Front Lawn Landscaping 3 Months After

Three months ago we had our jungle-like front lawn cleaned up and landscaped. I told the landscaper we wanted something easy to maintain and some flowers.

The end result was a simple frontage. I was worried that it was a bit thin? Manong Henry reassured me it would grow and need pruning.

The last time the plants were pruned was in early December. We got busy, so we havent had time to let Manong Henry come over. I've been giving the plants complete fertilizer every six weeks and I spray it with neem oil sometimes.

Sweetie waters the plants everyday (I take care of everything inside) and he told me a lot of new plants have been growing. I fed the plants some complete fertilizer yesterday and was surprised to see a lot of new birds of paradise. The bushes also grew double from the time they were planted. 

We've also been asked several times about the pink flowers. They just keep blooming. They're called Panama rose and have been very easy to maintain. The white one is called pinwheel flower or Tabernaemontana. The birds of paradise have gone crazy. We will try to remove the ones growing in between the bushes...

Happy weekend everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Our No Meat Fridays Meals List

It's Kent again and one of the things we follow is fasting and abstinence on Fridays. More abstinence for me since I'm technically exempt. I still skip meat on Fridays, but eat proper meals since I have maintenance meds I need to take.

We are trying cook more of our meals at home as prescribed by the dietician. I'm still working on my stamina, so one of my Lenten goals is to make sure we only have homecooked meals on Fridays.

Thought I'd make a list of what we can prepare at home. Here's a rundown:

Baked Salmon in Lemon, Butter and Honey 

Baked Salmon Garlic Cream Cheese 

Pink Pasta with Scallops

Pasta al Telefono

Tuna Alfredo

Tuna Spaghetti 

These are just a list of the more recent ones I've made. We also sometimes make cream dory fillets, Juned's baked Mahi-mahi, fried bangus. I'm scared of frying fish, so I rarely do that. 

What do you usually eat for Lenten Fridays?

#BeKind #StaySafe

Cooked Spaghetti to Celebrate Titay's Birthday

Titay is my Mom's older sister. She's my second Mom. My Mom and Titay looked so much a like, I remember getting confused between them when I was a child, haha.

It's Titay's birthday today. I bet they're having a party in heaven right now with Titay's delicious lengua dish. I wish I askes her to teach me, but she did get to teach Miggy how to make her leche flan.

I just cooked spaghetti to celebrate. Here's how I made it: https://youtu.be/pOk2sBNkEp8?si=XK2PdXiksOhjxNwv

Yummeeh!

#BeKind #StaySafe

It's Lent Again

For a few weeks now I've been reflecting on what to sacrifice for Lent. One of the easier things to do is fasting and abstinence. I'm technically exempt since I have chronic conditions, but I'll definitely abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays. 

Pope Leo mentioned you can do the traditional way of fasting or abstinence. He suggested also, “an unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor.” With everything that's happening, it's truly hard not to talk back.

Fr. Tito Caluag in his homily today mentioned about working towards conversion. What can you do to change and be a better person for others. 

Both messages talk about being kind. I'll work towards that and I've also set a couple of sacrifices that would lead me towards better chances for healing.

Have a blessed Ash Wednesday everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

New Cart for Sewing Activities

Sweetie surprised me last week with a new "toy". He originally planned it for Christmas, but the store went on a long break. It became a pre-Valentine gift.

A few months ago, I mentioned to him that I was thinking about getting a cart. I wanted one to make it easier for me to bring around gardening stuff.

Well... It's too pretty to get dirty! So I said I'll just use it to gather materials for my sewing projects. It piles up and sometimes I have to go back and forth to complete what need. I can also use it to keep the materials on standby since I only store the excess when I finish the project. 

Thank you Sweetie 🥰 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Electric Cable Finally Raised

The Meralco app works! I've reported issues a couple of times and more often than not it's resolved immediately. One issue though has plagued us since 2021. 

The cable that connects our home to the Meralco post has been too low. Trucks that pass by always hit it and it was once damaged by the garbage truck. Our neighbor said it's been that way since the 80s. 

Meralco contractor fixing the cables

Anyway, the rainy and windy weekend probably loosened our connection again. Our lights kept flickering and a surge tripped the post. Our basement lights just died late Saturday night. 

The CCTV caught the moment. The garage light flickered brightly and burst. Good thing we have a working circuit breaker and the switch for basement lights automatically shut. Everything else was working properly.

Manong Caloy replacing one of our old solar lights (Photo by Sweetie)

Sunday morning we contacted our electrician. He promised to send someone on Monday. It was late evening when I submitted a report to Meralco via their app. 

Meralco's contractor came first thing this morning. They tightened the cable. Sweetie also asked the neighbor if their electricity was fluctuating. They tag teamed to ask the contractor to raise the cable and they did! Hopefully, it's now more secure and won't be hit by trucks. Yay!

