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

Three Weeks Since the Seeds Sprouted

It's been a month since I planted some seeds on a seed tray. I got Ramgo seeds for better chances and I'm happy I did. I was surprised some started sprouting in two days, some took a few more days.

One thing that takes time is transferring the seedlings to a bigger pot. That's what I've been working on the past ten days and I'm not done yet. I planted too many mustasa seeds and if it all grows I guess I can offer them to neighbors, haha.

Here's how it's going -

Cucumber 

Mustasa

Cherry tomato

Carrots

I have to rest today and hope I could continue work in the next few days.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Homemade Bistek Tagalog

I made some bistek Tagalog last night, but used thinner beef strips. I think it's the one they use for samgyup. 

I only marinated it for 15 minutes and it was already very tasty. Cooking didn't take a lot of time. Dinner was sumptuous indeed.

Here's how I usually prepare bistek Tagalog:

https://youtu.be/iS6aHdw_C8o?si=WKqJj4BhlICZI1F0

Nomnomnom!

#BeKind #StaySafe

The 80s: Why I Enjoyed Watching Stranger Things

We decided to watch Stranger Things again from the beginning. We only started watching it in 2021 when we got home. Internet was pretty bad in our old home, so when we watched season 1 and 2 it was like watching on a 2G phone, haha. So, I said, let's watch it from the beginning. 

The characters were just a bit older than me when I was a child. It was a treat to see the era again especially the toys, the food and essentially how they lived without phones, the internet and Google! Back then people went to see other people when they were bored. They were not stuck in front of their TVs/their phones/gaming consoles or computers. 

One of my 80s birthdays

In the 80s, our parents watched us like hawks, but we still went out to see our friends. I remember I'd bike around our village and bike to a friend's house to play. I'm glad I lived through that era minus gory monsters. Well, we had monsters and my childhood was riddled with political upheavals. 

Sweetie in the 80s

Anyway, I enjoyed watching the series from start to end. We got to review the earlier seasons and got to connect the story easier. If you watch it from the beginning, you'll also notice some nuances that you didn't see when you first watched it, like the different crazy 80s hairstyles which reminded us of some movies. The colorful outfits and even the socks they wore reminded me of some that I used to wear, haha. 

Of course, there were some noticeable holes in the story, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Back to Pulmo Rehab

I'm so glad my Ortho doctor allowed me to go back to pulmo rehab instead of re-enrolling in physiotherapy. I feel at this point I can do my knee and ankle exercises on my own several times a week. 

I need to get back on track to save the healthy part of my lungs. My therapist said we'll take it slow. We did and skipped the leg exercises. Ahh, it felt so good to do the breathing exercises and be with the team who's be taking care of me for almost two years now.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Quilted Christmas Blender Cover

I finally finished the Christmas blender cover I've been working on the past few weeks! I told myself to finish a project before working on another one. 

I chose to make a tree. I thought it would be easier than the snowman. It wasn't, haha. Anyway, despite making a lot of adjustments, I had fun adding embellishments. I used some old beads and got a cute star online (I was lazy to make one).

Very early for Christmas this year, heh.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Ikea Room?

Ikea is good at curating their products. They put on nice displays which give a good idea on what your home should look like. 

We haven't been to Ikea for over 15 months. It was on my bucket list last year. I wasn't able to check it off, so I scheduled a day to go.

We spent about 6 hours in Ikea. We first had brunch, but was disappointed since they didn't have meatballs. What I wanted to see were the room set-ups and how they mixed colors. 

I wish Ikea would make a family room display which includes display cabinets* for toy collections. They had a gaming bedroom set-up which I thought was cute, but it's not applicable for us.

It was a good trip, albeit tiring. It was good to see their rooms and themes.

*Their bigger display cabinets are so expensive though, so it's better to get from a specialty store (they are usually present at toy exhibits).

Forgot

I forgot what I was going to write about today. It happens often, haha. Sundays are supposed to be for reflection and to recognize miracles or to identify things I'm grateful for.

It's been a busy month and I'm most grateful for the energy to keep up with our activities. There are days I want to do more, but I rest when needed. 

And that's just it. Live simply. Make more happy memories.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Bought Plants at Ikea

At the end of the long trek across Ikea, you'll find their gardening stuff. I usually ignore the artificial plants and expensive pots. What I check out are the small live plants they sell. They have ornamental plants and succulents that range from PhP49 to 199. The prices are competitive with nursery plants, sometimes even cheaper. 

I picked up a couple of plants. What got me excited was the kokedama money tree. I've been planning to make one, but I just don't have the time. This will do for now and I hope I don't kill this plant! The last money tree I got from Ikea lasted a couple of months. I just overwatered it, haha.

I still have to research about the other plants to see how best to care for them. Wish me luck!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Love the Cool Weather

I wasn't planning to do a lot of stuff today since I wasn't feeling well yesterday. After I kept the fabric I used for my Christmas projects, I thought I'd do a quick round to water the plants.

