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. 

Goodbye bittersweet 2019

It’s been months since the last time I posted here. I would always would like to jot down or update my space here so that I could reminisce the old times in details how my normal day(or impt. events) went by in the future. One reason was I can’t gather my thoughts into writing because I was just too sad. It’s quite unexplainable. Another thing, my 11 yr. old laptop gave up on me. I don’t want to buy a new one because it’s impractical. Back then I need it badly for my powerpoint presentations and all the word documents a teacher needs to accomplish to survive. Hehe. Third, the blogger app on my phone isn’t helpful either. Bugs on their app keep popping up every now and then. I’m typing now on my phone using the Safari’s desktop version.

Bahala na basta I want to document in details. Nakukulangan ako sa Instagram and FB. Sa IG mostly beautiful photos lang ang posts ko about my trips, nature, etc. Sa FB pag gusto ko mag-erase ng videos and photos on my phone to have more space, I update it but limited lang audience, because I don’t want to flood my 600+ ‘friends’ out there na wala naman paki masyado sa buhay ko. Iba pa rin dito sa online diary ko.

Anyway, I lost my Mom this year(she’s 77 yrs. old) unexpectedly. It is the most painful journey we had to went through in 2019. She was hospitalized for a month due to mild stroke and water on her lungs. On her last day(April24), I was the only one beside her. I always tell my siblings that it was like a ‘curse or a blessing’ because it was traumatic for me at the same time I had the privilege to attend to her during her dying moments. We(with my siblings most especially), are still grieving and constantly uplifting our spirits whenever we miss her. We all have our own coping mechanism. Basta andyan lang kami to support each other. My single sis who lives with my Mom is the most affected. Understandable naman kaya whenever she asks me to accompany her and I’m free, I readliy accept her invitation. My single brother naman who is fond of travelling, doon niya inaaliw ang sarili niya. He’s been to Batanes and a Euro trip(Paris, Amsterdam and Spain) this year. My youngest sis(married) naman is the cry baby amongst us. I guess madami din siyang guilt because she was not always present whenever we go out for a simple bonding like sa mall, Sunday eat outs and yung Boracay trip namin magkakapatid a month before our Mom’s unexpected death. 

We got to celebrate happy events din naman this year despite our “big loss’. I got to spend my 50th birthday in my dream destination without a hitch. Yung Mommy ko nasa ospital na noon, but she gave me a go signal still because knowing her as very selfless, sabi niya ituloy ko daw dahil pangarap ko yun. But I was hesistant at first. I made sure muna na ok ang vitals niya bago ko ituloy. Fortunately, during that week her condition was improving. Half-heartedly, we(with my husband) proceeded with the trip, but we were constantly updated by my siblings when I was in Tokyo.

Having no major illness among my immediate family, a cousin’s wedding, my son’s career, going on quick trips whenever we want to, smooth relationship within the fam(plus extended famiilies), having food on the table, are considered blessings that I’m still thankful kahit na medyo one of my loneliest years ang 2019. Overcoming this melancholic episodes is one of my major goals in 2020. 

New Year 2019

This year's celebration was a bit gloomy. Raining incessantly days before the last day of 2018 dampened my spirit.  Akala ko Christmas lang uulan pero due to typhoon Usman, pati rin pala New Year. I think this would be the first time that we'll celebrate it with rain pouring outside. So paano na ang fireworks? It will be a boring New Year's eve, I thought.

hubby’s birthday 2018

My son can’t go with us because he is competing in a tournament(E-sports) so it was just me and husband for this birth date. He had to leave early morn after greeting his Tatay. We planned to go out of town but changed our minds, eventually. 

I bought choco fudge cake from Goldilock’s the night before without him knowing...

Hermit out

I want these bamboo(kawayan) plants at Army Navy in my home

Last Saturday, my husband attended a wedding somewhere in Pampanga with my father in law and obviously, I begged off. Umandar na naman ang pagka-introvert ng Lola niyo. Haha.

busy on a Sunday?

