Absent

I was absent yesterday for my pulmo rehab. I woke up dizzy and I know things go bad when I force myself to get up if my sleep cycle is incomplete. My CPAP machine has been extending my deep sleep phase and when I'm woken up suddenly I get very dizzy. My alarm woke me up and I guess my body wasn't ready to wake up yet. 

To make up for my absence, I used my spirometer as usual and spent extra time doing some gardening. I re-potted some plants and gave rice water to select plants. I was planning to cook dinner, but my energy ran out. I'll just cook tomorrow and skip any heavy gardening. 

Oh well, that's my life nowadays. There are good days and there are bad. I just adjust as needed :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Ikea Trolley for My Sewing Stuff

I have a small sewing table and it's been littered with my sewing stuff. I need them close by since I reach out to them as I work on projects. It's been annoying though since I have to move things around when I need to use the sewing machine or when I need to measure fabric or when I need to iron. Yes, that's how small my space is for sewing. 

We went to Ikea a few weeks ago and I saw this circular trolley. It's about half of my old rectangular Ikea trolley. I intended the old one to hold my sewing stuff, but I found it too bulky, plus I could barely see the items on the second level. The trolley is PhP699 and I got one since I felt it would solve the clutter on my sewing table.

I built it myself. It was so easy to build since it didn't have any screws. Just plug and twist to screw it in. I thought it would take a long time to put together. I finished in a few minutes and had enough energy to clear my table. 

I moved the items based on frequency of use. I put the needles and pins on top with the pencils.

Safety pins and clips for binding and thread and bobbins on the second row.

The bottom houses my bobbin gadget and other stuff (I'm still fixing it).

I'm planning to re-organize my old trolley. I got a top cover for it since I plan to use it for ironing. I can just easily park it nearby and pull it out as needed. I love Ikea trolleys! I also got a utility cart for a bathroom. It makes it easier to pull out when the bathroom is cleaned, plus I used the old shelf to house my newer craft books from Booksale (shelf is now back inside my maker room). 

Happy sewing!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Firewalls have Ears and What You Can Teach Your House Staff

Anakin and Bailey probably felt I was getting anxious over the screamfest happening across our firewall. They had me go towards a "safer" area and calmed me down. Meredith also moved to a quieter area.

I was minding my own business and was watering my plants when the neighbors (helpers probably) started having a screamfest over sinampay. I guess it rained earlier when we were out and some of their newly laundered clothes got wet. I wasn't given a choice and had the misfortune of hearing the huge row that ensured. They threw hurtful words against each other. Words that I only usually hear from Batang Quiapo when the masters berate their assistants/helpers.

Oh boy, it felt like I was brought back to my childhood home. Our neighbor there had frequent screamfests too. We don't have helpers, but I grew up in a household that had a harmonious relationship with our angels.

Here's a few things I learned from my Mom about managing people. I also used this when I managed the team across the region.

1. Set responsibilities and expectations upfront. Define key results expected and how their work will be assessed.

2. Escalate issues as they come. Don't let it fester.

3. To resolve issues take a coaching approach so they realize where they can address the problem before it gets big.

4. Never use curse words or downgrade people.

5. Gambling is a big no-no.

6. Live within your means. Utang destroys relationships.

7. No gossiping.

8. Pray.

Good thing our other neighbor always brings good vibes. They have a baby so the mood is always happy. I transferred to that side to water my other plants. Grogu and Anakin followed and played with us. I'm so glad I have fur babies. They really help bring peace.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Organizing

I think my brain is finally rewiring back to what it was before I fell into medical depression. Medical because it was caused by the health issues I went through. It happens especially to people who experience blood clots. That's what my doctor explained to me and we worked on my coping mechanisms. He discharged me reluctantly back in 2021, so I was on my own to cope. 

