"Home" Alone

My officemates and me (2nd from right)

Yup, I'm alone in my third home - the office. All my officemates are out for a team building, or shall I say team bonding at Initao Natural Park. Actually, I was supposed to be with them but during the meeting/planning, the office's Chief announced that there should one personnel to report for office to attend to some clients. She was referring to our sickly personnel because she's concerned with her health. But, I saw how sad she was upon hearing it. So I volunteered myself to be left in the office. Anyway, I told myself, I've already experienced the canopy walk, swimming, etc. My officemate was very happy I gave in. And so the whole day, I am alone in the office. And I find it not so boring hehe because I've done so many things instead: reading, studying, etc. with of course a little (and no pressure) office works. Not to mention the relaxing hours LOL! Then of course, I've posted to my blog again, at last. I've missed blogging the past two weeks.

Just Like Her?

Gep, my niece (daughter of my sis-in-law) is a very talkative li'l girl (6 years old). She often talks to herself in Tagalog dialect, inspired by some TV soap operas. If you'll observe her, well she's really a good actor, a drama princess who imitates the leading lady or the villain lol. But one thing I don't like about her is her attitude when she gets angry and doesn't get what she wanted. She'd cry or yell showing the 'no fear' attitude. Good thing she's afraid of me haha! One wrong word or action, I'll immediately correct her. I wouldn't tolerate her with that attitude as she'd grow up with a bad character. That's why she doesn't act that spoiled brat in my presence. One mealtime, my son commented on how noisy she is, that her voice is very irritating especially when she cries. I agreed, "Yeah, when she grows up and have a family of her own, she will be a noisy mom who'd always scold her children, blah blah blah like that." He replied, "Ah you mean, you were as noisy as Gep when you were a child, Ma?" Hubby laughed out loud (while I became speechless).

A Very "Discomforting" Thing

For two days I've been suffering the discomforts of "hmmm...roids". Mom advised applying it with Banana peeling. I hadn't done it yet because I've already applied it with Katialis - highly recommended by a friend. Sadly, it didn't work this time. I browsed the net for possible treatments so I wouldn't have to go to the doctor LOL! Acetaminophen is recommended , but only temporarily as it may "come again". There are so many things to do like increase water and fiber intakes and exercise (oww! I'm guilty on this), to name a few. Other causes include overweight (ulk!), etc. But the warning is, if it bleeds, we have to consult the doctor as it may be something more serious. I also thought that the main cause is constipation. But diarrhea also causes this kind of sickness. It pays to research about some early symptoms of sickness, but I guess going to a doctor would be best (but not with this [for me] LOL!). Anyways, I had this 'instinct' again, so I took Flanax because, it's anti-inflammatory. Indeed, I feel more comfortable now, thank God. Aside from instincts, folks, prayer is much needed in times of sickness - I mean ALL kinds of sickness!

Sunburn or Leg Burn?

Right after our Sunday service in church I changed my high-heeled shoes to slippers to relax my legs. While going home on our motorcycle, hubby told me to face left-side because it would be more comfortable for me and him as he drives. I insisted for the right side because the sun is on the left. I don't want to get sunburn hehe. Suddenly my slipper fall on the road. T'was timely that the motorcycle stopped because of the traffic. I hurriedly went down. But, my leg accidentally touched the muffler. Oh men, it was burning hot! Ouuuch! It felt like being cut by a blade. Until now I can still feel the pain and the dark mark is there. Hubby applied toothpaste. Hmm, I don't know if it's really effective. But maybe, because it did not swell (thank God). I thought, I should have chosen to get sunburn than leg burn!

The Freon

As I imagined, this is how it looked

My former co-employee Nitoy, a refrigerator and aircon technician once traveled to a rural area to attend to some customers' complaints. He brought along a metallic container for freon and other spare parts and materials for repair. It was a bit of a risky trip considering the recent ambush that happened near the area of his destination. Besides, the place was disturbed by some rebel attacks that time. But he had no choice. Every conveyance going to Lanao Del Norte must pass by that area. And so, boarding a full-packed jeepney (a type of conveyance), he put his things under his chair. Full-packed in the sense that some of the passengers were already sitting on top of the roof. As the jeepney was passing the very "quiet" place, the freon container suddenly exploded! It produced a very thick (but cold), white smoke. It's because, freon is supposedly to be kept on a cold or sheltered place to keep it cold. And since the flooring of the jeepney was very hot and it was already noontime, that caused it. All the passengers were very frightened and afraid. The driver stopped the engine and dove on the road and run. And all the other passengers jumped for their lives (LOL!) except Nitoy (of course, he knew it was his freon). He was left alone inside. Looking outside, he saw the people hiding behind the trees, others behind the big stones, eyes toward his direction. They thought it was another ambush. He said sorry to everyone (some got bruises). Good for him, he was not attacked by the other passengers. By the way, Nitoy already passed away years ago, but this is one story I couldn't forget about him.

