Month End Round-up

The first half of the month seemed to stretch like forever. We were in and out of the hospital for tests and doctor appointments. Whew! It was tiring, so we mostly stayed home for the rest of the month. Surprisingly, the days moved faster when we were just home.

January was a very busy month. There's a lot of adulting stuff to do at the beginning of the year. Lots of needs to be fulfilled, organizing the house, clearing out Christmas decors, paying association dues, and having fun in between.

Here's a glimpse of our whole month:

The biggest task we had to work in is for our future. We've been working non-stop to sort Mom's things. One thing I realized is the thieves may have stolen valuables and money, but they did not recognize Mom's real treasures. My Mom was wise enough to keep what was really important and she trained me well to know what was really valuable for her. 

And that's what happened at the beginning of the year.  It was a quiet and busy month. More things to happen in the coming months.

#BeKind #StaySafe 

Mom's Quilting

I was a child when Mom started making quilt projects. I'm not sure where she learned. She just got some cut fabric from Tita Maming's shop and since I was makulit, Mom started teaching me too. I remember we'd go to Divisoria and Binondo to buy materials too.

Sorting Mom's things continues. Today I sorted stuff from her bedroom and found a couple of interesting items. Together in a box were some of her earlier quilted throw pillows. She made these by hand.

In another box were some books and booklets I got for her from Singapore and Japan. There were also leaflets from JoAnn's probably from the US. There was also a box full of patterns she made.

Part of the haul was the sewing kits I got for her. One had the fat quarters we bought at Spotlight, mostly unused. The other had thread and other knick knacks. The contents of both kits looked like she organized it to be stored. I'll probably go through it another day.

I feel sad. Sewing together was one of the things my Mom and I would do together. We still did it whenever she'd be in our home. When I got very sick I would still cut fabric for her. At some point though I noticed she liked working in her paper projects, so I switched to cutting paper for her. I miss my Mom and hope I can finish going through her stuff soon.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Dear Mama Lola, Look! I Did It!

Happy Lunar new year everyone!

I got a huge surprise today! And I think my Mama Lola would be happy for me! I have been trying to grow some peppers for a few years now. I've tried, failed, tried, failed and just kept trying again. 

I have memories of my Mama Lola growing sili plants in my Mom's garden. Mom always grumbled about it because she prefers to keep ornamental plants. Mama Lola's sili plant was what fascinated me about growing vegetables. 

I managed to grow some bell peppers while we were in Singapore, but have been unsuccessful since we got home. I would save sili seeds from delivery food since we rarely eat them. I also save bell pepper seeds from the grocery. It's fairly easy to propagate, but something always goes wrong whenever they start growing.

Anyway, I was surprised today while I was watering the plants. There was one big pepper hanging nicely on the plant. I honestly didn't notice it growing since the avocado plant covered it. I moved it a few days ago and only noticed the pepper today. Yahoo! The plant probably likes the fish water we've been feeding it weekly. 

So happy!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Quick BGC Run and my Avocado Trees

We had to make a quick run to BGC to pick up something. There was a bit of traffic and surprisingly AQI was at 125. I only found out because I started sneezing like crazy. Good thing I brought my portable Tylex air purifier and Young Living Breathe Again oil. 

We managed to quickly finish our errand. Would have been faster if there were more lifts in the building. As soon as we got home, I watered the plants. I realized while watering the plants that I now have 4 avocado trees growing. Here's how they look now -

I'm so stoked that I managed to propagate four out of the six avocado seeds. The seedlings are now on their way to become trees. Yay!

#BeKind #StaySafe

I had Grey the Cat Painted

Grey hasn't come back since October. He would sometimes disappear for a few days. Worst was when he didn't come back for a few weeks. We asked the cats in the neighborhood to tell him to come home whenever he goes MIA. 

It's been three months since we last saw him. I read you shouldn't assume that your cat is Forever gone because they can come back, even years after. I'm just hoping he's out on an adventure.

And so, when I chanced upon an artist offering services to paint your pet, I reached out to her. This was just befor Christmas. I sent her my favorite photo of Grey. She sent me updates based on her progress. I finally received the finished painting today.

