Some Christmas Date

For a change from the usual Christmas Party at the beach, it has been decided (by some minority vote...lol) that we will have something like a group date. You know, lunch, movie, coffee and bowling. Well...

I had to break off from the UPV Chem people with whom I spent the night at Mambukal to meet LST peeps at Wara-Wara for a very extended lunch.

I must have ingested half a kilo of meat that tea seemed necessary (that a self-confessed reluctant drinker helped finish  ;).

Nevertheless, before leaving Wara-wara, Glen and I had each one of those Korean ice candies.

Then off to Calea's we went for coffee and cheese cakes before finally convening at Lopue's east for the unplanned tournament.

The match was between boys  and girls. We won ;) by one player. Hell!

Since most of the guys couldn't wait to go home, we had our exchange of gifts after the game. I picked my own package. Bummer. So I went to pick another number and got this 8-in-1 screwdrivers set which Glen for a discounted price at the mall. Now all I need are some big allen screws for J the bike.

Groom's Mom

Wedding Message:

My only regret is not spending much of our childhood together. What stood out are the times when I had to carry you home after you cut your brow from bumping on an I-beam running away from a stray fire cracker that scared the hell out of me, the times when Toto and I would scare you endlessly by putting out the light and run away until you cry when Tatay and and Nanay were away. That was fun! Then there was teaching  you how to memorize the bones in the human body with you getting kissed for every part you failed to identify, and spoon feeding you lunch until you were in third grade. 

I missed those days and marvel at where time has gone. 

And now you're here, all grown up and soon will have miniatures of you running around. 

Best to your married life, to you and Vangie and I love you. Always!

Of Baby Back Ribs and Vietnamese Coffee

Alice's Recipes

A year or so after hearing about this eatery for the first time, I finally set foot in its smallish interior for a celebratory lunch by the one who repeatedly advertised the place for serving noteworthy baby back ribs.

At 2:30 p.m. the roll up door was half-closed and the place was deserted. On one corner, a lady was making some entries in the journal while the bus boy was busy with refilling tissue holders. The thing is, they're open 10:30 - 3:00 and 5:30 - 10:00.

Maybe we looked hungry, as we really were (we waited for our sponsor
 that they allowed us in, took our orders and let us finish our meal in a leisurely pace.

Xin Chao

It must have been four-ish when we arrived at the Circumferential road having tarried with lunch and commuting by PUJ going to Hi-Strip. JM and I had drip coffee while KZ sampled a Viet version of halo-halo which to me, tasted more like a chilled linugaw.

I've seen a drip cup from Mae's which she got from her Chem Conference in Vietnam earlier this year but I have never used one so the experience was a novelty. Regular strength tasted strong enough for me and with condensed milk for sweetening, that afternoon brought me back to a place far away.

Note: The initial plan was to witness a reenaction of Negros Revolution against the Spaniards in Bago City but due to a lot of changes in the plans, we made do with this afternoon food trip.

Balaynon

If "balaynon" means staying home at somebody else's place, then I am it. Despite the clouds foreboding of heavy rains, I still got on the earliest bus available after my Saturday class on my way to the big city from some pampering activity with Diana. The rain fell with pent up fury just a few seconds after I alit at Tangub. It was more than 15 minutes after I arrived when I finally spied Diana's car rounding the bend.

Our first stop was Salon Therapeutic for some painful hair removal process. The result was to my satisfaction and I plan to return for the same service a month from now. I might try some body scrub as well while at it.

Next stop was collecting Nic from Bel-air for his monthly shot to prevent rheumatic heart (which will continue until adulthood) as a result of his frequent tonsilitis since infancy. OPD at Riverside was so frigid. I stayed long enough to hold Nic's legs as the nurse administered the medicine.

As a treat, we went to Masskara (just behind the triangle) for dinner before I settled for the night at Casa Mait where I did the impossible. I alit at Munsterrific to pick up some toiletries and ice cream before deciding to walk through the darkened streets as PUJ were already scarce (it was already 9ish in the evening).

There were only Mimi (with her new phone) and Jedyl at home. Waiting to be sampled was suman which is a tad early for the All Saint's Day.

When Jocelyn came home from work, she came into the room and cried over the loss of Autumn which sale was her very own idea. She was aghast at the makeshift room that the new owners made for the pup outside of the main house. It was funny. She is adamant on pooling some amount to get Autumn back.

Kaneshige Farm

A farm girl by heart, an opportunity of visiting a farm which I heard so much about is something that cannot be put off. However odd, I saw myself up and about even before the alarm I set went off. Summer reportedly just woke up so I still had the time to walk up to sister's house and have some "ibos" to tide me through until breakfast.

