Throwback Thursday: A Taste of Bacolod

Dear friends surprised us the other day with goodies from Bacolod. They sent inasal from Nena's Rose, chocolate cake from Calea and piaya from Virgie's. Wow! Our tummies were very happy and the experience immediately transported me to Bacolod. 

Bacolod is one of my favorite local destinations. There's so much you can eat and do there. The five pounds I gained staying there for a week did not go away, haha. Here's some of my unforgettable moments and activities from Bacolod -

Food!

My favorite inasal restaurant is Nena's Rose. That's definitely one place I'd like to visit again. My craving has been managed for now with the inasal friends sent us the other day. Another great place to dine in is at Bob's. Most unforgettable though was when we visited North Negros College. They laid out a feast for us! It included the fresh prawns and lobster. Best bacon in the whole wide world award though goes to Sugarland Hotel. And if ever you swing by Silay, go visit Cafe 1925.

Pasalubong Shopping

Bacolod is the sugar capital of the Philippines. There are many places you can buy pasalubong from. One of my favorites is El Ideal. We usually pass by it's original bakery on the way to Cadiz. They have bottomless goodies! Another favorite is the fresh piaya my friend gets from the market. Nothing like getting them fresh. For now they usually get me Virgie's piaya which is best served warm. I like having it for merienda. 

Activities

My most favorite thing to do whenever I go to Bacolod is head to Cadiz City. Once there we hop on a boat and go to Carbin Reef. The last time we were there though the sea became moody. We had the most adventurous ride back to Cadiz City. The boatmen though are all very skilled and I just enjoyed it like a roller coaster ride. I'd do it again to visit Carbin Reef again. 

Carbin Reef

Most unforgettable activity I've done in Bacolod is trek the Mambukal mountain to see the waterfalls. That was I think the last time I went trekking since I couldn't walk properly a week after that activity, haha. The trek though was worth it because we saw a lot of beautiful waterfalls across the trail. It was very challenging for me and the guide didn't leave me until I was safely back down. I won't be able to do it at my present state, but I'm glad I did it back then. 

Well, a place is more fun to visit when you're in good company. I will always look back at my visits and remember that I ate all the good food and enjoyed the activities because I was with amazing friends. We'll be back in good time. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Wellness Wednesdays: How to Keep Your Peace

I got very sick following the events that happened last May. I was truly heartbroken and that was topped off with other issues that I had to deal with. My doctor had to issue me additional medication to resolve the issue. Once I started breathing better I resolved to work harder at keeping my peace and not to get stressed. My doctors warned me several times already, stress will kill me. 

Cooling down by sandwiching myself between two fans. LOL.

The past week and a half have been quite stressful. My boys got infected with COVID-19 and I felt my body was also battling it. I went through strange symptoms early last week. The many prayers by family and friends, plus my maintenance medications probably saved me*. I was also bent on staying well so I could take care of my boys. 

He's happy coz I gave
him some chocolate.

I focused just on taking care of my boys. I knew it was going to take a toll on my body, so I drastically controlled things that could trigger stress. It was the only way to make sure I could feed the boys until dinner. When you truly know your kryptonite, you can avoid the potholes that could ruin your day.

I've shared the best advise I got from a doctor and I'm going to share it again. STAY OFFLINE. If you can't really stay offline, use a digital wellbeing app to determine and curb your online behavior. I still go online to read the news, read messages from friends and scroll through social media to see what my friends are doing, but I control how much time I spend on it. I've been spending so much time away from my phone it freaks out my friends when I don't respond to their messages immediately. 

My oxygen saturation has improved. My daily step count average has increased by 1,000 and I fall asleep faster now. The past two weeks have certainly been challenging, but I've been at peace. Keeping my peace has been key so I could take care of my boys. We're still waiting until their symptoms are clear before we can be reunited. I hope and pray that will come soon.

Thank you everyone for your support and prayers. 

*Watch this video by Doc Gerry Tan on how nasal spray can prevent COVID-19 infection. 

