LP 34: Madumi (Dirty)

Leaves has fallen and are all over the back garden. Guy Fawkes day has come and gone but the spent sparklers, fireworks rocket and roman fountains are still around. I wonder when can we clean up this dirty garden of ours. I hope the weekend will bode sunshine so we can do the deed. It's hard to rake in wet grass and leaves.

Nalaglag na ang mga dahon at nagkalat sa likod bakuran. Lumipas na ang Guy Fawkes day kaya ang mga basyo ng lusis, kuwitis, at roman fountains ay naglipana. Kelan ko kaya malilinis ang madumi naming lugar sa likod. Sana umaraw sa Sabado o Linggo para magawa namin ito. Mahirap kasing magkalaykay ng basang damo at dahon.

LP 33: Kinagisnan

I should have blogged about her last Thursday. She would have been appropriate as well for the Litratong Pinoy theme of "Maalaala Mo Kaya" (do you remember). Why her?

Firstly, I stayed with her during school terms from Grade 1 (6 years old) up to Grade 6 (12 years old) only going back to my parents during vacations and holidays. She practically raised me during my formative years. With her, I've gotten used to working hard, being diligent, and being persistent with whatever you're doing. She need not tell me words of wisdom. Her actions are enough to instil in me that no problem or job is insurmountable as long as you keep working at it and even if you have to do it a little at a time.

Secondly, she died last week on a Friday in the morning at a ripe old age of 96. I used to say that I honestly cannot remember if I feel close to her. But as tears flowed from my eyes I can frankly say now that she may not be much in my mind but she is definitely imbedded in my heart.

Goodbye Lola Ebia, thank you for all your care and sacrifices for us your family. May you rest cradled God's arms in peace.


Dapat nuong isang Huwebes ko pa siya nai-blog. Tamang-tama rin siya sa tema ng Litratong Pinoy noon na "Maalaala Mo Kaya?". Bakit siya pa?

Una, ako'y tumira sa kanya mula noong ako'y Grade 1 (6 taon) hanggang Grade 6 (12 taon) at bumabalik lang sa aking magulang kapag bakasyon. Siya halos ang nagpalaki mula sa aking kamusmusan. Dahil sa kanya, nakagisnan ko na pahalagahan ang sipag at tiyaga sa kahit ano mang tahakin. Hindi na niya kailangang magbitiw ng salitang aral. Ang kanyang gawa ay sapat na maiwan sa akin ang diwa na walang problema o trabahong hindi makakayanan hangga't patuloy na gumagawa kahit na paunti-unti lamang.

Pangalawa, namatay siya noong Biyernes ng umaga sa hinog na gulang na 96 taon. Dati ang sinsabi ko ay hindi ko matandaan kung naging malapit nga ako sa kanya. Ngunit habang dumadaloy ang luha sa aking mga mata, natanto ko na hindi man siya masyadong nasa isip ko siya naman ay naka-ukit sa aking puso.

Paalam Lola Ebia. Salamat sa iyong pag-aruga at sakripisyo sa amin na iyong pamilya. Nawa'y humimlay kang mapayapa sa bisig ng Diyos.

Make-up Promotional Gifts

Whenever I pass by the cosmetic counters of department stores or pharmacies, I can't help ogling and desiring after the free promotional gifts the different cosmetic companies are giving out. I don't even wait for the conference folder toting, survey taking ladies to chat me up with a view to buying something. I just get on with the business of nabbing these cute traveller-sized cosmetics. I just love the small, dinky, cute give-aways and usually same with the bags they come with. Although the latter is more of a hit or miss. In one rare instance it not only came with a bag but with a small promotional umbrella. How cool is that?

I don't know what I liked more, their smallness or the fact that they're free. Well, not really free unless you buy two or more premium priced product of theirs. And therein lies my problem, I am willing to pay for their expensive stuff in order to get these freebies. How stupid is that? It even came to a point several years ago that I was buying things I don't really need just so I can get the promotional gifts. Analysing my desire for these, I think it's a combination of that 'sale' mentality of women where we get so zealous of nabbing a sale item even if it's cheaper elsewhere at regular price plus the fact that I really really adore those cute little bottles and compact cases. Did I mention I like them very much?