I walked most of the way in as I felt more safe on foot than being inside a trike which had to pass an impossibly stony road. It was less than a kilometer long and it allowed me to explore a bit of the obviously less loved farm. Apparently, I had come at a wrong time.

The corn near the Vermiculture (which needs some serious watering) shed is still some months away from harvest time. Across the road from it is a lot that sports some fresh furrows.

We passed by the farm manager's house on our way in. The detour gave me a glimpse of the water source which is just a small creek from which water is siphoned by a small pump.

My tour and education of the farm was incomplete though. The biogas as well as the water treatment process which I am so interested about was not explained to my satisfaction. Suffice to say that the effluent from the piggery wash water, save for the color, was odorless, free of sediments and safe to drink (I did not try though, whether to confirm or refute their claim). It is being reused as drinking water of the resident livestock (of which this cute colt is a member of). That is beside the fact that the only significant smell at the piggery is that of the feeds.

The visit merits a repeat, with the hope of meeting the consultant and have a nice chemical engineering chat.

Adieu, Bjork!

According to tatay, we had Bjork first in 2012 which makes him 12 years old to date or in cat years, 86.

  

After battling with chronic cold, he finally succumb to old age at 4 PM. Early in the morning, Princess found his bowl untouched while mom found her not far from the house, swarmed by red ants. Ever the nurse, mom got him cleaned up and wrapped in some old clothes together with a hot water bottle to warm him. Feeding him was quite a challenge but the nurse was relentless and found some old dropper for the milk she prepared. Bjork managed to swallow three mouthfuls before he wheezed and flipped over. Then, he was gone.

He is sorely missed. Even Prince who always make his way to the kitchen to  bark at Bjork seem to wonder at the feline's absence.

Twisted

It has been a while since McDonald's made their twister fries available so my memory of how it actually tasted was fairly vague. However, sis talked of nothing else for days but on getting her hands into one. Her enthusiasm was so contagious I couldn't think of anything else when I scheduled a trip for Bills Payment.

I was still waiting for my number to be called when sis reported she was already having one for lunch. Getting one for myself seems light years away especially that the boss is planning to join me for a very late lunch. It was already almost 2PM when arrived at the Circumferential Road. Instead of getting Shawarma, she brought me to Sanders where the seats are comfortable and the table at the corner was somehow private, a perfect area for us to have our little girl talk.

Chicken pesto and some cheese sticks had me comfortably happy while waiting for her to complete some personal errands which lasted until almost dark. She invited me to go with her to Silay for her brother's birthday dinner a few minutes before she got wind of the news of their car battery showing sparks as Taz cruised through the highway near Ayala.

Thinking that the trip was off, I bid adieu. Planning on bringing home some pancit from Apollo, I decided to wait across the street and get my twister fries. That I did and wound up joining Junrey and Ms. Lanie's table.

Verdict: I prefer the regular fries over them twisties :)

The Fault in Our Stars

For a week, my world revolved around the lives of Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters (well, mostly on Augustus Waters). The movie was the talk of the town last summer but hearing that it was about cancer and dying, the little interest that I endowed it with was overshadowed by the other movies shown at that time.

So it was about two bright teens with bleak futures having diagnosed with terminal cancer. They met at a support group and jelled right away  (like I did when I bumped into my Augustus Waters with whom I talked -or  texted- about a book or a movie or nonsense with all night).

I wonder why most find it sad. It's sad yes but the fact that they were able to find their forever in so little time that they had is something to celebrate with them.

Self-expression or if I may say, flirting, has come a long way: from the coy glances and poker faces to staring competition and texting marathons. Misunderstandings or waiting can be daunting  so there's nothing better next to saying what you feel out right when it feels like the right time. That will spare everyone from sleeplessness and the agony of suspense for the answer, whether it may be acceptance or rejection.

So, how hooked am I (with Ansel Elgort especially)? Well, I watched the movie twice, read the book (where I freely visualized Ansel as Gus and finished it in three days), saved the movie soundtrack in my Spotify playlist and watched Divergent as well despite his little participation.

It was his eyes (that seem to bore right into mine) and his lopsided smile and the way he speaks; the passion in every syllable, the mischief...

A Close Encounter

I never thought for a second that I can look deathly pale with my burnt skin color but I did.

