December 14, 2009 - December 19, 2009
Let me start planning for the Christmas party. I have hardly any time left. Let me first list down all names. 22 people in total + 5 kids. Mostly vegetarian and some are non-vegetarian also. So, have to keep both the dishes. (After some googling, some of the dishes are decided. A list is made of the things required.) And all these days, I think of nothing else but the party (Am under deep pressure) :(
December 20, 2009
I am trying to unwrap the Christmas tree and set it up but it refuses to transform into a tree. I call for help but to no use. I am snipping here and there thinking that the branches are tied to the trunk of the tree and only the leaves of the tree are coming in my hand. Hmmm, this thing should be having a simpler way to setup. I will try bending the branches to make it look like a tree for the time being and lo and behold, thats all I needed to do.Tree is decorated fully .... the serial lights are laid over it and doesn't she look a beauty :).
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| Ain't I cute ? |
So, now since the tree is done, I will go and get the groceries. R has promised to accompany me. Good, else I will be buried under the weight of all the stuff. :D
So, R and I leave for grocery shopping. First attack is on the 100 yen shop for disposable plates, cups, bowls etc etc and I also pick up some home decoration stuff to decorate the home. R is the best person to do shopping with ... doesn't mumble/grumble and helps you in picking up stuff you need. He has patience to the core and the girl who marries him.... Wow... wont she have a superb time... a husband who doesn't complain while shopping. :D. And yes, we got Santa's dress too.
Next attack is on the vegetable market in the same building but in the ground floor. All vegetables are picked up as per the list. A final look at the list. Everything has been bought except for puree and some minor stuff. Anyways, we have 8 covers already in hand. I have 3 and R is holding 5 more. So, its a taxi and we are back to home. Things are sorted out and neatly arranged.
Now, time for home decoration. The blue steamers are put up with help from M. The wall is hard and the pins are breaking. After many trials, finally they are put up to some shape. M leaves, I look at the room and am not satisfied. The room needs more decoration.
December 21, 2009
Office is over. Time to get some more decoration for the home and the other stuff remaining. So, off I go to hawk's town for the puree and decoration stuff. I find some bells only. So, having no other choice, I dash off to dankies to get the decoration. All along the way, I am worried if I will get stuff there too. Finally reach there and thank god, there is a lot of it. I pick up some shining silver streamers, some plastic ones, more balloons and am done for the day. I walk back home and start the remaining decoration. God, why didn't you make me a little taller. See for putting up each and everything, I have to use a table and a chair. Finally, after multiple trips up and and down the table and chair, everything is done. The silver streamer is in place, the bells have been stuck, the large Christmas wreath is also done. Now, balloons are only left to be put on the D-Day.
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| Couldn't get a better pic :( |
December 22, 2009
Need to get home fast to make the rava laddoos. I leave office by 6:30 pm. Quickly freshen up and start roasting the rava. All the while am crunching on the chips packet. I also start clearing the things on the floor so that the entire room is empty tomorrow except for the lonely rack else it will be difficult to accommodate 22 people + kids in that small room. The rava roast is also ready. Need to be rolled into laddoo shape. R also comes down to help. He doesn't want to give the round shape and starts making apple shaped laddoos. Whatever, it has to go down the food pipe. If people find it tasty, am not worried about the shape :D. Laddoo is done. Chole (Chick Peas) and Chana daal are put to soak. Badam milk is also prepared all thanks to MTR's Badam mix. Time now to go to sleep. I have a long day ahead.
December 23, 2009
D-Day Dawns...
7 am
The rooster has woken me up and after some tea and refreshments, I get to work. Its the day to show my culinary skills and I am damn tensed. With great determination, the chole, the batura dough, chicken curry are prepared in that order. First of all, I put the chole to cook and side by side start preparing the chole masala.
8 am
Chole are done cooking and in they go into the masala. I am really liking the smell of the masala. Hope, the end product is also ok. The potatoes are next to go on boil. Meanwhile, chicken is marinated and kept aside.
