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🎄✨️🎉😘💜

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Plants And More

I was browsing the Memories app at Facebook when I saw this lovely image of our front garden several years ago. Those Pandakaki plants with tiny white flowers gave up on us but was replaced by Scarlet bush, Shanghai beauty and Kamuning. The Koi fish at the pond got lost during a flood. Our carabao grass are a little sparse now but all the plants have grown tall.

For the first time in more than two years, Josef and I went to the wet market to buy some necessities for Christmas Eve. I am planning to cook at least two recipes and the rest I ordered online. I don’t know when Nissa’s family would be coming over if it is on the 23rd or 24th of December. She hasn’t confirmed it yet. My gifts for mom and the kids are ready now. It’s about three days and thirteen hours to go before Christmas according to the Christmas clock.

It rains every day now and the sun is barely showing it’s face. I hope I could finish trimming the Fukien tea plants before Christmas day.

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A Christmas Party

For the first time, I joined the Christmas party of senior citizens at our village. Our municipal administrator who was our former mayor Atty. Kit Nieto together with our vice-mayor Ace Servillion joined us in the celebration. They gave cash gifts to those chosen randomly on the list of attendees. I won a box of bibingka, a rice cake which is the specialty of our town. They also distributed groceries to all seniors who attended. I didn’t stay long, went home after lunch. I gave the raffle tickets to our neighbor who is one of the officers of the seniors. What good luck! Mom and I won. I also received a gift from my online suki when I bought a gallon of dishwashing liquid yesterday. It is indeed a blessing to be remembered.

Been to my ENT and she changed my otic drops. She cleaned my ears again after noticing dried blood in the outer layer of my ear. Maybe that’s why two days ago, my right ear was so painful the whole day. I’ll be back on Thursday for another check-up. Hoping it would be the last with my ENT.

It’s eleven days to go before Christmas. Today is December 14.

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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.

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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🌲💒🎄☃️

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Finally….

Yeay, I’m done with my Christmas shopping for the whole family but some of them have not yet been delivered. It is really nice to shop online, either you have to pay in advance by depositing to your Lazada wallet or pay in cash when they are delivered. Did I tell you that I have received credits for my purchase? There are some items too where the delivery fees are waived. You can even earn coins while browsing at the site and they translate to one peso each. I have to review all my purchases so I could earn more.

As I have said before I always purchase kitchen gadgets for Nissa and Obet. One gift for them both. I told Nissa to use them in their new home. As for Nate, I always buy two gifts on his birthday and during Christmas, toys and books mostly. Found a nice book about the history of the dinosaurs and a set of dinosaur figures for his birthday next month. Kinda expensive but he always has the best. I bought some practical items for Josef, Jovy and mom, things that they could use daily.

Last year we didn’t put up Christmas decoration because of the pandemic. This year though, I ordered a smaller plastic Christmas tree which is easier to decorate than our 7-foot one. I also ordered some Christmas decor. Although senior citizens like me aren’t allowed to go out in malls, there are plainty to choose online.

Did I say it’s 73 days to go before CHRISTMAS?

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Busy Days Are Here Again

Reading was set aside for a while. I could not concentrate reading even at night aside from perusing a few poems by Mary Oliver….again!

There are deliveries almost every day for the three of us (Josef, Jovy  and me) brought about by the Lazada sale last December 12.  They have sales every month like 10-10-20, 11-11-20 etc. And since this is also their Christmas sale for the year, there seems to be many shoppers online. Lazada Philippines consists of several sellers of electronic accessories, appliances, toys, groceries, fashion accessories, home and living, health and beauty accessories too, You name it, they have it, all at a much lower price than in department stores with minimum charges for delivery. I have completed my gifts shopping at Lazada. There is one more item that I am waiting for, an electric kettle I ordered two days ago for our use. Lazada is a very popular online destination in Southeast Asia. “The online shopping group boasts one of the largest catalogues of items in the Philippines, with items from different  reliable brands, and are grouped into categories that are being sold in the website and the app”.

Yesterday, I prepared Embutido, a Pilipino meatloaf which  is also a regular fare for our Noche Buena.  Pair it with pancit or any pasta dish, some favorite sweets and  other desserts  and you’re good to go. I made 16 rolls in all. It can keep for long in the ref  without losing its flavor, just freeze it.