The morning was yet young, I was alone in the office when some weirdo invited himself in . I was rooted to my seat by fright as he surveyed the room. He stopped by my table and asked for a rubber band which I didn't have. He looked around as I pleaded him to stay out of the room. My eyes were everywhere: my two phones on the desk, JM's camera across the room and a loose monitor on Jen's desk. Apparently, he has no use for them. Then he aked for P10 to buy cigarettes to which I said none. Again, I pleaded him to stay out of the room as he continued with his survey. Then he spied the cheese bread peeking from my half open desk drawer. I told him, apparently without much thinking, that I brought that for myself for breakfast.  He went back to stand before me and reached out and picked something off my table. It was a P1. Then he left (Boy, why do they allow these people on the streets?)

Realization: When Kz came in for the day and heard of the story, she laughed at the thought of me dying by sticking to my guns however impractical they were, If she were in my shoes, she said she would have given the man the P10 he was asking. Yes, that would be the most logical thing to do sensing that my visitor was clearly lacking in the sanity department and might do some harm (pens and everywhere so who knows). Then again, if I did give in to his demands, he is for sure going be a regular visitor, which is not a favorable end.

Senti Sunday

Based on my account, I haven't been to Starbucks for ages now and so "vowed" to visit the next time I get to be in the big city.

Business was slow which is unusual given that it is a Sunday afternoon. It was a Java Chip venti for me.

It's disappointing though that the cashier did not give me internet access for WP. She said they no longer have internet connection when their network appeared on my phone. On top of that, when I checked my old phone, it connected automatically and has notified me of seven updates. That is quite a downer.  Yet, having a bad day was something that I did go out of the house for so when I was halfway through my drink, I headed out.

Starbucks is quite a long way to Robinson's. Yet with company and small talk, the distance was of little consequence.

Very much the same can be said about walking alone and think about the have been. It may sound pathetic but I beg to differ. Letting go may be easy for some but I'm not some people. Sentiments stick to me like second skin. I love them as much as I value my college notebooks in engineering science. The memories it inspired surprisingly brought smiles rather than regret.



Walking also provides an outlet to ease guilt from ingesting junk that does little for the body (that cream topping on my java chip venti) and prepare the stomach for another strenuous exercise set for dinner

.The weather cooperated. With skies overcast with clouds, high chances of rain, and the gentle breeze that whisked petrol fumes away from the sidewalk, sweating and smelling like smoked wildlife did not present a problem.

 I wormed my way into some intimate family dinner by the Maits at Bar 21. We had gambas for starters as spicy crablets were out of season. It was followed by stir-fried vegetable and Kare-kare and baby-back ribs. Everything was to my liking. So far I liked everything I was served at this restaurant except for their batchoy.

Great escape from my power-deprived city.

Café Norma - and Tales of Voluntarism

Hanging out with Rose has leveled up my knowledge about local people of interest. Today was no different. We were casually having after dinner hot chocolate at Café Norma's when in came this person whom nobody would look twice at; low profile to say the least. Their greetings indicated that they haven't seen each other in ages. 

Briefly, Rose introduced him to our small group. A product of the local diocesan school, Rose and Ms. Teray have been a part of his education and so it has become quite necessary to introduce Jen as the niece of his once mentor in computer studies. 

A proud product of Pax, he owed his training in voluntarism to his alma mater and lived by the values perpetuated by Mother Rita Barcelo: PDOE (I forgot what these letters stand for).  

A third party to their catching up, I managed to pick up facts about this person who is currently based in Africa and leads a UN group on their World Feeding Program. The job entails responding to the needs of countries in times of emergencies whether natural or manmade and he was reportedly  stationed here in the Philippines following Haiyan's visit of the country.  

So, he was responsible for making the Kenyan Coffee available in La Carlota. He brings home bags of the stuff whenever he gets home. 

Cheers for Summer

Name Day, Christening, Dedication, Baptism,  however it's called means people gather to wish that little angel good will and health and beauty and brains. After work for most nights last week, I have been at sister's to mind the celebrant as her mom and pop got busy with the personalized party favors that they plan to give to the sponsors. Brother-in-law's hands was full with filling the vials with "sinamak" while sis was into making the perfect label to go with them.

"Sinamak" is a local condiment that is used for every kind of grilled or fried meat. It was pretty easy to make. But to make the flavor stand out, care should be given in the selection of the ingredient. For this particular event, the vinegar is made of aged fermented "tuba", garlic, ginger and hot peppers. Judging from the aroma, it smells like something that I would have prepared for myself. With sis' canny in the art department, I think the work that was put into it is all worth it.

Sex Tape

...is a movie you wouldn't want to bring your moms to. And I am not going to elaborate on that. What was I thinking to have not thought twice about watching that over the other films that were shown at Robinson's that weekend?!?!