Craft Tuesdays: Craft Room Wish List

I'm back in my craft room today. I was staying at the dining table so I could be nearer to the boys, but it's warmer today so I had to go downstairs. I haven't done any sewing in the past few weeks. The t-shirt memory quilt blanket is not done yet. I suspended working on it when we went to Bohol. I'll wait for the boys to get well first before I work on it again. 

The good news is we'll start working on getting our house properly fixed. That includes fixing the craft room. I actually call it the "maker room" since I don't just work on crafts. I use it to blog, edit videos and many other things. It's essentially my "cave" haha. It's really a tiny space. It's approximately 3.5 meters by 3.5 meters. Architect Wansi said we'll need to re-layout the space to maximize it. 

Thought I'd write out what I need to make the space perfect. 

Sewing Space

The sewing space doubles as my "desk" right now. I cut fabric, iron, use the sewing machine and even eat on it (especially on hot days). Ideally though the table for sewing should be different from where you iron and cut fabric (and definitely don't eat on it!). Well, space has been an issue so I'm thinking about the following options:

Have a central sewing table (still use the table I bought from Spotlight)

Install a fold-down table from the cabinet that can be used for ironing/cutting fabric

Or install a pull out table from the cabinet

Or have a table that can be folded when not used

Fabric and Knick-knacks Cabinet

I bought two steel cabinets to hold my fabric. It looked really good since I could see my stash. The truth is I now regret getting steel cabinets with glass doors. I organized the fabric but it still looks cluttered and with a small room it's better to keep things behind opaque cabinets. Architect Wansi suggested to build a proper cabinet that will have desk space. 

Here's what I need to store: fabric, sewing tools and equipment, cameras and equipment, quilting books, wadding and I need a nook for my meds (I keep them downstairs since it's cooler there). 

Quilt Design Wall

I see this often on quilting videos from other countries. Quilters have a wall which they use while working on piecing their projects. I just whatever free space I have (usually a bed) and it's tricky because you can never fully appreciate the design and colors. I wished I had a wall when I sandwiched the memory quilt. I tried hanging it on the curtain rod, but it did not work. So I'm hoping to have a quilt wall in the maker room. 

Also just discovered some nice channels on YouTube that provide ideas and suggestions when developing your craft/sewing/maker room. Ohhh, so excited!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Home on Mondays: Waterproofing your Home

Both our childhood homes were located in flood prone areas. We almost postponed our wedding because we were both badly hit by Typhoon Ondoy. Ended up suspending wedding preps and just crammed a month before the wedding. Because of that we made a promise to live in areas that don't get flooded. We've been successful in not getting flooded, but didn't realize there are other water issues that we'd experience. 

Typhoon Ondoy, 2009.

We've lived in at least 8 different homes since we married and have had quite a lot of water-related adventures. Here's a list:

1. The Waterfall

It was late night when a pipe in the ceiling of the bathroom in our rental burst and created a waterfall. Sweetie was alone because I was in Sydney and Miggy was in Manila. It was horrifying since the water started leaking out of the bathroom. The condo security turned off both water and electricity so Sweetie missed going to work the next day. Landlord just got someone to patch it up and not really fix the issue. Truly traumatic since we were forced to finish our contract even with the danger of the pipe bursting again. 

2. Don't trust old pipes and faucets

We should have known there were issues with the unit. A week into our stay the kitchen sink started leaking and we had to pay to get it fixed since it was below the threshhold. We also had to have the water fixtures in the bathrooms fixed during our stay and the toilet bowl kept leaking water! Ugh! We learned a valuable lesson not to rush in signing up for a lease and be wary of sweet-talking agents. Last we heard before we moved out, the new landlord was battling with the property because of the huge government construction beside it. We left almost five weeks before our lease ended and just paid the rent to keep our sanity intact.

Well new pipes can also leak if it's not properly installed. Make sure to check all faucets and pipes before you move in. If not immediately fixed, pipe leaks can turn into expensive repair contracts.

