The celebration of two

There was no plan at all to celebrate daughter’s birthday. She was contented at home coz it was no work day and she was with her netbook and dvd’s. Thinking that we’re not going out to celebrate, I just cooked for her a little spaghetti and bought her a small birthday cake. She blew her candle and that’s it! Celebration is done. Or so I thought! I was wrong coz there was a call from Sil asking us to go out for dinner. She wants a combined celebration since she had just celebrated her birthday last Thursday, February 4. Daughter was more than glad agreeing to the idea. And so we headed to our usual dining place, the Emerald Restaurant in Roxas Blvd. Although far from our location, we all preferred that place for its good food. It was just us, her family and ours, though her's wasn't complete. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the food we ordered, like steamed Lapu-lapu, Shrimp salad, fried chicken, pancit canton, corn soup with quail eggs, beef with broccolli. and some I forgot the name. As we were about to finish eating, I remembered I have my camera with me but the food were almost gone. Anyway, I was able to catch a few.

I love roses that I can't help but post this.

This is half of the bouquet she received from

a friend. It was as if it's mine that I was the

one who arranged them on flower vases while

daughter is watching by.

Her little birthday cake.

The simple spaghetti.

The 2nd round of yang chow fried rice.

This' what has remained of the steamed lapu-lapu.

The other dishes were nowhere to be found, (lol!)

The two celebrants seemed to have enjoyed their birthday celebration. It is all what matters after all!

To all of you, have a great start of the week!

Janina, this is for you!

It’s good that this day, Saturday, February 6, 2010 hasn’t been over yet. I still have time to post this birthday greeting for my unica hija, Jaja as we fondly call her. I was supposed to post this last night but I had a visitor here in the house in the person of my SIL. We had a good talk that I’ve completely forgotten about the posting. I only saw today the bouquet of roses that was sent to her and only then was I reminded that it's already her birthday today. Anyway, I'm not late yet. Happy Birthday my dear dawtah!

Cabanatuan's Batutay

Cabanatuan is a city in Nueva Ecija., a province in Central Luzon. My sis, my brother (God bless his soul) and I, had considered it as our home town together with the town of Talavera although we were raised and born here in Manila. Most of our relatives are all in those two towns so it's not surprising if I talk about those places like we all originated from those towns. Last week, Sis and I were back in Cabanatuan after many years of absence sadly because of a cousin's demise. It was a combined sad and happy reunion for all.

Whenever in Cabanatuan, we never forget to pass by the City Market to buy the ever popular Cabanatuan Longganisa called Batutay. Batutay is their name for their beef longganisa. I really love them that it'll break my heart if I can't bring home some. That’s why when we had the chance to sneak to the market early Thursday morning before the Interment, sis and I had a market shopping spree. We bought those that are not available in our place like the Batutay and the favorite exotic food of mine, the Day old chicks. I was also looking for frog meats but I’ve been told that it’s not the season for it. Anyway, we felt like shopping in Baguio coz the veggies like broccoli , cauliflower and the likes were so fresh and cheap. Sis’ car’s compartment got jam-packed with all our loot.

The time that should have been exclusively spent to sympathizing with grieving relatives had some other beneficial affair. It's that once in a blue moon market shopping in Cabanatuan, our beloved hometown.

Uncooked Batutay (Beef native sausage)


The cooked Batutay. Yummy!

The delectable Day old chicks.
This needs deep frying and vinegar dip.
Wanna share?

I hope you are all enjoying the week. Thanks for dropping by!!

Pet Grooming for Potpot

I love Potpot’s long shinny coat. However, he wasn't given much attention recently, the result of which was a super tangled, jumbled and knotted fur. Potpot’s fluffy hair had gone thoroughly unmanageable. I brought him to the Pet Groomming shop and he had some pampering like a massage and fine bath, his teeth brushed, his ears cleaned and his coat trimmed short. He loves the massage but looks tensed every time he hears the earsplitting roaring noise of the grooming tools.

Still donning his long fluffy hair, grandniece seems to be thinking;

"..why, you look so untidy Potpot! get yourself groomed now!"

So Potpot did! Though he looks like he dislikes
his hair being trimmed, he never whined at all.

Potpot's new look.

In his fave spot once again. With his lovey buddy, Bear-Bear.

