keep runnning

I lived in Dubai till I was in the third standard. One of the fun things we had was going on picnics with friends and family in tow. Large numbers all deciding to get together running to some part of Dubai. Sometimes we hit the dunes and sometimes we hit some hidden oasis. I still have fond memories of them. I reckon that the memories are today etched deeper thanks to all the photographs. Though I still retain some vivid recollections which are not picture led.
One of the favourite picnic places was a place called Safa Park. This was a large garden as I remember. We used to go and play games, cricket and other stuff. It was fun to play with everybody, adults and children alike. We used to look forward to these picnics.
On Saturday we took some kids for to the park behind my building. This is supremely well maintained park with plenty of lawns and one particularly large one. We made the kids play and they really enjoyed. That set me thinking. Why not do it in proper style. So I planned a proper outing. Back in the same place, but his time with a tent and enough Tang and sandwiches. O got poor jasmine enlisted and gathered the kids. All the kids have tents these days. The lovely ones that jus need opening to be set up. One mother also joined in. one sent her maid and one set of parents came along. Perfect to play chain chain, tis kit and tasket, four corners, lock and key etc. The kids enjoyed it and I enjoyed it as well.
I think it was important that the few mother who came, did. The kids got to play outdoors with the mommies and they had a whale of a time. It’s very important to play with your children and not merely take them for a game. One of the boys wanted to play Frisbee and I loved to teach him as well. After he got better at it he screamed out to his dad to see him. It was important that his dad know / appreciate his new found skill.
That way I always wondered how parents are ever willing to throw their kids into vacation camps etc. it doesn’t really take too much to get the kids and a few friends together and throw them in a park with just a little guidance on new games to play.
One of friends in school was a guy called Vijay Venkatesh. I remember his dad used to make all the children play games after schools. I loved playing with them. This memory would be around 25 years old I guess. But it’s stayed with me.
But I didn’t think of all this when I planned this outing. I just wanted to have fun with the kids. It keeps me happy, active and gets me some quality time with the kids. It’s fun to observe them and see them compete. It’s also making Jispa an active kid. She runs the most, runs the fastest and her legs hurt the least.
I think these options have emerged because of the fact that we don’t have a TV at home; else I would have watched movies and worse still cricket. With IPL beaming a large number of matches so many people stay glued in front of the action rather than being a part of it. Unacceptable.

magical weekened

Watch the movie “UP” for the cutest love story in less than 15 minutes. It’s at the start and it was so beautiful and cute and would make you go… awwwwwwwwwww…
The movie was quite cool with my kid enjoying it. We happened to be in VT area where we had gone to gorge on McDonalds breakfast menu.
The stuff was quite good with the muffin being steamed one! Wonder of wonders. Something at McDonalds is not fried?! I also opted for the hot chocolate and liked that one as well. I guess the coffee and the chocolate are the underrated items on the menu with the burgers and the shakes getting all the attention.
We happened to be at Mc when we were wondering where to take the kids after a morning at the park. We took them to the breach candy park (someone Mahindra garden) early morning yesterday and they enjoyed to their hearts content. Jispa is a natural at all these parks that require what I understand as gross motor skills. She can climb anywhere, everywhere and is one with the boys at all these games. I think she beats them as well. Seeing a boy jump from one of the ropes on the Cororcords Jispa wanted to attempt the same. Jasmine at the start wasn’t too enthused but I saw the jump and gave my go ahead. Woppie… she goes.. bham on the sand she falls. Gets up and tries again.. whoopieee…. I think the height was around ten feet. Awesomeposume. We had gone with a few of her friends and they seemed to be no match for her when it comes to the spirit of adventure. Jasmine fears a broken bone, I guess it’s the cost of growing u, or should I say the rite of growing up. As my dad said looking at Krish Srikkant’s batting – fortune favors the brave.
We went there early morning as the evening before we landed there to see a huge crowd. It still could take loads of kids and still function. I have no complaints on that. It was good fun but I thought it might be nice for Jispa to play with the stuff with a little less crowd. We had gone in with a friend who had come in from Dubai. As soon as he entered the place with his kid he remarked “which country are we in?” he loved the place and more importantly – his 4 year old loved it. On the ropes while he was having eth time of his life, he slipped a bit and caught a very very mild bruise on his forehead. His dad carried him one side and as he came in the poor kid was crying. I took him aside and looked at it – it was nothing… so I told him “hold on… don’t cry .. wait… do you want me to use some magic for your head. It will make it all go away. but you have to stop crying for that.” He looked at him half wondering, half belief and half disbelief. Yup I know that totals upto more than one… you have never seen kid expressions have you? Coming back… he stopped crying a bit. His father and also my wife were wondering what I was upto. Me too. So I just pulled out my wallet and thought I would pull out something.. that’s the only thing I had to pull out. A magician has to pull out something?!? Everyone was looking at me… what would come next. I opened my wallet and I remembered that I had some soap strips hidden away. I showed it to the boy, tore a small part of the soap strip and told him “see this magic paper, I ill put it on your head and the pain will all go away… see…” I stuck the dam thing on his forehead. “has it gone away?”. He nodded… good.. Keep it one for sometime. His father remarked that it was lucky I had some magic strip on me. Yup… I was lucky as well. As long the magic works it’s wonderful… this thing … magic….

Here are a few images from the fun

Pretty self explanatory

I taught her that move. Cool nah! it was my signature move. I also taught her the flip.
X marks the spot from she jumps. If you think thats not high.. try it.

The magic paper in action ... keep it handy. It works.

This one is cute…. It made entirely of tires.. look closely.