadi!!!!
We also went to the Golden Temple - the penultimate shrine of the Sikh religion. I'd always wanted to go here and it didn't disappoint me. It is beautiful and peaceful and serene. It is hard to believe it was the location of of such violence in the 1980s. We also went to see Jalianwalah Bagh - site of a major massacre during the war for Independence (with macabre bullet marks preserved everywhere) and to see the retreat at the Wagah border between India and Pakistan. And then on to having some of the freshest and most delicious street food anywhere. We ended the evening with a bonfire at the house. All this in ONE awesome day!
I wanted to post some photos of the family at the temple and some of the haveli, but they're all with G so I am posting one of the main shrine in the temple and one of G enjoying the sunshine in Delhi. I loved my trip so much, I am busy making plans to go back in February and then to see their old "holiday mansion" in Dalhousie - good god!
The main shrine at the Golden Temple (now you know why they call it that!!)
Raizaada Gaurav Singh Bakshi Vaid
Raizaadi Priya with mehendi (henna) on her hands in Delhi
(not a flattering pic, I know, but more when I get my hands on them)
Upshot of this whole blog (oh yes there is one!) - I taking G and me back to eating properly - though all the weddings from now till the end of the month don't help - and we are going to exercise everyday. Now I had better leave or I won't get my evening walk in. Love you guys - thanks for all your good wishes!! I am feeling so much better and so much more positive right now - about everything!! For those off on holiday - wishing you all a great time away! Greetings of the Season!
The last week of November 2008 is definitely going to stand out as the worst in a long long time. I got back from Goa after my audit on the 19th. By the way, the bright spot is that the audit was AWESOME. It went really well, the auditor was impressed and, after a response, we are almost assured of the certification!!
The sad news is that I went for my sonography soon after I got home and my little g-sac didn't show a heartbeat and the development wasn't as much as it should have been. The doc asked me to get another test done in another week, but I started bleeding on the 24th and miscarried on the 25th. It was pretty traumatic, but I am so glad my mother was with me - she has really been my biggest support, especially since my mother in law was out of town.
In between all that, the cyst in my ovary grew to completely take up the whole ovary and the doctor wanted to operate immediately. Had to get second (and third) opinions. Since the miscarriage though, the cyst seems to have reduced in size. I've got to monitor it and the decision of whether I need the op or whether I can control with medication still has to be taken.
Wednesday night the attacks on Mumbai began. Fortunately all my family and friends are fine. It's ultra-scary because we could have been there on any given night. It's wedding season and I'm attending wedding functions almost every night - several of them have been at the hotels that were affected. My mother was there the night before the attacks!!
I think I would have been more terrified if the emotional left over of the miscarriage hadn't been foremost in my mind. My mother in law came back the same night and my sister in law came to visit the night of the attacks. I can tell you that I was really scared when G and his brother went to the airport in the middle of the all the drama!! (Fortunately the airport is on the other side of town.) and then my sister in law's husband came as well!! LOTS of family in the house!
THEN, because of my lowered immunity, the cold G gave me turned in to the full blown flu that had me totally out for the count for the next three days. I'm pretty much recovered now and my mother in law has quit watching me like a hawk and trying to feed me almonds and milk every 5 minutes. :-)
The whole family is in Delhi right now for a family wedding. G and I have turned our cell phones off Inix that - he is answering a work call right now) and are actually relaxing. The weather is fabulous and I am feeling good. I'm going to be back to walking and working out and taking care of my diet next week. This week I plan on eating all the good food here and in Amritsar, where my husband and his family are from. Pretty excited to be going there for the first time ever - looking forward to seeing the Golden Temple and Wagah border!!
More later! I have to go downstairs for tea and then have to get all dolled up to dance in the baraat!!
Thank you everyone for your best wishes!!! G and I are thoroughly excited, but a bit subdued because the sonography next week should tell us whether the fetus is viable.
I am also a bit worried because I am in a very stressed out space with work. I am flying to Goa tomorrow (something my gynaec was not too thrilled about) and I will be staying there for about a week. I have a major inspection at the factory and I cannot postpone or change it or assign my responsibilities to anyone else. I am just a bit nervous about flying - and G is not happy either, but I really don't have a choice.
I've been warned not to change my diet for the time being (DON'T eat for two!!) - and I've had to give up coffee (sigh). I've been loaded up with yet another vitamin, yet more folic acid and also progesterone because the cyst might lower levels in my body.
The cyst - well, it's acting up. It's pretty huge and the entire right side of my back aches all the time and doesn't allow me to sleep easily. I can't have my favourite massages which used to help, and I can't have ibuprofen either. I wanted to have it aspirated right away, but the docs concur that they should wait until at least 10 weeks for that to even be on the cards. Sigh...
