13 Round fruits for the New Year

The Philippines has lots of "superstitions" and this includes the 13 rounded fruits for the New Year. I don't pretty much know the significance of it when I was a child but growing up I've realized what it is all about. The round shape of each different fruits represents "money," and the count of 13 denotes “Lucky 13”. I simply can’t remember why it has to be 13. Maybe I need to talk to older people with regards to this to give you better explanation but both of my grandparents had died some couple of years ago and there’s no way for me to know how the number 13 epitomize. But hey, if they said its 13 without knowing why, people back home would still believe it. For they think, if it embodies “Providence”, they would be at the supermarket or fruit stands counting how many they have and never stopped buying until they can gather it all.

It’s always been my mom's preparation every year. One of us her children must either ran an errand for her if she believes she miscounted. Most of the time, we made complaints because getting to stores or supermarket riding a “tricycle” could take us forever especially it’s always been a busy day for everyone. With no any means and letting go the complaints, if that’s what mom’s wishes! Alas, we all must get it.

I miss my mom so much. Being far away from her and home, I can think back the 3 years I didn’t spend the holidays with her. By then I could say I am missing a lot of that years I am not with her nor my family. My mom is great. Every year she threw out a party for me on my birthday at the same time making our “Noche Buena” for Christmas Eve. It’s not very typical of us to look forward for Christmas gifts under a Christmas tree during early mornings at Christmas day but it’s the enjoyment of the food we’d shared and watched fireworks when the clock strikes 12.

For New Year’s it’s the party for other people that both my parents would organize. They would buy different kinds of gifts for what we called it “Pa raffle”. We will always prepare some foods, drinks and gifts for the people. The spirit of giving is bestowed in us through my parents returning the blessings from God by sharing what they can give to others. It’s really a nice thing to give when there’s more to give.

At work today, my boss promised to gave us the opportunity to get home early than said work hours we have scheduled. It’s very nice to have that kind of offer when you could be benefited by the hours you don’t work and get paid. I really loved it when it happens. There were already instances I had that chance.

Anyway, back to the traditional fruits. I drove to Lucky’s formerly known as Albertson and came to my search. I looked upon and counting the bags I got, I saw a Filipina lady. Maybe older than me for a few years, she was counting and I did at the same time with mine. I’d give her a smile. She spoke to me in “Tagalog” and asked on how many did I have and she gave me a clue to make mine complete. We’ve separated ways not exchanging names or something, just casually made that simple gesture. So you see, anywhere in the world I know now for sure, there are many Filipinos who are counting their fruits and wishing for good fortune for the coming year. Happy New Year Everyone!

Spend Quality Time

Saturday morning when I woked up, I got a terrible headache. Supposedly, both of us need to move things out of the house in Antioch but instead hubby just did it alone. It was a busy day for him to do it by himself. My assistance could have been a great help but he persisted to let me stay and get rested. I had chill and felt so cold. I had ate my breafkast and took pills for relief.

So by no choice my husband did all the move. Our things in the house must need to be emptied before January 1st. I could just imagine how tiring it could be going back and forth removing things out of the house to a new storage unit just recently rented out. It must be so tiring in his part doing it with no help.

Middle of the day, he called to check on how I am doing and told me about his progress. He got some delays and need a day or two to get all the stuff before the tenants could move in. I told him I got a little better, but I still have little headache. I didn't do much progress because I just put myself to rest. I had cleared some of the papers over the coffee table and washed dirty dishes. I don't want to pressed myself to do more labor since I am too weak to handle much effort. Once in awhile while I was resting, I checked emails, blog site and looked some friends who were online in yahoo messenger.

My hubby always prioritize the weekend for spending quality time with me. He said sorry about this ongoing process we had for our recently lease agreement with the agent we are working with. I understand how it is and I supported him all the way. He did some running again today in the house and came home after 1pm. He brought the couch again which could fill our small apartment. We don't have much choice but to bring it back. Putting it to storage would not only cost us more but it will only build up dusts which we don't like.

So we started our day together at Officemax to checked for a business cards. We plan to make one soon so we could use it for our business trip in Hongkong, not very long for now and its a priority these days. Just a few minutes over there, and had lunch at Yoshinoya Restaurant. A japanese fastfood over the street in El Camino Real. Most servers were Filipino. I felt like being home. The food is okay and brought some food to go boxes again.

We didn't waste our time there for we were catching a time for the movie "National treasure, the book of secrets" at AMC Mercado. We arrived on time, got tickets and seated. I love the movie. If its adventure, mystery, puzzle like, its my thing. I enjoyed watching it. Though my hubby was yawning several times, it didn't destruct me from liking the movie. He must be worn out from his labor intensive day which I understood. I ended the movie with a good feeling and hoping to expect there will be another sequel. We left the movie house and got some coffee at Starbucks which is just right beside the theater and head straight home.

