crossing 1500 posts

Wow, that's 1500 posts here on this blog. I started this blog in 2005 and have generally been regular about posting here, except for short times here and there, but still, I'm happy that I've reached this milestone. When I started blogging back in 2004, it was such a new format, something that most people hadn't heard of at all. I remember having to explain it to just about everyone all the time. Now it's a completely different story, isn't it. Blogging is something that even 5 year olds know about!

camera or candy?

Once you start off taking photographs, then there seems to be no end to the number of cameras that you want to use. I bought my camera just last year and I'm already thinking of getting another one, or maybe even two. I know they're not candy but in a way they really are! It would be nice to have a high powered camera, more powerful than my current one, but also nice to have something simple as well. I'm quite interested in sony cameras lately, and I've heard lots of good reviews about them. For me, it's important for a camera to be able to multitask, since I want to be able to shoot in zoom as well as do some close ups as well. Having it all in just one camera is tough, but that's what I need right now.

Securing your property

Home security is one of the top concerns of most consumers, right? But a lot of people still don't take it too seriously, I think when it really comes to investing in a system that will really be able to protect all aspects of home security. UControl Link is one such system that is compatible with all current home security systems, and it's so simple that you can install it yourself, and then set up your customized personal settings at their website. In just 20 minutes, the complete security process will be completed. I remember when we lived in a beautiful but old house in Bristol, RI, that had windows on all sides, with locks that were quite outdated. That was probably the only time I felt a bit vulnerable and not completely secure inside my own home. A system such as this would have really helped me then. There are a lot of home security systems out there that provide home security but I really like the way that the company seems to works, as it is a much more modern system compared to most of the regular home security systems out there. The way I see it is that it's no use being not completely at ease in your own home, so it's extremely important to have a set up that can take care of your security needs.

what makes a good community?

Our local area has really been picking up and now we have a variety of shops and stores of all kinds, including several utility companies such as insurance providers, which is a great addition to the host of beauty salons and restaurants. Any good community has to have a good mix of all kinds of stores along with nice playgrounds, parks, walkways and open space for sporting activities for it to be viable as a successful place to live. Local cafes are good at creating a nice atmosphere, but if you have to go out of the area for everything from posting a letter to paying your utility bills, then it's not a successful community. So whether you want to buy sell insurance or just get a quote, it's all very conveniently located in one place. So glad about that!

Would you love a chocolate filled gift basket!

Being a mother is the most exhausting thing. No matter how much one does for a child, it's just not enough. There's always something more that one can do. And the guilt, oh the guilt is so time consuming. So what makes it better? It's in all the little things, the things that one never really pays attention to that make all the difference. And of course, getting a gourmet gift delivery of strawberries covered in chocolate on mothers day makes it all better too! I love to receive gift baskets because there's always an element of surprise in them. I once got a chocolate gift basket which had the most amazing assortment of dark chocolates, cocoa powder, and each item was better than the last. If you need to give a gift to someone in another country or city, then sending a gift basket is the best way to be able to give a gift and be part of a special occasion.

do you notice the little things?

Don't you just love the little things. I've never noticed the little things more than I do now, since my daughter was born. At times, when one is so busy and caught up with the daily stuff, one doesn't even notice the little things of beauty that one sees everyday.

would you care for some shopping?

Shopping is one of those things that totally tires and totally excites me. As fun as it can be to go shopping, I get so tired out by the whole exercise of it that I'm either giving up half way or buying something quickly just to get it over with. I do love to buy things, but the process is what I have a problem with. So, online shopping is the best way to deal with it, the happiest way! So, if I need a new pair of shoes, I could go to a fun place to look for them, like yellowbox which is such a great name, isn't it! I like this kind of shopping.

storming it out

The recent hurricane on the east coast reminded me of college days when tornado's were a common occurrence. As exciting as they were, one could not be casual about them and had to take all the necessary precautions such as going to the tornado shelters, or the basement or at least to an internal room to prevent injuries from flying debris. Although the recent hurricane was eventually downgraded to a tropical storm, there was still plenty of danger from flooding and fallen trees etc.

a good night!

