Create in 2026

Life got in the way last year and I only got to work on creative projects sparingly. There were times I had to really squeeze in time to keep my sanity. I know now that I need to set time to be more productive in my craft. 

I made a long to-do list during the pandemic. I have not made a dent on it. For this year, I'd like to learn new skills in quilting, try new patterns and develop my style. My Mom had her own style and I can recognize what she's made. There's still a lot left from her unfinished projects, so I'll try to integrate some into my current projects. 

Here's what I want to make this year:

• 
  a quilt blanket for Miggy
• new curtains
• bench covers
• teal colored throw pillow covers
• a Yoda wall decor
• a Christmas wall decor (a wreath or parol)
• everyday items: new bag, card case, power bank case
• Christmas tree skirt
• complete the chair covers

And will add as I see fit :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Home Goals

On Mondays I usually write about home improvements we do. It's a never ending process when you're a homeowner. It's usually a question of letting things be until it rots or fix things as soon as it's needed. 

We've listed a couple of things that need care and repair for our home. There are some things we delayed to this year, since it still works and doesn't need immediate attention. There are some things that need to be fixed immediately for safety. 

Here's what we need to do in the coming months:

1. Repairs

- garage faucet

- sewage is still blocked (neighbor should get it fixed)

- top of front wall (the cats keep scratching it)

- bed reinforcement

2. Cleaning

- gutters

- annual furniture cleaning

- paintings (by batch)

3. Painting 

- front gate

- Front wall

4. Install/replace

- garage light

- dead solar lights

- mailbox

- outdoor stairs 

5. On-time payments 

- fire insurance

- homeowners fees

- RPT

- utility bills

I really want to enjoy our home this year by not doing any major repairs. We nailed our roof issue finally last year, so I'd really want to enjoy, fix the house, decorate and focus on other fun things.

#BeKind #StaySafe

2025's Lessons

2025 was a year of healing for me. My inner child finally healed from many years of pain.

I prayed for healing for many years. Well, I learned a lot last year and that's what helped me heal. 

Here's a few things 2025 taught me:

1. I learned from reading that the only one who can heal your inner child is yourself. Let your older self talk to your younger self to let go.

2. A heart that can't forgive won't heal.

3. Protect your peace. Sometimes the best thing to do is to just step away.

4. Red flags are real. Don't be too trusting.

5. Old friendships can be re-ignited. Sometimes life just gets in the way and you eventually go back to where you were at the right time.

Life was never meant to be complicated, live simply.

#BeKind #StaySafe

My 2026 Garden Goals

The prices of vegetables are crazy nowadays. We're lucky we are able to buy affordable lettuce from a neighbor, but other must haves like onion, carrots and bell pepper are really expensive.

I was ecstatic when we were able to harvest a couple of bell peppers. We were able to use it for our cooking needs. It reminded me why I'm spending time in the garden.

So, for this year I'd like to work on getting more produce from our garden. I'll just focus on a few vegetables that we regularly use. I already saved seeds from the bell peppers I used during the holidays. I'm also letting roots grow from garlic and onions. Then I'll show some seeds of greens and carrots this weekend.

This time I'll be armed with the lessons I learned the past few years. I think I know how to control pests now and how to properly nourish the plants. I just need to find spaces where the plants can get better sunlight and humidity.

Wish me luck!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Made Atsara

I quickly looked at what I could do with the papaya we harvested from our tree. There were two and one was still green. We also got two small bell peppers and have a number of ginger in pots. I did a quick search and found out that I could actually make atsara from our harvest. 

I liked Chef Tatung's recipe since you actually cook the atsara. The other recipes I watched only poured boiling vinegar on the veggies. I figured the result would be tastier if I cooked the veggies together. The recipe was also on one of the first Simpol cookbooks, so I got to work last weekend.

Using the food processor was really helpful. I'm a klutz when it comes to using knives. I just cut the veggies and fed them to the food processor. Preparing everything took longer because I took videos, haha. It was easy to make and I'm glad I had everything on hand. Maybe next time I'll make more when we have a bigger harvest and I'll share it with friends. 

Full recipe: https://recipesformyson.blogspot.com/2026/01/recipes-for-my-son-homemade-atsara.html

Here's how I made it:

#BeKind #StaySafe 

A Look Back at 2025

2025 was a good year. We faced some challenges especially with my health. I broke my non-hospitalization streak by late July and had the misfortune of missing a step on the stairs. We spent most of the last quarter doing physiotherapy and exercise. 

The fall was a blessing in disguise. It was painful, but it forced me to do physiotherapy. Exercise was light, but more movement means more stamina. It helped me care for our garden better and we managed to harvest some produce!

Aside from our usual home maintenance projects, our biggest project was to clear my childhood home. Oh boy, I really did not expect that Mom kept a lot of stuff in her cave-like cabinets! I had to go through each and every box organized by our decluttering coach. 

The majority of the things were donated, stuff that were not useful anymore was thrown away, and some stuff were distributed among us siblings. I still have some stuff I need to pass to relatives. I am so glad we finished this project and don't have to worry about it anymore. 

Here's 2025 in 3 minutes -

One thing that's still a work in progress is saving Mom's plants. We moved a big batch in mid-December and have started working on re-potting them. This project will continue until we finish what we can save from her plants. It's a lot of work and a good daily workout! 

I like where I am now and have settled into retired life much better. I want to be more productive though, but to do that I have to be healthier. That's something we're working on together as a family. 2025 was a quiet year and that's the way I like it.

Have a blessed New Year everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

A Blessed New Year to Everyone!

A new year has finally come! I'm so glad the fireworks last night were less than usual. There were just pockets of it around our neighborhood. We didn't dare go out, plus we wanted to make sure our cats were alright. They all just hid somewhere and allowed us to stroke them more than usual. Well, by 10 in the evening I already had asthma, so I didn't dare go out of our family room.

I'm looking forward to starting new things this year and working on interesting projects. We will continue to work on our health and do things that would enrich our faith and our mind. I skipped writing down goals last year and that got me nowhere, LOL. I'll write some down for this year and maybe make big hairy goals. I think I can do more than what my body allows me (with caution). 

I plan to continue blogging everyday. It keeps my mind busy, plus it pushes me to be productive for the day. I made a promise to Dr. Koo and Dr. Shankar that I will continue to write. They said I have to so my mind doesn't go to waste. I hope, I'll be inspired to write everyday. 

Anyway, a Blessed New Year to you and your family. May you have a fruitful and great year ahead!

#BeKind #StaySafe