Thanks, Guys!

Yesterday was my (oh my!) 40^th birthday. When I was a child I’ve been thinking, what would my life be at the age of 40? How would I look? How old would my kids be by that time? And many other curios questions. But now I know (lol!)…Anyways, there's nothing sweeter when you're awakened by a greeting and a kiss from your spouse (singing the birthday song), followed by the greetings from your excited kids and then text messages from friends and family members. I was about to prepare to go to the office when I thought, it was a chance for me to look for a house to rent (I'll post about this next time). That was a tiring thing to do (whew!). We returned home around 3:00 p.m. We left at 10:00 a.m. I was a bit pressured also because I had an assignment for the prayer meeting in the evening. But God is always great, He arranged everything that day. When me and my 2 kids arrived at our center at 6:45 p.m., I noticed that there was only one sister there when it was already late! Wow, how many people would be attending the prayer meeting? Then another 2 arrived and so on... then I saw some foods on the table. Hmm, I guess I know... During the service, people started coming in, bringing more foods! Before the end of the service, our pastor prayed for me (one very important thing that must be done on my birthday).

I was really happy how my birthday was spent. So guys, thank you very, very much. You just don't know how deeply touched I am. God bless you all! And of course, I thank my Heavenly Father Who's so gracious... always.

It's Gone!

I was exploring the blogs last week by trying out some editing in my themes, etc. I enjoyed doing it because my layout was changing from one design to another as I kept on clicking some designs looking (choosing) for nicer designs. The part that I'm afraid of in doing things like this is how would I undo some changes if ever, because I don't go much on thorough readings on instructions. I'd always assume I understand or know what I'm doing LOL! To my dismay, after some clicking, I found out that my Blog List is gone. Glad I recovered one (only!). Oh no, I'm sincerely sorry for those in my list before. I know it will take much time in recovering them but I will do it one by one... the risk of exploring...

A Belated Birthday Greetings

Happy birthday, Lalaine!

I've observed lately that I am often late in terms of greeting friends' birthdays. It's either I forgot it on the actual date or my time won't allow me to. But tonight, I promised myself not to sleep without greeting (late again!) another friend who's very dear to me - Love of Lalaine's World. If I were to describe her, well, I know everybody will agree when I say she's one of the kindest persons in the whole world (no kidding - read her mom's testimony of hers in A Glimpse From a Widow's Heart), a very reserved, soft-spoken, gentle, humble, etc. etc... Anyways, I am so blessed being her friend. Actually, when she decided to obey God's plan (for her to go to another place), I was saddened because I'm gonna be missing her. Obedient as she is, her life is full of blessings - with a comparatively good husband, beautiful kids (and great in-laws hehe). She is indeed a picture of a true Christian woman who deserved to be an inspiration and a model to all. Belated, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Love! and God bless you more abundantly.

Hannah's Birthday, Etc.

Virnee, Hannah and Mariano

Praise God, we arrived home safely at 9:00 last night from Iligan City. T'was a very tiring day. Going there in the morning and returned home that very evening. It's our presence that counts... My niece's birthday celebration was a success (thank God). Children really enjoyed the party especially the games. There were lots of birthday bags and prizes. The food was great too. Actually, t'was a triple celebration - Hannah's 2nd birthday, thanksgiving for my new nephew and my brother's bienvenida party (he came home from Ireland for a short break). When it was goodbye time (I hate this part), my sister reacted because she still wanted us to stay for the night. But we had to go home because my kids are going to school as early as 7:00 A.M. the following day. Hmm, it's really very different now that almost all of my siblings are already married. We seldom see each other anymore. But it's also enjoyable when we get together - like yesterday (each bringing their own families, with children who looks like their parents hehe). Children are really fun to be with! Mom has a total of eight grandchildren already.

