ANOTHER HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

This post is a month late.

Last month, I celebrated my birthday. Although I kept silent when it came, it's the most significant of all my birthdays. My brother sent me a text message on my birthday. He wrote: "May this day remind you how much God loves you for allowing you to celebrate another birthday"... Indeed. I've never been this grateful. When I met an accident, I was given a second lease on life. And celebrating another birthday, I consider a milestone.

I re-read the post that I wrote for my b-day last year. Nothing much has changed since then. Still struggling with vanity. Still keeping a tight grip of the remaining youth that is left of me. But there's one noteworthy thing that has happened. I now welcome the gift of old age. When the signs of aging start to manifest in me physically, I wouldn't mind anymore. Because then, that means I'm still alive. Having faced before death has made me value the winter of time.

So, wrinkles and gray hair, bring them on! But still, I hope, not too soon (grin!). But when they come a little sooner, again I say, I really don't mind anymore. Because by then I'll make sure I have the inside beauty flourished over time. And that's what only matters.

CAME THE SMASH

(cont...)

We were smashed right onto the creek. I was in panic of drowning but we were submerged only a little half-way (One more reason to be thankful for. I could have been half-way dead by then) . Blood was everywhere. There was this woman beside me all blooded on her face. Really a scary sight. Apparently, I did not feel any pain and I was not wounded. But as I tried to get up, my left arm did not move. I held it close to me making sure that I still have it. It's clinging in my body, still very much a part of me. Except that it cannot feel anything.

Rescue came. One guy reached out to me and grabbed my arms. Suddenly, a sharp pain in my left arm. Sharp, excruciating pain!

My left arm was fractured. I was operated for an implant. Right now I'm still recuperating from the operation. I will be starting my therapy today. And hopefully soon enough I can do without my arm sling already.

before the operation

after the operation

Yeah, I'm typing with my right hand.

p.s.

Nobody died from the accident. Maybe some of them are okay now. Some are still recuperating like me. But what's important, we're all alive and enjoying our second life. Thank you Lord and cheers to life!

MY HOMECOMING ( Part I )

Last year, I had this great longing to visit home. Maybe because life was a little rude then, and I wanted to run to the place of my comfort and where, subconsciusly, makes me feel shielded... and HOME.

And finally, I had my homecoming during the holiday. Initially, it was a real home sweet home for me. Until the weather had to screw it up!! Yeah, it was cold and cozy, but it rained all the time and I had to put off some plans, like, take some photos of our city in different "angles", visit my alma mater in college (Ateneo de Naga) because I treasure a lot of wonderful memories there, visit my dad's graveyard, etc..

So, here goes some pics to help me make my story-telling a lot easier.

Photos taken at Avenue Square while sharing some coffee time with friends

Dined out and had some coffee time late in the evening with my two girl friends, Gay and Tess. We dined at the Red Platter along Magsaysay Avenue. I took photos of their yummy foods but I want you to see few ineteresting details of their interior designs, instead..

The place is very cozy. Looks like a country home ( I wish to achieve this kind of interior design in my own house). It's used to be a house, now turned into a resto. And the food was superb, let me not forget to say that!

Night life is great in Naga City! We stayed out till 1 am.

I miss the rest of our barkada. Wish we can all go home together and have a grand vacation.

Lunch out at Chef Doy's with Cecile few days after. Cecile and I were batch mates in highschool but never had the chance to mingle with one another. We again went to the same school in college, and there we became friends.

The foods at Chef Doy's was a so so. But maybe I should give them the benefit of the doubt. A second try, maybe.

But these pastries at Kopiroti are incredibly luscious which Cecile gave me as a treat after our lunch date! Thanks Cecile!

KOPIROTI

my highschool alma mater

I had the chance to shoot the facade of my alma mater (from elem. to highschool), Universidad de Sta. Isabel ( Trivia: it's the first normal school for women in the Philippines and in Asia. Hence, the oldest school for girls in the country). In this school, I was taught how to behave like a lady. Taught about ethics and social graces. And yes, here, it was a survival of the fittest. Daming maldita! hahah. So you learn how to fight back. Well, that's something quite common with all girls . Oops, no offense. I love my school because here, I met my best friends for life!!

The white specks on the photo aren't snow flakes! They're just some tiny droplets from the drizzle.

Nick with lowa (lola..my mother) in Naga

Nick and her ate, Denise


And finally, back in the arms of my babes (hubby) after the vacation.

PICS TO KEEP YOU COMPANY

I'm caught in the middle of holiday rush!! So, I'm leaving you with some pics to keep you company for awhile. These are pics from our office christmas party where we got to wear cowboy/cowgirl attire. Hope the pics would suffice to tell the stories behind.

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

MY MOST FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR

photo credit

It's a gloomy (late) afternoon. A gloomy weather indeed, but not for me. It cools me down but never brings me down!.. I can see calm rain shower from my glass window. So calm, I can hardly hear the pitter-patter on the roof top..Crisp breeze is flowing in. I sip my cup of coffee to keep me warm from the cold. Oh, how can it feel so lovely?..

Pasko na naman...I can smell it everywhere.. Christmas song is playing. The flickering lights on the christmas tree brighten up the dimming room. Blue, red, yellow, green all dancing by turns. Outshining one another. What could be nicer than this? This "happy gloom". The christmas songs. Flickering lights. They set my mood to plunge into my own pool of christmas thoughts. Oh yes. I'm oh-so sentimental about this season. That's what I am. Well, no one's complaining about it from my family members. Not just yet, maybe (Grin!). I guess when I'm gone, christmas time would keep reminding them about me (Oh that christmas fool!).

Alone with this beauty, it kept me thinking. And thinking.. What is christmas for me? Strange for a self-proclaimed christmas lover to not being able to give out an answer that is completely hers. I guess there's no description that encompasses the bliss of this season. It's ineffable. Maybe, great emotions really are beyond the bounds of words. They only stay in the heart.There's one answer, though, that can come close to what christmas really is for me...

CHRISTMAS IS THE TIME WHEN MY PRESENT INTERTWINES WITH MY PAST.

(to be continued...)

It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS!

My kids helped me out in decorating this tree. They were having such a great time especially my five-year old boy (Nick). Hubby was a mere spectator. He may be as excited but it didn't show. Well, hubby knew from the start how I'm crazy about christmas. Though he may not understand why my passion about this season can sometimes be a little overstated (listening to christmas songs almost all year round), but he tolerates me and kinda love me that way. When I'm gone (for whatever reason), he'll gonna miss me in christmas. And he agrees.

Here's my niece appreciating my christmas tree. Oh, it isn't as perfect as my dream christmas tree, but I'll gonna start to change things up a bit from year to year. I usually just pile on all the ornaments. Maybe next christmas, I'll start to choose a color palette. Or maybe I'll start this year.

Peñafrancia Fiesta

photo credit: tonyo (aquing ritratista)

Bicolanos have this undying devotion to the Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, our "Ina". Millions of devotees come to Naga to celebrate the fiesta. Bukas bisperas na! And by this time, I'm sure the merry making is now at its peak. I was supposed to go home for fiesta, but I have to re-sched my 'homecoming' for another time (maybe this christmas). It's been a long while now. I miss going home for fiesta.. Or could it be, I simply miss HOME right now? I don't know. I guess I'm having the symptoms of "melancholy" these days. And this fiesta celebration is rubbing it in.

More about Peñafrancia festival here .