Two? Or Three?

18 Days to 50

We are not sure if Little Grey has two or three kittens. She squeezed herself in a Goldilocks roll tray (yes that small!). The tray had some of my gardening tools and we were worried for her.

We knew she was stressed already from giving birth and tending to her newborns. She wouldn't move from the small space, so we made a contraption to feed her. We're also making homemade cat food, so she can have broth.

Miggy and I worked on moving some stuff around where she was. I noticed she kept looking at the gap and realized she dropped one of the kittens. As soon as we removed the umbrellas she immediately went down to look for her kitten. While she was away we took the opportunity to remove the gardening tools and moved the other kitten to the crate.

We left her alone to rearrange the kittens. We thought she'd move them to the crate, but she moved the under the shelf! Arghhh. We re-positioned the box and hopefully she'll use it as a nest. We're just really not so knowledgeable yet with caring for cats.

The kittens look chonky and healthy. We'll let Little Grey adjust as needed. It's been raining and we don't want to scare her since she might bring the kittens to an unsafe space. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! A Birth!

19 Days to 50

We felt Little Grey was due anytime. We put boxes around the house for her to comfortably give birth in. She chose the same spot Brimsley delivered Mando and Grogu.

Miggy discovered Little Grey and kitten while he was watering the plants. She probably gave birth between 5:30-6:00 pm. We immediately checked on Little Grey. She was grooming the kitten. The kitten gave a loud meow while we were checking if they were okay.

As of writing, there's only one kitten for now. We'll leave food and water for Little Grey and hope she moves to a safer space. We'll make some broth for her too so she can hydrated with nutrients.

Should we name the kitten Marvin Augusten?

#BeKind #StaySafe

International Cat Day

20 Days to 50

Yesterday was international cats day. To celebrate it, I made a collage of our cats. From Grey to Little Grey.

I finally managed to step out today and was greeted by Anakin. He was dozing by the door and looked really sleepy when I said hello to him.

Eventually, the other cats showed up and they all started playing with the dried papaya leaves I pulled from the trees. I hope I'll be able to do some gardening tomorrow since my plants look sad. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Comfort Food: Dayrit's

21 Days to 50

I haven't been able to do anything since I got home. My right arm is still painful and I'm not supposed to use it. It's going to take a few more days before it heals.

Sweetie and Miggy have been keeping me comfortable. I'm trying to keep my self from drinking too much pain meds, so I'm just using ice to keep the swelling down. 

First order of the day after I was discharged was to eat comfort food. Nearest go-to place from the hospital is Dayrit's, a childhood favorite. I love their cheeseburger and I love how they've stayed the same through the years. I've dined there with my parents numerous times.

Comfort food is part of the healing process and dining where I used to eat with my parents makes me feel safe. Everything will be alright.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Tried Chamboy's Fish and Chips

22 Days to 50

I love the fact we could order "lutong bahay" from our neighbor's. My friend, Chamboy, has been offering ramen and recently introduced fish and chips. We actually got ramen bowls since we order ramen from him every so often.

We finally got to try his fish and chips and tokwa't baboy today. It was cooked perfectly and each serving is good for two meals. Another win when you order from Chamboy since regular restos have been scrimping in their serving. Sulit!

Nomnomnom. Thanks Chamboy!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Resting

23 Days to 50

Just resting today.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Discharged!

24 Days to 50

My day started with a vampire at 4:30 in the morning. It was followed by a sharp shooter at 5, then the nurse soon followed for meds and hydration. Food arrived at 6, then the nurse came again for more meds. 

And just when I thought I could doze off, one of my doctors came at 7 looking really fresh. I was in a very odd position in bed when he came because I was having a hard time getting up. Good thing he's still a fellow and full of good humor. 

You literally get round the clock care when you're confined. It's really tiring especially when you have to go around the hospital for tests. I was so tired I didn't have energy to eat. We just wanted to finish everything so we can go home.

