Back in circulation

D & I have this silent agreement that when my sister is in town for a visit, I'd stay at the condo.  This way we save on the commute to and from Quezon City.  This involves from 3 days to 10 days, per visit.  This also entails that I bring most of my personal belongings with me.  Clothes, make up kit, toiletries, shoes and accessories.  It almost feels like I myself am going away for a vacay, albeit it doesn't involve using my passport.

End of June my sister informed us she was coming over for a week for some R & R. She has mostly been traveling to and from trade fairs so she wanted a break from work.  So the usual sister bonding moments ensues.  Dining out at her fave restos.  Shopping for clothes, shoes and accessories.  Pampering treatments like hair cut and nail spa.

We had so much fun. We forgot to take pictures of the places we visited as well as the food we ate.   But I'm beaming with happiness and bursting at the seams (literally) from eating out too much. Credit card is pushed to the limits but I'd say that sister bonding time as well as spending time with my parents is priceless!!!

Firenze

Despite the "Gates of Hell" controversy involving Dan Brown's latest novel, I decided to read it.  As much as possible, I try to be tolerant of my fellow human beings and respect them for their personal views and opinions.  I understand they have a right to express whatever they feel and whether it is offensive or controversial is beyond the point.

I had made up my mind to read "Inferno" the moment I heard Dan Brown had a new novel. And the controversy in no way influenced me to grab a copy.  It was just an after thought or like an extra bonus that comes with a promo priced item.  

"Inferno" is the second book I am reading on my computer and not in hard bound or paper back form.   The first one was a sleazy novel and come to think of it, I haven't read parts 2 and 3 of that yet another controversial book.

The advantage is I don't fall asleep while reading because I have to sit up and glue my eyes to the monitor while the con is I have so many distractions (like playing Candy Crush and chatting on Skype with my sister) as I tend to multitask while I am online.

I am still in the middle part of the novel as I like to take my time reading each page. I also have this habit of googling for images of the venues which Dan Brown so elaborately describes in his books.  That way I add a more visual approach to the text. 

It also helps that I've visited the places he mentions so it serves as a walk down memory lane of my trips to Florence and Venice, Italy.   Although it wasn't as thrilling and as adventurous as the one that Robert Langdon is experiencing in the novel, it still puts me in a nostalgic mood.

This was taken in March 2001 in front of the Fountain of Neptune in Florence, Italy.  It is situated on the Piazza della Signoria (Signoria square) adjacent of the imposing Palazzo Vecchio.

Father's Day

Today we celebrate and pay tribute to the first guy in our lives: our dads! =)

So we treated Dad to lunch with Tex Mex fare at TGIF, Galleria.

We had Broccoli with Cheese Cream Soup. Shrimp & Mango Quesadillas for appetizers.  Fish Veracruz with Pilaf Rice, Baby Backs (Half) and Chicken BBQ with Pilaf Rice as our main courses.

June 12

 

 

Today we celebrate the 115th year of our Independence.  Although the country is far from being completely 'free' I still believe we need to be thankful for certain liberties we do enjoy in our lupang hinirang.

Sadly, we tend to take the true meaning of freedom for granted.  For most of us, June 12 is just another holiday we don't have to wake up early and commute to work.  

You see all the years we lived abroad, our family would try to assimilate in our assigned location to the best of our ability.  This meant speaking the language, eating the local cuisine, adapting to the climate as well as being friends with the locals.

Yet on the 12th of June, we would brush off the dust from our Filipiniana outfits and attend the flag ceremony at the Embassy.   We would sing loudly the national anthem with our right hand over our hearts.  Later, we join the Filipino community activities such as partaking of Filipino dishes, participate in festivities featuring our cultural dances and attending the formal reception at the Embassy.

I remember distinctly when we were stationed in Brussels, Belgium, I was around 11 years old. My mother forced us (my sister and I) to join the other children of my father's colleagues in the Embassy to perform the Itik Itik dance.  I had no idea what it was, I didn't even speak a single word of Tagalog so I had a difficult time performing the dance. I looked quite awkward. Till this day, we laugh our hearts out when we remember how I became the ugly duckling in that Itik Itik dance. :D

Those were the good old days!   

So for me, I always associate June 12 with Pinoy pride.  A time to dress up in our finest Filipiniana outfit and be truly proud of being a Filipino, inside and out!

Blogging: Through the Years

The intermittent post entries on my blog makes me quite reflective. I wish I blogged more often like in my 'golden age' of blogging. 

This notion gets me thinking as to the cause why I've been unable to write an entry, daily. Is it due to lack of inspiration?  Is it due to a mellow(er) me that I've learned to simply accept the status quo instead of voicing my opinion against every issue that crops up?  Is it due to the change in my status?  Or could it be a simple reason like the stifling heat and humidity that clogs my brain cells?   

