2024: Full Year as an Orphan, Inner Child Healed

It's just 2 hours before the new year. I had been debating with myself whether I should blog today or just slack off. I could've just rested since we had a small party earlier, but my inner voice/muse would probably nag me to no end. Either write now on my laptop or blog on my phone. I chose my Chromebook so I could do it faster.

To be honest, I probably need to go through my photos to remember what happened this year. I was able to complete daily blogging and 1SE last year. This year I became erratic by mid-year. I now realize my energy fluctuated a lot more after I had COVID-19 in May. Still fighting and praying I won't need another heart surgery. 

It was a quiet year for me. It was the first full year I didn't have a Mom. If I was going to write some key words for the year it would include the following words:

sorting

cats

kittens

experiments

reunions

malling

healing

family

Sorting - going through my Mom's stuff. Oh boy, I've only probably finished 40% of it and we have a deadline by end of January.

Cats and kittens - from Grey, Brimsley, Kaley, Mando Grogu, Eevee and Pikachu, the cat distribution system added Meredith, Bailey and Anakin. It seems we lost Kaley and Grey the past 3 months. They have not come back and feel they're gone forever. 

Experiments - I like doing experiments and this year I was able to propagate calamansi and avocado from seed! I'm hoping they will grow and bear fruit!

Reunions - after having COVID-19, I threw caution to the wind and started inviting friends over. Having friends around help boost my immune system. We've just been taking precautions to take extra vitamins after meet-ups. 

Malling - we didn't get to go on vacation this year, mainly because no one would take care of our cats. We're still finding a solution for it. 

Healing - I think the most important breakthrough I had this year was healing my inner child. I always felt abandoned by my siblings when they left home when I was just 10/13 years old. I only realized it when I had counseling back in 2021. What helped me was Sr. Lirio and a video that said only you can heal your inner child. I realized that whatever I was holding onto when I was a child was never coming back. I was able to let it go and focus on who's with me and who's within reach. 

Family - I spent the entire year with my boys (minus 3 nights I was in the hospital and Miggy went home). We weren't able to travel. We made up for it by going out almost every week. It was a good thing SMB opened a new building and we've been re-discovering our old haunt. I hope we'll be able to travel next year. We'll see. 

Just an hour left before midnight. I'll just hang out with Sweetie and Miggy. We have a lot of leftovers from the get-together, so I skipped cooking media noche. I'll just cook something tomorrow if we need food. 

Thank you year 2024. Hoping for a better and more active new year!

May God bless all of you for the new year!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Grateful Christmas

Celebrating Christmas at home with my boys. The past few weeks have been riddled with doctor appointments. My cardiologist thought it was high time to review my heart. I just saw my photo from my first Christmas post-OHS. This year is my 11th. I'm just grateful I've been able to celebrate many more Christmases with my boys.

A grateful heart is what I have this Christmas. My wish is to have many more Christmases with my boys.

May you all have a blessed Christmas!

Happy birthday Papa Jesus ❤️

#BeKind #StaySafe

Goodbye Donatello

Early Monday morning, we dropped off Donatello at the guardhouse. DENR will pick him/her up this morning. We wanted to meet the crew, but I unfortunately have an appointment.

Surprisingly, the guard said they also found a baby turtle two weeks ago. That's not a good sign since it means there may be two egg laying female turtles in our area. We have a creek that I think connects to the bay.

We gave Donatello the best quality of life we could provide. The boys managed to get some pellets and the pet store owner suggested to give Donatello some guppies. Two to three tiny ones a day. He/she seemed to enjoy the guppies. Made friends with two and just ate one. 

I honestly didn't spend that much time with Donatello last night. I didn't want to get too attached since I would have a hard time letting it go. Donatello though would poke his head out whenever I said hello. I can only hope that he'll have a good life with the DENR folks (yes, I know euthanasia is possible).

