Aerobics

One of my friend S is training to be an aerobics tutor and as a part of her course she is required to learn all exercises and be able to teach her students. She also needs 2 people to accompany her on her assessment day where she is expected to lead an aerobics session for 60 minutes. So, I volunteered as it sounds like super fun.

It was real good fun this weekend, we spent about 2.5 hours on Saturday and Sunday learning exercises and actually doing it to the tune and count. S needs to be able to run a class for 60 minutes, without any mistakes and therefore requires a lot of practise. She is expected to give instructions, watch her students, maintain the count, stick to the beat & change steps correctly ..sigh!. Too many things to do together so we have decided to practice for everyday for at least an hour each weekday and more on a weekend until she is perfect and can get through her assessment with flying colours

Aerobics is such a fun way of exercising, there is a music, a bit of dance, being a part of the team, looking at each other and catching up steps when you miss a beat In a way, it's a good practise for my friend S, but its also a much need exercise for me. I only hope that my knee does not play up and behaves until she finishes her assessment. But I am having a ball of a time doing aerobics. Sooper fun it is..

Summer....

I used to wonder earlier on, why people in this country crave for sunshine, why does every conversation begin and end with weather. Why people go crazy when the sun is out. Why people hang around outside the pubs in summer? Why do the news channels talk about weather every hour or every half hour? Why does everyone start to wear fewer clothes with the slightest sight of sun or rise in temperature?

But, I know realise the importance of sunshine in life. I had taken the sunlight for granted back home; infact most times avoided the sunlight and craved for the monsoon season or post monsoon season. Post monsoon (Sept-Jan) is my all time favourite back in Bangalore.

Having been in London for about 6 years now has made me realise the importance of daylight. I feel there is much more to a day and lot of time after work. It makes a lot of difference to my thinking and behaviour. It’s really a pleasure to come home after work and look out of my kitchen window and actually being able to see my garden without switching on lights. Leave all the curtains open to get some natural light into my home and not fearing that it’s going to get cold if curtains are left open.

Simple pleasures of life that make a difference, that we often take you for granted.

Limousine Ride..

One of our good friends(lets call them Y&S) are leaving the UK for good and moving back to Bangalore.. and a few of us wanted to do something special for them, that they could remember for ever… So we decided, as a complete surprise, we shall take them to dinner to a restaurant in Central London in a white stretch Limousine.

As always, I was given the task of organising the event. I went away and contacted a number of limo provides for quotes. First we wanted to get a Hummer Stretch Limo, but figured that its too expensive and also too big for 8 people. So, we finally settled for a normal white stretch limo.

There was a bit of confusion as to how we actually invite the couple without letting them know what we plan to do. As they have kids, they need advance notice unlike us, who can get ready in a jiffy. In the end, we managed it somehow and they were ready at 6.45 PM. They were pleasantly surprised, when they say a stretch limo outside their door, ready to take them for a ride.
The interiors of the limo was fantastic. They had wine and champagne glasses everywhere. There were dim inset sparkly lights inside, nice steel interiors and leather seats. We were 8 adults and 2 kids and not once before this we had been together in one vehicle. We normally need 2 or sometimes 3 cars to comfortably fit all of us. It was a great experience, all of us in one car, drinking and chatting away..

It was a great evening out that all of us will remember..

Phew...

We have a really nice pin bowling alley really close to the Cinema hall that we always go to. I sometimes take my friends daughter out to Cinema, a 6 year old who loves to go to Cinema. One such day, while we were heading to watch a movie, she asked, if we could go bowling another day… I welcomed the idea. and thought the kid will enjoy so will I, if we did go bowling.. So I promised her that I will take her another day..

So, after consulting her parents, we (me and MR) took her bowling, and as her mother was pregnant with their second child, they decided that they would join us later. She was all excited and happy that we were going to play etc..

As usual, we were playing the game… and I did not realise what was going on in her mind… In the beginning she was happy and cheerful.. half way through the game, she was glum and grumpy… and towards the end.. she had teary eyes and started howling.. and guess what.. her parents arrived just then.