I'm happy that I'm on my third week na of attending Sunday mass early in the morning...

I was five minutes late. First reading na when I arrived. Today is the feast of Sto. Niño. As His children, we are reminded to be childlike, always relying on God's presence and love in our lives.

daddy remembered

It was my Dad's supposed to be 72nd birthday yesterday. He's gone for six years na but our memory of him still lingers. For us, he is the best husband and Dad in the world. We might not have all the luxury of material things back then, but we were able to managed. He was very hardworking and simple. His salary as bank employee and an insurance agent as sideline made him built and own two houses in his lifetime. Plus, he was able to send me and my siblings to college.

condo unit baptism

May 22

My cousin is now a certified condo owner. We are all happy for her. Her dream of owning one is now realized. She's been paying for the past three years out of her not so big salary as an online teacher. My parents adopted them(together with her sister and brother) when she's just five years old ata. Their parents separated and her mother was unable to take care of them. My parents gave them food, shelter and education. Her story can pass for a story in a tearjerker film. 

visita iglesia 2016

Staycation during Holy week has always been my family's choice. We love Manila when hundreds of thousands make an Exodus starting Holy Wednesday. 

light traffic along Congressional avenue

Anticipated Palm Sunday

My Mom and sis asked me to go to the salon, a four minute walk from our house,  to hand me over my take home pancit and cake from my youngest sis. I wasn't able to join them earlier today. A little backgrounder, we live in the same neighborhood but in different villages. That's why we sometimes meet up outside(most of the time at the church) in case we can't drop by in each other's abode. 

Our Friday

Husband needed to pay his cellular postpaid plan at Smart so we decided to drop by the mall where its nearest branch is located. We had our merienda first in one of our fave cafes, French Baker with our usual orders- Chicken ala king for him and Chicken salad for me, plus blueberry Danish on the side. They never fail to make our tummy happy.

Salon day + Malling

Finally, a much needed pamper time after many months of laziness. I've been putting off this activity because I feel I have better things to do than sit and 'waste' precious time to beautify myself.

motherhood

I love this. It ain't easy, but nothing beats the feeling of nurturing a person in your best ability. I was given four chances but only one survived. 

source: FB

It isn't a bed of roses, but still, I love being a Mom. Best role ever.

diamond jubilee birthday

We are celebrating my Aunt's 75th birthday today. She is our Aunt(my Mom's cousin) cum Yaya since childhood. She never married and just devoted her entire life to us. She was able to take care of my son for some time and nowadays, my nephews and niece. We are very lucky to have her. We are happy that she survived an accident while crossing the street last November brought by an irresponsible motorcycle rider. Would you believe that was the first time she was hospitalized? Hindi pa natural ang cause. She has a very strong body that one time I asked her what her secret diet is. Haha.

a different Sunday

Husband has colds and can't bike as he usually does on Sunday mornings. After two months of having a dry season aka summer, we woke up to a rainy and gloomy weather. Finally, the humidity has dissipated. Storm Egay is forecasted to head to Ilocos Norte but the habagat is causing the heavy rainfall. 

Yabu lunch date

May 17, 2015

I was invited by my Mom and sis to lunch. I don't normally go out on Sundays dahil the weekend tends to be too crowded but since I haven't tried it before, I quickly gave in. I drove to Yabu Robinson's Magnolia for our girl bonding. 

It was full as expected and we have to wait for an available table for ten minutes.

Dad's special day

Today is my late father's birthday. He could have been 71 years old. Honoring his unconditional love for family, hardwork, and kindness with these Sampaguita flowers I personally plucked from my garden.

We miss and love you, Daddy. Have a great party in heaven!

PBA Finals

My son will treat his Tatay tomorrow to a basketball game, last of a best of seven series. They are both rooting for Rain or Shine. Thank you, unico hijo and good luck to your team.