Where have I been?!

February 8. That's how long ago I wrote something for this blog. I wasn't pregnant then. And a gazillion of things have happened since.

• I got pregnant. We learned about it on the first week of April. We've been planning to get pregnant since late last year. We already learned it's gonna be a boy, whoop! We're scheduled for a Congenital Anomaly Scanning on the 23rd. Hope everything will be well, God willing. Xofia has pretty much understood what an older sister is. She's getting more and more responsible and less demanding especially if we remind her that she's an "ate" already. I'd like to think that this addition is doing her more good.

•  Our house is about to cave in on us. It's imminent. I can see the signs everywhere I look. The termites are eating up what available wood the house has. We've started to embark on a major project of house improvement, and so far, I've talked to 3 contractors who can't seem to understand how I wanted this done right away. I'm not sure how difficult the task I gave to them, but I'm pretty sure it's nothing out of the ordinary. I hope the third one delivers, and let's get this started with already! 

• Our car, the ever trusty Honda Civic got into a bumping accident with another car, and is now sporting a renewed bumper. The shop did a very good job, my husband can't see any piece of evidence that will remind him of that blooper. And the accident happened on our daughter's birthday party. Yes, we were in a hurry to pick up last minute party supplies and we forgot we're not the only car on the road. It happens. :)

• The sister visited for about a month. Everything good and happy and memorable and sweet. I hope they visit more often. I wish US is not that far.

• Xofia's in school, the "real school" as she puts it and is learning a lot of things. The one I'm most thankful for is her learning about junk and healthy foods. And this girl has got the willpower like I've never seen in any 4-year old. She understands that she can eat junk but not too much. She likes Pringles and mallows much. Pretty much the only ones she can't stop eating. These days, she'd say she'd only eat 4 chips of Pringles because it's a junk food and it's not good to eat a lot of it. And she told me that she should not be bringing mallows to school. I think if the teacher had her way, she'd tell me herself. Ooops! Sorry, teacher! But really, teacher, chocolate - a junk food? I'm not a fan, but you may want to rethink that.

• I visited HongKong for the 2nd time. This time with my mother, hubby and daughter. I can't quite get enough of the shopping, I wanted to go back. I actually planned to go back late this year, but then I got pregnant. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise: I don't get to spend for shopping. Hah!

• No-barfing morning sickness for this pregnancy, yay! Unlike when I had Xofia, I was barfing every hour or so. I had to eat something so that the acid had to stay low and I'd actually be barfing food, not acid through my esophagus. This time around, I'd get almost sick everytime I feel a little bit of a hunger pang. Result: eat all the time. So I'm like an eating machine right now. I got a different kind of sick: sick worried how I'm gonna get rid of this extra pounds I've piled up. I'll cross the bridge when I get there, promise.

• We think it would be cool to give our little boy the same name initials as Xofia. So yes, XES. Power in a name, err, initials!

• I realized I have never cussed so much in my life until I started driving. A lot of psychos with their hands on a steering wheel are roaming around our streets, no one is safe. Sometimes, I'd dream that I were a mercenary killing those bastards and cleaning the streets from the lot of them. My gosh, I need an outlet for this rage! I should start writing again.

 

Take me to HOME COOKING tab

My version of white picket fence

Once upon a time when I was little, I too dreamt of a beautiful country-style house with white picket fences all around and a quaint ecco mailbox by the gate.

Then I grew up, become an adult and realized that the dream house is expensive. And adults have more difficult tasks of decision-making and budgetary woes to be concerned about white picket fences. It was just not possible.

In our current place, I maintain a pocket garden. One time, I decided to demolish the pocket garden away to give more room to the garage area. I took pity, or my husband rather took pity on the garden, so we kept it. I am on the process of planting greens in it and quite possibly, an herb patch. After which, I plan to surround the garden with wooden fence painted in white. Thusly, my little white picket fence. And to finish the touch, I'll have a quaint ecco e7 mailbox installed at the front. My dream place is slowly realized, only in a different scale, but dream realized all the same.

I just learned that there are beautiful residential ecco mailboxes I can choose from the comfort of my home. I am getting closer to my dream, indeed! :-)

Catastrophies everywhere, is this really happening?

