Wellness Wednesdays: In Pain? Go See a Doctor

My boys have been experiencing some arm and leg pain the past few months. They kept using ice and saying they were okay, no need to see a doc. One thing my favorite cardiologist advised me a long time ago was to go see a doctor when you feel pain. He said sometimes you get used to it and just accept it as normal. That's not good he said because you can get in more trouble if you don't address pain immediately. 

I got in huge trouble for doing just that. Thought I could plow through my breathing issues and I figured that the asthma meds were enough. I only sought a second opinion when I almost fainted at work, plus I could barely walk from one floor to another. Good thing I made it on time because I had a huge clot in my lungs by the time it was discovered. 

And so I insisted for my boys to see a doctor. We were luckily referred to a really good doctor and now they are on the mend. Also nagging my tito to see a doctor since he's been having leg pain after having COVID-19. I'm nagging because we probably have the same body make up and I don't want him to suffer like I did. 

A lot of patients in the groups I'm in always advise, "When in doubt, go see a doctor." Granted our issues are extraordinary, but I think this applies to everyone. Prevention is key, so when in pain, go see a doctor!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Creative Happy Tuesdays: Ideas and Inspiration

I'm still resting my arm from doing anny sewing. This has happened before and it took 3 months to feel better. I still have one cat project I haven't finished, but don't want to push so I could heal properly. I'm also vitamin D insufficient, so I'm working on that too. During downtime I try to write down ideas and inspiration. My thought process involves a lot things, here's what usually inspires me:

What My Friends Like 

I have a friend who said she likes Little Twin Stars. I bout fabric a year ago to make something for her. She said she's moving up North soon, so I'm trying to figure out what's best to make for her. She moves around a lot, so I'm thinking of making her a laptop bag. She'll get to use the bag all the time. Wanted to finish it before she moves, but I haven't started anything yet. I'll probably just ship the bag to her when I finish it. I hope it'll be pretty.

What I Want to Learn

Whenever I make something I try to make sure I learn a new skill or I enjoy making it. That's what I did with the cat project. I used Pinterest for inspiration and winged how to put things together. The project also forced me to use other materials to get the look I wanted. I've also been forcing myself to limit what I use with what I have since I collected materials while I was in Singapore. 

Pinterest and Books

I also get inspiration from the books and magazines I have. Most of it were gifts during my 40th birthday. I have finally put them together since some were in Singapore and a lot were here in Manila. Most of the books show the traditional side of quilting. The magazines though show more modern quilts. I normally end up doing my own thing and just use the medium for inspiration. 

What I Need 

I've unearthed some of the past projects I made. A wallet from high school which I actually used. A number of bags which I've also used a lot. The tablet case I made when I started quilting again in 2016 (I'm still using it). I made a few throw pillow cases since Mom made a number for me. Seeing old projects give me an opportunity to review and improve my technique. I have a notebook where I list stuff I need to make. 

Resting from sewing for now. It's good time for me to take stock of what I want to make when I feel better. Also gives me an opportunity to dust off my books sitting outside of my craft room. Maybe I'll also use the time to fix up the design wall so I could use it already. Yes, that's a good idea :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Home on Mondays: Managing a Household

Managing a household is easy when you have a system in place. I learned the ropes the hard way through the years. I realized though that it's mostly about paying bills on time. It became easier when utility companies made their bills available online.

At some point I had to manage two households in two different countries. I'm now also managing my ancestral house. Here's a list of what I do to make home management easier:

1. Bills - Use a spreadsheet to track bills. Here's what I have in the columns: date paid, property, bill/utility, due date, account number and amount paid. I colored the cells also so I can easily track the due dates. 

2. Appliances - I have another spreadsheet where I track the appliances we purchase. This is where I list the brand, serial number, amount and where we bought the item. This makes it easier in case we need something repaired. I also learned that it's better to stick to the same brand for airconditioners since it's easier to manage when you need repairs or cleaning. 

3. Suppliers - I also keep a separate list for suppliers and repair centers. We used to just keep receipts, but it gets gnarly when you need to find information. Having the info on a spreadsheet makes it easier to track. 

4. Access Bills Online - the problem of waiting for paper bills is sometimes they come late. I access all our bills online and have signed up for SMS notifications when it's available. I also pay at least two days before the deadline to be sure my payment is credited on time.

5. Sign up for notifications - it's really helpful to sign up for utility notifications. I get notified by Maynilad and Meralco whenever there is a service interruption.

6. Set grocery dates - proper planning prevents poor performance. I set grocery buying 2x a month for my Mom's helper. She just sends me a list and I just buy it online. Easy peasy. 

7. Find reliable help - I have a list of suppliers I call whenever I need help. There's Squeaky.ph who helps us clean the house every so often. There's the gas provider I SMS whenever they ran out at Mom's. And there's our architect and his team who helps us with house repairs. 

8. Annual Bills List - don't forget to make a list of annual Bills you have to pay. This usually includes, real estate tax, insurance and homeowners fees*.

Managing a household can be overwhelming. My spreadsheets have been keeping me sane and I'm really happy that utility companies made it easier to access bills. I don't even need to go out of the house to pay bills anymore. I just need to keep up with the documents I've been stuffing in my drawer of shame, haha. Need to file them soon. 

