When did my daughter grow up? I started documenting her words. Now it is sentences and facts. I have no clue how much longer I will document these small things but they give me so much pleasure to read and smile.

Here are some from the favorites list

“5 liters of petrol cost 3 rupees mommy”. Her make-up world sounds perfect huh?

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“Butterfly fish change color at night when they sleep so that other fish like shark cannot eat them”. I am not sure where she heard of this. I am not sure if it is a fact. I need to check it out.

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We were waiting for R

“Where is da-da?  I do not see him. I am waiting for him. I do not see my grandmother’s maapillai”

Quite a shocker!

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“Mommy, do you know you love me?”

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Pretend-play is very common in Poohsden these days. I have been everything from a thorn bush to a snake. I have also been kuttyma frequently.

I was once a baby monkey and kuttyma touches my head and goes

“Are you died baby monkey? “

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“Hervey Bay sounds like herbivore”

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She has planned her birthday party or should I say parties for the next 3 years

“4th birthday party I want to celebrate at Polliwogs (a local play area). 5th birthday at museum and 6th in a beach in Australia”

Books read and loved lately

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn:

Read it! A thriller with a difference. Thrillers are not my favorite genre and I rarely read them. But this book topped quite a few lists and was highly recommended. I loved it. It talks about Amy and Nick. Amy disappears on her 5th wedding anniversary and all the evidence point to Nick. What happened to Amy? The journey takes us through the mind of an extremely clever psychopath. I loved the narrative style of Flynn. I will be picking up some of her other books soon.

All the Girls in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson

Reading Asian authors has become a norm for me since I moved to Singapore. This book tells the story of Feng – her childhood, her love, her marriage, husband, children and then the truth – all these tied to the very common Chinese tradition of “saving face”. I cannot say I loved this book but the best part is it gives a peep into life in China before the revolution and during it. I especially loved the details about the “wedding dress” designed for Feng’s sister.

A Monsoon Feast

Just across my workplace is the MPH bookstore. I hate that place as I cannot control myself. I try to avoid entering the store but my legs are inevitably drawn towards it. One day I stopped during lunch just because I had a few minutes to kill and came out with this collection of short stories to celebrate Kerala and Singapore. A soothing read taking you into the lives of people in these two places. I liked it.

Anyone in Singapore looking to read this book email me. I would be more than happy to swap it for another one.

Naomi

I was looking for another book by the same author and could not find it on the library shelf. I picked up Naomi instead. Again the best thing about reading new authors is the insight they give to life. Naomi took me to Japan long back. Naomi – she is the Lolitha of the East. It is interesting and yet different. It left me wanting more of her story.

I often feel like I live in the airport. I am there so frequently the past few months. Singapore is the only place that I know of where the airport also doubles as a weekend hangout and mall.

Meanwhile here are some shots from the airport

From the Mother and Child series of bronze sculptures by Han Meilin – T3
Anyone knows what the white vase kind of art seen in the background are?

The Saga – Love Seed – love how the bright airport lights reflect off the seed. Kuttyma calls it a planet – T3 immigration hall

Rhythms of Nature mural by Richard North-Lewis – baggage claim – T3. Made of sandstone – they blend into the background but tell a story

I fell in love with this wall at T2 arrivals

This sculpture – Coming Home was the one that welcomed me to Singapore – the one I related too when I moved to this place. It will always be special. Immigration Hall T3

The mechanical daisy – Departures T3

The Orchid Garden – past immigration T2.

Blooms in T3

From the Mother and Child series of bronze sculptures by Han Meilin – T3