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Monday, June 30, 2025

Visited HMR Sucat

We saw a video featuring HMR Sucat and it piqued our curiousity. We made a plan to visit and went to check it out. We've been to HMR in it's original location in Mandaluyong, but we haven't been back in a couple of years. 




Anyway, Sucat is a nice location for us. It's just about 15 minutes from our place. We were curious to visit to see what they're selling now. We also wanted to compare to the last surplus store we visited. The Sucat store is huge! They actually also sell bigger items and have cars for auction. The video we watched also mentioned that you can build your resto with their surplus/pre-loved kitchen equipment. And they also had some stuff you can use for construction. 

I didn't really need anything, but saw a couple of interesting things, here's a few:

  • Chromeboxes with monitors



  • different kinds of coffee machines



  • Locker cabinet which I'm interested in refurbishing for my future sewing room!



I didn't buy any of the stuff above. I instead got a bunch of sturdy pots since I still have a lot of stuff to re-pot! And, oh, I got a pair of sneakers for PhP399 (haha).  We only went around once since I was quite tired already. Good thing I dressed for comfort since the place was a bit warm. Also good to wear a mask, a lot of the stuff was dusty.  We'll go back in case we need anything :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Sunday, June 29, 2025

The Night My Guardian Angel Saved Me

I got home a bit late after my grad school graduation. It was one of the rare times I drove and as Miggy and I entered our village it started to rain hard. It was dark and I couldn't see our garage entrance properly. I was afraid I might make a mistake at parking, so I parked across the street. I planned to move the car in the morning. 

Miggy and I hurriedly went inside the house. Even with an umbrella we were both drenched. We showered and went to bed since we were tired from the festivities. The next morning I was woken up to move the car. I grudgingly got up, changed and got the car keys.

The skies were clear that morning and I walked quickly to the car to finish the chore. As I got nearer I saw something brown pinned by the wheel. I thought it was just debris from the thunderstorm. I was shocked when I got nearer and saw that it was a snake with a brown and white pattern. It was big as a male adult's arm. It was pinned by the wheel and it wasn't able to free itself.

I had no idea because it was very dark and you can barely see when we stepped out of the car because of the heavy rain. If it wasn't caught under the wheel I would probably have stepped on it. I never found out what kind of snake it was and I'm glad the only encounters I've had of snakes are at zoos or photos. My guardian angel saved me that night and I just prayed that I did not encounter it up close.


This photo was taken in 2010 in Singapore. It looked liked this snake.


I always pray for my family's safety and protection every night. There's danger all around and the best we  can do is have faith that we are always protected. Whenever I feel scared I say a quick prayer for protection and I know my guardian angel is always around. 

Have a blessed Sunday y'all!

#BeKind #StaySafe


Saturday, June 28, 2025

Papaya Trees Starting to Bear Fruit!

It's been over a year since I propagated papaya seeds. I used seeds from store bought papaya. I like eating papaya since they are good for digestion and I read it's quite nutritious. I've been curious on what I can grow from store bought fruits and since papaya has a lot of seeds I figured I could probably succeed. 

I dried the seeds first and then planted it in soil. I neglected it for awhile, but managed to plant a few that survived. Again neglected it, but when I added compost two months ago they suddenly grew taller. Two weeks ago two trees started to grow something unfamiliar to me. I immediately consulted a friend and he jokingly told me they were caterpillars (hahaha).




He eventually said they were the flowers and should eventually become papaya fruit. Woohoo! I added some compost early this week and hope it would really eventually bear fruit. My friend advised me not to transfer the tree anymore since it's in a small pot. Sweetie checked it and he said that the roots have gone beyond the pot already. Yasss! 

I should take care of the other smaller plants and re-pot them to bigger ones so they can grow properly. For the two trees growing flowers, I hope the rain won't affect it. My friend said if all goes well, I'll have a bunch of papaya fruits in two to three months. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Friday, June 27, 2025

Tried Elite's Coffee

We chanced upon a cafe we haven't tried when we went out to have a haircut, Elite's Coffee. It's located on Dona Soledad Ave. and has a salon beside it. I remember trying it once via Grab since we sometimes get breakfast delivered. 




