A picky eater

Well he likes boiled carrots and the Indian dahl (lentils gravy). He's got the Masala in his blood. 

I was also a picky eater and now "karma" is coming back to bite me... I cook and spend so much time in the kitchen that I've even started to enjoy myself.  Haha. I used to run away from the kitchen and my food motto was "fast, simple and tasty". If you know me you know. 

Baby food is practically non existing so everything is home made, which means I had to reluctantly take baby steps into the kitchen sphere. Little by little,  I've become more a confident chef and nowadays I spend every day cooking whatever I can think of....sometimes to see the picky eater throw the food to the dogs...but hey....they're happy!  The revival and golden age of two pomeranians.

Construction prejudice...funny

I saw this Playmobil monter outside a toy store today and started laughing at the prejudiced scenery. At the bottom is an oil spill that they are cleaning up and the guys having a "lunchbreak" seem to be drinking from alcohol bottles...or is it just my brain referring to the famous old New York posters we all know...or is it an Indian view of a construction site and workers. ..either way. ..it's funny

It's NOT ok!!

Background: A rare complication called "Dry Socket" from extraction of a molar tooth. This is considered one of the most painful complications since the nerves and bone is completely exposed.

I am sitting in the reception. A cotton ball with medicine has been placed in the Dry Socket and the pain makes my toes curl. 

- I need pain killer now. This is unbearable.
- Ooo, the Dr needs to give
- Ok, tell the Dr

The nurse walk in to the Dr office and returns

- Did you tell the Dr?
- It's ok
- NO, it's NOT ok
- It's ok
- NO IT'S NOT OK. Did you tell the Dr.
- Yes

20 minutes passes....I look at her

- It's OK
- No, it's not ok. Do you even speak English?

Another nurse comes in.

- Hi, I need to speak to the Dr.
- Ooo, he's out for lunch

It's hand painted!!

The entire place, Smokehouse Deli, a huge building,  2 story restaurant, cafe, bars, toilets,  and outside....is painted by hand with black marker pen. All the walls and decorations! 

Believe me,  I checked.  Wonder how many pens and hours it took?

Things you do to entertain. .

Your child.

Visit of the day

We live right next to the Veterinary University of Bangalore.  Ok, I didn't go there, but on their premises is an animal shelter.  Why did I go? There's a street dog in horrible shape and I just need to do something. ...pay for treatment or just something. 

So my friend Google showed this shelter and soon I found myself inspecting a huge shelter with dogs, cats and farm animals.  As you can imagine,  their needs are great. Food, supplies,  wood boards for the dogs to sleep at. Volunteer help taking dogs for a walk,  bathing them,...the list goes on. Now I'm somewhat overwhelmed.  In a place where people struggle to survive,  animals come second. 

Should I get involved or not. Should I sponsor something?  It always this when you step into the situation of the needy...humans or animals. ..the demands are huge. Help me, help me..their eyes cry to me and I want to save them all. I start dreaming of being rich like Bill Gates. What good I could use the money for. Head spinning and spinning. 

Just ONE laddo

I just had ONE laddo instead of a biscuit. ..

Human beingist

My parents are not perfect,  but I always felt immensely loved growing up. I never reflected or thought about that being a girl I should be a certain way. It was like,  same same, man and woman...human beings. ..what else.

Yesterday, a feminist friend on Facebook posted a brilliant link describing how women learn how to act and behave NOT to attract unwanted attention.  For instance. ...passing a group of men...the woman walks by with a stone face looking in the other direction. Not because she wants to act cold, but because she doesn't want that flirty unwanted attention.

I am the lucky one living in a marriage based on equality.  Yes, we're different but all human beings are different beyond being a man or woman.  Last week I was forced off the road while driving my scooter. Of course,  I assumed the only reason was something wrong with my scooter. ...but boy was I mistaken. My fear of an imminent crash turned to anger when the guy said - where are you from?  I drove off faster than a bullet.  Then he chases me and ask if we can be friends.  NOOOO! I screamed. This was in broad daylight on one of the busiest streets of Bangalore. Big deal you might think.  Idiots are everywhere...but it's not the first time and it's not ok.

I realize that the freedom that I'm used to and grew up with is not free. Someone said,  we have to remember the struggle women went through to gain rights to vote  etc

I'm a married woman who feels like a prey each time I step out the door. Like an antelope,  I am nervous,  always on my guard to escape, survive and just trying to live the life I was given.

Miami Vice??

Color? ?

Wonder if this neon pink food color is approved?

"Needle"ss to say

To any person suffering from severe phobia of dentists. .. (the endodontist, root canal specialist, is VERY GOOD  but I'm also very phobic)

- please don't stick anything in the root canals without giving anesthesia.!!! I might hit someone
- I have to do it first without anesthesia to be able to locate which roots are the problem.

He starts to poke into my hollowed out roots with a yellow needle that in my eyes looks like a huge torture weapon ... ..imagine how it feels with no pain relief when the needle hits touchdown. .ie the infected nerve ending. Imagine the experience for me, dental phobia numero uno, with every cell in my body in the alarm mode.

I put my hopes and prayers that this endodontist is my reverse"tooth fairy". He will save my teeth from falling out.

"Needle"ss to say, I'm exhausted.  Good night. Over and out.

Quelle Collage!!!

Tr`es belle. ...mais non??? The "rat" to the right is the flattest rat I've seen. Maybe because I found it pressed into the road. The left rat was more of a bloated version. ...ok not the prettiest pics of the day.