This is all I can share for now folks. I've been out of town for many days this week that made me a bit tired and lost some vigor . I only wanted to lie down on bed and sleep the whole day. Anyway, I'm hoping to be back in my usual energy soon (or is there such thing for me?! Lol!)

Thanks for your time and see you in your sites too!

Fish Kilawin (Pickled Fish)

I haven't gone to the wet market for quite sometime. We managed with whatever we could pick from the supermarket. Today being a Sunday, I got up from bed early to be at the market ahead of other customers. I long for fresh seafood and veggies. Hubby requested for fish and the big kiddos wanted some beef dish. Just before I enter the seafood section, hubby asked to make him a Fish Kilawin. Preferably, he wanted Kilawin Dalagang-bukid. Fortunately, there were very fresh Dalagang-bukid available. As soon as we arrived home, I worked on his request. And here is the Fish Kilawin I made. It’s so easy to make as it needs no cooking. In case you want to try this appetizer, here’s how.

Ingredients:

½ kilo fresh Dalagang-bukid (or any white meat salt water fish as long as it is fresh)

7 Tbsp white vinegar

Salt to taste

Dash of ground black pepper

½ tsp sugar

1 medium red onion – finely chopped

1 thumb size ginger – finely chopped

1 pc. Hot chili pepper (optional)

½ cup coconut cream

Procedure

Fillet the fish. Cut in small cubes. Place in a mixing bowl. Incorporate all the next 7 ingredients. Mix and let stand for at least 2-3 hours. The one I made has no coco cream simply because I forgot to buy coconut from the market. It would have been tastier if coco cream is present. Nevertheless, with or without coco cream, it got a thumb’s up from the one who requested it. That’s enough reward for me.

I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead!

My Friend's Sentiments

I am not really good in giving advices coz I myself have a number of problems to address to but I wonder why some friends wish to share their sentiments with me. I was peeping on some friends’ Facebook accounts when a message popped up on my page. A friend caught me online and we were hooked chatting all night. She brought up a topic of some little uncertainties that she is finding some rationalization. I am posting that little hassle (that’s her term to it) of hers here.

And what do you think is troubling her? Well, it’s none other but the bitter half, err… better half, .. her husband of 28 years to be exact. She said she doesn’t actually looks at it as a problem though it’s been bothering her lately. She doesn’t know what to think of regarding the actions she’s seeing from him. In the length of years of their marriage, (almost as long as ours) she said she should have been very familiar with him. But still, she couldn’t understand his ways sometimes. To cut her story short, she thinks her husband is meaningfully trying to convey to her that she’s no longer loved coz he seldom spends time in their home anymore. On weekdays, he would often come home late at night that sometimes would stretch to early mornings. The alibis he gives her are meetings to attend to, dinners with business officials, treats to give to government officials, a funeral wake to attend, a sports competition and a lot more others. While on weekdays, she said he would be up from bed before dawn and would leave to play his favorite sport of badminton. In short, she’s turning KSP or “Kulang Sa Pansin” . (translate: lacking in attention). More so, when the husband won’t bother spending even just a little time to talk to her about anything when he comes home or even at anytime they're alone. It’s as if she doesn’t exist there. She feels worst when the husband is too insensitive to her emotional needs. I was wordless when she revealed that they sleep together in one bed but back to back I can’t tell her that I pity her coz that would only make her feel more miserable. The best advise I gave her was to just allow him to do his thing and she just keep herself busy and not rely her happiness on him. But ain’t it too hurting? She's like a doormat to him , I presume. I feel bad for her. but how can I help her?

In fairness to the husband, which is also a friend of mine, he seems to be a responsible family man. The family is well provided for except for limited time he spends with them. I would never know that my friend is suffering deep within if she didn't tell. I hope to help her by mentioning to her husband about it but she begged not to. She would rather wait for things to come to its proper places in the right time. How and when? "It will come”, and so she believes.

I can't say so much about my friend. I just know she talks a lot and speaks her mind. She said she'll be crazy if she can't say what she feels. I feel sorry for her. I'm just hoping that she would one day find what she's longing for so she would no longer feel "KSP"!

School life could have been easier!

