That Cheesy CLOY Chicken
I am not into Korean Dramas, if not for my daughter and a friend’s prodding I may have never watched any of them at all. I remember the time we were eating out at a restaurant and my daughter and friend were excitedly talking about Descendants of The Sun and I remember looking at them like aliens as I roll my eyes and can not relate as they animatedly talked about their favorite scenes and episodes. Months later, I gave in and watched it as well. (P.S. My friend proudly told me that she had watched the said series more than 20 times. Wow! Remind me to give her a trophy for her soon 😆.)
To set the record, I had only watched two K Dramas in my entire life, and those two were the famous ones: DOTS (Descendants of the Sun) and CLOY (Crash Landing on You). I liked those two Korean series so much, the storyline, the characters, the plot twist etcetera. They are totally different from the usual predictable Filipino and Mexican series I grew up watching on my local tv networks. I am aware that the others may have better storylines than those two K series I watched but I seem to have problems watching the others because of superficial reasons waaa! I can’t seem to go past the first episode no matter how much I tried to concentrate until I lost interest. I still prefer binge watching the good ol 90’s American series FRIENDS that I have seen a couple of times or rewatched some episodes of DOTS and CLOY.
A few days ago, @ARTicLEE, wrote and shared his own views and experience about this specific Korean Cafe we went to last Sunday. I wouldn’t go into much details when it comes to the aesthetics as well as the facades of the cafe as it was said in other blogs that it was patterned into the look of two Korean Series: Itaewon Class and Crash Landing on You. Articlee can give you a more visual and detailed walk through of the place and you can read more about it at this link: Disappointed but not Disappointed .
https://read.cash/@ARTicLEE/disappointed-but-not-disappointed-5442fdf5
I did took a picture of their bathroom though.😅
I don’t have a green thumb, not a plantita at all but those trendy dried flowers here gave me the idea to put some in our house. I can definitely maintain and keep a dry flower for sure 😅
A trip to the bathroom is not complete without taking a selfie at their mirror. 🙈🙊#theselfieattheCRadvocacy
Okay, back to my blog. 😅
Aside from the hype regarding this restaurant and the curiosity to taste and see what this exclusively for booking only cafe has to offer, the main reason why I got interested in going to the said K Cafe was their chicken. LOL! Yes, the chicken! When I watched CLOY last year, the main and the supporting characters were always seen in a lot of episodes eating a special fried chicken with powdered cheese on it. This foodie here made me curious how it tastes like and I got excited when I learned that this Korean cafe is offering it on their menu.
The cashier told us one serving of their chicken is good for two and there were 3 of us assigned in one table (My husband, daughter and I) so to be safe we ordered one each of their Yangyeom Chicken and Cheese Chicken. Their servings were surprisingly plenty, to me it can be shared to at the most four people. My verdict for the chicken: it is what I have imagined when I watched it from CLOY. Crunchy, cheesy and not that salty. @kapeholic who was on the other table with another friend of ours got the same cheesy chicken but paid extra for the mozzarella on top that I had to try some and I must say adding the mozarella made a huge level up on the whole chicken experience. Yum!
Here’s some of my foodtography of the “CLOY chicken”.
Yangyeom (left) and Cheese Chicken
When mozarella was added:
Spell Drool Worthy 😋.
The experience would not be complete without trying their choices of drinks from coffee to non coffee based as well as their milk and tea options. I am a latte drinker, ARTIcLee always preferred the traditional black and brewed coffee so I do understand it was not something for him to be excited about. On my end, aside from their chicken, I will be going back to try their other drinks. I am used to seeing flavored lattes in other coffee shops like butterscotch, salted caramel, hazelnut, macadamia, matcha etcetera but so far from my experience of cafe hopping it is only in this shop that I have seen unique flavors like Blue Pea Tea, Dalgona, Pink Beetroot, Mitsugaru Tea, Black Sesame and other milk based drinks. You can also opt to be more adventurous with your choice of drinks by choosing some add ons or choosing soya instead of milk.
Update 9/8/21 My daughter made a mini video of the said cafe so let me drop it here below :)
https://vimeo.com/600299300
The Dalgona Coffee that was trending last year at the height of our quarantine days was something I didn’t attempt to make so it was the Dalgona latte that I chose to try. I am done with my frappucino days, but the barista told me the Dalgona tastes much better with the iced version so I gave in to her recommendation. My verdict: It has a very strong bitter coffee taste and will surprise you with a sudden creaminess on your succeeding sip so it is a thumbs up for me.
Kapeholic made me taste her Blue Pea Tea Latte which tastes like creamy milk with a hint of berries and I totally loved it as well. Here’s a glimpse of the said drink:
I loved the Blue Pea Tea a lot that I ordered one to go before we left the cafe.
If there’s something I do not like about this cafe experience is their sitting arrangements. I do understand they are doing it for social distancing purposes so do not expect some cozy bonding moments if you are going there with your family or group of friends. Overall, I will go back for a second try mainly for the drinks, and the chicken, and I plan to have their Pink Beetroot Latte, their Street Toasts, their Bingsu and their Croffles next.
*Kamsahamnida, Chingu 😊*
`All Pictures Are Mine.`
There is Always Elyu
Aaah…The weekend that was. Where and what we’ve been up to, the goal to break the monotony of the usual work, school and family life while observing necessary government restrictions caused by this pandemic. The predicament of making ourselves sane and keeping up with the new normal is an ongoing circumstance to most of us lately. Have you ever experienced planning things in advance and then everything turned out to be spontaneous?
I am a thalasophile, so expect that my weekend getaways, vacation leaves from work and travel plans will always involve a beach to go to. Pre-pandemic days, If it is a longer road trip that requires to atleast stay overnight, my top picks will be the white beaches of Bolinao, Dasol and Bani in Pangasinan (I rate Bani as the top 1 in Pangasinan now). Pagudpod in Ilocos Sur too is something I would like to go check again or explore more of the many white sands of Aurora. Aurora is famous for locations that starts with a Di… Dinadiawan, Ditumabo, Dicasalarin, Digusit, etcetera. I had only been to Dicasalarin and Digusit and would love to check the others soon.
