My bridal shower

I wanted to have a small get together with my very close friends before my wedding. Just a small shower of sorts to stir up some excitement. My dear friend Shae took the reigns and organized a small intimate gathering with my closest girlfriends here. My other friend Chenchula (Chunny) hosted the event at her new apartment.
When i arrived i got to wear a bride-to-be sash. What a way to really make it official. All my friends contributed some kind of food for the day, and it was a nice mix of pasta salad, curried potatoes, fried okra, chicken pulau (a rice dish with cloves), and some butter chicken with roti. To top it off they bought my favourite chocolate cake from the best bakery here in Hyderabad!
We played a few games and one of them was about Muscles and I.
here are the questions and the actual answers that Muscles gave to Shae:

1. Where exactly did they meet:
At Timothy's house (he was the guy I lived with for a month before moving into my own place) Muscles was friends with him.

2. Where was their first date?:
Muscles took me to a nice Chinese restaurant called Chinese Pavilion and then to a funky coffee shop called Mocha for dessert.

3. What is their favourite pastime:
We like to watch movies or go to the movies

4. What is Muscles favourite colour on Shelley?
"She looks great in black, but I love when she wears green as it really brings out the colour in her eyes: Straight from his mouth!

5. Will anyone be coming to Canada for the wedding?
Yes, Laurie and Karen!

6. What colour is Shelley's wedding dress for the ceremony?
Maroon and gold

7. Which restaurant is their favourite?
Far East (Chinese restaurant)

And here is a poem that Shae wrote for the shower. It's so cute:

There once was a girl named Shelley
Her head so soft and curly
Her skin so white, her teeth so pearly
She loved on her scooter to be

Then once Junayd saw this fresh Lily
He didn't know the difference between road and gully
her large earrings
her smile, her designer taste drove him just crazy

Junayd and his Ottawa lady in GachiBowli
Both eaters of Biryani, bhindi
Decided to marry
and lived forever happily

NB* Junayd is Muscle's' real name and gachibowli is the residential area I live in.

It was a great day, I had so much fun with my friends!! Now I can't wait to go to Canada and see my family and friends and celebrate my wedding with them!!!
Enjoy the pics!




Martha and me when i arrived

Surabhi and me

Yummy cake


The girls: Fatima, me, Chunny, Shae, martha and Shimul

How he proposed!

Although we have been planning the wedding for over a month and a bit now, Muscles finally proposed. There were so many formalities to get through before hand, such as getting the blessing of his elders on his dad's side and of course getting my dad's blessing (which he did).

Last Tuesday, he took me to a beautiful park, and the park was actually closed to visitors for the next hour but he spoke to the guard and talked his way into letting us enter early. This means that is was secluded other than the peacocks running around and the sound of rustling trees. We walked and then we found a park bench and sat there for a while. He told me he had something to tell me and then he started telling me how much he loved me and wanted to spend his life with me. He asked me to close my eyes and he slipped the ring on my finger.

It was perfect!


The wedding is set for April 5th and I can't wait!! Here are some pics of my engagement ring!!

Things I can't wait to do once in Canada

My trip back home less than a month away now and there are so many things i can't wait to do. I have 3 weeks at home and that barely seems like any time to do anything, so I'm sure it will be very busy.

Here's my list:

1. Hugs both my parents super super tight
2. Hang out with my sister and bro-in-law
3. Hug the Canadian fresh air and fall in love with Canada all over again (I know I really can't hug air, but I will try)
4. Visit my Nanny and spend quality time with her (getting to eat her home cooking will also be a huge bonus)!
5. Seeing my aunts and cousins and meeting my new little cousin Noah for the first time. My cousin Nat had a baby in September.
6. Also meeting my other new little cousin Jayden who was born in January
7. Watch ice hockey with my Dad and watch the Bruins KICK ASS!
8. Eat a cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese every morning for breakfast. OK not every morning but almost.
9. Sit with my mom in her kitchen, talking, talking, talking
10. See my friends, hug my friends, tell them how much they mean to me
11. Eat my dad's famous chicken stew
12. Getting to wear a spring jacket and actually feel cold. It's damn hot here now.
13. Taking a bath in my mom's amazing tub!
14. Shopping with my Mom.
15. Get to see all the renovations my sister and her hubby did in their house. Can't wait!
16. Drive a car on nice roads, with people who abide by the traffic laws!
17. Get to sleep in my bed!
18. Have my Dad BBQ me a steak!!
19. Watch OPRAH!
20. Drink a Tim Horton's coffee -decaf for me though ;)

21. Will miss my husband in India!!

An Indian Soft drink

My fiance told me about a new soft drink in India being launched by Hindu nationalist group that call themselves the "cow protection department."
He asked me to guess the key ingredient in this soft drink, and of course I guessed right, because if you know a little about Hindu's you just might guess.
The key ingredient is cow urine!! The name of the drink is gau jal which means cow water and will apparently have cancer fighting benefits and will be devoid of toxins. But apparently it won't smell like urine or taste like urine.
Well in that case, bring it on!!! NOT!

Please click on the link to read the newspaper article about this new non-carbonated super drink.

I for one, will not be testing it's cancer fighting benefits. I'll stick to broccoli and blueberries, thank you very much!!

And for the record most Indians I spoke to about this, thinks the concept is pretty gross as well.