An ideal wife is any woman who has an ideal husband.

Yup. Am married. :) To none other than Mr. Amul Jani. Thank you all for who made it to the wedding. I will always cherish your presence. Special thanks to Anu, Anuja, Raksha, Janki and Smita. You girls kept up with my nonsense for a long time and excused it all just because i was the bride. Also to Devam. You have been an incredible host and an inspiring one. Also you surpassed all my expectations of being a helpful hand. You kept my spirits alive and smile intact. Thanks to Mom and Dad for keeping up with my stubborn demands. Be it minimizing the guest list or letting go off a ritual. Thanks for allowing my wedding to be my way. Be it choosing a simple blue invitation card or not calling relatives who didnt mean anything to me or not going overboard with gifts, decoration or food and allowing it to be a simple wedding. I would also like to express my utter happiness for one who flew down all the way to attend the wedding. And for all those who couldnt attend my wedding... let me tell you... you missed "the event" of the last decade. :) 

While i took no time to fall in love with amul back in 1998, i took over a decade to marry him. When the wedding date was finally announced, most of my friends and cousins heaved a sigh of relief. "Finally" was what i heard before "Congratulations".

To be true to all of you, i was scared of getting married. I didnt want to leave my house even for Amul. I didnt want to move into another house. I wanted to live with my parents forever. But somewhere down the line, i told myself, "Dont protest. You will get use to the change."

So though i wasnt jubilant when the date was announced, i quietly started telling myself to get prepared. I had no logical reason to refuse marriage. I loved my baby. He was a nice guy. We had been together for 11 years. Afterall, it was the next step. How long could i have avoided it? I wasnt scared of living in another house with another set of family. I was scared of leaving my own comfort zone. I have been terribly homesick before. I have cried buckets when i had to move to London briefly to pursue my Masters. I have been a terrible guest when i was dropped over at my relatives' when i was a kid. I would cry and cry till Mom or Dad came to fetch me. Knowing myself, i was a little apprehensive about how would i feel when i moved - if i may add, permanently - to Amul's place.

But to my discovery and to my relief, i am not homesick. I do miss home terribly. Everytime i need little things like cello tape or a rubber band... it immediately reminds me of that drawer or that stationery box back at my place. Everyday when i finish work, i feel like going back home. And every night... when the clock strikes 11... i think of mom. Before marriage, if i wasnt home at night... my mom would inevitably call at the strike of 11 to remind me that my time was up. I miss my old life terribly. But i love my new life.

I still wake up late. I enjoy my long sleep. And its funny to wake up with Amul. Every morning when i wake up and i see this guy all cuddled up in his favourite quilt... i cant help but smile. He refuses to give up his single quilt. :) After 11 years of being with him, i have now realised that he loves his quilt more than me.

I still enjoy reading my papers first thing in the morning with a hot cuppa coffee. And to my great happiness, aunty makes coffee just like my mom. Its fun to see Amul running around the house before he leaves for work while i am sitting on the sofa, reading my paper, sipping my coffee and in no hurry to go anywhere.

So while i thought marriage would bring sweeping changes to my life, i only have god to thank for blessing me with Amul, Uncle and Aunty. I cant be thankful enough to the almighty. My mom and dad are hardly a kilometer away. Amul is a cute husband. And uncle and aunty are gems.

And as i begin my new life... i only hope i build a strong nest i never feel like leaving behind.

At Last!!!!

Imagine this: Your shift started eight hours ago... its the last hour... before you get to go home. Isnt this last hour the happiest hour of the day at work??? Thats exactly how i am feeling. I have finally proved myself as a professional (not taking leave during election, working on sundays, travelling at odd hours, working for endless hours, following more than one story everyday) and now i am taking a break. The one i truly deserve after this back breaking, nerve wrecking work that has kept me occupied since the elections were declared.

I guess even Sonia Gandhi and LK Advani have got their much needed break. Its my turn now. For a few days... i am going away. Not telling anyone right now... where i am going. I love keeping secrets... :)

But i guess a few who read this blog already know where i am going. So while i take a small (well deserved break) hope you guys revel in the fact that even if not on break the weekend is right here. I will return to work on Wednesday.... till then... its time to shun the formals and get into skirts... :)

Goodbye till then.

Here i go.... tata

P.S: Some great fun filled things that have happened in the past week

• We (at Amul's place) have this netraprabha time. Kalpana Aunty puts these Netraprabha eye drops in our eyes... to beat the heat... they burn for the first couple of minutes. So the entire household sits with their eyes closed, writhing with the burning sensation in our eyes, only to have clear and cool feeling a few minutes later. Its called 'netraprabha' bonding time. :)
• I have finally discovered after 10 years why does amul HAVE to go to mumbai every 15 days. Her name is Mallishka.
• My friends - Anu and Anuja are hell bent on sending Amul and me for a honeymoon. (We dont plan to go anywhere) They want me to listen to them FOR ONCE. They both think that honeymoon is equal to getting a marriage certificate. Well Darlings... its not compulsory in this country. Amul and I are not going anywhere. We plan to get back to work and take a break later on. But Anu and Anuja refuse to accept this. God give them sense and me the strength to put that sense into their heads.