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.

A long awaited update

I know I have not written in forever, but there has been so many things going on here, and i didn't want to write until everything was finalized and I have told my friends and family first.

I'm getting married!

Technically Muscles still has to speak to my dad and properly propose to me WESTERN style (and by that I don't mean cowboy) I mean like at home in Canada. But we did the Indian formalities, and got his parents blessing first, which you would think is the most difficult thing, but no. We then had to speak to Muscles two elder uncles. His Dad's brothers. if we would have gone ahead with the wedding without their blessing it is very possible they would have disowned Muscles family.

But all went well and the wedding date is set for April 5th. Things happen exceedingly fast here. Sadly, my family will not be able to attend, but we will have a reception and small ceremony once we go to Canada.

We'll be having a traditional Indian Muslim wedding, with me wearing traditional Deccani (which means Hyderabadi) Muslim wedding dress. Here are the pics of a Khada Dupatta, and I am also hoping to get a colour similar to that in the picture. I am not converting, and I do not have to, as it is fine by Muslim law for a man to marry a Christian. Although, I know the family wants me to consider it in the future. Muscles has never asked me to convert, but he has asked me to learn about his religion and keep an open mind, which I feel I have done. His religion is very important to him. And for those who know me, will know I do not follow religion too strictly, although i do feel I am spiritual, and believe in God.

So that's the news. We're busy planning, and getting guest lists together. I'm supposed to go shopping soon for my bridal dress. Apparently I'll be given lots of jewels to wear on my wedding day. HAHA.

I swear I never do anything normal. Once an adventurer, always an adventurer.

The new roomie

Well you all want the dirt, but really there's not much dirt to tell. He's a mid-twenty American from Colorado but lived all over the United States including Alaska. He's a theatre major so he's creative and outgoing.
He seems pretty cool so far, and luckily he isn't one of those guys that just sticks in his room and hides. He actually lived in Bangalore for 6 months working with a mission in various slums. So he's been to India before, loves the culture, the people, the food and the lifestyle.
He also cooks and so far seems really clean!!

Actually I admit, I'm enjoying the company, it's nice to have someone to talk to all the time, and also split the bills with. Always a bright side. HEHE

I guess stay tuned for more, it's only been a couple of days, but I've already taken him out to meet friends and to dinner, and today we went grocery shopping, him sitting behind me on the scooter. HAHA

Good times!!!

A big change

I received a phone call yesterday that I was getting a roommate, a guy, from the United States, on SUNDAY!

I always knew this was a possibility, but I never really thought about it. Ugh. Talk about a curve ball. I mean I'm given 4 days notice, have to move my internet connection to my bedroom and buy a desk now. I haven't had a roommate since University, well, I guess you can count my ex-boyfriend whom I lived with 5 years. Sometimes it felt like he WAS a roommate.
I just hope this guy is nice, clean and somewhat cool.

Stay tuned...... Right now I'm busy moving my things around, cleaning and preparing for this guy to come. I don't even know his name!!!

On the bright side, it's never a bad thing to meet new people and expats. I'm keeping an open mind about this one. For now anyway.....