These are some of the pictures taken at Fotografia last 09.24.06.
It was quite expensive pero sulit naman. We spent 1,300 for an 8×10 print, and 2 4r prints.
Now, the big picture hangs proud in our living room wall. I think B.boy is pleased to finally have a picture beside his mom and dad. Tawa nga ng tawa tuwing napapalingon sa picture. 
Popularity: 5% [?]
Last Sunday na confine sa hospital ang bunsong anak ni yaya. Sobrang worried sha at hindi nakakain ng merienda at hapunan.
Nung gabi nagpaalam sha sa aming mag-asawa na uuwi sa Ilocos. Magulang din kami kaya alam namin kung ano ang nararamdaman nya. Pero minsan kailangan ding maging praktikal. Wala na kaming masyadong maibigay sa kanya dahil madami na siyang cash advance sa sweldo. Na kung susumahin ay aabot pa sa isang taon bago mabayaran.
Tinawagan namin sina Mama at Papa yamang alam nila ang kalagayan ng kanilang anak. (Sila kasi ang nag-suggest na dalhin sa ospital) Sinabi naman nila na di naman ganun ka critical ang lagay. Nag-usap kaming mag-asawa at suggest namin kay yaya na kung gusto nya, intayin na lang ang tawag ng asawa nya kinabukasan para malaman talaga ang lagay ng kanilang anak. Para kung hindi naman ganun ka-grabe pwedeng yung perang pamasahe niya eh ipadala na lang na panggastos dun sa probinsya.
Pumayag naman siya sa suggestion namin.
Bandang alas kwatro ng madaling araw, nakarinig ako ng malakas na hagulgol. Lumabas ako at nakita ko si yaya na sobrang di magkamayaw sa pag-iyak. Nagtext daw ang panganay nya at sinabing patay na ang kanyang bunso.
Nanginig talaga ako ng mga sandaling yon. Wala akong masabi habang si yaya ay tuloy ang hapis na umiiyak. Hindi man lang daw nya nakita ang kanyang anak. Sa totoo lang nakaramdam ako ng matinding kirot at pagsisisi na di namin siya pinauwi.
Ginising ko ang asawa ko at sinabi ang balita. Pati siya ay lubhang nagulat.
Maya-maya nagkaroon na rin ako ng lakas ng loob na basahin ang text ng anak nya. (translated na sa tagalog dahil iloko ang original) “Mama, ano na yung sinasabi mong pahilot sa Paoay, kasi namatay na”
Parang malabo di ba? Kaya sinubukan kong tawagan…unattended. Napatawag tuloy ako kila Mama at nakiusap na pumunta sila sa ospital at alamin ang lagay ng bata. Mejo bantulot si mama kasi maysakit din si papa ng mga panahong yon.
May natawagan din kami sa wakas at nakausap ang byenan ni yaya. Ayos naman daw ang anak nya at ang tinutukoy na namatay sa text eh yung manghihilot. Haaaaay! Para kaming nabunutan ng malaking tinik sa dibdib.
Nung umaga nakausap din ni yaya ang kanyang mag-ama. Typhoid fever ang sakit ng bata at okay naman ang lagay. Napagpasyahan nilang di na lang uuwi si yaya.
Pero kinabukasan nag-iba na naman ng isip. Nag-usap ulit kaming mag-asawa. Sa ikakapanatag ng loob ni yaya pauuwiin namin sha pero sa Biyernes na ng gabi. Para walang trabaho. Di rin kasi kami pwedeng basta basta mag-leave dahil kakabakasyon lang nung 24. Pumayag naman sha.
Sana lang bumalik siya ng Lunes ng umaga kasi may pasok na naman at sinusumpong pa rin ako ng hika.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Yup 4 years na since i first said “I love you” to my husband. I can still recall 10.23.02, it was full moon and we were talking near Manila Bay. I didn’t realize it will culminate to a very happy union.
For our first year we celebrated it at Vivere. Second year at Manila Diamond and at our apartment where he proposed. Third year was at Market Market! Tagaytay Highlands sana kaya lang di natuloy.
We really didn’t got the chance to go back where it all began. Not until last Monday, our fourth anniv. It was really good to be back to reminisce. Akala ko nga di na matutuloy kasi andaming nangyari nung Sunday night and Monday morning. (i’ll make a separate post for this)
We went to eat at Habour View Restaurant. It was a great place. Ganda kasi they have this section na nagextend sa sea. Maganda ang view, you can see Baywalk, Hotel Phil Plaza, Manila Diamond. The food was great too. We loved the crispy pusit. It was squid’s head with coating and deep fried. Service was fast too. Their cakes looked yummy kaya lang we didn’t get the chance to try kasi nag text na si yaya na ayaw tumahan ni B.boy.
Anyway, we had a great time looking back through all those years of togetherness. To be honest it wasn’t smooth sailing all the time. We have a lot of difference for our upbring was entirely different, extreme poles if i may say. Yet, i know it’s cliche but love bears all things. We’ve learned to talk about our issues and make adjustments here and there. In the end i would say that it will be my biggest regret if i didn’t give our relationship a chance.
