"We have been given a gift,
we have been given a road,
and that road's name is...
Rock and Roll!"

CAUTION: DOG ON BOARD!

FOR MORE PICTURES OF BULLET THE BLACK LAB, CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW:

1. Sniffing already!, 2. Let sleeping dog lie.., 3. Joey's sleeping too!, 4. Bullet & Joey the toadzilla, 5. Boring Joey, 6. When Joey dares..., 7. Bullet wins! Paws down!, 8. Joey strikes again!, 9. Blur: that's why Bullet!, 10. Strings attached, 11. Tug of war, 12. Teething troubles, 13. With its pet, Joey, 14. Playmates, 15. Playmates-II, 16. Oh My Dog!

Finally, we have a pet to take care when diving out of town. In fact, the decision to get a pet has been hanging fire for long. "Where do we keep it when going for movies?" "How about visiting in-laws in Lucknow?" Blah, blah, blah and blah. In fact, when we got Bullet (see pic), it was late in the evening. The kid was hungry and the friend who managed the deal (BTW, he too got a pair of labs the next morning), wanted to celebrate. Cafe Coffee Day guys were sweet enough to allow Bullet with us. Maybe, it was his size or whatever. But right now, I'm more concerned about driving and how to manage Bullet on board. Here are some tips I've compiled from here and there. I promise to do a biggr piece when I actually travel with Bullet in tow!

1. Before leaving home, especially if you haven't had your dog for long, take her on a test drive. Unlike what you think, not all dogs are good travellers. Some get extremely anxious; others suffer from car sickness. Dogs like that are better left behind with someone responsible caring for them.

2. If your dog, like most, loves to ride in the car, great. Invest in a safety seat, restraint, or carrier to keep her extra secure.

3. Pack water and a plastic drinking bowl and allow her frequent stops to drink and relieve herself.

4. Bring dog food and treats from home.

5. Keep her on the leash at all times.

6. Don't allow her to stick her head out the window. She could fall out, be hit by debris, or get something in her eye. You don't want to spend any of your vacation time and loot in a strange veterinarian's office.

7. Never leave her alone in a locked car in heat or severe cold. The hotter it is, and the longer you are gone, the more likely she will suffer terribly and perish in this situation.

CERTAIN THINGS YOU MUST CARRY ON BOARD: His own blanket, or cuddly toy - A little comfort from home goes a long way, even if Mom and Dad are sitting in the front seat. Anxiety and stress can do funny (and smelly) things to a dog, like diarrhoea, and nausea. Not pleasant to drive with.
Spare leash and collar And keep it handy. Not only good for the dog, but a spare leash can used for many things, including tying a splint in place if somebody breaks a bone. And if you put two six foot leashes together, you'll have a twelve foot lead should you need to secure your dog to anything, for any length of time.
First Aid Kit Something every vehicle should have, regardless of pets or children. In an emergency, you never what you will need, keep a fully stocked first aid kit in your vehicle at all times, since accidents can happen at any time.
Veterinary records Simply because you never know when you might need them. They'll prove invaluable if you end up having to rush your pooch to the local veterinarian's office for whatever reason.

HOW GREEN IS MY CAR!

For all Honda lovers, here's some good news: The completely redesigned 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid, the most economical and environmentally responsible gasoline-powered Civic ever, has been adjudged the least polluting car to drive in the world. Which means even if you are not driving one of those green cars, at least you own one that flaunts the word H...By the way, Honda City enjoys the tag of one of India's least polluting machines on the road!

We all know how you can save on gas by taking your time. Here's more on how to get the best out of your car...

Change your filters regularly. Changing just the air filter can increase your mileage by up to 10%. If you are automotively challenged, just ask the dudes at the oil change shop to do it.

Topping off your gas tank can increase the amountof ground-level ozone and other air pollutants. Fill 'er up, but don't go crazy, and we’ll all breathe a little easier.

Keep local waterways clean by checking for leaks under the car. Just a few quarts of oil can contaminate a million gallons of water.

Join a car coop and reduce your driving by over 50%.

EXTRAORDINARY MACHINE!

If ever there was an anthem for the Weekend Warrior, this be it...

