Happy Holidays 2008

With every wish for a merry Christmas and a hopeful New Year!!!

Season's Greetings

With every good wish to all for a blessed Christmas and a peaceful, joyful New Year!

Full Circle - Private Lives

After 2 years and 120 posts, this blog has come full circle and is now closed. I must say that this online sharing of my life has been fulfilling and therapeutic and I'm glad I joined the blogging world before it became what it is now - very commercialized.

Much to the relief of the people in my life, I have decided to end this online public site of my events and photos and start anew on a privately accessed site.

To all, readers and occasional gawkers of my blog (and life), I wish you the best.

Summertime...and the livin' is easy

Click here to view our cures for global warming: have a good splash and soak in the pool, get the grill workin' overtime, shiver inside the theater watching Johnny as Jack, meet an old chum and reminisce the good ol' days with cold beer at the bar, prepare a quick stir fry dinner or dine out, lay off the home AC and stay out...fun, fun, fun!!!

Tour de Lake Casitas

We did this ....

so we could eat these ....

Click to view our Summer 2006 volume 1 snapshots.

The Other Good Daughter

I was asked to speak to a church congregation about my father during yesterday's Father's Day fellowship lunch. Caught off-guard and with non-existent extemporaneous speech training, I hesitantly walked towards the microphone and prayed that the words would form quickly in my head as a coherent thought before I started talking. I can now honestly say that I spoke from the heart and moved the audience, even seeing my parents wipe a tear afterwards.

I quote myself non-verbatim below:

I grew up seeing my father as a public figure because he ran a school district in our province. I would oftentimes hear him delivering speeches with gusto and he was recognized for his good looks and athletic ability. At home, I have always known him to be a disciplinarian. I guess he thought it was necessary to keep peace among 11 children.

But what I really want to share to you is how difficult it is for me to see him in his old age now, battling all sorts of illnesses as nature is taking its course. This sadness I feel shared by my siblings is because he is now just a small fraction of the man he was. Nonetheless, we are grateful of these remaining years we have with him, sort of our long drawn out goodbye.

Appang, we love you and we want you to take pride in your accomplishments and know that your legacy and memory will live on forever through us, your children and grandchildren.

Stop & Smell the Roses

It's been a week since my rosy week-end visiting my now-exiled friend in Oregon and I welcome this opportunity to relive and share my northwest spring break. It was the first time in years that I left hubby behind for 4 straight days. Thankfully, everything was in order when I returned but I was kept busy all week catching up with things at home and work.

My flight's short stop in Reno, Nevada was worth the aerial view of Lake Tahoe and Mt. Hood as the plane passed by. From the airport, I boarded the MAX train and the rest of the day was spent touring the city of Portland by train and on foot, joining the hustle and bustle as the city celebrated Rose Festival and Fleet Week.

I must have brought the California sunshine in because the next day, we enjoyed a picture-perfect drive towards the mountains with the Columbia River snaking on the left side of the road. I filled my lungs with the fresh air and my eyes feasted on nature's spring show of lush foliage, waterfalls of various altitudes, amazing fish hatchery and powdery snow.

On my last full day, I was overwhelmed at the Rose TestGarden. Who would have thought there is such a place tucked in an affluent neighborhood with a bird's eye view of the city? I wished I had an extra chip in my camera to capture every single beauty in digital memory. Yes, I literally stopped and smelled the roses. Thrown in was much funfare at the carnivale along the Willamette River and upclose look of the Rose Parade floats.

My heartfelt thanks to S and A and their friendly cat Seuss for their warm hospitality. Hubby's looking forward to a fishing trip next time. Click HERE to view my souvenir photos.

Awesome-rrific

That’s how young nephew N described the spectacular panoramic views of snow-capped mountains, geologic wonders of glacial earth formations and lakes, and perfectly-shaped towering Douglas firs of the Eastern Sierras. We now know that it was too early in the year because we had un-forecasted snow and rain. Still, we had priceless memories and pictures (click here to view them) taken during memorial week-end as outdoor living lured us to go camping and fishing in Mammoth Lakes.

Excited to start our first visit to the area, around mid-day Friday, May 26, we were already happily cruising thru steady traffic flow out to the desert, passing by a graveyard of airplanes in all shapes and sizes, red rocks, cinder cones and signs of volcanic lava flow, big and small lakes, as well as quaint towns interspersed with cattle grazing. The passing scenery on our left and right side showed the striking contrast of the divide between California and Nevada.

