Daily Prompt: The Perfect Game

You’re set to play poker( or Scrabble or something else…) with a group of four. Write a story set during the game, or describe the ideal match: the players, relationships,__ and the hidden rivalries.

Ideal Match– four players are:

Evelyn – my friend

Valerie- neighbor

Ranu- me

Selina – daughter

The tiles are taken by each of us.We are allowed seven tiles, they should be face down, so no one knows what the letters are. Each player should always have seven tiles, when some of the tiles are used they are allowed to get more  to  have seven at a time.

I start the game, out of the seven tiles I could only use three. Since I have used up three of my tiles, I had to pick four more tiles to make sure I always have seven tiles to work with.

I see Evelyn with a meaningful smile, oh no I thought, probably she can use all of her tiles at once. No she has used six of her tiles. It means she must pick up six more to make sure she has seven.

Valerie is deep in thought, an English prof. I bet she’d make an  unbelievable word, but she must have the right tile. She has placed five out of seven of her tiles on the board. The value of her tiles are higher than mine or Evelyn’s. Valerie has more points than us.

Next is Selina’s turn, she has a  crooked smile on her face. Wow! She used all her tiles. She picked up seven more tiles.

The first two rounds went well. The game was getting serious, I was getting tiles with less value and had the least points.

Valerie ,Selina and Evelyn were way ahead of me. The competition was among the three of them. This was the third round. Evelyn and I fell behind. Our points were way lower than Selina and Valerie’s.

After the third round, it was obvious that either Selina or Valerie had a chance to win.  Tiles with letters Q, X and Z were picked up by Valerie. She was able to make the word Quiz, she had the letters U and I. She was stuck with the letter X.

It was Selina’s turn, she was able to place her letters on the Quadruple word score. Her score was a bit higher than Valerie. Valerie was unable to use the  letter Z and ended up losing ten points from her total score. Selina was able to use all her letters on the board.

She was declared the winner!

…………………….. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tagore Song: ay pauthay ami je, posted and translated by Ranu

এ পথে আমি-যে গেছি বার বার, ভুলি নি তো এক দিনও ।
আজ কি ঘুচিল চিহ্ন তাহার, উঠিল বনের তৃণ ।।
তবু মনে মনে জানি নাই ভয়, অনুকূল বায়ু সহসা যে বয়-
চিনিব তোমায় আসিবে সময়, তুমি যে আমায় চিন ।।
একেলা যেতাম যে প্রদীপ হাতে নিবেছে তাহার শিখা ।
তবু জানি মনে তারার ভাষাতে ঠিকানা রয়েছে লিখা ।
পথের ধারেতে ফুটিল যে ফুল জানি জানি তারা ভেঙে দেবে ভুল-

I have traveled this path again and again,

Not a day have I forgotten.

Today its sign has disappeared,

Thick grass has taken its place.

In my mind I know, there is nothing to fear,

Favorable wind,blows unexpectedly-

A time will come when I will recognize you,

Because you know me.

The lamp I carried on my lonely walks

Has lost its flame.

Still my heart tells me

the stars have its address in their language.

On the side of the path the flowers that have blossomed

Will correct my mistake,

With their secret soft aroma merged in the sign.

…………………………….  🙂

Daily Prompts: The Sincerest Form of Flattery

Publish a post in the style of a favorite author/blogger or photographer.

I have so many favorite authors I find it difficult to combine their style and make it  my own. However that being said let me try Rabindranath Tagore. Although he has written fiction and non fiction, most of his writings that I know of are poetry and song lyrics.

I have translated a number of his poems and song lyrics. I’d like to write a poem using his style.

Maple tree: standing on one leg

Taller than others

Peeping at the sky.

Heart’s desire:  pierce through the black clouds,

All at once fly away_

Where will it get the wings.

This is why:        Right on top of its head

On its flat leaves

It spreads its wish

In its mind:        It thinks the leaves are its wings,

There is no  problem flying

Leaving its home.

All day:              split split(sound of dripping water)

trembles the leaves,

It feels its flying__

Imagines:           It will roam around in the sky

Avoid the stars

As if it will go somewhere.

Afterwards:     When   the breeze stops

The leaves stop trembling,

Its mind returns ___

The moment it thinks: The earth is its mother,

Loves it again

This world’s corner.

………………………………….   🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blogging 101, Blog event: Tasty Thursday( Day Thirteen)

I am posting the photograph of my tasty dessert, Bangladeshi style:

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1.1 1/4 cups full cream milk powder

2. 1/2 cup self raising flour

3.3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

4. 125g  package  cream cheese

5. 1/3 cup milk, approximately extra milk

6. 375 g tub ghee(clarified butter)

7. oil for deep frying

Syrup

1. 2 litres (8cups) water

2. 4 cups (1kg) sugar

3. 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds (optional)

4. 1 tablespoon rosewater

1: puffs: combine milk powder , sifted flour, and soda in a bowl,rub in cheese until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2: knead mixture in bowl,gradually adding enough milk until mixture holds its own shape and slightly sticky to touch.

3. moisten hands with extra milk, roll level tablespoons of mixture into 30 sausage shapes.

4. Melt ghee(clarified butter) with enough oil to make depth of five cm in medium saucepan. Deep fry 8 puffs at a time for about five minutes or until golden brown and cooked through , stirring occasionally; drain on absorbent paper. Prick puffs well with toothpick, place into syrup, cover refrigerate.

Syrup: combine water and sugar in large saucepan, stir over heat , without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Stir in cardamom seeds(if you are using it), bring to boil, uncovered without stirring, for ten minutes( syrup should not change color) cool syrup slightly, strain into large bowl, add rose water, cool, serves 6.

Enjoy this  special dessert.

…………………………  🙂

Allow the gulab jamun to stand at room temperature while the syrup is absorbed.

 

The gulab jamun will plump up as syrup is absorbed. Delicious warm or cold. My daughter prefers them warm. Store in refrigerator.