And it’s April even before we know it .

This last month of March has literally marched ahead taking me along with it. It was a a mixed bag with half of it spent in the New World and the other half spent in the Old .

I have a lot of things to be grateful for this month – chief among them being surviving a winter I was totally infamiliar with.

Although I had gone to New Jersey to experience first hand for myself what a North American winter could be, I never expected to experience three severe nor’easters ( as they were called ). Luckily Daughter No1 lives in a complex that wasn’t affected but several people had days without electricity. And if you are in sub-zero temperatures that’s not a good idea. So I’m grateful that despite the storms, my winter was fairly comfortable.

Castles in the Snow

This month has been a mixed bag with two halves of the family. My NJ half is an all girly affair and I am thrilled that I could spend time with the delightful Ms.Papaya. Despite the fact that I didn’t have appropriate foot wear, I did take her properly clad to the courtyard one day to play in the snow. Unfortunately after the snow settles, it becomes hard and we had to improvise with beach pail and space to make snow castles .

Animals and Food

This month I ate a real AmericanBurger in a real American restaurant called The Committed Pig. With a fat friendly copper pig waiting outside, I could just about wait for a quick snap in the 0 degree weather.

But I more than made up for the cold with a hot chicken broth and Monkey Bread as a tea time snack at the Neiman Marcus Cafe.

Flying is always fraught with tension. Luckily I survived two long distance flights despite ONE hour of turbulence. I am grateful that I could ride this one out.

Back home

While Ms Papaya was sad to see me go, Little Po and Wow Dinga were happy to have me back. Wow Dinga turned 5 this March and I’m grateful he allowed us to attend his birthday celebrations. I’m quite sure next year he’ll ban me from hanging around .

News at home wasn’t all that cheery with 90 year old father-in-law taking to bed . I am grateful though that despite his pain and discomfort, his daughters are around to keep him as comfortable as they can.

So March has been a mixed month – with happy times, anxious times, family times and time with friends . It also has had moments of anxiety and stress . But that’s life I suppose isn’t it ?

Linking up with #MondayMusings hosted by Corinne.

Also linking up with Vidya Sury’s #Gratitude Circle.