Paintings On The Go

Nissa is so gifted when it comes to arts and crafts. She makes jewelry especially out of several colorful beads, she makes her own greeting cards, rosaries that she also gives to friends then a few years ago, she dabbled into acrylic painting. She enrolled at Sip and Gogh,  a premiere paint and sip studio in the Philippines that aims to promote art appreciation among Filipinos by creating personal experiences that foster creativity, personal development and social bonding through painting.

One birthday a few years ago, she gifted me with one session at Sip and Gogh. Once you pay, they will provide you with everything like canvas, brushes, paints and all painting materials that one need to start with including drinks. They will teach you some techniques that are helpful. I thought I would never learn to do such from a completely blank canvas to a lovely painting. I haven’t held a paint brush before except minor retouches on our walls and painting a pot to put my plants in. It really was a challenge.  A year ago, I found these painting by numbers at National Bookstore, I was able to finish   eight 40cm by 60cm designs.

The three of us, Josef, Nissa and I used to make rosaries that we gave to friends. Josef loved using wood while Nissa and I  used hematite beads, tiger’s eye, faux pearls, quartz crystals and green jade.

The paintings below are prominently displayed in their family room turned Nate’s work out room for his Taekwondo training. I love the different subjects.

She even made four seasons displayed at their house in Manila.

Read Full Post »

Nostalgia

What makes you feel nostalgic?

Ah, remembering the old days when my parents and two brothers were still alive.

Alden’s birthday is January 1 so we get to celebrate at the start of our Media Noche. If he were alive today, it would be his 65th birthday.

Also feeling nostalgic reminiscing about the past when I had no problem with my health. I am not complaining though, God must have some plans for me because I am still here. My trust and love for the Lord never waver.❤️🤲🙏🏻

Read Full Post »

Shabu-Shabu

‘Shabu shabu ingredients center on thinly sliced protein (beef/pork), various mushrooms (shiitake, enoki, shimeji), leafy greens (napa cabbage, spinach, shungiku), tofu, and aromatics like green onions, all cooked in a simple dashi broth.’

Gosh, this is really the first time I have eaten this Chinese recipe cooked by Adine, wife of Obet’s oldest brother. 

Last night, we had buttered shrimps for dinner but the highlight of course was this recipe. You can eat it without eating rice, it is so satisfying. I love it. Those thinly sliced beef, mushroom,  those tofu balls, bok choy cabbage and other ingredients I can’t even identify were so yummy. At lunch today, Nissa added siomai (dumplings) and miki bihon to our left-over last night. We ate it without rice.

I met a new friend. Yuki is a Japanese vacationing with the wife of Obet’s youngest brother. She said she knows a bit of Tagalog. She was quietly observing how the group did their thing. Most of them shouted when they got 100% score in the videoke. I was not even familiar with the songs because they chose some new Tagalog songs that I haven’t heard before.

Nissa and I took so many photos and I posted most of them on Facebook. We had a group shot (all girls) taken by Hermie, the hubby of Dell, the only sister of Obet. The one in white jacket is my balae Rebecca, Obet’s mom. It was a very casual gathering but we all enjoyed it. They left   at around 10:30 pm after playing a few games.

Read Full Post »

Reunion With The Isidros

My balae with the four siblings, daughters- in law, son-in-law, their kids and I had a get-together lunch at Obet and  Nissa’s place. Nissa and Obet cooked while the others brought more food. That’s right, it’s their turn to prepare dinner later according to Nissa. I took a few shots of the occasion.  Now they are doing videoke singing their hearts out…haha!

We had sotanghon soup, grilled pompano, laing, grilled liempo, lechon manok and sisig. Most of them ignored the desserts because they were full.

Read Full Post »

On Writing

Once in a while we feel so inspired that we would want to share those inspirations with the world through our blogs.  And it is even better when we find a good content to write about.

“You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.”

This is a quote from Stephen King from his book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.  Back in 2011, Nissa brought home  a copy of this book for me to read which she borrowed from the bank’s  Stress Management office.  I loved it so much that I dreamed of finding my copy every time I visit a book store. I was lucky enough to find one at Booksale, still with the dust jacket on and looked so new.  What a nice surprise. I even blogged about it twice. I thought  at first it was his autobiography but I was mistaken, it was about how to begin writing and going on.

“Words create sentences; sentences create paragraphs; sometimes paragraphs quicken and begin to breathe.”

I know, it is most of the time hard to start but once you have written that first sentence, everything follows.  I mentioned in my previous post that I would like to write every day again but I don’t know if I will be able to.  Sometimes, laziness sets in, sometimes you can’t think of a nice content to share and to write about. You might think it is kind of stressful to write every day. You’d think you are forcing yourself to write, deep inside though, you have that desire to be heard.

“Your job isn’t to find these ideas but to recognize them when they show up.”

Do you agree? I do.

“The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.”

Sometimes the blank pages seem so hard to fill up but there are those inspired moments that you simply have to touch your keyboard or glide your pen across the blank pages and the words flow smoothly along.