Farewell Bud.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Baby Turtle Update

After the shock of finding a baby turtle in our garage, we scrambled to figure out how to make it comfortable. We watched a couple of videos, read some articles and pinged friends knowledgeable with animals.

We put the baby turtle in a container with rocks and lettuce. At bedtime we put a small lamp. It probably provided a little heat, but it's the best we have on hand. The baby turtle was really exhausted. I couldn't imagine how it dodged all our cats. It rested and just kept swimming.

By morning, I noticed it was cleaner. It's color is a nice shade of green. It had dots and reminded me of one of the stones Mom used for her stone craft business. Donatello would poke his head out of the water whenever I saw hello. Not sure if he was reacting to my voice or checking out if I'm food.

I was honestly bothered about finding a baby turtle in our garage. We are not ready to take on a new animal much as we love having them. Taking care of a turtle is a whole new ballgame. I was worried we couldn't give it a proper home.

I did more research about it being an invasive specie. I found that Chinese soft shelled turtles are not endemic to our country. The DENR declared it as alien and requires anyone who finds one to surrender it to them. They are also not allowed to be returned to the wild.

So, as a good citizen, I sent a report to the DENR office that covers our area. They had replied by the time I woke up. They wanted to pick up Donatello by afternoon, but we were out. We scheduled the pick up for Monday. 

As much as I'd love to have a pet turtle, I think it's best to surrender Donatello. If I let it grow it might eventually wreak havoc to the eco-system. In the meantime, we'll keep him company for the weekend. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Found this Little Guy in the Garage

I went out last night to check on the cats and give them some food. I called Grogu since he was outside the gate. As he came in, Sweetie went out and noticed I had so many cats surrounding me. He was helping move the cat plates when he noticed a round green moving object.

It was tiny and he almost stepped on it. We both exclaimed, "Turtle?". I immediately grabbed a pot plate and Sweetie covered the tiny turtle. There were 5 cats milling around and they were already curious, so we had to protect it first.

Finding an exotic animal in our premises is nothing new. Last year's surprise was a hedgehog! Luckily, a neighbor approached us a few hours after looking for their lost cat. We asked if they happen to be looking for a hedgehog. They were looking for their pet for more than two months already and were so glad to be reunited with it.

I pinged a friend for advise and she said to put it in water with rocks. We don't have any turtle stuff, so we made do with a container, new rocks and bits of lettuce.

Baby turtle was so happy when we put it in water. It put itself on the side and it's resting. Maybe it had a huge adventure before finding itself in our garage. I suspect one of the cats probably picked it up somewhere and brought it home. I hope it's not traumatized. We'll figure out what to with it today.

Welcome to our home, Donatello ❤️

#BeKind #StaySafe

What I Learned from Being a Fan Girl at a Young Age

I was probably about 10 years old when I went Gaga over Menudo. My favorites were Robbie Rosa and Ricky Martin. My Dad bought a cassette tape. I think it was my second casette tape after the Michael Jackson one my Dad bought for me.

Anyway, I drove everyone crazy since I listened to the tape day and night. Eventually, my Dad got us tickets to watch a concert at the Folk Arts Theater. He even got me a poster and a magazine. I got to watch another concert. Kuya got us front row seats! He was then courting Ate Joy. I was soon happy and one of the boys even winked at me. Haha!

Using BSB concert photo since I don't have any photos from the 80s concert 

Anyway, I eventually moved on to other things. After Menudo, I kept myself from fangirling another group. I felt silly for spending a lot of my time daydreaming about the group. It also dawned on me that none of my daydreams would come true. 

After that I realized that the best way to admire performers and entertainers is to do it from a distance. Enjoy their performance for what it is and draw inspiration when warranted.

Artists share their craft because it is their gift and talent. Focus on that and just shrug your shoulders if there is gossip about them. Don't judge since you don't really know what's behind the story. Best you can do is pray for them.