The electrician also arrived shortly after the Meralco contractor left. He did a thorough check, changed the garage light and fixed a few more pending things on our electrical "to fix" list. Sweetie led all the fixes. Yay! Thank you Sweetie 🥰 

#BeKind #StaySafe

The Fort Pilar Miracle

I chanced upon a post by Ambeth Ocampo last week. He featured the Fort Pilar Shrine in Zamboanga City. It's a Marian shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Pillar. Before I visited it back in 2010, I heard that prayers are granted when you request for it during your visit.

Back in 2008, I caught a very bad strain of pneumonia. It was one of the hardest illnesses I faced in my life. My doctors frequently had my blood checked and one tumor marker, CA 125, was almost 3x more than normal. I remember when I got the result from a hospital, the staff member who handed me the result told me he was very sorry about the result. 

I knew the result was very serious because it's an indicator for ovarian cancer. My doctors though said it may also be because my body was still recuperating from pneumonia. While we were monitoring the issue, I kept praying and took every opportunity to visit churches known for miracles. 

Prior to my trip to Zamboanga City, I visited Kamay ni Hesus in Lucban. We attended the healing session of Fr. Joey Faller. I surprisingly had an appetite after the session. The next time my doctor checked the tumor marker, it had gone down to 2x than normal. I prayed harder for healing and I made sure to visit Fort Pilar when I got the chance to visit Zamboanga City.

After Zamboanga, I got to visit Iloilo City where I pushed to visit the Jaro Cathedral. I remember it wasn't on our itinerary and we were discouraged from going because it was being renovated at that time. We made it and I prayed again. 

Everytime I would visit a miracle church, I would always feel something in my heart. It's hard to describe, but it felt like it would beat differently like it had a charge of electricity going through it. I also always felt very calm after. By December 2010, the tumor marker was midway of the normal range. I was healed and it has not recurred. 

Believe. Have Faith. Keep praying. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Braved Re-Potting the Last of Mom's Orchids

To be honest, I haven't found the best way to care for my Mom's orchids. A number have gone to waste. I researched, followed what medium to use, watering, sunlight, pots etc, but nope, none have survived me, huhu.

When we transferred what was left of my Mom's plants, I found one small pot of dendrobiums. A millipede came out of the pot, so I quarantined it first. After that I gave it some rice water every once in awhile.

Eventually, I was surprised to see it grow new leaves. It's been four months and I finally had the courage to re-pot it. Mom used to put charcoal and coco husk in her pots, so I did that with some sphagnum moss. 

I carefully split in two. I read dendrobiums like smaller pots and doesn't like a lot of space. I also read that you should only re-pot it when it's filled up the pot. I tried to replicate the condition it was in so it's not stressed and doesn't die under my care.

It's been a few days and it's so far still standing. I'm debating whether I should remove the white skin. Mom used to have me remove it before. She said it suffocates the orchid. I'll try it next week and remove a bit next week.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Arroz ala Cubana

I noticed my tummy has been at ease whenever I eat home cooked meals. Miggy's dietician also said it's better for your diet and losing weight.

I've been making an effort to cook as much as I could. One of the easiest recipes to make is arroz ala cubana. I've been making this for years and it's best when you can pair it with fried banana.

I made one change this time. I used premium soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce. I noticed it was a bit salty while cooking, so I added some water and brown sugar.

Sweetie noticed the difference and he asked what I did differently. I said I used premium soy sauce. He said he liked it much better than the previous ones I made. Yay!

Note to self:

Ok to use premium soy sauce for arroz ala cubana but not bistek Tagalog 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Vintage Toy Pianos

Mom thought I showed some promise when I played with the toy piano. She enrolled me in piano lessons and my caucasian teacher came once a week. My first recital piece was "Old MacDonald (had a farm...)".

My teacher though I guess left, so he was replaced by my Ninang's cousin. She was very strict and would hit my fingers if I made a mistake. Of course, I quit.

It took almost a decade to get over my trauma. In met Ate Edith and I progressed really well. My recital pieces were "Joy of a Man's Desiring" and "Canon in D". I even had a trio. Ahh, those were the peak days of my musical era. I eventually got busy and focused on Miggy and my studies.

Now, I leave the piano playing to Sweetie. My big piano is with me, but badly needs tuning. :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Absent

I was absent yesterday for my pulmo rehab. I woke up dizzy and I know things go bad when I force myself to get up if my sleep cycle is incomplete. My CPAP machine has been extending my deep sleep phase and when I'm woken up suddenly I get very dizzy. My alarm woke me up and I guess my body wasn't ready to wake up yet. 

To make up for my absence, I used my spirometer as usual and spent extra time doing some gardening. I re-potted some plants and gave rice water to select plants. I was planning to cook dinner, but my energy ran out. I'll just cook tomorrow and skip any heavy gardening. 

