From my Pink Diary......

Staying beautiful and looking pretty is a costly proposition as I have realized that here in Dubai. The ambience inside the cosmetic stores is very alluring and they have ‘something in offer’ to fix any flaw, imaginable or not-imaginable! …..but the price tags that these beauty products carry , are scary enough to drive away the faint-hearted from the display counters in those cosmetics superstores in the malls.

Back home in India, life was a roller-coaster ride almost all the time! Managing two little kids, a regular 9 to 5 job, a husband who spent more time in airport lounges than at home and a battery of part-time maids who will turn up for work on their whims and fancies, was not an easy task by any means. I did have only 10 minutes time every day to stand in front of the mirror to dab some variety of cream, tie my long hair into a plait before rushing to the rickshaw to the workplace. Counting fine lines on the face and crow’s feet around the eyes were last in my priorities! To make things worse, the husband only has a heart to love me but not eyes to tell me that I was aging (or may be, he loves me so much that he did not want to break my heart).

Things suddenly changed once we moved in to Dubai. As I wanted since long to take a break from work and study again, the dream finally found its way to reality and I became a student for 2 years in a University here. The most relieving factor was that I found a full time domestic help and suddenly there was plenty of time in between university runs, school runs and mall hopping. With those extra hours in hand and a longer time in front of the mirror, I was heart-broken to discover those dreaded fine lines and crow’s feet in plenty! Secretly, I started my search for ‘something’ to cover those flaws – the perfect day cream that would give a ‘natural glow’ and the super-perfect night cream that would rejuvenate the skin all night and I would look like a fresh daisy in the morning!!

For a novice, to find out something suitable for my “skin tone and type” (how on earth to find that out?), was extra difficult looking at the sheer range and variety of products that are available! The beauty page of weekly Friday Magazine turned out to be my favorite read very soon as I tried to gain knowledge on the subject from whatever the Beauty Editor wrote! I ventured out one day to “Areej” all by myself with bagful of knowledge on “foundation, eye shadow, concealer, blusher” and secretly hoped that I would surprise my husband with my ‘subtly made up’ look when he would come back from tour after few days!

Even though, I was well prepared with knowledge on those cosmetics, I was least prepared for the ‘financial shock’ that my poor husband would have to endure in case I chose to buy something from those ‘high end’ cosmetics brand.. Fresh from India, I was still reeling under the shock of “rupee-dirham” mismatch and was yet to adapt to the “dirham” mindset while buying anything anywhere here in Dubai. I walked inside the cosmetics shop almost few kilometers, stood in front of each display counter of each brand and in my mind, multiplied the dirhams by 12 , countless number of times! Exhausted with the walk and shocking revelation, bought myself a cup of coffee and a “Garnier” face wash only to justify the taxi fare that I had to shell out.

…..but the change of mindset was inevitable and I grew out of the conversion misnomer pretty soon as my husband was on a mission to educate me on this economic phenomenon. Finally I learnt to buy things without comparing how much it would have cost me in India and my wardrobe got few fashionable clothes and there were accumulation of beauty products of decent variety on the dressing table.

But there still was another side to this story of “looking beautiful”! I was not clear whether the foundation should be applied under the moisturiser or over, the blush-on should be a ‘dab’ or ‘dash’ or the bronzing powder should be applied parallel to the jaw line or on the apple of cheek! The confusions were plenty and I did not know who to ask such technical questions!! Shedding all inhibitions, I opened my heart to my only savior, my dear husband! An indulgent husband that he is, he took me out the other day to Marina Mall, called one of those ‘ever smiling and pretty’  sales girl and asked her to give me a makeover! After those precious 10 minutes under her care, I could not recognize myself in the mirror – actually glowing like a fresh daisy!!!

 The husband picked up everything that the girl recommended and warned me not to come in front of the “cashier’s counter”. After 13 years of staying together, he knew pretty well that if the price tags catch my eye, I will pull him out of the shop immediately! He was the happiest man on that day – after all, husbands also want their wives to stay beautiful and look pretty!