To My Hometown

Tomorrow, my whole family will be travelling to Iligan City (my homewtown). It's the place where I've spent almost half of my life. I seldom come home because my time won't allow me to. But since the trip was scheduled two weeks ago, I was able to arrange my commitments so as not to create conflicts with my usual activities. We will try to catch an early bus tomorrow. I will be incharge of the program at 2:00 P.M. for my niece's birthday party. I was confident of accepting the task because I will be facing "small" audiences LOL! This will be my second time of hosting children's party. The first one was during my nephew's birthday. Well, my siblings trust me eh? By the way, I have a new newphew, the brother of the celebrator. Next year, they will be celebrating their birthdays together (God-willing) because my sister-in-law had her caesarian section on her daughter's birthday. That's the advantage of CS. One-time birthday party for two children. Anyways, we look forward to an enjoyable party and at the same time a reunion with my family, friends and relatives.

Remembering Dad

Today is my dad's 25th death anniversary. How time flies... I was just 15 years old when he left us (now you know how old I am LOL!). His death brought us some adjustments. Our eldest sister was in college that time. She became the "father" after that - waking up early to prepare our meals, taking care of the rest of her siblings (assisting mom).

Anyways, I recall that Dad was a good cook (while mom's the very opposite) because he once worked as a chef to his cousin's restaurant. He's also very fond of me, loved teasing me (especially when he's drunk) and he'd pinch my leg using his two toes! When he died, I cried the whole day. T'was so hard for me to accept the truth. I even "talked to him" after his burial asking him to show himself to me (horror!) Glad he didn't show up LOL! Had he been alive today, he'd be 80 years old already. He has not seen any of his grandchildren anymore.

The Drunkard

A friend of mine has a lesbian daughter ("Tess") who also happens to be a drunkard. In fact, because of that habit, she was impregnated by one of her drinking partners. One night, My friend's other daughter came home shouting and crying, bringing news that Tess is lying dead along their subdivision's road. She almost fainted. Hurriedly, fighting her emotions, they went to the area where her daughter was. When they found her, she was covered with newspapers and two candles were lit above her head and the other one was below her feet. They cried and shouted her name in disbelief. Suddenly, Tess' other lesbian friend approached them saying: "Ate, Tess is not dead. Let me explain." They stopped crying (and was relieved) and listened to her explanation... "Tess was very drunk that she can't even move her feet to walk. Because she's so heavy, I can't help her. When she laid on the road, I was worried. I couldn't just leave her here because she might be hit with a vehicle. I bought candles and lit them so that she will be visible enough. And the newspapers, I put them on her body because there are lots of mosquitoes." The following day, Tess received another very lengthy sermon... See what the spirit of wine can do? Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Dream Cam True

It was more than a year ago that I dreamed of having a digicam. When I asked my brother (who's working in Ireland) for it, he answered that I'd better buy it in the Philippines because it's much cheaper here. I concluded he wouldn't bring me one when he comes home. True enough, his wife only gave me a shoulder bag. He came home again just last week. When I went to the hospital to visit her wife who just delivered a baby boy (I'll post about it next time) and, for us to claim our pasalubong, he handed me a bag containing some stuff. When I checked in it, I couldn't believe it - mine is a Sony digital camera! Oh God, You're just so amazing... Brother have seen how happy I was. You know what, I didn't pray about it. I have had so many things to pray about that I didn't include (or forgot about the digicam anymore LOL!). But God knows my desire. And He granted it. His words are always true and I've proven it once again: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" - Psalm 37:4.

I'd like to thank Bogie for suggesting the title for this post. She's the first one whom I excitedly shared the news. And again, I thank and praise my Lord for this blessing - a dream "cam" true indeed.

Yummy Sunday #1: Puto Po 'To!

It's yummy, too!

Puto is a popular recipe during special occasions. This pic was taken during our Pastor's birthday. Since the rice was not cooked during eating time (LOL!) I had this as the alternate. It's okay because it's made of rice. I think I consumed 5 of these haha!

My Son's Short Vacation

Can you see the ants?

Yes, my son's spending a vacation during classes hahaha! Actually, I was the one whom my mom invited to join with their group (Boholano Association) for their 3-day tour but I declined because of some commitments and work. I suggested for Kent because he's not been there yet. I have visited the place 21 years ago! I was still a teenager that time but the memories are still there because I'm still young LOL! Anyways, my son's absent was only on Friday and tomorrow (2 days). We were just a bit worried because mom texted me he got sick as soon as they arrived Bohol. Thank God, he's recovering now, as laboratory tests showed there's nothing wrong, and nothing to worry. What must have caused the fever? I wonder...

Yesterday, they're on their 2nd day tour and they've been to Chocolate Hills and other beautiful tourist spots. I wonder why it's called "Chocolate Hills"? When I was a child I used to imagine going there and because I love chocolates, I imagined getting some parts of it and eat it! A friend told me also that that time, it was being attacked by millions of ants... What's funny is that, I believed him. Anyway, when I was able to go there myself, I said: "It's just mountains." But what's amazing is that how God designed those mountains. It's really wonderful! It's one of God's wonderful artworks.