I spent most of my day at the hospital and since I'm tired of autos, I drove there on my scooter. ...on the busiest streets of Bangalore.  I'm very proud of myself. Judging by the looks on the other drivers....I guess I'm the only blonde white woman on a scooter.

Cataract Snake

We only walked around our area....but the things I saw today. ..haha.  One man selling rat poison,  two dead rats and this poor cataract snake with pulled teeth.

När du får oväntat besök

When you receive unexpected visitors was the slogan of a famous Swedish coffee commercial.  I guess this qualifies for an Indian version. ...three calves trying to get in your frob door.

Always laugh at this one

At public toilets at malls. Well I guess it's there for a reason and whatever floats your boat. I like the bottom left one. Don't squat holding on to the toilet while doing your business on the floor. ..

Castle to Hut

One day lavish lunch at the poshest Leelah Palace and the day after a modest dinner of butter naan and coffee at.....well not the poshest hotel in another city.  (I don't smoke. ..the ash tray was there as the only decoration. ..unless the remote control counts as one).

I love this. Changes in life.  I like the action.  To see different walks of life. Adventure. 

Chittoor, Tirupatu

Nellore,  Kavali, Ongole. ...look it up. I don't think many Swedes have traveled this road less traveled. 

This is my journey for the day and it reminds me what I love about India and that is the countryside.

The day I lost control

Over the kitchen.  I was going to show my 2kg fresh tuna for 400rs (40kr) and my ugly yellow root canal teeth stumps. ...but instead I totally lost control over the kitchen.  Lil Baba potted 3 times while I was cooking.  The knife was to dull to cut the tuna that turned out like mish mash and over cooked.  The dogs were crazy from the smell of fresh fish and the kitchen wall was splatter in coconut oil.

Root canal...again

Let's start the new year by redoing the root canals! Sounds like a bad joke but it's true.  My left sinus (root canal side) started dripping constantly and I have no allergies.  I can feel something is wrong and my breath is much worse. ..yuck.

On top of this,  I have top 1 headache of my life.  I've wrapped a huge scarf over my head to relieve pressure by adding pressure.

I'm so mad at the dentist who messed this up from the beginning.  He sticks his head in the sand and doesn't answer questions.  Hello. ..it's more than your pride I want to tell him. It's my mouth,  my teeth and ultimately my health.

Swedish/ Indian Curry

Hmmm. I'm getting pretty good at this cooking thing...by the way. ..I told my husband. ..-I'm not cooking today (Saturday). So what we got for dinner?  Three course leftover meal with pasta, fish and potatoes and pancakes (basically my dishes from Thursday and Friday)

The ONE you feed - Our Bangalore Reality

I've always been fascinated by Native American. They seemed to be completely in touch with nature and it's like they were born with more wisdom than people in general. I remember watching movies and always feeling such sorrow that they eventually lost their lands ...(Ok, I'm no history expert and I know that all were not Mr. Nice Guy...so that's my disclaimer.)

In our very affluent neighborhood in Bangalore are approximately 300 houses and only around 50 have paid the garbage fee that is around 200rs /month (20 SEK). People are to cheap to pay this ridiculously inexpensive amount which means that we have no contractor to pick up our garbage. Can you believe it!!! So where are we going to "dump" our waste....on the streets or what. I'm embarrassed how greedy rich people can be.

A Cherokee Legend

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

I'll do anything for you. ...

Even cooking.  "When H*** freezes" is an expression. ..or basically when I became a mother, I started cooking.

Rat Rattle

It's quite a shock returning to see all the garbage and dirt everywhere.  A city that has exploded beyond control.  Sorry but what I'm writing is daily news here in Bangalore.

I don't know where to take my child outside.  There are public parks but I feel...well I don't want him to play there. I understand why rich people build huge gated fortresses from within they lurk; no need to ever leave.  The pool,  gym and garden well everything is there and it's safe.

I wouldn't want to live inside a fortress where the outside world has to be shielded off. On the other hand,   I understand the reason why because the public space is overcrowded and extremely dirty.

If I let Lil Baba play in the park and find him in dog feases or playing a dead Rat Rattle..you get the picture...Today I saw two birds eating a dead rat by the park so the image is fresh in my mind...

Universe plus infinity Sale

Ok. Not the store's biggest sale, or Bangalore,  India,  Asia..no the Planet's Biggest Sale...what's next  Universe plus infinity sale.

R u kidding me?

This is a real screen shot. I was browsing to check which movies are showing in Bangalore.  Haha...look at the censor classification.  The last one...for doctors etc. Which movies go under this category?

First shocking sight

On our way home from the airport in the middle of the night,  we pass a truck with an open back compartment. ...and what do we see tightly tied under a blue "presenning"...a pair of human legs.

I saw a sign

Baby changing station in the mens bathroom at the airport. ...

How long before you see this type of sign in India? 

The Genius Baloo

The genius Baloo (Jungle Book Movie) sang my New Year's resolution on Christmas Eve. I have edited the text I'm gonna hang on my wall this year.

- Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities
- Forget about your worries
- Wherever I wander, wherever I roam, I couldn't be fonder of my big home
- The bees are buzzin in the trees,
to make some honey just for me
- The bare necessities of life will come to you. They'll come to you! 
- And don't spend your time lookin' around for something you want that can't be found when you find out you can live without it.

The bare necessities of life will come to you. They'll come to you