Remembering Loved Ones

It's All Souls Day today and a chance to pray and remember happy memories of our loved ones who have passed. I remember them everyday and happy memories always pop up especially when I'm scanning old photos. 

Early this year I also lost my childhood home. Every single part of it is gone because it was completely demolished to give way to a new home. When I close my eyes every nook and cranny comes up in my mind. I remember the hallway where the altar used to be. It was where we'd pray the rosary as a family. Sleeping beside my Mom on the floor in their bedroom where she taught me how to pray. 

The dining table where we dined everyday. My Dad would always prepare my special nilaga rice with toyo. He would also crack open crabs for me and prepare a special calamansi dip for me. The dining table was also where we'd lay out food whenever we had gatherings. The sala also always served as the Christmas gift center. That's where Tito Tony would call out names for gifts. 

Things changed when my parents converted the garage to a lanai. Since it was cooler there, that's where all the gatherings were done. It was where my Dad "held court" and he'd stay there to read and write while Mom was doing some gardening. I was the last child to move out and that's probably why I still have a very clear memory of every nook and cranny. 

My childhood home was well loved because of the many people who lived in it. It witnessed the history of our family and those memories will stay there forever. Mama Lola, Dad and Mom, Titay, Tito Ben and Tita Ming, Tito Tony, Tito Mon and Tita Lydia, we love and miss you and pray you're all watching over us and partying up there!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Halloween 2026

We participated in our village's trick or treat for the first time. We prepared a small bags if genX favorite goodies. We put in more snacks than candies. I figured neighbors would probably give out a lot of candies.

It took us almost two hours to prepare 100 bags. It was gone in less than 30 minutes! Haha! We were still preparing the table when a swarm of kids arrived. It was crazy!

I wasn't able to take good photos of the various characters the kids wore. There was a rubix cube, a ghost nun, PokeBall, Spiderman, a myriad of monsters and a Jedi. There was also a dog wearing fairy wings.

It was fun and proof that there's a lot of kids around us. We enjoyed the day and even our cats came out to investigate what was happening when most of the people left. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Last Day of October

October flew by so fast! It was a challenging month for me since I had so many asthma attacks! I'm not sure if it's the air, pollen or my lungs just being fussy. I had the worst attack last night, ugh.

We were so busy the whole month hopping from one depot to another. We have been working on our lighting requirements. It was honestly harder than procuring bathroom fixtures or tiles! It's not yet complete, so we'll have to make another Depot run.

We capped the month by preparing some goody bags for the trick or treaters. It was fun and now I'm just resting to make up for the flurry of activity we had this afternoon.

Happy Halloween everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Angrydobo, One More Time

After watching a vlog about Angrydobo, we wanted to try some of their dishes. Sweetie and I got to try it again last weekend.

Each of us ordered our own adobo combo. Chicken adobo with laing for me and chicken adobo with kangkong for Sweetie. It was great as usual.

What we really wanted to try for the first time is the kanchos. It's nachos but made with kangkong with salsa, cheese, adobo flakes and other bits. It was delicious, we had to stop ourselves from finishing it so we could bring home some for Miggy.

Since our tummy isn't bottomless, we just took out the ginataang kalabasa and sitaw and chicken fingers for Miggy. I super loved the ginataang kalabasa and sitaw. It was prepared just like how we used to have it at home.

Will come back soon!

#BeKind #StaySafe

31 Years Ago

Thirty One years ago we celebrated the 35th wedding anniversary of my parents. We concocted a surprise. Since we just did it at home my sister took care of making sure they were out of the house so we could set up everything.

When they arrived my Mom was surprised to see that the house didn't have any light on. We turned it on when they came in and were surprised by relatives and our neighbors. They hurriedly changed clothes since we had our parish priest, Fr. Bernard McEachern, CP, renew their vows. 

The clan

What was fun about the celebration was a full program where we each shared stories of love. The grandchildren gave flowers and performed a dance and recited poetry. Of course, we had a video of their photos which we run while everyone was eating. 

It was a fun night and I fondly got to look at the photos again today when I scanned them. I realized a lot of the visitors have also passed away. They say it takes a village to raise a child. Everyone in that party was part of the village that raised me. 

Prayers and much love to Mom and Dad, my titos and titas, and my neighbor titos and titas and godparents :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Keep Moving

My physiotherapist in Singapore taught me that a lot of pain you feel can be fixed with exercise. That is what our Ortho also told us yesterday when we went to see him. Miggy's knee has been wonky the past few months and his 12 sessions of PT wasn't enough. The doctor said that we'll try something to help his knee. 

Move. At least 30 minutes a day. He can walk outside or use a treadmill. 

That's the diskarte for now.

I realized I need to also walk more and regain my confidence in moving around. I walk around the house with no problem, but the boys hover over me when I use the stairs and when I step out. It was probably traumatizing for them to witness me fall down the stairs (well, just a step). The incident though lowered my confidence of moving on my own especially when we are outside. And that's what I need to work on.

Keep moving!

#BeKind #StaySafe

A Glimpse of my Future Sewing Room!

I haven't been able to sew for the past two weeks. My Grogu grid quilt still hasn't been binded! I've been itching to sew, but we've been up to our ears with lists we need to complete for our architect. It's not just about procuring the items, but we also have to understand what exactly we've been buying. It made me realize things were much simpler for our parents. Before purchasing lights, you just buy a bulb or a fluorescent light. There's a gazillion options nowadays and it's just crazy.

I'm just thinking, when all of this craziness is done I will finally have a proper sewing room. I do have one now, but it's full to the brim with the craft stuff my Mom left. My future sewing room will have an area for materials and an area where I can do the actual work. I've been using my old sewing table, but I need to clear it for every step since I don't have space to have a separate cutting table, ironing area and my design wall has been covered with boxes. 

The resident cat.

The funny thing is there's a cat who lives in my sewing area now. The assistant foreman adopted it when they moved in and it has grown up. It's so comfortable in the area already, but he will have to go with his furdad when the time comes since we have 8 very territorial cats! 

The space is just a loft which I requested to be added. It's an "emergency area" in case there's flooding and we need to head up to higher ground. It is farfetched, but with how things are nowadays, you can just never prepare enough. The area will be well lighted and I expect to spend many hours in the room. 

I originally wanted to install hexagon lights, but after visiting several light shops I got overwhelmed whenever they turned on all the lights. I decided to just have a tubular led light since I read it's better to use floor lamps to make the light closer to what you're working on. I think that makes a lot of sense. I also don't want an overly lighted room which can look like a portal if you see it outside, haha. 

I also originally planned to use the wood flooring from my childhood home. Unfortunately, termites got to it when it was stored, huhu! We thought about using carpeting, but eventually decided to use tiles. It will be easier to manage and less hazardous to me if pins and needles fall on the floor. I'm just deciding now whether to use blinds or curtains, or both. The room would be warm in the afternoons. 

Everything else is still a blank slate and I might get help from my friend's daughter who's a newly minted architect. If you left it up to me, I'll just probably pull random tables and chairs to make it work and it's going to end up really messy. 

What should I put in my sewing room?

#BeKind #StaySafe