Quarantine Musings

Aside from prayers and exercise, I do a lot of mind conditioning nowadays to avoid anxiety. You can't help it if your going through this pandemic. It is one way to keep one's sanity and ward off negative thoughts. Blogging(or writing it down) too, surely helps. 

This two month lockdown made me realized a lot of things...

1. I love cooking for my family but hey, I'm just human, I do get tired.  Especially, when you constantly do it twice to three times a day in this hot and humid weather. Kakaluto mo pa lang lunch, iniisip mo na yung preparation sa dinner. Sabi ko minsan sa asawa ko at anak ko, "para akong may canteen ah!" In return naman, we do order and take out food at least once in a week. Pero kapag iniisip ko na it would take a long time before we could dine out again, I feel sad. It is a fave activity of ours- dining out at least twice a week.

2. I miss going to the wet market/grocery twice a week with no restrictions. Before, I do this after my Zumba because our gym is just a few steps from the grocery. Nowadays, going out and doing this is already a major production. You have to wear a mask, goggles or glasses, a hat and gloves, for some. In my belt bag, aside from money, phone and keys, I need to have my quarantine pass and an alcohol spray. Once you get to the grocery or palengke, you have to wait in line for quite a while. Inside, I have this sense of urgency to finish off my errand. I tend to become paranoid. Nagiging germophobic na yata ako. And this is supposed to be a stress busting activity on my part dapat. I love going through the aisles and check even those things that I don't need without thinking that I might pick something na full of germs. Iba pa yung pagdating mo sa bahay, ako rin ang mag-di-disinfect or maghuhugas ng pinamili ko. I got traumatized(or just tired) yata once, I didn't go out talaga for two weeks straight.

3. I don't miss the mall at all- well, initially. But every time I thought of buying something that I need like a simple kitchen utensil(ex. spatula), or a piece of furniture or an appliance that I thought before wasn't an immediate necessity, I do want to head out and proceed to the nearest one. I need to re-paint or do a makeover DIY but all the hardware stores nearby aren't in operation. Sa mall, may Ace hardware, True Value or Handyman.

4. I need to go plant shopping again. Some of the ones I bought last February went to plant heaven na. I also regret that I didn't buy pechay seeds when I had all the time to grab one in my many trips to the supermarket or hardware store.

5. A roadtrip or a plane ride isn't gonna happen soon. I miss the beach and I wanna go back to Japan.

6. 'Nagtatampo' na yung make-up, alahas, sapatos at damit ko. I miss wearing them. Sometimes, I put on perfume kahit nasa bahay lang. When I do my grocery and wet market errands, yung brows lang ang pwedeng ayusin di ba. One time, I put on some lipstick, pero mag-ma-mask pala ako. Face palm moment.

7. This is not the best time to get sick and be hospitalized. Boosting one's immune system and having a healthy diet(the hardest part) should be prioritized now more than ever. Alam mo yung yung feeling na may sore throat ka lang, then Covid-19 comes to mind. If there's an urgent medical attention that I need siguro oral prophylaxis by my dentist. The last time I had was January or February yata. It is due na by June.

8. If there's one big financial advice you need to hear from me and if I could nag you just like how I am to my son- don't forget to save up for the 'rainy days'. It may sound too cliché, but even there's a pandemic or not, CASH IS GOLD all the time. You may all have the fanciest things around you, but if you don't have the liquidity to spend during an emergency, everything else won't matter. Of course, you may sell them but it will buy you time. Iba yung meron ka na agad at your own disposal whenever, wherever. I don't need to elaborate more, but, it is one BIG worry off your mind.

9. Rough times bring out the best and worst in people. Doon mo malalaman HOW a person will face an adversity head on. It is one true test of character and....values, if I may add. Makaka-adapt kaya siya o tatakbuhan niya ang realidad? 

10. I'm beyond thankful that my family isn't experiencing a major trial(health concerns, death, family feuds, etc.) alongside with this pandemic. I pray that it won't come in the nearest future. Have mercy on us and many thanks, Lord. 

coping up with Covid 19

So how is my family coping up during this pandemic? After almost two months, we somehow managed to have a routine, household chores and all. On my end, I still do Zumba with the help of Youtube. The Internet is really a powerful tool during this days. Ang daming videos that we could use for our exercise regimen. Apart from Zumba, I sometimes do Yoga or Hiit exercises, too. 

