This post is dedicated to a dear friend I’ve known for years now! Someone who never fails to amaze me with her grit, grace and goofiness, even to this day. Speaking with her is like getting a warm hug, and it takes me back to the days we spent in the wilderness of our college lives; doing assignments, chasing dreams but mostly sealing our friendship over late night movies and plates of maggi!
In the busy lives that we manage to bury ourselves in these days, it is often the littlest amount of unconditional time that a friend makes for you goes to make all the difference in the world. And, she is surely the one who is never short of it – no matter the distance, the timezones, the jobs, the families, and everything else that is Life.
I hope we all have at least one friend like that. And if you do, tag them in the comments and send them a hug 🙂
After a rather long and tiring day at work, waiting at the train station to catch the final connection home can add to the misery. But, here’s how I made it fun last evening! Carrying my stash of stationery came to the rescue and those minutes clocked away so fast, I felt I got home instantly – just like you see it here!
If you follow me on Twitter, you’d know how much I love sitting by the large windows of my living room. It should be no surprise then if I say, I am sitting by one of those lovely windows right now as I type this. I am also cozily tucked into a throw and intermittently staring at the marvellous sight that is the balcony of a couple living in the opposite apartment block. Beautifully and just adequately lit by their lamp in the corner and some candles on the table, I can imagine what it must be like to sit in the cool breeze, crisp air and sip some red wine & nibble on chocolates. The gorgeous flowery plants all around the parapet hide the view but it’s a good guess they are having red wine. I’d if I was sitting there and chocolates would be a definite yes! Hubby nods in agreement, but also nudges me to not stare so hard.
Containing myself, I get back to my screen. It is almost 7:15pm, sun has set and the skies are slowly losing their beautiful hues of dusk to blackness. Getting used to the sunsets in London can be a challenge for someone who has lived all her life in a tropical land. We rise and fall (into bed!) with the sun over there, and it feels cumbersome to do it any other way! That is the reason I best like this time of the year here. The days haven’t yet become short and dark, and everything outside is pretty great too. I mean, what’s not to like about autumn. From the way it’s spelled to nostalgia attached with Enid Blyton story books; from scents and softness of the season to its distinct foliage.
Need I say more?
This is also the time when I begin to click the big tree at my office square everyday, capturing the changing leaf colours and density, in the hope that I will make a stopgap video out of those frames! I know I will go replenish my stock of scented candles soon and buy fresh produce of the juicy berries and apples so my fruit basket can mirror the season colours! And that reminds me, autumn is also the time to cover up again, to bring out the boots, soft cardigans and coats that I had so happily stowed away. I will, of course, refrain myself from getting a new wardrobe but the shops are already lined with such sumptuous textures that it is going to be difficult to stop! I quickly glance at hubby who looks immersed in a book, so I don’t bother telling him of my temptations now. Around the house, all the rugs and cashmere blankets will be shown some sun before it becomes a scarce commodity, along with doling out some soups, leafy healthy preparations out of this new recipe book that hubby gifted me and find more & more excuses to stay indoors to catch up on movies we missed during the busy outdoors-y summer.
I suddenly look out the window again and I don’t see any shadows in that balcony. Just find a faintly flickering candle all by itself on the table. The road below has also quietened now. Well, Sunday has almost come to an end, and it so appears that my fond remembrance and wishful planning for the season have taken me away in thoughts too. But then, it is something to look forward to, isn’t it? Reality surrounds us, and Sundays have become mere reminders of Mondays more than anything else these days. But what is a Sunday devoid of wishfulness, of yearning, of tiny escapes of the mind? It is in these tiny escapes that I tighten my grip on reality and live it, shape it fully.
I now have a reason more to love the autumns!
Photo of the tree at the office square from last year!
I am delighted to announce I am starting a new section on my blog from today! I am going to publish a series of photographs, one every Thursday, on the #ThrowbackThursday theme, to share and look back fondly on some of my favorite memories. I decided to add this photo series to my blog for two simple reasons. One, to be able store all those fleeting moments of nostalgia in one place together; second, to connect with my readers via an alternate medium and what best than a picture every week!
The152Girl 