Forest Park Farmers Market

We are vegetarians and love fruits and veggies. So, today I went to Forest Park Farmers market. I have never seen such a market in USA. It was sort of what we have in India, but here much bigger because there's plenty of space available. Most of the stall owners/farmers didn't have refrigeration systems unlike most stores and markets in US. They don't give receipts nor do they have any systematic checkout system. You buy and pay cash. Some vendors are just wholesale, some do retail too.

I spent about an hour there, I had to come back early to pick up my son. In an hour I couldn't see the whole market, it was that huge. And it was really cheap (I mean real cheap) I have no idea how can they afford to sell at that rate. I wonder if they even know the cost of fruits and produce at publix / kroger. The prices I paid for fruits/veggies, I don't think I would get (some of them) it in India, considering Mumbai is so expensive. Here's what I bought today

3nectarines + 3 plums = $1.00
Potatoes 4lbs @$0.75/lbs = $3.00
Okra 2lbs @1.5/lbs = $3.00
Coconut 1 = $1.00
Tomatoes 8 big vine ripe = $3.00
clementine oranges 6 = $1.00
cucumbers 8 big = $3.00
Lemons 4 = $0.50
Guvava 1 = $2.00
Strawberries 1 pack = $1.00
I pay minimum $2.50 (if it is on sale) to get the same strawberries.

Can you believe it ?

It's too far from my place about 20 miles one way. I don't think I'll be driving this far every week. May be once every 2-3 weeks. Next time, I'll see things which I missed today.

If you are in Atlanta or nearby, check this place. Don't expect anything fancy. There were some things I couldn't find, next time I want to look for cherries, curry leaves. There was one vendor selling cherries for wholesale about 10 bags. Good if you have couple of friends to share with. I must add I didn't have time to see other buildings.

Have a great day!!

Veggie mobile and updates from this side

I recently found out about Veggie mobile check here . I just love this concept. In India, I actually like the small fruit/veggie sellers on the road who keep moving from one place to another in their carts and they do have fresh stuff. It is so so convenient. This veggie mobile in NY, I wish they had it in Atlanta too.
Any ways, Its been so long I wrote an update. My son will start school this fall twice a week(tue/thu). I am sending him to summer camp at the same school - 3 days a week(tue/wed/thu). Its been 4 weeks he has started going to school. It took him a while to get adjusted. Although he is still fussy when I pick him up. I don't think he's eating well at school. I have no idea how to teach him to eat on his own at school.
Last week I took him to Kids museum, he had a blast there. Next time I am taking the membership. We also went to zoo. He had fun though it was hot.
I want to start contributing to open source software projects, somehow I haven't been able to motivate myself. I have done quite a bit of open source work in the past. I know I can do it, but taking the first step seems like a big hurdle. Any advice ladies please?

I'm back

Well I'm back from India after about 2 months of vacation. We came back on 5th may. It was great relaxing trip. I spent about a month with my parents and sisters in Mumbai. Then DH came to India and we spent about 3 weeks in Indore at my in-laws place. We all came back together.

I was very worried about flight with DS, but it wasn't too bad. While going my flight reached surprisingly an hour early and he slept most of the time. While coming back flight was an hour late and absolutely full. It wasn't too bad.

DS took a long time to adjust in Mumbai - Jet lag, unknown people and unknown place. He was extremely fussy. After initial 8-10 days, he had a great time. I was really surprised. He had started going on his own to neighbor's houses. He would cry if we don't let him go. He would go and even eat there - this was the best part. This is what I love about Mumbai - neighbors.

What did I do - ate like a pig (love roadside sandwiches in Mumbai), read few books, watched movies, did shopping. My parents are looking for a match for my sister. May be this was the last time I had vacation time with her, before she gets married.

My son turned two, this April. We had family get-together in Indore. He had fun with balloons and balloons.

After I came back, house feels so empty, just me and DS. On top of it my laptop wasn't working. (hard drive crashed). So it took me some time to fix it. I was about to order a new laptop instead of fixing this one. But then I did fix my laptop and I am pleased with myself. (Although took a day or two of reloading OS and all drivers, software etc)

That's all for now, more later.

