Happy New Year

♫♪Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!♪♫

A few more hours. Happy, blessed and peaceful New Year to all.

Advertisement

Read Full Post »

2021 Is Almost Gone

Here I am again posting my year-ender blog. Every end of the year, I try to summarize what happened on the months and days gone.

December 28, three days to go before the calendar changes again. Except for Obet purchasing a new Ford Territory last January, nothing much happened. Nissa and Obet spent the latter’s birthday lunch with us end of January. Middle of March, Nissa was hospitalized for a week because of Covid. Nate and Obet stayed here with us for four days. We survived on video calls with Nissa during mealtimes and evening rosary prayers. The four of us here at home including my 92-year old mom had Covid during the first week of May. For me, it was almost a month-long recovery. Thank God we got well.

Birthdays were spent quietly but I was glad Nissa and Obet surprised me with their presence during my birthday. They went on leave from work. The rest of the months, we survived on audio and video calls, messages, texts and occasional chats with Nate. Those “hi”, “hello”, “I love you Nonna” made me smile.

We were not able to see each other last Christmas day because Nate and Obet had fever. I thank God they are okay now. They are coming over on the New Year. Looking forward to it.

I really miss these two.

Would you believe, I was able to read 143 books this year? I am on my 144th book at the moment.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 🍀🍻🌝🎉🎈

May we all be blessed this coming 2022.

Read Full Post »

Merry Christmas

It was a quiet Christmas eve. Although there were firecrackers, they were few and far between. Gone are the kids who do carolling at the start of the Advent season shouting with their merry voices accompanied by improvised tin cans.

It used to be when Christmas morning , you will see kids in their finery shouting namamasko po at your door accompanied by non-stop barking of the dogs. Maybe they are also afraid to go out because of the pandemic.

For Noche Buena, we had a simple fare of bibingka, puto bongbong, menudo, bagnet, roasted liempo and potato salad. Nissa, Obet and Nate will be coming over tomorrow to celebrate with us.

Merry, merry CHRISTmas every one.

Read Full Post »

Dream On

Nissa and I were both waiting for a ride, she to go to her class and I to go to the office. After a while she went back home because she forgot her project. I waited and waited but the only available ride was a bus going to EDSA. I wonder why it was so full. While we were on our bus ride, a passenger alighted while the traffic signal was on “STOP” without the driver’s knowledge. Then it suddenly went green and I saw the passenger, his head detached from his body and yet all the cars passing by did not stop. I was trembling when I saw the accident.

I waited for another ride going to Ayala Avenue and some people going to the same place pointed to me where to get one. I think I walked for a mile before getting one. I was relieved when I saw the tall buildings of Ayala Avenue and when I reached the office, I was thinking of how to get home again without our service vehicle.

Gosh, that was so vivid and it seemed it took so long.

But it was only a dream.

Read Full Post »

The Dollar Birthday Cake

I hope you can see this. I had a lovely time watching it. What a creative birthday gift.

Read Full Post »

Noel’s Birthday

They timed it on Noel’s birthday at the same time some Filipino friends had their Christmas party. I saw all their lovely photos with the dollar cake. Noel enjoyed pulling out all the dollars individually wrapped in plastic. Quite a long one, his friends’ birthday gift.

My youngest brother Noel and his wife Lanette.

Oh, what a lovely spread.

It must be nice being born on a December day, so many parties to celebrate. My other brother Alden has his birthday every New Year.

Read Full Post »

Saturday Notes

I ordered meat from Monterey for Christmas. They said orders are quite long. Good thing I ordered this early. I also contacted my suki vendor to buy me potato marbles and sugar beets. They’re some of the ingredients I need come Christmas eve or what we call Noche Buena.