This afternoon, I wrapped all the gifts for the family. Jovy helped me with the bigger item for Nissa and Obet. Good thing SM East Ortigas gave me extra wrappers because half portions of the Christmas wrappers I have here got wet during the flood last month.

Last night was a very inspiring 2nd day celebration of  Simbang Gabi.  Fr. Paul, one of my favorite priests at St. Paul was the mass presider. Looking forward tonight for the 3rd celebration.

Take care guys, Covid is still enjoying its worldwide romping around.

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It’s Our First Simbang Gabi

Most Catholics here in our country waited last night with so much anticipation on the start of our celebration of Simbang Gabi (mass at night) and Misa de Gallo  (dawn or rooster mass) early this morning. Simbang Gabi as we usually call it is a nine-day novena before Christmas.  It is a lovely tradition we observe every year. I miss going out at night to attend it this time of pandemic.  Almost every church go online though. Attendance is still limited when you attend personally at the church, receive communion and participate in the prayers and participate in the singing. That is the limitation of attending masses online but you can choose which church and service you want to listen to.

I think, those in-charge of  tracking this Covid pandemic only allows 30% capacity of these celebrations in churches. There is even a directive now starting today that wearing face shields and face masks are mandatory. It used to be where face shields are only seen in malls because they are required by the establishments when you enter. Now, once you leave your house and go to a public place, you have to wear face shields as well with the face masks.

My goodness gracious, they are blind to the fact that most people wear both when they go out. And we’ve been doing it for almost ten months now. Some government officials break their own rules. The present chief of the Phil. National Police even had his mañanita birthday celebration at the height of ECQ some months ago. Are they doing anything? I bet…waiting for available vaccine which is even reported to have been purchased from china.

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These Things….

Little surprises that make me smile:

• Long chats with friends abroad through messenger. Listening and hearing their voices – just great
• A cup of hot green tea on an early morning.
• Oreo kissing my toes and being just silent besides me.
• Nates’ shouts of “hello Nonna” over the phone
• Seeing a new bloom in the garden
• Getting in touch with neighbors to say hi
• Finding  a new author with a good book
• Reading, reading until your vision blurs because you are sleepy
• Afternoon shuteye
• Hearing the church bells for dawn masses
• Watching videos on different recipes one could prepare for Noche Buena
• Surprise visits from friends
• Surprise phone calls
• Lovely and inspiring posts from WordPress friends and fellow bloggers
• Beautiful comments on your blog
• Attending Simbang Gabi and watching priest friends with their uplifting homilies online
• WAITING FOR CHRIST’ BIRTH
• Being excited for the celebration of Christmas 2019
• The early morning cold breeze
• Listening to Christmas music

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Simbang Gabi

Last night was the start of our yearly Simbang Gabi or Dawn mass.  Back in the days, it used to be called Rooster Mass because  4am or 5am were usually when the rooster in your neighborhood crows.  Simbang Gabi is a beautiful nine-day novena masses in Thanksgiving for all the blessing one received in the year. It’s traditional for us Filipino Catholics. I think it is only in the Philippines where you could find this. Times has changed, nowadays these Simbang Gabi are celebrated early, usually the night before the next day to give way for those who want to attend the novena after office.  They are also brought to some malls where they are celebrated at noon and most offices also hold these masses during lunch break.

I was overjoyed seeing the Pope opening the Simbang Gabi tradition. The mass readings were read in Tagalog  but there was a translator in English. Even the songs were sung in Tagalog  by the Filipino community. I’d like to think we are special because they have adapted one of the lovely traditions in our Catholic life.

Although our country is now in the brink of…..how do you put it….the ship is sinking fast because of these non-performing powers that be in our government, I still have high hopes that this will end eventually and we will rise up again. It may just take one brave soul to start it, right now though, we are at the mercy of one man who holds everything from the Supreme Court to the Legislative Branch to our National Police down to the barangay level. I need not elaborate, perhaps you also read them online.

I digress.

We were talking about Simbang Gabi, right? There are many churches now and several congregations too that televise the celebration of the nine-day novena masses. They end the day before Christmas day.

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