Nanay and myself went to Iloilo to make initials plans with Vangie's family on her impending union with not so little brother. Travel was most pleasurable as the ferry wasn't full and from our port of destination, Vangie fetched us with the family car. The short trip to Mandurriao was uneventful. Their village was located just behind the old airport which is now being developed into a huge commercial complex set to host an international event in a not so distant future. Lunch was filling. I was partial to the "tinolang" free-range chicken and the "liempo". Dessert was Oreo Cheesecake Mimi bought from Bob's that morning.

I don't really think we accomplished anything substantial. More than the planning, our spending some time at their home though was already something. After a rather long lunch, mother was indisposed due to an upset stomach so we left her at the house while I went to see off Tita Jo at the terminal. It has been her custom to spend Saturdays at her hometown in Alimodian.

Oh, we actually visited the reception. Escas is a restaurant ran by Afrique's and so by virtue of transitivity, I like it too having fallen in love with Afrique's pizza and pasta last summer. With a good flower arrangement, the place would be perfect.

The day was yet young but keeping our senior companions' comfort in mind, we elected to do something that has nothing to do with walking: dining and watching a movie. I had ramen at Tokyo Joe's, of which I am very satisfied and to cap the night, Sex Tape.

Rolled in the Deep

The question was: "When was the last time you did something out of the ordinary?" This year's acquaintance party provided me with the opportunity to do something crazy. So as not to appear difficult, I accepted the call to give the opening remarks for the afternoon's activities.

Blue Belles performing Adele

Blue Belles watching somebody perform

Inspired by the benzene ring powerpoint presentation  welcome address in the Chem Congress I attended during summer of last year, I thought of putting a twist on my delivery as well. Since I am to open a Talent Exposition, what is better than the staff showing what they can do. And so the idea of us forming a band came to be. Since Kz needed a lot of coaxing to join the group, we had only two sessions of practice: once at the server room on a slow afternoon and once at my crib after a rather lengthy movie marathon. In other words, practice was absolutely taken for granted. Despite that, the show did go on and it was as expected. We literally rolled in the deep just like the song that we performed: Rolling in the Deep by Adele.

Lucy

All week, I have been busy about everything that has something to do with Scarlett Johansson. Thanks to my house maker who is a fan. He made sure that we girls get acquainted.

Lucy premiered last week and the social media was already rife with comments that may cloud or spoil my viewing so after getting our chores done, Charmaine, Khey-Zee and myself caught the last full show. This time, we all sat together and shared a bucket of popcorn.

I don't know about my company but I had a feeling of deja vu watching it. It was like watching Cosmos to the point of looking out for de Grasse. How it ended was disappointing though? It's redeeming factors for me were how Scarlett did so well and the predator-prey analogy in the beginning.

I literally fell off my seat laughing sensing how Lucy will end up. A flashdrive???

But to each his own. And to quote someone with a difference in opinion on the matter, "To be a flashdrive is as cool as it can be."

And I was the only one laughing so hard.

Wara-Wara

After a usual lengthy battle with boredom at the payment queue, lunch was that something to look forward to. It was Diana's birthday and we agreed to meet at noon together with her mum-friends from Taytung. Since the restaurant has not been set yet, we went to Robinson's to check out what's good. We all agreed to go Korean.

Apart from our small group of five (excluding Ethan who skipped school due fever), only two other tables were occupied. As noon ripened into mid-afternoon, the restaurant cleared with us trying to finish everything that we got from the buffet table; and it was a lot. A lot meant needing three cups of tea for everything to get settled without making a mess. I must have eaten enough for two days.

Rabies Free

I have been remiss of my responsibility as a mom to my furry sons and daughters. The young ones missed their vaccination last year which might have been the cause of Momo's persistent danders which no herbal bath could seem to cure. The older ones look to be faring well but definitely needed to be safe for both other people and our sakes.

Before time and resources ran out, we finally had the chance today to get them rabies shots. Getting them to the vet (eight of them) obviously wasn't the most practical thing to do, especially with my unruly giant that is Limbo. So for an additional P20 for each head, we called for a home service which was a wise decision. It took Gerson (brother-in-law) to hold him immobile and me holding his head for distraction so that the city agriculturist can do his thing. 

Catching Up With Pepsi and Diana

Going to a meeting in the same clothes that I slept in? I have never done that since I got out of college. But this was special.