I am plainly devastated looking at the photos as a result of typhoon Odette. Many towns and provinces in the Visayas and part of Mindanao are greatly affected. Many houses were destroyed. Our VP and the office of the VP have been ready even before the super typhoon entered the Philippine area of responsibility. But where is the government? Digong is sleeping on the job again. He said there is not enough or no money for the typhoon victims because of their expenses in the pandemic. What a big lie🤨😒🤮. He said a few days ago that he has sacks and sacks of money to spend during the campaign for the election 2022. Is that more important than the calamities visiting our country? I never hear of our Dept. Of Social Welfare and Development doing its job nowadays. What is visible are the volunteers from VP Leni’s camp and the numerous individuals helping through their donations.

WHERE is the president?

It’s my youngest brother’s birthday today. Since they live in the US, he will celebrate tonight. We are advanced by twelve hours. We got to talk via Messenger early this morning. It’s nice to catch up with each other again.

We are on the third day of SIMBANG GABI , a nine-day novena in honor of Mama Mary which will last on the 24th. I attend the nightly Simbang Gabi masses.

It’s seven days to go before Christmas🌲💒🎄☃️

Read Full Post »

662,919 Views And 3,288 Posts Later

I have clearly forgotten those lovely thoughts that I wrote years ago when I was just beginning to write posts at WordPress during my journey as a cancer patient and survivor. If I were to add all my blog posts at my four other sites, it might reach 700, 000 views and maybe 4,000 posts. That year-long journey triggered and inspired me to blog at WordPress. I was so happy reaching out to those with similar journey like I did.

Blogging has become a way of life just as reading does. I used to blog almost every day but over the years, posting one once or twice a week is now enough for me. Over the past two years during this pandemic, everything seemed to be at a stand still. I’ve only gone out five times from our subdivision. No visitors came over except Nissa’s family. Food and groceries were delivered. Even the Christmas gifts were ordered online. Hopefully, this pandemic will end soon.

Finally done with trimming the carabao grass with Josef’s help. We still need though to have the garden outside our perimeter wall cleaned. Our tree dogs sleep in the garage while Nikki, who has just given birth to three male pups is in a cage in our dirty kitchen. She is so protective of her litters.

The past few nights, I compared all the books I had on my tab with Goodreads. Good thing I have a virtual library there. I have read some of them the past few years. It’s funny, I used to write a brief review of the books I read before. I got lazy though since I started this year’s reading challenge. I am looking for more authors and books to read.

I don’t get to visit my friends’ blogs every day because I don’t visit WordPress that often. So sorry about that, will catch up soon.

By the way, it’s CHRISTMAS in nine days.

Read Full Post »

Just Counting

Cold nights started about a week ago. The fan now is always set in low. Jovy and Josef seldom switch the air con the past days. Days are sunny though and it’s windy in the afternoon.

We need to trim the carabao grass maybe before Christmas sets in. And I promised myself that I will wrap all those gifts as soon as the additional ones I ordered arrive. Yeay, Christmas is just fourteen days to go. I noticed that there are very few homes now in our street with lanterns and Christmas lights at night. I only have our little Christmas tree and the Christmas light at night for decor. Maybe, the pandemic has lessened the enthusiasm to celebrate the season. Let Christmas be in our hearts no matter how simple the celebration is.

I remember one of Obet’s nephews asking me a long time ago why I said “Happy Birthday Jesus” in my greetings on my wall so I just told him He is the reason that we celebrate Christmas. As I have always said, it’s the time the family gets together, enjoy those moments seeing each other and remembering Christmas past.

If I were to believe the latest reports, we’ll be quite safe to have a small gathering this coming Christmas. There are now very low cases of Covid-19 here in Metro Manila. How I wish I could visit my brother who is sick but the kids have work until the 24th. It is not safe to take a commute on your own. I miss those traditional sweets and recipes we usually cook in the province – binungey, puto bumbong, bibingka, suman, puto and dinuguan.

So many reasons to celebrate, giving thanks and welcoming the days with joy. MERRY CHRISTMAS🌲☃️🎄

Read Full Post »

Something To Think About

Read Full Post »