9:30 am
Potatoes are boiled and have been peeled. Now, I need to knead the dough for the batura (Ya, I made chole batura). The cooks who make rotis for dozens of people everyday, Hats off to them. How do they even knead the dough. I am going crazy kneading it for 22 people. With lot of muscle power and determination, that is also conquered. I am already half-tired and energy is going out. By now, the second round of chole is up for cooking.
10:30 am
R offers me some tea and I happily gulp it down. So refreshed after drinking it, am ready for my second round of cooking. So, chicky dear goes next now. But oh, I don't have puree for the second round of chicken curry. So, off I run to get them. I meet a client at the store there. He introduces me to his cute kids and wife and after some pleasantries, I come back home with the puree.
3pm
Finally, chicken curry is done and ready. R is also preparing black chana masala and says he will be soon done with it.
4pm
R comes home and starts to grind the chana daal for wada. I meanwhile start preparing the stuff for cutlets and clear the remaining mess in my home.
5:30pm
Sk troops in with the flowers for the pictures of Jesus. Its now his task to beautify the room further. Lots of roses and chrysanthemums decorate the place. I am busy making the cutlets. D is called in, and both of them blow the ballons. After 10 breaks for blowing 20 balloons, they finally tie it and the room for sure looks gorgeous. R in between goes and gets red sack and red shoes (from M) to complete Santa's costume.
7pm
Sh comes with the Gajar ka Halwa (yummy!!!) but no one else is in sight.
7:30 pm
Official time for the party to start and yes me and Sh are the only souls in the house. So, its tring tring time. "Haan kahan pe ho S san?" "Abhi aa rahe hain 10 mins main". So, with all these responses, we wait.
Coming to the present
Finally, everyone had assembled and badam milk was served. Santa Claus was called to give his special appearance. (Santa couldn't lift himself up after getting into the costume and needed J's help to reach my house).
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| Santa is ready for some action |
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| Santa in masti |
That was one hell of time. All the kids and parents got excited on seeing Santa and it was Camera time. R said "Yaar meri shaadi main bhi itni photo nahi kheechenge, jitna aap log kheech rahe ho" but anyways he happily smiled and posed for the pics. The kids then got their gifts and balloons from Santa uncle.
We then had the cake cutting ceremony by the youngest members A and Sr. And what a lovely cake L had made. It was amazing. After starters which included 2 types of wada, cutlet, chana masala, apple shaped laddoo and cake, we played some games. One was to pick chick peas with the straw and the other game was a memory game. By the time all this was over, it was late and time to serve the dinner.
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| Santa with the cake |
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| Santa is always hungry :P |
The ladies quickly started rolling out the baturas. Ladies of Fukuoka what could I have done without you people. Thanks a tonne Ladies. RC and U had also made Aloo Gobi and Veg Pulao respectively. So, people were happily fed, over-fed and double over-fed to chole batura, chicken curry, aloo gobi, veg pulao and raita. People didn't even have the energy to budge after the meal. R did the task of making sure that no one's plate went empty. Result, when his turn came to eat, everyone made sure he was double and triple over-fed. :D. I tell you these guys are a whole lot of funny guys.
Finally, when people thought we were done for the day, the gajar ka halwa was brought out. Sadly, not many people had it but the next day, it was wiped out clean in the office.
That was the end to a fun-filled, tiring, and yet happy Christmas party. Some people helped to clear things and put back my only pieces of furniture. After, they had left, I dropped off to such a deep sleep that even an earthquake couldn't have woken me up. It was really a Christmas party I will remember all my life. A special thanks to R. Without him, I couldn't have managed or done many of the things. Thanks to all my other colleagues too who lend a helping hand whenever required. :D
P.S. This is a long post. I hope you enjoyed reading it and didn't feel like hitting me :D. For two years, I went home to India for every Christmas. Last year, since I had gone on an early vacation, I spent my first Christmas in Fukuoka with a great rocking party.
Swaram, This post has been put up especially for you since you had once commented so in one of my other posts. (http://shonawrites.blogspot.com/2010/03/nostalgia.html)
R: yes yes, he is the same person with whom I shopped for 8 hours to buy clothes for his teenager sister and the biggest news and relief to me... She liked it yippie.... http://shonawrites.blogspot.com/2010/04/teen-fashion.html