I love how lifelike she made Grey, especially his eyes. I love his markings. Too bad the photo doesn't show his unique tail. We're still deciding where to hang the painting. Also thinking who will come next... Maybe Kaley since she hasn't come back since September.

Artist: Rya Contreras

Medium: acrylic on canvas 

Sunday Rest Day

Woke up late today since I still felt tired. I couldn't help it, I still puttered around the garden. The philodendron I trimmed needed to be re-potted. I also had to rinse the white fabric scraps I immersed overnight in detergent and baking soda. 

And so, I didn't really rest, haha. It's okay, doing some gardening calms me and I just couldn't leave the stems in water anymore. I have 5 pots of philodendron already, maybe I should ask if I have any neighbors who may want some. I'll take photos of the philodendron when I get around to cleaning the leaves (always dirty because of the construction beside us!).

Anyway, I was happy to see a flower from one of my gumamela plants. It was early evening when I saw it, so it was about to sleep already. Still pretty though. I hope the cuttings I propagated all grow. 

Worn Out

I just realized I overdid things this week. I tend to do that when I have bursts of energy. I did some heavy gardening for two days. Went to the mall and sorted Mom's stuff for another two days. In between that I re-organized my closet.

I thought I could continue sorting stuff today. No wonder Sweetie just laughed when I told him I'll finished the boxes he got this weekend. I'm exhausted and should have rested after pulmo rehab yesterday. My therapist also realized I'm probably suffering the ill effects of long COVID-19 since I could go straight for a few weeks with pulmo rehab and then be absent for another few weeks. 

It's just that I feel antsy whenever I have a surge of energy. I need to do things, but I need to also figure out the right time to stop. It would be better I know when so I don't get too exhausted.

Anyway, it's the weekend, so I'll rest and resume on Monday.

Happy weekend everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Sorting Box of Documents Isn't Fun

Sweetie brought back a box of documents from my childhood home. I figured it won't take long to sort. Boy, I was so wrong. We already finished watching Firefly but I wasn't done yet. I sorted 10 boxes yesterday in the same amount of time I did a box of documents.

I have been sorting my Mom's things for over a year now. It's a lot of work. I haven't been able to continuously sort because it requires a lot of energy. The dust also always affects me. 

Today's box was from the room of my parents. Most were legal documents, Mom's address books, and diplomas/certificates. It included my Dad's law school diploma, my kindergarten diploma, old passports and bank books and possibly my niece's footprints when she was a newborn (it didn't have a name). 

I already have several boxes of documents. Sweetie already shredded a lot of documents which I think are not needed anymore. I actually asked a lawyer about Dad's old cases and he said I can shred them already since the notary public should have submitted them already. Good. Now I just need to research what to do with old passports and bank books (plus a gazillion IDs!). 

I really hope it's the last box of documents. I have about 10 big boxes to go through this weekend. Half are craft stuff, so that should be fun to do. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Organized Mom's Fabric Scraps

Sorting continues. We got several boxes yesterday and I requested to start with the boxes from Mom's room. She had organized all her sewing stuff in Dad's cabinet. It was like she knew and organized her things the way I would understand it.

I quickly finished sorting ten boxes. More than half of the items will be donated. Old towels will be used for household needs (cat bedding and cleaning cloth). I also found some stuff that's mine like curtains and a box of earrings. Not enjoyable to sort was the box of fabric.

It was a box of scraps. Some I remember from when Mom was teaching me how to quilt. I also found a bunch of unfinished throw pillow covers. She probably made it during the pandemic and didn't have batting. I have to check them individually to see if I could finish it.

I sorted the scraps by color to see what I could do with it. I ran out of energy after sorting, so I'll leave thinking about a project for another day. I'll also need to wash the scraps anyway before using it.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Checked Out What's New at SM Bicutan

I took a break this week from visiting the hospital for tests and doctor appointments. It get's tiring and I just wanted to stay home, do some sewing, tend to my plants and play with the cats.We went out today for some errands (adulting stuff). We also went to SM Bicutan to get a couple of things. 