Having slept late with catching up which lasted until three in the morning, it took three doses of caffeine to awaken my brains. It didn't help that we had to wake up unnecessarily early to aid Pepsi who reportedly had a flat tire. Off we went to Libertad area where we picked her up, together with her mechanic Gorby (see only male specimen in the picture, that's him). She left her car at Camella so I had the chance to get in the village and see her apartment. I must say that all the hype about living in Camella is unnecessary. As opposed to what is visible outside, not everyone has a lawn or shade in extreme heat. Add to that the fact that transportation could be quite an issue if you don't own a vehicle. So anyways, getting the busted tire vulcanized and back into working order took some time. I quickly calculated the time it will take for us to finish breakfast and freshen up, I will definitely be late for the meeting and I didn't want that to happen. And so, I suggested Kuppa and ditched the idea of changing clothes into something appropriate. JM came in first and followed shortly by the lady boss.

The meeting was adjourned at around three. It started to rain and Diana is still detained somewhere I decided to take JD's offer of a ride to Robinson's. Waiting with nothing to do is so beyond me I scoured for cheap books from Booksale and bought Arthur Miller's The Crucible for me and a book on Michael Jackson for my housekeeper.

It was nearly dark when Diana asked me to meet her at SM. We had to fetch Pepsi from work as she left her tail lights on all day that drained her car battery. After accepting the fact that battery shops are no longer open at that time, we made our way through the rain to that modest grill restaurant at Shopping where we had dinner before finally going on our separate ways.

Summer and Autumn

Yeah, Summer and Autumn are my two favorite seasons. They are also the names of two favorite living, breathing beings.

                    

Autumn is the latest addition to the Mait family as a result of a clandestine relationship between dad Perrin and daughter Spring (also known as Ysbelle).

Summer on the hand came to us in March and is now able to ingest softened real food in addition to her 7 oz regular meal (milk). She's a lot bigger than other babies her age, owing to her genes and her hefty appetite which is seemingly a handed down characteristic.

House of Hobbies

Most things need collaboration to get done. And for sis' latest venture, I have two major contributions: having to deal with the garbage cleared from our old room and painting the signage.

The signage took a long time to finish with my enlisted painter asking too many specific materials to work with. There's the choice of paint and brush; and his availability which seemed to be so elusive. To get the ball rolling, I made sketches of the figures he intended to put in it based on the drawing he made on photoshop. The next day, he spent all his spare time in the office finding his muse that was apparently missing. Then came another lull for which I had no longer patience for. I tried my hand on it and was pleased that the skill that laid dormant for what seems ages is still very much alive.

Apparently, the client was not satisfied and started from scratch, leaving no trace of what has been, that only these photos bear witness of.

June Bug

          Wow! June will be over in a few hours and I have been so remiss with my writing. It's not because I have completely written writing off but prose is far from my mind right now. With the start of the new academic year, imagine me swimming amidst a sea of paper which is the norm. The catch is, with the changes in the policy governing TVET operations, it is imperative that I author a manual on the subject that I handle on top of supervising the creation of the same by the other trainers. Yes, I love my brain and how it works but this work description calls for a wonder woman. I'm currently working on becoming one. Hahaha!

          Let me clear one thing though. I was never a complete nerd this whole time. I've been to places and did things that is completely different from my mundane daily routine.

          I must have started the month right. The surprises I get on a daily basis look too good to be true, yet they truly happened.

          For starters, the morning following the sleepover Charmaine and Khey-zee had at the cave, we found ourselves attending the worship service at Community Baptist church where I messed with the drum set before we set out for lunch at Norma's.

          On the 41st wedding anniversary of ma and da, I went out after work to catch the last full show of Maleficent with Grace. If you're a skeptic and judge the movie about its predictability, then enjoying it would have been impossible. Since I chose to be the kid who has been looking forward to watch it before even more spoilers are published on the internet, I had a great time. I never got to exchange words with Mimi who was sleeping when we got in and I was asleep when she went off to work. When morning came, I woke my hostess up for a quick lesson on making pancakes before I made my way to work at the main office.

          When Sunday arrived, Hentjie picked me and Mae Grace up for an eatery hunt which ended up at Piazza as most of the restaurants were closed. Rollen joined us for lunch but had to run for his 40 and Up basketball tourney. Hentjie only gets to be around once in every two years so it was only imperative that we spend as much time as we can with him so on a whim, I suggested going to Rimmon's. Luckily, he was home and we had quite an exchange with the more practical aspects in life which gave birth to Project Idaho.

          My suggestion on getting the trainers a week early for the distribution of load and partial preparation of the learning materials was applied. Nobody gets more motivated than getting what they want. The same is true. If you haven't noticed yet, watch this smile pasted on my face for weeks now.

Note: late posting for earlier June entries.

Work and Play in Japitan, Escalante

Even with starting late, we still left a baggage at the North Bus Terminal. And the baggage has a name. He's called Glen. That was not for lack of trying. He changed numbers. No wonder that I got no response even after sending multiple smses in a span of three hours. When he finally made himself felt, we were two towns away already from where he was.

