I LOVE YOU CHRISTMAS....SIEMPRE...

    There is absolutely nothing that I do not love about Christmas , except not having the ones I love around..
So this year was no different...
I of course put up my Christmas tree on my sister Juliet's birthday 26th Nov..
Yup she is a Saggi..

And from then on...
It was impossible to let anything come in the way ...
So right from getting the letters written to Santa..
To getting my home cleaned..
To making peace with all issues I am struggling with. I walk into December with a big smile on my face..
It's also my birthday month you know...

My birthday lunch...

And so as Christmas got closer, I made and re-worked menus, invited and cancelled lunch...the usual..
Mercurial...that's what Jaya says I am , and she is probably right..
But I can vouch for my heart being in the right place, on the left and my ventricle's all gushing with love ha ha ha ...

And then suddenly in the middle of deciding that Zeke needs to study with me instead of going out , inspite of all the fights he has with me. to the tiny fingers he points at me , to Zene always smiling and winking at me ..
I suddenly out of the blue, get called for an ad_film test..

Gosh I hate tests, I hate being put under pressure to perform and also , the dates were 22-23 December..
Too close to Christmas..
So I was not too sure..
So I consulted with my voice of reason...Mini Mathur..
And she would have slapped me if she was in front of me, thank God she was not, she made sure I called and went for it ..

Well I got chosen, and as luck would have it, they were shooting the ad-film in far away Ooty..
Which means I come back only on the 24th evening, as the flight from Coimbatore is at 3pm..
So I cancelled Christmas at my place because it was impossible..

I decided to do a very small family celebration..
And started cooking with gusto..
22nd afternoon I left for Ooty, reached there in the night .
Could not sleep because I hate hotel rooms..
Ok ok I'm scared ..
And so I was keeping my self all right with happy thoughts and ignored Sandy who was sending me pictures of skeletons..ha ha ha juvenile friends I tell you ...I love her..

And so at some bizarre hour that night my impulses got the better of me, and I again decided to do...  A BIG CHRISTMAS LUNCH, and so started inviting everyone..
Thank God my friends know I'm crazy..
That saves me a lot of explaining ..
Then I put down a food prep and cook plan..

My Menu..

STARTER
Chicken liver pate and Melba toast
Mustard-honey chicken sausages
Winter salad

Main course
Mummy's prawn curry
Leg of Ham
Lamb shanks in red wine
Whole baked chicken
Chicken legs in rose and a mushroom sauce..
Feta aubergine salsa bake
Pesto pasta
Naan

DESSERT
Hazelnut-Chocolate rum pots
Strawberry cream filled hearts

So was awake till 3am, had a wake up at 5 am for make -up..
Don't know why I was woken up so early, when all they put on my face was a tinted moisturiser and powder and lip balm..
And then I went back to sleep...

7 am I was on set..

We started shooting by 9.30 am , I was put into the car and told to drive...
Ha ha ha not driven a geared car for really long, my Beetle s automatic..
So after composing myself, I shifted the gears in the hope that I do not cause any trouble,  smiled like the cat that licked the "low-fat" cream, and my first shot was done..
Ooty was beautifully cold..









I finished at 6pm..
And my crew was just amazing ..
Went to my hotel , picked up my bags, washed my face and left with three other guys who were driving to Bangalore..
Well I reached Bangalore at 2.30 am..
My flight was at 7am..
So we all sat chatted, yes I can talk also in my sleep..
And at 7 am I boarded my flight , and passed out..
Reached home by 9.30 am and got into full "Chef mode" ..
Thanks to Vijay my helper and Zoya..
We ordered , cut , chopped , sauteed , boiled , broiled , baked, chilled , fried , marinated , smeared, mixed , churned ...
My kitchen was a flurry of activity , just like I love it to be..
And by 8 pm..
I was done..
Then we all went for mid-night mass..
Came back opened the gifts under the tree and slept,,
6am the next day I was up and about..
I was done with all the cooking by 11.30am..
Pleased as punch..I decided to get into this very beautiful body hugging dress that my friend Tisca , gifted me..
Never got into it before , but it suddenly fit like a glove..
Ha ha ha thank you Santa...

The fun 5

And then everyone started trooping in..

 
The gifts for all our kids under the Christmas tree multiplied as everyone poured in, laughter took over the afternoon..
And it could not be a better day ..

Family corner

Mad cap corner

"What is that"

Dhoom

Gulab-gang smile

My mom says the grace amidst lotsa noise..

Before the madness..

Why do I love this day..
Well because it stands for Love..
It stands for new beginnings..
It stands for everything that is right ...

Baked Chicken

Rose Chicken with a mushroom sauce

Pesto Pasta

Rosemary potato gratins

Out of focus" lamb shanks"..who is the photographer?? ha ha

And so after a very prolonged lunch with all my friends who did come..
I finally called it a day ..

Every Christmas is so different for me, even though I do the same things...

And so on this day I reach out to the ones I love..
Whether or not they do..
I try and let go of pettiness..
I reinstall my faith in everything I lost faith in..
I start again from zero..
I thank God for all that he has given me ..
And leave the rest of what I want, upto him..
If its good for me, it will be..if not ..well too bad for me..

Chocolate pots and strawberry hearts...Pure unadulterated Addictive Love...

I wake up with hope and lots of love in my heart, say good bye to the fantastic year I had and start the New Year , with an open trusting and a loving heart..

I learnt a lot this past year..
I lost a lot..
I gained a lot..
I laughed a lot..
I cried a lot too...
I cooked a lot..
I ran a lot..
I talked a lot..
Had a lot of silent moments too..
I worked out a lot..
I binged a lot...
 Climbed the mountain I used to talk about a lot..

I guess I do not know how to, not to do things a lot.. ha ha ha ...

So good bye 2012, and thank you...

As for this New-Year..
Well it has started off really fantastically..

Zeke and me are fighting a little less..

Zene is waking up on time..

At the launch of "Jolly L.L.B Promo"

Warsi's Launch of his promo of Jolly L.L.B went off really well, and the response is really positive....


I got featured in the Vogue Jan issue..

I'm on a T.V.  advertisement after 12 long years..
Now all I have to do is concentrate and start writing and finishing my work that I love..
And start running ..

So I'm keeping my heart open and am welcoming all that 2013 has to bring for me with a smile ..
And will continue being in love with all whom and what I love ..
Crazily and as long as I can ...

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU ..

LOVE and CALORIES ARE SO MUCH MORE FUN SHARED...

And thank you from the bottom of my heart for always visiting me here and always writing to me here..
I'm a little busy with work, so I may not be very regular, but this is where I'm staying ..
So do come and visit me..

This year I'm plunging into the known, the unknown and into the unknowable, with a knowing , that my heart will stay loved and smiling ...

There is a sun-rise for every sun-set...