Deeds Done, Memories Built: a Year to Remember 2011

Hi All:

We can't believe it's that time of the year again! Yet when we take a breath, we recall the many projects finished, wonderful hikes enjoyed, and an array of poignant memories. But all in all, a wonderful sense of fulfillment. We hope it was likewise for you and your loved ones. Before we bid adieu to 2011, here is a quick update on how the year treated us: Clan Sundaram - of 30 Shady Brook Lane, Old Greenwich (formerly of 19 West Bank Lane, Stamford).

Chitra had hardly got back from an emotion-filled visit to India in early January to ponder the passing of her Mom (Grandma Nirmala to the kids), when a series of snowstorms hit New England blanketing us with several feet of white stuff, but making our seasonal skiing a season to remember. The kids (and us) conquered the thrills of Thunder Ridge and Catamount with a winter vacation to Plattekill thrown in. Of course, being the East coast, ice was never far away (we figured we would get that in before any West Coast ski-snobs cut us short!) Incidentally, Plattekill is reviewed by "those who should know" as New York's best kept secret (http://thebeat.iloveny.com/plattekill-opens-season-with-improvements-discounts-and-an-award-3093.html). For Chitra, the moment of conquest came when she got down a Black Diamond that had only been partially groomed. When she politely asked Management why it was left like that, she was told it was quite intentional because skiers wanted it kept "natural". She then walked around with a distinct swagger, until she realized that Shobhita and Sarvesh hadn't even noticed the difference on the trail they zipped down!

Skiing season...ahem...we mean winter ended damply. Rain might have been welcome to the plants budding bravely, but for us it was a distinct pain as we tried to get our dear home in Stamford painted and readied for the spring sale market. We became very friendly with our painters (much to their distress), calling their cell phones every night to find out when they could finish the job. Finally, early May saw the culmination of months of preparation with an OPEN HOUSE. Would the house sell? Did buyers like it? For us a home, for others a potential dwelling; it was like giving away a child in marriage, with us the reluctant father of the bride! Luckily for us, the world was feeling very optimistic through spring, and in a couple of weeks we were considering competing bids, a bitter-sweet experience. So the end of June saw us move out of the home that had welcomed Sarvesh into our family into a sweet rental in Old Greenwich, within biking distance to the library and the beach. Wow, a great segway into Summer!

We shouldn't forget Shobhita's graduation from elementary school, which was a tearful moment. Westover Elementary had done very well indeed by her, instilling a great work ethic, giving her brilliance full exposure to academics, arts and sports. We couldn't have asked for more, and we know she will ever benefit from her association with that school. Sarvesh was very sad to switch schools mid-elementary career, but he quickly lost his regret upon hearing that at his new school (The International School at Dundee), he would not only get his OWN locker, but also get to audition for the Advanced Orchestra (as a violin player), both of which his older sis hadn't ever been able to have or do (does that hit a nerve for all younger siblings reading this blogpost? :)). Getting ready for her new career as a Middle Schooler, Shobhita jumped right in, visiting her new school in late summer and then aceing the Pre-Algebra and Advanced Literature tests she needed to do to get into the classes she wanted to be in ("I'll get bored if I'm in regular class" she quipped after one evening of review the day before the testing). We remain in awe both of Shobhita's effortless student work, and Sarvesh's effortless avoidance of it!

Summer saw us biking to Tod's Point with its amazing wildlife refuge and rolling beach, as well as endless hours of tennis on the weekends. Living "in town", where we've got used to biking to most things, is a wonderful switch from our erstwhile countrified living at West Bank Lane. Both uniquely beautiful experiences, but taken together so very enriching! When we were not having fun packing and unpacking boxes, we sweltered through 95 degree days, and deluges of rain. Rain in fact was the theme through both Spring and Summer, culminating as it did with Tropical Storm Irene that went straight for the coast of Connecticut. Waking up in the middle of the night of that storm and hearing the wind squeal through the trees was not an experience we ever want to repeat. Hurricanes, please kindly stick to the Southern coastline henceforth! We will also never forget the day after the storm with a literally "washed out" world around us: not a cloud in the sky and tons of trees lying on their backsides across the road and over powerlines! However, we got just one week of clear weather after that (during which we took Shobhita for her annual visit to the US Tennis Open), before the heavens opened out again (!). It dashed our hopes for a fine adult-only date of tennis viewing during the second week of the US Open. So yours truly went to work grumpily when we should rightfully have been calling out boos at players we didn't support, not a joy to be missed lightly.

As usual, the middle of Summer was graced by Shobhita's birthday as she soared to the Bingo-loved number of 11. We decided to surprise her royally and covertly procured a Kindle for her. You can check out whether she liked it or not on our video below! Let's just say if ever a match was made in heaven it was our beloved book-worm and Amazon's coveted brainchild.

In all this we must not miss our wonderful vacation to Acadia National Park in the great state of Maine. It was a landscape of pink granite, basalt, alpine greens and wild blueberries, all set against the backdrop of a majestic Atlantic Ocean. Could we ask any more? Well, biking on the lovely carriage roads of Mount Desert Island and the Schoodic Peninsula along with a touch of rock-climbing were asking for and getting more! A paradise of nature, and one from which we returned to Old Greenwich very reluctantly. Let us also not forget our memorable birding trip with Ed Hawkes, bird sculptor and bird watcher extraordinaire (http://hawkescarvings.com/index.phprvings.com/index.php), on which we walked with a troupe of Cedar Waxwings, spotted the grand Peregrine Falcon, actually managed to see the super-fast Ruby Throated Hummingbird, and even spotted a bunch of Seals lazing by the coastline!

The rest of the year is a blur really, with Vijay riding storm after storm at work as the financial markets took off on another rollercoaster, and UBS decided to create some tornadoes of its own. Chitra's biggest challenge was simply to figure out how to get Shobhita up and at school by 7:30am every morning. In her new school, Shobhita as usual immediately dissected all that was needed to ace her tough new academic schedule, play tennis twice a week, keep up her Violin and Indian Carnatic Music classes, and participate in a variety of debate, math and Wii-fit (you read right!) clubs. Sarvesh declined to be ambitious, feeling he had done enough by getting into the Advanced Orchestra. Instead he decided to pursue soccer in addition to Tennis and Karate, sending both his Mom and his Babysitter into a tizz about when to get him where he had to get to and with what gear! Fall thus passed us by placidly enough. We celebrated our wonderful Hindu festival of Navarathri, which pays homage to the Great Mother Goddess of our culture and her many exploits; and we survived a freak snowstorm at the end of October, comparatively mundane stuff given the rest of the year

And so the year-end rolls around. Wow, what an amazing year with a plethora of new experiences, some of which we look forward to continuing; others of which we will curtly bid farewell to and hope not to be "graced" with again! We confidently expect 2012 to be equally eventful (if not more so) as 2011. We arrive at this by the simple deduction that if you are in the company of Shobhita and Sarvesh, an adventure, however unwanted, is very likely. As we gird our loins and buckle our seatbelts, we want to wish you all a Wonderful 2011 past, and a Fabuous 2012 to come. We hope that all your adventures will be wanted, and all your wishes will be fulfilled in the New Year. Best wishes to you and your family and friends.

Lots of Hugs: Chitra, Vijay, Shobhita and Sarvesh.

CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF A FUN-PACKED YEAR: