Craft... hobby

Because of the diverse interests of people around me (friends, peers, etc), I tend to develop my own.. not really unique. My criteria in developing hobbies or new crafts are simplicity, need less focus, can be done simultaneously with other stuff, less stressful to the eye.. in short.. “can be finished in little time with small effort”.

Have tried lots of stuff… cross-stitching – this is stressful to my already-damaged eyes, tedious and most of all, not advisable for impatient people like me. Hehehe. Another try is, paper curtains – this is a never-ending craft so I just let the material gather dust in the nook of my room for now. Eventually, I will get back to it. There is my favorite hobby, reading – well, it’s always there in my blood, in my mind, in my heart. I am not actually leaving it behind or forgetting it. It actually is my first love for hobbies. I am just hibernating from it. My interest is somewhat like the climates in the sub-tropical region. Winter now, spring next… summer and then autumn.. and winter again. A vast difference though is I always found new craft to fill the gap between one hobby to the other.

Tyaraaaannnn! The new craft is latch hook! Last Monday, friend E and I, pestered SM in Fairview after lunch from my aunt. We hurried from one bookstore to the other. Luckily, I didn’t buy any book. I reckon, I should make a new craft and so off we went to Heavenly Moment (is the name right?).

There I figured what to buy, the puzzle frame? the latch hook? the crochet? Cast the scross-stitch out… tested and proven that I can’t finish any in less than a year if indeed I can finish one.

Finally, I settled to the latch hook… it looks less complicated. And so I bought the kit.. but my! When I am about to begin working on it, a friend said that I should have a hook to use in latching so my fingers won’t hurt. Thankfully, she has a spare one to lend to me.

Silly me!

I didn’t get it from the name: LATCH HOOK! that I should need one.. Oh well, I assumed the kit is complete. =D

I have been working on it for three nights now while watching the television.

I don’t have an impressive accomplishment yet, but the speed will do. Besides, I only do it for an hour with more time for the teevee than with the latching.

The pattern of my masterpiece is Garfield. Inspired of the “Garfield the Movie 2”?

Nah, just the favorite of a friend. (will post photo when its finished)

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Baryo Wedding

I grew up in a Baryo and witnessed the classic weddings of friends and relatives but Kapampangan has their own tradition.

Candid shots in the church were so entertaining and unique. Some were asked to leap, raise their hands or foot, and the like.

Reception was at the residence. (ohh, it was really far from the church and the atmosphere was kinda hot)

There was the marching of the entourage where everybody was being called at the reception ... much like a program.

There were lots more but we left early.

On the side note: We ate halo halo in the original Razon in Pampanga. Now I know where is the origin of the best halo-halo I've ever tasted.

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Just excited... blah blah blah

Its a long week-end here in the Philippines, much the same in OZ. It's the Queen's Day there, so Hubs will have a day off work and concentrate on the tax returns which is sooooo long overdue. Hopefully, SIL N will be there to give a hand.

***

The holiday on Monday is really good timing to the wedding of a classmate cum friend from MBA school. H (boss/friend) and I will be going to Pampanga and meet other classmates to witness our friend tie the knot. We are all excited as L (the bride) is way past the marrying age for a lady and yet has caught the last trip. =D

***

Went shopping last night with officemates H and E but went home bare handed. Yet! I am happy with the change in me. I am less becoming an impulse buyer. Hubs, you should congratulate me. Hehehe! I told Hubs last night that I'll go shopping again today and asked him what should I buy. He reckon, I should buy the same what I had that night. Quite impressive answer. =D

***

On the lighter side, it rained in Hubs place yesterday... just a steady slow rain wholeday. Just what we need to keep the business going.

And it rained here this morning also just to abate the stiffling summer heat.

Hope it would still be cool tomorrow until Monday.

***

Oh, I am out of paperback already. Had read lots of stuff this week. I better frequent Booksale again.

I have a penchant for a good book in the National Bookstore but I dont wanna buy brand new books as the cost would be three second hand books. Waaaaa!

I better weigh my priority. =D

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Grandiose, Mall of Asia, A sight to behold

I’ve never seen a mall as big as it is. The biggest in Asia, the third in the world.

We went there last night with our friend from Davao. Not all boutiques are open yet but it seems every nook and corner were reserved. It’s really a one-stop-shop not like some malls in Manila that there are stores not available in SM likewise in Robinsons.

There’s a big miniature Globe in-front that changes color at interval. Blue. Purple. Green. The spectacular fountain welcomes you.

On the northern part, in-house garden serve as a park to rest the aching feet of the shoppers.

Now, there are two skating rink in the Philippines and both are in SM Malls.

The skating Rink.

I-max movie house is coming which was patterned in USA, they said.

Palm trees and benches lined-up at the back close to the bay.