Oh well, that's my life nowadays. There are good days and there are bad. I just adjust as needed :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Ikea Trolley for My Sewing Stuff

I have a small sewing table and it's been littered with my sewing stuff. I need them close by since I reach out to them as I work on projects. It's been annoying though since I have to move things around when I need to use the sewing machine or when I need to measure fabric or when I need to iron. Yes, that's how small my space is for sewing. 

We went to Ikea a few weeks ago and I saw this circular trolley. It's about half of my old rectangular Ikea trolley. I intended the old one to hold my sewing stuff, but I found it too bulky, plus I could barely see the items on the second level. The trolley is PhP699 and I got one since I felt it would solve the clutter on my sewing table.

I built it myself. It was so easy to build since it didn't have any screws. Just plug and twist to screw it in. I thought it would take a long time to put together. I finished in a few minutes and had enough energy to clear my table. 

I moved the items based on frequency of use. I put the needles and pins on top with the pencils.

Safety pins and clips for binding and thread and bobbins on the second row.

The bottom houses my bobbin gadget and other stuff (I'm still fixing it).

I'm planning to re-organize my old trolley. I got a top cover for it since I plan to use it for ironing. I can just easily park it nearby and pull it out as needed. I love Ikea trolleys! I also got a utility cart for a bathroom. It makes it easier to pull out when the bathroom is cleaned, plus I used the old shelf to house my newer craft books from Booksale (shelf is now back inside my maker room). 

Happy sewing!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Firewalls have Ears and What You Can Teach Your House Staff

Anakin and Bailey probably felt I was getting anxious over the screamfest happening across our firewall. They had me go towards a "safer" area and calmed me down. Meredith also moved to a quieter area.

I was minding my own business and was watering my plants when the neighbors (helpers probably) started having a screamfest over sinampay. I guess it rained earlier when we were out and some of their newly laundered clothes got wet. I wasn't given a choice and had the misfortune of hearing the huge row that ensured. They threw hurtful words against each other. Words that I only usually hear from Batang Quiapo when the masters berate their assistants/helpers.

Oh boy, it felt like I was brought back to my childhood home. Our neighbor there had frequent screamfests too. We don't have helpers, but I grew up in a household that had a harmonious relationship with our angels.

Here's a few things I learned from my Mom about managing people. I also used this when I managed the team across the region.

1. Set responsibilities and expectations upfront. Define key results expected and how their work will be assessed.

2. Escalate issues as they come. Don't let it fester.

3. To resolve issues take a coaching approach so they realize where they can address the problem before it gets big.

4. Never use curse words or downgrade people.

5. Gambling is a big no-no.

6. Live within your means. Utang destroys relationships.

7. No gossiping.

8. Pray.

Good thing our other neighbor always brings good vibes. They have a baby so the mood is always happy. I transferred to that side to water my other plants. Grogu and Anakin followed and played with us. I'm so glad I have fur babies. They really help bring peace.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Organizing

I think my brain is finally rewiring back to what it was before I fell into medical depression. Medical because it was caused by the health issues I went through. It happens especially to people who experience blood clots. That's what my doctor explained to me and we worked on my coping mechanisms. He discharged me reluctantly back in 2021, so I was on my own to cope. 

I told him I could do it and I didn't want to drink any additional medication since I have other maintenance meds. I felt it was numbing me, so with faith and the love of my boys, I fought back. I read that one tell-tale sign of depression is being disorganized. Clutter piles up and you just don't have the energy to fix things. It's overwhelming and one reason why it took two years to finish sorting and emptying my childhood home. 

I kept fighting. Rested when needed and rewarded myself whenever I achieved something. I feel I turned a big corner today. I cleared out my sewing table and organized my gardening table. These are my "work stations" where I am productive and get to clear my mind. As much as possible, I don't use my phone when I'm at my work stations. It helps ground me. 

Little steps for healing and I'm happy I achieved something today. It's just small pockets of a bigger mess, but at least something moved today. I still plan to tackle my bench box later (it's where I keep my journals). Will see, if I have too much fun sewing I'll do it tomorrow :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Don't Throw Eggshells

My boys support my gardening adventures and one of the things they do is set aside egg shells for me. We wash the shells and then boil it. Once it's dry I use a grinder to break it down further.

I think the egg shells I mixed in the soil for the bell pepper sprouts helped make it grow properly. I haven't encountered the previous issues I had when I tried growing bell peppers.

I also learned to save the water from boiling egg shells. I let it cool and then I use it to water plants. It's adds nutrients for the plants. I just make sure to add fertilizer once a week, so the plants don't burn from too much fertilizer.

I'll also try making the more potent fertilizer. It's the one with vinegar, but I need to research again how to make it. There's a lot of stuff in your kitchen you can use to enrich your plants, so save your eggshells :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Tried Cochi

Cochi was on our 2025 bucket list. We finally tried it last month. We went at a non-peak hour, but had to park at another building because the elevator wasn't working (not PWD friendly, the stairs was too steep). 