From past experience, I noticed that when I don’t blog for about a week, it is so hard to start again. It seems  I am  lost in space  and the words would not come.

I know it would be an ambitious undertaking, writing every day I mean but I’m gonna try.

I am on my 40th day of straight blogging today. It is such a thrill to be able to write again daily, sharing candid thoughts and minute happenings in my life.

Writing is such a very fulfilling hobby. Taking advantage of the relaxed days staying with Nissa’s family. The weather is good with the morning sun sharing its warmth and a cold breeze blowing. Soaking in the sun’s warmth and appreciating the cold.

Life is good and life is great. Thank You Lord.🏜🌅✨️🎊

A hanging vine on Nissa’s garage.

Read Full Post »

Celebrating Life

It’s kind of tedious when you let writing a blog as a chore you have to do. Sometimes, you just feel so lazy to update or write. But when you let your thoughts stream into your head, wriggle into your heart and blow kisses into your soul, blogging is one lovely activity that you are happy to do. When the inspiration to write it down asserts itself so softly, letting you just think of those lovely thoughts in your head, giving them the validity in words, the world becomes a lot of ideas. One thinks sometimes of what to write about, one think sometimes of what to share, one thinks sometimes of those things that make your world a lovely place to look into.

When I think of the years I’ve written about life, the beauty of it and all its angst, I sometimes wonder where I am coming from. The beauty of life, we celebrate it. We smile at those memories that come and go leaving us breathless at times. We embrace the life the way we should, anticipating another lovely day to celebrate. Yes, life is a celebration.

When you are into blogging, you read and listen to a diversity of voices from other bloggers. Despite the changes that happen in our lives there is somewhat a similarity in our journeys – we love to share the laughter and the tears, our triumphs and fears, the joy we get when other bloggers notice what we write about.

Looking forward to the year 2026.

Read Full Post »

Busy Monday

And it’s three days to go before the much-awaited 2026. Another year that we dream being more peaceful than 2025.

For two mornings now, I woke up to the crowing of  roosters here at the vacant square lot fronting Nissa’s  house. It is alloted for future park of the subdivision.Yesterday, I went out of the gate for a while and  took photos of them.

Oh, what a busy day. Four full wash loads. Nissa and Obet went to the market early to buy provisions for tomorrow’s family party of the Isidros. While Nissa was fixing all the things they bought, Obet was busy tending the garden, uprooting weeds and pruning.

We had late breakfast of just ham and egg sandwich. Nissa bought me wheat bread. I brought Shirataki rice though and I eat it two meals a day. A small rice cup is good enough to share it with Nissa.

You’d think that considering they are a small family, they at least could relax but both of them are workaholic. Nate is so busy until the wee hours assembling three boxes of Gundam. He is so adept in joining and assembling those delicate and small parts. He has no training in Taekwondo this time. Obet said, pahinga muna.

Last night, Nissa and I stayed at their veranda for a while and savoured the cold breeze, perfect time to catch up on conversations and family updates.

Took a night photo of their Christmas decor outside.

Wishing you all a lovely weekday and a bountiful and a peaceful New Year.✨️🧨🎊

Read Full Post »

Day Three At Gentri

Woke up early to attend an online mass at the Manila Cathedral. Today is the Feast of the Holy Family. I loved the homily of Fr. Rolly. It’s about bringing back the family to Christ.

Yesterday, we attended the kiddie Christmas and birthday  party of Stephen at Jollibee in Molino, Bacoor. We got freebies to take home. There was something nice about kids doing their thing and the adults were game enough to join. Yes, they were games for adults and kiddies. Aside from the food, there was a photo booth. Nissa and I tried it together.

His birthday was actually last November but they came home to celebrate it with friends and family. We laughed when he was asked what he wanted to be when he grow up and after a few  minutes of thinking, he blurted ‘police’…haha

When we reached home, there was a long table laid out infront of their house covered in red table cloth. It’s the reason why they bought food in Molino to bring home. There was a Christmas party with their immediate neighbors (around eight families). It was potluck so there was so much food. They invited me to join them for dinner. They stayed until around 12am exchanging news and conversations.

Today, Obet and Nissa went to Bulacan to buy luces and sparklers for the New Year, their third one since they moved here three years ago and it is my third visit too, the first was back in September 2023 for their house blessing.

There is this quadrangle infront of their house which was left open intended for a future park. Early on, I heard a rooster crowing under the trees planted there. It is one of the reasons why it is cold here, the air flows freely.

Look at that blue sky.

Looking forward to spend New Year with them. May your 2026 be as fruitful, successful and peaceful. May it be a good year for all of us.🧨✨️🧨🎉🧨

Read Full Post »

Coffee Please

Let’s have coffee. I like it black with a sachet of Stevia as sweetener. A time when you have nothing to do but relax, eat and sleep. I have so much time in my hands now – well, except wash the dishes but not in every meal. Nissa does all the cooking and Obet is busy at the garden while Nate is busy with his three boxes of Gundam toys, all new, assembling everything with precision.

Read Full Post »

No Words. A Lone Rose From Nissa’s Garden

Read Full Post »