When it comes to my travel plights, there is this funny quote for dog parents that I can very much relate to. Here’s what it says:
`(You get a dog so it will guard your house, now you can’t leave your house because no one will guard your dog 😅)`
Thank God for San Juan
I am a multiple dog owner. We have 9 dogs total and our dogs’ welfare and safety is always my top priority. I used to travel a lot before covid happens and I made sure someone that can be trusted will look after them most especially if we will be away for a couple of days. Unlike before that we have a helper/petsitter that looks after them, travelling and having dogs is a challenge for us lately. Thankful there is San Juan we can go to where we can leave the dogs for a few hours and go home the same day. Elyu by the way is a slang for La Union (L.U. abbreviated). San Juan is only a two hour drive from where we live and so far I think San Juan is the only few beach locations in La Union that was able to maintain its cleanliness. I am always tempted to go to Poro Point, Aureo or Luna at Bahay na Bato also in Elyu but somehow San Juan always wins me over.
The big waves of San Juan is the main culprit for this unanimous choice. I am not a surfer, I just loved to play and embrace those big ocean waves as it tries to splash and tumble me. Raise your hands if you can relate 😊
The last time I was in San Juan was March of this year. I was with my husband, daughter and some friends. I remember it was even @ARTicLee’s birthday that time. The waves was so calm that I didn’t enjoy the beach that much plus we had a little side trip to Vigan. I was all for the waves, that I have been planning since then to go back once my husband gets the opportunity to have a vacation from work since he is the only one that can drive us. Five months of planning on when is the perfect time to go back to the beach… the great PMS happened 🙃😄. My daughter also needs to cancel because of some commitments that she needs to attend to and the lazy mood swings got into me the night before our beach trip. My husband thought we won’t be going anymore and started making himself busy doing last minute touch ups with his front gate project and was surprised with my sudden change of mood when I told him before lunch time we are pushing through with the trip but this time it will just be the two of us. I just had to see and smell the beach!
We got there in San Juan at 2pm and left before 8 in the evening. It was a quick getaway but we enjoyed a lot and made the most of it. For the past trips, we always ended up in Villas Buenavistas but this time I wanted to try somewhere else. We didn’t check in advance what beach resort we will go to but so far the one we went to thanks to google is all worth it.
P&M Final Option Beach Resort
Like all resorts in San Juan where outside food is not allowed, we were a little famished when we got there especially that we didn’t have lunch before we travelled. The foodie in me is happy to find a beachfront resort and getting a bonus that the resort offers good food as well. Being on a diet while travelling is a big No for me. I always make it a point that I enjoy the food with every places I go to.
My husband ordered Pinakbet ( to him Pinakbet in the lowlands are the best so he always orders one in every travel we went to) while I ordered their Cheesy Beefy Kaldereta. Two cups of rice and empty plates later I could definitely say their Cheesy Kaldereta is to die for. It is that good! Their Pinakbet is also yum worthy. Yup, We finished everything.
We chose to enjoy our late lunch in their nipa huts fronting the beach. The weather is a little gloomy that time and we were like the only guest at the resort. The beach is also empty that afternoon except for some local surfers. I actually do not have any idea if La Union were accepting tourists since we don’t see a lot of people when we got there considering it is even a long weekend but my husband and I didn’t have any trouble passing through their numerous police checkpoints.
I made a video walk through of the said resort and you can check it here:
https://vimeo.com/596076869
When Odie, my rescued golden retriever passed away last April, I’ve been wanting to visit friends who owns a golden ret so I can just hug their goldies but it never happened. My husband and I missed Odie that we even talked about getting a golden retriever puppy but soon dismissed the idea. I was so ecstatic when we spotted a goldie at the beach. I was literally goshing here at the video I had to mute my voice when I did the editing haha! Goldies indeed has the best temperament and I got excited when this dog approached me. Sigh! They are just so adorable.
https://vimeo.com/596091171
Sunset State of Mind
Before our trip back to the highlands (Baguio my hometown), we decided to check out the resort’s coffee shop: German Bistro. It was almost sunset when we settled in our table. @Bloghound and I have been wanting to do a quick catch up so my husband and I waited at the bistro for her to arrive. The said cafe had a very good view of the beach and the golden hour.
My husband ordered Halo Halo ( a Filipino staple dessert made with shaved ice, kamote, banana sweetened beans, drizzled with evaporated milk, and ube ice cream) while I had a cup of brewed coffee and their apple crumble cake.
@Bloghound came with her beautiful daughter and we had pizza for dinner. It felt good seeing a good friend and I guess those reasons I enumerated above why I always choose San Juan is we also have a family there because of them . For some reason, I suddenly miss seeing in San Juan the big guy who used to flood my facebook newsfeed and gets to be bullied by @ARTicLEE. LOL! Hi Billy, I hope @Bloghound gets to show you this post. Take care and stay safe.