It was my second time in Escalante. I was with Tatay and Nanay on a road trip to the north in search of cane points some twenty-five years ago the first time I went there. Then, we stopped for the olds to get coffee while I scoured the shops for some souvenirs. I got myself a photo of Romnick Sarmienta and Harlene Bautista. Oh, tell me about it!

After missing rafting at Tibiao, I finally had my fill of the exercise. It was awkward at first but once you catch up with the rhythm of paddling, everything else falls into place. The longest I've been with was an hour. Charmaine and I ventured as far as the next resort just beyond the cliff. The sun was already scorching and the tide high before we decided we had enough.

Since the resort was owned by the big boss, we were treated to a life of ease. Excluding the salad preparation for lunch during our arrival, the rest of the chores were left to the caretakers. 

That Annual Summer Splash - Days Three and Four

Day Three (Culasi-Malalison Island) - In response to Culasi's robust campaign of Malalison, I was able to get hold of their Tourism Officer a week before the trip was realized. We have not decided about the day yet that I had to call for cancellation and rebooking until everything became final. I was in charge with the activities and accommodation but I had to coordinate with Atty regarding transportation which at the time not yet in place.

Since our driver was a local, he suggested this place I read on the internet. It was new and some of the rooms are still under development (I learned later that the owner worked closely with my cousin-in law at an LGU office).

Already clad in our respective swimwear, we weren't prepared for the welcome that the LGU has prepared for us. The Mayor himself met with us in his office to personally advertise Malalison, what the local government has done so far and what they plan for it in the future.

The short ride to the island from the local port was over too soon. It was uneventful as it seemed sacrilegious to break the serenity. The water was so calm it was like staring back at a dark looking glass.

A day is just too short to completely explore the small island. For the eight hours that we spent there, I had my fill of swimming, freshly caught and grilled fish (some of which we brought to the inn for dinner), hiking through a web of man made tracks by the mountainsides and going back to join the others by walking through the stony beach.

Day Four (Bugasong/Miag-ao) - It's ironic that I passed this place many times before but has not actually went down to explore it. On our way back to the big city and to our different final destinations, not only did we marvel at the UNESCO site that is the Miag-ao Baroque Church but visit UP as well. 

That Annual Summer Splash - Days One and Two

For this year, in addition to our foursome, Bossing Van, Tata and Mek2 joined our mainland Panay exploration.

Day One (Iloilo) - We started out at a time convenient for us mountain dwellers which is just right to catch the brunch buffet at Afrique's. To pass time, the UPV high school alumnae walked us around the city campus while the resident professor took us shopping. Our first night away from home was spent at Manang Daphe's where we were regaled with stories that I personally will not tire hearing over and over again.

Day Two (Tibiao) - When with these girls, comfort is foremost in the traveling musts list. So, we hired a van for the long trip to Tibiao. The thing is, if the highlight of your trip is rafting, summer is not the time to do it (Look at the waterfalls. It tells a lot) Luckily for us, our only objective is to get "cooked" in the vast pans. And since we are the only visitors that night, we were able to have our fill of the experience.
It was only the following morning that it dawned on me how far we were from civilization and that anything can happen :)

The place is safe though, being owned by a local provider of tour packages that included river rafting, rappelling up and down the waterfalls and fish spa among others.

Babysitting 101

Between sis and myself, going away during a major local celebration has become a tradition. Today, she elected to go to the mountains hoping to find something worthwhile to bring back. That meant leaving Summer with us for the day.  

While mom relishes each moment spent with her first grandchild, her needless fussing usually lands her to untimely naps during the day, leaving me in charge.  Give me a dog to mind anytime and rest in the thought  that I will do a good job at it. But children? Much more, infants? What do I know about them? Historically, I can only last in their presence for not more than ten minutes. 

With tatay glued to the tv for his daily dose of sports, who needs youtube? He said, babies cry when they feel uncomfortable which of course translates to being hungry, sleepy, wet or wanting a cuddle, an entertainer and heaven knows scores of other things.  

Since I didn't feel like singing, I looked for nursery rhymes on YouTube and made quite a lot of amusing discoveries. What stuck on the alphabet familiarization part was that, x for x-ray is no more. It now stands for xbox...hahaha.  

It's no wonder why disposable nappies are a hit. Our baby peed like every thirty minutes. The first time she did, I used the kind that we grew up with, bird's eye washable nappies. With only two sheets on hand, I get to wash both two times in the morning (I resigned from afternoon duty to attend my bestie's birthday party).     