I did not know why she was crying in the first place, I did not know what to do to calm her down. Tried enticing her with chocolates, ice creams etc, but she would not budge.

She finally disclosed to her father, why she was weeping.. I was confused and did not know what to do! I went back to her, hugged and kissed her and said to her that I was sorry for WINNING!

Yeah.. She was unhappy because I got the most points and I won the game of bowling, so she started howling that I won the game and she did not.

How on earth am I supposed to know that I am not to win the game.. Neither do I have kids of my own nor, when I was a child allowed to cry because I lost a game. As a child, if I lost a game, I was either told to try harder next time or learn the game!

Sigh.. Man, the kids these days.. confuse me!

Wardrobes.. part II

My fitted wardrobes are damn cool.. Unlike most wardrobes that have shelves, I choose to have a lot of drawers in mine.. The best part is, I got to choose what I want in it.. I designed it...

Earlier I had wardrobes with lot of shelves in them and normally the stuff that at the back never got used.. the stuff got completely ignored.. and I used to think I don't have clothes.. and kept buying.. (not that I have stopped shopping now)

But this is cool.. I get a complete view of my entire collection by pulling it out... I have clearly sectioned it out with office clothes.. home clothes.. and other random stuff.. its dawned to me.. that I have more jeans than office clothes.. which is not very good.. as I am not allowed to wear jeans to work.. other than Friday..

I have nice little wardrobe dividers to put little bits and pieces like sock's , belts, cosmetics.. etc.. Its really good.. and I am glad I got it done..

Sunshine

It’s a beautiful day today in London. The temperature is about 18-20 degrees with lots of sunshine.. and guess what.. I am stuck in office.. :-)

Absolutely no mood to work whatsoever, but cannot get away with that as I have a few things to finish off..

I used to always wonder why the westerners love the sunshine so much. I get the point now as these countries don’t see the sun for most of the year so when the sun comes out, it’s more like a celebration or a festival. The value of something is understood only where is a lack of it or when it’s lost.

I feel the same today; I feel like heading back home, pick up a nice book, sit in the garden or may be lie on the grass and just enjoy the sunshine.

I wish we could have the sun all round here in England.. the life would be a lot brighter and happier.. :)

Wardrobes

Hurray.. my wardrobes have been finally fixed to the walls.. and they look really awesome.. Its been something I wanted to get done from a very long time. Earlier we had free standing wardrobes and they not only looked all over the place but also took a lot of space in the rooms. Lets face it, we don’t have a mansion, and for the amount of clothes that I have accumulated over the last 5 years.. I probably need a mansion.. Sigh!

But.. really excited to fill the new wardrobes up with my stuff.. and hopefully it will be more organised and hopefully, I will be able to find my clothes much faster than normal..

Snow.. snow.. snow...

On Sunday evening when I looked out of my bedroom window at 5.45 PM… the road was a bit frosty with sleet…The sky was unusually bright for that time of the day and the year.

I was informed by some of my friends on Saturday that Britain is expecting highest snowfall since 18 years.. And here I was thinking that the weather forecast guys have got it wrong again.. as there are a number of instances before.. Like one of my friend always says ‘Weather report staff are the only ones.. who retain their jobs even after getting it wrong most of the time’

But this time, the weather report was spot on and there was plenty of snow. Something that Britain was not ready for. It started Sunday afternoon…I could see snow flakes flying everywhere and then finally gently settling on the grass in my garden, on pavements, on my car etc. I was all excited to see the snow, sat there staring at it for sometime. After a little while I decided to read a book as there was no way we could get out. Dozed off a bit, woke up to look outside and there was about 3-4 inches of snow at around 9.00 PM and the colour of the sky was unusually orange..