Things going wrong

Laptop's hard drive broke. Desktop barely works.
My son has fever - cold, cough, sore throat. I have sore throat too. We are going to India next week (10th march). Both of our bathrooms don't have light. I can probably fix one.
What else has to go wrong ?

Updates

Today took DS to library to check out some books for him. Somehow he doesn't seem interested in reading books. He would read just word books - like baby's first 100 words (only one word per page). I tried GoodNight moon book with him couple of times - he simply turns the pages, not stopping a second for me to show him anything. He is 21 months - am I expecting too much ?

While we were coming back, he decided to sleep on the road. Yes! He was calm, quiet walking and all of sudden, he is lying down straight on the road. What was he thinking! Today he did this for the first time so I am quite amused - I am sure I'll be ready to hit him, next time he does that.

You know, last month or so - I have noticed quite a few changes in him.
-He's growing up fast and a part of me isn't very excited about it.
-He is getting harder to discipline, if I tell him 'no' for something he laughs at me and does the same thing again. Is this the indication of terrible twos approaching ?
-He is showing some interest in recognizing Alphabets.
-Although I realized one problem : he is recognizing alphabets but he isn't speaking. If I point to alphabet 'A' and ask him what is it. He is not able to say 'A', stares blank at me and goes on to do his own thing. On the other hand if I ask him where's 'A' - he'll point to it. For that matter he'll not say any alphabet except 'B'.
He isn't talking words clearly yet. I have seen kids younger to him talk sentences. Not very worried yet but yes I am very well aware that he is going to talk late. I'll discuss with his pediatrician next appointment.

Random Stuff

My son is now 21 months old. Recently I started giving him bite size oreo cookies (with cream filling in between two cookies). First time I gave him cookie, he removed the cream and ate the cookies. I was surprisingly pleased. (Wow! he doesn't like cream). This continued for a while. And now, when I give him oreo, he just eats cream and leaves the rest for me to eat. I wonder how did this 21 mon old figure out just to lick the cream and leave the rest. He hasn't seen anyone do it.
And now I am going to lick the cream myself and give him the cookie crusts. How's that ?

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We are planning trip to India. Somehow this time I am skeptical rather than being excited. I really don't want my vacation to be ruined because of my son. He is good at throwing tantrums. He doesn't know my parents and sisters. I am praying and keeping my fingers crossed. Last time when I took him to India he was 4.5 months. As soon as I got out of mumbai airport he started crying and cried for 4-5 hours. He slept after that and was a good baby. Now since he is grown up, keeping him happy in the flight will be a task too. Any tips please?

Snow Snow Snow!!

It hardly snows here in Atlanta. If at all it snows, its once a year otherwise no snow. Today it was the second time snowing here, enough snow to make a snowman. I was excited. So here are few pictures :

Little things

Well, I didn't go anywhere. Still here. Me and my miserable life, my meaningless existence. Do you ever feel this - 'meaningless existence' ?
Okay, I have decided not to write negative stuff - because right now - I am full of it. So I'll write little good things in my everyday life.
Took my son to park yesterday - after a looooonnngg time. Its very cold here - so going to park is not always feasible. Weather was good yesterday - so we went there. He had fun and I enjoyed watching him. Yesterday he figured out how to climb on to slide on his own. So he was busy doing that for a while. One day I would like to spend about an hour in the park. Normally I am there for about 15-20 mins. I guess I'll get tired in an hour running behind him.

Today we went for a walk in our apartment complex. He generally likes climbing up and down - running around. So while we were coming back from our little walk - I asked him to kiss me, amazingly he showered me with kisses. He almost kissed me every time I asked for it.

Also went to the container store, one of my favorite places. Bought some containers for spice storage. Liked it - might get some more.

More later.

Happy new year

Wish you all a very happy new year.

I'm moving on...may be not... may be I would like to..when ... where...how...don't know.

Thankyou dear friends.