Oh but the good thing! My gynaec told me in no uncertain terms that it was a really good thing I had managed to bring my weight down and was fit over the past year (thanks in no small part to all of you and EP!) else the cyst might have been larger, and less easily managed. I've also found that exercise really helps alleviate the pain so off for walks I go.
I'm not disappearing, though I may be on here less often. I am going to continue to eat properly and exercise and be really healthy and follow all of you till I can come back properly next year
Came home last night to see the blood report and it's a definite yes!! I'm about 2-3 weeks along!! G and I are beyond thrilled! We really wanted to have a baby next year! Of course, we can only tell our absolutely immediate family - no friends even. It's considered really unlucky to tell anyone before your first trimester is up. Probably a good thing. But I HAD to tell you guys!!
My parents and G and my brother spent most of the night opening bottles of champagne that I could not drink. My in-laws are over the moon as are all our siblings and their significant others. Whew - that's a lot of people actually. Thing is, this is the absolutely FIRST pregnancy in the entire family on either side (despite G being the youngest in his family) and the parents have been telling us to give em grandchildren forever.
No noticeable change for me except that I am a bit more tired than usual and somewhat bloated. More worrisome though are the back pains thanks to the endometrial cyst. I may have to have it aspirated because it's preventing me from sleeping and travelling (to and from work is 3 hours a day) comfortably.
More updates as they come!! I meet with the doc this evening.
I know, I know. I haven't been on EP forever. I've kind of been lurking and been really busy with Diwali all last week and and a weekend away and now I have a major inspection coming up and I am totally focussed on that and more than a bit stressed out.
So I wasn't particularly surprised when my period did not arrive as scheduled (ok, I WAS a bit surprised at the number of days it's been delayed, but that has happened once before). I've been having some tests for a really achy lower back - had a sonography yesterday and have been diagnosed with a rather large endometrial cyst. Normally, I would have been treated with hormonal pills OR, since the cyst is rather large, I would have had it aspirated in a small procedure.
BUT the sonography yesterday also revealed a really tiny sac. Apparently this could be a pregnancy in very early stages - so early that I have had none of the usual symptoms. So I've had a blood test this morning and my results have already reached home (and I am in the office) and I am cautiously excited. G and I have been (half heartedly) trying part of this year and I was kinda hoping it would be pretty soon. Thing is, with endometriosis, I've been told it's really hard to get pregnant - so if this is confirmed, I'm really lucky (since pregnancy is apparently also a cure for endometriosis!).
So I am going to find out today for sure. Excited, apprehensive, the works. Will keep you up dated!!
I'm in Goa with the worst internet connection and at a hotel that has the worst food possible leading to the worst choices ever. Still, at least I've worked out quite a bit! I've given in to the chocolate temptation - aarrgh!! I just have a really hard time when I travel.
We have holidays most of next week and I am a little tense because I am losing an entire week I could be using to get ready for the inspection on the 17th November. I am a bit worried, but I feel a lot more positive now that I've spoken to all the managers and gotten a feedback on how ready we will be. So I've got my fingers and toes crossed!!
Diwali finally starts Sunday. I didn't realize the first day was so soon! Going to have to scramble quite a bit - should have been cleaning and cooking all of last week. G has given me a lovely new outfit in pale lemon for the new year (on Wednesday, I think) and a fantastic gold chain - he can never keep a secret or hold on to a gift so he gave it to me on karva chauth instead - you can see me wearing it in the last picture. And I haven't gotten him ANYTHING. I am seriously at wits' end about what to give him, the parents, the brother, the in laws. G and I are doing all kinds of last minute stuff Sunday and Monday!!! Like I need this stress - I wonder i I can persuade G to run away with me monday...
And here is the link for the karva chauth pics. I tried to put them here directly, but my connection sucks. I hope the photo titles can be seen...
... last night I was really restless. I kept dreaming that I was in a store that sold dresses and that I had liked 3-4 of them and was trying them on and the one that fit me the best was torn! Then one of my friends was there and kept on throwing stuff at me to try and when it didn't fit me, she would try it on herself and it fit her better!! I actually woke up from that dream. I wonder what my subconscious is trying to tell me. Very weird.
So much has been happening. I wanted to post earlier, but my internet connection has been really poor. My fast went really well - I think the key was taking an antacid before going off to bed. The pampering session went really well too and I got the best news right after the pooja in the afternoon! We finally got our factory license!!!!!! (See? Prayer works!). I knocked out right after and the even the moon rose at 8:30 - and we saw it at 9, did all the ritual stuff and then I took G, his bro and wife out to dinner to celebrate the license. We went for Chinese at the club and it was a really fun evening. My bil is about to email the pics to me and I'll put a couple in here soon.