And now when I was thinking of finding an opportunity to show my ‘flawlessly made up’ look to my lovely friends, the doctor dropped the bomb while the chemo session was on….

“Minakshi, you will feel dryness of skin too much while the treatment is on but stay away from the chemicals as much as you can”

I was almost in tears! So do I have to use coconut oil, the only natural moisturiser that I know of and smell like a coconut all the time? And I cannot use the Dior Glow Compact Powder, the Clarins BB Cream, and L’Oreal’s Red Velvet lipstick on the Naboborsho celebration of our FFS club? My big man looked at me indulgingly and said “you can use it occasionally while the treatment is on but you can buy L’Occitane products as many as you want, they are plant-based and free of chemicals”. By the way, I discovered the treasure of L’Occitane product long ago but only use the face cream and body cream. Again, the prices pull me back from buying anything else from them even after lot of pursuation from my husband.   

Now that it is time for overhaul and I am being persistently nagged to give him a chance to pamper me, I also feel it is time to spruce up my cosmetics cabinet with all things ‘natural’ and I should give him a free run!

It is a costly proposition but overhauling of a machine with such well ‘wear and tear’ ought to be a costly proposition, right friends?

Stay beautiful and happy, always, my lovely friends…..

From my Pink Diary......

My family does not exactly live by the principle of “healthy eating”, especially when it comes to the daily dose of fruit intake. The husband and son, on occasions, stray too much on the other side of the fence as they are “self-proclaimed” keeper of the tradition of “Mughlai Cuisine and had there been ways, they would have been living on biryani, bihari kebabs and chicken boti roll! The father-son duo is a veritable “yellow page directory” in case anyone wants some suggestions on authentic “biryani joint”. Just to balance the spice for the family, the daughter can eat “chocolate” as starter, main course and dessert, day in and day out! Considering that we are a family of four, I am the lone crusader in the household who always cribs about unhealthy eating habits of the children and husband.

Having said that, I do not have the heart to claim that I start my day with munching on an apple! As a matter of fact, even though, I like my daily diet to be less spicy and simple, fruits have never been on my list of “priorities” to be included in my daily dose of nutrients. Not exactly knowing our preferences for fruit or food, the Relocation Agent of ours purchased a lovely fruit basket for us when we moved in to Dubai and we have been using that basket for keeping our phone chargers, i-pad chargers, laptop chargers, subway coupons etc. for the last three years!!

……and suddenly the wind changed direction! After the first session of chemo-therapy, I have practically been living on a diet of fruits and lemon water as the taste buds have undergone an overhaul, I suppose!! The fruit basket has been emptied off and being used for the right purpose for the last one week and to my surprise, the daughter snacked on a sweet orange last evening and the son packed an apple for himself for small break in school today!!

I am in hurry to pack off as much as possible for the kids till the ‘good time’ lasts and am sure, if the status quo continues, my dream of getting an ‘enviably fit and trim body’ will be fulfilled any time soon!!!

……let me make the most of it when the wind has changed direction……

……but then, Chemo-therapy is not only about fruity flavor all along! As the doctor advised that I am allowed to eat anything which gives me comfort and strength, he exactly did not give us an exhaustive list but it was rather an inclusive list. Hence, occasional ‘home delivery’ of NKD pizza, McDonald’s burgers and blueberry muffins are my ‘fundamental right’ now. As children and husband take the liberty of eating out too much, we agreed on an agreement of not to eat junk food except rarely and we so far maintained that line of control even though not without lots of grumble and mumble from all three of them.

…..now the wind has suddenly changed direction and I was craving for some ‘healthy pizza with lots of veggies’ from NKD last evening! The kids got immediately active, the menu card was fished out from the drawer and we chose our respective ‘healthy’ pizza’. They could not possibly believe their ears that their “no junk food” Ma wanted to eat pizza. While we were at it, as if to make the most of the ‘junk food days’, the son suggested that I might like McD also (the spicy one with some fries!) and to my horror, I have been searching for the delivery menu of McD’s this morning!!!