3. Always ask when the poso negro was last cleared

Ugh, in the first home we rented there was a weird phenomenon happening in the ground floor bathroom. The shower area drain would spew out poop on its own. Ugh, the experience is still giving me goosebumps and I don't want to write about it again. The full story is here. Just trust me, if you're renting a home always ask when the septic tank was last cleared. Since we know our new home used to be an old home we jumped on the chance to have Maynilad seep the septic tank last summer.

4. Address ceiling leaks ASAP!

My friend Peter explained that ceilings leaks take a long time before you see it. He said that it starts with a few drops, but by the time you do actually see a leak the issue may have been going on for months. This happened in our new home and luckily the solar installers immediately identified the issue and we were able to tell the contractor what to fix. When I got home I was shocked to witness a waterfall situation in my childhood home when it suddenly rained hard while I was there. The ceiling was in pretty bad shape. Good thing I found a good contractor to fix my Mom's roof. They also advised where the leak started. Don't wait for leaks to turn into waterfalls!

For those living in condos, be wary if you're on the top floor. We've experienced leaks coming from the roof deck. The roof deck of the condo also serves as the laundry area. Get your admin to immediately address bad waterproofing if there are leaks in your unit. The addressed the leak issue, but the ceiling light in Miggy's room never got fixed despite follow-ups. We just had it fixed when the unit was renovated. 

5. Sealant will be your best friend

One other place water can come in is through windows and sliding doors. This we learned in our new home. The windows for the most part have been okay, but water has seeped in (and continue to seep in) from the bottom of sliding doors. Sweetie was able to fix it with sealant, but we need to have it addressed professionally since I noticed some damage already in the wall. 

6. Downspouts shouldn't make you pout

Well, the downspout beside my kitchen has been making me pout since early this year. There is certainly an issue because it's been making my kitchen cabinets stinky! Make sure your downspouts properly drain out.

7. Drains should work properly

I've been watching architect vlogs because you can learn a lot from them. Architect Oliver Austria posted a video a few months ago about building your shower area. He mentioned that the floor in your shower should be at a certain angle so that the water would naturally flow down the drain. He also went into detail about how the drain pipe should be built. Well, our new home was already built when we bought it and we've been having some issue with our shower drain. Not really sure if it's the type of drain cover or an issue with the drain pipe. We're still figuring that out. 

If there's something you need fixed, make sure you get a trustworthy contractor. I've seen several horror stories from neighbors who had their roof and ceiling fixed, but experience a waterfall at the first sign of rain. I honestly prefer asking friends and neighbors for referrals than hiring help via an app. The experience here has not been the same as in Singapore where you can hold those you hire accountable. I'm glad I got a reputable roof repair company to fix my childhood home. I tried hiring someone through the app and his quotation swung from one amount to another. And even though I already said no they kept hounding me. 

Hope ya all stay dry! 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Miracle Sundays: Work with All Your Heart

 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23, NIV)

I once saved my allowance to buy my Mom a birthday gift. It was a standee that had the bible verse quoted above. It was shortened version that said, "Do all your work with love" and it had a cartoon drawing of a smiling lady. I don't remember how old I was then, but I remember why I got it for my Mom. I was always being scolded for being messy and thought maybe that would soften her up. 

She kept it in the bathroom and I think it might still be there. I saw it everytime I went to the bathroom and I guess it reminded me to do everything with all my heart. I probably went over and beyond because my heart had to be repaired and the stress ate my lungs too, haha. I gave it my all and really had a hard time letting go. All my doctors were in agreement that the stress from work was eventually going to kill me. 

I eventually found peace when I decided to go. I prayed hard because I was scared. How could I live if I didn't have income? My maintenance medications alone cost a lot monthly and it would be dangerous if I scrimp on it. I didn't want to be a burden to my family, so I prayed harder. I prayed and lifted all my worries to God. Eventually things worked out and I realized that God was redirecting me to be somewhere else. 

I would probably be gone now if I stood my ground and stayed. The stress would have deteriorated me further. Sometimes you just really need to listen hard and let go. It will bring you peace. The past week has been challenging for me. I pushed my body hard so I could take care of my boys. As always, I gave it all my heart and I'm happy I was able to prepare their meals yesterday because it was raining so hard the whole day. 