Highlight of the day was a surprise visit from our dear friend, Migs. Thanks Migs for squeezing in some time in your busy schedule! Maybe we can have a meet up when Koyah Drew is around. Just give me 6 months to be well enough :)

Home sweet home!

#BeKind #StaySafe

25D to 50: Where I Draw Strength for Medical Tests

The past few days has been littered by tests. I was brought to the ER due to unusual dizzy spells and chest pain. I've gotten to know my body well in the past few years. I only go the the ER when something really feels off.

I asked to be brought to the emergency room last Wednesday because I was feeling unwell. It wasn't the usual pain and it's good that I did. I was planning to get in touch with my doctor by August 1. My body just pushed me to go earlier.

I had to do multiple tests the past few days. A friend always tells me I'm so brave. I do get scared, but my Mom taught me how to face challenges. Just do it. Don't be emotional. And trust in God. I pray whenever fear starts creeping in. That's what calms me.

Funny, while waiting for a procedure today I started to pray the rosary. The sedative they gave me didn't work, so I was fully awake the whole procedure. I even remember all the tsismis the doctors exchanged, haha. It was short and sweet, I only started feeling sleepy when I was wheeled out of the lab. 

Hope to be discharged tomorrow!

#BeKind #StaySafe

26D to 50: Happy Sunday!

Happy Sunday everyone!

Nothing much happened today. We just planned next steps. Highlight of the day was having a good cup of coffee and a tuna sub sandwich.

I super miss my cats and couldn't wait to get home so I can play with them again. Miggy said Anakin gave me extra leg rubs today. He's probably wondering where I am. Will be home soon sweetheart.

#BeKind #StaySafe

27D to 50: Ugh, Still Confined

I'm still confined. Doctors still doing some tests. I've now stayed longer than when I had COVID-19. Oh well, just have to trust my doctors.

Highlight of my day was going to the radiology department for an x-ray. It was the first time I managed to go out of my room. Supervised, of course.

In between tests, I've just been sleeping. I think I was so stressed during the course of the 3 typhoons. I worried a lot  and that's partly what got me down. Resting helped immensely, so hope I'll be discharged soon!

#BeKind #StaySafe

28Dto 50: Bye Wendy's Glorietta 4

Wendy's at Glorietta 4 will always be memorable for me and Sweetie. We were just talking about it the other day because it's where we had our first "date". We were planning to visit it again.

Wendy's Glorietta, c2006

Lo and behold, it was announced this week that it's closing permanently! How sad, since I used to frequent it with friends. Oftentimes, when we'd watch a movie. Our alternative was the Wendy's across Dusit (I'm not sure if it's still around).

Wendy's across Dusit, c2011

It's a truly an end of an era for Glorietta. I also experienced it when Quad eventually disappeared and was replaced by Glorietta many years ago. As they say, "Change is the one thing that's constant."

Relish those happy memories :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

29D to 50: Tired and Tests

Spent most the the day asleep. I was exhausted from getting woken up by doctor visits (started at 5:48am). I probably did not make a lot of sense when they talked to me. 

Highlight of the day was eating some spaghetti (half). I love their Pinoy style spaghetti and might order it again tomorrow. Hahaha.

Hope to be discharged soon!

#BeKind #StaySafr

Countdown 30D to 50: Phail

I was thinking about my upcoming birthday. It's now a month away and I thought I'd do something special everyday.

Well, my body had other plans...

Hello E.R.

Rest muna.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Buddy's in Paranaque in Back!

I'm so happy Buddy's Pancit Lucban and Longganisa is back in Paranaque! It probably opened the restaurant (not just kitchen!) in the past 5 to 6 weeks since we were in the area (near Paranaque City Hall).

They were available on Grab a couple of months ago (maybe last year?) and then suddenly closed. I felt so orphaned because Buddy's is comfort food for me. It reminds me of my Dad's cooking (plus he's from Lucban). I messaged them on FB to find out how I can order from other branches. It didn't work out.

I was hopeful they'll be back and told them to please come back 😅 The long hopeful wait is over and we promptly had some of our favorites delivered when we got home (had a gazillion adulting errands today). 

