These are a few more of my favourite things

I woke up this morning humming this song- My Favourite Things.  Since the time I had been introduced to the song, from ‘The Sound of Music’, in third grade, it has remained one of my favourites. I do love the movie and all of the other songs too but I’ve always felt that the lyrics of this particular song were perfect. Thinking and singing about happy stuff definitely drives away those Monday Morning blues.  In fact the song should have more verses! If I were asked to add another verse, it would look like this:

Flickering fireflies that flutter by me 
A warm hug from a loved one the moment you wake up   
Dazzling white daises that dance in the breeze 
These are a few of my favourite things     

What would you add? Go on; make a stanza of your favourite things! It could include anything from a pet to a prized possession, maybe even a jewelled diadem :)         

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Also linking up with Mackenzie Glanville's reflections from me

The Hamper from Home

If you have ever lived away (especially continents away) from home, you’ll know exactly what I am talking about. It all starts with a phone call from Ma. You would have spoken to her yesterday and you probably will tomorrow. However today, you sense some excitement in her voice. She tries to mask it and asks you the usual questions- What is the weather like? What’s the lunch menu? What did you have for breakfast? Sometimes you are even interrogated about the previous night’s dinner. Once you have answered satisfactorily, she moves on to give you a couple of ‘interesting’ tidbits. At this point Ma can no longer contain her excitement. Very enthusiastically she utters that her friend’s aunt’s son-in-law’s colleague would be travelling to your state.

Just as you are putting two and two together and realize what that initial excitement was about, she answers the first question with the following question-Do you need anything? You blurt out that you have everything you need and more. However Ma convinces you that 1) You certainly could do with a few things and 2) ‘The Transporter’ is allowed additional airline baggage and ‘would be happy’ to carry the materials you require.  You run a quick search in your head to try and come up with that perfect article that would make Ma smile without making ‘The Transporter’ frown.

After several long, quiet moments, during which you have run multiple searches, all of which produce ‘0’ results, Ma takes it upon herself to prepare the inventory. A unique whisk that she saw the other day which she claims is very different from the two she’s already bought for you. An exquisite Ganesh idol she is sure you’ll love. A pretty peach coloured top she spotted in a store that would compliment your complexion and matching earrings to go with it. Then she moves on to list your favourite sweets and savouries. You argue that you don’t really need the sweets and that you can always find a store in the city that sells the savouries you like. You go on to tell her how your cooking skills have improved immensely and you can even reproduce the dish. Ma finally agrees to cut back and include just two (instead of four) sweets and a couple of packets of banana chips. The conversation ends with you promising Ma that you’ll be sure to inform her in case you think of any additional items you want.

Several days pass by before ‘The Transporter’ contacts you to confirm your address and let you know that the parcel has been dispatched. You realize you had almost forgotten about it but smile when you are told that the shipment will be delivered early next week. You express your thanks and from that moment onward you eagerly await the package. Over the next couple of days you regularly check the mailbox and the porch every time you leave home. When you don’t spot anything after the next three days, you decide to give up.

After a particularly busy day, you return home to find a brown cardboard box sitting innocently on your doorstep. You pick it up and rush in. Once you have ripped that carton open, you discover that every little item on the list has been painstakingly packed, individually, with a lot of care to make sure that it arrives intact. You open them one by one, making sure you spend enough time admiring not just the article but also the effort put into wrapping it. Curiosity gets the better of you, prompting you to grab the next object in sight. This goes on until you have examined all the contents of the box.  

You soon discover that Ma has managed to slip in two extra boxes of sweets and an additional ginormous bag of homemade khara biscuit/namak pare. Grinning, you put a spoonful of palkova in your mouth. It is exactly like you imagined it to be, perhaps even better. You wish you could Apparate, just to give Ma a hug. You feel glad that Ma snuck in those ‘extra treats’ and extremely grateful for the hamper from home!

What do you find in your hamper from home?

PS: Ma here refers to both, my mom and MIL :) 

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