A little light at the end of the day. I love lighting some candles once I finish my work in the kitchen and make us some cups of tea. It's a nice quiet way to end the day. I've been drinking green tea a few times a day and I love having it right after my meals.

in the area

Living in a new area means that there are bits of construction going on somewhere or the other in our area. And then even the areas that are complete, suddenly get dug up, new pumping stations being made, several industrial pumps chugging along, side by side with the new palm trees and bougainvilleas. There are lots of advantages of course, like the series of new stores and restaurants opening almost every day, especially the restaurants, but sometimes the noise and endless work gets on one's nerve at times. I've come to enjoy our evening walks in the area, even though they are punctuated by sounds of construction. After a while I suppose one just doesn't register them.

time for a new pair

Ever since I got an eye infection and had to wear my glasses for a few weeks, I've become fascinated by them, to the point that I've even considered getting a pair of reading glasses, even though I technically don't need them. I wear contact lenses, so at the end of the day when I take them off, I put on my glasses, and I really would like a different pair of glass specifically for reading. I got a new pair recently, but they just keep slipping a bit lopsidedly, which is most irritating. So, maybe I should keep this one as a backup and get a new pair of glasses.

photo: shadows on the wall

Remembering the awesome play of light and shadow in the old apartment. We get really bright light here but it's not the same thing as in the last place, where there was a nice warmth to the sunlight. Whenever I go through my old photo folders, I find shots that make me go back, to remember what it was like.

Sunday browsing!

Sunday is my aimless surfing day lately. Our week has started but for everyone else, it's still the weekend, so no one is posting, and I find it's the best time for me to catch up on blogs, newspapers, emails, photos, and all my other subscriptions for recipes, crafts, and so on. So, when everyone else is weekending away, I'm chilling at home and catching up with everything from where the latest cigar auction online is going on to how to make paper flowers and wreaths. Sunday is the best day to be online for me, since it's also the day I can do most of my work without being distracted, since I know very few people are online.

recharging my batteries

Some days all one can do is to wait for the night when I can fall into bed and hope to sleep an uninterrupted sleep. There's just no way to keep up with a little toddler who has an endless supply of new tricks to try out. How I wish that I too had and endless font of energy, something like rechargeable aaa batteries that seem to go on and on forever. That would be nice, wouldn't it, to actually go and recharge yourself and get through the day. Wishful thinking! Tea was the answer for a while, but now it doesn't give me enough pep and coffee, I try to avoid just because of the caffeine factor. Oh well, time to get some actual rest now.

photo: sour cream and chocolate chunk muffins

As you can see, I've not yet given in to my craving of chocolate after writing the last post. I thought I'd share with you some of the stuff I've made. These were made several months back (as can be seen from the heading on the newspaper) and came out quite nice. They were sour cream and chocolate chunk muffins...it was a cake actually, but I had some leftover batter, so put them in the muffin pan.

I'm craving some cake!

I love to bake something before the weekend starts. Even though it can get really hectic at times, I like the idea of having something to have with our coffee and tea over the weekend. But lately, I've just been feeling so overwhelmed with it all, and having been messing up with my baking, so now I think it's time that I just give in once in a while, and order a cake from the professionals. I'm drooling over the chocolate hazelnut torte at Shari's Berries where you can have all kinds of cakes delivered to your doorstep. I do wonder if they will deliver to my neck of the woods though? The more I look at all the delicious cakes and cookies they have, the more I crave having something chocolatey right now. There are some real cute options, like the white chocolate covered strawberries with baseball markings on them. What an awesome idea!

golfing gadgets

As everyone knows, golfers are all mad people. Ok, I know that's being a little too harsh, but taken in the right spirit, it actually is all about how dedicated golfer are. No matter what the weather, no matter how hot it is, dedicated golfers will go out and play. Golfers love to have a variety of gadgets that help them with their game, little tricks that increases their driving distance, helps them read and hold the line of the putt, and things like having one of these garmin golf gps systems is a no brainer. So, head out and tee off in the heat, and enjoy your game.

keeping up with the regulations

When it comes to being up to date on what's going on in the rest of the world, Dubai seems to be really making the effort on keeping pace with most regulations and requirements of the western world. Something that I was quite surprised by, actually. I wonder if they will follow the US regulation that all public pools must be fitted with pool lift in the next year or so. Of course, it would be an expensive proposition, but for the sake of being seen as a forward thinking state, I think these will probably make their way here too, although not in this short time frame. But, that would still be a good thing in the end, after all it's the end user who will benefit.

photo: simplicity

I love taking photos of things around me, but sometimes, I love just taking simple abstract shots. Sometimes one doesn't need more than that. These were taken behind our old house.

time to kick it up a notch

Ok, so you all know that fitness has been on my mind for the past year, since I had a baby, but I haven't really done much about it at all. For the most part, it all seems like work, and too much of it at that. But something like a dance fitness theme seems like a fun thing to do, right! I came across an article about getting fit by dancing to the best zumba dvd and that really seems like a much more fun way to feel fitter and more peppy. Dancing is a great way to feel good about oneself isn't it? But somewhere along the way one forgets to do simple things like this and relegates them to the past, but I think it's a wonderful way to be a kid.