Anyway, we got a seat under the tree and ordered some food for sharing. This is what we got -

Paella

Lengua

Asian Pasta

Chicken

For drinks -

Cucumber

Iced Coffee

The food was tasty. We wanted to try the cochinillo, but it was too big for us. We ordered the Asian pasta since they said it had cochinillo in it. Food was good, but we felt the servings was not enough (probably just good for 2 not 3) - or maybe matakaw lang talaga kami? I also felt the resto was too noisy.

I'm glad we got to try it, but I doubt if we'll go back to the area since it's not PWD friendly. If you're on a wheelchair, asid from not having a working elevator, the flooring was very bumpy. The "smoother" areas was blocked by scaffolding.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Oldest Thing in My Kitchen

I chanced upon a post asking "what's the oldest thing in your kitchen?". I immediately thought it was me, haha.

I remembered though I had scoured through my childhood home and found kitchen stuff I grew up with. I got rid of the appliances (including my Mom's long not working turbo broiler). Then I went through the pots, pans dishes, drinkware and utensils.

And I figured that the oldest item are my grandma's party plates. I asked my Mom once why she had so many of those plates and she said it was my Mama Lola's. They are intact and will be used one of these days for a get together.

Everyone who visited my childhood home for a party or get together would have experienced using these plates. They are older than me and probably priceless at this point. It's a great set and was really useful through the years.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Is In-Person Pulmo Rehab Better?

I just had my second pulmo rehab session. There's almost no difference from doing it online, but I noticed it runs quicker than when we do it online.

I like doing the sessions better in-person. I get to interact with my therapists (there's usually an assistant). They are also able to correct my form if needed. 

We did more this week and I was happy that leg exercises were included. I have to do the leg exercises thrice a week to regain my knee strength. It still hurts every so often.

I'll try to bake this weekend. I want to bring some goodies for my pulmo rehab team. Gotta save my lungs. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

February Project: Quilted Piano Cover

I only have one top cover for my piano and it's Christmas themed. I got distracted and wasn't able to make one last year. 

My first project for the year would be a new cover for the top of my piano. I'm going to make it funnily redundant and use piano keys for the design, haha. 

I've started making measurements and should start cutting fabric this week. I'm still deciding whether I'll just do the top like last time or make a bigger one to cover the sides and back.

It's that dilly dallying that's delaying the project, haha. I answer to myself and it will get going when I'm done with my other stuff.

Happy creative Tuesday everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Doing Groceries

One of my favorite things to do is grocery shopping. I still have memories of my Mom pushing the cart while I was on the seat. I eventually learned to point to things I like and when I started to walk and grab things, I lost grocery privileges until I was in my teens. By then, my Mom's favorite shopping place was Landmark, haha.

In Singapore though, grocery shopping is an expensive endeavor. Buying dinner at the hawker center was cheaper than cooking. I oftentimes brought some key Pinoy ingredients from Manila since they were expensive even at Lucky Plaza. Anyway, I learned a lot about grocery planning while I was there. 

Since we're trying to eat more nutritious food, I try to plan what dishes I'll cook for the month. We used to drop by a nearby small grocery when needed. I realized though that's an expensive endeavor, so I'm doing the five P's*. Proper planning prevents poor performance which I learned from Ninang Janette.

#BeKind #StaySafe

First Month of the Year

January felt like a very long month. It was really different from the month of December that outpaced the whole year. I decided to continue capturing a second a day using the 1SE app. It pushes me to be productive everyday even on days that I just tend to my plants and play with our fur babies. 

We just rested during the first week of the month. Then we proceeded with our regular routines. What made this month interesting was ticking off two things on my bucket list last year. We squeezed in time to go to Chef RV's cafe to get some cake and dine at Cochi. 

It was also a very "social" month for me because I joined two get-togethers. One with former colleagues and our belated high school friends Christmas get-together. It all happened on one weekend, so I had to regain my energy for the rest of the month after that, haha. 

One of my targets this year is to grow more veggies. I started the year by sowing seeds on a tray. They've grown and are growing steadily. We've been able to harvest bell peppers also weekly and that's what encouraged me to continue growing veggies (they're quite expensive now!). I hope by end of this month we can start harvesting some mustasa. Yay!

Here's my one second everyday for the month of January 2026:

I was busy doing garden work most of the month, so I just finished my last Christmas project. It's the quilt cover for our blender. I'll start again this week and have an idea what I want to make. It's going to be fun! We unfortunately all had stomach issues at the end of January. We think it's the water from the water refill station we shifted to when Aqua King closed. Sigh. We're recovering right now and looking for a new, clean and reliable water refill station. 

Happy February everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe