No Flowers Today

And I mean literally, I am simply not inspired.

I am getting tired of going back and forth to my doctor and for laboratory tests. Sometimes, it is every week, other days every two weeks. My internist advised me to visit a cardiologist so he could give me clearance that I need for my cataract operation. It’s been four months and the nurse who is in charge of my papers at the Hub said that those tests I undertook last August are no longer viable. I don ‘t want to go back to their Malasakit Center because of so many patients going there.

I could have all those tests done at The Medical City Hospital because they are covered by my medical insurance but then I don’t know if it is allowed by the doctors at the Hub. All I want is to have the change of my lense free because it is not covered by the insurance and our town hospital has acquired new medical equipments for cataract operations the past months with three opthalmologists in attendance. I’ll be going back to my internist first week of December and also a scheduled visit to my ENT. Hopefully, everything would be fixed at the end of the year.

Didn’t I tell you earlier that I am not that enthusiastic to put up Christmas decor? Since mom is here with us, some of her things are scattered around. She always wants extra clothes and her two small bags with her when she takes a rest or when she has her early naps during the day. She always asks me if it is day or night. That’s how her eyesight has deteriorated. Her sense of hearing is almost nil. Really getting old at almost 94. I know it is hard to take care of her, I really have to muscle enough patience because I’m the only girl among us three kids left. My eldest brother had a brain operation almost two years ago and he fears being stressed when mom wants to visit them. Our youngest Noel is out of the country. When they came for a visit more than three weeks ago, mom always thought of him that he was my youngest son. She was not much affected when they went back to Tulsa.

The plants in the garden are not blooming except for a few Crossandra blooms. My two jackfruits are bearing fruits though which we could wait to ripen or cook the young ones in coconut cream.

No flowers today….sadly😏

Advertisement

Read Full Post »

Tab Limitations

I always get a little annoyed every time I try to blog on my tab. I think it was more than a year ago when my PC conked out and I haven’t replaced it yet until now.

I got used having my two tabs around when I want to publish a post. Aside from the little quirks that WordPress introduces regularly, I get by somehow. I miss though those things one can do with a blog when you are using a PC. It used to be when I can choose a format when I post more than one photo, either together, at the center or left or right. There are only two choices you can do when posting on a tab. It’s either in high resolution format or in large prints which eat up my remaining free upload. I could not even choose how big or small the letters could be in a paragraph when I am blogging. It’s a little convenient though when one is using a tab to blog. You can blog on your bed any time🥰

The downside using a tab is more than the convenience of using it. I am not planning to buy a new computer since I just bought a new tab which I use for reading e-books.

Read Full Post »

More Books….Still

I am about done with my 2022 Goodreads Reading Challenge. I am on my 150th book which I promised myself to read this year. It is a historical novel based on things that happened centuries ago. I do still intend to record my book reads for 2023, but I wanna try slow reading and keeping a journal at the same time based on the books.

Of all the five books that a friend visiting from Canada gave me, I am pretty excited with Roger Housden’s Ten Poems To Open Your Heart. Even the dust jacket looks so enticing. I’ll start from this one of course. My friend suggested that I focus on the words, quotes and sentences. He said that the experience is rich and fulfilling.

Journaling….I will start with this in a few days as soon as I finish the 150th book this year. There is a biblical passage in every page. Here’s one:

“PLEASANT WORDS ARE LIKE HONEYCOMB, SWEET TO THE SOUL AND HEALING TO THE BONES. – Proverbs 16:24

Here’s my new journal. It will surely be another reading journey for me.

Read Full Post »

Advent Season Is Here

The Catholic Church will be celebrating its first Sunday of Advent tomorrow where the first purple candle will be lit. It is called the Prophecy Candle which symbolizes Hope and God’s forgiveness toward man. It also symbolizes the expectation of the Messiah.

Come to think of it, it’s 28 days more to go before Christmas. Yes, I am counting but I am not much enthusiastic about decorating for Christmas. Last year, I bought a three-foot tall Christmas tree instead of putting our old seven-foot tree. Much as I want to change some decor, they have gone too high too like the basic commodities in supermarket and grocery stores. Our street though is now decorated with Christmas parols/stars in each front of the houses.

I am busy with our local government’s requirements for mom’s social pension which I should have done before but it’s only this time that I have her transferred as a permanent resident of our town since she has been with me for more than three years now. I already have her senior’s ID issued by the municipal hall. Our Dept. of Social Welfare and Development needs updated ID pictures of hers so I draped a white linen in one of our windows yesterday and took shot of her on my phone. I had it printed at the photo shop today together with three photos of us and Nate. I also bought three frames for the enlarged photos. I also started choosing more pictures for printing, got ten from several albums on my Facebook account.

I hear Christmas carols now being played at a department store near our place. Christmas time is definitely near.

Read Full Post »

Christmas Gift

I have completed my gifts for the immediate family last month except that of Jovy. I found this site on Facebook that does personalized gifts for one’s loved ones especially mugs.