The weather though was amazing. It was cool, so I decided to move a plant rack. The gumamela and bougainvillea plants I propagated need more sunlight. Sweetie saw me and helped me move more plants.

Ahh, it was so satisfying to organize the side garden. Sweetie helped me move select plants to a sunnier spot and I moved some under the bamboo to get more shade. I still need to re-pot most of them, but better placement would help keep the plants safe until I could get to them.

Happy Friday and happy weekend everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Not Feeling So Well

My body is complaining from too much activity, so it's forcing me to rest. Just leaving a photo of beautiful flowers for today.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Knee and Ankle Review, What's Next?

I saw my orthopedic doctor yesterday and he reviewed the report of the physiotherapist. The recommendation was to continue the exercises.

My doctor though remembered I'm supposed to have surgery, so he asked what's the plan. I told him I'm supposed to be reviewed by my cardiologist next month. I also told him I was hoping to go back to pulmo rehab to strengthen my lungs. Part of the exercises include the leg, very similar to what I was doing with the physiotherapist.

My doctor agreed I can just do that and do the exercises at home thrice a week. I was relieved since I think at this point I need to work on my lungs too. My pulmo said we should continue to work on saving the healthy part of my lungs. 

After seeing my doctor, we immediately went to the pulmo rehab department to schedule my sessions. I'm so relieved my favorite therapist is back and he'll take care of me moving forward.

Praying for better health so we can make more happy memories!

#BeKind #StaySafe 

Binding My New Blender Cover

I was hoping to finish the blender cover last weekend, but I got busy. I decided to attach the sides of the cover to the base by hand sewing it. It's easier than immediately machine sewing it.

I'm now working on binding it, then I'll be done. Yay!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Hit and Misses Online Purchases

Since I don't go out much, I rely on buying some stuff online. Here's a few things I purchase online:

House Items 

One thing we learned is to buy items for house repairs from physical stores like Ace Hardware or Wilcon Depot. I follow this tip for electrical related repairs. There are items though that you cannot find online, like the top part of sink drain covers or anti-rust paint (not QDE). For DIY stuff like adding anti-slip tape for stairs, you can just buy online too. If you're buying solar, stick to reputable brands like Bosca or Philips. I bought a lot of solar items online, a lot don't last. 

Not good

Gardening Stuff

I noticed, buying materials from garden nurseries can be quite expensive. There are a lot of gardening suppliers/farms online. Sometimes their items are better than buying from nurseries. I usually just get vermicast/chicken manure perlite, coco chips and coco husk online. I have earmarked favorite stores that don't disappoint. I still buy some stuff in person especially when I'm looking for a specific pot size. One thing I learned also is to buy seeds from a reputable brand (like Ramgo). 

This blue hose is good, just don't buy it if you have cats

Cat Care Items

I stopped buying re-packed cat food. I became wary about it since I've read a lot of feedback that they oftentimes just re-mix it. I'm also scared my cats might get sick, so for cat food I just buy sealed and not re-packed food. I also try to cook their food often. I used to buy cat beds online, but it's hard to find something that will last. So far, the cots I got are good. I stopped buying furry beds, they don't last. Don't bother buying cat towers online, they're usually just good for kittens. We finally found a good one from the Australian Surplus Shop in Muntinlupa. 

Craft Materials

I miss going to Divisoria! My Mom and I used to go there to buy craft materials. It's been years since I last went and I think my boys won't allow me to go there anymore. Luckily, there are a lot of shops in Divisoria who sell online and there are fabric stores online too. We don't have Spotlight here, so I just usually order online if there's any sewing or craft materials I need. Everything I used to re-furbish a vintage case, I just bought online.

This is just a short-list of some items I purchase online. There are some things I prefer to purchase in person like food/ingredient, wearables and gadgets/appliances. If you're buying from an online store, read feedback and check first if it's a legitimate store. I check The Budol Group also for referrals and reviews (just use the search button). Always be careful :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Zero

I'm an introvert and I have depleted my social battery for the month. The scheduled get togethera was supposed to be spaced out, but one was rescheduled.

Miggy asked me last night why I looked more depleted than him. I actually conked out when we got home yesterday, haha. I told him I was overwhelmed being in a room with so many people. 

I looked forward to seeing former colleagues and my high school friends this weekend. The get together with HS friends was easier for me since I've known them for decades. I still enjoyed both get togethers and look forward to having another one (maybe in March? Hahaha).

#BeKind #StaySafe

Growing My Own Veggie Stash

The seeds have sprouted and I took the opportunity to move some to a small pot. It's really easier if propagate them on a seed tray. You can just scoop them up with a spoon when you transfer it to a pot. 

I'm just a bit worried there's not enough sun. I'm considering moving them to another part of the garden to get better sunlight. For now, they are where they sprouted. I'll give it a few more days before I move them. 

While waiting, I decided to try rooting an onion and garlic. I re-used a coffee cup and cut a hole on the cover to fit the bottom of the onion and garlic. I then put some water (barely touching the bottom of the garlic and onion). I made the mistake of soaking the bottom of a garlic and it eventually rotted. 