We realized we have not visited the Sky Garden/Food Hall. It opened a month ago. It was a good time to visit since it's a weekday and the holiday crowd is gone. From the basement, we went straight to the third floor through the lift. Everything was bright and sunny when we alighted. The Food Hall was appropriately sized, probably easily filled-up during meal times and weekends. It had a number of food stalls. 

We decided to have a snack. I tried the burger at Burger Assembly. And Sweetie got some food from Tex Mex. It was filling and we liked the spacious, new hangout area. The outdoor seating area looked nice, but it was still quite sunny when we went. It would be interesting to witness the acoustic nights they've been promoting. 

I didn't get to enjoy my meal too much, since I had to find a couple of things on my photo baul for another adulting task. I had to wolf down my burger, since it was getting late. After eating we went to the other building for our home needs list. Wanted to get home immediately, but we got caught in DS traffic. Well, we managed to get half of what's on our list. Will try again another day, hehe. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

The Trees that Grew by Accident

We set up several pots in our backyard for composting. It surprisingly worked well. A few months later we were surprised to see something growing in it. As it grew, I realized it was a mango tree. Our neighbor has a mango tree and it's branches reached our backyard. Every so often, some fruits would drop to the ground. I guess one of it ended up inside the compost bin and nature found a way to grow. 

I eventually moved the seedling to a proper pot. I would water it and give it some fertilizer. Lo and behold it's now much taller than me! I've been overdue to move it and decided to do it today since I plan to let it continue its growth in the tiny square garden. I had a hard time pulling the pot out from the pocket garden plant box, so Miggy wrangled it off for me. Then Sweetie helped me get it out of the pot. The sun set before I finished re-potting it. Hopefully it will live even with some of the roots gone. 

Another "accidental" tree is the weeping fig. It grew on our balcony. A bird probably dropped the seed and nature (again) found its way and it grew. Sweetie pulled it out and I told him to bring it home. The roots were still intact, so I again placed it in a pot and left it a few feet away from where the mango tree was growing. It surprisingly flourished and it's about half the mango tree already. I decided to re-pot it today too. 

The mango and weeping fig tree is part of the arsenal of trees I plan to eventually move to our future home (no idea when that will happen). The third tree is my curry tree. I'm trying to save it now since I think I may have over watered it the past few weeks (whoops!). I hope I'll still be able to save it! Then I have a couple of papaya trees growing. I think some may have been rooting in the plant box (whoops!). I'll check them tomorrow.

I'll probably get flagged already from gardening a lot this week. I missed working on our garden since we've been busy, plus I had to avoid getting exposed to dirty air due to the construction beside us (it's been really horrid!). We made a lot of progress this week, but need to check what I can still save from my Mom's garden. 

Lots of adulting stuff to do, ugh. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Our Square Garden

We had a tiny garden across our pedestrian gate. It used to have a couple of plants and bamboo when we moved in a few years ago. The plants though died and the bamboo attracted insects. The cats also used the area as their toilet. Not good especially since it's the first thing you see when you enter our gate.

Anakin fell from the garage roof, he thought he could get down through the bamboo. We were on the other end of the house when we saw it happen. We ran to check on him. He was fine, he meowed and ran away after we checked if he had anything broken.

We decided then and there to remove the bamboo and fix the area. We got stepping stone tiles to cover the soil and placed sun loving plants. I placed flowering plants so it looks pretty. I got busy today re-potting the santan plants. I like that the tiny garden is a bit more organized now. I will also love the mango and fig tree there sometime this week. 

We also rearranged the philodendron row to make space for plants from Mom's garden. I also need to trim them and I need to re-pot the aglaonema since they've grown too. Lots to do in the garden, but have to take it slow so I don't get sick.

Happy Monday everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Have You Seen the Tamiya Dyipne?

Miggy used to collect Tamiya toys. He was only 4 years old when he was gifted with one. Of course, I was forced to build it. The motor did not work, so he fixed it by himself. That was when we realized he's a gifted child (he also built a fan we couldn't figure out how to put together). 

When I saw how Miggy enjoyed building Tamiya cars, I'd always buy him one whenever I can. His Papa Lolo eventually bought a huge track for him. They enjoyed building it and letting the cars run in the track. Unfortunately, I don't think any of Miggy's Tamiya sets survived typhoon Ondoy. 