`All pictures are mine.`
In This Crazy Life, Through These Crazy Times
`You're a falling star, you're the get away car`
`You're the line in the sand when I go too far`
`You're the swimming pool, on an August day`
`And you're the perfect thing to say`
`And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute`
`Oh, when you smile at me you know exactly what you do`
`Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true`
`'Cause you can see it when I look at you`
`And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times`
`It's you, it's you, you make me sing`
`You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.`
Excerpts from the song Everything by Michael Buble. I was playing this song this morning and this same song was also played yesterday in my husband’s car as he prepares to go back to work in Camp Bagong Diwa. If you are not familiar of it, You can check the music video below. It is a good one :)
https://vimeo.com/21951801
I am not sure if it was my first time to listen to the song or the song may not have stick with me when I first heard it but going through the lyrics today ironically made me relate with everything that has happened for the almost 3 months of my husband’s vacation. My husband whom I fondly call DaddyLoves, is my rock I can go on and on about special things he does that is not that usual to some husband and/or father. He always made sure to make everything easier for me and our daughter. Inspite of the ongoing pandemic where the first five months of last year was too hard for him to go home he never fails to check on us. So yes just like the song, our dogs, our daughter and I agree he is our everything. Our Superman and more. Sharing to you below a video I collated of my husband’s activities for the past 3 months he is off from work and at home with us.
https://vimeo.com/596550547
`Song Credits: Glad You Exist by Dan and Shay`
**On to Some Random Thoughts**
It’s the last day of August and as I reminisce the good things that happened the past weeks or months I would like share to you this photo that appeared on my facebook newsfeed today. 😅
Image Credits: Myke Sotero https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158585011969865&set=a.93429174864
The one who posted this is a facebook friend of mine who likes to post memes about this singer. It is an open joke to every Filipino that the Christmas season starts every first of September so brace yourselves as you expect a lot of songs being played on the radio coming from Jose Marie Chan. 😄
Wake Me Up When September Ends?
Nope. I am excited. September definitely will be a good one for me. I enrolled for a Barista Class and classes will start next week September 6. The training will last 23 days and it will be a mixture of modules, online classses and face to face hands on training. Early this year I purchased my own Espresso Machine with Coffee Grinder and I even started making my own coffee nook. The espresso machine is quite pricey so I might as well make the most of it by learning more about making coffee, the coffee business etc. I would love to have my own Pet Cafe soon. This reminds me, i need to start reading those modules sent to us at our Google Classroom.
That Christmas Tree
I have this online vintage shop that I follow both in Instagram and Facebook and lately she’s been posting a lot of Christmas decors and many of them are Christmas ornaments. I am contemplating on buying them now while her price is still low because for sure her prices will soon go up as December get’s nearer. It was only last year that I finally purchased our own Christmas tree. I got one early December so I was a little late in decorating. I am thinking of maybe setting up it up earlier this year. Here’s a look of how our tree looked like from last year. Our theme last year was red and white. I still wanted something white so maybe white and silver for this year. Any suggestions other than silver?
I guess this is enough of my last day of the month rambles. I originally wanted to write about last weekend but diverted in writing these one instead. I am hoping to check this post a month after and check how I did. I do hope and pray for a better and brighter last quarter of the year for all of us. Our Almighty Father is a God of Hope so this pandemic may have left us unguarded, let us choose to look forward for good things to happen. Trust in God’s timing. He will deliver.
***Curious with my lead image? I just realize I am back to my old chores since husband wouldn’t be around the whole month to do the laundry 😅***
All photos rightfully belongs to me except for the one with the image credits.
Grace Undeserved
It was in High School when I started to write and keep Journals and it went on through my college years. Most of my friends also writes one. We don’t refer them as journals before, we call them our diary. I remembering filling up every pages of beautiful blank notebooks writing about my life as a teenager and chronicling every major crushes I had, then burn them afterwards once I am over that crush or boyfriend. LOL!
Nowadays, I rarely write journals and when I do, they are mostly personal reflections of a specific bible passage or life quotes that struck me. I was browsing one of my old journals when stumbled into one of my old entries. I almost forgot I have written it. It made me proud and happy that I just had to share it here tonight.
`Time check 11:23 am. January 1, 2016. The first 12 hours for the first day of the year and all I could think about is put into writing my plans, my goals, my wishes and my prayers for this year. 2015 was such a struggle for me most especially in the field of finances, I was deprived of so many things that I wanted to do and I promise this year will be better. No more procrastination, I want to travel more this year and that can only happen if I work harder and make use of those endless opportunities that are presented to me every day. I just have to grab it and own it. It is mine for the taking.`
`If there’s one thing I can be grateful for 2015 were the new skills I have acquired that I can definitely use with this new career I have as a Virtual Assistant. I am thankful that I am not just limited and stuck with just one type of job. Yes, definitely I will travel more this year, daughter, husband, friends and my dogs in tow. Why not. With my energy so revved up about earning and living the life that I want. Nothing is impossible.`
`I totally understand that these things will not be possible without giving full credit to the giver of all these blessings, Jesus Christ. This 2016, I want to renew and strengthen my personal relationship with Him. I am going back to my church family through weekly group Bible studies. I really miss the everyday enlightenment of the Holy Spirit.`
`This year, I will also keep a closer look at my health. Those painful back and stomach pain attacks are getting nasty. I don’t want those anymore.`
`And this year, it will be full of knowledge, breakthroughs in my new career, better finances, and ready to fight every challenge that will come my way. I will stop being a worrier and be more of a warrior. I have Jesus so everything’s gonna be fine. I will look forward to praising God more and be a living testimony that He exists, He answers, He delivers. All we need is to claim it. God bless everyone! Get ready for the Adventure.`
We are almost done with 2021, it’s been five years since I wrote this and I all I can say is that I am blessed and humbled with what I have accomplished. The Lord has been very good to me. Most of the things that I have written here were either concluded and some are still a continous work in progress. I am still enjoying my job with multiple clients as a Virtual Assistant. The goal to enjoy life by travelling more were also given to me by paid travels to the United States and other places courtesy of clients and friends.
*More travels with my family and dogs were also granted*. It was in 2016 when we started living in Taguig and we were able to bring all our dogs. We were also blessed to have our own car so we can go home here in Baguio City whenever we need to and even go on vacation to nearby provinces and the beach with dogs in tow.
*Healthwise, I can say that my goal to be healthier has been started.* I just need to be consistent. It was in 2019 that I discovered the Low Carb Diet way of eating, its been two years since I stopped experiencing frequent stomach pains because of my gall bladder stones. I hope the next time I will write something about my health, my fatty liver is also cleared and cured. I haven’t done any ultrasound with my liver yet for the past two years and there are many testimonies that low carb diet can also reverse fatty liver conditions.