Litratong Pinoy 31: Kadiliman (Darkness)

One night as me and my youngest were locked in tight embrace on the sofa while watching a particularly scary horror movie I glanced over to the window beside me. I felt my heart stop beating when I saw in the middle of complete darkness outside the window a pair of green luminous eyes that was looking at me intently. It's a good thing I recognized that it was that darn black cat of our neighbor. I thought I was going to have a heart attack from fright. Shoooo cat!

Isang gabi habang kami ng bunso ko ay higpit na magkayakap sa sofa habang nanonood ng isang kahindik-hindik na horror na sine, napalingon sa aking katabing bintana. Tila tumigil ang pagtibok ng aking puso ng makita ko sa gitna ng kadiliman sa kabila ng bintana ang dalawang umiilaw na berdeng matang nakatitig ng matalim sa akin. Buti na lang at nakilala kong iyon ay ang lekat na pusang itim ng aming kapitbahay. Muntik na kong atakihin sa puso sa pagka-gitla. Tsupiii!

LP#30: Liwanag (Light)

I am fascinated by old churches. A recent training course in the City of London (financial centre) gave me a chance to get into the old churches within its one square mile area during my lunch breaks. This one is the church of St. Mary Abchurch (double barrelled church!). Inside it was very dark when I first went in that I could hardly make out some of the statues, signs, and decors. After a few minutes the sun suddenly shone fiercely and it came flooding through the huge windows illuminating everything. It's as if the spirits in the church decided to give me a show to flaunt the beauty of the paintings on the ceiling and of the whole church. I wonder what that Hebrew word in the centre of the painting means?

Ako'y sadyang naakit ng mga lumang simbahan. Nag-training ako kamakailan sa City of London kaya't ako'y nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na makapasok sa mga lumang simbahan sa paligid nito sa aking lunch breaks. Ito ang simbahan ng St. Mary Abchurch. Madilim sa loob nang una akong pumasok at hindi ko halos maaninag ang mga imahen, karatula o dekorasyon. Makalipas ang ilang minuto ay biglang suminag ang araw at ang liwanag ay bumaha sa mga malalaking bintana na nagbigay liwanag sa lahat ng bagay sa loob nito. Para bang ang mga espirito ng simbahan ay napagpasiyan na bigyan ako ng pagtatanghal para maipakita ang ganda ng mga larawan sa kisame at ng buong simbahan. Ano kaya ang ibig sabihin ng salitang Hebrew na nasa gitna ng painting?

Litratong Pinoy #27: Aking Kompyuter

Marapat lang na i-blog ko itong aking computer sa trabaho. Baka kasi eto na ang mga huling sulyap at gamit ko sa kanya. Merong darating na tanggalan at walang nakakasiguro sa kanyang trabaho sa gawing amin. Kaya't mahal kong laptop at extension monitor sana'y hindi pa ako mawala sa piling mo. (naks!)

It's just right that I blog about my computer at work. It might be my last few glimpses and use of it. There is a coming redundancy at work and none of us are assured of our work in our area. So my dear laptop and extension monitor I hope I won't have to leave you yet.

Litratong Pinoy #24: Pilak (Silver)

 

Maniwala kayo kulay pilak ito hindi nga lang makinang. Nataranta ako sa paghahanap ng kahit anong pilak sa bahay namin nang maalala kong Huwebes nga pala and kailangan ko ng isang kokodakan para sa Litratong Pinoy. Ito ay isang thermometer na pang dekorasyon. Alam niyo na, yung gawa sa glass na may likido sa loob at iba't ibang kulay na mga glass baubles na may mga pilak na metal na nagsasabi ng temperatura.

Really it's silver except it's not so shiny. I was frantically looking for silvery things around the house when I realised it's Thursday today and I need a photo for Litratong Pinoy. This is a decorative thermometer, you know the glass kind that has a liquid inside and different coloured glass baubles with the corresponding silver metal temperature tag on them.