Saturday my brother threw a halloween themed party - very early because a friend of his will be out of town soon. I got all dressed up as a naughty nun and dressed G as Bacchus. His costume was such fun! It was fun because no one really does Halloween or anything here and no one takes the effort to dress up at all. But the party was fun and a couple of tequila shots had me under the table pretty early and repenting the next day.
Sunday we woke up at my parents' place and I got on to mom's scale (which is the one I use to record weight, mine being very inaccurate) and it said 74.2 kgs!!! OH WOW!!!! Then the alcohol bloat set in as did pms.... sad, but seeing that number on the scale was really encouraging!!!!
Mumbai has had a lot of unrest yesterday and almost all work was at a standstill as they arrested a political leader and his followers ran riot. Very annoying for those of us who run businesses! In any case, I didn't want to risk anyone and sent my staff home really early. Fortunately there was no trouble and everyone was fine. The roads were empty too and I got home in 40 minutes flat!! If only the city was really that uncrowded... sigh.
Also got an awesome walk / run in yesterday and a great kickboxing class in today. Diet - ummm... Friday ??, Saturday good, Sunday NOT good, Monday and Tuesday were almost perfect (except for some chocolate - I can't help it, I am pmsing!)
This should teach me not to stay away from weight training for so long! I ache like mad - especially the muscles in my upper back. I'm glad to have worked them out, but could they please stop trying to kill me?
Last night I was so tired after I came home, I just could not head out for a walk. Fortunately I had worked out in the morning. THEN G ordered in for dinner. Eeps. WAY too oily and my stomach is protesting. Why is it that I am PERFECT right up to dinner? But still, it was better than it would have been months ago and I did not overeat!
Today - having skipped the morning walk because I just could not drag my aching self out of bed, I have to have an evening walk - which is now in doubt because my mother wants me to accompany her to an art auction. Exciting, I know, but I wanna walk too!! I HATE having to choose!!!!! Why couldn't she have told me earlier?
Tomorrow is the fast so I will come back Saturday with a few pics and a report. Skinny vibes to all!
Ok, so GCQmom wanted to know what "Starve for the Husband" Day was -"Starve for the husband" day aka Karva Chauth is coming up this Friday and it's a major festival for North Indian women. I'm from the west of India and my husband is a true blue "Punjabi" from the North so I wasn't brought up with it, but I do it because it's a big deal for G's family.
You wake up at eat at 5 in the morning - before sunrise and then you fast - no water even!! - for your husband's health and prosperity till you see the moon (oh and moon - on purpose, I bet - never comes out till 10 at night on that day ) through a mesh style collander and then you see your hubby's face through it and then you can drink water and eat. We often end up driving around to find the moonrise. Did I mention that, from your second karva chauth, you have to give your mother in law a gift on the day (I assume it means thanks for my husband)
I think it stemmed from a time when a woman's fate - social, economic, etc. was linked very strongly to her husband. She could only participate in society / religious functions etc. if she were a married woman and widows were considered inauspicious. If your husband died, it was very likely that his family would cast you out. So the women did all kinds of things to ensure long lives for their husbands. I don't know why they couldn't have chosen a large party instead of starvation, but who am I to say!!
But the best part is - through all this starvation you have to dress up like a bride - which means red clothes, lots of jewellery, bangles, bindis, henna, the works - and lots of shopping is involved. It's always portrayed as a very romantic thing in the movies here but believe me, by the time you see the moon, you are ready to kill your husband (which would kind of defeat the purpose, I know), but not strong enough to!!
It's pretty archaic, but the tradition is a major bonding time for the women in the family and all the ladies in our apartment building. I just try to do as little as possible. I wake up as late as possible, get a manicure / pedicure and a massage, blow dry and then watch a movie till the evening ritual starts at about 5:00 P.M. That consists of all the women coming together for a small ceremony and telling the proscribed stories and singing and stuff. And after that you can have ONE thing to drink till the moon comes up. G and his brother take us out for fruit milkshakes.
Oh, I also tell G to stay the hell away from me because he keeps asking if I am ok!! There is also a new breed of husbands who keep the fast with their wives. I absolutely oppose this. If a husband keeps the fast, all attention is on him (how sweet! how devoted!) and they get to act like babies on the one day when all the attention should be on you! Instead I cook G an EXTRA special lunch with the fond hope that he will feel hideously guilty about his wife starving at home.
Hey, I said I keep the fast, I didn't say I wasn't also evil
This year, my younger cousin who has also married a north indian boy will be coming to spend the day and evening ceremony with me. So we should have a good time!
Did I also mention that my parents and siblings laugh uproariously each year because I was always so vocal about NEVER DOING this in my vehemently feminist days? Yeah... no really... they do.
)
) through a mesh style collander and then you see your hubby's face through it and then you can drink water and eat. We often end up driving around to find the moonrise. 