Our time together is precious. Even how less it could be, the moment we shared our time together is very significant. We always have the time to let each other know how important it is being together.

A house not made a Home

I can't help not to think about this small beautiful house of ours. My husband bought this 10 yrs or so and the house is immaculate inside even if its a bit older. He didn't get to use much of this. There was a time when he let his brother and nephew stayed and even himself occupied it just a few years.

When I arrived here last 2005, seeing it I love to live in it. But yet, the distance of this from his work hinders us not to move in. He already got an apartment set up for us near his job thinking it will just be a temporary place but it ended up until now we are still renting it.

The house had been vacant for 4yrs or so and every weekend we always take our time to drive for almost 2hrs. There were only few instances when I got the chance to slept over but it was the time when we decided to sell the house. That was the reason we stayed some couple of weekends to clean, did some paint touches, moving boxes, clearing up the garage, maintaining the grass of our front and back lawn and a lot more. It was a lot of work for us but it pays to see how we managed to keep it very clean and livable.

My husband always have frustrations over the matter of not providing me a house where we can live in it. We may have a house but we don't enjoy it. Now its making me a little bit sad because we came up to another plan of leasing it to others and now its leased. It's not yet occupied but it will be this 1st of January. I am scared to people who may destroy it. I just hope that the tenant will be as good in terms of payment and taking care of the house.

Next year will perhaps be a better year for me and hubby. We might get away from the place we are renting and find a bigger home to stay and live on. I am thrilled to that next move and will cross fingers.

The passion for music

At age 10, I remember my Aunt Ingrid from Manila gave my mom a Yamaha keyboard. Back then, it was just a very small piece of instrument where it had only few octaves and voices. It only carried a few. If my memory was right, I could recall only 4. But thinking about those time, my passion didn't focus on that right away. I had the interest first of stroking the guitar, learn to know the chords by heart. As young as I was, it was kind of difficult. No one taught me how to play and I was only self learning through the song book where we called it in Philippines "song hits". I didn't master any piece nor not even memorizing the chords. It was too hard for me and every time I pressed my left hand with the chords at a certain frets, the tiny little fingers I have got so much trouble and it was painful. I only knew then the basic chords and just plainly stroking notes in very simple way.

After days trying to know how to play, I just quit. I gave it up and on the other hand my big brother Aldin suddenly got interested. From then on, he never stopped knowing how to learn it. Days and nights he reads and understands every pieces of it. When he had all the informations he had on how to play with it, he changed to bass guitar where his passions lies on up to the very present day.

Going back to the day I gave up learning the guitar, the keyboard from my Aunt came. My mom decided to have me enrolled to home school for piano lessons. I wasn't to keen or not looking forward to it 3 times a week after school. That time, I would always want to play with my schoolmates. So I felt my childhood past times were deprived because I needed to come home. I got an old teacher but a very nice lady. She'd always gave so much praises for me. I was attentive to for I wanted our lessons to be quick and fast but not knowing it, the more I could do it fast the more lessons I could have. It was tougher day after day. I was given so much exercises that at a very young age, I did able to play less than a year with a song. The repertoire was classical but not as complicated. I was just given pieces that suited to my ability. My parents were proud of me and I could always remember the first song "More". That time, I was complaining because I didn't know it. I always got mad when they want to let me play. I got the hang of it til I forgot it.

In some point, the lessons were cut in short due to finances and burdens as well of getting the time in school as the years gone by. I stopped going to lessons and when I tried to come back, I kept on starting from very basic and the interest that I have when I was a child had gone. I don't feel the music in me but I still am learning to play when I got the chance. There was not a time, I didn't stop knowing to play. Yet, only just very simple pieces. But I came across in time, where I just shut it off.

Today, I am happy that my hubby gave me a present for Christmas which is a Yamaha. I didn't expect he could think back to search my passion. He will always looks something for an element of surprise and this time was a big shot. I cherished this moment and I love him even more.

A proud owner - present from hubby

Got some Surprises

My friends and I gathered on the 23rd to celebrate our good friend Joy's birthday at the same time with mine and for Christmas too. Majority all the invited guests did come. There were lots of foods, drinks, and exchange gifts. Everyone had a good time talking, sharing laughters and cheers, dancing and singing karaoke.
It was indeed very surprising for me to received gifts from friends who are very close to my heart. Two of them gave me pieces of jewelry which is very significant to our friendship and I treasure it. My hubby gave me a cross pendant that was very much the likes of him. Every year he always spend time to look around for something he thinks I dont have and could represent me. He had given me so much things and the last gift was so important because he got the time to find it. He surprised me with a Yamaha keyboard. He knows that I always want to play though I am not very good at it but I just love having it. I cant measure how happy I am to have it and now playing with it.