Friday 29 January 2016

Extremely extreme

I decided to blog. Finally. After years of doing it intermittently, I've sufficient reason to do this regularly. Amazing readers and a healthy feedback. Of course, I'll have to build all that from scratch again. Don't ask me why. Story for another day.
So this is going to be mostly about my family. After years of growing up with them ( obviously), I've realized we harbor a unique personality trait. Crazy. As a kid, I watched other "normal" kids have perfectly normal daily experiences while I always had a thriller story describing our dinner at home the previous night. It was a norm for my parents to forget the house keys and eventually having me climb over the gate and grovel in the garden for the "very well-hidden" spare. Now my dad is no slave driver. He would have readily climbed over and done all the dirty work. We just had the neighbors calling the police a couple of times mistaking him to be a burglar. So after some rather embarrassing explanations it was decided I was perfect for the job. Light and very thin. Practically invisible ( my teenage body grew in different dimensions). It never occurred to my parents to actually remember to take the keys as a sane alternative.
So, when I think of something to write about, the first thing that comes to my mind is my family. I can be rest assured I'd never run out of incidents to relate. Don't get me wrong. I love them to bits. They are crazy, eccentric and sometimes downright annoying but I'd never trade my family for anything. Ok... maybe for a lifetime supply of Reese's and M&M's. Anyway I'll try to write as often as possible. And also try to figure out how to get more people to read what goes up here. I am kind of new to this. So, my family in simplest terms are extremely expressive, extremely loud and extremely everything. Remember Toula's family in My Big Fat Greek Wedding? My family makes them look tame. You could say this quite normal for an Indian family. But being loud is just the beginning of it
So, like in most Indian families I am a mid-twenties girl living with her parents and her grandparents. Ok, I know that sounds sad. But trust me that's how things work in this country. They are changing fast but most people live with their parents even after getting married and care for them through their old age. I am sure you can find those details about Indian families anywhere else. I live with my grandparents (pretty old, but they won't concede) who will hereby be referred to as Thatha and Paati ( Grandad and Grandmom in my language) and my parents as Mr and Mrs Iyer (hilarious, I know). I will also introduce the other important people in my life, my three aunts and uncles on my Dad's side and two aunts and uncles on my mom's side. And yes, very importantly my million cousins ( just kidding!) Wont get too confusing, I promise.
So apart from the sneaking into my own house, there are quite a few childhood memories. Some scarring me for life. There was this time when, after a late night party they parked our car in the garage with five year old me in it fast asleep and went ahead to their respective rooms happily forgetting to bring me in. I managed to crawl out of the garage and ring the doorbell at 3 am. Must have been possessed to have that much presence of mind then, because I most certainly lack it now. And of course the vivid memory of my parents discussing with me when I was five if I wanted a sister or not. Not the fun discussion. Very serious "let's plan when to have the next baby" family meeting. I would've loved to have sat out of that one. And the day Thatha in a fit of anger threw away the food he bought for us, wrapper and all into the bin. All of us cousins dug it out after he went in for his nap and had a hearty meal. Transient rag pickers, yet lovely children. There are plenty of fun memories too. Climbing up on Thatha,walking from his head to his foot. He would challenge us to do it without falling off. Hardly tight-rope walking. But in a way difficult. One had to avoid walking on sensitive areas.
There. I've started it. I can go on and on. But I'd like to stick to my plan of writing a little bit every now and then. Hereon it will be about the weird on-goings in my eccentric household in the present day. I assure you we aren't paranormal or supernatural. Sigh. I wish we were. We are just completely bonkers. Do leave a comment and let me know what you think. Stay sane till next time.

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