With the weather cooperating, all went well and we saved... If you count the monetary value, the cost would have been the same. At P7 per nappy, water, detergent and washing fees would have amounted to the same. The thing is, choosing the latter makes for a,greener and healthier earth to grow old in.

Yes, we don't look it but we're sick

I remember two days ago, I had to drag Shifu out of the house when I was getting ready to leave for Mother's. He refused to eat breakfast as well, which Choco happily finished. I was running late I did not stay to handfeed him or inspect if something else wass bothering him except for separation anxiety. On my way to school, I sent sis a message asking her to visit the old chap who, by the way, turned six last month. He stayed all day at sis' and did eat after so much coaxing. He stayed with me for the night though.

The morning after, I decided to bring him over to mother's. The scary thing was that when I placed him on a low table to set his harness in place, he went down off it on unstable legs which actually gave up. After a few attempts, I got him to stand and walk to the curb and waited for a trike.

Yesterday he looked well enough, I did not bother but what I saw this morning as I delivered his breakfast alarmed me. He has his behind in front of  me as I was preparing his bowl and I smelled something foul that signaled pus. When I raised my eyes to the level of his tail, there I saw a reddened version of his scrotum. The lesions were not fresh and seemed skin-deep. If that's the case, I know Combinex or Betadeine will do the trick which we do not have on-hand. But since I know not how deep the infection is, I asked mom to set an appointment with the Vet.

This was a busy day, and a hot one. After not hearing anything from mom at lunchtime, I went home and took Shifu to the clinic only to find it closed for the noon break. I was ready to leave the house for the afternoon shift when a trike stopped by the gate with the good vet alighting. My hunch was right. Only the sac was infected but I asked for some systemic drug to hasten healing. And cefalexin it is twice a day for a week.

Now, I can breathe a little better.

Breaking Tradition

Oh, how long has it been?  I mean, since I last been to the city plaza for any occasion?

Well, I broke tradition this year and went to see what's new. The sight that greeted me was a surprise. Apparently, there are only a handful of us who doesn't care about the festivity.

As it was in the past, the roads around the plaza were closed to motorized traffic and were occupied by eateries owned by local and national names. The place was abuzz with various activities: people eating, kids running around, store owners never idle, it was indeed something to behold.

Last Tuesday, I had this hankering for sausages that I decided to take a walk with Jen to the wet market. It was inevitable that we pass by the plaza and I was surprised how busy it was. We stopped for a bit at the plaza where I bought a plate of four seasons pizza. I had one the night before it and liked what I tasted.

It was the night of Pawasak (really, I don't know what that meant...but that it involved street dancing).

Yesterday, I don't know what prompted me to ask sis to go out and have that coffee we were planning to have all week. Surprisingly, she agreed and we went out well into the rerun of last night's American Idol 13. Roads were closed to motorized vehicles we made the rest of the way to the plaza on foot. On last night was the Rhythm Competition. It attracted so many merrymakers, no wonder movement on the streets was impossible.

At Cafe Norma, I had their cappuccino while I ordered the mint-mocha frost variety for sis.

We finished our drinks in time for the Brgy. III entry to perform. Though the sound at the cafe was muted a little, still I can tell that that group was way better than the previous ones. with everything going on, the heat (that rendered me glistening) and the smoke, we left for the Agro-trade exhibit for some cow's milk and Durian Chips before heading home.

Adrift in Sipalay Sugar Beach

Our day started with a much needed sleep after a long and exhausting discussion slash debate on issues like labeling/boxing a person, definition of normal, movies and series mainly with subjects on violence and psychological thrillers (which I have very little to contribute given that Dexter, Hannibal and the like never did appeal to me).

Since we started late (noon) with no idea of the bus schedule, we waited almost an hour at Bangga Patyo for the Hinobaan-bound bus after missing the one that passed by at the same time that we alit from La Carlota. All the buses that passed by in the direction we're going are filled with commuters to its narrow alleys that we expected the same. Luckily, we got on an air-conditioned bus in which we spent more than four hours standing, from our starting point to our point of destination. The only respite we had was the short stop at Kabankalan for a late lunch.

So, Driftwood Village was on the same stretch of beach as the Takatuka Lodge which caught my attention a few years ago. To get there, either you take a trike to Nauang from Molina bus stop (P100 for the trip which took about 15 minutes) and a paddle boat to cross a narrow span of water separating the island from the mainland (P10-15 per head for a one or two-minute ride) and walk about 500 meters along the shoreline or share a motorboat with other travelers from Sipalay Tourism Office.

It was already past five when we arrived at the resort, tired and hungry. We ordered Ham and Chicken sandwiches while we freshened up and get ourselves ready to witness the sun set at the beach.