My Sikad Experience

This is not us...

One night I was going home around 9:00 from Prayer Meeting. The passenger jeep available that time was going to a street opposite our place (one block away) so I had to ride on a "sikad" (3-wheeled conveyance) to be able to reach the house. I was aware that the sikad drivers will be off around 8:30 p.m. so I was praying, "Dear God, please reserve one sikad for me. Whatever kind of sikad (presentable or not, whatever!)" because the place is dark and it's not gonna be safe for people to walk on that road as reports of snatching and holdups are noted. As I was getting near, I saw that indeed, there was one sikad! Thank God, I told myself, indeed He heard my prayer - He reserved one for me yipey! As soon as I sat on it, I noticed that the driver was so, sooo smelly! It smelled like the blanket that my daughter had peed on. Ew, I could hardly bare it. I just covered my nose and mouth - fresher air please... Then, I told God, "Lord, what kind of driver is this?" Suddenly, the Lord impressed His words, "You said 'whatever', as long as you can go home." Haha! I silently laughed. Indeed, God is a Joker too...

A Certified Driver

My friend’s brother died last week. His body was brought to their residence in Camp Philips, Bukidnon. After the church service, we made plan of going to the place at 3:00 P.M. which is maybe 90 kms. away from the city (more or less), as the burial will be on the following day. But while preparing, it was raining. Hubby said we’ll cancel the trip because it would be so hard to go there by motorcycle. I was sad though I admit, he’s right. Suddenly a sister sent me a message that their multicab is available but she wouldn’t dare drive that far because she already has a phobia because of a bad driving experience. As I informed hubby of the situation, at first, he was hesitant because he hasn’t driven on long distance routes yet. But, how could he refuse me? LOL! Before we left, we prayed for safe travel. There were six of us, including my two kids. Though there was a bit of a “thrill” during the trip (we almost hit the passenger jeep following us because of the bad road) but, praise God, whew! We reached the place in around 1.5 hours. During the travel, I couldn't help but notice the beautiful scenery of God's wonderful creation.

When we returned, it was raining so hard that the road was not very visible. We just prayed. At past 9:00 P.M. we arrived home safely. Thank God. I told Nante, “You’re a certified driver already.”

Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his confidence in Jehovah is protected.

TWO AWARDS FOR ME!
Thursday, July 9, 2009

Being given an award creates a great, warm feeling. I wanna thank Faye of My Life In Holland who gave me not just one but two awards!

The rules for these awards are:

1) To accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his/her blog link.

2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve discovered and think are great! Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I'm glad I learned how to grab awards like these (thanks to the tutors) because through this, I not just feel honored, but am also able to gain more friends. Now, I want to share these accolades to my friends who also deserve these. They are: Mayette, Bogie, Lalaine, Jeneath, Koko, Aiza, Nanay Inday, Neonila, Sarah, Debbie, Love & Wrigley

So dear friends, do grab it now!

Zero Garbage?

Last week, I was the stenographer of the conference for the government’s project “Zero Basura (Garbage)” held in one of the prestigious hotels in the city. It was an interesting topic, but participants have different reactions on the issue. Of course, the project is very much inspiring. How we’d wish that the Philippines would be garbage-free! But, some say; how impossible would that be… there is always the problem on discipline and the system. On the government side, they are campaigning from the lowest local government units – up, for the implementation of the project. In fairness, a mayor in Linamon, Lanao Del Norte had been awarded for having the cleanest municipality in the province. I’ve been there myself during one of the DENR Secretary’s visits. Their garbage was odorless! They utilized everything… Well, I can say that with cooperation, encouragement and with the leaders’ initiatives, it can be done.

"If You Can't Lick 'Em, Join 'Em"

I think it was on the 2nd quarter of this year when the search for Miss Philippines was held. For this, I think five winners were chosen to compete for the Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International, etc. That time, it’s often advertised on TV, inviting ladies to join the beauty pageant. While watching the beautiful faces being flashed on screen, suddenly my son excitedly exclaimed, “Ma, why don’t you join that pageant?” I turned to him, thinking: “such a teaser...” But when I looked at him, he seemed serious. And before I could open my mouth to react, my daughter said, “Yes Ma, I agree.” Hubby loudly laughed. A bit irritated, I laughed with them. Then I explained them the rules of the contest. At least, my kids appreciate my beauty LOL! Praise the Lord... Wanna join?