Luzon has been ravaged with flood courtesy of typhoon Ketsana, the worst the country has seen. I don't have to see the news and scour the internet for information, help is needed everywhere. If you have something extra to spare, please don't hesitate. The universe or the power greater than the universe know how to repay you. And what goes around comes around. We need not experience the flood ourselves to see how horrible it is. Please help.

The very same day that the rain never stopped falling in Luzon, I was somewhere north of Cebu fishing, unaware of what's happening farther up north in the country. We had few rainfalls and a considerable wind, but that was that. Since we were offline practically the whole day, we didn't know what happened until we came home late that night.

We were supposed to be in Manila today, for Xofia's checkup. We postponed because there are two more typhoons looming by the Pacific. In Indonesia a killer quake has claimed lives and more are missing. A tsunami triggered by an earthquake struck Samoa. It's all just happening at the same time, it's overwhelming to say the least.

What are we really doing, in our part, to take care of the earth? Is it too late to be doing something, to at least ensure that our children and their children will still have an Earth to call home?

Do we even care to be bothered?

Bills, bills, bills!

(image from thedigeratilife.com)
My whole life is full of bills!

Then there's auto-credit that my card company is offering to place all my bills in 1 single bill. Yay, I won't have to wade through bills after bills anymore. But then that's not the issue. Technically, I still have the same number and amount of bills to pay.

Imagine this.

We don't use running hot and cold water in the house. We've long abandoned the water heater because, hey, who needs hot bathing water in the Philippines, really?

We stopped using the rice-cooker. Not because it uses too much energy but because helpers just love to bust them.

We only use airconditioning during the night, in one room, usually.

Almost all lights in the house are energy-efficient, save for the one in the stock room and the flourescent in the guest room.

We don't use the washing machine. Oh yes, because I have a helper who's idle most times of the day, so yeah, I let her wash by hands. It's more efficient anyway. :-P

And still I get a whooping P5K~ electricity bill. I think it's a joke.

So, I read the Green Living section of realsimple.com. They have a good article on cutting energy cost. Some, I've been practicing, some I need to enforce on the helpers. Let's see if next month's electricity bill will show any improvement.

Saving space and using planter boxes

Living in a small townhouse, I don't have as much freedom when it comes to gardening. City lots are expensive, and every square inch counts. But how drab could life be without something green and alive to look at. I turn to planters, of course, for my needs.

I love how outdoor planters nowadays come in varied designs, they're as effective as planter and as decorative accents. I'm not sure why, but I am partial to square planters, I just seem to prefer them over the circular ones. Maybe because of the deluge of circular terracotta planters when I was growing up, there's not much choice then.

Right now, I have a handful of basil plants in a couple of window box planters. And because I have to transport them upstairs for their daily dose of sun, I used a plastic window box planter for convenience. If I could provide them a good ray of sun at a fixed place, I would've used a sturdier material.

I am now eying a bag of flower seeds back at the store. I'm thinking of germinating them in a garden planter where they can grow to maturity. I am a slacker when it comes to transplanting. But I think it would be just as pretty.

Save up and camp

Routine bores me. That is something I need to work on. Unlike the husband who feels secured on routine, I'd go crazy if I can't do something different in a week. We usually pepper our routine with travels just to appease me. Sometimes I'd vehemently demand it. "Please for my sanity," is my usual speech to the husband.

With the rising cost, we have to watch our expenses. And this includes cutting on travels. Travels take a huge share in our income pie, you see. Which also prompts me to look for alternatives. I'm thinking we don't have to give up travel altogether, we just have to know where to cut costs.

I also happen to love the outdoors even if I'm a well-known mosquito food. Mosquitoes seem to prefer me as their main course but I don't care less. I could go on trekking a river for hours and feel completely happy and contented. There is something in communing with nature that speaks to me.

I was actually thinking of that 15-minute drive Mountain Resort and camp. We happen to live where everything's near and accessible. If the savings account is truly hurting, I guess we could just go home to my mother's and pitch a tent at the backyard.

Now, that is just an idea I hope you'll find useful. But before everything else, everything has to be planned and mapped out. I hate routine, but I'm also kindov anal. :P

The house needs repairs!