*They usually give a discount if you pay in full annually.

Miracle Sundays: Choosing Battles

A friend messaged me the other day. She was getting anxious over two friends who were on opposing sides of an issue. I told her I stumbled on a similar situation which also made me anxious. I told her I learned to take a step back and not absorb the issue. 

My doctors told me that I have a personality problem. I normally dive in problems/issues and I give everything to solve them. It's been bad for my health. The issue I stumbled on recently I realized is truly overwhelming. I sought the advise of my spiritual adviser and she explained to me that the person involved may be going through a mid-life crisis and is probably acting that way because of a want or a need. 

Choice. The issue is a huge disaster and I asked myself if it's something I could help solve. And more importantly, is it an issue I should get embroiled in. I asked myself also, "Is this something worth compromising your health?" It's exactly what my doctors warned me about myself. 

So I took a step back to think. Unlike before I did not rush in to help solve the issue. And I'm still processing information at this point. I realized I need to go back to my primary goal, to be healthy so I can create more happy memories with my family. I don't need to dive into everything that I stumble on because it would just stress me out. And stress will ultimately lead to the further decline of my health. 

Today's GodWhispers said,

Choose your battles. As I told my friend, sometimes you just need to be a listener. Just be there for them. You don't need to solve their problems. Use your coaching hat, keep asking questions and be a conduit to let them solve their issue. 

May you all have a blessed Sunday today!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Plantita Saturdays: It's Higad Season Again

Saw some creepy critters when we got back. It's not yet as bad as last year because we had pest control do some treatment a few weeks ago. Traced the source from the neighbor's tree at the back, so I need to ask if they could trim the tree. It's been dropping a lot of debris and higad, huhu. 

I quickly reviewed what I did last year. Here's a list:

• Spray neem oil with castille soap and baking soda twice a week.
• Spray boiled lemongrass and oregano on the plants. 
• Drop the critters in a bucket of water with neem oil and hydrogen peroxide. 
• Call pest control if things go out of hand. 

They killed a lot of my plants last year. One thing I'm planning to do this year is barricade my plants on the ground with diatomaceous earth. It should help prevent them from reaching the plants. Sweetie and I are planning to wash down the area where we keep plants. Things got super messy during the renovation and I have to move my succulents and cactus out of the garage. 

Make sure to wear gloves whenever you work in the garden! Since AQI has been bad, better to also wear a mask. Don't touch and don't inhale any of the fine hair on its body. It can block your air pipes and cause trouble. 

Happy gardening everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Foodie Fridays: Made Pasta Al Telefono with Miggy

It's been my quest to learn how to cook more white pasta and tomato and cream pasta dishes. Miggy doesn't like red pasta, so I've been experimenting on making pink and white pasta the past few months. I've so far made pink pasta with scallops, tuna and mushroom alfredo pasta, cheese pimiento pasta and pasta pinangat.

Found out that pasta al telefono has a tomato and cream based sauce. I went through several recipes online to find something that was easy to make. The process was very similar to making pink pasta. It was even easier since I didn't need to add any meat. 

I've been cooking with Miggy a lot. I do that so he can learn the recipe and he does all the heavy stuff when needed. He always takes over when frying is required. I just normally prepare the ingredients and marinade. He enjoys cooking and I think he got that from his Papa Lolo. 

Here's our first attempt at pasta al telefono -

We learned a few things while making this recipe. One, don't let the pasta sit too long in the water after cooking. Two, make sure the pasta is fully drained before adding it to the sauce. It was a bit soggy, but it was tasty. We will probably reduce the pasta next time so we could finish the dish in two meals. And next time we'll try this with penne pasta (I forgot to buy, hehe). 

More about how to make this on Recipes for My Son, https://recipesformyson.blogspot.com/2023/06/recipes-for-my-son-pasta-al-telefono.html.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Throwback Thursday: Dayrit's, a Childhood Favorite

We had an unplanned lunch at Dayrit's the other day. It's one of my favorite restaurants since I was a child. I remember it used to be situated near the windmill in Magallanes. It eventually moved to the other end when the Magallanes commercial area was renovated and rearranged. Newer restos like Pancake House, Krispy Kreme and Starbucks now occupy the area. 

Sorry I forgot to take a photo before I ate, haha.

I don't even look at the menu anymore. I always order a cheeseburger and special iced tea whenever I get to dine at Dayrit's. Mom used to order a sandwich and Dad always ate roast beef. I remember ordering spaghetti once when I was a child. I was surprised it was served on a hot plate shaped as a carabao. It took a long time before it cooled down, so I never ordered it again (haha). They still use carabao hot plates! Miggy's order was served on it the other day. 

And sorry, forgot to turn the plate around, haha.

I'm a bit alarmed though, seems there's only one branch left? The website so far only lists Magallanes as a branch. The resto was full when we arrived, so I hope it's always like that. I would be heart broken if the restaurant closes down (praying it won't!). 

Daddy's favorite roast beef.

I normally get some processed meat from Dayrit's too. My favorite is their chorizo. I normally use it to make chorizo pasta. You can watch how I make it here, https://youtu.be/l7hGK4ISDIs. Next time I need food if I have visitors, I'll make sure to order from them since they make really good home cooked meals. 

Will be back soon!

#BeKind #StaySafe