I thought to myself… Hmmm. How I am going to get to the office tomorrow.. hope the trains are working… hope there are no delays.. etc etc.. Finally I decided to worry about it the following morning and take it as it comes.. Went out in the snow.. clicked a few more photos.. played with it and got back inside and retired for the day…

Every morning, as soon as I wake up, I look out of the window to check what the weather is like, how bright it is etc.. Did the same Monday morning (02FEB09)… and guess what… I can see my car completely covered in snow.. roads have about 9-10 inches of snow.. and its still snowing… Switched on the radio to hear that most roads are jammed, London Buses are not working, most trains are cancelled due to adverse weather.. Here I am thinking to myself ‘God, what am I going to wear, how am I going to get through this snow to get to work, are my trains working.. what am I going to tell my manager.. Etc’ MR looked out of the window and happily decided that he would work from home and is not making a trip to the office and started persuading me to stay home as well.. and started scaring me that If I ended up going to London, I might not be able to get back etc.. So,Guess what I decide.. to stay home and enjoy the day at home.. I could have worked from home, but my remote connection decided not to work that day.

Anyway, we went out.. Played with snow for a few hours.. all the kids in our neighbourhood were out on the street as their schools were closed.. We made snowman, threw snow on each other.. had a great time.. J Well worth the stay at home…!
Here you go.. some more pictures.. of the wonderful snow day in London.. after 18 years.. !

Oxford Street....

My normal work place is near Tower of London.. the home of Kohinoor Diamond and also crown jewels..... But sometimes I get to go to the office in Regent street which is perpendicular to Oxford street and both these streets are famous for its shops.. Both streets are more or less a mile long and you could possible find all possible stores in this street.

Regent street is famous for its more expensive brands like Banana Republic, Furla, Krut Greger, MNG etc.. whereas Oxford street has all possible streets from Selfridges to Primark.

People who know me.... probably have guessed it by now.. I love this place as I love shopping.. some of my favorite shops are Debenhams, Selfridges, Next, New look, MEXX....etc.. I can spend the whole day in these streets..

I sometimes feel.. that I have shopped all my life... but actually thinking about it, I can still do with some clothes.. Is everyone like that.. or is it just me... There is no more space in my wardrobe but this does not stop me from shopping. Especially, when you are around Oxford street.. the temptation is huge.. to go to the shops..

I really thank God for giving me the ability to be able to spend as I like, thank God for blessing me with a person like MR who does not stop me from doing what I want to do, he is pretty worried about the wardrobe condition though..:)

My first job in the UK was in Bond Street, which is another prestigious street, where the rich and famous shop... Its got all the designer stores there.. The moment you enter that street, you kind of figure out the change.. the people change.. the cars change... the shops change.. and the price tags... Man they shoot up.. ! Its got some of the most prestigious antique shops, some really expensive jewellery stores...

I thank God for all his blessings.. !

London...

is a magical city.. I absolutely love London and dread leaving this city... It has its own advantages.. but over the long term has its own dis-advantages... That's another blog all by itself..

But.. Living in London for such a long time.. has taught me a lot of lessons.. a lot of values in life.. I am and have enjoyed my stay here and will cherish it.. I am a better person today.. personally, professionally.. I owe a lot to this city and the people here..

I sometimes complain about the tubes, trains, people.. etc.. but honestly... I am just being silly.. the transport system and the connections within London is excellent. Every city I visit convinces me of the fact that London underground is the best.. I have been to various places in America and a few places in Europe. Some of the biggest and the most famous cities like New York and Paris.. Honestly.. London is the best!


I/We love walking on the bank of Thames.. on a nice pleasant/warm night.. love to stroll around the banks of River Thames near the tower bridge (often called by mistake as the London Bridge.. but its called the tower bridge..Home of the Kohinoor diamond).. The broad pathway is beautifully lit up, the bridge is lit up completely.. and there is so much peace and the place is tranquil... here is a picture of one such nights when we went for a stroll...

The other monument of London I can stare at for hours is the 'Big Ben'. I don't know why, but I love looking at the Big Ben. There's something about the Big Ben that it catches my attention completely everytime I see it. It looks even better in the evenings with the lights.... One more picture below...





London has and will always be my magical city... I am in Love with this city.. !