Athithi..season

I love visitors. I love cooking for visitors especially since Ive long lost hopes of any praises coming from eby’s mouth ;P. There are 2 ways of viewing it – either I’ve got serious victims for my experiments..or I’ve got people from whom I can get compliments. Im happy both ways! Extremely ..I should say.

But I should say that the past couple of months Im seing a curious twist of fate..back at home. As though some ‘deva’ has blessed me that  – ‘putri’ may you have an incessant flow of visitors…since you are so keen n them!’ Ideally I should be the perfect host and not be talking about them…but a little gossip doesn’t matter..so let me start..

The first pair – let us call them “Sam & Sweety”. Now as the name goes..sweety..is sure the sweetest soul Ive ever come across. They were there with me for a month at my house..and she would even go prepare tea if someone else visited me and Im lost in conversation! Now, for such a sweet soul..even the toughest stone would melt..what say?!..SO after a couple of weeks I learnt from her that..one thing she is annoyed with her hubby is that..he would not take her anywhere outside. Now they stay in whitefield..(a lill remote area..though industrial). I thought I would act as her advocate and thus when her hubby came put up the matter.

Me – So what do you do during weekends?

Sweety – *batting her eyelids* *nothing much…*

Me – You guys dont go out?!! (a dramatic sound effect here!)

Sam – Oh we do..we do..we go to “”Big Bazaar””!!!! dnt we?!!

Me -!!!!

Now my house too has a big bazaar nearby..though it isnt the one they visit regularly. When the second weekend neared..I planned a small trip for them and told them there are places you can go ..which are pretty close from here and it will also be a welcome change for sweety.. Sam obliged and they left in the evening. Around 9pm they were back…I opened the door and before I could ask them how did the tour go..I saw large covers of “big Bazaar” with them! A **blinking** sweety told me..it was there and there alone that they went!

Came the third weekend..again I planned for a boating trip. This time I roped in another common friend and his mom. I told them th route..the timings. The four of them left my home after lunch..and they didnt call me either aftr that. So when the door bell rang..and i saw them ‘sans’ any cover..I excitedly asked them..how the boating was!..All I got as an answer from the ‘wide-eyed’..almost teary..sweety was they went to another “””Big Bazaaar””!! quite far from our place! So finally I warned Sam that there are chances that Asin and Dhoni lose their places as ambassadors if he was soo damn loyal to that place!

Season 2 – My friend calls up on Friday and tells me – Hey Im coming there this saturday. Since her office is only 10 mins far from my place, I expect shed reach by 5 in the evening. I prepare snacks and Tea.. i thought..it would be a great relief for her after a toiling weekend to come to our place which is pretty close..chill out and then go to her house which is around 2 1/2 hrs far from here. She then calls me and tells..”Ill go home (2 1/2 hrs) settle petty things here..and then come to your place(2 1/2hrs) so that in the morning I neednt rush. I okayed her plan thinking..even if she spends her whole saturday evening travelling..she can rest and spend the whole sunday with us! The next day as soon as I woke up..shes all dressed and set to go..again petty affairs at home to be settled! So for petty affairs..she ended up in having long serious drives the whole weekend..and by tuesday when I called her..She was sick and tired and was on sick leave!

Season 3 – Our cousins back from home volunteer – Vacation time – destination Bangalore. Now with kids its always a happy story. Especially college kids. Their parents being the understanding folks…stayed back at an aunts place and left “US” kids…ok..ok..us “&” the kids to roam around. We had a bash here. They had to return by the 4oclock bus. The parents dropped in our house at 12pm. They again went for a mini-last minute shopping. I prepared around 5-6 dishes and waited. They came back around 2.30..and what did they purchase??? Fish! no..dnt think its for any aquariums! They bought fish to cook and eat..and then leave for the 4pm bus. Now for a pure veggie whos finicky about smells..in particular fish smell it looked like a scene straight out of a comedy movie..but i still dont understand why would someone in so urgency cook fish and eat.especially when they are on a trip! Well they cooked, they ate…and eby spent a bottle of ‘dettol’ in the kitchen.

Now between all this there is another cousin of mine who stays close and whom we hadnt called till now coz of these ‘busy’ days. So since its high time already,  we called the poor soul over for dinner. Last time we invited them..i had cooked almost everything in butter thinking that a pure veggie like me would love it that way..only to be told that the very smell of butter is nauseating!!! So..i really dont know who you should actually be wishing luck.. 😛

U thought the seasons are over?? nope..3 more families have volunteered to be our visitors..in this month and the following…seems like this truly is a season of athithis!