…..the children are in hurry to make the most of it, when the wind has changed direction!

Have a happy and healthy day, friends ……

From my Pink Diary.......

It is a gloomy day outside but I have plenty of sunshine inside my house!

The kids insisted that I must give them packed lunch from home as they love food cooked by their Ma. Even though physically I am not in the ‘fit state’ currently and the “side effects of chemo therapy” try hard to pull me into the vortex, the kids always get the best out of their mom. I had no option but to pull myself out of my lethargy and we sat down to decide on the menu!!

Settling down to a common menu is the most crucial part of the whole thing as the taste buds of my kids are inclined to different directions – the son swears by anything ‘spicy’  and the daughter practically lives on ‘sweet’. After much deliberation and with due consideration to my health status, we froze the menu to “sandwich with baked sliced potato and juice for break, chicken fried rice with crumbled fried egg for lunch and banana for dessert”. We went off to sleep with a firm instruction from both of them that they would assist me in the kitchen in the morning and the alarm was set at 5.45 am in the morning.

As the alarm went off, I could see them springing up on their feet, out of bed (what a surprise!!) and I was shaken gently,” Ma, it’s time to get up.” With two deputies by my side, who seldom see eye to eye to each other, the kitchen turned into a battle ground within minutes – we forgot to decide what vegetables and spices should go into the chicken fried rice, the previous night!!

We chopped garlic and discarded (it smells garlicky when she opens the lunchbox), we chopped onion and discarded (he does not particularly like to chew on onion in between chicken pieces), we chopped capsicum and discarded (both do not like the slight bitterness in them) and finally could put some chopped carrots in the hot oil in the wok!

……and moment I mentioned to add some sauces , the sonny pushed me aside and pulled down 5 of the sauce bottles from the cupboard in a blink and churned out a deadly looking concoction as if he has been training in a culinary school for ages while me and the daughter ,watched him in bewilderment. Just to drive out my fear, he put a spoonful in his mouth and immediately spit it out almost on his sister. Her expert comment was not far from her lips,” Ma, dare not add it to the fried rice. The sauce looks like weird kind of blood but even the vampires would refuse to drink it” and hid behind me to save herself from her brother’s ire. We lost precious 15 minutes by that time from our schedule and I had to finally pull out the ultimate from my armory….

“Babies, why don’t you watch TV for 10 minutes and let me concentrate on your lunch pack. Otherwise, you have to eat from the cafeteria”. Before I could even finish my sentence, the title song of “Hey Jessie” was on full blast on the TV screen!! This trick never failed so far!! I finally got the kitchen under my control!!!!

By the time, they were ready with brush, bath and uniform, smelling nice and looking fresh, I somehow managed to hand them over their lunch pack and give them a peck on their cheeks as barely there was time for an elaborate “have a good day, babies”. They left home happy and satisfied but not before reminding me my day’s tasks:

“Momsickle (my daughter calls me lovingly), don’t forget to take your medicines on time and eat and drink as much as you can. “

“Don’t forget to carry the card for the doc when you go to the hospital today (they prepared a card for my doc as a token of their gratitude that he has taken care of their mum)”

“Dada and Didi (their grandparents), please make sure that you take her out for a walk in the morning as doc said”

“Please do not forget to inform Popsickle once you are back from the hospital”

…….and finally, “Love you Ma” and the lift door opened.

I was thoroughly exhausted with this one hour ordeal as it was time for the “chemo medicines” to get the worst out of me but I am ready for the day till the time they come back home, hug me and turn the house upside down again before kissing me good night!

I must make the most out of my “pink days” as I am now allowed to eat anything without looking into how much calories I am packing, I am allowed to use my time in any which way I wish to and I can dump myself onto the sofa whenever I feel like as I know the rest will be taken care of by my Ma in the kitchen!!

Have a lovely and healthy day, friends……..