I got my usual, longganisa and hardinero. Yummy as always! Sweetie tried the burger and he said it's as homey as Dayrit's! Last I tried it was in Lucban, so I'll order it next time.

Buddy's Lucban, May 2009

The good news of having Buddy's back is they have a fuller menu compared to before. I have to try their pizza again (last time was in Lucban way back!). And I'm happy to see their fiesta meals. That's what I miss getting when I have guests from abroad visiting. 

Switching Back to Analog Watches

After 4 and a half years, my Fitbit died. It just conked out without any symptoms. We tried solutions suggested online and it just wouldn't charge anymore. I honestly have no idea where to bring it for repair. Most of the shops selling it previously are not carrying it anymore (even their Lazada shop points you to a third party store).

I got a Fitbit back in February 2021 aftery second PE*. I needed to monitor my vitals and sleep and it was a useful solution. I even go to present my sleep data to my doctor. I also enrolled in Fitbit Premium for the added stats I could get. My membership ends next year.

So naturally, I should probably get another Fitbit. I was thinking of getting the Charge since I don't really use the smartphone capabilities. Sweetie helped call different stores to check if they sell Fitbit and surprisingly a lot don't carry it anymore. Their Lazada store was still available last week, but when I checked last night they're pointing to buy through Digital Walker. We called DW, they don't have stocks.

I honestly don't like wearing a watch when sleeping. It makes me feel like a patient being monitored especially since I use a CPAP machine too. It's been two weeks since I haven't tracked anything and I felt free! I can tackle gardening and washing dishes without worrying whether I'll get my watch wet.

I had my 19-year old watch checked today. It just needed a new battery (it costs PhP370 nowadays!). Anyway, it's still much cheaper than getting a smart watch. Sweetie's still convincing me to get a Fitbit or any other watch that can monitor my vitals.

Knowing how I dilly dally on purchasing gadgets, it will probably take at least 2 years for me to get one again. Hahaha.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Look Who's Just Like Grey

We got to spend more time with the cats the past two days since it's not raining as much. We noticed Eevee has been spending more time in the garage too. Sometimes Mando shows up to explore too (she's the most introverted among our pawmily).

Sweetie noticed Eevee sitting like a loaf. His father, Grey, used to sit like that a lot too whenever he hung out in the garage. I took a photo to compare the two and couldn't help but realize how Eevee is just like his Papa Grey.

No pets. No scratches. Stay at least a foot away. They both would give slow blinks, but that's the most affection they'll give. Before Grey went on his adventure he gave a lot of slow blinks. I even thought he'd allow me to pet him. 

It's been 9 months since Grey left. We'd like to think he's just on an adventure and will show up one day. He left his family with us and Eevee is just like him. I'm still hoping he'd give in like his twin, Pikachu. She's been allowing us to pet her and she rubs on my leg to greet me. So sweet.

Have a blessed Sunday everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Post Typhoon Gardening, Got a Prize

It's been over a week since I've been able to tend to my garden. Watering plants is my daily cardio exercise, but with the heavy rain I haven't had to do it. I knew that my plants probably felt waterlogged and needed TLC.

I looked out the window yesterday afternoon and saw one of my gumamela plants had fallen. I grabbed the chance to go out when I saw it wasn't raining. Checked if there were other plants that fell and if any needed to be moved.

My gumamela plants needed to be sprayed with Neem oil. Some had holes in it and the others were being plagued by aphids and fungus. The calamansi plants also need spraying, the caterpillars had a buffet!

Biggest work we did was to move plants around. Sweetie helped cut dead bamboo and to move the plants. I had to move the plants that prefer drier areas. It was a lot of work and I had to uproot some plants so they can dry for a few days. 

I got a special prize though for all the hardwork. A new plant sprouted and when I took a photo to identify it I was so surprised. It's an alocasia/elephant ear. I don't have this yet and it grew in one of Mom's old pots. Yay! I'll work on re-potting it soon.