Sunset was a magical experience, fleeting and elusive. We stayed until the stars came out and embarked on another night of word sparring with Marlo and Annie in the hammock and me opposite them.

When morning came, we started the day differently. Me swimming, Marlo strolling and Annie sleeping. We convened at the breakfast table. Food was good and the serving size can feed two. I had sausage which I failed to photograph having missed dinner the other night. Coffee was an experience in itself. It was strong (not as strong as I'm used to but it can hold its own) with nutty, chocolatey flavor. It was a good morning until news of home reached my consciousness and soon came the time for us to part ways: Marlo to Dumaguete, Annie to Bacolod and home for me and see about an ailing dad.

The Ideal Destination

Today was all about giving Marlo as much as we could in terms of cultural, geographical and gastronomical experience that is distinctly Negrense.

 After a very long first day, I left the house with him still sleeping on the couch while I went about marketing and preparing breakfast. When I got back two hours later, he was already up and about we walked to mother's to eat and walked back to prepare for yet another long day.

The road construction along Valladolid got us held up for a good thirty minutes, it was already lunchtime when we reached Bacolod. We alit in front of the old City Hall so we could walk downtown, crossing the city plaza stopping by at the Cathedral for the angelus before heading to the Capitol. There, we checked out the contents of the museum which is not that much from what I can remember then strolled at the capitol lagoon before walking the rest of the way to Pepe's for lunch and meet Annie as well (who elected to join us for the night at the house). I ordered him Salpicao while I had my usual Lamb Stew which he sampled sparingly.

Annie had the rest of the afternoon mapped out for us. She was able to get two girlfriends of her drive us to Silay and Talisay for the must visit Balay Negrense, El Ideal and the Ruins.

The search for Balay Negrense (which we called Balay ni Gretchen in reference to Annie's anecdote of it having been called as such by some tourists) was over after our novice driver got over her confusion over going straight ahead or turning left or right. We were the last to arrive and the staff were starting to call it a day. Having been there before, I was good after getting a good shot a sitting at the porch bench.

There are two ways (I learned during this trip) in which to reach the Ruins. One was through a private subdivision (which we used when I went there with Lira) passing through Rose Lawn which offered a refreshing look at memorial gardens with their amazing lights that cast soft gold glow, it makes you think of an outdoor party. We took the easier but longer route which passes through the airport access road bu turning left on the second stoplight (where we had to wait about two to three cycles as the green light was out of order...it was a funny one).

After many wrong turns and liters of fuel and bouts of belly-aching laughter, yes we did all what we had set to do and see. That included eating dinner at Ading's where I had JD join us. Suprises for the night include JD graduating in the same school and year as Annie's :)

An Unexpected Journey

There is no wealth of experience that I could tap from with this idea of entertaining a person whom I came to know yet seldom interact with from almost a decade ago.

Slow nights and free data are definitely ingredients for a silly recipe. I picked Marlo up from a bunch of guys I know to chat with one night. After a brief exchange, I found myself inviting him over to spend the Holy Week. He sounded unsure most of the time I checked him on his preparation that I didn't mind until one day before he was due to arrive, I suddenly realized I know very little about him and so began worrying about how to make his stay with me worth his spending hours on the road to get here.

He arrived four-ish and I picked him up from the terminal. He seemed to have not changed, it didn't take me long to find him in the crowd. He sat at the back most part of the terminal. At 31, he still looks youthful (just like me...hahaha).

His coming was welcomed by a torrential rain which came during dessert at Calea (after coffee at Kuppa ans dinner at Manokan Country). Taxi was scarce I did the impossible like calling the Maits (Jing2 and Manong) to get us one, to no avail. It didn't help that after getting wet, we stood on the bus for almost half the time that it took for us to reach LC.

I don't know how to label our partnership. Back home, were like an old couple retiring for the night with him busy on his manga and me in front of the computer while we chat about what happened in the intervening years. Our exchange was a quiet one, maybe because he was tired. He has been traveling since 7am.

Misled?

 Yes. But really, this is for us Kz and for our respective date week...lol.

Don't you find it queer that we are embarking on separate journeys that are so similar in many ways: equally novel, crazy and unexpected?

I'm deeply torn between keeping and letting you go. As I weigh the odds I thought missing your company would be the most difficult challenge. Seeing though the lessons that we learn apart from each other will shape us to being better versions of ourselves, our separation seems irrelevant anymore. Besides, it feels like we both want to be in that place where we are going.

With that thought in mind, may the odds be ever in our favor.

Rest assured, you are always in my prayer.