My daddy strongest

Having read so many father - daughter quotes of late, the most on - my - face example of it came through when my husband and I took our toddler out for a stroll.. Now my daughter got a balloon from somewhere, and got so fond of it that she kept holding it the entire time - 3hrs to be precise.. Now just as we were about to cross a road, she lost the grip and it flew off on the busy road..  Pravin my husband ran and somehow got back the balloon, despite angry honks from the passerby cars..  When my daughter saw this, she enjoyed it so much that after some time, she threw the balloon yet again, and looked at us for a reaction.. I got angry at her attitude and asked Pravin not to fetch it again..  But before I completed my banter, he was at it again..  I kept telling him how we will spoil her eventually if this attitude continues and its long term effects.. But quite oblivious to what I or the world felt that time, the father daughter duo continued their game - she kept throwing her balloon, and Pravin kept running behind it and fetching it again, be it from a dangerous slope or a private, restricted property...
It took me a while to actually notice her giggles every time he brought back the balloon for her, and the high he got from it..  And to actually make sense out of it, I had to go back to MY relationship with my dad..  The One moment when I came out of the operation theatre after I delivered my baby, to find that everyone - even my mom and my husband, had left with the baby who had come out of the OT couple of minutes back.  The only person waiting outside - was my dad..  I was, and will always be his princess, just like this naughty little balloon throwing piece of crazyness - she will always be my husband's princess, to my eternal jealousy and her eternal delight ...  Love you papa..

Library and so much more!

The one thing that has finally made me start liking this place, is the library (people tell me Starbucks will be another strong reason (yes, am yet to taste the taste of Starbucks, even after it opened a couple of outlets in India))...
I just happened to step into the Gallery of modern art in the next lane, and there was this entire floor dedicated to the library..  Since it was almost time to close, so couldn't explore the collection much, but it had a dedicated kids section, free wifi and free registration! 12 books at a time seems sufficient for a month. And its single membership across all 9 libraries of glasgow. And what I hear from sources is that they arrange rhymes and reading sessions for kids a well! Yaay!

Glasgow memoirs : First bus ride

Oh yes, there were couple of more interesting things today - like the visit to kelvingrove park (we couldn't enjoy much since we were totally worn out after the 9 mile walk and hungry as hell)  and sighting a hindu temple (they offer free vegetarian food! But it was 4 hrs away..  Thanks for the offer God, but may be next time)...
So after bugging a very sweet and polite lady at the bus stop (God bless her), we got to know the nitty gritties of the bus system.. that we need exact change when we board to get the tickets. She speculated hard and calculated that we would need £3.90.. We fumble through our pockets and somehow manage to add up the exact change...  And then God decides to play some really funny games with our already hungry and tired souls..
So when we board the bus, the driver asks us to pay £2.40.. With a really sweet and sympathetic smile..  I just looked at all the tinkering pieces of metal in my hand with pics of the Queen in varied sizes.. And looked at the driver helplessly.. I mean.. Someone must be in a jolly good mood to design a miniscule coin for a pound and a very big, valuable looking coin which is a peace.. To make it worse, an even bigger coin is 20 pence... And all the denominations are in words, not numbers!
Anyway, wet somehow managed to pay the.. Yes.. EXACT change..  To a huge relief of the rest of the crowd in the bus...
So tonight, we have cancelled our dinner date and instead will study 2 things - 1. bus timetables and 2. How to identify a coins denomination by just looking at it...

Glasgow memoirs : of smells and vapors

So my husband returns home from his office and tells me about this lady client who was pregnant and who had complained about his colleague who had inadvertently harmed her unborn baby..  Now this poor chaps only mistake was not investing in a good deo and the lady complained that his body odour might harm her unborn baby... 
Well, I can't and shouldn't complain about it but then here when I take my daughter out for a stroll, every single person seems to be smoking like a chimney, with absolutely no regards to the passerbys and kids around..  What about paying some concern to MY KID AS Well!  Well, it's their land and their rules..

Glasgow memoirs : First look

Like a newly wed, I just held on to my husband's arm as I gingerly hopped on to the flight for glasgow.. First trip outside the country.. Feeling excited s obvious, but my top three concerns were 1. Will I be able to understand their accent( and they mine) 2. I had heard all sorts of strange stories about this land - where what is considered genuine concern in India is a crime here - like feeding your kids with your hands (properly washed ofcourse) and putting her to bed tucked in between both her parents.. I was so worried if I don't do that will they take her away or put me in a jail! And yes, the third concern was regarding my country's colonial past and the Raj days - somehow I found it slightly disturbing to be on the same land...  Yes, now I know that most of my fears are baseless.. And that the UK is different from England and Ireland and where I am going is Scotland..
4 days into this city and I am already in love with this city..  Esp. The weather right now.  Everything seems so close by and Pravin can come home at lunch time.  And the best part is nobody bothers about anyone... Or so it seems.
Life is also very easy, something which might be a common trait in most developed countries. Dish washer, automatic washing machine etc take most of the headache off me, leaving me with ample time for myself.. To explore the city and its many facets...  Trying to build up some confidence to step out alone...