I definitely liked the longsilog when we ordered, but don't remember the coffee. We went to the cafe first before going to the salon since there was a line. Sweetie wasn't around when Miggy and I tried the cafe via delivery, so he enjoyed looking through their menu.





We just had a full meal at K-street, so we each just had coffee. The boys had a Spanish latte (hot and cold) and I just got a cappuccino. It was tasty. What I'd like to try next time is to dine at the cafe. They have an extensive menu. The cafe is also pretty spacious and a nice place to hangout. It just probably needs a bit more parking space

Have you tried this cafe?

#BeKind #StaySafe

Thursday, June 26, 2025

Throwback Thursday: Old Paper Mache Project

While sorting Mom's things (yup, I'm still at it), I found one of my old paper mache projects. Yup, I went through a paper mache era too. I've been wanting to do this project again for the longest time. I didn't have a photo of it, but how I made it is etched in my mind. 

It's a cute humpty dumpty basket (well half of it). I covered half a balloon with newspaper and when it was dry I added legs using plastic cups. It took awhile to take shape and a lot more time to make it stand steadily. After that I painted it and added the buckle. Mom must have added the sequins because I don't remember adding sequins to it. 




I actually bought some gawgaw awhile back since we had a gazillion papers from the boxes when we moved back. Got so busy, so I ended up donating the papers for use in schools (the quality was really good and reusable).

Anyway, I was so happy to find my old project. It has definitely seen better days. I just took a photo and thought about keeping it. It was so dirty already and there's no way to wash it (it will likely disintegrate). I'll just keep the happy memory with a couple of photos and maybe when I eventually have time I'll make a new one.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Remembering PNoy

It was PNoy's death anniversary the other day and I can't help but look back at how I'm grateful to him and his team. The launch of YouTube in the Philippines was one of the most important projects I did. PNoy was one of the world leaders who agreed to do the YouTube Worldview interview. Mind you, it wasn't easy to get his approval, but he eventually did. Whew!

Citizens submitted their questions. The question selected was voted by the citizens too. The interviewee only found out about the questions during the actual interview. I was the only Filipino in the team who came for the interview and when it was my turn to shake the President's hand I proudly introduced myself as the only Pinoy in the team (haha, no choice, wala pang PH team nun). It was met with a firm, hearty handshake. 


Photo by: Malacanan' PCDSPO


I was honestly flabbergasted during the interview. PNoy answered the questions with facts, laws/republic acts, and a crazy amount of data. Mind you the questions were really varied and he had no idea what would be thrown at him. He forgot just one data point, but within the day I received over  email the fact that he forgot. He definitely knew what he was talking about and as cabinet secretaries eventually shared, cabinet meetings were like thesis' defense. You really have to know what you're talking about. 

Here's the full interview in case you missed it:


Thank you PNoy for so far being the best President in my lifetime.

#BeKind #StaySafe


Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Another Scrap Fabric Project

I need a couple of things for my bag. I've been annoyed with my powerbank juggling around inside my bag. I had been putting it inside a pouch with my pill box. I realized though it's not good to do that since the power bank warms up when I use it. 




After making the pillow cases from Mom's unfinished projects, I set aside the scraps for future use. Found some long strips and thought I'd finally make a pouch for my power bank. I didn't bother measuring it and just decided after I pieced it how it would look. 




Here's how I made it:




I also used franken-batting, an old pillowcase (as back fabric), and leftover binding to close one side. I like how it turned out and I've been using it. I finished the project in two nights. I still have a lot of leftover fabric and will probably make a case for my eyeglasses. Let's see how that goes next week. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Happy, happy birthday Sweetie!



May the Lord bless you and grant all your prayers. Let's stay healthy 😺 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Happy Birthday Miggy!

Another 365 days around the sun for my son, Miggy! 