I regularly chat with my siblings thru messenger, same as my husband with his. My son is working from home and regularly streaming live as a gamer. 

I also joined the bake-your-bread bandwagon weeks ago. At the start of the quarantine period, there was a time the neighborhood groceries ran out of bread. Kaya naisip ko, I can try baking it naman. At first, I want to try making the Hokkaido Milk bread, but it requires a longer period of time, so will try it next.

It was my first and it wasn't bad. Yun lang talaga you have to consume it for two days because wala naman siyang preservative.

Madali lang pala gumawa ng tinapay. Bakit ngayon ko lang ginawa ito? Kung hindi lang talaga mainit sa Pilipinas, mas madami na akong nasubukan.

I cooked Oven Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken Rosemary for the first time, too. Madali lang din siya.Thankfully, it was a hit for my boys. 

Watching Korean dramas is still a part of my routine. I recently finished Black Knight, Pasta, Beauty Inside,and Big. I'm currently watching Lee Min Ho's The King Eternal Monarch and Suits. 

Attending to my plants is another stressbuster for me. When this ECQ is finally lifted, I will buy new ones even in this oven like kind of weather. 

I'm glad I 'salvaged' this plant from dying...

plus this Colosseus, too...

My latest Gumamela bloom after I pruned it a few months ago...

My Pothos plants are thriving. One of the easiest plant there is, just lots of water and tender loving care.

I just wish that my Snake plants to be just as productive...

Even though it's extremely hot during the summer, I would not exchange this view from anybody else's...

I find it comforting to just gaze on my exclusive every day view, be it sunrise, sunset or anytime of the day during this forced stay at home period. I'm very grateful. 

day 56 Enhanced Community Quarantine

It's been almost a month since I posted an update. I hope you're comfortable and on the pink of health right now. 

This flower bloomed just in time for my Mom's death anniversary. Incidentally, she gave me this plant a couple of years ago. 

Last April 24 was my Mom's first death anniversary. My family could not commemorate it the normal way because of the quarantine. We agreed to pray the Novena for the eternal repose of her soul for nine straight days in the comfort of our own homes na lang muna. We miss her so much even a year has already passed. Parang kahapon lang nangyari, but knowing that she's with our Dad now makes it less painful for us. I know that they are constantly guiding us from heaven.

It's already known that our quarantine here in Manila was extended for another month. Ang dami nang nangyari tulad ng nagupitan ko na ng buhok si Hubby. Another achievement unlock for me. Puwede na pala akong hairdresser. Si Husband ang dami na ring nagawa. He gave our roof a fresh coat of paint. Nalinis na niya Man cave niya at bodega namin. We are also thankful that we were given cash aid by the government thru the Social Amelioration Program. This was a surprise to us since we didn't expect that we would be qualified and it came right on my son's birthday, too. 

Tonight, we are waiting with bated breath if the President will announce our transition from ECQ to GCQ(general community quarantine) after almost two months of quarantine. Of course, once we move on to GCQ, there will still be restrictions and guidelines so that a second wave of infections won't happen. We don't want to overwhelm our hospitals and frontliners, which is also the reason for extending the quarantine period twice. 

The last weekend was eventful. We celebrated my son's 27th birthday last Saturday and Mom's day yesterday. Just like my last birthday, I cooked the pasta dish(Baked Macaroni this time), and the rest of the food, we just bought from Landers care of my husband. Nairaos din, even quarantine style. I feel grateful that we are healthy and Covid-free, there's a roof over our head, food on the table all the time and no one close to us is sick or dying. Our prayer, just like everyone's, is for this disease not to inflict further havoc to the world anymore. Please heal our land, Lord.

Buti na lang two cakes(Chocolate and Vanilla) yung nabili ni husband, bigla akong nagkaroon ng Mom's day cake. He totally forgot daw kinabukasan ang araw ng mga Ina.