Blessings

Good morning!

I was attending an online mass at the Manila Cathedral (I still attend online masses because of my ear problem) when I received a message from Nissa asking me if my other account at BPI is still open. After a while, she asked me to check my balance and activate my online notification through my phone. What a morning surprise, she credited my account with a big amount. Time and again, she would also credit my prepaid Globe phone. So grateful for a daughter who is so thoughtful. She was just promoted as Senior Manager of BPI two months ago. I am more excited for them to transfer to their new home eventually.

I miss those perks and benefits of being a BPI employee, the quarterly bonuses that they give without fail. Two weeks ago, Union Bank credited my account with them with their yearly cash dividends, good enough for more than a month’s worth of groceries. Such blessings, I couldn’t ask for more. I also had a nice chat with Mel three nights ago via Messenger. They are here on vacation with his wife and daughter. He said a month is not enough to spend with family here. He offered to shoulder my hearing aid but I told him there is no need. He said although he is not rich, he is so blessed and he is sharing his blessings.

Blessings abound. I have more than a week to go before my lab tests next. Enjoying my stay at home re-reading my 2011 blog posts and catching on some Lenten readings too.

Advertisement

Read Full Post »

My 700th Blog After 29 Months Of Blogging

Reposting this blog I wrote back in November 3, 2011. Most of you here were not yet my friends then but I had a few followers I lost touch with over the years.

When I look back at the times that I felt so down, writing my thoughts on paper helped me to cope, a sort of  catharsis for me since I found out I had Stage 3 colon cancer. It was not a walk in the park  but faith , prayers and love of friends and family made me realize  that when you have all these, you have enough. When you believe that you will get well, you will. And when you believe that God is by your side, He is.

So this is my 700th blog according to WordPress. Since they have introduced letting bloggers know which post was magnificent, grand, dandy, splendid, sensational, fabulous,far-out, groovy, slick, superb, super, wohoo, way-out and all the other positive words they say about a current blog post, I’ve recorded every word count and which post describes all those words. It’s kind of fun to know what word they will use to describe what you have just posted. At the start of the year, I was in a quandary whether to take part in the Post A Day Challenge 2011. I asked myself, “will I be able to do that, write and blog everyday the whole year of 2011? “ Two more months to go and I will be able to say, “I did it.” And George S. Patton was right when he said and I quote: Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.

I was reviewing my earlier blogs this morning and I was smiling like crazy thinking, I was a little emotional in some of them but who cares, it’s the process of writing that heals you. And I would like to share a list of at least twenty-five top-rated blogs that I wrote in a span of twenty-nine months. They are not exactly my favorites since there are other blogs which I like better than some of them,  echoing what I feel and describing the true “me”. But the following are my most read, obviously for the simple reason that they frequently appear even if I wrote them a year or almost two years ago. You are welcome to read through my search box since I don’t exactly remember  when they were published here.

1. Homepage
2. The Early Bird Catches The Worm But the Second Mouse Gets The Cheese
3. UAAP Season 73 (University of Santo Tomas)
4. Friendship Quotes
5. Soulmates, Karma, Reincarnation
6. Unang Taon, Ulat Sa Bayan Ni PNoy (June 30, 2011)
7. Happy Birthday MAMA MARY
8. Dapitan Arcade (A Shopper’s Delight)
9. It’s Why I Love It
10. University of Santo Tomas at 400
11. On Meeting Dr. Samuel Ang Again
12. The Aquino Grandchildren And My Own Memories of Ninoy
13. Bank Of The Philippine Islands, Let’s Make It Easy
14. Suha,Lukban, Grapefruit, Pomelo
15. The Famous Transfiguration Chapel – Caleruega, Philippines
16. Oh, Oh!
17. Quotes To Live By
18. It’s Kung Pao Chicken Pasta For Dinner
19. Some Tidbits On Pres. Noynoy’s Inauguration
20. Moringa Juice
21. Sioma-making, A Great Feat For A Six-Year Old
22. Celebrating 400th Year (University of Santo Tomas)
23. Meeting Manuel Baldemor, A World-Renowned Artist
24. New Life, New Hope, New Beginning
25. Special Palabok

Thank you all for visiting my blog and leaving lovely comments. Hooray to blogging! And WordPress says, this blog is wonderful😀

Read Full Post »

Tuesday Comes

6:30 am is still dark and cold. It ‘s only Noki who is outside in the garden. Waiting for the water to boil for my morning fix of either coffee or tea. I don ‘t use sugar anymore with my morning cup of coffee, I use a small packet of green Stevia instead. Just perfect for two pieces of rich tea biscuits. I wanna learn to drink coffee without sweetening it. Nissa says it is easy to adjust.