*Better finances were also achieved*. Because of having multiple clients and my husband’s stable job, we started in 2018 doing major house renovations and added one floor to our house. It is 95 percent finished as of this writing.
*Personal relationship with the Lord.* I am thankful that inspite of the ongoing pandemic where going to church physically is a struggle, I still have my online bible study group and the constant presence of Christian friends to keep me guided. I pray later on that I will also be active in my local church’s different ministries.
Ending this note, I was, is and will always be in awe of God’s goodness. Grace undeserved, Jesus chose to give it to all of us and all we need is to acknowledge and praise Him as the giver of all things.
`All pictures are mine and are mostly taken from my IG account.`
Blessed Evening💕
Just got home from Bloghound’s kingdom. Wasn’t able to do any activity here at read.cash, i’ll make it up tomorrow by checking your mind blowing articles. I just want to end the night by being grateful for this week’s blessings. I really poured out my heart this week and i am beyond grateful to these wonderful people who took the time to read my articles: @Farmgirl, @Jane, @Zcharina22, @MegaKyodaiBanrai, @bbyblacksheep, @Pichi28, @Eylz2021, @LykeLyca, @ARTicLEE and @MommyJaytee. Will do my best to be more active here so I can return your generosity. To @Bloghound, thanks always. Love you 💕
Koorababa and Teddy
Ever heard of the word security blanket? I am not referring to the security blanket you get from a business deal or in a relationship. I am talking more of these specific type of behaviour that is find mostly in kids or sometimes even in adults. They say it’s psychological but most children overcome them when they grow up. Most of those who cling to these security blankets are those who does not have siblings or there are no other kids nearby to play with them. Some of them even resort to having their own imaginary friend.
`image source:`
`Thanks to Kelly Sikkema @kellysikkema for making this photo available freely on Unsplash 🎁`
My niece Xatia who is now 12 years old, once had an imaginary friend. She calls her friend “Koorababa”. Whenever she plays alone, she would always mention that name as her playmate. She was 2 years old that time when she created that friend and it was only when she started going to pre-school that she was able to let go and finally forgot about her Koorababa.
`image source:`
`Thanks to Preillumination SeTh @7seth for making this photo available freely on Unsplash 🎁`
As for the security blanket, most kids tend to cling to a specific item like a pillow, a toy, a clothing or also a specific blanket they don’t want to part with. When my daughter was still a toddler, I don`t remember her resorting to a comfort object. With my niece, Xatia, it was a stuffed toy kitten. She had it when she was a baby and she can’t sleep without clinging to it. For the past years, it became so dirty and rugged and we tried a lot of times to change it with a new toy, even a stuffed toy kitten that looked the same but still she wouldn’t let go of her old one.
We would wash that favorite toy of hers and she would always check from time to time if it’s already dry.
`image source:`
`Thanks to Luis Tosta @luis_tosta for making this photo available freely on Unsplash 🎁`
The second time I witnessed a child having a security blanket was with NJ, my husband’s 5 year old nephew. Unlike Xatia who let go of her Koorababa when she joined pre school, NJ hasn’t gone to school yet because of the ongoing pandemic. NJ has a stuffed teddy bear that he carries everywhere. He calls it Teddy. NJ also shares his food and feeds Teddy. Same thing with Xatia before, even if we gave NJ a new and nicer toy, he will always choose the worn out, torn but sewn Teddy.
`image source:`
`Thanks to Chris Hardy @chrishardyphotography for making this photo available freely on Unsplash 🎁`
For parents here, do you also have a child that has an imaginary friend or has a security blanket?
`Lead image is mine. All other images were taken from unsplash.com`
Ed Sheeran Made Me Cry Twice
I parked and opted out the inclusion of writing about him in one of my previous articles. I wasn’t ready that night. He is my biggest heartbreak. He is gone for almost two years, way longer than Odie who just passed away this year but to me, when my sister and I lost Coco, i literally felt like a part of me died with him that day. I am not those type of sleeper who sometime cry while asleep, but a day after Coco’s passing, it I was dreaming of him, I saw his shadow lingering around my feet, i knew it was him. I tried to grab him but he disappears so I got scared with the realization I will never see him again so I was crying. I was woken up by my husband because I was crying hard while asleep. That was the very first time that happened to me.
`It is and it was that painful.`
With Odie, my rescued dog, even before i decided to adopt him, i already prepared myself that his days are numbered because of the poor prognosis of his malignant cancer so in a way i was ready. With Coco, i don’t think I was ever ready.
To begin with, Coco is not even my dog. He belongs to my sister. I remember it was even my birthday when we got him, but since day 1, i felt like I owned him. I could say Coco is one of the reason that made my relationship with my sister more special, because we had him.
https://vimeo.com/592804459
Coco is always in my IG and FB stories because he is always camera ready. He always has this smiling happy face in every pictures. Because of Coco, our house became a dog day care, my sister will drop him in our house in the morning before going to work and will pick him up in the evening. Coco also has the best of both worlds, with me and her sister as her mommies. My sister is the disciplinarian mom to Coco, while I on the other hand is the condoning mom .All the things that Coco is not allowed to when he is home with my sister, it is the total opposite when he’s with me. He also has two fur daddies.💞 Coco also has the best of both worlds because he enjoys being the only dog if he is with my sister, and be a member of the pack with lots of dog playmates when he is with me. He is literally a kid that we had to bring with us whenever we go home in Taguig for a few months because he will be left alone during the day with no playmates here in Baguio. You can see Coco’s picture here coming with us in all our Manila trips.
Coco was 99 percent generally a healthy dog til genetics take its toll. 😭 Degenerative Myeolopathy. That is the irreversible disease that took Coco’s life.
