"Sporting" SOMETHING

For these past days, I don't really feel good most of the time. I feel sooo lethargic that I always stayed in bed almost all day. Add these weird changes in me:

- i dip my finger to a hazelnut spread and lick it, often - which should be very unsual for me on ordinary days as I am not really into sweets.
- i have this intense cravings on water melon the other night - luckily it was available in the supermarket.
- i have been munching and nibbling on crackers, nuts, cheese, fruit.. almost all day - i practically do nothing than lie down watching the tube and eat.
- i crave and like the food today so i will really indulge on it... and will feel disgusted about it right the next day.
- i have been eating green mangoes - big green apple mango - and i still love it even it gives me wind and heart burn.

I and Hubs know that something is going on.. and I know, you too. ;))

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This week is the 2006 Ashes test series. It is a 5-day test game of cricket between AUS and England which started on the 23rd of Nov. As of yesterday, Aussies has been ahead of more than 600+ runs from the Poms.. a very long way to go for the later.

Last night was the final of the Tri Nations Rugby League. And the Kangaroos (AUS Team) regain the 2006 trophy against the Kiwis and it was really the most exciting game I've even seen. Both teams have the same score on the 80th minutes and they agreed to play on another five minutes until one of the team scored than making another match. They were on the halfway of the second 5-minutes when the Kangaroos made a try. Sweet victory for them!

I am fortunate that these sports events are on now while I am sporting my current state lest I would be left on the mercy of the boring tube program. I now like watching cricket as I manage to slowly understand the rules and jargons each game plus Hubs making some reinforcements.

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I will be leaving two days from now for Manila. I am excited for I really want to eat exotic Pinoy food but I am also anxious as I might not feel well during the flight. Im crossing my fingers that I wont.

I'll be back next week. See you, friends!

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Shop, Food, Craft

Yesterday afternoon, I made another trip to the shops alone again. Alone. It means I can roam every nook and corner of every shop that caught my fancy and nobody on my side to complain that it is taking me too long to decide what to buy. Guess who's that? ;)) My Hubs is a typical male who when going to the shops, will only visit the isles that we frequented and nothing more. Aside from me being a shop-aholic woman, I am trying to familiarize what are the products here that I can use to cook Pinoy food and stuff to do some crafts... which could take me longer to do shopping for even a short shopping list.

I went to this not-so-dear-outlet that sells products mostly from China for my crafts. Yup, it is some sort of like a 99 Store in Manila but the price is not actually universal. It just sell products of cheap price compared to some chain stores. I was tempted to buy the beads that I can use to my paper curtain, but reckon, I don't get enough for the hefty price that I will pay.. I'll better wait for my upcoming trip back to Manila and I will buy heaps of beads. I end up just buying the glue stick which I urgently need.

And I made another discovery... a stir fry noodle like the pancit canton we have in the Philippines. Yup, I like eating pancit canton.. I know it's not a healthy food but I just love the taste. I usually indulge on Sunday back then and eat pancit canton with boiled eggs. So now, we don't have to make a special trip to Asian or Filipino food store here, which, are fairly far from our place just to buy some food that I miss. The noodle is imported from Asia (can't remember the country) but it doesn't have MSG in it, so I reckon it is still a bit healthy to eat. I also added up a prawn cracker to my shopping basket... just like the Oishi... a pleasant or not-so-pleasant change from potato chips.. munchies for the movies.

Can pansit bihon go with chicken adobo instead of rice or steamed potato? Congratulate me, folks. I have perfected the chicken breast adobo last Sunday. I didn't use lemon juice but rather apple cider vinegar. I made some twist too by adding the potatoes and veggies - carrots, beans, peas, and the white stuff that I don't know ;)) - (after being half-cooked in the mic)in the adobo pot while it is cooling down. Hubs said it was nice. Yum for me. So maybe for a couple of Sundays to come... adobo will dominate the plate. Hehehe. And I spotted vermicelli on the shop rack and I am thinking of making pancit bihon. I haven't tried it before but Hubs can be a guinea pig for my cooking. Hehehe. For days, I have been printing recipes from the net and trying to figure out what will I practice-cook first. I am really having fun in this cooking adventure.

Got to go. Have to try out the instant stir fry noodles. Will update you on the taste. ;))

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And Rain It Did!