Probably it is due to all of the above factors and then some which escape me at the moment. 

The reason I started a blog in the first place was to document my so called 'activities. A record of my opinions, my experiences and my life in general.  I didn't want to get a book deal nor be famous or infamous, for that matter. Neither did I want to be labeled an 'expert' in a specific field (that would be too much pressure)!  I simply wanted my own small piece in the blog sphere pie to just think out loud about everything and anything under the sun.

There was a time when I joined memes to augment my daily entries. Then I would narrate my travels with matching photos of my itineraries.  I also would recount my heartaches in my love life.    So I guess I *did* have many episodes to blog about.  I would even form entries in my head about topics to blog about the next day.  Alas, those day are far gone and now simply a very distant memory.

5 years ago, I got married and settled down into a life of marital bliss.  I am certainly not saying I regret getting hitched. It does have its ups and downs and I'm blessed to say the downs have been few and in between there were many ups. 

I am not blaming my marriage for the lack of entries, I simply wish I blogged more but it is easier said than done, right?   

June

Time just flies by.

I wake up and it is already the 6th month of the year.

It's back to school month for D.

Thankfully, the warm weather has eased up just a tiny bit.

Mostly it rains a lot where I live.

Whenever there is a heavy downpour, I text my mom.

More often than not, she tells me it is brightly sunny where she is at.

Weird weather.

Speaking of my mom, she turned 76 on the 30th of May.

We treated her to a Thai lunch at CrustaSia at the Shangri-la Edsa Mall.

We feasted on Shrimp Pad Thai, Fish Pancakes, Tom Yum Soup,  Chicken Pandan and Pork with Kenya Beans.   

Yummy!

This past week in bullet form

•  Last Sunday was Mothers Day so naturally we treated my mom for lunch. At first she said she wanted Thai food so I had a specific restaurant in mind for lunch. During mass, she changed her mind and opted for something else.  So me being indecisive does come from my mother, after all.  he he he


• Monday was Election Day. I spent the previous night at the condo so that we (my parents and I) could vote early at this public high school in the Mandaluyong area. I expected a long queue and a hassle at locating my name at my specific precinct much like in the presidential elections in 2010. But fortunately, our precinct wasn't that full yet. The whole voting process took us a mere 30 minutes! 


• May 15, Wednesday we celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. Yes it has only been 5 years or has it been 5 years already?  Time passes by so fast. Sometimes I feel like we have been together longer than 5 years while other times I still discover new things about my husband like we are still in our honeymoon phase. Nevertheless, it has been a pretty good 5 years filled with laughter and heartaches as well yet we feel very blessed to have each other.




• We started by saying a quick prayer at this chapel which is located at Trinoma. Then had Chinese fare for lunch.  We were planning to watch a movie but the ones showing were not to our liking so we opted for the next best thing ... shopping. By the end of the day, we ended up with 2 tops for me and 2 pairs of jeans for him. Thanks to the mid year bonus for the loot! :D 


• On Thursday, we went to the funeral mass of D's aunt.  She was the last of his father's siblings and lived to the ripe old age of 97 years old. She is at peace now and in a better place. May Tiya Pacing rest in eternal peace. She will be greatly missed.


• Friday and Saturday I fell ill to a nasty stomach bug.  Spent most of my time cooped up in the bathroom with massive pain in the tummy.  My suspicion is the mayonnaise I used to make spicy tuna sandwich for my breakfast, Friday morn.  Not a good way to lose weight but I do feel much lighter.  

Hot afternoon delights

It has been one scorching summer of 2013.  It is still ongoing although the local weather bureau expects the onset of the monsoon season to start end of May or early June. I would certainly welcome the rains.  It has been really warm with bright skies during the day and humid during evenings. 

Our computers are located in a room on the 2nd floor where the bright rays of the sun likes to park itself during the afternoons.  To avoid heat stroke and dehydration, I stay clear of 'the sauna room'. 

To my surprise this period of being internet-less allows me to find ways to entertain myself.  I've foregone my nap sessions as I rather not sleep and wake up covered with sweat and a headache.

I've been productive, though.  It gives me time to tinker about the house. Do some sewing, arrange the book shelves, get rid of clutter and junk.  I wash our underwear and the rags.  I do my pedicure, trim my bushy eyebrows and other beauty regimens.   

 

I've also started a light exercise routine by climbing the stairs several times. It does tone my thigh and leg muscles as well as get my heartbeat racing.  It works up quite a storm of sweat which I know is the least I would want but hey I need to exercise to lower my cholesterol levels so I just grin and bear it.

While doing these tasks, I make sure I'm properly hydrated by drinking plenty of water and coconut juice.  It is a fun way to spend hot afternoons although I do miss my internet time.  :D