I blogged about my Insulin plant a couple of days ago and posted a photo at my garden blog. Would you believe, it produced two more flowers and another is about to show its face. For three consecutive days now, I eat the leaves raw. Just need to wash it well. I don’t even use fertilizer, chemical or otherwise so it is safe to eat fresh. Some people boil the leaves for tea. I haven’t tried it yet.

Saw some previous posts years ago that were visited by some viewers. I clicked the comments button and there appeared my online friends here on WordPress who have stopped blogging, many as long as three or two years ago. They have vanished and simply stopped blogging.

I agree that creating content is hard enough especially when you haven’t written anything for a long time. Although you have lots to write about, you don’t know how to start. That happens to me most of the time when I am hooked reading and blogging goes to the back seat. Now that I am blogging every day, it is somehow easier to write.

Read Full Post »

And So This Is Christmas….

Last year on my FB wall I wrote, You will always love the memories that Christmas brings no matter how simple the celebration is.

I feel so sleepy but I can’t go back to sleep. I only had four hours of sleep last night and woke up at 5:30 am. I saw mom earlier that she was already awake. She didn’t join us last night because she was deep asleep. I prepared breakfast for her, lumpiang shanghai and a slice of bibingka which we haven’t touched last night. Then Josef ordered breakfast at Jollibee this morning. Could not resist the aroma it brings. It’ll probably take two more days before we could eat all these. I still prepared pork afritada yesterday for lunch today. They will be spending the afternoon at Jovy’s grandma’s place.

I love all those photos posted by relatives and friends – family gatherings, so much food and gifts galore. The Filipinos always make it a point to celebrate despite the very high price of basic commodities and the high cost of living nowadays. For me, as long as we are together, it doesn’t really matter whether there is enough food on the table. As usual,there are no photos of the family but I took one of our noche buena meal.

Bibingka, buchi, lumpiang Shanghai, roasted chicken,spaghetti and ice cream for dessert. Ice cream in the middle of the night? We didn’t touch it though.

Blessed CHRISTMAS to all my WordPress friends🎄✨️🎉😘💜

Read Full Post »

Double Six

I started blogging about my birthday back in 2008 at Multiply. I didn’t even know that there is a WordPress, I was blogging at Multiply. A good friend recommended it to me and I set one up but it took me a year to come back, customize and update it. Been blogging about my birthday since then.

I can’t resist writing about all these years. The year 2022 brought so much pain when my younger brother Alden left us. And mom could not even remember that he is no longer around. She kept telling me to call him so she could go back to the province.

In a few hours, I’ll be turning 66. I am not asking for material gifts but I would like to ask you to say a little prayer for me for my health. Got so many issues but I like to think they are being addressed now. I’ll be having lab tests again come November 4 then I’ll go back to my internist. First week of December, I’ll be seeing my ENT. She wants my ear test repeated by an audiologist, a different one this time. Eye cataract operation is out at the moment until my blood sugar goes back to normal. Oh, the pain and hassle of getting old. Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful to my loving God guiding me, loving me and egging me on to trust Him always.

Maybe, we’ll have a late celebration when Noel and Lanette arrive. Jovy and Josef have work tomorrow.

Read Full Post »

These…..

A friend, a former classmate in high school just sent me a lovely pic collage and beautiful words of greeting. Amazing🙂 Thanks Bechay.

I agree that the more we face life’s challenges, the more we become stronger. Birthdays are not just the number of years beside your name, they speak of experience. We don’t only grow older, we become wiser through the years. And sometimes you wish it is your birthday every day, an opportunity to read those inspiring and wonderful words of greeting. The beauty of reaching out even without face-to-face contact.

