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.

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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.

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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.

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