November Rain

November rain washed away my guilt
November rain washed away my pain
November rain - so tired I felt
November rain was not just any rain

Long I longed with deep torment
For so long my body waited
November rain, , , , Oh, sweet friend
November rain- slowly I faded.

November rain- I cried within
Steady and slowly, it kept on pouring
November rain, watered my skin
And deep inside, I heard my roaring.

November rain, it refused to quit
November rain kept on pouring
And alone outside, in the streets I wept-
dripping... dripping and falling.

--- Amy Phillip

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And I Pray For Rain

Due to the global warming, most part of Australia is suffering from drought. Rain is very very rare. The lawn grass of most houses are brown-ish, bush fires are imminent, brick houses are so brittle that by just mere hammering, some parts if not the entire building is falling... and many other catastrophy brought about by the lack of water. Most dams water level down to 25% and it has to supply water for residential and industrial estate.

In some villages, brick houses are falling apart. I saw some on the telly and it was just horible. And event such as this is not covered by the house insurance as according to regulatoring authority, this is not common and not an anticipated course of nature. How sad for the house owner. They were just advised not to repair small damages as it will just have chain effects.

The farmers are loosing their business badly and the Howard government provided millions of dollars aides to them to sustain the business.

When I arrived here last end of August the water restriction is on the 3rd level, which means, (the very basic that I can remember) no sprinklers are allowed in the garden only bucket watering. It then rained for a week when I arrived here, that, my BIL reckoned I brought the rain with me. Lucky! ;))

Now, the condition get worse. The use of water will be more regulated that the council in the Caboolture Shire (our shire) will soon implement the level 4 water restriction. One of the conditions are bucket watering of gardens in alternate days for the odd and even numbers of house addresses. Business that consume large volume of water should submit a Water Efficiency Management Plan.

Yesterday, Hubs went to the orientation in Cabwater for the WEMP. He brought home some leaflets and guidelines and goodies which include an hourglass of 4 minutes (will post photo soon) to be sticked to the shower room. A simple way of telling you that, hey, you only have 4 minutes to shower to help conserve water. It was a nice idea though as you get conscientious while scrubbing your body that you have to hurry up. I just hope every household will adhere to that.

If you'll judge the lack of water in the weather, it is not evident. It's not stifflingly hot, except Saturday last week, when the temperature raised to 36 degrees C. But since summer is drawing near, it is getting warm at night too. Though summer here is too humid and scaldingly hot, it is a storm season so, we just expect that this drought phenomenon will be over next season.

It's a pity that most businesses here in Queensland are so dependent on water. The condition is crippling even the most robust entity.

It has been gloomy since weekend... I pray it will rain tonight or tomorrow or the day after... but hope it'll just be soon.

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Halloween and October Blah Blah

It's November 1st... Yayyyy! Time flies so fast.. and I am one year "wiser" now.

Today, in the Philippines, traffic would be very busy and people are so pre-occupied with preppin' food, candles, prayer books and what-have-you's.. and will have "picnic" at the cemetery. Yep, that's how I see it, picnic. Some would be playing cards.. and just enjoying the sun if the weather is not gloomy. I think, that tradition is only known to Filipinos and Catholics. Whilst here, life goes on normally with the living. Another proof to show that I am living in a different world. Ha.Ha.

Month of October is memorable to my family... both Hubs and I celebrated our birthday last month... and then there's Nanay (my mother) and a best friend in Bacolod, M. My youngest sis, I, passed the teacher's board exam. That's quite a good news to me considering the "disaster" that blew the family's mind in the middle of the school-year last year.

Last month, I had so many firsts. One was cooking "patyam" which I reckon turned out quite well. Then there was my supposedly adobo last Sunday, which as Hubs said, was a sweet-and-sour chicken. I owe that to too much lemon juice and a dab of sugar to abate the sourness. And another first of the firsts, was Hubs haircut from moi. Yup, I experimented my talent or lack of it to My Hubs hair. I was quite satisfied with the result.. as well as Hubs. My MIL even volunteered to be a ginea pig when her hair is due for the hair dresser. I think, I fare well in this department.. Hummm, another fall back career. He.He.

And my first photo of Lucky sleeping...

Isn't he cute?


ENJOY YOUR HALLOWEEN, FRIENDS!

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