mini marathon

should i?
should i not?

at the moment, i am definitely in NO condition to run a 10K mini-marathon. actually, i've never been in any marathon, nor seriously played in any sports except in my physical education classes some 12-13 years ago! sure my friends and i played tennis and badminton once in a blue moon some years ago, but i was NEVER good at it. i just played to hang out with them.

that said, there's something about growing older (being thirty, it takes time to get used to the thought) that pushes me to conquer my fears, and venture to some unknown territory. the charity i am working for as a volunteer has sent me an invitation to join the mini marathon, together with the other volunteers and employees, and so i thought it might be worth a try. according to the race information, i can even opt to walk! that sounds promising to me.

i have two months to prepare, but only a few days to make up my mind. help!

calling the attention of the obscure object, and ME, let me know if you are joining the race, i might make up my mind sooner if i know you'll be there!

this is for a good cause, and i'm hoping i would get over myself and just take the plunge. ah well, i'll make up my mind in about 3 days time, so we'll see. it seems like the thing i am afraid of is not the race itself, but the 60 days or so of training in the cold and strong wind! hehe

so, anyone of you here who has marathon experience tucked under the belt? please share!

have a great week everyone! in our humble little home, we're looking forward for this week to fly quickly so the husband heals up to bouncing status again. ^-^

{ oooppss...have you moved your clocks one hour forward by the way?! hello spring!!! }

7 Things Kreativ Award

i've just been favorited by my fellow valentine girl, JavaQueen, and passed on this Kreativ Blogger award to me. thanks JQ, this is so sweet of you!

the rule of the game, is to list 7 Things I Love, and then pass it on to & Blogs I Love.

so here we go:

1. i love my family. that starts with kj the hubby, my family in Pilipinas, and in Nederland.
2. i love crafting and creating with my hands. it's a time and place where i escape constricting rules and intimidating rights and wrongs and just do something that i feel is beautiful.
3. i love ireland, with all its beauty, even its faults. i am grateful everyday, and despite the circumstances, it still makes me say that life is beautiful.
   
4. i love my friends back in the philippines, who has been with me through thick and thin for over 12 years now, who are like brothers and sisters to me.
   
5. i love my friends i met through my blog.
   
6. i love my blog, without it, i would not have met wonderful and sincere friends who went beyond online jabber and expressed real, heart-warming friendship.
7. i love God and my faith. without it, my life would only be a humdrum of logic and reason and cold hopeless beatings against the wind.

and now, i'm passing it on to the newbies on my blogroll:

balut & natto
un-jade-isms
absolutely fabulous
the obscure object
mordsith
lantaw
the pseudoshrink

rewind, 19 march 2009

today started like any other ordinary day. who would have thought.

we were up as usual at half past five, i made my husband his breakfast, packed his lunch, cuddled in the couch for a few minutes while we watched bbc breakfast before he left at half past six on his cycle.

it was a very foggy morning, very chilly but kj was very cheerful nonetheless. we kissed and hugged as usual and i waved goodbye until i could no more see him, shrouded in the thick fog ahead.

i went back inside, cleaned up the kitchen, pushed out the green bin to the curb for collection, and sat in front of the computer while i plan what to eat for my breakfast.

thirty or so minutes later, the doorbell rang. i thought it must be his friend R, who had food stored in our freezer two days ago. i was shocked to see from the guestroom window that it was kj on the door.

before my mind could find an answer to the many question marks flooding in, i was already opening the front door for him. he looked normal, a bit wet from the fog, and a little flustered or so it seemed.

"i had a little accident"

and i could not remember anymore what i did next. i was flying all over the house, peeling off my pyjamas and throwing on clean clothes on my shivering trembling body, cleaning him up, packing an overnight bag with his things, and then calling a taxi for the hospital.

he didn't even want to go to the hospital, and would rather wait for the clinic in our town to open. but i wouldn't hear any of it. i called a taxi, and in 15 minutes, we were sitting in the emergency reception area of the hospital.

the day flew by with a series of tests. i remember almost fainting in the emergency room, feeling claustrophobic in the small room with the voice of the doctor firing off routine questions, the shock of kj's accident, my empty growling stomach. i had to crouch beside the small bed where kj was sitting, and remind myself to breath in and out, slowly.

the day was over before we knew it. he had general anesthesia for some scope they did inside his body while i went home to cry all the pent-up and choked up tears i had saved throughout the whole ordeal.

i went back to the hospital two hours later, and he was awake already. maybe tomorrow he's coming home, though i haven't spoken to the doctor yet. but it seems like so far, so good, only he has to stay home for 2 weeks to recuperate well. furthermore, he's looking well and good already.

i am so tired, the events of the day still has to sink in to me. i was home again around 9pm tonight and i was crying while opening the front door. it's so cold to come home alone.

though kj is not seriously injured, i could not explain the fear and shock that i felt today. it's difficult to keep strong and brave when inside me i am so scared. so scared of the thought that it could have been worse and i could've lost him.

visiting hours tomorrow start at 2pm, so maybe we'll be packing home too at the same time. hopefully.

i have always loved the quote, "when i come to the end of my rope, God is there to take over." today definitely, i was at the end of my rope. i have no one here to turn to, except my faith. knowing that God is in control of our lives, i can stop pretending i'm strong and just yield my fears to Him.

when you're alone in a foreign country, and something like this happens to the person you love the most in the world, your panic and anxiety can overwhelm and drown you. so until my husband comes home with me from the hospital, i will go on to cry my tears and pray my fears.