The upstairs common bathroom has started to leak out. My BIL, who's an engineer suggested we re-tile and fix the sealing around the bathroom. Admittedly, I am a bit wary that the whole house will one day collapse because we haven't been keeping with the repairs faithfully. At least we already bought bathroom tiles, in rustic pink floral patterns (which now makes me doubt the choice), grout and trim. Installation will come next.

With a very short awning, the terrace is bound to collect rainfall, if not water from the AC. And because the terrace floor is built in such mediocre fashion, the water instead of flowing to the drain, flows to the living room downstairs.

I swear if I were a man, I'd be a carpenter, a mason, and acquire all the skills to fix the house. But sadly I'm not. So I am left to daydream away and live in constant fear that I can never afford!

While I'm at it, I'll go ahead and nag about the condition of our kitchen. Yes, the eternal problem of a leaking faucet remains. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why the plumbers we send to check the leak can't fix it. I told my husband that if ever they're going to rip the sink off inorder to really see what's keeping it leaked, I'd rather remodel the kitchen. I have been wanting to get rid of the plain, boring, white cabinet doors anyway.

And then there's cost to consider. Oh, well.

I wish for a balloon twister

So, Xofia will turn two in a few days. You must be thinking I got myself so busy planning for her party. While I wanted so much to give her the best party in the world, the current economic condition and our savings account disagree.

I tried pushing for the jumper rental, complete with colorful balloons, pinata, pabitin, popcorn stand, balloon twister, what-not. Sadly, I always go back to the monthly household budget spreadsheet. And I just don't know where to fit all these in there.

And then there's the reality that Xofi is still two. She won't remember most of this, really. She won't remember much of a party, lavish or not. The important thing is the people we love and cherish are there to celebrate this wondrous anniversary of her birth with us. And most especially, lots of children to make it a fun, rambunctious crowd.

The balloon twister and jumper rental can wait. Maybe when Xofi's old enough and the economy is no longer screwed.

OMG, Where have I been?!

Phooooo! Dusty in here!

I may have to do some housekeeping before I could get this house blogging again. Sometimes, real life catches up and leaves you nothing more to spend online. Online life has to take a back seat.

I am not unhappy, though. I just wished I had more time and energy to be spending more time online and blogging. I miss all of my blogging friends, and I miss jumping from one blog to the next. I miss the mixed feeling of exhilaration, joy, sadness, giddiness I experience in each and every page I read. I miss laughing out loud and crying over YOUR posts. I miss blogging. Soon, I'm gonna get back to it in full throttle. Soon.

In the meantime, please excuse the dust and soot that has accumulated through the days. Housekeeping will come in no time.

...Well, maybe after the housekeeper is done enjoying her summer?

Project: Renovate Porch

I think I should count me lucky. Even with the salary freeze, the company is giving us a little bonus -- something we didn't expect, which made us all the more happy. Guess they know how to counter the depressing effects of recession, huh!

Or maybe some higher being saw the situation I (yes, MY situation - my blog, mine!) am currently in. I need some serious house renovation, but is not willing to get the budget from the current household cashflow. I guess this is a sign that I really, really have to start doing it. Like, really.

I was thinking of starting with the porch. I've been wanting to build an awning to protect the area from heat and rain; but mainly to provide additional seating for the MahJong sessions we host for family and friends. Have I not mentioned before that MahJong is the family's official game? Which would make me an outsider for not learning it? (I'm on my way there, worry not... Or my daughter will save me from myself!)

Xofia learning the ropes early

If you're familiar with the MahJong game, the place must be well-lit. Maybe because I'm a woman, but when it comes to light fixtures, I am very particular. Lighting fixtures, for me, can very much make or break the room. Much thought must be invested on projects that involves home lighting. They have to be placed in the perfect location of the room where they can both serve functionally and aesthetically. Oh, I have such a picture in my mind where I can place a pair of charming, timeless sconce . And because tropical weather can be such a drain, I'd like to counter humidity with a casual ceiling fan.

Wait, how much was my budget again?

Is your home secured?

You watch the news, scan the channels for a good 15 minutes and tell me if you don't come out of it depressed (if you weren't already) and more worried. Crime rate is staggering. In UK, burglaries are up as recession takes its toll that the leaders plan an emergency summit to tackle the issue. With the rising cost of living, cities all over the world are experiencing an increase in, particularly, property crimes.

