Not A Good Start

In my bed.....down with fever, cough and cold. In short.....I got the flu.

That is how I welcomed 2022. I have a slight fever 2 days before the year ends. And when I woke up the next morning, I felt a bit better so I proceeded to continue with my usual duties. Got up and got dressed as early as 5 am to buy what is needed in preparing for the New Year's Eve celebration.

I bought two kilos of prime beef which costs about $10 per kilo, which my mom cooked as "mechado". Where the beef is cut into medium sized cubes then mixed in with sautèd garlic, onions and tomates. She added some soy sauce and water, and cooked until the beef is tender.

I also bought a whole pork hind leg, and let the butcher chop it for me. This is for the "kare-kare". Cooked with some vegetables like "puso ng saging", eggplant and stringbeans. To give it the unique flavor, finely ground peanut is added to the broth. And as for the dip, which makes this dish complete, mom has cooked "bagoong alamang" or shrimp paste.

For dessert, I prepared a day ahead my specialty......leche flan and some fruit salad. Which I put in a cooler with lots of ice so it will be more delicious when served.

I thought I was already done with my fever.....but no, it just gave me a little bit of time to help mom with some part of the prep.

After having bought all what is needed, me and my daughter decided to ride a tricycle so we don't have to carry all these things walking. We each carry 3 big plastic bags of groceries. Upon arriving home, I immediately prepared everything so mom will just have to cook them.

Done with all the prep, I decided to lay down to rest. That's when I started to feel my fever rising up again. Then I started feeling cold and my throat begins to get itchy. I feel asleep, and by the time I woke up, I am sooooo hot. My kids bought me some medicines and pineapple juices in can. They made me drink my meds so I can be better by the time we have to welcome the new year.

But, I still didn't get better. I stayed in bed because I really can't get up. My daughter just brought to me my "media noche".....2 slices of bread, hotdogs, cheese, fruit salad and a cup of hot choco.

January 1, 2022.....morning of the first day of the new year.....I still am in bed. My other siblings arrived for our celebration, each have bought different dishes and dessertas. Which I didn't get to enjoy because I can't eat and foods taste so bland. The only thing I enjoyed was the fruit salad and leche flan. I didn't get to eat the kare-kare, the mechado and the other dishes my brother and sister brought. I was really really sad that day, this is the worst New Year ever for me. Aside from not getting to enjoy the foods, I also didn't get to go outside and celebrate with the neighbors and watch the fireworks.

And finally, after 3 days of being sick, I am now feeling much much better. No more fever, taste buds active again but unfortumately......no more new year foods. Well anyway, I still have my birthday to look forward to, and that's on the 10th of this month. Just a few more days and we got another event to celebrate. I may not have started the new year right but hopefully the rest of the year will be alright, anyways we're just starting the first month and we still have a long long way to go.