I certainly haven't been shopping for any new shoes
-And-
I certainly haven't been spreading myself around
I still only travel by foot and by foot, it's a slow climb,
But I'm good at being uncomfortable, so
I can't stop changing all the time

I notice that my opponent is always on the go
-And-
Won't go slow, so's not to focus, and I notice
He'll hitch a ride with any guide, as long as
They go fast from whence he came
- But he's no good at being uncomfortable, so
He can't stop staying exactly the same

If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me, or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine

I seem to you to seek a new disaster every day
You deem me due to clean my view and be at peace and lay
I mean to prove I mean to move in my own way, and say,
I've been getting along for long before you came into the play

I am the baby of the family, it happens, so
- Everybody cares and wears the sheeps' clothes
While they chaperone
Curious, you looking down your nose at me, while you appease
- Courteous, to try and help - but let me set your
Mind at ease

-Do I so worry you, you need to hurry to my side?
-It's very kind
But it's to no avail; I don't want the bail
I promise you, everything will be just fine

If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me, or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine

_ Fiona Apple

AAYI JHOOM KE BASANT...

Peeli, peeli, sarson phooli,
Peeli udey patang,
Peeli, peeli udey chunariya,
Peeli pagri ke sung...
Here's s a sure-fire sign to tell you spring's already here. No, Basant Panchmi is a wrong answer. The correct answer is your kid suddenly looks dark and dingy in his grays, blacks, and brown fashions that were ever-so-hip even a month ago. And if your kid is like mine, here's another sign: just like new foals snort, gallop, kick out their legs and just run without reason--he gets spring fever as well. That may be fine at home or at enrichment activities, but teachers still want their students to show focus and discipline.
I know, because I went for his PTA recently, minus his mother and the class teacher told me all.
Anyway, spring is also the perfect time for summer plans, and don't forget about ensuring your outings are kid-friendly. Swim lessons, special camps, amusement parks, and special field trips can require planning, transportation, work schedule flexibility, and affordability. Till that time, the good thing about living in Delhi is there is no dearth of rolling yellow fields of mustard around. You could just vroom a bit, bask in the yellow glory, stop at a roadside dhaba, sit on the charpoy and make good use of juicy sugarcane...ummmm!

Chanda bhi dekha, taare bhi dekhe,
Dekha suraj barson,
Par jis din se tujh ko dekha,
Man mein phooli sarson...

For all ye Weekend Warriors, here's what we read on a passing truck...
Aaj kal parson,
Jab phoolegi sarson,
Sajan ghar aa jaana...

NOT 'WHAT' BUT 'HOW'

Something tremendous is happening in India. Even one of my favourite columnists, Gurcharan Das, with his keen eye and often elegant prose, has his finger firmly on the pulse of the transformation…All those who love reading his column in TOI on Sundays know how his stories enliven what could easily have been a dull piece of economic history. How I wish we had more economists making you believe in India, its might and what we are capable of. How our rich country became poor and how it will be rich again.
Here, excerpts from his column on NH-8...

I was driving down from Jaipur to Ajmer. But I could have been anywhere. The six lane highway was a smooth beauty and the pot-holed India of the PWD was a hazy memory.
Then the wondrous colours of Rajasthan appeared and for an instant I thought I had entered a certain paradise, which seemed to unite modernity with tradition, world-class infrastructure with the ineffable loveliness of old India.
What makes the Jaipur-Kishangarh section of the golden quadrilateral special is that it is a true public-private partnership based on transparent legal contracts that might be a model for the world.
Such contracts have created a new level of trust and are enabling India to access funds, skills and technologies from the best companies in the world, who will build and operate our roads, ports, bridges, airports, and container trains, and transfer them to the state in 15 to 30 years.
Gajendra Haldea, an unusual economist-lawyer of integrity and conviction, drew up these model contracts at the Planning Commission. As a result, he is the most hated man in Delhi's infrastructure ministries. He has demolished opportunities for corruption.
Soon we shall have 20,000 km of highways, hundreds of private container trains, and many private ports and airports _ all in public-private partnership. These quiet steps teach us that reforms are not about the 'what' but the 'how'. They are less about economics and more about law...

CUT TO KARJAT, AGAIN!