And Facebook seems to be your online diary. I limit it to about 400 plus friends and I don’t post publicly. And there are limits to sharing your world with them, I don’t publicly complain of life’s struggles but I have chosen friends who understand and empathize. Isn’t that great? I don’t always see them personally though. I have a friend who’s been one for almost five decades now. He migrated along with his family to the US several years ago. We keep in touch from time to time and celebrate new beginnings and triumphs. Lovely to be remembered.

Fr. Lovell sent me a lovely message via text. Inspiring words. He is busy with his ministry and graduate studies. When you see these words like, keep safe, ingat, more blessings, God bless, doesn’t your heart jumps with joy?

These….

Read Full Post »

It Was A Happy One

Since I cannot accommodate all the photos Nissa and I took yesterday, I am posting only four here.

My 65th pink birthday pic.

We had lots of food. We even forgot the array of sweet desserts from one of the best stores of kakanin here in Cainta.

My wish? Good health always for the family.

One of the best gifts I received yesterday. Nate’s homemade greeting card. The front is full of cut-out paper flowers.

I was surprised, Nissa and Obet came by to greet me and we had lunch together. They went on leave from work for a day for my birthday. Sad though that Nate was left at home but we had a one-minute chat via Messenger.

Got hundreds of greetings from my friends and relatives on Facebook. Oh, they are still coming and all I did yesterday afternoon until late last night was to answer them all.

It was a lovely celebration. Thank God for all the blessings.

Read Full Post »

Thoughts

If you could touch one soul out there through your words,

If you could make someone smile despite the tears,

If you could inspire someone who is depressed to move on,

Then you are truly blessed.

God sees the goodness in everyone of us.

Read Full Post »

Pocket Of Joy

It was a joyful but quiet celebration of meeting 2021 finally. Although firecrakers are prohibited during the general community quarantine, for a few minutes before the new year started and a few minutes after, it was so noisy outside. By 1 am, everything was so quiet.

Mom and I are alone in the house. Josef, Jovy and our two pets spent the new year with Jovy’s grandma. They will stay there until Sunday.

Here’s our simple lunch: a healthy veggie salad with mayo/garlic/vinegar dip, slivers of cheese and thin slices of crisp apple, two rolls embutido and baked macaroni. Blueberry cheese cake and brownies for desserts. Heaven🍎🥒🥬🧀

Turning a new leaf in the calendar of life, another 365 days to make life more meaningful.

Peace and prosperity to all. HAPPY AND BLESSED 2021.

Read Full Post »

Falling In Love?

And I don’t mean the romantic love that we all know and talk about.

Have you ever felt that certain kind of happiness that makes you smile every time you remember?  There are certain things in our lives, certain things that cost so little or none at all that make those smile painted on our faces.

I fall in love with a baby’s smiles and laughter. Those unguarded moments when he/she smiles at you and reach out his/her hands to touch, to feel, to make his/her self comfortable in your arms.

I fall in love with sunrises and sunsets. The wonder of the rising sun gently caressing your back and the beauty of the sunset signaling you to just admire it and take a rest. The beauty of an unexpected rainbow on a cloudy day. Those clouds passing by in a rapid move and you wonder what they’ll bring, rain or a glimmer of the sun’s face.

I fall in love with lovely surprises, kindness from people I have just met and thoughtful friends who never  fail to make you smile. Even meeting them once in a while, listening to their voices over the wire,  hugging and embracing them when you see each other.

Morning coffee or  tea at night while reading a lovely book and you fall in love with the characters and the place. And you wish you’ll attain the same success as they did in the story.

The heady scent of flowers in your garden  and the peace and quiet gardening brings. You fall in love with creating a lovely panorama of different plants, the wonderful feeling it brings to your quiet world.

The undivided attention you get from your pets.  The way they lick your face and your hands showing unconditional love and the non-judgmental  way they look at you. They bring so much joy within.

I fall in love with the music of yesteryears.  The nostalgic way you hum  a song because you have memorized the lyrics over the years.  The way you swing your head to the music, smiling and at peace listening and remembering those years that gave you joy.

Ah, I could go on and on but I’ll reserve them for another post. Have a great day everyone. Think happy thoughts always.

Read Full Post »