I know a lot of farms and gardens were devastated the past few days. Let's all pray for those affected and help where we can 🙏

#BeKind #StaySafe

Shorts Rescue

The rain sapped all my energy. I'd always wake up whenever heavy rain would pour whenever I'm asleep. The fear never left me since typhoon Ondoy. I finally had restful sleep last night since the rain wasn't as bad. It also helped that we were not being jolted by the NDRRMC alerts.

I knew I had to do something to keep me from falling into a rut. I decided to tackle something that's been on my to-do bin for months now -- changing the garter of several pairs of shorts.

I know it sounds mundane, but keeping my hands busy helps reset my system. Focusing on being productive helps me from worrying. 

I managed to repair two of Sweetie's shorts  and 4 of mine. With the rainy season this would help since it's hard to get clothes to dry! Ahh, now I have more pairs to wear for sleeping! Yay!

I feel a bit refreshed and can put my mind to check where I can be of help. I've been praying a lot for everyone's safety and protection. Now it's time to also pray for strength. 

Stay dry and keep safe everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Waterlogged

Too. Much. Rain.

The forecast today says there's going to be more rain. It's been a stressful week since the mishap with the duhat tree and electrical post in our neighborhood. I got rained on a bit yesterday and haven't been feeling well. I had to postpone pulmo rehab to next week so I could rest.

Our cats are not so happy either. We put out new boxes with fluffy rugs to keep the warm. They are also sad they can't run around too much. I'll probably spray their toys with catnip to boost their energy.

I hope it's one of those forecasts that would miraculously go the other way. Stay dry and keep safe everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

When to Step Away

In this day and age we all get to witness people having meltdowns online. I've seen a fair share of this since I'm online often. I've had brushes of getting attacked even though I'm just innocently minding my own business.

Way back I encountered a strange person attacking me online. He was attacking me because of the company that hired me. My instinct was to ignore and just report it internally. I was advised not to engage. The person was so mad he even emailed someone high up in the organization (that person probably didn't even know me, haha). The issue eventually died down and he tried a few more times.

Through the years I experienced bashing (mild compared to others). Friends would usually give me a heads up about it and as advised I never engaged. Life has been quieter since I retired and I usually just encounter meltdowns either in socmed or private groups. 

Sometimes though when issues get to close, be sure to assess whether it's really something that involves you or they're just looking for someone to blow off steam. If the person is in fight mode and you have nothing to do with the issue. STEP AWAY. Don't get yourself embroiled in something you're not really involved in. If you must then just say you'd rather not be involved. 

Someone also taught me one important lesson. He said when the conversation is veering off track and not within the topic at hand, end the meeting immediately. I had a lot of crazy meetings before where I'd receive threats. I also had a neighbor scream at me on my birthday when my FIL accidentally parked on the wrong spot. It was upsetting, but I kept in mind to stay calm and leave the conversation/situation appropriately. Those were the type of people not suitable for further engagement and we'll the neighbor was having a meltdown because his father just died. I didn't know it at that time, but I'm glad I just walked away (and the parking was fixed btw).

Choose peace. In the first place, how would their rants/threats help their issue?

#BeKind #StaySafe

14 Hour Brownout

At 3:57 am (+/- 2 minutes) I was jolted awake by a loud crack and something falling to the ground. I thought it was a tree since our neighbor's 12-foot tree fell due to the heavy rains. Sweetie and I both got up to investigate.

Photo from a neighbor 

I looked out the window and saw our neighbor outside with a flashlight. Whatever fell wasn't across or beside our house. Sweetie went outside too and saw a huge tree had fallen. We later found out it was an old duhat tree.

A few minutes later a kind neighbor went to the area. The tree brought down a Meralco post. Some neighbors said they heard a loud bang. It was probably the transformer. The affected neighbor asked for assistance so I called the barangay's rescue and fire department. They came to check on them and called me after and said the tree and post blocked their way, but they could walk out if really needed. 