-----------------------♥♥♥

on a happier note, kj was sent home the next day, which was friday last week. the first few nights and days were quite difficult, for him the most what with pain and coping with the tubes. but we managed to pull through with lots of laughters of relief in between. next week thursday, we're back to the hospital again to have his tubes removed. without going through the gross details, kj the husband is recovering very well, and will be back to work in 2 weeks time. i'm still shaken up a bit, and i could still catch him wincing whenever the memory of the accident flashes back. but over all, this week has been wonderful, with sunshine and lots of books, cuddles and snuggles, and movie marathons.

so mates, i'm sorry if i would be a bit away from the blog, i need to nurse back the husband back to peak of health. i am online everyday and reading comments, but unfortunately, i couldn't go a-visiting blogs yet. i will keep up soon as everything's running healthy on my neck of woods here.

special thanks to Leah and Sam, for the thoughtful package they sent us. the mom-daughter tandem packed me a deliciously pretty box of crafts they did together, and the winner i must say is the bookmark they made for kj. we've been reading a lot of books since he was home, so he was so thrilled with the personalized bookmark, and it's put to use immediately!

another special thanks to my friend JavaQueen, for the generous compliments in her wonderful post about me. kj and i read it together when we were just home from the hospital, and she made us very happy, despite our harrowing ordeal the previous day.

lastly, i would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff of the hospital. for such a difficult circumstance for us, they made our hospital experience as comfortable as we could have asked.

to everyone, be safe! God keep you! happy weekend!

fitting room chronicles part 5

yay, another fitting room chronicle!

i was in the post office this afternoon to mail an order from my shop, and since i had 2 hours to waste before my bus drives home again, i thought what better way to pass time than to fit clothes again! i didn't buy anything by the way, and i felt triumphant when i went out of the shop. ^-^

i was wearing my favorite grey dress, my new wooly jacket, my dotted scarf, and old jeans.

the weather was beautiful, perfect to put my hair up. well, the real reason i put my hair up is because it's too frizzy and dry, and i was so annoyed that there's no hairstyle that works for my kind of hair except to tuck it away.

i went looking for a blouse that would match my vest, and i don't know why i couldn't find any satin blouses anymore. this one i tried is made of jersey, and in a nice deep blue color. i love the ruffles, the bow at the neck, and all its little details...except...the sleeves. yikes. excuse my huge shoulders. and the neckline, i can almost hear the husband say..."is not that a bit too low?"

ohmymama. i don't care if my shoulders are huge. i love this dress. i love it very much.

it's just soooooooo pretty, with the little lilac flowers all over it, and the fabric so soft and light and warm on the skin! i'm glad this is a size bigger for me, because i wouldn't have left the shop without it. i was already thinking of a script to defend myself to the husband, a heartbreaking line that he would have to thank me that i bought the dress. anyways, thank you to the woman who bought the dress in my size. you saved me from impulsive buying today.

what vanity eh?! ^-^

the modern wife

regarding my last post about my workspace and calling it a tornado wreck, i may have only shown you the eye of the tornado, the place of calm in the midst of a raging storm. kj has, unfortunately, documented the entire wreck and i'm showing it very soon. then you can start feeling better about your messy desks. ^-^

anyways, on another story...my husband has a favorite pair of jeans which he wears at home after work. it's very old and tattered and the denim has become soft and light that my husband would not exchange it for anything else...until...

the holes below the back pockets got worse, the denim was worn to threadbare glory but still my husband won't give up on it. he can't wear it anymore though because i couldn't stop laughing at his bums hanging out (not that i couldn't keep my hands off it, pfffft). so while he wears his tracksuit as a substitute, he couldn't stop longing for the day when he can wear his beloved jeans again.

so the dutiful wife that i am, decided to repair it on my sewing machine. i mean, my grandmother did it with all the pants in her household of 13, how difficult can it really be? and i love my husband to bits, tattered jeans and all i thought the poor worn out thing is worth giving it a new lease in life.

i patched the holes with the denim pieces i have cut off from my own (rather long) jeans, started sewing it on, and realized it wasn't as easy as i thought...the thread in my bobbin was spun loosely because that was my first experiment with my machine and i was too lazy to change it, and too stingy to waste it away at the same time.

the smaller hole didn't look so bad, easy peasy sewing.

but the bigger hole was a disaster. i actually laughed so hard after looking at my finished job, i could almost hear the poor thing sighing back at the "new lease in life" i just granted it. anyways, when kj got home that afternoon, he was thrilled nonetheless and immediately wore it! i was rewarded with lotsa kisses for restoring "some" dignity to his comfort jeans. ^-^ he even went to our town centre's fish and chips shop (5 minutes walk away) in it, when i begged for some fries and burgers for the saturday dinner!

