(Disclaimer: The strength of the actual plan is being displayed by the length of this post. Read at your own leisure)
Weekends are planned... some well in advance, some on a friday afternoon. Some plans include a grandiose celebrations while some just a quiet stay at home and while some plans are executed to perfection, more often than not there are plans that remain what they are - JUST PLANS. Nothing goes as planned and you end up doing altogether something else.
This weekend was planned and as I sit down writing this blog at 10:00 on a sunday night, I am happy that the plan was executed and executed to perfection. Infact, this weekend to an extent went a step furthur, coz we did what all we planned and we did a little extra.
A run-down of the fun we had this weekend.
Friday 03/17 4:30 pm: For
once I leave my office early today. Pick up Praveer from the airport and start my ride thru the beltway traffic at it's peak. An accident made matters worse but that certainly didnt dampen our spirits, coz we knew what was in store for the weekend.
Friday 03/17 6:30 pm: Praveer decides to make 'THE RUM CAKE'. Now, for once I felt, if I die tommorow there wouldnt be any unfullfilled wishes left. We have been waiting for this moment for the last 3 years and finally it was coming into life...right in front of my eyes, 'one Parle G biscuit' at a time.
Friday 03/17 7:30 pm: Mahesh arrives from Lancaster while Ashish comes from the office. Time for some tea.
Friday 03/17 9:30 pm: A new addition to the plan. A trip to 'ESPN ZONE' on Inner Harbor. Now, I always think that if you leave your house on a weekend night, you are not supposed to come back sober. So, I start with my first beer out here.
Friday 03/17 10:30 pm: Done with ESPN ZONE and a little hungry but still awaiting Dipti and Kaka, so we try out 'HOOTERS' for some appetizing stuff and although the food might not fill your appetite, a guy will definitely come out of the place, and wont complain about the food. A second bottle of beer goes down the gut.
Friday 03/17 11:00 pm: Dipti and Kaka finally arrive from New Jersey and we decide to have some dinner. 'La Tasca' a spanish joint on Inner Harbor and my first try on spanish tapas. Not that bad, goes my vote. Although, was very eager to try a spanish beer, but having gulped down 2 already, didnt wanna mix a lot...so just another bottle of an american one. I never doubt my capacity, but having done 2 on an empty stomach...I feel that it is finally taking its toll. So just restrict myself to one.
Saturday 03/18 1:30 am: and finally... We are back home and the buffalo gang arrives. Sal, Charlie and Joy. Fun continues at home now. So much to talk. We also end up taking 'India v England' 3rd test, just to see Munaf Patel bowl...and sorry to say, but he disappoints. Nevertheless, the fun chit-chatting continues till 3:30 along with Praveer's rum cake, when we finally decide to call it a night. (here we does not include Sal, coz for her, 3:30 is more like what 9:00 in the night means to us)
Saturday 03/18 8:30 am: The day begins on a sad-note. Get up to check the score. India sucked on day-1. Schumacher had to change his engine and will start sunday's race on 14th position. Not a result, a Schumi fan expects to see.
Saturday 03/18 9:30 am: Kaka makes one of the most wonderful tea, I have had over the last few months. Remember the mail Kaka sent 2 weeks ago, saying 'Chai Main Banoanga' and he fulfills it.
Saturday 03/18 11:00 am: Alpina is late and we are waiting for the samosas and milk. The battlefield is set. Colors are out. Carpet is covered with plastic and we are waiting. Meanwhile, someone is moving out and we see a U-Haul being filled from our patio.
Saturday 03/18 11:30 am: Alpina finally arrives...and by finally...I mean, finaaaaaaaaaaaaaaly!!! We all give her a standing ovation from the patio. The guys filling the U-haul also stop and join in. They tell her that she was the most awaited personality. She takes it as a compliment.
Saturday 03/18 12 noon: Alpina gets punished for coming in late. Some bumps for her and holi begins. Everyone is now in an unrecognizable condition and we get the first round of thandai out. Charlie adds rum to it, just to give some kick. Thandai goes in...and also on our bodies as Charlie and Kaka decide to get wild and start playing holi using thandai instead of colors.