#BeKind #KeepSafe

Adulting Levels Busy

I haven't been able to blog since we've been busy with adulting stuff. I had to complete the tests my doctor ordered. Sweetie and Miggy also had to complete their check-ups. We also completed payment for our real property tax dues. We prioritized that to get the 20% discount from city hall. Also brought Anakin and Grogu to the vet to update their vaccination. Anakin's eye also had to be checked because it had a scratch. We're still not done with our tasks and I still have an appointment with my doctor. 

One fun thing we did was complete our Christmas list. We were able to mail a few Christmas cards. I am not confident though it will reach the recipients. I hope the post office staff will actually put stamps and send the cards on their way-- I saw the cards stacked on other cards that didn't have stamps on. Postage cost has gone up.

We also had fun buying gifts for our support teams. Half of it are our doctors, their staff and my pulmo rehab team. It takes a village to keep me stable, haha. The other half are the ones who help us maintain our home. I had completed the other gifts a few weeks ago. I just got items from my friends businesses. 

The difficult part, as usual, is finding something for my boys. My usual theme for Christmas for them is something they could add for their toy collection. I take cues when they mention something in passing, but I couldn't differentiate what they already have in their collection. So, I have to be creative this year. Wish me luck!

We plan to just stay home for now. Traffic has been so bad. It took us almost two hours to get home from BGC the other day. We skipped some stopovers since I didn't want to get stuck longer. We also have to finish decorating and I hope to finish my Christmas quilt throw pillow covers by this weekend.

BTW, my pulmo rehab therapist reminded to wear mask whenever I go out. He said there's a lot of people who are sick. So best, to be  inconvenienced with a mask for now. 

Happy weekend everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Vet Day: Eye Check and Vaccination

The boys brought Anakin and Grogu today to the vet. Anakin's eye had pus the past few days. We were worried that he had another infection. He ha his left eye closed all week. We've been gently wiping away the pus. Grogu has been randomly coughing. Miggy finally got an appointment for them today.

The vet said, Anakin either got in a fight or scratched himself. She looked in his eye and saw the scratch. Poor baby. He was given eye drops and antibiotic to help heal the eye. We hope it will heal properly and go back to normal like Bailey (his Mama Kaley scratched him when he was a kitten). 

Grogu, on the other hand, is fine. The vet said it's likely hairball causing him the cough randomly. I've witnessed it twice in the last few weeks ans it's scary. Vet said to just observe for now. His vaccination was also updated.

Anakin and Grogu also got micro-chipped. You can have this done either at the Paranaque Veterinary Center or at a accredited vet. Our vet just did it and they both now have microchips. We'll do this for the rest of our cat family too.

Oh, and both Anakin and Grogu gained weight. Anakin is now 3.2 kg. Grogu at 3.25 kg. They're both very active and so far not getting chonky unlike the others, hehe 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Got 9 Books for Just PhP2--!

We have made it a point to visit Booksale at least one to two times a month. We want to make sure (in our own little way) that the branch near us stays open. 

We buy books not just for us, but to give as gifts especially for kids. It will help cultivate the love for reading and stretch the imagination of young minds. I'm lucky because Miggy loves reading. We always visit bookstores whenever we're out. 

Visited Booksale again today and we each got a couple of books. We only paid PhP265 for 9 books. My craft books were just 15 to 35 each. Miggy's fiction books only cost 35 and 50 pesos. Not bad noh? 

#BeKind #StaySafe

New Mouse for My 40-Month Old Chromebook

My Thinkpad Chromebook is now 40-months old. It still works like I just got it yesterday. I use it mainly to blog, edit videos and do adulting things (i.e. accounting). I used to do groceries on it too, but we've been doing it in person the past year. It was a good decision for me to invest in a Chromebook since I don't do fancy dev stuff anyway. 

The most tedious thing I do on my Chromebook is edit videos. Editing sewing and cooking videos don't require effects. It's pretty straightforward and I just use WeVideo. Most of my files are uploaded through my phone. I still use a camera sometimes and I just transfer files like how I used to do on a Mac or Windows OS laptop. Easy peasy. 