after what's been said and done, i think i will never be my grandmother, patching and sewing worn and tattered clothes. shopping is wayyyyyyy easier, i'll be happy and content with the modern wife title! how about you? i think i know the answer.....!

on a crafty note, i made these fabric boxes last saturday, and if you would want to read more of it, please go to jane {hearts} crafts, a crafty collaboration with my friend nicole of sleepyjane's. i hope you'd go and visit to leave us a hoot and cheer. ♥

have a great week everyone!

true blue ilonggo

WARNING: UNINTELLIGIBLE POST FOR NON-ILONGGOs

my apologies for my non-filipino, non-ilonggo friends. i miss my native dialect, so i'm posting an email i received from a friend and kasimanwa in canada. for my fellow ilonggos, let's have a good laugh!

Maayong Aga da …here’s a reminder about your genes….
You know you are a true blue Ilonggo if
...
Your one peso is pisos
Your bathroom has at least one lugod (or one for every family member)
Your nanay used to make you drink Mirinda or Royal Tru Orange when you have a fever, which is supposed to make you feel better.


Sinamak is a staple on your dining table (the best Ilonggo invention if you ask me... it was even banned on airplanes long before 911)
Your toyo is patis and your patis is toyo
You use atsuete for your adobo and refer to pinaksiw as pinamalhan
Your daily meal will likely include laswa, kbl (kadyos, baboy, langka), ginat-an nga tambo with tugabang and okra, ginat-an nga munggo, Linutik, apan-apan, etc.
November 1 means eating ibus, suman, suman Latik, kalamay-hati, bayi-bayi, valenciana or other native delicacies with glutinous rice and coconut milk.
You call those you love palangga, pangga, langga or Ga. (ask kj! hehe)
You call your siblings or cousins inday, nonoy or toto... the househelp may call you the same.
You call those who are older than you manang or manong.
You catch the attention of sales attendants by calling them "day"or "to"
Your childhood games include tumba patis, taksi', panagu-ay, balay-balay, ins, tin-tin baka, holanes,etc.
You used to be (or still are) scared to go out at night lest you meet the aswang, tik-tik , tayhu, kapre, kama-kama, morto, etc.
Your grandparents read Yuhum magazine
You call a person, thing, place and event "kwan" when you forget it (si kwan, ang kwan, sakwan)
You understand that "Particulars Keep Out" sign means outsiders keep out.
You use words such as "ahay" (expression of pity, grief, empathy), "yuga" (expression of disbelief, surprise), "ambot ah" (to say you don't know, expression of impatience).


You often start your sentence with "ti".
You say goodbye by saying "halong".
Your favorite cusswords are "linte" (if you're slightly pissed off), "lilinti-an" (if you’re now really pissed off) and finally "yodi****" (if you're pissed off big time)
Guilty?
You are a TRUE Ilonggo indeed!
Hehehe!

Please pass to the other G.I.'s (genuine Ilonggo bala haw ah)

all in a day's work

there are some days when my desk is actually neat....
this is one of those...

most of the time, it's a tornado wreck.
hope the start of your week is just fine!

gefeliciteerd!

finally, after weeks of waiting, we have the winners! this is the moment of truth guys....i'm glad i have random.org to help me pick the winners, because personally, i just want to make you all win, but unfortunately, i couldn't afford that. i know you're all a good sport though, and somehow, you were happier while making your happiness list. ^-^

so first, i typed in your names, representing 33 happiness blog entries. then i waited anxiously for random.org to spit out the winner, with both my hands on my eyes because i couldn't stand the suspense. i braved not looking for a few seconds, and when i did, i saw that...

BEVCHEN
won the handmade happiness loot!
congratulations!
{ click here, to see what she won }

for the second giveaway, i listed the names of swann&smerlin customers, 9 of them all in all. and again, waited excitedly with my hands over my eyes for random.org to pronounce the winner.

and it's

JAVAQUEEN
she won $30 Paypal happiness!
i can't believe it, Anne celebrated her birthday with me on 14 February too!
♥ check your paypal girl, i already sent your prize ♥

again, many thanks for joining in, i will never forget my 30th birthday, ever! thank you for making me h-a-p-p-y! ♥

time's up!

thanks everyone for joining!

thank you for the reminders of tiny moments of happiness. some day when i'd feel like the world crashed down on me, i'll look back on your lists and remember that life is beautiful.

i appreciate the time you took to make your list and join in my little challenge. nothing feels as wonderful as reading happiness lists dedicated to me. you made celebrating my 30th soooooooooo meaningful!

stay happy everyone. the world is not getting any better everyday, but we all have the choice how to get on with it. we can be cynical, we can be bitter, we can be apathetic. we can choose to be happy too, we can choose to be kind, we can choose to be positive. i couldn't be happier to have around me a much happier bunch!

will post the winners tomorrow! {{{ loves and huggles }}}


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"if it is to be, it is up to us"