Amici

It's been awhile since I last got to dine at Amici. If I remember correctly, I was able to dine at the original resto in Don Bosco many, many years ago. We have not been able to come across it when we go out. Funny thing is it's just a few steps away from Lore where we've dined at several times, haha.

Anyway, Sweetie and I got to try it last week while waiting for Miggy. I absolutely loved the carbonara I ordered and also got Miggy a plate so he could try it too. The small plate I got was enough for two meals for me.

Sweetie got chicken parmigiana which he liked too.

The staff were very friendly and efficient, we came back after some errands to pick up our cake and also got pizza to bring home, haha.

And pistachio chocolate cake was amazing!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Still

I woke up with slight fever and just rested the whole day. I didn't even get to see any of the cats :'(

I hope tomorrow will be a better day.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Downed by Haze

I stepped out for less than five minutes. Fifteen minutes later I had to lie down because I didn't feel well.

I napped for almost two hours on the couch. I felt better after and watched the news.

Note to self: don't go out without a mask!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Look at My Beautiful Cat

I have no crafting update today. I'm still quilting by hand the Grogu project. I'm really hoping to finish it soon, but duty calls and we've been busy tending to our house and working on our health. 

For now, take a look at our beautiful cat, Meredith.

Ain't she adorable? Just be careful, she only allows 2-second pets, haha.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Determining Your Electrical Needs for Your New House

When we visited my Mom when we got home from Singapore, I was surprised with the many extension cords in her room. They were plugged in from other rooms and I was really concerned with what was plugged in the extension cords. It was a jaw-dropping discovery. 

A small refrigerator and the aircon on another extension cord.

What?!?!?

60-year old outlet. It included a 110 volt socket which was common in the 70s

I was just thankful that no untoward incident has happened. They probably did that even during the pandemic. I immediately had a licensed electrician check everything. The house was built in 1970 and it definitely did not take into consideration any newer appliances. 

Modern outlet of a hotel. We're skipping the ones with USB options since that changes quite frequently. We'll stick to traditional ones and just work on keeping them out of sight

Anyway, the shock probably contributed to my heart deteriorating further. We also did an electrical audit for our new home. The house was deemed a fire hazard and so we had to re-wire everything and changed all the cheap lights installed on the renovated house. 

Research on brands. Did you know electricians prefer Panasonic for outlets and switches?

We learned a lot from that experience and we followed this process when we were given the floor layout:

• Listed all appliances per room
• Marked where all the appliances were to be placed per room
• A sheet listing all appliances and gadgets
• A separate sheet listing  air conditioner placement
• CCTV placement (check with your provider if it gets its power from the server or requires it's own plug)
• Network needs (internet is more important nowadays than a phone line)
• Outdoor needs for your laundry area and garage and lights for your garden if you need it
• Noted what kind of outlets we needed, i.e.  universal outlets for kitchen appliances and placement of energy guzzling appliances like the fridge, oven and microwave
• We followed most of the planned lighting and just added some wall mounted lights outdoor. We also decided to use smart lighting sparingly (less fuss = less stuff to think about and replace in the future).

#BeKind #StaySafe

Sunday in Haze

I woke up wheezing today. I had a hard time with the bad air quality yesterday. I skipped watering the plants and playing with the cats.

I thought it would be a better day. It rained a bit, but the bad air came back immediately. We cancelled our plans to go to the park for the parish fiesta.

Apparently, our air purifier wasn't giving the right status. Sweetie changed the filter and it was covered in dust. Ughhhh. We'll probably check all our purifiers to make sure all the filters are still clean.

Happy Sunday everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Eggshells, A Garden Staple

I have been using eggshells for my plants for a few years now. I think it's one of the "ingredients" that helped make my bell pepper plants produce a lot of fruit. 

I read in several sources that you should boil it before using it in the garden. I have a regular supply because we normally use at least 2 dozen eggs every month. After cracking the egg open, we normally wash off the sticky residue and set it aside. When the container of egg shells gets filled that's when I boil it.

After boiling, I set aside the shells to dry for a day or two. I also transfer the water to a bottle to be used when I water the plants. Once the egg shells are dry, I then grind it to make it smaller. Then I put one to two tablespoons per pot.

I read that it takes time for the nutrients to be absorbed in the soil. That's fine, I treat it as a "slow release" fertilizer with the plants. It also helps ward off pests because they don't like the sharp edges of the egg shell. I also use the crushed eggshells when preparing soil for planting seeds and for re-potting growing plants. I basically put it on everything since different kinds of plants need calcium anyway. 

For the more adventurous, you can also brown the shells on a pan or bake it after you boil it. Grind the eggshells and then place them in a bottle. Then add vinegar (sukang paombong) at 1:10 ratio (egg shells:vinegar). Cover the bottle only when it stops bubbling. Let it ferment for a few weeks and then use 1 to 2 tablespoons for every liter of water. You're plant will go crazy over the nutrients, haha.

#BeKind #StaySafe