My Home Hair Spa Regimen

Marinating my hair haha.

My Mom says I look like a witch now because my hair is so long. I haven't been to the salon since October/November last year. I read that going to the salon now is a high risk activity. I only go to the salon usually for a haircut. I've been wary about having my hair treated because I almost got burned once. Hot water overflowed from the hot oil contraption. Good thing one of the staff saw what was about to happen and pulled out the contraption just before the boiling water overflowed. Whew!

So since then I just stick to haircuts whenever I go to the salon. To keep my hair healthy I do this home hair spa which I learned from a TV show many, many years ago. Just mix the following ingredients -

1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
1/8 cup honey
1 egg

Mix the ingredients and then massage onto your scalp. Cover your hair with a shower cap for 30 minutes and then rinse with shampoo and conditioner. Your hair will be shiny and soft after doing this regimen. I like it because is organic and has no harsh chemicals which can ruin your hair. You may need to shampoo twice to make sure you rinse out the honey fully. Don't worry the honey and oil neutralizes the smell of the egg. You won't smell like an egg tart after washing it off hahaha.


CB//125 #StuckAtHomeDay/155 #StayHome #BeKind

The Philippine Eagle in Singapore

One of the places I love visiting in Singapore is the Jurong Bird Park. We visit as a family every so often and we had a big reason to go again last year. Geothermica and Sambisig, two Davao-born Philippine Eagles were loaned to Singapore and now live at Jurong Bird Park. We visited them August last year just before Miguel was set to go back home.

Huge banners greeted us as we arrived at the park. The park crew also told us the good news that our tickets were good for a year since they were set to move to another location nearer the zoo. We slowly moved our way to the enclosure where the Philippine Eagles were located.

We appreciated all the other beautiful birds in the park, but I must say that the Philippine Eagle is truly the king. It's presence (even caged) is majestic. I realized that it was the first time I was seeing a fully grown Philippine Eagles. The others I've seen in Davao were younger and smaller compared to Geothermica and Sambisig. They stood tall towards the top of the cage. From my vantage point on the ground there was no way for me to get a good photo of them.

This is a juvenile Philippine Eagle (circa 2007).

I felt of proud of the beautiful raptor and I shed a few tears just looking at them. I remembered them today after watching a few videos about the Philippine Eagle. I learned from one of the videos that Philippine Eagles stick to one partner for life and they care for their young for at least two years. They're very much like us as a people -- it's all about our family. I hope and pray that the conservation efforts for this beautiful creature is successful and that those greedy business people who keep rampaging our forests stop. Here's one of the documentaries I watched about the Philippine Eagle tonight -

CB//124 #StuckAtHomeDay/154 #StayHome #BeKind

My Soul is Travelling at Night

I read that many people are having very vivid dreams in the last few months. I have not been spared and my dreams are like movies. The genre changes every time I dream - science fiction, drama, comedy, romance, horror, action, rarely comedy though.

The last few nights I have been dreaming about travelling to different places. Italy, Japan, Taiwan, Davao, Cebu, Baguio etc. I zip around from beautiful structures like churches, palaces, tall buildings to mountains forests, lush gardens, lakes and beaches. My attire switch between winter clothes and beach clothes. I've been waking up happy.

It's almost eight months now since I last rode a plane. I know staying home has helped improve my health. My family and friends are also less worried because I'm just home. My best friend told me a few weeks ago he gets antsy whenever I travel. I understand why because the past year I feel anxious too whenever I travel alone.

I still have itchy feet because despite my health conditions I still love travelling. I guess I've been dreaming about the places I've been to because I miss hopping on a plane and landing in a different place. Travelling allowed me to learn about other cultures, gain new friends, understand new business practices, try out new dishes and experience different types of weather. I just took it for granted that I'd always get to travel since it's part of my work.

I wanted 2020 to be the year to explore the world more. I ended up exploring my baking and gardening skills more. I still hope and pray that someday when all of this is over the world will become a safe place again for me to travel. (My travel blog is over at Lakwatsera Ako).

What about you? What have your dreams been like?

CB//123 #StuckAtHomeDay/153 #StayHome #BeKind

Balcony Farm to Table: Dad's Beef Mustasa Recipe [Mustasa Taco]

My beautiful mustasa was ripe for the picking. I finally harvested it the other day and we had it for dinner.

I made Dad's beef mustasa dish. We did not really have a name for it and just called it mustasa. I hope I did justice to his recipe because he didn't measure anything when he taught me how to cook this dish. My Dad has magic hands when he cooks. He never measures anything! He just throws stuff int he pot and everything tastes good.

My Dad's beef mustasa dish is like eating a fresh taco. I skipped the liver spread in the video because I couldn't find any here in Singapore, but do try cooking it with liver spread. We finished the 4 huge mustasa leaves I harvested and it looks like it's going to give us more to harvest soon!