I told him I could do it and I didn't want to drink any additional medication since I have other maintenance meds. I felt it was numbing me, so with faith and the love of my boys, I fought back. I read that one tell-tale sign of depression is being disorganized. Clutter piles up and you just don't have the energy to fix things. It's overwhelming and one reason why it took two years to finish sorting and emptying my childhood home. 

I kept fighting. Rested when needed and rewarded myself whenever I achieved something. I feel I turned a big corner today. I cleared out my sewing table and organized my gardening table. These are my "work stations" where I am productive and get to clear my mind. As much as possible, I don't use my phone when I'm at my work stations. It helps ground me. 

Little steps for healing and I'm happy I achieved something today. It's just small pockets of a bigger mess, but at least something moved today. I still plan to tackle my bench box later (it's where I keep my journals). Will see, if I have too much fun sewing I'll do it tomorrow :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Don't Throw Eggshells

My boys support my gardening adventures and one of the things they do is set aside egg shells for me. We wash the shells and then boil it. Once it's dry I use a grinder to break it down further.

I think the egg shells I mixed in the soil for the bell pepper sprouts helped make it grow properly. I haven't encountered the previous issues I had when I tried growing bell peppers.

I also learned to save the water from boiling egg shells. I let it cool and then I use it to water plants. It's adds nutrients for the plants. I just make sure to add fertilizer once a week, so the plants don't burn from too much fertilizer.

I'll also try making the more potent fertilizer. It's the one with vinegar, but I need to research again how to make it. There's a lot of stuff in your kitchen you can use to enrich your plants, so save your eggshells :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Tried Cochi

Cochi was on our 2025 bucket list. We finally tried it last month. We went at a non-peak hour, but had to park at another building because the elevator wasn't working (not PWD friendly, the stairs was too steep). 

Anyway, we got a seat under the tree and ordered some food for sharing. This is what we got -

Paella

Lengua

Asian Pasta

Chicken

For drinks -

Cucumber

Iced Coffee

The food was tasty. We wanted to try the cochinillo, but it was too big for us. We ordered the Asian pasta since they said it had cochinillo in it. Food was good, but we felt the servings was not enough (probably just good for 2 not 3) - or maybe matakaw lang talaga kami? I also felt the resto was too noisy.

I'm glad we got to try it, but I doubt if we'll go back to the area since it's not PWD friendly. If you're on a wheelchair, asid from not having a working elevator, the flooring was very bumpy. The "smoother" areas was blocked by scaffolding.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Oldest Thing in My Kitchen

I chanced upon a post asking "what's the oldest thing in your kitchen?". I immediately thought it was me, haha.

I remembered though I had scoured through my childhood home and found kitchen stuff I grew up with. I got rid of the appliances (including my Mom's long not working turbo broiler). Then I went through the pots, pans dishes, drinkware and utensils.

And I figured that the oldest item are my grandma's party plates. I asked my Mom once why she had so many of those plates and she said it was my Mama Lola's. They are intact and will be used one of these days for a get together.

Everyone who visited my childhood home for a party or get together would have experienced using these plates. They are older than me and probably priceless at this point. It's a great set and was really useful through the years.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Is In-Person Pulmo Rehab Better?

I just had my second pulmo rehab session. There's almost no difference from doing it online, but I noticed it runs quicker than when we do it online.

I like doing the sessions better in-person. I get to interact with my therapists (there's usually an assistant). They are also able to correct my form if needed. 

We did more this week and I was happy that leg exercises were included. I have to do the leg exercises thrice a week to regain my knee strength. It still hurts every so often.

I'll try to bake this weekend. I want to bring some goodies for my pulmo rehab team. Gotta save my lungs. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

February Project: Quilted Piano Cover

I only have one top cover for my piano and it's Christmas themed. I got distracted and wasn't able to make one last year. 

My first project for the year would be a new cover for the top of my piano. I'm going to make it funnily redundant and use piano keys for the design, haha. 

I've started making measurements and should start cutting fabric this week. I'm still deciding whether I'll just do the top like last time or make a bigger one to cover the sides and back.