Anyway, I placed the onion and garlic in water last Wednesday. By last night it had grown roots already. They both started to produce leaves. I can use it for fried rice or other dishes. I may eventually try my hand again at potting them to grow. I failed before, so this is my third try at doing this. 

Tips are welcome! I'm hoping to be successful at growing veggies this year.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Road trip to Binan

I was craving for cake last week. By Thursday night I haven't had any and told Sweetie where I thought we could get cake. It was late at night when we decided to head to Binan the next day. 

We left after rush hour and had brunch at Pancake House at a gasoline station. Google Maps directed us to exit at Greenheights. We realized later it was a better route since you get to skip the busy bayan area.

In no time we reached Chef RV's Cafe. Our parking angel prepared a slot for us and we didn't have a hard time parking. It was our first time to go there on a Friday. We were surprised there was a line outside.

Luckily, we didn't have to wait long and we got a few slices of cake, longganisa, brownies, ensaymada, and peanuts. They were out of bibingka. It was still a happy experience. Just staring at the fridge full of cakes make me happy. I have the same feeling when I'm in Calea and Lachi's.

Next time we'll go on a Tuesday or Wednesday. They always have bibingka whenever we go on those days. :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

5th Clotiversary of my Second PE

I was hospitalized several times five years ago. After a confinement in December 2020, my doctors tried to wean me away from taking blood thinners. By Christmas I started having SOB and by early January it got worse.

My respiratory doctor confined me. My scans were clear, but I wasn't getting better. By day 4, my doctor had me scanned again on a guy feel. I had a smattering of clots across my lungs again. Discharge was postponed and I spent the weekend in ICU. After a few more days, I was discharged.

Recovery was harder. I was in and out of the hospital for the rest of the year. That second pulmonary embolism led to more complications and that's why I had to retire. It's been five years and I'm just glad to be alive.  I can create more happy memories with my boys.

#BeKind #StaySafe 

Graduated from PT for My Knee and Ankle... Maybe?

I finally completed 12 sessions of physiotherapy for my knee and ankle. They are much better now, but still a bit wonky.

I got the report made by my last PT yesterday and she noted that I felt some improvement, but still experience some pain. She recommended I continue the exercises to help heal my knee and ankle completely.

I'm making an appointment to see my Ortho. He can best advise whether I should do another round of PT or if my pulmo rehab can cover it. My knee and ankle isn't completely healed yet. My whole leg was in pain past night. I'm not sure if it's due to my knee and ankle or a vascular issue. Oh well, doc can best advise.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Work in Progress: Blender Cover

I'm still working on my last Christmas project, a new cover for my blender. I always make kitchen covers in threes. One for my KitchenAid stand mixer, food processor, and blender. I cover them since things strangely easily get dusty here. 

Anyway, after making the Snowman blender cover, I wanted to make a Christmas tree. I thought it would be simpler, but I ended up still making a pattern to get the sizing right, haha. To make up for time, I made the main cover simpler and I just used one whole fabric for the back (#gotlazy). 

So, here's my vision: Christmas tree in front:

Red and green rectangles as the cover:

And a simple Christmas fabric for the back from Mom's stash:

I finished sandwiching it with wadding and backing fabric. I completed quilting it last night, so I just need to assemble it and add binding. I hope my binding would be cleaner this time around. Gotta practice more!

What about you? What are you working on?

#BeKind #StaySafe

Cat Care

One of the things we budget for annually are the expenses for our 8 cats. They were all sent by the cat distribution system. The cats are well bonded and have been self-regulating. They are a tight community and chase off intruders. They understand that the pawmily has to live within a budget. 

Every year we make sure they are vaccinated, get anti-rabies, and dewormed (2x a year). We also put anti-flea/tick meds. Each cat has their own "passport" provided by the vet. We're working on getting everyone through the annual requirements and started today with Eevee and Grogu. 

Mama Brimsley Marie

It's not as easy as it looks. Our cats are feral and only semi-domesticated. They live outdoors and sleep on cots, boxes and cat trees we provided for them. They prefer the boxes though, so we change them often since they like scratching it over scratching posts (better than scratching the wheels of our car!). 

Meredith (Photo by Sweetie)

Should we transfer, we'll bring them with us. We'll probably work on enclosing them within our property since we're afraid they might run away and try to go back to our old place. That's going to take time though, so we'll see. We love our fur babies and try to provide what's best for them. 

We did have a huge unexpected spend last year when Grogu got hospitalized for a few weeks. He had a huge wound (dunno where he got it). We almost lost him and had him confined until the wound got better. He has fully recovered and is actually heavier than Eevee now. 

I can't imagine life without our fur babies. I always pray they will all be healthy and live long lives :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

15 Years Without Dad

It's been 15 years since we lost Dad. I miss him everyday and wish he's still around. 

Fifteen years has passed by so fast. A lot has happened since then and we just moved forward. We still celebrate their special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. It's good to not forget and keep them close to your heart.

Miss you Dad. Love you forever.

#BeKind #StaySafe