If we were having coffee, I would thank you for taking the time to meet me here over a cup of coffee. How are you doing! Hope all’s good at your end.
If we were having coffee, I would share that my leg is still in a cast and I am still partially immobile. While I am pretty happy about the way I am spending my time, there are a few things that make me pull my hair out too. First, let’s talk about the good things. I have been reading like crazies and am so chuffed about it. The best thing that has come out of this temporary disability is that I got uninterrupted long hours to read and that too, to my heart’s content.
I have completed my HT Book Brunch Challenge and 2019 Pop Sugar Reading Challenge. The Write Tribe Reading Challenge 2019 is nearly done (just have to do a few book reviews) and I am 4 books short of my Goodreads 2019 Reading Challenge. So I still have plenty of time to spare till the end of the year and I am sure, I’ll be overshooting my goal of 100 books. Woohoo!
If we were having coffee, I’d share that all’s not well on our kitchen front. The downside to this confinement of mine has resulted in KG, the passionate chef and AG, the aspiring chef, taking complete control over our kitchen. Earlier, they would man the kitchen usually on the weekends and cook up a storm, literally and figuratively. Sigh! I was Ok with this arrangement. I was getting rest from cooking and getting to eat great food and thanks to my OCD for cleaning, I certainly didn’t mind cleaning up the mess that my boys created in the kitchen.
But now, my kitchen certainly feels that they have over stayed their welcome and I am simply fed up of their cooking! Yes, I am tired of eating the gourmet food, every day!
All the three meals of the day are prepared and presented by my boys as if they are on Masterchef Australia. Don’t believe me? Sample this… The other day, cauliflower was on the menu. For this, first the cauliflower and potatoes were parboiled, the whole spices (khada masala) were dry roasted, onions slices were fried and then grinded to a paste along with cashew nuts, tomatoes were popped in the microwave to peel their skin…. you get the drift. Who makes gobhi ki subzi like this??
And guess the number of vessels they used in making one dish? 10+!! Once it reached 10, I removed myself mentally from the situation and got back to my reading!! I would have made it with one pan and a spatula!
There’s more… If on day 1, it was bread and omelette for breakfast, on day 7, it will be bread and omelette but both the bread and omelette would be cut into perfect small squares and stir fried! Yes, they don’t like to repeat their dishes!
After every meal, the kitchen looks like it has been hit by a hurricane, with the dirty vessels overflowing from the kitchen sink to the adjacent balcony! I am sensing that the patience of my house help is wearing thin with each passing day and I can totally empathize with her.
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that my friends envy me but they do not know what it is to spit out green cardamom, cloves and black pepper with almost every bite!
If we were having coffee, I’d share that after venting it all out, I realize that I am acting like a thankless annoying person. And that my boys have been handling all the affairs of the home with a smile since a month despite my complains and tantrums. I am seeing that the benefits of having a supportive husband and son certainly outweigh the rants I have just shared.
If we were having coffee, I’d share that in another 7-8 days, my cast will come off and I can’t wait to get back to my regular routine…. and of course simple comfort food.
If we were having coffee, what would you share with me? Will you empathize with me or will you give me a knock on my head!
19 Responses
Enjoy the pampering! It will be over soon enough and you’ll miss it!
If you can survive the cast and all this loving attention then you will survive. No hit on the head. If we were having coffee, I hope for your sake it would just be plain old coffee. Glad to hear you are mending !
It sounds like you’re very appreciative of all the efforts but ready to be back in action, that’s all. You don’t sound thankless at all. Just like someone who’s been inactive a while.
That cracks me up, though, that they’ve been so consistent in not only the meal prep but the presentation. Gotta love guys who cook! My hubby loves to cook and I’m so happy for that, especially when I hear about people whose husbands can’t even make a simple sandwich for themselves. But my hubby would be right with you in the “one pan, one spatula” category, haha! It’s his specialty, and I think he considers every meal a challenge to see how few dishes he can dirty.