It's that dilly dallying that's delaying the project, haha. I answer to myself and it will get going when I'm done with my other stuff.

Happy creative Tuesday everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Doing Groceries

One of my favorite things to do is grocery shopping. I still have memories of my Mom pushing the cart while I was on the seat. I eventually learned to point to things I like and when I started to walk and grab things, I lost grocery privileges until I was in my teens. By then, my Mom's favorite shopping place was Landmark, haha.

In Singapore though, grocery shopping is an expensive endeavor. Buying dinner at the hawker center was cheaper than cooking. I oftentimes brought some key Pinoy ingredients from Manila since they were expensive even at Lucky Plaza. Anyway, I learned a lot about grocery planning while I was there. 

Since we're trying to eat more nutritious food, I try to plan what dishes I'll cook for the month. We used to drop by a nearby small grocery when needed. I realized though that's an expensive endeavor, so I'm doing the five P's*. Proper planning prevents poor performance which I learned from Ninang Janette.

#BeKind #StaySafe

First Month of the Year

January felt like a very long month. It was really different from the month of December that outpaced the whole year. I decided to continue capturing a second a day using the 1SE app. It pushes me to be productive everyday even on days that I just tend to my plants and play with our fur babies. 

We just rested during the first week of the month. Then we proceeded with our regular routines. What made this month interesting was ticking off two things on my bucket list last year. We squeezed in time to go to Chef RV's cafe to get some cake and dine at Cochi. 

It was also a very "social" month for me because I joined two get-togethers. One with former colleagues and our belated high school friends Christmas get-together. It all happened on one weekend, so I had to regain my energy for the rest of the month after that, haha. 

One of my targets this year is to grow more veggies. I started the year by sowing seeds on a tray. They've grown and are growing steadily. We've been able to harvest bell peppers also weekly and that's what encouraged me to continue growing veggies (they're quite expensive now!). I hope by end of this month we can start harvesting some mustasa. Yay!

Here's my one second everyday for the month of January 2026:

I was busy doing garden work most of the month, so I just finished my last Christmas project. It's the quilt cover for our blender. I'll start again this week and have an idea what I want to make. It's going to be fun! We unfortunately all had stomach issues at the end of January. We think it's the water from the water refill station we shifted to when Aqua King closed. Sigh. We're recovering right now and looking for a new, clean and reliable water refill station. 

Happy February everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Three Weeks Since the Seeds Sprouted

It's been a month since I planted some seeds on a seed tray. I got Ramgo seeds for better chances and I'm happy I did. I was surprised some started sprouting in two days, some took a few more days.

One thing that takes time is transferring the seedlings to a bigger pot. That's what I've been working on the past ten days and I'm not done yet. I planted too many mustasa seeds and if it all grows I guess I can offer them to neighbors, haha.

Here's how it's going -

Cucumber 

Mustasa

Cherry tomato

Carrots

I have to rest today and hope I could continue work in the next few days.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Homemade Bistek Tagalog

I made some bistek Tagalog last night, but used thinner beef strips. I think it's the one they use for samgyup. 

I only marinated it for 15 minutes and it was already very tasty. Cooking didn't take a lot of time. Dinner was sumptuous indeed.

Here's how I usually prepare bistek Tagalog:

https://youtu.be/iS6aHdw_C8o?si=WKqJj4BhlICZI1F0

Nomnomnom!

#BeKind #StaySafe

The 80s: Why I Enjoyed Watching Stranger Things

We decided to watch Stranger Things again from the beginning. We only started watching it in 2021 when we got home. Internet was pretty bad in our old home, so when we watched season 1 and 2 it was like watching on a 2G phone, haha. So, I said, let's watch it from the beginning. 

The characters were just a bit older than me when I was a child. It was a treat to see the era again especially the toys, the food and essentially how they lived without phones, the internet and Google! Back then people went to see other people when they were bored. They were not stuck in front of their TVs/their phones/gaming consoles or computers. 

