Looking Forward To 2023

Yeay, I went out in the garden to sweep the yard and water the plants. It’s cold outside and the past mornings and late afternoons were kind of windy. I started pruning our Fukien tea plants but didn’t finish them yesterday. I was kind of lazy and sleepy too.

It’s nice to stay in bed a little late sometime. And with a hot mug of coffee, it’s wonderful. I always use Stevia nowadays. Trying to avoid sugar because of my abnormal blood glucose.

Do you keep new year resolutions? I used to but not anymore. It is never followed anyway. Unfulfilled dreams, things going haywire, health problems, political unrest etc. etc. Year 2022 was not favorable to us as a family although we were happy that my youngest brother and his wife visited us last November and stayed for two weeks. Mom could no longer recognize him. She thought he was my son Josef. We lost a younger brother last May 15 to colon cancer, the same ailment that my oldest brother and I had several years. He was a bit too young to die at 61.

When you think of the past days and months rapidly melting into 2023, you can’t help but think. How come that despite your efforts to stay healthy, you still have problems with your health? Unfulfilled dreams for the future are a little stressful but I am not dwelling on them that long. Prayers always help. They are my stronghold when I am happy or feeling so low.

I am looking forward to 2023. I hope it would be a good year for the whole family and the whole world. Are you looking forward to it too?

Happy New Year in advance✨️🎈🎉

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Looking Forward To 2023

Yeay, I went out in the garden to sweep the yard and water the plants. It’s cold outside and the past mornings and late afternoons were kind of windy. I started pruning our Fukien tea plants but didn’t finish them yesterday. I was kind of lazy and sleepy too.

It’s nice to stay in bed a little late sometime. And with a hot mug of coffee, it’s wonderful. I always use Stevia nowadays. Trying to avoid sugar because of my abnormal blood glucose.

Do you keep new year resolutions? I used to but not anymore. It is never followed anyway. Unfulfilled dreams, things going haywire, health problems, political unrest etc. etc. Year 2022 was not favorable to us as a family although we were happy that my youngest brother and his wife visited us last November and stayed for two weeks. Mom could no longer recognize him. She thought he was my son Josef. We lost a younger brother last May 15 to colon cancer, the same ailment that my oldest brother and I had several years ago. He was a bit too young to die at 61.

When you think of the past days and months rapidly melting into 2023, you can’t help but think. How come that despite your efforts to stay healthy, you still have problems with your health? Unfulfilled dreams for the future are a little stressful but I am not dwelling on them that long. Prayers always help. They are my stronghold when I am happy or feeling so low.

I am looking forward to 2023. I hope it would be a good year for the whole family and the whole world. Are you looking forward to it too?

Happy New Year in advance✨️🎈🎉

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Doodles

Nate said he was bored after our stay at the garden. I told him I’ll read the story of Owen and Mzee, a baby hippo and a 130-year old turtle. It ‘s a true story compiled in a book with lots of photos. He likes it because he has the same name as the baby hippo. He was christened Nathaniel Owen. It’s one of the Christmas gifts I gave him.

When we were done reading, I gave my notebook and a ballpen and he started drawing. I rather like the dotted greeting of Merry Christmas. Boy, he can draw, I took a photo…of course.

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So It’s A Leap Year

Yes, 2020 is a leap year.

A leap year is a year in which an extra day is added to the Gregorian calendar, which is used by most of the world. While an ordinary year has 365 days, a leap year has 366 days. … A leap year comes once every four years. Because of this, a leap year can always be evenly divided by four.

Today we also celebrate the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There is nothing like attending an early morning mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Light with our good friend Fr. Aly Barcinal presiding. And there is nothing like starting the year right with thanksgiving and prayers.

I am going back to sleep. I just want to post my very first blog this year. Last night was like a war zone in our place. I love the pyrotechnics though. Those makers certainly improve their craft every year. When it stays in the air for more than a minute, when you see different colors and designs in the night sky, it is really a lovely sight to behold. Some of my neighbors took videos on their cellphones. Compared to last year (2019), the display was short lived. And the firecrackers I think only took thirty minutes when 12 am was about to strike.

Again, a Blessed and Happy New Year to all my friends here on WordPress.  New hope, new dreams, new beginnings.

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Just Lovely

We had our twice-a-month marketing today. Timely preparation for the coming media noche. Costs of everything has gone up again. While almost every Filipino is struggling with high costs of commodities including basic goods, our rich politicians continue to amass wealth through corruption. Sorry, this is not what I want to blog about.

There is something wonderful about the giving qualities of my favorite vendors/sellers at the wet market. Every Christmas, they would give different gifts. Some gave me sturdy shopping bags, one gave me a recyclable grocery bag with zipper so you can fold into a wallet-sized one when you go out. I also received a hand towel from one of them. They may not be much for some people but it’s the thought that counts, right?

Cost of fruits have gone up again. I just bought two kilos of black seedless grapes and two pieces of honey dew. Come December 31, expect more mark-up on those different round fruits in the market. Filipinos have this tradition of serving twelve kinds of fruits during the new year. It is the only time in the year where you’ll find those fruits which are not necessarily sold during ordinary days.

I just hope 2020 will be a good year for all of us. HAPPY NEW YEAR in advance 🎉🎊💕🌷🍇🍎🍒

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What’s For Media Noche?

 

Thinking of what to prepare tomorrow night for our media noche, to celebrate the coming of  the new year.  Usually, we celebrate a new leaf in the calendar with lots of sweets  like fruit or buko salad, cakes and the usual  food  like pancit, pasta, embutido, lumpiang shanghai, menudo (mostly  Chinese and  Spanish recipes handed down from one generation to the next). The price of buko (young coconut) has significantly gone up over the years. It now costs P35 per piece whereas a year or two ago, it could be bought at P20 to P25.

Celebration of new year here in our country is steeped in tradition. I blogged about this years ago how we celebrate New Year. It is pretty normal that two days before  new year, wet markets and grocery stores are filled with people shopping for fruits and sweets, must items that should be on the table come  media noche.  Tradition says that having twelve kinds of fruits  on the table brings luck, any round fruit will do but some are specific about what fruits to serve on the table. When they are not in season though, they cost sky-high. It is only during this time that you will see so many fruits displayed in the market.  Even lechon  (a roasted suckling pig)  could be bought whole or by the kilo. It’s one of the usual recipes that is served during Christmas and New Year.  I bought some fruits already, half-a kilo each for the small ones, pineapple  and  honey-dew but they are not yet complete. There are only six items  in all but the fruit basket is already filled. m I have to go back to the market tomorrow for the rest.  I am thinking of preparing chicken ala king, menudo, the usual baked ham,  and finger food like lumpiang shanghai (spring rolls). Pasta of course will  not be left behind  or pancit  for long life, so they say.

Attending the New Year’s Eve mass is also practiced by most Catholics here.  It used to be that mass was held at exactly 12am but that was changed over the years since you cannot hear the celebration properly with the sound of fireworks all around.  I don’t know why but they haven’t totally banned the use of firecrackers. It is still a big business particularly in some towns in Bulacan.They pose a serious and environmental health dangers, it’s pollution to the max.  I wonder why some people can’t do away with all these toxic chemicals. We never buy firecrackers,  our neighbors’ display are  more than enough to pollute the air in our village.

How do you greet the new year in your area? Do you have the same traditions like we do here?  May the coming 2017 be a brighter and better year for us. May it always be filled with  faith, hope and peace.

HAPPY 2017 !!!

 

 

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