Last week, we noticed the Tamiya Dyipne on display at a store in Glorietta. We were surprised to see it. Not really sure when it came out, but it's interesting to see a version of the Philippine jeepney as a Tamiya toy. Upon research a set is about PhP750 or if you're crazy there's one on eBay at $199. We didn't buy, but I like the blue one better :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Sewing Area Mini Upgrades

I'm still making some adjustments to my sewing area. I got a new chair and Miggy built it the other day. I had been using a monoblock chair since my pink swivel chair gave way. Sweetie helped me bring the chair downstairs to my nook. I love it since I could easily adjust it and I can just roll to the area of the table I'm using. 

I also added a table to make my area L-shaped. It's a great add-on since I don't need to remove anything to iron while I'm sewing. The additional space also doubles as my scanning station on weekends (I'm scanning Mom's gazillion albums). 

I also got a space extender from Ikea last October, it fit the table perfectly. I decided to place the extension cord on it. Lessens the need for me to bend down (it's been hard since I had heart surgery). I'm thinking of getting another one for my other extension cord. The meter stick though makes it easier for me to turn the switch on/off. 

I was so happy with the new arrangement, I decided to work on a new project. I'm making a case for my portable air purifier. I'll still be using scrap fabric since I've never done something with round bottoms. Let's see where it goes ;)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Yeh! Friday

I wasn't able to attend pulmo rehab again. I was a bit feverish when I woke up. Rested more and remembered that I needed to pick up something at the barangay hall. Quickly ate, drank meds and Sweetie accompanied me to the barangay hall.

Since we were already out, I asked Sweetie if we could buy some bread. We ended up at the main entryway to our area. It's easier to park there, plus there's a couple of food stalls available in the area.

Well, aside from buying bread we ended up getting rice meals at Binalot. It's been a long time since I had some bongga longganisa. Sweetie got his favorite tapa walastik and Miggy had Vivo tocino. I still remember when Binalot had a contest to name their food and I suggested bongga longganisa (haha). Binalot also saw us through our first month as a newlywed since we were still learning how to cook.

I noticed the group of stalls next to Binalot, Potato Corner, Henlin and Infinitea. I told Sweetie we should get some fries to surprise Miggy. Oh boy, it's really been a long time since I had Potato Corner. I made a dent on the pasalubong on the way home! Haha!

And that's today's adventure. I have to keep moving while I can. Which reminds me I need to clean my spirometer. My doctor required me to use it hourly. Gasp!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Ugh, Slight Fever

Ugh, whatever's bugging me is trying to get me again. I just rested, watered the plants and hung out with the cats. Sweetie took my temp and I have slight fever again. I can't afford to be sick. Grrrr.

Anyway, here's Meredith and Anakin today. They were super sweethearts and waited patiently for their wet food.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Got a New Chair for My Sewing Area for Free!

I have been working on organizing my sewing area. Sweetie and I switched corners a few months ago. It made more sense for him to sit beside our toy collection. I, on the other hand, needed better lighting for my sewing/quilting projects.

I identified my needs and realized it would be better to have an L-shaped desk. After moving around some stuff I managed to fit in another table. Now I have additional space for ironing and measuring fabric. It also doubles as space for a printer when I scan photos.

What would make the "expanded" space better is a chair with wheels. I noticed quilters across the world use office chairs with wheels. I had one, but it broke. I had the leg changed, but it broke again! Gaaaaah! I've been using a nice monoblock chair for over a year now and was thinking whether I should buy a replacement.

Well, I didn't need to buy one because I got it for free from a purchase the boys did. They didn't want a chair, so I said I'll use it. It's all black, but I will jazz it up so it won't look like an office chair. What do you think?

#BeKind #StaySafe

Bye Bye Pablo

We were surprised to find Pablo the Danio at the bottom of the tank last night. We don't know what happened, but being the smallest we think it was attacked by one of the bigger Danio fish.

Sigh :(

#BeKind #StaySafe

The Nile is Not Just a River in Egypt: My Asthma Journey

"The Nile is not just a River in Egypt," is what my allergologist, Dr. Canlas, told me over 15 years ago after he informed me of the results of my allergy test.