One of my 80s birthdays

In the 80s, our parents watched us like hawks, but we still went out to see our friends. I remember I'd bike around our village and bike to a friend's house to play. I'm glad I lived through that era minus gory monsters. Well, we had monsters and my childhood was riddled with political upheavals. 

Sweetie in the 80s

Anyway, I enjoyed watching the series from start to end. We got to review the earlier seasons and got to connect the story easier. If you watch it from the beginning, you'll also notice some nuances that you didn't see when you first watched it, like the different crazy 80s hairstyles which reminded us of some movies. The colorful outfits and even the socks they wore reminded me of some that I used to wear, haha. 

Of course, there were some noticeable holes in the story, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Back to Pulmo Rehab

I'm so glad my Ortho doctor allowed me to go back to pulmo rehab instead of re-enrolling in physiotherapy. I feel at this point I can do my knee and ankle exercises on my own several times a week. 

I need to get back on track to save the healthy part of my lungs. My therapist said we'll take it slow. We did and skipped the leg exercises. Ahh, it felt so good to do the breathing exercises and be with the team who's be taking care of me for almost two years now.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Quilted Christmas Blender Cover

I finally finished the Christmas blender cover I've been working on the past few weeks! I told myself to finish a project before working on another one. 

I chose to make a tree. I thought it would be easier than the snowman. It wasn't, haha. Anyway, despite making a lot of adjustments, I had fun adding embellishments. I used some old beads and got a cute star online (I was lazy to make one).

Very early for Christmas this year, heh.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Ikea Room?

Ikea is good at curating their products. They put on nice displays which give a good idea on what your home should look like. 

We haven't been to Ikea for over 15 months. It was on my bucket list last year. I wasn't able to check it off, so I scheduled a day to go.

We spent about 6 hours in Ikea. We first had brunch, but was disappointed since they didn't have meatballs. What I wanted to see were the room set-ups and how they mixed colors. 

I wish Ikea would make a family room display which includes display cabinets* for toy collections. They had a gaming bedroom set-up which I thought was cute, but it's not applicable for us.

It was a good trip, albeit tiring. It was good to see their rooms and themes.

*Their bigger display cabinets are so expensive though, so it's better to get from a specialty store (they are usually present at toy exhibits).

Forgot

I forgot what I was going to write about today. It happens often, haha. Sundays are supposed to be for reflection and to recognize miracles or to identify things I'm grateful for.

It's been a busy month and I'm most grateful for the energy to keep up with our activities. There are days I want to do more, but I rest when needed. 

And that's just it. Live simply. Make more happy memories.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Bought Plants at Ikea

At the end of the long trek across Ikea, you'll find their gardening stuff. I usually ignore the artificial plants and expensive pots. What I check out are the small live plants they sell. They have ornamental plants and succulents that range from PhP49 to 199. The prices are competitive with nursery plants, sometimes even cheaper. 

I picked up a couple of plants. What got me excited was the kokedama money tree. I've been planning to make one, but I just don't have the time. This will do for now and I hope I don't kill this plant! The last money tree I got from Ikea lasted a couple of months. I just overwatered it, haha.

I still have to research about the other plants to see how best to care for them. Wish me luck!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Love the Cool Weather

I wasn't planning to do a lot of stuff today since I wasn't feeling well yesterday. After I kept the fabric I used for my Christmas projects, I thought I'd do a quick round to water the plants.

The weather though was amazing. It was cool, so I decided to move a plant rack. The gumamela and bougainvillea plants I propagated need more sunlight. Sweetie saw me and helped me move more plants.

Ahh, it was so satisfying to organize the side garden. Sweetie helped me move select plants to a sunnier spot and I moved some under the bamboo to get more shade. I still need to re-pot most of them, but better placement would help keep the plants safe until I could get to them.

Happy Friday and happy weekend everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Not Feeling So Well

My body is complaining from too much activity, so it's forcing me to rest. Just leaving a photo of beautiful flowers for today.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Knee and Ankle Review, What's Next?