I thought of giving Jovy a pair with photos of Oreo and Cookie. That of Oreo has black inner color while Cookie’s has pink. They let me see the finished product before I made an order at Lazada. I copied them to my gallery and sharing them with you here. It will arrive next week. Here’s how the two mugs look. I am pretty sure she’ll be happy with them. She can share one with Josef.

Read Full Post »

It’ll Be His 10th!

When Nate was born, I started a separate blog to document his growing-up years. I haven’t religiouly updated it since the family lives far from us. I wrote about those events that highlighted his achievements, yes, he is an academic achiever, the days when he experienced those lovely episodes in his life – his first plane ride going south, his first time going abroad to Singapore and Legoland in Malaysia when he was seven, those school activities that he was awarded with medals and Certificates of Merit and many such events that made me so proud of him.

Tomorrow, he is turning 10. I wrote this letter on his first birthday. How lovely to see that he is growing up a good, loving, lovable and smart boy.

A LETTER TO MY DARLING NATE ON HIS FIRST BIRTHDAY

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY darling baby Nate. Yeay, and you are counting  How time flies, now you can walk on your own even if they’re just baby steps. It’s  time to see the world from a higher place and discover many, many things dear to your heart.

I can’t believe it, was it only a year ago when your Dad and I patiently waited for you to see the world and hear your first cry? Was it only a year ago when your mom excitedly showed us your pictures while she was in the delivery room  even if she was groggy from anesthesia? And I promised myself I would write about your growing up years. You’re one year old now and we’ll have more days, months and years to discover the world through your eyes. And may you grow to be  strong, smart, healthy  and loving and  may you continue to possess that innocence so endearing to see in a lovable child that you are. And I wish you all the precious things that a loving Nonna could wish for.

I love you baby, you are God’s greatest gift to us. We are indeed blessed having you in our lives. Again, happy birthday❤️🥰❤️

Read Full Post »

Blessed

Ver, a balikbayan friend from Canada gave me all these books this morning. He is a photographer, writer, poet, vlogger and a voracious reader. I learned from him several authors and their works. Can’t wait to read them all.

I particularly want to know how Roger Housden analyzes ten poems which include that of my favorite poet Mary Oliver, Rumi, Neruda, Naomi Shihab Nye and other writers. Finally, I have books by John O’Donohue, A Celebration of Rumi by Andrew Harvey, The Ascent of Truth by Thomas Merton (my fourth book of him) and Albert Camus’ The Outsider.

Many, many thanks Ver, so nice seeing you and exchanging news with you.

Isa ulit magandang kumustahan at pagkikita🥰😍😘

Read Full Post »

Have A Safe Flight Back To Tulsa

Saying goodbye is not without its tears. Gonna miss you brother dear, until we meet again.

They came over for a short visit, my niece, her husband and their son.

And with my sis-in-law too.

Have a safe flight back to Tulsa.

Read Full Post »

Hearing Aid And Other Health Concerns

Noel brought home his spare hearing aid but only for the left ear. The amplifier for the right ear was detached so he told me to ask an audiologist later if it still could be attached. Hearing loss is hereditary according to my doctor. Noel uses them in both ears.

I am trying to practice having both ears with hearing aid so I bought a a cheap pair but it is made in China. When I have my ENT check-up this coming December, I will decide to finally buy. They are so costly here.

I’ll be back for another lab test (FBS) in two weeks. My blood sugar has gone down but it is not in the normal range yet. Normal is 5.5, mine is 6.6. Unfortunately, my blood pressure has gone up. Praying that in my next visit, everything would be normal.

Noel brought home 2 big bags of healthy trail mix for my plain oatmeal diet, several tea variants and he gave me dark chocolate for diabetics. The others have their Fererro which used to be my favorite. One bag of this trail mix costs more than 5K here which I can’t afford.

One of these is good for one mug of plain oatmeal.

Read Full Post »

Busy, Busy

Aside of course from being hit by the lazy bug to make a blog post, I was busy.

Finally, we got to meet again after several years. What a lovely time with the family. We had a mini reunion last November 1 when Noel and Lanette were here. A late celebration for my birthday. I just ordered food online so we had enough time to exchange news. We invited my oldest brother Kuya Roy and my sis-in-law, Nissa’s family too. They brought with them lots of goodies for the family. Nissa and Noel took a lot of photos. I am compiling them in an album at Facebook.

At first mom could not recognize Noel but when he embraced and kissed her, she smiled and shouted “Oweng”, Noel’s nickname.

A family pic but the others were busy with lunch. (Josef, Noel, Nissa, Nate and me).

Ang maglolo.

With Noel and Lanette

Look at how old my mom is now. She’ll be turning 94 by April next year.

Nate’s legs are so heavy😘

They spent four days in Mindoro with Lanette’s family, then yesterday, they were off to Pangasinan to visit Alden at the cemetery and a quick visit to my niece and sis-in-law and some cousins. Good thing one of Lanette’s brothers was free to drive them around. They’re coming back today and on Saturday, Nissa and Obet will bring them to Tagaytay to enjoy another tourist attraction.

Mae is Alden’s only child. She said she looks more like his tito than her Papa.

Just a hectic two-week visit.

Read Full Post »