I love you Daddy and I will always will. Happy 4th Anniversary!
Popularity: 5% [?]
Destination : Cebu City & Mactan Island
Date : Sept 22-25, 2006
This trip was planned before Andre was born. Cebu Pacific had a fare sale so we took advantage of it. Daddy and my round-trip ticket only costs Php 3,304. We spent a lot of time researching on where to stay, where to eat and where to go. Everything should be planned as we have a 6th month old baby in tow. The itinerary was finished 2 days before our departure. I took a leave from work to pack our things and buy some stuff that we need to bring.
Overall it was a marvelous time. It was really heartwarming to see our little boy enjoy the new sights and sound. He was so alert the whole time and the pictures can tell how much fun he had.
Friday, Sept 22,2006
Our departure time is at 10 am and we were at the boarding area at around 9:15. Our little boy picked the best time to do no. 2. He did it when the plane is about to take off. Hahaha! We waited until the “fasten your seatbelt” sign has been turned off and we headed to the lavatory. It was quite an experience changing diapers inside the plane. J We reached Cebu at around 11 am and we waited for our luggage. After collecting our things we hailed a cab. In Cebu the cab drivers are more honest. We only paid what’s on his meter.
We checked in at Cebu Century Hotel. This is at Colon cor Pelaez streets. It is not that impressive but at 780 per night, I can’t complain. The room was large to accommodate 2 double beds and 1 King size bed. There’s sufficient air-conditioning , cable tv, and hot & cold water. Another good thing is that it is at the heart of downtown Cebu. Very conveniently located. We had lunch and had a nap. Even little boy was tired. Lola arrived at around 4 pm. B.boy had fun rolling in the bed as we connected the 3 beds together. He was so happy.
We had dinner at Big Mao in Ayala Center. We’re supposed to go to Habour City because we heard that they served the best dimsum in town at an affordable price. Unfortunately, it was undergoing renovations so it was closed. Big Mao is okay but it is not something to rave about. Service was quick and we got quality customer service. However, food was so-so. I think there’s a lot of MSG as I got sleepy after the meal. The price is also expensive considering the quality of the food. Not worth revisiting in my humble opinion.
Happy 16th Monthsary ! J
We woke up early today and went to Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary. It was the house of Prof Jumalon, which has some galleries to show rare butterfly and moth collections. It also has some artworks made from butterfly wings. We’ve never seen such a wide variety of butterflies in our whole life. Really amazing! It also has a big garden full of birds and butterflies. At one part of the garden is the hatchery. We even saw a newly hatched butterfly that landed on B.boy’s legs. Our little boy was very amused.
We went to Fort Santiago after. It reminds me of our very own Intramuros. B.boy had a tremendous time looking at the flock of pigeons. There are some stores inside which sells pasalubong. Handicrafts, otap, dried mangoes and shell craft abounds. Foreigners also visit this place. There’s also some mini museum that showcases the old pottery and canons. I didn’t get to see much of it as B.boy doesn’t want to be confined indoors. That child hmpft! Hahaha!
After that, we dropped by the Magellan’s Cross. Not much to see…just the ceiling. There are also a lot of vendors selling candles outside. They say that if you light a candle, it will bring good fortune to you and to your family.
Since it’s already lunch time, we went again to Ayala Mall to find Kaona Grill. We heard that it offers great grilled food. Unfortunately we couldn’t find where it is. We found out later on that it is not inside the mall but somewhere nearby. No wonder we couldn’t locate it. We ended up eating at Food Choices. We had lechon from CNT, seaweeds, puso (this is rice wrapped in palm leaves) , and tola. It was okay, nothing fancy and not worth a second visit.
We went back to the hotel afterwards. We all slept and at around 4 pm, M0rn1ng and his mom went to Tabo-an and Carbon to buy pasalubong. Grabe! They bought a lot. Yun nga lang nangamoy dried goods sila. It was really a haven of dried goods. M0rn1ng bought squid flakes na super yummy. We didn’t joined them though as I think those markets are not baby friendly.
We had Dinner at Abuhan at F.Ramos. Finally! We got to eat someplace fantastic. Their Pochero is to die for. Big servings and it tastes heavenly. The meat is tender and the broth is really tasty. Note though that their Pochero is what we know here as Bulalo. If we will be given a chance to visit Cebu again, we will definitely come back to this place.
Sunday, Sept 24, 2006 - Mathias, Shangri-la Mactan, Tsibog’s
We woke up early because the meeting at the Kingdom Hall was at 8 am. Our friend’s friend, kuya Yang-Yang was already at the hotel lobby at 7:30. He was so nice to bring us to the KH as we don’t know where it is. We attended the Tejeros Congregation and their Kingdom Hall was very cozy. Comfortable din because they have air-conditioning. Although the meeting was in Cebuano language, we are happy to be able to attend and upbuild our faith by associating with them.