I saw my orthopedic doctor yesterday and he reviewed the report of the physiotherapist. The recommendation was to continue the exercises.

My doctor though remembered I'm supposed to have surgery, so he asked what's the plan. I told him I'm supposed to be reviewed by my cardiologist next month. I also told him I was hoping to go back to pulmo rehab to strengthen my lungs. Part of the exercises include the leg, very similar to what I was doing with the physiotherapist.

My doctor agreed I can just do that and do the exercises at home thrice a week. I was relieved since I think at this point I need to work on my lungs too. My pulmo said we should continue to work on saving the healthy part of my lungs. 

After seeing my doctor, we immediately went to the pulmo rehab department to schedule my sessions. I'm so relieved my favorite therapist is back and he'll take care of me moving forward.

Praying for better health so we can make more happy memories!

#BeKind #StaySafe 

Binding My New Blender Cover

I was hoping to finish the blender cover last weekend, but I got busy. I decided to attach the sides of the cover to the base by hand sewing it. It's easier than immediately machine sewing it.

I'm now working on binding it, then I'll be done. Yay!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Hit and Misses Online Purchases

Since I don't go out much, I rely on buying some stuff online. Here's a few things I purchase online:

House Items 

One thing we learned is to buy items for house repairs from physical stores like Ace Hardware or Wilcon Depot. I follow this tip for electrical related repairs. There are items though that you cannot find online, like the top part of sink drain covers or anti-rust paint (not QDE). For DIY stuff like adding anti-slip tape for stairs, you can just buy online too. If you're buying solar, stick to reputable brands like Bosca or Philips. I bought a lot of solar items online, a lot don't last. 

Not good

Gardening Stuff

I noticed, buying materials from garden nurseries can be quite expensive. There are a lot of gardening suppliers/farms online. Sometimes their items are better than buying from nurseries. I usually just get vermicast/chicken manure perlite, coco chips and coco husk online. I have earmarked favorite stores that don't disappoint. I still buy some stuff in person especially when I'm looking for a specific pot size. One thing I learned also is to buy seeds from a reputable brand (like Ramgo). 

This blue hose is good, just don't buy it if you have cats

Cat Care Items

I stopped buying re-packed cat food. I became wary about it since I've read a lot of feedback that they oftentimes just re-mix it. I'm also scared my cats might get sick, so for cat food I just buy sealed and not re-packed food. I also try to cook their food often. I used to buy cat beds online, but it's hard to find something that will last. So far, the cots I got are good. I stopped buying furry beds, they don't last. Don't bother buying cat towers online, they're usually just good for kittens. We finally found a good one from the Australian Surplus Shop in Muntinlupa. 

Craft Materials

I miss going to Divisoria! My Mom and I used to go there to buy craft materials. It's been years since I last went and I think my boys won't allow me to go there anymore. Luckily, there are a lot of shops in Divisoria who sell online and there are fabric stores online too. We don't have Spotlight here, so I just usually order online if there's any sewing or craft materials I need. Everything I used to re-furbish a vintage case, I just bought online.

This is just a short-list of some items I purchase online. There are some things I prefer to purchase in person like food/ingredient, wearables and gadgets/appliances. If you're buying from an online store, read feedback and check first if it's a legitimate store. I check The Budol Group also for referrals and reviews (just use the search button). Always be careful :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Zero

I'm an introvert and I have depleted my social battery for the month. The scheduled get togethera was supposed to be spaced out, but one was rescheduled.

Miggy asked me last night why I looked more depleted than him. I actually conked out when we got home yesterday, haha. I told him I was overwhelmed being in a room with so many people. 

I looked forward to seeing former colleagues and my high school friends this weekend. The get together with HS friends was easier for me since I've known them for decades. I still enjoyed both get togethers and look forward to having another one (maybe in March? Hahaha).

#BeKind #StaySafe