Thank you Lord for always taking care of us. Happy Sunday everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe 

Plantita Saturdays: Oh Hello Ms. Petunia

I was so happy yesterday after seeing the negative result of the antigen test. Took a shower and headed down to my craft room to avoid the bad air quality. After eating lunch I went out to check my plants. I noticed that those that survived the higad invasion have recovered. Their leaves are shiny again and they are becoming bushy once more. Lesson learned, don't wait too long to get help from professionals to take care of pests.

Anyway, as I was inspecting the plants I was pleasantly surprised a flower blossomed from the aglaonema pot. Mom gave me the pot early this year. It grew so beautifully and I took a photo of it a few days before it got infested with caterpillars. What I didn't notice was it had a companion plant in the same pot. I had no idea what it was until today when it suddenly blossomed a beautiful pink flower. 

Ms. Petunia

Of course being the noob gardener I am, I immediately took photos and used Google Lens to identify it. Ruellia simplex, also known as the Mexican petunia. I placed the pot of aglaonema on the top shelf of the plant stand because I wanted to make sure it wouldn't be targeted by a pest again. I really took care of it in the past month to make sure it's pest free. Also added some soil and fed it some fertilizer and neem oil to nurse it back to good health. Little did I know the companion plant would produce a beautiful pink flower. 

Aglaonema, little did I know Ms. Petunia was it's companion.

I'm fawning over the lone flower because it's the first time I've successfully made a plant flower. I know it was accidental, but it gives me hope that I'll be successful with my other plants. And it is a pink flower. It's a sign for me that me and my boys, we'll be okay. We have our loved ones up there watching over us, our family and friends praying and supporting us and we have each other. It'll probably be a week more before I get to hug my boys again. 

Happy gardening friends!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Family Update: The Last 7 Days with COVID-19

Suspending lakwatsera Fridays for an important family update. I already edited part 2 of the Bohol adventure, but I still need to narrate it. I've been busy nursing the boys back to good health. They are feeling much better now. They are now in day 6 and 7 of their journey. Doctor advised to isolate until they don't have symptoms for 3 consecutive days. It's longer than usual because I'm immunocompromised. 

It's been hard. I've been very calm, but the stress and anxiety of your boys being sick affected my body. I wasn't sure whether I was experiencing the same symptoms as the boys. My vitals though were normal. Last night though something weird was going on in my chest. It was a strange feeling because I've never experienced it. My chest felt like it was liquefying (is there such a thing).

Well, because of what happened I decided to take an antigen test this morning. It was thankfully negative. It's been really hard to decipher whether I was having COVID-19 symptoms or symptoms from my current issues or PTSD. My primary goal though is to stay healthy and stable so I could take care of the boys. I woke up a bit late than usual, but felt better compared to the past few days. 

With Gab's "healing tinola". Best tinola ever!

Flight safety instructions always advise to secure your oxygen first before taking care of others. I guess it's the same if you are a patient and have to take care of other patients. I realized I should have made sure that I was careful with getting triggered. I've been calm, but I was so anxious about the boys I didn't secure myself properly. The air quality has been bad the past week. I had been staying at the dining room to be closer to the boys, but since it's not enclosed I was exposed to the bad air. That probably contributed to what I went through last night. I'll just take it up with my cardiologist when I see her again soon. 

Care package from friends!

All good, learnt my lesson and I've been staying in my craft room where air is filtered better. I also asked help from friends since the boys have to isolate at least a week more. They're going to take care of sending some supplies and change the water in my dispenser. I'm really glad and grateful they are better now and that I have amazing friends supporting us. Thank you from the bottom of my leaky heart. 

And thank you to my guardian angel and vaccines for protecting me. It's truly a miracle I did not pick it up. 

BTW, my inaanak, Jomar Tigcal has published a new book,"Simplifying Android Development with Coroutines and Flows". You can pre-order on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3IV6X0p) and on Packt (https://packt.link/dpbTe). Congratulations Jomar! 

#BeKind #StaySafe