Dallas Despatch -1

Hi folks,

We are back in the US of A & it’s ‘blog time’ again!

J & J (Janu & Jenny to the uninitiated) have since moved to Dallas, with bag & baggage…& a small package that Janu intends to bring into the world any day now! Yes, it’s ‘good  news ahe’ as they say in Pune. Op “Stork Visit" has been planned with near- military precision. The advance party consisting of Reshma, ably supported by Samruddhi  are ‘in situ’ since Nov, taking care of all the preparatory ‘fieldworks’ &  stocking up on provisions . Some specialist items were flown across, a la the “hump route”!  Reshoo has been of tremendous help, & although she is family, a gentle nod of appreciation her way! Samruddhi has taken her task of  being Janu’s ‘ & Jenny’s companion’ to the nth degree, & it’s a rare sight to see either of them not together!! Tremendous bonding. 

Samruddhi 'madat'!

Adv party stocking-up

The Main Party of 1+1 (K & A) arrived  23^rd Jan.  (Pl note the meticulous planning of dates of the cross-visits between USA & India, to maintain balance!) . Forces from Thrissur landed on 18^th Feb, to relieve troops in contact & Anshuman reinforced the deployment on 22 Feb! So much for the main mission!

We had the experience of flying the Airbus A 380  & true to it’s claim, the aircraft is really spacious & well done up. Point of dissent. My personal opinion is that Etihad served better food, with better service!

Samru 'Vaikuming'

Dubai airport, where we had to change aircraft, was a disappointment, at least the terminal where we were taken to. The bus ride from the apron to the terminal was never-ending. Then there was total chaos at the security check counter, what with one of the screeners breaking down. To make matters worse, an official of the airport, brought 20 odd passengers heading elsewhere & shoved them in the queue. The other terminal was definitely better, duty-free shops & restos, brightening up things.

The 14+ hours flight was pretty routine, in fact very smooth & due to the roomy interiors, we could walk up & down, as also indulge in some stretching excercises, to prevent ‘frozen’ joints etc.

Dallas is very very different from St. Louis, in that, the tree cover within the town, is not as profuse & appears more as an ‘organised’ plantation. The topo is definitely flat & rolling. Most of the living areas are ‘gated’, i.e. entry is restricted. There are  few water bodies around,  so obviously, I have not seen very many Geese, Ducks etc. Besides, most trees & shrubs are denuded of leaves due to winter, so birds are also hard to come by.

Radiant Mother-to-be!

Traditional Blessings

Anyway, before we could get acclimatized,  there was the first of the functions, that had been planned secretly between Reshma, Shubhi & Kalpana, i.e. ‘Dohaaljevan’ (Marathi),’ Godbharai ‘(Hindi)  & Baby Shower (Western word). The Marathi word comes closest to the event, as ‘jevan’ = food, which is the culminating point of most events. Why it is called what it is, in Hindi,  is confusing,  for obvious reasons! The last-mentioned is the current craze back home, in keeping with throwing out our own & adopting an alien name! Anyway, it was quite a full house with Jenny’s colleagues & family friends present for the event. The ladies performed the traditional ‘aarti’ on Janu & the ‘thali’, replete with all the ‘must have’ items was prepared by Reshma.

Samru applying 'attar'

The Jing Bang lot!

Having finished with the formalities, there were some games for all, essentially as ice- breakers, followed by dinner. The ‘basundi’,( ‘rabdi’ to those residing north of the Narbada & ‘chilled condensed milk’ to the Western world) was the crowning glory of the evening. Hand-crafted by Reshma!!   So                                                        much for the event.  

My favourite-The Male Cardinal

Squirrel foraging for food.

So far, during our morning walks, I have managed to catch sight of the Cardinal (Male, twice only), Mockingbird, Starlings in plenty, Rosefinches, Blue Jays, House Sparrows, Grackle & the Red Tailed Hawk. The last mentioned appears to be the most common raptor to be seen nearer human habitats. Most have been spotted in the general area of the Golf Course next to the Stonebriar Club, where a very small ‘stream’, lined with trees & large shrubs, runs through the complex. The Grackle too appears to be quite  a commensal of mankind, being at home in the various parking lots. Squirrels are few & smaller in size, though the hare are quite a common site, besides being quite inured to human presence.

The hare near the house on a clear day

The weather continues to be cold, though there have been days of sunshine & the temp going upto the high 60s. The country has been facing a pretty harsh winter, though thankfully, here it is not as bad as St Louis was. In fact, the last two days have seen sleet and roads being ice covered, forcing most people to stay indoors.

Dallas Snow-bound!

Snow on the house lawn

However, whenever ‘Ra’* was benevolent to shine upon us mortals, we made  the best of it. So, one afternoon, we (Jenny, Reshoo, Samruddhi ) were off to the Hope Park, one of the many here. The salient aspect of this park is that there is a huge play area for children, denoting the ages for whom the ‘rides’ were meant, with slides, swings, mazes, all erected on a surface lined with a foamy layer, to prevent injury! And this is a public place, not a play area of a community. (Are you listening, PMC/PCMC!?!)        [*Ra, btw, is the Egyptian name for the Sun God]
                                                        

Swinging Sam

Samru at Hope Park 

                                                                        Further down, there is a huge man-made lake (another regular feature) where families were having a time of their lives, fishing, including kids. All this was for fun only & the fish were dutifully released back, alive & unharmed! Samruddhi was quite excited to see all this & was further thrilled when a small boy, who had caught a fish, called her across to touch it, which she did, gingerly at first then petting it, as a dog! However, before the lake, there is an amphitheatre-like place, with a huge bronze ball in the centre and Four pillars across, each representing the Army, Navy, Air Force & Marines. This is one such monument to the soldiers of the USA. (Defence Ministry India, please note!!)

Memorial

Likewise, the food scene has been limited due to Janu’s condition (& diet) + the weather. However, among the notables, we visited a typical (whatever that means!) American Diner, “Pepper Smash”, & true to it’s name, the food was smashing. This was followed by a stroll along the lake, topped off with a halt at Cold Stone Creamery. This was at a place called Shops at Legacy, a very swanky place. ( & a must visit ).

At the lake of Shops-at-Legacy

Then there was a quick bite at IHOP once, and last Sunday, a typical ‘Mallu’ (Kerala) cuisine at “Black Pepper”. Boy, was that some tuck-in!!  However, an experiment in trying Greek Cuisine did not go off too well; and that too,   on Reshoo’s b’day!  The décor was typically Greek, with replicas of ancient pottery, paintings etc. adorning the walls. This was a BYB resto, charging 2$ per bottle.

‘Malling’, if that describes the activity, has been just like the snow, i.e. intermittent. Kroger is the giant as far as stores are concerned out here, though Walmart, Walgreen’s, Sams (all familiar to us) are also seen.

Dallas also has far more flyovers as compared to St Louis and one is left wondering at the meticulous planning & super execution of these, especially when you see them stacked three to four high!!   

My editing staff has put a red line after this para, with the note, “do not try the patience of the reader”! So, I shall sign off for the moment, to let you ruminate upon this dispatch, with the hope (‘ummid pe to duniya kayam hai”) that it has tickled your curiosity (?) & that the next dispatch will be eagerly awaited!! (how presumptuous no?)

Watch out for the space below for Pt II, coming up soon. Till then, TC, smile (even if it hurts!!)
This has been overdue, but then ......
Ashok