The catching up post + chocolate mousse recipe

Wow!

This space sure feels strange after a month plus long hiatus.  My mind is blank and typing words to form lucid sentences is a struggle. But I have to do this because I am going to take a small break again until the second week of May.  My last post was about my 3rd blog anniversary where I did mention that I had something exciting to share. Well that was so long ago that I really do not know what I was talking about then. So much has happened since then and it reaffirms my belief that happiness is in the moments and that state of mind. I didn’t share it back then and now it feels diluted.

Update 1 : A big portion of February ( read 20 days ), I spent writing 35,000 words for a fiction competition. This competition was announced sometime in September, 2012 and its deadline was 28th of February 2013. I started my research and some field work at the last moment because until then I did not have any story line in my mind. I started working on the draft on the 8th of February and started writing seriously by the 14th of February. It was during this writing journey that I came to appreciate the amount of effort professional writers put into their work. Writing 35,000 words turned into a daunting task with a full time job ( 10 plus hours)+ a hyper toddler+ chores + misc.  With barely 2 hours of sleep some days I did manage to turn out a fantasy fiction of 35,000 words by 11:59, 28th February. I am the last-minute-queen. This 20 day story writing exercise reminded me of my engineering college days. But as a student there weren’t as many responsibilities as I do now. So with that obvious difference factored in, I was drained by the time I finished my task. Once it was over for a week or so I felt lost like a big part of my life was over. It was such an engaging and challenging process that I don’t remember the last time I felt so engrossed in any project. My family and friends were such a huge support especially my brother without whom I wouldn’t have completed this on time. My hubby and my friends at work and outside helped me proof read  my story. The results of this writing competition will be out in this month or early May. So that is something I am definitely looking forward to.

Update 2: In between, I had the opportunity to contribute my thoughts towards women empowerment to Sabaya Magazine (Bahrain)

          I have shared this write up on my other blog–>dazzlersdiary

Update 3 : Another feature about a Mother’s Day special in Bahrain Confidential. I shared my recipes of carrot cake  that is a tad bit special with the addition of pineapples and a healthy egg and veggies breakfast. Both of these recipes have been featured in my blog many months ago.

Update 4: Work was the theme of the month for March.15-16 hours of working took a toll on my health – both mental and physical. I had to cut off from everything including the blogging, all social networking sites etc. Whatever little time I did get I turned it towards my family and entertained a few guests in between this madness, threw a birthday party,  nursed a sick child, travelled for work, went to a spa and shopped to de-stress  So all in all it was a mixed bag.

Update 5: Now for the last update for this post is definitely the best and the most exciting for me. We are taking a trip to France for 10 days. We have a day in Amsterdam and then several days between Paris and Nice. I can’t wait for my vacation to start. I am looking forward to unwind and experience Paris in its best weather. It would be cold but it would be wonderful to experience that chill as the scorching summers have already set in here, in Bahrain. I want to take this vacation and come back inspired and rejuvenated. Oh, did I miss out mentioning that I would be celebrating my birthday at the Eiffel tower! Yippeee!

Now to end this post with some scrummy pud. I made these chocolate mousse for some guests. It is a great recipe and doesn’t take much time to put together. I made these again with more coffee than chocolate which I then called the expresso mousse.

With this I end my post with the promise to be back with my Paris culinary adventures and some culinary insights.