A day without a to-do list...reminiscent of a time that seems eons ago

The last 2 months were ...'can drive anyone crazy' worthy for me. Finally, atleast I will not be setting an alarm to wake me up and can sleep late. Exams are over.  Yessssss... they have suddenly become the most dreaded in today's times. (I have an OCD of repeating things and exams might feature in many of my posts 😁)  I don't remember my mother being so stressed when we had our exams that too with 4 of us. I forget that its not my exam but my daughters...lol.  A day without a to-do list, a day when I can just sit and read or write or bake or do just nothing, is a luxury I had or all of us had when we were younger. 

It's only now that I understand what the poet, W. H. Davies, in his poem 'Leisure' meant when he said 'What is this life if,  full of care, we have no time to stand and stare'. 

Life was so different when we were students as compared to when we got a job or started our own business or got married or had kids. Our priorities, wants, likes or dislikes, the way we spend our day or our money....what we study, the friends that we have, what we wear etc..basically everything was different. Life to a certain extent was quite carefree with a devil-may-care attitude.  I remember a plan made at 12 in the night for a trip to Lonavala at 4 in the morning, that was the most exciting thing for me and my friends. That was life...no worries about tomorrow. I miss that and a lot more of what I did when I was younger. The late night drives, checking out the newly opened clubs in town, morning walks at the beach, hanging out at a friends place and gobbling up Ferrero Rocher chocolates, the silly fights and then making up, the n number of crushes, the latest pop songs, joint study sessions where we sneaked out for paan at midnight.....list is never ending. Not that we don't do some of these things anymore..we do..but there is a difference in the feelings and emotions attached to it, something that words cannot express. 

Then comes career or marriage and the new responsibilities and relations that it brings along with it. New life..many a times away from ones own family, a new environment, even a new country or city, adjustments etc. (its a monstrous topic to touch upon which I may discuss some other time). For right now I'll fast forward it to when we have kids.

I'm sure most would agree with me on this. Kids are the most beautiful creation of God and a priceless gift that a couple is blessed with.  But life after kids is a different ball game altogether. A kid becomes the centre of attention in everything we do..our plan for the day, what we eat, where we can go and a whole lot more. Its a roller coaster ride from then on and its so correctly said 'once a parent always a parent'. Parenting comes with no written instructions and we all learn from scratch.  One minute you feel everything is in control and the other you don't know what hit you..and even when they are on their own and out of your hands or even out of your homes, they are never out of your life, heart and mind. 

From their birth to the no sleeping nights to when they walked for the first time or spoke their first word...from play group to college or university... it doesn't end there. Then they have their career and their marriage and their babies..and here we are, secretly hoping that we always have a day with a to-do list that includes things we have to do for them right on top. We all love our kids immensely and wish for them the best in their life. 

💓

So on that note, leaving you all with memories and experiences of your own...I'm sharing a really tasty, easy to make recipe of toasted sandwiches. Its a perfect breakfast recipe and can be had in dinner too.

Recipe:

• Mix vegetables: Onion, tomato, capsicum, broccoli, sweet corn, mushrooms, bell peppers etc. (you can use a combination of all or any of your favourite)
• Salt to taste
• Mixed herbs
• Cheese (I've used Amul)
• Paneer (1/4 kg) (Cottage cheese)
• Curd (1 tbsp)
• Any Tikka Masala (1 tsp)
• Oil (1 tsp or more)
• Butter

Note: Mushrooms can be sauteed separately in butter and garlic.

• Chop all the veggies finely. In a pan pour oil. Add all the veggies and saute them on high for a couple of minutes. We do not have to cook them completely. Add salt and mixed herbs. Grate some cheese on it or add small cubes after switching the gas off.

• Cut paneer in cubes. Take a nonstick pan preferably and drizzle little oil on it. Place the cubes and  sprinkle the tikka masala over them. Beat the curd and pour it over the paneer. Cook on medium flame turning sides till dry. Add a little salt only if the paneer you are using doesn't have salt in it.

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• Once both these fillings are ready, butter the bread slices. Spread a layer of  the veggie filling on one slice. Top this with 3 or 4 paneer cubes. Cover with another buttered slice.
• You can toast these sandwiches in a sandwich maker or a tawa (griddle). I prefer the tawa. Sandwich gets perfectly toasted and is crisper. Just rub a little butter on the tawa and cook on medium flame till brown on both the sides.

Do give me your feedback if you try this recipe. Thanks and have a super weekend!!