:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

As you can see I’m quite happy with life – not that all I want has suddenly dropped in my lap; far from it, I’m still laying the path to the goal…hopefully by the end of this year, it will all start falling into place. Absit Omen!

Now what then could be the reason for this sudden cheer? Bingo – Bombay it is!

Was there for a very short trip this weekend – to attend the wedding reception of a friend’s (Shivaji, who I once taught French!) elder brother – but as usual the trip packed a wallop! The wedding reception experience by itself was a mixture of fun; interesting conversations and some very nice people I met as well as some moments of boredom and exasperation. Typic wedding experiences I guess – what struck me the most in the one day I spent with them was how close-knit they were as an extended family. Sanjato’s (Shivaji’s elder bro) friends are an extremely interesting lot – warm, grounded people who’s affection for each other is very visible. Makes the heart grow warm seeing friendships like that, where you don’t consider your friend’s relatives as just that, but as part of your own family; where you care for your friend and bend backward if necessary and come to his/her aid immediately; where the level of comfort is so high, that you don’t mind any criticism, infact you welcome it and enjoy the chance to lock horns with your friend (or opponent in this case) knowing that the exchange is a healthy one that will lead you to a resolution of conflicts/dilemmas…hope my friendships are headed in that direction! Vive l’amitie! Ofcourse there was the entire Bong experience, which deserves an entire post by itself – soon I promise!

Apart from that, let’s see – I managed to meet both my favourite men (Amit and Kunal) and gave them the Banana Cake I’d baked for them…spent two lovely evenings with them. Also managed to meet Smita aunty this time – she’s not only abandoned her husband in Pune, she’s forgotten about our existence too; so I went to remind her that we are still alive! ;-) And ofcourse Tasu – very girl-discussion-rendezvous where we shared our woes about men, love, relationships and the future as far as career is concerned…

All in all a fab trip – also managed to earn some brownie points by coming to the aid of a friend, who, at the last moment, needed to have his girlfriend from out of town put up somewhere coz she had nowhere to go and he could definitely not take her home! Just hope my samaritan actions don’t boomerang on me!

Looking forward to the Pune International Film Festival, which starts on Friday – lotsa interesting movies to watch, specially the French ones. More about that later ofcourse, as I go through the experience. But right at the outset – I must thank the two guys who made me aware of PIFF (Akshay and T*****); specially T***** for leaving me with little choice but to register. :- )

PS Just made me some delicious Dutch waffles, which were very unlike the French waffles I had atop the Eiffel Tower, but yet sent me down nostalgia lane. Ok people I need you to pray that my plans work out, so I can go back to France and relive all those mind-blowing, soul-enriching experiences!

PPS Bombay had too many mosquitoes this time! :-(