We were in Baguio when the first major attack of his disease happened. We brought him to three different vets but no one can not diagnose his sickness. I had no option but to travel to Alcala, Pangasinan and bring him to a vet who happened to be my friend. It was too fast, after my friend confirmed their diagnosis on Coco’s case and five days of confinement they said there are no proven treatment yet for his disease except pallative home care. I was ready to bring home a paralyzed Coco. My sister has a one year old baby,that time, so no agreement needed, my heart and mind is ready to take care of him. We were on our way to bring home Coco but 30 mins. before we got to Pangasinan, i received a text that Coco’s heart already stopped beating.😭
Our last picture
together when Coco
was confined at a
vet clinic.
The song Photograph by Ed Sheeran was added to my playlist in my previous article as my song when Sophia left me. This time with Coco it was the song Dive by Ed Sheeran. Coco and I danced that song one night in Taguig and I had a video of us dancing. He was so happy in that video. I opted out not to put my face in all my articles but these videos and photos below are too precious not to share.
https://vimeo.com/592804163
`“I think the hardest part of losing a dog you love isn't having to say goodbye……`
`It's the way your entire world changes without them and the emptiness that's left in your heart when they go.”`
`-Unknown`
Missing you everyday our Coco Potching 💔
`All pictures are mine.`
Lets Slam Those Questions
`Woot woot! I just realized it’s been eight years since I left the corporate world! Woohoo!`
Finding my way back here in read.cash, i’ve been seeing a lot of those questions I used to see during my high school days with a twist. I am thankful to be born in the generation of Gen Y or millenials where I get to experience to do everything manually and can still caught up with the current digital world. I remember making my own slam book before by handwriting everything in a notebook and passing them to my classmates for them to fill out. I remember those usual questions of what is love? Who is your crush? And the elatement you felt once you read your name and it was your crush who wrote it and when that happens you are confirmed MU’s ( mutual understanding) the simple meaning of it not the term MU being used by Gen Z’s where in it meant they are exclusively dating and boyfriend or girlfriend is more of a level up status?
As I try to reminisce those slam book questions, it made me remember what my answer was with the question: what is your ambition in life?
That question made me choose to post these series of questions as a follow up on the ambition I once wrote two decades later.
`What did you put as your ambition in life when you first answered a slam book? Medical Doctor or Lawyer`
`Was it pursued? Nah! I changed my mind and want to be a Journalist or anything related to mass media. My husband offered me to go back post grad and study Law but I don’t see myself attending class for another 4 years.`
`Did it happen? Nope. I fell in love with other things and lost focus 😅`
`Did you regret your decisions? No. I consider everything as a blessing.`
`How many times did you have a career shift? Twice`
`Were you scared of resigning from your first chosen career ? NO (I’m a Risktaker)`
`Do you have bank savings or insurance when you resigned? None😂`
`Did you regret resigning? NO`
`Do you miss your old work? NO. My old job was a big blessing to me but i don’t think I will ever go back to that type of work again.`
`If` `given the chance to go back to your old job with a higher offer, will you go back? Still a NO.`
`Are you happy with your career shift? YES`
`Did you regret pursuing your passion? NO`
`Do you feel fulfilled? YES`
`Do you have more money right now? NO 😆`
It’s never too late to do what you really love, to follow your heart, or to leave your comfort zone. So take risks! Even if you have to risk it all.
At the end of the day, it’s not even about the money you earn. It’s about how happy you are with what you do, and how purposeful your life is.
`So what else do I want to pursue? Ahmm… barista, pet cafe owner. Travel blogger. (I don’t think I can do vlogs though, i’ll leave that to my daughter) put up my own e commerce store like Amazon or Walmart. More travels and I think I can do that by applying as Jinkee Pacquiao, or Vicky Belo or better yet Heart Evangelista’s personal assistant since we are both animal advocates. I’ll be contented to have their preloved Birkin bags 😅`
As I end this post, let me show to everyone some pictures of my life as a VA, (sorry I had to blur my face, just shy that’s all) as a Virtual Admin. Assistant slash Social Media Manager and Marketer slash Digital Nomad slash Thallasophille. It’s been six years and I still love everything about my job. All glory to God for His goodness.
Attending the concert
of my ultimate crush,
Country Superstar,
American Idol winner,
Scotty McCreery in
Warrendale PA with
backstage pass access.
Bus ride in Singapore.
My favorite coffee
shop to go to in
Taguig, perks of
flexible work sched
and working anywhere,
just coffee, strong wifi
and my laptop.
Holiday Inn Express Albuquerque
New Mexico. My office for one
night.
A friend once told me
it was so brave and courageous
of me to travel alone.
Thrilled! I even
get to work on the road
using my friend’s phone
hotspot.
Hollywood Walk of Fame,
Hollywood CA.
Meeting one of my most
loved client in
Pennsylvania during his
conference. Had to
blur his face as well.
Snorkeling in Coron
with my family, a
vacation incentive
from one of my clients.
Pass Island Coron,
still a travel incentive,
I got excited when I meet this
labrador who hunts fish.
San Juan, La Union
with my family and
dogs in tow. One of vacation
leaves were used here.
Santa Monica at the Pier,
where most state to state
road trip ends.
on my way back to
Dallas Forworth.
Marina Bay Sands in SG,
I used some of my vacation
leaves here. Thankful for
wonderful clients.
Loving everything about
being a Furmom VA.
I got to work even at my
all time favorite place…
the beach.
My flexible work sched
allows me to do my advocacy
in animal welfare.
This is Jimmy Gin one
of our rescued dog with a
huge malignant tumor on
his neck.
All photos are mine. Thanks for taking the time to read. God’s grace and blessings.
Thank you to @John28 for noticing my last post before i went hiatus here for almost 2 weeks. Big thanks again to @bloghound for renewing your sponsorship. See you in a few days. 💕 will bring that red coat 😍
New article is up! 💗 I literally invested a lot of tears last night writing that blog.