Enjoy what’s left of your reading time!
I would empathize. I was meaning to ask you how your leg is healing. Good to know that in about a week you will be back in action. Hope you enjoy your comfort food soon. Mine is Dal, Chawal and Potato subzi. What is yours?
I envy your goodreads updates! I too managed to finish a book in one sitting this week, and I have been smiling about that accomplishment since then. Going to try and repeat it again today. Yeah, like plans work! 🙁
Ha ha ha Shilpa this is the cutest complaint ever – too much gourmet food. All three of you are adorable. I have to admit though that I do sympathise with your house-help. Cleaning up can be painful. Get well soon and reclaim your kitchen.
Oh wow these two are certainly masterchef worthy aspirants for sure. Thats a whole load of work and effort-love the plating. I think just give in and enjoy it – I know I would.
Hope the cast comes off soonest and you are up and about on your feet quickly. Hugs Shilpa!!!
Look at that plating! Kudos to your boys 🙂
I hope you get better soon Shilpa and that cast comes off soonest!
Like I messaged you, I’m so sorry I didn’t realize that you were laid up in bed. Lovely to be loved and cared for, but we independent women get too fidgety by being confined to one place. I’m sure this experience is teaching you something though and getting your book reading done on the side is bonus. Hugs!
What a brilliant post, Shilpa! I would definitely empathise with you over that cuppa coffee.
My hubby is also an incredible cook – he definitely cooks better than I do – and YES, he too leaves the kitchen looking like a hurricane hit it.
My worst is the chopped up veg left on the counter, I have to scrape off the cucumber. And that he leaves eggshells and cans and other rubbish in the prep bowl.
I’ve had to reframe all this in mind, saying to myself – well, I’m getting this gorgeous homecooked meal.
So YES! I know exactly what you’re going through (minus the leg in a cast). You poor darling!
Part of loving our family with all their idiosyncrasies is biting one’s lip, hey?
Hope the cast comes off soon!
Enjoy these moments ….. they are precious ..
You are by no means being a thankless annoying person. It is super frustrating to not be able to go about your regular day-to-day routine (even the simple things like cooking and cleaning that a lot of people dread). Take your time to recover and you’ll thank yourself later when you’re well rested and successfully recovered.
Enjoy while it is going.
hahaha given your OCD I can only imagine how badly you must be longing to clean the kitchen the way you want. They sure are doing everything possible to give you the best of food, and probably experimenting with all the cooking knowledge they must have gained till now. They are a precious bunch of boys. 😀
Wow, 10 plus vessels! Incredible Shilpa and the boys seems to be disciplined and perfectionist. Hope you heal fast and sending light…100 books is an incredible achievement.
If we were having coffee together, I would have definitely empathized with you after having a hearty laugh at your description. I like the new way of cooking gobi aaloo and the food presentation does look elegant but yeah 10+ bartan to cook a meal is too much. You will have to pay your house help a little extra at the end of the month for her uncomplaining services and I hope you realize she must be that 1 person who, of all in this whole wide world, is praying fervently for your leg cast to get cut sooner than soon and you get to stand on your feet fast.
Wishing you speedy recovery to become the saviour of the kitchen from the Hurricane MasterChef Gargs 😀
Shilpa, I laughed and laughed at this cute complaining. My God, yes, guys cook everything like they’re working up a MasterChef dish. And oh yes, the dishes, almost all are in the sink. I hear you. It is so true.
Leaving everything else behind, that’s a pretty plate, I tell you. Hoping your cast comes off soon and so does the comfort food on your plate.
This was so funny Shilpa. I was reading your post while eating lunch and I couldn’t help control laughing.
I will be honest – this is fun and you are also enjoying it. Gobhi ki sabzi na hui 7 star hotel ki specialty ho gai.
I hope you are feeling better and you get rid of the cast soon. Take care and until then, let the two men take good culinary care of you. <3
Get well soon! And of course, in the meantime, enjoy the break and all the attention!