I tried to sleep again. I kept waking up because bursts of rain started falling. It was disconcerting since there's an electricity post across our house too. I just prayed for protection. We were told to stay indoors since some wires were dangling.

By early morning, we heard the Meralco vehicles and crew arrive. We were told the repair would likely last until the afternoon or early evening. I prayed for the protection of the crew since the rain would come in strong bursts.

Part or the gallant Meralco team

After 14 and a half hours, electricity finally came back. Thank you Lord no one was hurt and we are all safe in our neighborhood. Please send extra blessings for the crew that toiled hard to install a new post and repair the cables. And big thanks to our HOA, Meralco and our neighbor who made sure to restore things back to normal. (Luckily our phone line wasn't affected).

More rains is expected this week and possibly another typhoon. Good thing we have rechargeable lights, fans and a radio. We also have a covered pail with water in our bathrooms for emergencies. They were very useful to provide some comfort. The cool weather helped keep my lungs from flaring up, whew.

Stay safe everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Cat Stuff at Anko

I used to skip sections for pets at stores, but now that we have for babies I always end up buying something for them. We recently checked out Anko at Alabang Town Center since it's fairly new. It's now on the spot where National Bookstore used to be.

Anko at ATC is noticeably smaller than the Glorietta branch. The sections were evenly distributed, unlike in Glorietta which had a bigger section for houseware. Anko ATC just needs to dust their items. I had to wash my hands after visiting the shop 

Anyway, back to pet items... They had a good selection and the quality and price is pretty good. I was so tempted to buy toys and new dishes for our cats. I just held back because I recently bought a bunch of dishes! Haha. Maybe I'll go back and get the automatic water dispenser.

For crafters, Anko has affordable craft materials. Miggy got a paintbrush set and I got some paint for a project. I think their stuff is good for beginners trying out new things. They don't have that many sewing materials though. 

I'm happy there's an accessible Anko for us. The items they sell are very different from Daiso, Japan Home and other similar shops. Just hope they'll dust their items, haha 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Full Time Pawrents: Mando Laura and Grogu's 2nd Birthday

Two years ago today, Brimsley made us full time Parents. Grey brought her to our home a few weeks before we went on a trip to celebrate the birthdays of Sweetie and Miggy.

We named her Brimsley based on a character from Bridgerton because she was quite irritable. Well, we thought she was male! So it was a huge surprise when she went missing and we found her with a newborn kitten. The day after she had another one.

We named the kittens Mando and Grogu because we were watching Mandalorian when they were born. As usual, we made a mistake with Mando's gender, so we added Laura to her name. 

Here's Mando Laura and Grogu's first month:

We haven't been able to go on vacation since Mando Laura and Grogu were born and since then Eevee, Pikachu, Meredith, Bailey and Anakin came. We became full time Parents. We love them dearly and can't leave them alone and it would be too expensive to book them at a hotel. I guess it's God's way of telling us to just stay home for now.

They are now 2 years old

After we missed the opportunity to get Brimsley spayed, we made sure to get her spayed after she gave birth to Eevee and Pikachu. Everyone else have been spayed and neutered too to keep them healthy and avoid adding more to the brood.

It hasn't been easy and we've just been closing our eyes whenever we bring them to the vet, but they bring us so much love and they are our little angels. We pray everyday to be blessed so we can continue to take care of them.

Happy birthday Mando Laura and Grogu. Thank you Brimsley for making us into parents.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Papaya is Forming!

Yassss! I'm so happy! The papaya seeds I propagated a year ago is starting to produce fruit! It started as an experiment and it took so much time before the seeds grew. Among the many seeds I tried to propagate about 10 are still alive and growing. 

There are two that are now trees. They're stuck in our pocket garden because I wasn't able to re-pot them before the roots grew deeper. My friend said don't move them because it will stress the tree. Oh well, we're the only one who sees the tree anyway. My Mom though is probably frowning about it from heaven (she says they're best placed in the backyard). 