Happy, happy birthday my love 💕 😘 💕 

#BeKind #StaySafe


Saturday, June 21, 2025

Rainwater for Your Plants

Mom's lawn is magically alive again because it's been raining. Everything is green again and this would be a good time to see what else I can rescue. Rainwater is really good for plants. It brings extra nutrients for the plants and helps cleanse soil too. 

We set up two stations to collect rainwater. The official one was actually built for us. The plumber added a diverter to the downspout. When left open we are able to collect water from the roof. We got two big water drums to collect water. We cover it when it's full to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. 




The other water drum (in photo) is located in our garage. It was meant to be extra storage for rainwater (transferred manually by Sweetie with a pail). The downspout though was damaged. We haven't been able to have it fixed, so water has been falling directly to the drum with help from bamboo leaves (yay?). It's actually convenient for me since I don't have to walk far to get water for the square garden plants. 

If collecting rainwater, just make sure to cover the drum/pail. Mosquitoes breed fast. To get rid of them you can add some hydrogen peroxide to the water. This will also help to prevent root rot and get rid of larvae/eggs of pests. Just make sure your furry pets don't drink this water!  

#BeKind #StaySafe

Friday, June 20, 2025

Tried K-street

We're honestly holed up at home most of the time. Since I scheduled a family haircut day, we thought it would be nice to try dining at a new place. We saw an ad for a pad Thai place near us and headed there the other day. We thought it was located beside the Vietnamese place we tried. We were surprised to see a new nook of restos built before the area of the Vietnamese place. 






There were a couple of restos in the area. The pad Thai place was located on the second floor. Miggy chose the Korean place, K-street, so that's where we went. It was an odd hour and we were the only customers. The place was cozy and built for quick meals. We each ordered what we wanted to try. 




I got bulgogi, but it was strangely spicy (haha). I think they may have used a different sauce (one of the staff was new). It tasted good and I managed to finish the meal in-between gulps of strawberry lemonade. Miggy had the house special and Sweetie ordered the hickory barbecue. The meal was really filling and the good news is you can order their food via Grab or Food Panda. Maybe next time we'll try the bento meals so we can have some veggies. 




The nook of restos was interesting. We hope to try the other chicken place next time and we'll probably order from the pad Thai place one of these days (sorry, avoiding stairs for now). I wish the cafe will be open next time. Sweetie tried calling, but no one was answering. 

If you're from my `hood and want to try this place, here's the map to K-street: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XguqV46hJQZHkGNU8

#BeKind #StaySafe

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Family Haircut Day

Sweetie said he wanted to get a haircut before his birthday, so I declared a family haircut day. The last haircut I had a few months ago reminded me why I never went back to that salon (LOL). I grew my hair a bit longer so I could have it properly cut. 

Anyway, after trying out a relatively new place near us, we headed to the salon I used to frequent. It's a different branch, but I figured they probably cut the same way. I'm glad I took the chance with this branch since it's nearby. I hope it will be our go-to salon from now on since I've been orphaned for a couple of years now.



I just had my hair trimmed. I don't need anything fancy since I don't go out often anyway, plus I don't want to shock my cats with a new look (haha). I also skipped having bangs. It just annoys me to no end. Good ol' haircut for now. 



It was Miggy who had the biggest change. I think the hair stylist cut at least 20 inches of his hair. That amount of hair can help clean up oil from the sea! I was also asked whether I wanted to keep my hair. The hair stylist said it can be made into bangs! Maybe next time! Haha. 

#BeKind #StaySafe


Wednesday, June 18, 2025

My New Favorite SNR Branch

We've visited a couple of S&R branches. They all look the same, but the newer ones have some nuances that are better than the older branches.

As a PWD with lung and heart issues, there are things that make it harder for me. My #1 kryptonite is heat. Steel parking spaces doesn't work well for me and after experiencing immediate heat exhaustion from one branch, I get dropped off in the entrance before parking. I also appreciate shorter walking distance from parking to the entrance is better for me so I could avoid inhaling car fumes. Clean CR and less people, the better.


