The long weekend was approaching. Nina wondered if she could host a party at her place to reciprocate all the parties and get-togethers they had been attending over the last year.
Yes, a three day weekend was ideal! Preps from Fri eve through Saturday, party on Sunday and Monday to clean, catch up on chores and maybe even relax. Perfect plan! Now to call Nikhil and drop the bomb on him.
Nikhil had very specifically planned on doing absolutely nothing on the long weekend. He'd been dreaming of sleeping all through Saturday, eating and watching TV, catching an afternoon nap on Sunday and maybe they'd watch a movie at the new mall on Monday to keep the kids happy. But no, Nina was buzzing about this party that would be the end of all his carefully planned weekend scheme.
On top of it, he had to take charge of the entire drinks menu.
Saturday
Nina was whirring like a dervish, flitting from room to room. Duster in one hand, phone in the other she dusted, cleared, rearranged the whole house, room by room while barking out lists to the vegetable vendor, screaming at the hapless Neel and Varun for the umpteenth time to not keep their toys always lying where people would be bound to trip over them. She sidled up to the kitchen for a cozy chat with her cook to motivate her to not let her down like she usually did.
Nikhil had been tirelessly going through all the youtube video tutorials there were on making ice. It was not an easy task. Getting the perfect, sparkly, crystal clear cube was an art. That reminded him, he must check if they had enough ice-trays. By afternoon, he'd memorized all there was to know on the art of ice-making. He decided to put the knowledge to work now.
The freezer revealed 2 bars of icecream, frozen peas, a bowl of a strange green colored dessert that he fervently prayed wasn't meant for the party, some boxes of dryfruits....but where were the ice-trays?
Panic-attack! "Ninaaaa......"
Now how on earth was he supposed to know that the ice-trays would be in the children's art basket? And who used ice-trays as painting palletes? Nina, of course!
Scourging the tarnished trays took some serious grit and determination and bravely he rose to the occasion. The trays were now nearly back to their original color.
With a steady hand he poured water (twice boiled to be specific) into the trays, draining off any excess and gently wiping away any stray drops, exactly like the tutorial instructed.
An idea struck him, a brainwave infact! What if he made flavored ice cubes like he'd seen in that show-off Thakkar's place? That guy couldn't stop bragging about his strawberry daiquiri cubes....now he, Nikhil would show him something even better!
Bless the souls who selflessly upload the web with lifesaving hacks and tutorials, Nik thought gratefully as he browsed the umpteen videos on making mind-boggling, exotic ice cubes. From Bloody Mary to Tequila shot flavored cubes, it was a whole new dimension he was venturing into.
He gracefully concluded that he would settle for something within his reach. The Blue Lagoon cubes sounded exciting and doable. All he needed was a spot of blue Curaçao and a dash of lemon juice in his ice-ice-ice baby!
Blue curaçao seemed untraceable in the kitchen and hunting for it with the formidable cook, Sheela maushi reigning over it was next to impossible. "Ninaa....."
Hmmph! So much for creativity and invention! What can one do when the basic infrastructure is so lacking? Is it so difficult to stock blue curaçao or tabasco or lime cordial or Kahlúa or whatever? Nik settled for some 'nimbu ka ras' and 'pudine ka patta' that the cook graciously smuggled him after a verbal shoutdown from Nina when he asked her for that blasted blue curaçao! He would show her, real talent doesn't need great ingredients. It's just the technique and knack! With the finesse of a Michelin star cook he tossed the 'local produce' into the ice tray and dexterously transferred them into the freezer.
Sunday
The table was groaning with everything from noodles, pizza and pasta to idli-sambhar, dahi-wada and pav-bhaji.
The guests were all over the house, kids romping over carefully dusted sofas, adults wiping fingers on curtains, music blaring and laughter all across.
Nina keep a steady flow of starters and snacks running while Nikhil enthralled the company with his steady supply of jokes.
Suddenly Nina jabbed Nik from behind and whispered,"Get the drinks started, will you?"
Nik immediately excused himself and went to the kitchen. The counter was laden with crockery of every size and shape. The glasses were thankfully kept fore-front, sweaky clean and ready for some action!
He pulled out the ice-trays and emptied the perfect flavored cubes into his latest acquisition - a Champion's trophy shaped ice-bucket, bit of bummer considering India lost it, but still he was quite proud of it.
Now to get the spirits and he'd be ruling the party! He hunted the fridge from top to bottom, unrelenting to its irritating alert beeps of door open. Not a spot of alcohol! A cold chill ran down his spine....he was supposed to get the booze yesterday! But what with all the hassle of the ice-cubes, he'd totally forgotten.
Monday
Nina was in bed with a book having decided to postpone 'Operation Clean-Up' till her aching bones agreed to co-operate. Oh, well the party had been a success after all, she mused. They had all laughed endlessly at Nik's faux-pas! Who cares that between herself and Sheela maushi, they'd messed up most of the dishes or there was no rum in the Mohito?
All's well if you have good friends who tell you of the bigger blunders their husbands have made! Nina chuckled at the thought of Thakkar's guffawing face going pale as his wife narrated how he'd put the pasta in the dustbin and the vegetable peels in the fridge while helping her out in the kitchen.
But seriously no one could beat Nik....I mean what is it about Men and Ice?
Image source: Pixabay
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Psst....Nik insists I share this Youtube tutorial: How to make Crystal Clear Ice cubes
Read other stories from Nina's World:
14. Home Shanti Home
Disclaimer: All the characters in the Nina's World series are fictional, any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental and unintentional.
Linking this post to the BAR-A-THON edition 2 at Blog-A-Rhythm
I am writing on today's prompt which is: Of Ice and Men
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