Of course one can always argue that crime statistics are better indicators of the prevalence of law enforcement and crime reporting, than actual crime prevalence. But then, think about it, what's there to report if there's no crime happening? The fact is that crime is happening all around us, even so with the recession, and we better come prepared.

I'm sure all of us have a trick or two on keeping our home and loved ones safe. I know somebody who lines up food cans along the inside of his doors and windows to startle would-be burglars. I personally believe outside home lighting is a good deterrent. This is counting on the good Samaritans in my neighborhood, hoping they'd report any suspicious activity. However, robbers also have tricks up their sleeves to outwit home owners.

With the layoffs and salary cuts, I expect to be working doubly hard, and rendering more overtimes in work. So is my husband. How do you think we'd feel leaving our house and the people who live there under the watch of the subdivision guard, who also happen to be watching 75 other houses, and manning the gate? Home security is never overrated. Before anything happens, God forbid, start securing your home, your loved ones, and your personal belongings. Personally, I find ADT Home Security Systems equipped to provide you peace of mind. Their video surveillance system allows you to watch your home from anywhere in the world. It's really something to personally see that everything's all right even if you aren't physically at home.

ADT provides a lot of other security services that are worth checking out. The safety of your family and your home is one less thing to worry about while you concentrate on a host of other things in these trying times. I suggest you start securing your home now before it's too late. Better to have a tiny bit of paranoia and acting on it, than sorry.

Made.In.China

Say again?

This was from the box that one of my french presses came with. Aside from the lead and melamine issues, I simply love Chinese products. They're cheap, functional, and they provide entertainment -- a value-add to customers if you, like me, enjoy cheap thrills.

In this lifetime, I've mourned over the demise of 3 french presses. For coffee drinkers like me, a coffee press is an important thing. Of course, there's drip coffee maker. But aside from consuming so much electricity, they separate the oil from the coffee making the drink less, uhm, full. Oil makes the flavor really really bold and aromatic. It also maximizes calorie content. Filtering coffee beans in the coffee-making process just strips off the fun of enjoying full, bold, calorie-filled drink. Coffee press brings all that back in. Ah, little joys.

Since I've lost every single press I've had, the husband and I thought of buying several at one time. It is his ardent belief that if you store several pieces of presses, the one you're currently using will not break. I am willingly subscribing to the belief, dutiful wife that I am! Currently, we have 3 french presses. All are proudly Made in China. Because they're cheap, they serve the purpose, and they make me look like a supportive wife without dishing out thousands of pesos for a Starbucks or a Coffee Bean press. Those from these two are just outrageously expensive.

Oh, if you're looking for a press, Metro Gaisano at Ayala Center has plenty. You're welcome to hoard.

Night, night! Don't let the bedbugs bite!

I have very, very sensitive skin. At least that's how my dermatologist describes my affliction. Yesterday, I finally went and saw a doctor. (Oh, congratulate me!) And because of the type of skin that I have, I am now to follow a strict skincare routine twice a day. Aside from that, I am to stay away from almost everything that this polluted world is basking in.

I have always wondered why I get welts so easily, why insects seem to see/smell me and make me their first victim in a crowd of hundreds. Either I smell really good (move over, Bella Swan) or I'm just totally unlucky. Among other sites, I consider bedbugbites.com an additional treasure when it comes to guides on bugs and insects. The site provides a lot of information about bed bugs, how to treat them and prevent them. Because bites differ from one person to another, they also provide pictures of bed bug bites to help you identify if what you got is really a bed bug's doing.

I don't want to come to a point where I have to worry how to treat the bites, heaven forbid, I need to know exactly how to identify if we have bed bugs at home. Once I get the bite, the welts will then develop into something terribly ugly. I then use lotions or creams, which in turn, irritates my skin and I'd get flare ups. So either I stop the bugs from getting close to me, or I pray I see them first and kill them before they get close to me. (Oh, I mean bugs, bugs. Not people). And if the unlucky me gets bitten, I can only use the most natural treatment devoid of any allergen. Ah, it's a blast to be me!

I have my family

With everybody's net worth dropping faster than ever, I can't help but get worried, as in REALLY worried.