We took the chance and visited S&R Sucat. Since it was a weekday, parking was easy. The area was spacious and with higher ceiling, air circulation was better. Thee walk to the entrance was short too.


Layout of the store was also much better than other branches. Area for membership concerns was located before entering the main store. It wasn't squeezed in a small area like other branches. The restaurant was also spacious and they put a fence around it. This prevents shopping carts from bumping tables and dining customers. And more importantly, the toilet was clean and had toilet paper. 


The shopping area was very spacious. It was a weekday, so there wasn't that many people. We forgot to bring our grocery list, so just got essentials, haha. 


We'll most likely go back to this branch and maybe just drop by to eat. They have a new offering, spinach roll. I liked it and it went well with their hot sauce. Before leaving we also had some ice cream. Miggy and I had our favorite flavor, cotton candy. Their serving was seriously bigger than other branches, heehee. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Completed Mom's Unfinished White Quilt Project

I found six squares of pieced together white fabric. It was hand sewn by Mom. I looked at it for a long time before I decided to make throw pillow quilt covers with it. I also used some of the scrap fabric she left. I broke this project into two parts. 




The first part of the project was for the bigger throw pillows. It was perfect because there were two larger squares. I took the chance and experimented on making cats. I posted about it a few weeks ago (check it out here). The second part was to make four throw pillow covers for the smaller pillows. 




The squares were not even, so I decided to simplify and just added scrap fabric to the sides to frame the white squares. I wanted to highlight the fabric Mom used (eyelet? I'm not sure what it's called) and I chose some of her scrap fabric to frame it. I quilted diagonally to add some flair. 

Here's how I made it:




Mom still has a lot of unfinished projects. No wonder she kept telling me to finish what I start because she left a lot of stuff for me to finish. Most of her unfinished projects are big enough to make more throw pillows. I have to wash all of them and see if maybe I can make a blanket out of them. Well, we'll see. I'm just glad I managed to make something out of her unfinished project :)

#BeKind #StaySafe 

Monday, June 16, 2025

Anakin's First Year Clip Compilation

I finally managed to sit down and make Anakin's first year clip compilation. We think it was Grey who brought him in and at that time he was probably about 2 months old. Grey was probably his father and he probably thought he'd survive if he lived with us.



Surprisingly, Anakin never left. He became fast friends with Bailey. Meredith, who lost her babies due to dystocia, immediately took care of Anakin. She took care of cleaning him and teaching him the ropes of how to be a cat. I think Anakin gave her peace since she couldn't have kittens anymore. She still babies Anakin until now.

Here's the video:
https://youtu.be/R8ULzx1CZ7g?si=Sp8mbamkmOMilAMC





Anakin brought us a lot of joy. He's the most affectionate among all our fur babies. We've never seen him fight with anyone, but he's very protective and hangs out with me whenever I putter around the garden. 

Ahh, I can't imagine not having Anakin around. I named him Anakin because he was really dark when we first saw him. Eventually, his beautiful markings started to show. No idea who his mother is and some have said he probably has some breeded blood. Whatever it is he is well loved and part of our pawmily.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Sunday, June 15, 2025

Happy Father's Day

Missing Daddy especially today. Happy Father's Day, Daddy. Wish you were here to celebrate!






Of course, Happy Father's Day to Sweetie and Dad! Love you 😘 






#BeKind #StaySafe


Saturday, June 14, 2025

Rainy Season Pests

I haven't had to water the plants everyday since the rainy season started, but I've had to be vigilant with pests. They started showing up last week and if I'm not careful they will eat all my plants.



I was surprised when I started to see more snails in the garden. I haven't tried the beer trick yet. I'm afraid the cats might get curious and try it. Sweetie has been helping me scoop them up. We've been catching at least 20 per day! I know there's much more since each one can produce hundreds. I have to research how I can prevent them from multiplying.


I have been dealing also with caterpillars, green fat wrigglies and the brown hairy ones. Ugh! They've been eating my calamansi and Mom's ornamental plants. I'm actively inspecting plants to make sure they don't multiply. I still spray Neem oil weekly, I know that helps. The rains though wash it off that's why I need to check and remove the pests.