Playlist of The Broken
Disclaimer: This is not the usual list of broken hearted songs of an unrequited love for a man or a woman that you get to hear, read or see in some blog so please don’t get your hopes up. What I am about to share tonight is the broken, miserable experience of losing a pet whom I cared for and loved so much, treated as a family and even loved like my own child. I knew not everyone can easily relate to this but If you happen to witness a friend losing a pet, please do not make fun of them if they cry over the loss. Sometimes, and in my case, most of the time, it is worst than losing a thousand friends.
As a furmom, I have been in this situation for atleast four or five times for the past eight years when I began to embrace with so much dedication in taking care of multiple dogs. Losing a pet is literally like having a painful dagger in my heart that is so hard to remove and even as I pour out everything by crying with the hopes of making the pain go away…at the end it is only me, the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus and the time that can heal that deep loss.
**Yoyo**
She is my first broken heart. She is a victim of hit and run more than six years ago. I remember her biting my hand in pain as I rushed her to the vet. She was still breathing so I thought she can make it but she was already dead when we made it to the clinic. I remember having countless, painful headaches because of crying and blaming myself for what happened.
The one I can share to everyone is the poem I’ll Meet You in the Light, This is a poem shared to me by a friend during my grieving period.
`I know that you can't see me, but trust me I'm right here.`
`Although I'm up in heaven, my love for you stays near.`
`So often I see you crying, many times you call my name.`
`I want so much to lick your face and ease some of your pain.`
`I wish that I could make you see that Heaven indeed is real.`
`If you could see me run and play, how much better you would feel.`
`But our loving God has promised me that when the time is right,`
`You'll step out of the darkness and meet me in the light.`
`Written by Maureen Bauer`
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.
.
Sophia
A month after Yoyo’s passing, I felt like the only way I can move on is to get another female pomeranian. Then I met Sophie, ( i renamed her as Sophia), she was already 2 yrs. old and her owners gave her to me. She was a little neglected, lived outdoors in her owner’s terrace and her eyes are a little large and bulging, signs that she is living a stressful life. It was pure joy having her, Sophia erased those sad longings I had about losing Yoyo. Unfortunately, 5 mos. full of daily hugs and i love you’s ( she loves to be hugged a lot), because of a careless house accident, she instantly died from the big fall that hit her head. I remember those depressing moments sleeping a lot and seeking refuge inside my bedroom a couple of months. One of the song by Ed Sheeran was on my playlist as I cope up with the loss.
`Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes`
`But it's the only thing that I know`
`When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes`
`It is the only thing makes us feel alive`
`We keep this love in a photograph`
`We made these memories for ourselves`
`Where our eyes are never closing`
`Hearts are never broken`
`And time's forever frozen, still`
`So you can keep me`
`Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans`
`Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet`
`You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home`
`excerpts from the song Photograph by Ed Sheeran`
https://youtu.be/qgmXPCX4VzU
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.
.
Diego
It’s been three years since he accidentally ran away from our house because of fear of those numerous vehicles that passes by that one fateful night. Diego is our family guard dog together with his sister Dolly. They are not used to straying outside and into the streets. We have a city ordinance that all dogs must be kept on leash at all times. As much as I want to keep them indoors, our house was too small to have large dogs inside. The only way I can make up to them is to lock the gate when I know my relatives are sleeping, and put them off leash in our front yard in order for them to play just to make sure they can happily release their energy of being tied the whole day. I was so caught up with work that night that I didn’t know they were able to unlock the gate. I was able to get hold of Dolly and bring her in, but Diego was too fast I wasn’t able to see which direction of the road he went into. I prayed and waited the whole night for him but he never came back. After countless visits at the city dog pound, non stop sharing in Facebook groups looking for Diego and even putting a 10k reward with hopes that if dog eaters were the ones who got him will be tempted to surrender him to us instead, I never found him. I was too brokenhearted, I composed this short poem for him.
`If you are happy where you are right now`
`and someone is taking care of you more than we do,`
`then pray for me to move on and be happy for you...`
`but if you missed us -your home`
`and you want to give us a chance to take care of you more,`
`I pray for your safety`
`for the Lord to hear our prayer`
`as I faithfully wait as He leads you back to us....`
`#keepingthefaith`
`#Hiswill`
.
.
.
Coco
*The 1st few parts of writing this article made me cry a lot tonight. I contemplated first if I will be adding him to my post til I decided to make a separate one for him. You will soon found out why.*
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.
.
Odie
The song I can totally relate whenever I thought about Odie is from Pink Sweats.
`Can I call you baby?`
`Can you be my friend?`
`Can you be my lover up until the very end?`
`Let me show you love, oh, I don't pretend`
`Stick by my side even when the world is givin' in, yeah`
`… Oh, oh, oh, don't`
`Don't you worry`
`I'll be there, whenever you want me`
`… I need somebody who can love me at my worst`
`No, I'm not perfect, but I hope you see my worth`
`'Cause it's only you, nobody new, I put you first`
`And for you, girl, I swear I'll do the worst`
`… If you stay forever, let me hold your hand`
`I can fill those places in your heart no else can`
`Let me show you love, oh, I don't pretend, yeah`
`I'll be right here, baby, you know I'll sink or swim`
`… Oh, oh, oh, don't`
`Don't you worry`
`I'll be there, whenever you want me`
`excerpts from the song At My Worst by Pink Sweats`
https://youtu.be/LKbzXBEU-lg
I first mentioned about Odie with the very first article I have written here in Read.Cash. Odie is one of my few rescued dogs that I fostered and eventually adopted because of his terminal condition. His previous owner wants to surrender him in our city’s high kill shelter pound because of his tumor. When he was first reported to me for rescue, I thought it would just be one of those past dog rescues that I had that has tumors but can easily be cured via surgery or chemotherapy. I was wrong. Odie has a rare type of cancelled called Baso-Squamous Carcinoma. There are no proven chemo drug yet for this type of canine cancer, surgery is the only option but with Odie’s age (a senior) plus the location and see severity of the tumor on his nose and has already metastasize inside his snout, we could not find a vet who would take the risk to do the complicated surgery that Odie needs. So I, and my local animal welfare group opted what we believe is the best option for Odie, pallative care treatment and make him feel loved and welcomed til it’s time for him to go. We created an FB page to chronicle his journey, Odie had quite a following of sponsors who donated to his wishlist and prayer warriors keeping the faith that miracles can still happen for our big boy. Odie is very strong willed and even up to his last breathe, he really wanted to live longer if only his body will cooperate. He made sure to relay to me that he enjoyed his stay living indoor with us, getting pampered and having us as his family. He passed away April 15 of this year, two days after we made an impromptu barkday party for him.