Some tough times of my life was when I was still a student. I had grueling days in high school but I'd say college was more demanding for me. I remember when I was yet in school (gosh, that’s many decades past. Lol!) every assignments are done quite fast and easy, except for Math homework. I don’t know, but I always had a hard time figuring those numerical equations. Although I was lucky then that there was a Free math homework help available for me in the person of my big brother, it still was a never ending dilemma for me to Solve calculus when I reached college. I know, I wasn’t alone then facing such difficulty with regards to school works. Many of my classmates that time were seeking Calculus help coz our terror Instructor was making it even harder for us as we were all shaky and trembling in fear trying to comprehend the subject.

Evidently, students of today’s high-tech generation are very fortunate than in my time. Free math tutoring would no longer be a problem as there is a Free math tutoring online and Calculus tutor is just a click away. All they need to have is a computer and an internet connection and then register with TutorVista. How I wish we had them before. School life could have been easier!

Forgetting My Rants on Max's

Many months earlier, I had posted here my rants and raves against Max’s Restaurant.
For sometime, I stood firm on my word of “No more Max’s for me”. My disappointments with the said resto got stuck with me for quite long.

However, one day last December along NLEX (North Luzon Expressway), coming home from Bataan we had to stop for lunch. Everyone in the car agreed to go to Max’s so I had no choice but yield. Besides, I was a little bit happy too in a way coz the cravings I had, actually started in that branch. I was truly bitten by their Pancit Luglog. And the expected happened! Of course, I indulged!

So satisfied with all the food. I forgot having an annoying encounter with one of their branches.


My fave Max’s Pancit Luglog.



Everybody's favorite: Max's Fried Chicken

Yes, I'm back to Max's. But never to Max's SM Fairview Branch!

Family Day in Enchanted Kingdom

Who says that Theme Parks such as the Enchanted Kingdom here in the Philippines is only for the young? Don’t they know that oldies like me (but not too oldie, you know!..lol.) can also have the best of their time here? Yeah, that’s the reason why my family seldom misses visiting the place every Christmas Season. Just like what we did last couple of weeks ago before the New Year. We trekked the lengthy road to Sta. Rosa, Laguna coming from our place in Quezon City as soon as the sun rose. We had set to travel early to avoid the crowd in the ticket booths. But alas, there were already big crowd and long queues despite reaching the place early. We had some second thoughts if we would still go on but we were already in the place so we did pushed through notwithstanding the fiery heat of the sun.

Standing in the long queue made me think that if only acheapseat.com would include the said Theme Park in their list of available tickets for sale, (which is highly not possible) it sure won’t be as difficult as it was for us. Just like the way they are making it easy for those wanting to purchase Calgary Flames Tickets, Spiderman Tickets and Nassau Coliseum Tickets. Oh boy, I’d definitely be the first to go online to purchase the EK Tickets from the said ticket broker if it ever happens.

Anyway, after all the troubles, we had a great deal of fun as we were joined in by our nephew and his family all throughout the day in those exciting rides. And until the evening in Tagaytay for our dinner and till the stop-over for coffee in Starbucks on our way home. I can say, our Christmas Season's family day-out was a real blast!

Enchanted Kingdom's facade.

Queuing and enduring the fiery heat

of the sun for entrance tickets.

Anchors Away ride from afar.

Closer as we're next for the excitement.

Holding our breath while awaiting

the grand speedy roll.

And it goes rolling, twisting and turning.

The biggest Ferris Wheel in the park.

The moon atop the big wheel.

Merry-go-round brightly lit.

Isn't it obvious we had fun? Have a great weekend everyone!

Still trying to start the year right

Finally, I’m now updating! It’s been quite a while since my last entry here. Sadly, I’m just too lazy to update this blog and my two other blogs as well. I wonder if it is the result of too many celebrations we had and being too busy with lots of bondings made with family, relatives and friends.

Practically, this is the first Christmas Season ever that wasn’t given much attention in terms of house decors, gift giving and generous food preparation. I remember I was already lazy to decorate the house last year but still, I had the tree up, and few decors set, unlike this season when totally, no single preparation was done for the holidays’ sake.

Just right I supposed, coz our Christmas was spent with my sister’s family in Bataan. We stayed there and had some merriments for three days after which, the days that followed were spent in leisure places. With the exception of the New Year’s Eve countdown, we were usually out of the house all throughout the holidays. I hope that gives you now a bit of idea why I’m so drained and exhausted ...and been so lazy!

Anyway, I know it’s not the right way to start the year right so here I am trying to catch up.

I hope you all have a good start of the year!