I saw a beetle on a bamboo leaf the other night. I left it alone since it can help eat invasive pests. 

We're also actively trimming trees, bamboo and bushy plants. This will help control the pest population and hopefully discourage other pests from using our plants as shelter. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Friday, June 13, 2025

Nanyang

Squeezed in a date after doing some errands. We were really happy when Nanyang opened a branch nearby. It easily brings us back to the days we'd enjoy merienda at Toastbox.



For merienda, Sweetie got me a set. It includes butter sugar thick toast, 2 eggs, and iced teh. It was filling and perfect for a quick bite. I love how they provided dark soy sauce and white pepper for the egg. I felt like I was back at Toastbox Vivo City! 

What about you? What's your favorite non-Filipino merienda?

#BeKind #StaySafe




Thursday, June 12, 2025

Araw ng Kalayaan 2025

I only have one wish for this year's Araw ng Kalayaan (Independence Day). It's for our country to be freed from the hands of corrupt and evil people. 




:'(

#BeKind #StaySafe

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Watched "Everything About My Wife"

The day after watching "My Future You", we decided to watch the Jennilyn-Dennis flick, "Everything About My Wife". We watched the trailer a few months ago and thought it would be an interesting romcom.

The first part of the movie delivered the fun moments as the main characters went through their courtship. It was still light when it fast forwarded to the 7th year of their marriage where they moved to Cebu.


Sam Milby played the perfect "third party". His job was to stir the marriage and hopefully break it up. After that part, the film suddenly turned too serious and left the audience hanging at the end. It felt like the writer ran out of ideas and someone took over to finish the film.

Well, maybe that's what they intended to do, but it left me disappointed especially knowing that the main characters are married in real life and gave their love a second chance. I've watched other movies by Jennilyn and they usually end on a positive note. 

Sigh.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Anakin's First Gotcha Day

Three hundred sixty six days ago, we found a black kitten traipsing around our garage. It noisily demanded us to feed it. 

Our first reaction was to find someone to adopt it, but the kitten proved to be the most affectionate. Luckily, no one volunteered to adopt him. I named him Anakin because of his color. 


From the first time we saw him, he never left. We suspect it was Grey who brought him to us. By then, Bailey also decided not to go with his Mama Kaley whenever she left. Anakin and Bailey became fast friends. They became besties and would play all day.


We made sure Anakin was vaccinated and neutered. He's always in the mood to play and would be very affectionate during meal time. We always have a hard time reeling him in whenever we need to leave. He never wants us to go out, haha. 

He made us worry one time when his eye was accidentally scratched by Bailey. We immediately brought him to the vet. Good thing the wound didn't affect his eyesight and it eventually recovered after a month of daily eye drops. 


Anakin, the youngest of our pawmily. Happy first Gotcha day with us. We love you forever!

#BeKind #StaySafe



Monday, June 9, 2025

Tried Panda Express Ice Cream

The boys stepped out for an errand and came back with Panda Express' Ice cream. They were surprised that the resto had ice cream, got curious and bought some.



They have two flavors available: cookies & cream and coffee almond. I got to try the coffee and almond flavor. 


I like coffee flavored ice cream and usually buy a pint every so often. I was eager to try what the boys got for me. Sweetie ate his right after dinner and said it was okay. I had it after doing some sewing.


I was expecting the cup to be full almost to the brim (like how Magnolia does it), but I was surprised to see it looked like just a scoop. I'm not sure if they just scooped it and put it in a covered cup for takeaway. 

What I enjoyed about the ice cream was the nuts. They were chopped bigger than usual. The coffee flavor though was too mild. Maybe I've been spoiled by my favorite brand. Oh well, at least we got to try it.

#BeKind #StaySafe




Sunday, June 8, 2025

Watched "My Future You"

Netflix just added a whole bunch of MMFF movies the past week. We were looking to watch something light yesterday and selected the FranSeth film. 