Our only stop was at Bar-b-q Bill's in Bishop. It is a highly recommended western-decorated pit stop for a good-valued, wholesome, home-cooked style fast food meal. By early afternoon, we were already at the campsite, pitched our tents and took a nap. After an early supper, we cocooned ourselves inside our sleeping bags because it got windy and cold. Company came the next day along with the snow flurries. Fortunately for us, we found a room at an inn where we packed ourselves for the next 2 nights. Lake fishing would have been fun if not for the bad weather. We were not appropriately clothed for mountain hiking and biking either.

Driving back last Monday, May 29, was a breeze except for a little bottleneck in California City. We again stopped in Bishop and bought some goodies to bring home. Note that the cattle ranches in the area produced the best-tasting beef jerky for a low-carb diet.

As I’m writing this, I happened to glance at an article in LA Times about proposed luxury hotels and condos that explained the odd mammoth crane I spotted along Main Street. It may be good for the folks who live there but I sure am glad I was there to appreciate the small town look and feel before the area development gets underway.

MYMP (Make Your Mother Proud)

Our dutiful Mother’s Day week-end with our mothers and mother-figures started with a Friday night fund-raising dance. Saturday, we joined the shopping madness at the mall in search for that special gift in exchange for the sacrifice, pain and heartbreak we give our mothers. On Sunday, we prepared two entrees for mothers' day and housewarming party with Hubby's family. I was totally wiped out by early evening that I dozed off through our HBO lineup while Hubby packed for a next day business trip to Washington DC.

In the past, it was difficult for me to go through Mother’s Day without feeling depressed and/or angry for my failure to have a biological child. Many tell me (sincerely I hope, not just out of pity) I would’ve made a great mother. Who knows… it’s really hard to say and I will probably ponder on this all my life. Hubby and I have always enjoyed the children brought into our lives by family and friends to a fault that we spoil them to pieces. We experience the joys of seeing them grow up but unlike their parents, we don't worry about financing their college education.

Click HERE for my usual accompanying photos of our hectic week-end.

The Goddess

Coincidence or not, no one handicapped her wedding to happen on Kentucky derby day even though her love for horse racing is legendary. And no weather report predicted the dark and gloomy morning was an unlikely prelude to a gloriously sunny spring afternoon. Dressed in full regalia and long flowing train, the earth stood still as the Goddess started walking towards a rose-decorated garden arch set in beautiful natural surroundings. The new age music blended with the singing of the birds and the buzzing of the bees. The gentle and cool breeze soothed and swayed the sycamore trees. This quiet corner of a grove next to the building where these two friends first met and worked together became a symbolic gateway to their passage from this day onwards as husband and wife.

Family, close friends and colleagues, still in disbelief, came to witness the profound and mature love expressed throughout a very meaningful ceremony. I, among many others, nursed my heartbreak of losing someone special who will soon be whisked a thousand miles north to start a new life. The sweet acappella song somehow doused my bitter tears, doubts and fears so that when the vows were recited in tender and broken voice, hope and joy finally entered my heart. This Goddess, friend of mine short of ten years, has found happiness at last with a kind and loving soul.

The reception held at the Barranca patio merged the two worlds of the Goddess for an early evening soiree, leading to an elegantly set dinner and ended by a celebration of music and dancing. The toasts bespoke of the world of academia where the Goddess ruled in high esteem while the rites and rituals of the wedding party showed the fun loving world of the Goddess, why other gods and mortals all beseech her company at every chance. It was indeed a bittersweet open-ending with promises of future visits and get-togethers.

Click HERE to view my cherished photos of the Goddess in human flesh on her magical day. I will miss her so terribly, my happy-(and sad)-hour friend, my partner-in-crime and shopping companion.

Eggscetera

I can't promise to post more insightful writings than my previous entries of mundane stuff as nothing much went on during the entire Lenten Season. Except for an exciting drive tour on Palm Sunday with out-of-towners visiting, I alternately went to work and church throughout Holy Week culminating in Easter Sunday with our families. For those of you who have a lot of time, I highly recommend Wikipedia for factual and interesting information about this season instead of boring you with my own ruminations.

One good result I can't stop myself from sharing is that my weighing scale continued to shock me with my rapidly downward numbers everytime I stepped on it. My religious fasting on fish, fruits and veggies all season is now evident by my clothes loosening up in the right places. Wooohoooo!!!!

Here are this month's eggscetera:

Someone's gotta stay home and compulsively clean the house, tackle 5 loads of laundry and 2 hampers of ironing. Who else but me and myself with just a little help from Hubby who's been patiently tracking our unseasonable rain and cold weather for mercy so he could practice his golf swing again.

I obliged hubby and attended his townmate's wake. Unless it's necessary, I usually don't look at the dead body because of the nightmares that ensue. I for one would prefer cremation because I want to be remembered how I was alive and not how I last looked as a corpse. Also, I am sorry that I don't heartily appreciate the all-you-can-eat buffet next door to the dead body nor being seen with the dead laughing and smiling for a last camera pose. One thing great though is that when death happens, close family ties would tide you over.

