Thoughts Opinions & Memories | But I Smile Anyway...

The Nagar Kirtan Parade This Year #Vaisakhi #NagarKirtan

16 Apr 2017 30 Comments

by Ritu in Family, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, funfair, Nagar Kirtan, parade, Sewa, Vaisakhi

Yesterday was the day the Gravesend Sikh community celebrated the festival of Vaisakhi with a Nagar Kirtan, which is a religious parade where we take the holy book around the town. Thousands of people follow the parade, and at the back there are trailers filled with adults and children from various clubs and associations, like the Punjabi School, sports clubs, and my Kid’s Bhangra and Drum class!

The last few years I have been either walking, or sitting with them on their trailer, and this year was no different. It was a glorious day, and we had great fun.

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The end of the parade comes with prayers, and the Gurdwara set up a fair in their sports ground where there were stalls and rides, a stage with religious entertainment, including a famous Bhangra and religious singer, Sukhshinder Shinda.

And it was great to see my niece in her uniform, promoting the police force, and encouraging youngsters to join the police as a worthwhile career!

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And there was a large ‘Sikh’ wondering around too for some reason!

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The Nagar Kirtan is famous for the amount of people who come here, but the other thing is the food. It is known as ‘Seva’ when local businesses serve food, drinks and snacks for free, as part of their donations to the temple, and there was plenty on the route of the parade, Pizza, pakoras and samosa, fresh jalebis and masala chai, chickpea curry and bhature, crisps, popcorn and sweets, along with drinks. Then at the playing field there were marquees set up by local catering countries for more delicious delicacies, like masala dosa, curry and rice, bread pakora, and pizza again! Oh, and cake!!!

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We had great weather, it was a lovely day! Ok, so the kids may have been bouncing off walls and ceilings from a sugar high, but hey, it’s Vaisakhi!!!

In fact when I unpacked my bag, this was what I came home with…

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I had to dress for the occasion… obviously!

And even Sonu Singh joined in (at home!).

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A Fine Day With The Animals!

16 Apr 2017 31 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Conservation park, day out, Elephants, Hwletts, Rhinos, Zoo

On Friday we had visitors so decided a day trip would be good. The weather appeared to be fine and it was decided that we visit Howletts, wildlife conservation park nearby. I have posted about Howletts before, when we visited the park with my school.

It was a lovely day out, seeing the elephants and rhinos. They have successfully bred these animals, and reintroduced many into their natural habitats too!

The black rhinos had a baby and they were so lovely to watch, mummy helping baby out of a trench, and them walking companionably together around their paddock. the elephants were just magnificent and there were a good eight of them in the aea at once, following each other around.

The tigers, once they woke up, were pretty amazing too!

And I just love the monkeys, all manner of primates, from Gorillas to baboons to macaques. We saw the big gorilla really show his authority, and even beating his chest at one point. A motorbike zoomed past, outside the park and the noise got his hackles up, so he raised to his two feet and beat his chest, before running towards us, then stopping and striking the pose below (that’s him, the silver backed one!). The keeper came out too and they all knew it meant food time. Big man over there went and sat slap bang in front of the food hatch and waited until he chose his food, two carrots and a leek. After he sauntered off to eat the others got a look in. But it didn’t stop a cheeky younger one from tapping the big guy on one shoulder, reaching over and snatching a carrot from the other side then running away! Hilarious to watch! Then the other beautiful beast was brilliant too, playing chase with two younger ones through cages and tunnels, before sitting down to contemplate life and stare wistfully out!

The baboons had us in hysterics, chasing each other around, each playing the ‘Big I Am’ and asserting authority before another scared the first away!

The Asian leopards were pretty stunning though one pooped as we were watching and the kids marvelled at the similarity between Sonu Singh and his bigger cousins!

The park was set up by John Aspinall, the centre, along with it’s sister park Port Lympne where you can even stay in cabins and go on jeep safaris, to help with the conservation of these beautiful animals, and many more, like giraffes and zebras too!

And here are a few Instagram posts I made from the day too.

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All in all, a lovely day!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 113 -Easter Special

16 Apr 2017 25 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Bloger, Blogging, Calm, Easter, Eggs, Quote, Spiderman, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sunday

“Easter is the only time it is safe to put all your eggs in one basket!” – Anon

A short and sweet one today, from Spidey and me!

Wishing all those of you who celebrate, a wonderful Easter Sunday!

Go out and collect those egg, stick ’em in that one basket, but don’t go eating them all at once!!!!

Until next week Peeps!

#SoCS Apr. 15/17 – Moo

15 Apr 2017 25 Comments

by Ritu in Socs, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Cars, Cow, Linda G Hill, Moo, Names, Socs, Stream Of Consciousness Saturday

Linda’s #SoCS prompt for today…

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “moo.” Base your post on the word “moo” or a word that rhymes with it. Bonus points if you actually use the word “moo” in your post. Have fun!

Do you give names to your cars?

I have a habit of giving inanimate objects names, and my cars have never escaped. From my first brum brum, Bink, to Vikky. Bebe to my newest, Lippy, or Timmy, depending on my mood. Usually the name has come from the registration plate and the letters have conjured up a suitable moniker for the vehicle.

But one was named for a different reason. After being involved in a multi car pile up, and coming out unscathed, thank God, Hubby Dearest wrote off my Ford Focus Saloon, Vikky. (reg. had VKK in it, hence the name!) I was stuck. About to start back to work after my year of maternity leave ended, I needed a car to get about.

Finances were a little tight, and at around the same time my brother had gone gallivanting around the world, (Dubai!) for a then undisclosed amount of time. His car sat at home and wasn’t being used so my Pops said we could have it. ( It had been bought by my Pops and mum for my brother as a first car, Pops wasn’t giving away something that wasn’t his!)

So this was how I came to have my third car.

What to call it?

I turned to the kids and the end result was Daisy.

Why? Nothing do to with the registration plate this time.

Apparently when the central locking button was pressed on the remote, the mechanism made this slow noise, rather like a “Moooooo!” Lil Man thought it sounded like a cow and so Daisy was christened!

Ritu’s Healthy Eating Part 36 – #icandothis

14 Apr 2017 42 Comments

by Ritu in Health, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Health, Healthy Eating, Slimming World, Weight Loss

wp-1492120543707. It’s been another week of excesses… I actually can’t wait to get back to school, term time equals more restraint with food!

Before I disclose any foodie pics, the damage…

Another 1lb on… but no fear, I am still below the ‘ceiling’ weight of 9 and a half stone that I have given myself!

And the photos show the mostly decent stuff I ate this week.

I really need to do something exercise-wise now! Today we are off to Howlett’s, which is a lovely wildlife park with all sorts of animals and lotsn of walking! And tomorrow I have a three hour walk for the Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan Festival. Plenty of exercise!

Food tip today, instead of a recipe as I am a little stretched for time…

Try and eat your fruit before meals. It digests quicker them. Fruit after meals will sit on top of the other food you have consumed, and turn to sugar, causing weight gain rather than loss!

So, until next week, Peeps! I hope to report back with much better eating habits next time! Until then, enjoy Easter, and try not to indulge in too many chocolate eggs!