• Is this the best time to buy a new couch? Maybe ours can still last another year before it breaks into two?
• Shall I stick with Gerber, which costs thrice than the Cerelac brand?
• Do we need to distribute our bank accounts to several banks? Not that we have plenty, but by default, the depositor is insured up to P250K only.
• Do I give up my monthly bonding time with my college friends? Yes, we agreed to pamper ourselves together, at least once a month.
• What about Xofia's diaper brand? Shall I switch to a cheaper one?
• Do we have to cut back on going out? What about Xofia's exposure to different kinds of people?
• My Friday dates with husband, does that have to go, too?

Sigh. Instead of thinking all those things, I think of happy thoughts and realize how lucky I am to:

• Still afford the mortgage with my family intact, with nobody needing to go abroad to work.
• Not have to pay for gas most of the time.
• Still afford my daughter's well-baby visits and vaccines.
• Have a loving husband who's a doting father and a good provider.
• Have the happiest, goofiest and sweetest daughter, and is the easiest to take care of.
  
• Have free internet courtesy of our friendly neighborhood wi-fi provider. Whoever you are, I'd like to thank you and let you know that you are such a good person for not blocking us from using your internet. Be assured that this translates to lots of good deed tickets in heaven (I think) and I promise not to harm your network, not that I know how to do that; and leave you in peace even if I can see your computer from the device list sometimes.
• Have a nanny who doesn't mind doing the extra work in the absence of another helper.
• Know how to cook such that we don't have to go to a fancy restaurant whenever we crave something delicious.
• Live in the heart of the city where everything is practically near and doesn't need a long drive, thus saving up on gas.
• Have friends who prefer house party and my cooking rather than eating out and paying extra for the food and ambiance.
• Still afford to pay the electricity bill without turning off the AC.
• Have the best in-laws who make it a point to bring us fresh produce from Ormoc every time they're in town.
• Have a sister who's always ready and willing to help out whenever we need something.

We may be needing to tighten our belts in these hard times, perhaps do a handful of things I enumerated above, but still, I am thankful. I have my family, and that is saying a lot.

Violence on TV and our children

Even before I had a daughter of my own, I have always been strong on my belief that children shouldn't be watching TV unless those that are designed for them. And even so, TV watching should be properly monitored, after all, toddlers are more attentive to commercials primarily because of their catchy jingles. And hey, don't tell me I am the only one who hates commercials.

Before the age of two, the child's hemisphere is a single bin of sensory experience, unlike the grownups, we have two distinct hemispheres. Watching TV is a passive activity, thus suspending active cognition. This passive activity allows the left hemisphere to develop dominantly than the right. This development is characterized by the child's behavior as passive, transfixed and nonverbal. After all, they weren't able to develop their abilities required to express and reason.

The effects of TV in children has a massive research support. Scientists have been studying the cognitive and chemical processes in children and how TV watching affects their development. By the time children learn to acquire what the tube has been bombarding them with, they have long learned about violence and sex without the consequences attached to them. Children have now failed to recognize the emotional attachment and responsibilities attached to these acts. They will instead learn to act impulsively and without regard on elders' advice.

Jena Isle has started a Campaign for Eradicating Violence in TV Programs Meant for General Patronage. The campaign targets the two network giants in the Philippines: GMA and ABS-CBN. If you believe on what we believe, if you want a safer world for your children and your grandchildren, hope on over to her blog and join us by adding your name on the list.

I read somewhere that if the government focuses on the first three years of life, they'd be saving billions from building penitentiary prisons in the future. I couldn't agree more.

And no, I am not writing this for the EC credits. I just feel so strongly about the issue.

image from www.topics-mag.com

Child molesters in your area?

When it comes to personal safety and that of our family’s, we can never be way too concerned. Ensure that your neighborhood is safe, or at least be aware of the threats that surround you. Of course concern for safety shouldn’t deter you from letting your children socialize and explore the great outdoors. That’s why it’s important to keep yourself informed. Registered Child Molester List keeps their database of Child Molesters updated and current. You can do a search by your state, and the report will detail the registered molester’s full name and aliases, current address and current employment. They also offer email alerts.

Is your child playing on a safe street? Knowing where the dangers are prevents incidents from happening. Start by equipping yourself with this useful data.

