28th April to 4th May 2025 (Monday to Sunday)

This week went by incredibly fast. There were many meetings at the office, and work is really gearing up. I didn’t get time to explore anything beyond work.

This week, Nidhi did many cooking experiments. She loves cooking and experimenting with food. She made the following dishes throughout the week:

I forgot to take photo of Bhindi kadhi

On Sunday, we made idli sambar. I tried my hand at making sambar following Nidhi’s instructions. It turned out nice for a first attempt.

We went grocery shopping at a superstore. We reflected on how we’re becoming disconnected from local kirana stores and small businesses. We’ve started referring to malls and superstores as “Maya Bazaar.” We’re going to try finding ways to purchase more items from kirana stores—less superstore shopping, less Blinkit ordering, and less Instagram-influenced purchasing.

Nidhi did some trial English-to-Hindi translation work for NCF outreach. If selected, she’ll be doing translations related to nature and biodiversity.

Setting up our composting system and buying plants are still pending. Time seems to rush from one task to another, leaving me feeling neither rested nor free from the tension of uncompleted tasks.

It was enjoyable having lunch and dinner together on Saturday and Sunday. We often feel the urge to watch something while eating. We’ve started watching old shows like “Vikram Vetal” and “Byomkesh Bakshi.” We try to select shows that Mom can also enjoy.

We watched the Gujarati film “Reva.” Though Nidhi and I had seen it before, we watched it again with Mom.

Nidhi is collecting seeds from the fruits we’re eating.

I started taking ragi malt for breakfast and am loving it.

Mom is okay. Things are on hold. Let’s see what happens next.

We want to launch an Instagram page for our nature education/experiential learning initiative. We’ve named it ‘Khojbeen Mandali,’ embodying the spirit of curiosity, wonder, and inquiry. A bunch of friends are helping us create a logo and Instagram templates. I could have started with the basic elements I already have, but I’m really enjoying the process of crafting an identity and translating ideas into visuals. This has been the highlight of my week, along with, of course, the delicious food prepared by Nidhi and Mom. I’m very grateful to them.

This week involved no reading apart from office work, and no music either. I need to get back to reading.

Overall mood : I am ok, not in much stress. I am trying to keep my self calm and happy.