Saturday 03/18 12:45 pm: Holi done. Samosa's gulped, thandai down. We dance to holi tunes and some other songs. All set for a shower. Problem here... 1 shower and 11 people in queue. I as the host, give the 1st two tokens to the most needed ones and they are done and out on their own to spend some quality time together. Then its just a mad rush out there...to grab the bathroom as soon as someone comes out. 'Andaz Apna Apna' runs in the background while some sleep, some still eating samosas, some on the net (any guesses??) and its 3 in the afternoon by the time everyone is done.
Saturday 03/18 03:00 pm: We decide to eat at 'Chipotle' and go bowling. A heavy 'burrito bol' and a unanimous decision taken. Return home and sleep instead, so that we are fresh for the night to come.
Saturday 03/18 04:30 pm: We are trying to sleep...but I can't shut my mouth, cracking bad jokes one after the another and people supporting me or giving me competition. Jokes apprecitated (?) or so I feel. After almost an hour of trying to keep Sal awake, I finally give-in. She sleeps and I decide to catch some other bakra for my jokes.
Saturday 03/18 07:30 pm: While Sal is still sleeping, we have people watching highlights of the 434-438 match and people discussing their career plans and people discussing any other topic that they can discuss, including when the next meet is going to be.
Saturday 03/18 10:30 pm: We finally leave for a 'Desi Party' in DC. Reach there around 11:30 and luck has it, that we get the best parking spot in town. Lady Luck going my way or was lady luck sitting in my car??? My lack of parallel parking experience shows up, as it takes 4 attempts to finally park the car.
Saturday 03/18 11:45 pm: Finally everyone arrives and we enter and start dancing (not exactly...coz all who must have seen me dance, will know that its everything but dance)
Sunday 03/19 2:30 am: We leave the place, soaked and literally soaked in sweat and hungry like anything. Walking in a beautiful night temperature of 35 deg F wearing a khaki coat and I am shivering. 'Kramers' is still open and we have some nachos and mexican pizza.
Sunday 03/19 4:30 am: A drunk driver nearly hits my Eclipse, swirls to the left then to the right before settling down and I now know, what 'a close shave' means. Finally we reach home. Sehwag is just dismissed and Renault have a 1-2 finish. I am contend with ferrari atleast getting some good points. Everyone crashes on their sleeping bags by 5. Again here everyone does not include Sal :)
Sunday 03/19 09:00 am: Tea again. this time by someone else. I am always happy if tea is served to me. Tea served to you by a friend and without any of your effort, is comparable to an 'amrut'.
Sunday 03/19 2:30 pm: Again after another round of baths and some timepass, we leave our house for a 'south-indian buffet' at 'Madras Palace' Only problem is that, we all are damn hungry and the place is 1 hrs drive from my apartment. Nevertheless, we start our engines. Me and Kaka have an intellectual discussion on 'Love and Arranged Marriages' on the 1hr drive to the restaurant.
Sunday 03/19 5:00 pm: Buffet done. Stuffed and sleepy like anything. Cant understand if its the food that I had just now or the lack of sleep or a combination of both, thats giving me this feeling. But still, one more agenda on the plan to accomplish.
Sunday 03/19 5:30 pm: Mangal Mandir is our final destination. Kaka leaves before that. So its just me, Pravs, Joy, Charlie and Sal. Sal's mausi made 'gulab jamuns' and a 'desi-buffet stuffed stomach' still finds place for one of that. Final good-byes done and I am heading my way back home...alone and the silence kills...loud music doesnt help either and I resort to speaking with friends - albeit this time on the phone.
Sunday 03/19 7:30 pm: Alone at home but some cleaning to do. Some spots on the carpet and the magic cleaner works on them. Kitchen is more or less spick and span. Bathroom needs some work and the patio can probably wait till the next weekend.
Sunday 03/19 10:00 pm: here I am penning down my weekend.
Thanks guys for a really wonderful weekend.
For once, my weekend plan was executed to perfection.
For once.... everything that was planned... was done...
That makes me think...was there space for something else, that I missed out on???
ye
'DIL' maange more...I guess!!!