The mouse I got when I bought my Chromebook conked out on me. I only changed the battery once in the past 3+ years. It worked really well on my Chromebook. I may have forgotten to turn it off and didn't use my laptop for 2 weeks. That's probably why it died on me. Sweetie lent me two of his devices, but it didn't work well on my Chromebook. 

I found an upgraded version of my old mouse. It's a Logitech M330. It's pretty pricey at PhP995, but it works well on my Chromebook. The only complaint I have is it doesn't have a clicking noise! It's a silent mouse! This GenX grew up with noisy clicking and noisy keyboards, so this is certainly weird, haha. I hope I don't forget to turn it off before I keep my Chromebook so it lasts me a couple of years. 

As for my Chromebook, I have no plans (and no budget!) to change it. I hope Google will keep it updated forever! (BTW, my older Chromebooks also still work!). 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Happy 1st Meredith

Meredith first visited us a year ago. She looked like she was someone's pet since she didn't look like any of the regular feral cats that visit us. She wasn't really friendly and didn't come back until the end of December.

By the time she came back, she was visibly pregnant and looking for food. The tabbies were also very territorial and chased her away. By January she came back, left two fetuses in the garage and left. Few days later she came back looking very sick. None of our neighbors responded to us when we asked if anyone lost a cat.

She wasn't eating solid food, so we gave her some broth. She perked up, became affectionate and never left. We figured out she was abandoned by the neighbor who moved out. And that's how she became part of our pawmily.

We brought her to the vet and she's been spayed. She's now a chonky cat, sometimes sweet, oftentimes maldita. She's the princess among the tabbies. She gets extra scratches since she has the softest fur among everyone. Just be sure to pull your hand out immediately since she might nip you. 

We love you Meredith! Happy first year with us! ❤️

#BeKind #StaySafe

Another Hour I Can't Remember

Twelve years ago, I had a TEE (transesophageal echocardiogram). It's where a doctor slips down a camera through your throat. Yup, it's nasty and after the first time I never wanted to do it again.

My doctor ordered for me to do it. It's been eleven years since I had OHS, so my heart is due to be checked. I re-scheduled twice since I've been unstable and I was so anxious about the procedure. I bravely went for it today and just prayed.

The last thing I remember was the bitter taste of the throat numbing spray. I also saw the anesthesiologist injecting something in the IV. An hour later I woke up to a medtech doing a 2D echogram on me. I realized I didn't even see the doctor who did the TEE. I'm so glad I was sedated and didn't have to endure what I did 12 years ago. I'm just hoping my throat doesn't react badly. The doctor have me meds, so that you should help.

Resting for the next few days. The procedure is pretty invasive and my body needs to recover. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Our Muradito Experience

I had Muradito Home on my list of places to visit. They carry an array of useful items. I was curious because they have themed ceramic dinnerware. I also wanted to see whether their items are affordable.

It took a year before we went. I didn't really have anything to buy. My neighbor though makes really good ramen and we realized we didn't have bowls for ramen. That became my excuse, haha.

We went to their Alabang branch. We decided to go in the evening since warehouses tend to be hot. The first thing we saw was a cute cat grooming at the entrance. Beside it was a huge table with Christmas plates, mugs and other dinnerware. I think about half of the items were Christmas items.

The area was big and I was overwhelmed with the variety. Good thing they only had a few ramen bowls. We were able to choose quickly. 

As much as I wanted to buy Christmas themed stuff, the practical side of me won. I just wanted a quirky serving bowl that I could use all year round. So I just got something that would be useful and perfect for serving home cooked dishes. 

One thing we also decided to get were platitos. We only have three and they also don't match. We got three more that also don't match, haha. Each small plate only cost about PhP50. Not bad huh. 

The prices were affordable, even the cutesy serving bowls and plates. The options can be overwhelming, so it's useful to have a list of what you need before going. 

#BeKind #StaySafe