Here's how it's progressing the past few weeks:

Now I need to figure out if I need to continuously provide nutrients monthly. Hope we can harvest something in the next few months. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Tried Making Pasta ala Yellow Cab's Charlie Chan

We like Yellow Cab's Charlie Chan pasta/noodles. Lately it became too spicy for us, so I did some research to see if I could make it at home. I found a recipe by Lee Kum Kee and adjusted it to fit 3 people (their recipe required 500gms of spaghetti noodles, but very little sauce!). I also wanted more chicken since we were going to consume it at home. 

Here's how I made it:

The boys liked it and said I should do a repeat performance. I'll probably do some more adjustments to the recipe next time and make it a bit more spicy (na-over mild naman). Miggy helped me halfway while cooking since I ran out of energy slicing stuff (haha). Happy to have an assistant cook at home :)

Try it? Recipe is at https://recipesformyson.blogspot.com/2025/07/recipes-for-my-son-cabin-pasta.html

#BeKind #StaySafe

Throwback Thursday: What Karma Songs?

We found several stacks of CDs while sorting the stuff from my childhood home. The CDs were a mix of data (like my thesis), photos, videos and music. Sweetie has been checking the contents of everything we come across (CDs/floppy disks/diskettes) to make sure we can back up retrievable data and not accidentally throw out stuff with PII. 

One of the CDs was marked "Karma Songs". Obviously mine because I wrote the title. I couldn't remember what kind of songs I burned on the CD. I suspect it's from a folder from my iPod which I backed up from my PC. 

Sweetie tried to retrieve the contents of the CD. Unfortunately, it's dead and now I have no way to find out what are "Karma Songs". Knowing me it's probably a series of angry at the ex songs, hahaha. I barely remember stuff from that period, so this shall remain a mystery for now. 

What kind of songs did you use to burn on CDs? Or if you are a GenXer, what kind of songs did you put on a mix tape?

P.S. It just occurred to me, maybe it's songs previously discussed on Plurk? If you're a Plurker, you'd know.

#BeKind #StaySafe 

Wellness Wednesdays: Small Steps Matter

I had fallen into a rut the past couple of months. I know now what triggers it. I functioned based on need which also meant a lot of stuff I was doing fell behind. I'm lucky Sweetie and Miguel are very patient and understand when there are days I can't do anything. 

I learned sometime ago that improving at least 1% from yesterday is better than nothing. I was reminded of this yesterday when I chanced upon a post that said, "Small steps matter". One thing I learned about falling in a rut is not to fight it. The more you fight it, the deeper you sink in the rut. 

The best thing about it is I was prepared to go through the process of pulling myself out of the rut. A few weeks ago I knew I was ready to pull myself out of the rut and started thinking about small steps I could take. 

I started with making sure I could attend my pulmo rehab sessions. I only got to attend one or two sessions during the summer months. I'd end up unstable on the day of my session and would cancel my appointment. My therapists understood. Apparently my classmates were the same! Humidity is truly bad for us. 

Anyway, I started by avoiding doing anything heavy the day before my sessions. When that didn't work too well, I asked to re-schedule my session to a time which I felt I could commit better. That worked for me and attending the sessions give me better sleep and more energy. 

I also changed how I pray. I've been very specific with what I need help on and God does answer prayers. I feel I'm slowly leaving the rut I fell in. Always remember, God only gives you challenges that you can bear. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Scrap Fabric Project: Case for Eyeglasses

I finally got a new pair of eyeglasses. It came with a hard case which I find too bulky and heavy for my bag. I rarely remove my eyeglasses, but sometimes it's needed and I would just stuff it in my bag. I don't want my new pair of eyeglasses to get scratches so I thought I'd make a fabric case for it. 

I just used scrap fabric and just cut it into small squares. I like sewing quick and easy projects since I'm busy with other stuff for our home. I made this project in two evenings. Here's how I made it -

Easy peasy and I got to use it immediately the next day. 

I think I'll work on one of Mom's unfinished project. Maybe a new bag?

#BeKind #StaySafe