Weekdays normally are not a mall time. But Manileños has this bug of the Mall of Asia. It is crowded.

Charlene Gonzales was there last night. Seems shooting for her show, At Home Ka Dito. She being the endorser of SM Deparment Store.

I bet, it would always be a venue for variety show, which ASAP started last Sunday.
The main entrance.

*Pardon the quality of the photos as they were taken using my mobile phone.

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Stop and smell the flowers

Despite sleeping late the previous night, I still woke up early yesterday. Knowing that I will be fully loaded that day is reason enough to not dwell on the bed longer. At six o’clock in the morning, I braced myself to face my Sunday routine. You would normally see me getting ready the laundry right away, but yesterday, I was able to appreciate wonderful God’s creation.

I stop momentarily and smell the flowers. Thanks to J for her caring and nurturing hands to grow flowers in the yard. Living in the center of Manila didn’t give us the spacious and beautifully land-scaped garden but we’re still blessed to have enough greens in the pots and some flowering hibiscus close to the fence.










first sampaguita blooms .......................................................................euphorbia close to the gate

I have been stressed lately, that I indeed need to smell the flowers around literally and marvel and appreciate the wonderful and beautiful gifts from God.

So much for wandering and wondering, I needed to get back to the reason why I need to get up early. One-week laundry and linens are waiting for my attention. And so, I stepped on the “lavandera” world while sipping hot chocolate. I don’t favor much doing stuff that would make my hands wet, but lets isolate doing the laundry. I enjoy seeing to it that the clothes I wear everyday are washed and cleaned up to my standard.

I may not have the ideal Sunday, as I am away from CJ, to sum it up, I still had a fruitful day!

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Wuzz Up?!

It is not very likely of me. Being quite isn’t what people know about me. Actually, its way too far from being me. Well, allow me to use the ever lame excuse… I am busy.

For what?

Running errands… going to public offices…attended a counseling session.. work… and some of my simple pleasures, malling and reading.

For fortnight, I have accumulated seven books and read four of them. I now added Elizabeth Lowell and Kristin Hannah in the list of my favorite authors. So far, I have tempered myself from buying books of these authors which stories don’t catch my fancy. I have this habit of collecting books of my favorite authors though doesn’t have a plan of reading them. Hehehe! Well, that’s why it is called collecting… not reading. Waaaa!

Speaking of malling, the Mall of Asia opened last Sunday. I haven’t been there yet.. and I wonder if I can ever be. One of my wish maybe. I am quite satisfied what Robinson’s Manila can offer. But the pix has it lures!

Mall of Asia at night (photo ripped from wikepedia)

On the side note: Hubs got a new phone and a new billing plan. The new mobile phone is not that fancy but since it is flip top, that avoids him of paying international phone bills that he didn’t intentionally made. Tell you, locking the phone key pad is not in his routine after using it. He’ll just chuck the phone to his pocket… and viola! After running to and fro.. he’s charged of phone calls to Zimbabwe. Hehehe! Not that exaggerated though! Plus.. plus.. in the new billing plan he’s allowed a voice call more than double of what he’s previously got and at a half-price less. Ain’t that a wise and practical choice? And! He is still using the same number. Hummm, makes me wonder what kind of arrangement that was!

Month-end is really anticipated giddily. It’s the show time of All About Love. These days, I am more inclined to watch movies with teen stars… maybe, I just relish the feeling of being “bagets”.

Got to eat chicken feet this lunch from Hen Lin. It was my first again since I came back from vacay. Yum yum yum!

It’s week-end again.. more time to sleep and read.

Happy and blessed week-end!

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Thumper Namin!

Living away from CJ temporarily, has made me more creative to find value-adding ways on how to amuse myself, but it could not be deny that I miss my Hubs always and how I wish we’re together. I may not like our setup now but in some ways it has taught me develop my minute emotional maturity, which bluntly speaking I barely have even I am already married. Then, my emotional quotient is quite low. I can rate myself sans the EQ test.

I maybe gaining more patience and emotional strength of being away from CJ, still being together is the best thing that I could ever need and want. I constantly miss all of him.

It is just amazing how a simple thing can relieve your longing and yearning for the person you love.

On CJ’s first trip to the Philippines, he bought me a “baby”, stuffed wabit (rabbit) named Thumper. He is our baby here in the Philippines and would be my company at night in lieu of Hubs.

And last night, I was being nostalgic as it was raining and the atmosphere was just gloomy, I want to be in CJ’s arms. =(

Thanks to Thumper who’s very warm and comforting. After a few cuddles with him, I was more than OK.

I will really miss Thumper when I have to leave him here and be with CJ for good. He’s just too big and overweight that bringing him over to OZ isn’t a wise and practical idea.














Thumper, will always be One of Our Babies.

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