There is also another song I kept on playing after Odie’s passing, the song Here Without You. I am a Scotty McCreery fan so I will share his own cover of the song here below:
https://youtu.be/_Qj7hZvoD2o
`But all the miles that separate`
`Disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face`
`I'm here without you, baby`
`But you're still on my lonely mind`
`I think about you, baby`
`And I dream about you all the time`
`I'm here without you, baby`
`But you're still with me in my dreams`
`And tonight it's only you and me, yeah`
`Excerpts from the song Here Without You by 3 Doors Down`
`All pictures are mine and some were screenshots taken from my FB and IG account.`
Thank you sis @Pichi28 for your sponsorship and sharing your blessings. Soon ako din. Tyaga lang muna ako at more singit pa sa oras. God bless and stay safe always 💕
Of Good Food and Happy Feet
I totally agree with the statement that finding the best food in town is always an adventure. Whenever I am in a new place, I always make it a point to try what food makes the locals tick maybe it be their delicacy or comfort food. I am proud and blessed to be living in Baguio City where there is an unlimited variety of food and restaurants to try aside from its affordability. I also got the chance to live near Bonifacio Global City in Taguig where you can also find drool worthy food everywhere like in Serendra, Bonifacio High Street and the place I missed the most: Mercato Food Park in Mercato BGC! (Aaaah! I want to scream and cry! Huhu!) This pandemic made it difficult for me to travel like I used to before Covid 19 made us all crazy. Before featuring the local foods that are a must try in my city, let me start with showing you some of my food adventures with the two countries i’ve been to.
USA
The uber famous Cinnamon Rolls of Holiday Inn Express! 😍 I used to worked at Intercontinental Hotel Group as a Reservations Sales Agent and I always entice guests calling to make hotel reservations in the United States and Canada to choose Holiday Inn Express because of their complimentary full buffet breakfast. There are also many Holiday Inn Express tv commercials that always features their signature cinnamon rolls as the best part of their breakfast menu. I remember the excitement I had during our road trip from Texas to New Mexico and my friend told me she booked a Holiday Inn Express. Their cinnamon rolls are indeed the best I have tried. Soft, warm and just the right amount of frosting. 😋😍
Lemon Meringue Pie of the giant supermart in the US called Walmart. They remind me so much of Sagada Mountain Province’s famous Lemon Pie except that this one has meringue on top so it is much sweeter.
The Baked Oysters and the Lobster & Chicken above were both from Kawa’s Hibachi Grill and Lounge located in Tyler, Texas. We just came back from an 8 days state to state road trip from Texas to California and vice versa so this is a welcoming break from the fastfood restaurants we’ve been having from those numerous stop overs. This restaurant is one of the more upscale restaurants in the city. Food is a little more expensive and the way they served their food is by assigning us a chef and cooking it in front of us with comical and musical entertaintment from the chef itself. I remember doing a live video at Facebook when the chef did his entertainment cooking.
This photo is grabbed from my Instagram stories so it already has a caption of what it is. This is my first meal when I first landed in Dallas Love Field Airport. Usually if it is a fish sandwich, I expected it to be deep fried covered with breading so this one is a healthier version. I don’t consider myself a legitimate foodie if I will not try something new so this Grilled Salmon is a must try with an option to choose ciabatta or wheat bread.
Bundt Cakes and Cupcakes By Nothing Bundt Cakes. These cakes were served during the 1st birthday of my friend’s son. The birthday party was held the day before my flight going back to the Philippines. Inspite of the cake being commercialized and easily bought at any Walmart stores all over the country, this is a famous cake. They have a variety of flavors to choose from which made it an easy choice as a birthday or any celebration cake. My friend even asked me to bring home some but I refused because of too many baggages to handle on my flight going home. I wish they’ll open a branch here in the Phils. Maybe soon. My best bet will be in BGC Taguig. ( cross fingers).
American Food are too salty for my liking when I was in the US that I resorted to rice meals as my comfort food and chinese food is the closest I could get. Thank God for Panda Express, they were everywhere! Their Honey Walnut Shrimp and Orange Chicken are the best. I got excited when I learned they opened a branch in Manila so when my husband came home from Manila last June I asked him to order Panda Express. The picture above was my order here in Manila. I can’t find the picture I had in the US since we mostly had Panda Express during our quick stops.
I felt like my trip to the US wouldn’t be complete without trying their local ice creams. Their ice creams are so cheap as well which only cost almost 3 USD, (usually 5 to 6 USD here in the Phils). My verdict? Their gazillions of ice cream flavors are to die for. Drool worthy to the nth level. Selecta, i don’t know you! 😅
Singapore
Singapore’s uber famous staple food: Laksa! 😋😋
I have heard Laksa from my foodie friends before but it wasn’t until I get to Singapore last January 2020, before I got my first taste of this yummy delicacy. This food can be ordered everywhere from street food dining, fastfoods to upscale restaurants. I totally loved everything about it that I think I have been eating Laksa atleast once or even twice a day during my whole SG trip 😅
My first meal when I first landed at SG’s Changi Airport. Sticky Rice with Mango and Coconut Cream. I took this picture when the coconut wasn’t serve yet. This food reminds me of our own biko with mango to give it an interesting combination of something sweet and tangy.