Hubby and I had agreed to try out having a dog but here's why I changed my mind. One nice afternoon, I decided to walk in the park near my work to break my daily workout routine at the gym. After finishing 1 of 2 rounds walking around the lake that smelled of dog waste, I wished I was back in the sweaty and crowded gym for a turbo kickboxing class instead. Sorry niece E, I don't think I can live with the smell of dog waste around my house.

Lastly, here are some photo shots I took this month of new and old faces and places.

Hair by H

I hope you can tell from the pictures above that I enjoyed my recent visit to my favorite hairdresser, HRH (His Royal Highness)H. Gosh, I can't remember anymore the last time he cut my hair because 1 -He's always booked (Yeah, he's no longer our best-kept secret), 2- I live 33 miles away and if one is late for appointments, he won't provide service, 3- His artistic mood swings have been so unpredictable lately, I fear for my hair.

But one happy hour afternoon, girlfriend A and I were in his area so I thought of swinging by to say hello. Lo and behold, he was in an amiable mood. I didn't even need to grovel for an unscheduled haircut as he worked my hair past his shift. Needless to say, he chatted my head away to a new trendy, wash and blow-dry look that I can happily live with for the next three months or so. That's how good he is, really. He's the next best thing to Jose Eber without the hefty price.

Before I log off, in case you're wondering where I got my accessories in the pix, they are gifts from Doc M bought at SM Philippines.

Spring Re-birth

After celebrating my birthday yesterday with a deluge of rain, it is truly a spring re-birth today, the start of another year in my life. As I was driving in to work this morning, the sun was already out and Mother Nature showed me I began on a clean slate; blue skies with white clouds, fresh and crisp air, the fragrant flowers and the vividly green grass and shrubs along my way. Ahhhh, I can now put a positive if not too melodramatic spin to my birthday's nasty weather. Heaven didn't cry for me, it filled my cup to overflow.

Thanks to everyone who remembered to make me feel so special and loved. I must have done some of the right things in my life so far.

Click here to view my Spring Flowers album.

La$ Vega$

I flew in to Las Vegas on a Thursday night (March 2) to join Hubby who was already there on business. It turned out to be a leisure trip with family that came over the week-end.

We took advantage of the complimentary passes to the Canyon Ranch Spa and other VIP privileges at the Venetian Hotel where we stayed. Not to be missed was the buffet dinner at the Rio Hotel where the line wasn't too bad compared to past years and the offerings included much more international dishes as well as all our favorite seafood.

Click here for photos of the Wynn Hotel that I finally got to visit. What I like best about the newer hotels is that the smell of cigar and cigarette smoke has not yet permeated the entire building. After browsing the Fashion Show Mall, I came away with 2 pairs of wedge sandals. The family's jewelry cache was filled with wholesale-priced trinkets after a day of milling the booths at Hubby's company trade show. From our hotel room window, we viewed the pirates battling at Treasure Island coinciding with the Oscar awards shown in 4 screens in our room, hosted by my favorite master of one-liners Jon Stewart of the Daily Show.

I was ready to leave the sin city before the budget deficit got any larger than intended. I just wished it wasn’t raining so heavily on my return flight Monday night(March 6) exacerbating my fear of flying.

Waning interest

This obligatory monthly post is overdue as my interest in blogging seems to be waning along with the novelty of the electronic gadgets hubby equips me with to keep up with this century.

Everyday, I carry my purse filled with stuff that I really don't need except my mini Ipod that I regularly use in the gym. More often than not, I have been forgetting that I have my digital camera with me all the time. Perhaps by some subconscious design, I have been enjoying more the scenery and participating more in the activity rather than recording the event as in the past.

But before I digress from my monthly recap, I must say my week-ends were fully booked while hubby was visiting the Philippines. I attended a birthday party sleep over, watched a movie, shopped and dined with friends and hung out with the younger family members. Even Valentine's Day was saved by a surprise dozen of roses hubby sent thru an internet site. Oh well, I should have expected it knowing the internet is conveniently available now from any corner of the world. Before I knew it, hubby returned all fresh from his vacation and we held an impromptu house party as relatives and friends trickled in for news and goodies from home.

This month's highlight was my heartfelt rendition of Lea Salonga's "The Journey" karaoke style at a relative's 50th birthday. The rousing applause at the end of my song told me I did a good job of it even if hubby couldn't help being a "Simon Cowell" with his constructive criticism.

Click on this to view the few photo shots taken during the month of February.