Prettify your ride with cherished number plates

Are you one of those who put extra premium on taking care and dressing up your cars? How about procuring that special, classic or unique car plates? Check out NorthumbriaNumbers.com for Private Number Plates. Their site gives you an opportunity to search their impressive selection of plates, plate styles, and car registrations. The best thing is that they will do the transfer of the certificate for you, so you need not worry for any paperwork hassles.

If you're selling a number and don't want to be bothered by the details, Northumbria Numbers offers a no-sale, no-fee commission basis. You agree on a specified amount, and once the sale was made, you get the agreed sum. Pretty straightforward.

Click here for contact details.

Home security

We live in a gated community with a security guard 24/7. However, not so long ago, a neighbor was robbed even with the househelp around. The thieves were so skilled and relaxed that the helper did not, even for a second, doubt them. You'd think that with somebody manning your house all the time, your house is secured enough. What happened to our neighbor proved that notion wrong. Nowadays, you can never be too careful. You can never have more than enough information on how to keep your house safe and secured. If you're looking for a site with a wealth of home security information, I suggest you check out HomeSecurityInformation.com. The site hosts a plethora of information on basic home security, video surveillance, home automation, lighting and timers, burglar alarms, car security and a lot more.

Sometimes we go through our daily grind without so much thought unknowingly making our homes more inviting to robbers. The article How to Keep Your Home Secure Without Spending a Cent provides tips and guidelines on how to employ common sense to a more secured homes, dollar-free.

HomeSecurityInformation.com also provides information and guidelines on Homeowners Insurance. With the market as uncertain as it is today, the word insurance probably will make you cringe. But when it comes to our homes, I dare you, if you haven't yet, to explore the subject. HomeSecurityInformation.com details different kinds of insurance and if you'll need it or not. Generous with their knowledge, the site also gives out practical tips on how to find the best insurance, compare quotes, etc.

Afterall, our house is where our family lives, where we relax and wind down, where a lot of memories are shared through the years--you can never be too careful in guarding your own castle.

I lost yet another househelp, and I'm cheery

Surprise, surprise, the househelp never came back. It's been over a week, and no sight of her. She said she'll be back after a week but she hasn't. So there, I think she just handed her resignation. I should be sad, dejected, but I'm not. I already said I wasn't too happy with her performance anyway, and you know why.

The helps we source from outside of town, we pay for their fare and some pocket money. The arrangement is that the help has to at least stay with us for 6 months and they'll get the fare expenses for free. Sort of an oral contract for the hassle. This girl, she's with us for only 2 months. My gut feel, when she insisted on going after I offered to take her to our dentist, was that she's not coming back. To secure my initial investment, I had her leave her cellular phone.

Now I have an extra cellular phone. Oh, well.

We have started to actively look for helps this week. By and by we'd think of one particular help we so liked but had to go because her husband found a job somewhere in Mindanao. We dismiss the thought as wishful thinking. Nothing that easy could happen, and finding for the right help always is a pain in the behind.

Over lunch with my husband today, I received an SMS from her. Yes, the help who left us to join her husband in Mindanao is in Cebu. I cannot believe my luck, but not wanting to get ahead of myself, I called her up and confirmed.

She said she will be with us after the Halloween. I don't want to preempt, but I am so happy to the point of getting giddy. This doesn't happen all the time. There are very few good employees, and this one definitely is.

On buying inflatable mattresses

When my husband and I got this house, we were pretty much overwhelmed by the necessity to furnish it, albeit excited at the same time. Seeing that the house has very minimal bedroom spaces, we considered sofa beds and inflatable mattresses for the two smaller bedrooms. However, not really armed with enough knowledge to make a decision on which inflatable mattress to buy, the collapsible sofa beds won. Folded, they still take up so much space. In hindsight, we should've went with the air mattresses. As they say, hindsight is always 20/20.

Lucky for those who are considering to buy air mattresses but haven't done so yet, AirMattressInfo.com provides a comprehensive guide. I remember we used to have one in our old apartment, and it was so convenient to use. It was portable and lightweight, perfect for camping trips and for temporary bed space for guests.

The site doesn't only provide tips and guide on buying the mattress that suits your need, it also guides you through on repairs, flea control and maintenance among others. Before buying that air mattress you've been eyeing, be sure to check AirMattressInfo.com.