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Our house will finally feel like home

Soon enough, our neighbourhood will be dotted with parents - they'll be making new friends, exchanging 'back home' notes, and planning walking schedules with one another

We all love Dubai winters. It's not just because we can spend more time outdoors, but because this is that time of the year when our parents visit. 'The weather is perfect,' we tell them and they agree to come after much coaxing. On our part, we begin to count days. We constantly check on their visa status, calls are made to book the tickets in a way that maximum weekends fall during their visit days. Excitement reaches its peak as the day approaches. We become the 'parents' for a while, and wait for the 'children' to arrive! It's such a beautiful feeling.
Last week, I got an invite from a friend's place; her mum and dad are visiting. 'What do you want to eat, rather what all do you want to eat?' she asked. We showed up, ate a lovely meal, and, of course, couldn't get enough of it. We spoke about my mum's special dish and when she would visit. Another dinner invite - the menu and date were set.
As I look around, I notice how everyone is busy. The second bedroom is being cleaned and made comfortable. Shelves in the wardrobes are being cleared, to make space for parents' clothes. A colleague decided to reorganise her kitchen before her parents land.
'Mum will not be impressed with it in its current state,' she laughed. Lists of what we need from home have already been shared in the family WhatsApp group. The grandchildren can't wait to enjoy the pampering, freedom, and love only grandparents can provide.
And the icing on the cake? Grandparents' day being celebrated at schools, which invariably happens during this time of the year. Soon enough, our neighbourhood will be dotted with parents - they'll be making new friends, exchanging 'back home' notes, and planning walking schedules with one another.
Watching television will become a family affair and a looked-forward to activity. We wouldn't mind watching what my mum and dad like - daily soaps, 24/7 news, reality shows.. This time around maybe we should try and introduce them to Netflix.
Suddenly our house will begin to feel like home.
As I type this, I have a long list to attend to. Mum and dad enjoy wheat rusks with their tea - need to stock that up. Last winter, mum had made pickle for us, as well as for many friends - I need to cross-check with the friends on their preferences for this year.
Friends want to fix a politics-only chat evening with dad, they enjoyed it last time. I need to refer to my list of the new places that has opened up in Dubai between their last trip and now. Must-go-to: Louvre, Abu Dhabi. Dubai Safari, Dubai Frame . and more.
Oh! How can I forget the 'suitcase opening ceremony' something my sister and I anxiously wait for. I can't wait for both of us to sit around mum's and dad's suitcases to receive the gifts they've brought for us! We still fight over the colours, shapes, and sizes peeping into what the other has got even before looking at what each of us have got.
How fast we become children when our parents are around.
Well, I am going to be busy for the next few days. But how many days are left? Let me count and get back.
- purva@khaleejtimes.com