I had to see an allergologist because I was suffering from severe asthma after a nasty bout of pneumonia. It took me awhile before I understood what Dr. Canlas told me. "The Nile" meant denial. He was telling me that the first step to healing is acceptance. I was able to renew my tolerance for chicken, chocolate and even Coca-Cola. The doctor explained I was always allergic to it, but my immune system went down after having pneumonia. 

I just took meds, didn't do immunotherapy and just kept eating chicken and chocolate by bits. Eventually, my tolerance returned. Unfortunately, I never regained tolerance for crab, but can eat a few pieces of shrimp.

I urged Sweetie to see an allergologist. I noticed he has been having frequent asthma attacks. He got it after COVID-19. I was baffled and worried since asthma can lead to other things. He did his allergy test today and the main trigger for his asthma attacks is dust. We have been beside two house construction in the past 3+ years and that's the leading cause for the dust (you can see it easily on my plants).

As Dr. Canlas advised me, I also reminded Sweetie of the quote he told me, "The Nile is not just a River in Egypt."

Acceptance is key. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Unstable

Happy Sunday everyone. I experienced aFib last night so I've just been resting today. I did step out for awhile to get some sunshine and saw the Kalachuchi (desert rose) blooming more flowers. They do last longer than gumamela (hibiscus), so that makes me happy. 

Hope you all had a restful weekend.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Getting to Know My Mama Lola

As the youngest in my generation, I only got to spend time with my Mama Lola (grandma) whenever she lived with us. Half the time she was in the US and oftentimes in Naga City. I did get to spend time with her since she had her own bedroom in our home. 

I would spend time in her bedroom in the afternoons. I didn't like sleeping in the afternoons, but she made it mandatory before I could play with her helpers. Eventually, she taught me how to use her sewing machine and that's what I remember most about her. I loved her sewing kit and that was eventually passed on to me. Her sewing machine is also with me now. 

A lot of my relatives say I'm a lot like my Mama Lola. I inherited her quirks. I've been scanning old photos my Mom left and today I scanned a lot of my Mama Lola's photos. Some of them were when she was much younger. I discovered a lot about her and I now understand why my relatives say I'm a lot like her.

I always thought it was only my Mom who was part of the CWL (Catholic Women's League). Apparently, my Mama Lola was active in it too. I found some photos where she was inducted as an officer. I always thought she was always just home since she was always just home while I was growing up. My Mom was active in the community, Mama Lola probably encouraged her and my Dad. The bug eventually found me. 

My Mom probably organized my Mama Lola's photos after she passed a way. She had a lot and some even had notes on them. One funny polaroid photo of her in winter clothes said she bundled up but ended up buying food for herself because Tito Butch probably forgot they were supposed to meet. That's so much like my Mama Lola. She never forgets anything and I'm the same, hehe. 

I'm sure I'll discover more about my Mama Lola, Mom, Dad and all my titos and titas who have gone up to heaven. What I like best is seeing their photos when they were much younger. I still have boxes upon boxes of albums to scan. I'll try to scan at least once a week. Let's see where this goes :)

Miss you Mama Lola.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Quilting Warm-up with Scrap Fabric

I like to start the year by making small projects using scrap fabric from the previous year. I made a list the other day of what I "plan" to do this year. I have an immediate need for a new case for my cards. The old one I made still works, but it's bursting at the seams because of all the establishment cards I collected over the past two years. 

I looked through my scrap fabric and realized I don't really have a lot that can match each other. I had very small ones from a quilted tote bag I made for a friend. Since it's just a small case, I managed to finish it last night. There were errors and the case was still not enough to carry all my cards, so I made a new one again this afternoon. 

I skipped the batting and binding for this one. I watched a couple of videos where they skipped both, so I thought I'd make it that way. I used scrap for the whole piece. I also used Velcro instead of snap-on buttons since they don't stay closed. Velcro will prevent the cards from spilling all over my bag. 

Here's the turn out:

First attempt

Second attempt

I'll add how I made it when I finish editing the video :)

#BeKind #StaySafe