We had lunch at Mathias. It is an alfresco eatery. The tables are set underneath the trees. We ordered inihaw na bangus, liempo, pork and chicken bbq, puso and balbakwa. I don’t know how to describe balbakwa kasi nun lang ako nakakita ng ganun. Basta it is a soup based meal na mejo kulay orange. Okay naman ang lasa but it is not recommended for those with hypertension. The food was super delish and super affordable. No wonder there were a lot of people dining there. Will go back there if given a chance.
After lunch, we went to Shangri-La Mactan. The weather was very good…di mainit and di rin umuulan. Just perfect for us to hang-out at the beach. Super sabik kami kasi we were not able to hit the beach last summer. Nanganak kasi ako. We bought swimming trunks for B.boy. Kaya lang he was afraid of the waves. Kakainis kasi, he cried nung dinala namin sa dagat. Oh well! Di na namin pinilit. He enjoyed the swimming pool naman. We just enjoyed the water the whole afternoon. J
We’re supposed to go to SuTuKil for dinner but we figured out later on that it’s not worth it considering the price. So we just went to that place where Save More is located. It’s along the way if you’re going to the airport. We ate at Tsibog’s. Sarap din food dito and service was fast. We ordered sinigang na baboy, chicharong bulaklak, inihaw na pusit and adobong kangkong. Price is reasonable too. B.boy fell asleep on our way back. Since we still have time, M0rn1ng and I went to Cowrie Cove. We ordered some drinks and stayed at this place na super malapit sa dagat. I was telling Morn1ng na yung place is perfect for marriage proposals. Hehehe. Kala ko nga bibiruin nya ako at magpo-propose ulit. Lol! We just exchange stories, pero for me that was a special moment. Ever since B.boy was born we seldom find time na exclusive for each other lang eh.
Monday, Sept 25, 2006
We had buffet breakfast at Tides the next morning. Morning was pleased with the very wide variety of food. Super sulit talaga sa amin ang buffet because we are such big eaters. Kahiya but we tried everything they have to offer. The watermelon shake is our unanimous favorite.
After breakfast, we rode the free shuttle of Shangri-la to the airport. Katuwa kasi kami lang ang laman. We really have to give 2 thumbs up to Shang. The facilities are superb, the food is mouth-watering and customer service is excellent. Sayang kasi bitin talaga kami sa stay namin. We could’ve stayed longer if only we have the extra money. Ganda rin pala yung kid’s zone but B.boy is still too young to appreciate it. Maybe on our next visit.
Popularity: 5% [?]
After 7 agonizing days
1 night spent at my husband’s office
3 nights spent in Victoria Court
1 night at my aunt’s house
2 nights at my inlaw’s place
1 hour spent sleeping in a car (got out because of fear of carbon monoxide poisoning)
repeated phone calls to meralco, although got through only a few times
plenty of sleepless nights
finally finally finally! May kuryente na.
Popularity: 6% [?]
After 5 days….
still no electricity
still no water
our B.boy is sick
Life is throwing us a hard ball. Bring it on! Through all these anxieties and sleep deprivation, we are struggling to do our normal routines…like going to work every single day. Since this has been going on for 5 days my endurance and patience are wearing thin. It’s hard to ward off negatives in times like this.
I felt a sharp stab of resentment last night when i went home and saw that there’s electricity in the neighboring houses. Just 2 houses before ours has power. Even the squatter’s area, yup those people who don’t even pay Meralco bills is well lit. Waaaah! It is just not fair!
For the past 3 days we’ve been staying at Victoria Court (some motel). Hotels, inns and apartelle are just not practical. Too expensive. Anyway, i have no complaints as the room is clean, the airconditioning is sufficient and it is very near our home. We can just get some stuff from our house as needed sans hassles. But being there for more days until power is restored is getting expensive. My inlaws invited us in their home. Morning and B.boy were already there this morning and i’ll go there after office hours. I hope traffic is not that bad as it is a bit far and B.boy has been crying for mommy at around 7 pm ever since he got sick.
Enuf said…i don’t want to continue ranting anymore.
My mom said that when things go wrong it would always be best to count your blessings. It would fend off negatives in no time…so let me try. I’m thankful for
-my husband who has been so helpful and loving. he’s been a big pillar of support. i don’t know how to go through all of these without him. Yesterday, he brought B.boy to his pedia and bought his medicines as well. He’s been doing more than his ordinary share of domestic work. I love him tremendously for that.
-a great yaya na maasahan and who really cares not just for our little one but for the whole family as well.
-having super nice inlaws who are always there to extend a helping hand.
-a bestfriend that i talk my problems to. Sometimes when times are tough having someone who really listens is like having a glass of cold water on a very hot day.
Hmmm…having it all listed down, i think i have more blessings than worries. Now i feel whole lot better.
Popularity: 5% [?]