What made us curious about it is the time travel aspect of the film. We wondered how it would work out. I was also curious why the film got several awards. 


It was unpredictable. We couldn't really say what would happen next. They were able to intertwine the timelines perfectly. The story was also able to convey family values across the film subtly. I like how it wasn't over the top. 

I won't spoil the ending for you, just go watch it. We were so engrossed we ended up eating a lot of tacos made by our friend Nina. It was yummy! You can order through her IG at https://www.instagram.com/therapynitita?igsh=aGN2b2RwZ2hyamZs


Happy Sunday everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Saturday, June 7, 2025

Zinnia!

I planted some zinnia seeds last April. It took awhile before it sprouted. The stem grew longer when I transferred the pot to a sunnier spot. I started questioning myself whether I planted zinnia seeds or sunflowers since the stem was really long.

I supported the stems with bamboo sticks. It was really surprising that it kept growing. My garden doesn't get enough sunlight because of our location. Anyway, I monitored the plant closely as it grew.


I was surprised early this week when I saw a bud growing from one of the stems. It was the longest stem. I was still unsure whether it would be a zinnia or sunflower (LOL!). It's been raining also so I kept my expectations low.

It was sunny the other day and I was surprised to see a blossom. It was a beautiful orange zinnia flower! Woohoo! I'm so happy I was able to grow a plant that produces flowers!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Friday, June 6, 2025

Brunch at Nono's

We used to avoid dining at Nono's because it's quite expensive! We relented when it opened a branch nearby. After trying it we've made it a point to dine there once in awhile. 

The announcement about EDSA's new regulations, the rising health issues and heavy traffic had us re-programming our trips to BGC/Makati. We now plan to spend the least amount of time when we need to go to BGC/Makati. So, we ended up having brunch at Nono's the other day.


I like the food at Nono's and I try to order a different dish everytime we go. It's just frustrating that my first choice is always unavailable! I ended up ordering the waffle eggs Benedict. Oh my! It was huge! The waffle was completely covered with ham, eggs and hollandaise sauce. Of course, weird lil me ate it with ketchup, hehe.


Sweetie got a pulled pork sandwich and it was huge too! He said he liked it. Miggy got his usual chicken (I forgot to take a photo, haha). We were all properly full after the meal and then left for our appointment.

Our plan to eat nearby worked. We were able to avoid heavy traffic. Luckily, we didn't wait long to see the doctor and was in and out of the hospital in an hour. We went back towards home immediately to avoid traffic and just had a stopover to buy meds. 

It's been a long week! Happy long weekend everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Thursday, June 5, 2025

Booksale, Again!

A trip to the mall nearby is not complete if we don't drop by Booksale. We finished our appointment early, so we dropped by the mall to buy meds. Of course, we dropped by Booksale before we did our errand.



We usually park on the other side, but since it was just a quick visit we parked in the building where Booksale was located. Oh boy! The elevator sounded scary! We originally thought the strange sound was from a car. We realized the weird sound was the elevator! We'll stick to parking on the other side next time!

Anyway, we reached Booksale safely. The staff smiled after seeing us. She always tells us to come on a Tuesday. They get new stocks on Mondays, so there's always fresh books on Tuesdays. 


Sweetie got a huge haul. Twelve books for just PhP220! I saw a number of books that interested me. A few were craft books, but one was a music book of nursery rhymes. That's where I started when I learned to play the piano. My first recital piece was "Old MacDonald" :)


I haven't been buying fiction books since I have a huge pile of unread books. It's Miggy who's been buying fiction books. He got a book by Michael Crichton, "Sphere". We had it before, but it perished during Typhoon Ondoy.


Before we left I saw a child holding a magazine about ships. We always try to find books about ships for Dad. I told Sweetie about it and I went to the back part of the store and promptly found a book on naval aviation. I know we probably won't find a similar one, so I got that too. Dad received the book today and he was fascinated with the book, especially with the emblem. I'm glad we got the book for him. 

#BeKind #StaySafe