Blizzard of 2010

The Northeast blizzard made a memorable debut yesterday late afternoon into today. For the NY city area, this was 6th biggest snowstorm since 1869 with accumulations up to 20 inches. For myself and Ajo, this snowstorm has truly welcomed us back to the NY weather - the real feel temperatures, the icy conditions, and the menacing commute.

 The windy conditions and the zero visibility became a real and a first-hand experience to us yesterday evening when we went to pick up my sis-in-law from her work around 7PM. The warning to stay indoors sounds almost like a chastisement until driving in such conditions becomes inevitable. Despite the 4wd which was such a blessing, driving was a nightmare yesterday. I could honestly say that it was only prayers which got us up the snowy Yonkers hills, sustained us on the icy highways, and guided us through the invisible ramps into safety. All glory to God. One wrong turn, a small inaccurate judgment or even the smallest skid by one of the neighboring cars could have made a difference. It is at these moments, you realize how awesome God is and you can't thank Him enough.

The snow plowers continue to pile up snow on either side of the road and the house owners strife to clear walkways and driveways. The norm of life halted and the "state of emergency" kicked in and there in lies the limitation of human beings. I love every bit of this insecurity.

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving day starts for many of us with friends and families greeting each other via phones, emails, text messages or perhaps in person. With all the celebrations, preparations, and formalities associated with this holiday, I often wonder if the real meaning of thanksgiving is perhaps lost in the plethora of every mediocre American family. Text messages use "Happy Turkey Day" instead of "Happy Thanksgiving Day". People try their best to avoid family get-together and are content with celebrating thanksgiving with a closed door mentality.

Thanksgiving day was filled with adventure, gratitude, and sincerity. We spent our thanksgiving in Sacramento, about 150 miles away from Reno, a getaway spot for most Reno residents. Driving through the Sierra- Nevada mountains during the winter months is an adventure due to unpredictable weather conditions. The weather was perfect and the drive was serene. We had traditional thanksgiving dinner with Jojochachan, Josychechi & Jovin, a family we really got to know since our move to Reno. We are thankful for their hospitality and sincerity. We also watched the movie "Up" with them, a great family movie. We drove back late that night watching the beauty of the silhouette of mountains ahead of us.

Blessings on Your Birthday!

Let me share my birthday wishes to my better half. Wishing you health, happiness, and longevity. May this year be filled with lots of blessings. Embrace the open doors, accelerate through green arrows, and kindle the smothering flames. May God bless you!

"The paradox of birthday is that when you add one year to your life, you are really subtracting one year from your life." Anonymous

Through the Eyes of a Child

Last Wednesday evening, Ajo and I attended a talk organized by UNR and a few other local sponsors in the Reno area. The talk was by Eva Kor, a holocaust survivor. Her one hour poignant speech amazed every soul in the lecture hall. Her ordeal and her survivor story was moving beyond words. Her childhood was not like any other childhood. Eva and her twin sister endured major road blocks in their life to survive. She said that though she got liberated from the camp on January 27, 1945, she was only able to liberate herself in the early 1990's when she decided to forgive. Forgiveness, what a powerful word! A word we often take for granted, a word we want to receive but not give, and a word that ultimately granted salvation through grace to every believer. Let us embrace our small blessings, value our life, and show gratitude to our existence.

Read more about Eva Kor at http://www.candlesholocaustmuseum.org/index.php?sid=26

Sky is the Limit

Today, we went to the Reno Air Race held in Stead, NV which is about 8 miles north of Reno. I was not quite sure as to what to expect at this event and that is precisely the reason we felt the need to join others who are the so called “air race fans.”The name of the event precisely conveys what it is all about – Racing of aircrafts. What is interesting is that we hardly hear racing and aircraft put together. We are familiar with land and water racing but not air racing.

This year, the US Navy “Blue Angels” did an Air Show for an hour or so. It was simply breath-taking, adventurous, and entertaining. It was a good treat for us. My husband took some catchy snaps. I sat on the bleachers with many others while I gaped at the limitless sky as I watched the aerial acrobatics of six aircrafts. Applause and cheering by spectators dominated the general ambience of the crowd. Their “graceful maneuvers” gave me goose bumps more than merriment as I continued to pray for safety for all. I wondered if it is possible to not have a tinge of fear as aircrafts performs acrobatics over your head and at times even less than a mile away from you. Perhaps, a seasoned viewer has surpassed the stage fear and all I need is time.

I have to say that I enjoyed the event. I admire the pilots and their performances, and the hundreds who worked back stage for a safe air show this year. Today when 29 young citizens got recruited to the US Navy for training, their oath ended like this “………help us God.” Let us always have those three words linger in our words, in our hearts and in our lives today and always.

The Mass Ascension

Why do people come back year after year to see the same sight? Hot air balloons look the same, the numbers remain pretty much unchanged, and an amateur photographer will probably have similar snaps year after year. Then why the return of the massive crowd to the Rancho San Rafael Park in Reno, NV?.

Today, we woke up at 5am to go to the “The Great Reno Balloon Race”, a yearly event enjoyed by the young and the old. This year was our second year attending yet it looked anew to us. Perhaps that is the sole reason people return year after year to see the same site.

An event like this is not plausible in many areas of US but yet among the few places in US, Reno happens to be one, about 3 minutes away from where we reside. We did stand in awe seeing the beauty when 100 hot air balloons launched last year. Today, once again we stood in awe like a first-timer. Pictures, movies, or words can never fully express the beauty and uniqueness felt by first-hand spectators. You have to there in person to see it for yourself and you will never regret it.

Ribbed out

Had a busy weekend. We celebrated Onam with a small malayalee community in Reno on Saturday. We went to the Nugget Rib Cook-Off Saturday evening AND Sunday, hence the title "Ribbed out" for my blog. I haven't seen such a crowd in Reno. We were stuck in traffic and had to wait 30-45 minutes for parking. Wait... Am I really talking about Reno/Sparks area! It would be utterly irrational to whine since a whole year of Reno/Sparks traffic is not nearly as bad as daily traffic and event parking issues faced by New Yorkers.

This year, it was the 21st annual rib cook-off and our first time attending. People from near by California cities drive-in to attend this event, hence the traffic and the crowd. They had some great ribs and though a little pricey it was worth it. Years from now, we can remember driving after church on a Sunday to get ribs since we weren't quite satisfied with the previous day. After all, life is just bunch of these moments.

Happy Anniversary & Happy Onam

This year our anniversary and onam fell on the same date.
First about Onam:
Reflecting back to my childhood days, I remember picking flowers and doing my own onapookkalam in front of our house in Kerala. The first thing which comes into my mind when I think about onam now is the "thiruvathira kali" (a form of dance performance in a circle). For about 2 years during my elementary school, I learned this form of dance and performed in multiple stages. Those days are long gone but the memories still remain.

Obviously, today is more of a special day for us since we are celebrating our 3rd year together as a married couple. Three years has breezed by. It just feels like yesterday when the remnants of hurricane Ernesto swept through New York on Sept 2, 2006. A day filled with joy, excitement and much more. I am thankful to God for a wonderful husband. We hold on to one promise for we know that "He who promised is faithful".

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Today was a calm and peaceful anniversary. We had lunch at Claim Jumper, a chain restaurant mostly in the west coast. We walked to the Truckee river in downtown Reno and we spent some time in the tranquil riverside. We wrapped up our day with a warm coffee and returned home.