My beautiful mustasa :)

Here are the ingredients:

1/2 kg ground beef
2 cloves garlic (or more)
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 tsp peppercorn
2 beef cubes
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 to 1 Tbsp sugar (to taste)
1 can Reno liver spread (optional)

CB//122 #StuckAtHomeDay/152 #WFH89 #StayHome #BeKind

My Fiery Side Comes from My Mom

I was looking at old black and white photos I scanned a few years ago and saw this photo of my Mom when she was young. She was sitting on a jeep with a camera on her hand.

My Mom told me that my Mama Lola was super strict when they were growing up. There were five of them so she run the household like a military academy (lol that's how my Mom described it). They were allowed to go out and attend bailehans (dance parties), but they had a curfew. Like all teenagers they had tricks up their sleeves. She said usually Tito Tony would adjust the clock two hours behind. When they got back really late they wouldn't get scolded.

The photo on the jeep reminded me of another kapilyuhan my Mom did together with her siblings. She learned to drive when she was just a teenager (I think around 15 or 16). It was Tito Ben who taught her how to drive. They would use Papa Lolo's jeep and they would drive around on it. My Mom told me this story several times and she always had a naughty sparkle in her eyes whenever she recounted it. She said they were always fearful because my Mama Lola was the boss and you'd never want to make her cross.

My Mom was always so conscious whenever I had wounds on my legs. She would get really upset whenever I had a wound or a bruise. The reason? She has a scar on her leg that she got playing in the batis when she was young. It was a constant reminder to her that she disobeyed Mama Lola. She never wanted me to have any scars on my legs and you can imagine what happened when I had a wound from skateboarding (one of my kapilyahans).

My Mom was so strict also when I was growing up. She was super strict until I got married! Looking back though I think I did exactly what she did when she was a teenager (and more actually hahaha).  My friends were super scared of my Mom when I was a teenager, but when we got older we actually hung out more at home. Mom always opened our home for me and my friends to hang out in and she still hosts our parties whenever we want to.

Sigh, I miss my Mom so much. Wish this pandemic would be over so I can go back home and be with her.

CB//121 #StuckAtHomeDay/151 #WFH88 #StayHome #BeKind

Harvested Mustasa and Ate It!

I've been delaying harvesting from my mustasa plant. I just couldn't because it's so pretty!

My friends though were warning me that it might flower soon if I don't cut As far as I remember when the mustasa plant starts to flower the leaves become bitter and then it eventually dies. I couldn't harvest it yet because I couldn't find any liver spread. Finally got some from Redmart so I had no excuse anymore not to harvest.

I thawed the beef just after lunch to make sure I do not have another excuse not to harvest the mustasa. I took several leaves just before I started cooking dinner. It was so fresh and probably the best mustasa I ever had! I used my Dad's beef mustasa recipe. It doesn't really have a name, we just normally call it "mustasa" (dish). I'll share the recipe soon. Sweetie loved it!

I was worried though that the plant would be affected after I harvested some leaves. I checked it tonight and it looks like it's ready to give me new leaves again in a few days hehe. I super love the feeling that I ate something I planted! I hope my tomato plants will be ready with its fruits soon!

CB//120 #StuckAtHomeDay/150 #WFH87 #StayHome #BeKind

Living at Work for Another Year

To be honest, I was taken aback when the announcement came out that our WFH set-up would be extended to June 2021. I love working from home. I did this for five years in Manila. The set-up was perfect for me especially when Miggy was still in high school at that time. I only went out when I had face to face meetings. At that time commuting around Metro Manila was fairly easy and I would even take the MRT to Trinoma when I had QC meetings.

Last time I was at the office, March 13, 2020, 7pm. I miss the office and my friends.

As much as working from home helps me manage my health better, the situation we have now is so much different. I read an article that companies are finding it hard to do development work. This usually requires teamwork and working with your team is much easier if you're together in person. My team is able to work more or less seamlessly. I think I'm actually doing more now than when I was in the office.

Me after work usually.

After I finish work I purposely change the color of the lights I use. This helps switch to home mode. I'm more tired though and oftentimes conk out on the couch after work hehe. The situation forced me to change all my regular routines. I've adjusted to it and here's how I disengage from work at the end of the day:

1. Change the living room lights from daylight to soft white
2. Move from my work seat at the dining table to the couch
3. Turn on the TV or play music
4. Go to the kitchen and set up the ingredients for dinner
5. Visit my balcony garden and putter around
6. Have a snack
7. Switch to my hobbies.
8. Change clothes

I do 4 or 5 if I don't conk out first, but I usually have a snack or a drink (cold coffee usually). Work at home is hard, but with the right signals you can easily slip into home mode. The biggest switch though is stopping work at the end of your work day. I follow that strictly because it takes me so long to slow down my brain. Reading an email or a message at 9 in the evening affects my sleep pattern. The stimulation keeps me up until the wee hours of the morning. This is why I absolutely peeved when people message me on my social media accounts about work hehe. .

What about you, how do you switch from work to home mode?


CB//119 #StuckAtHomeDay/149 #WFH147 #StayHome #BeKind