It is week three of life feeling tedious and at least a little dismal, but I plow on.
I made significant progress on the work website front. The upgrade to Squarespace 7.1 wasn’t as painful as I anticipated, though every page does need to be redone. The project and research pages are finalised, design-wise. I think I can publish the new website next week (couple of weeks, tops), even if small improvements and some additions happen over the remaining year.
The kick-off meeting for a new 10-month long project happened mid-week, and I am letting some thoughts and ideas marinate in my mind before I have to begin work properly in October. I filed photographs and captions for an essay I submitted to the International Institute for Asian Studies’ biannual periodical.
On the weekend, Amber and I went for a stroll around Sablon Design Market, where I picked up a beautiful eco-printed scarf. As we were walking back to the tram stop, we chanced upon the Jardin des Sculptures just as it was about to close. What a lovely little spot! We also traveled to Leuven to partake in an Onam sadhya. Over the next few days, we watched two fantastic films: Jim Queen and the Quest for Chloroqueer and The Invite. I finished the last of the The Bangalore Detectives Club books. I stuck with them because they were doing the job — something mildly entertaining to read before bed — but I didn’t end up a fan. Since I have been dipping in and out of the Phryne Fisher series, I happened to read Cocaine Blues, which is the first of the lot. And so I decided to read them all in order: two down, twenty one more to go. No Prixel Press last week, and I am missing my art time. Right at the end of the week, Aadarsh and I had a catch-up. Plans for India continue to come together: Prateek and Rhea booked their tickets to visit Delhi, and we should be able to settle Amber’s parents’ trip over the weekend.
After last week, I think I will start recording small gastronomic updates. This time around, highlights from the kitchen include buttermilk roast chicken with coloured carrots, potatoes and beans; green peas and zucchini soup with coconut milk and Thai green curry paste; lettuce cups with red pepper lentils; Purneetha’s mom’s no-oil matar paneer with chapatis and raita; and pizza with a smear of homemade tomato sauce, spinach, onions and hot honey.
Amber’s arm still needs to be in a sling when he steps outside; in fact, he hurt himself again × 2. This time by walking right into a glass door that he thought was open. On top of that, he had a taxing week at work, and so try as we might, that stress has seeped into home life.