The moment we were in Universal Studios SG, my friend bought me this popcorn and told me it is a must for me to try. Their macadamia popcorn are indeed to die for that I ended up looking for their shop at the airport on my way home. Chef Tony’s? I don’t know you. 😄
Coron Palawan
Aware of me being a foodie and always game in trying something new, a friend messaged me to try this pizza place when she found out we are in Coron. I and my daughter, excitedly searched for the said place. Coron is a small town so everything are mostly walking distance or just a short tricycle trip. Trattoria by Altrove is an Italian restaurant offering handmade firewood pizza. It was dinner time when we get there and the place is packed with mostly foreign tourists and we were made to stay at the waiting area for atleast five minutes before we were called to our assigned table. All customers were requested to take off their shoes or any of their footwears before going in. I wasn’t able to order right away because of the amusement I got seeing a batch of Italian groups eating. Check the video below in order to understand what I meant. 😀
https://vimeo.com/585412705
Done watching? I’ m sure for Filipinos like me this will surely blow your mind after watching these Italians eating all those 12 inches of pizza each. I was like: “how do they manage to stay skinny with all those carbs? 🙊” I guess, pizza is a staple food to them so it’s just relating it to us, Filipinos, eating in Mang Inasal and leaving the said fastfood with a stomach bearing atleast six cups of unlimited rice 😆. So there. As for me and my daughter, we only managed to eat two slices each and brought home the rest of our ordered pizza for my husband who chose to stay at our rented villa.
My 1st trip to Coron was in 2017 and when I get the chance to go back two years later, my trip to Coron will not be complete without making a bee line to Pedro’s Gelato. This ice cream shop is not franchised in other cities. You can only find them in Coron. I ordered salted caramel and cheese brownie fudge while my husband and daughter ordered the minty cookies and cream.
Buttered Alimango 😍😋 This one was cooked by our tour guide Argel while we are on our boat on our way to Pass Island. Writing about it now made me want to crave and look for someone who might be selling it locally. Maybe, I’ll try my luck at the wet market and asked hubby to do the cooking. 😅
Grabbed this photo again at my IG Stories. It seems that it’s only in Coron that I can find the best danggit. I can’t find one in our local market that tastes as good as the one they are serving in Coron Village.
This foodie post is a lot lengthier than what I expected so I guess the plan of including Baguio and BGC food will have to be made on a separate post. See you!
`All pictures are mine.`
Thank you @Eylz2021 for being my 4th sponsor and technically my 1st ever sponsor since the 1st 3 sponsors i have are my friends in real. Thank you for taking interest in my contents. Work and other activities are restricting me to do more here but will subscribe and know more of the community here :)
Cry Me A River
Originally, I was supposed to write an article related to this month’s Buwan ng Wika. I was really challenged to write something in Filipino since Filipino is also one of my best subjects in school before. Pero ewan, dapatwat, subalit, sapagkat marahil sa biglaang pag iba ng ihip ng hangin 😅, ako’y napabasa sa pinaka bagong sulat ng isa sa mga aking matalik na kaibigan na si @ARTicLEE tungkol sa kanta ni Mariah Carey ay sadyang nanumbalik ang mga karanasan ko sa mga kasawian ko sa pag ibig hehe! Huwaw! Hiningal ako sa aking pagtatangkang magbalangkas at magsulat sa wikang Filipino. Nakakaloka pala magsulat ulit sa Filipino. Nakakapagtaka bakit di na ako sanay. Pero sige subukan kong ibahagi nalang kung gaano kalaking tulong sa akin si Mareng Mariah sa panahon ng aking kalungkotan.
`You called yesterday to basically say`
`That you care for me But`
`that you're just not in love`
`Immediately I pretended To be feeling similarly And led you to believe it was`
`okay To just walk away from the`
`one thing That's unyielding and sacred to me`
`Well I guess I'm trying to be Nonchalant about it And I'm going to extremes to prove I'm fine without you`
`But in reality I'm slowly losing my mind Underneath a disguise of a smile`
`Gradually I'm dying inside`
`Friends ask me how I feel`
`And I lie convincingly`
`'Cause I don't want to reveal The fact that I'm suffering`
`So I wear my disguise 'Til I go home at night`
`And turn down all the lights And then I break down and cry`
https://youtu.be/bC7V9dn1rC8
(*Excerpts from the song Breakdown by Mariah Carey)*
Sobrang sapul sa akin itong kantang to na para bang ginawa talaga para sa akin. Waah, awat na hanggang dito nalang kaya ko isulat ng diretsong tagalog 😆. Don’t get me wrong, I am happily married now. At yung taong nagpaiyak sa akin at nagpaemote sa akin dyan sa kanta ni Mariah na yan ay sya kong asawa ngayon. 😅 No more heartbreaks, I even consider myself lucky to have a very caring husband, pampered wife pa nga kung iisipin. Nagflashback lang talaga yung mga kantang nagpa emote sa akin dati at kahit ngayon na binalikan ko ‘tong kantang ito parang tagos at ramdam ko pa din ang bawat lyrics at mga naramdaman ko dati. Songs are indeed powerful. Na kahit di na ako sawing puso ay relate na relate pa din hehe! Experiences are our best teachers sabi nga nila. Kaya siguro mula noon, isa ako sa mga takbuhan ng mga kaibigan kong namo mroblema sa pag ibig. Dahil siguro alam din nila na alam ko ang pakiramdam ng nasaktan dati. Lagi akong Babysitter ng mga sawi. 🙃
`So what do you do`
`When somebody you're so devoted to`
`Suddenly just stops loving you`
`And it seems they haven't got a clue`
`Of the pain that rejection is putting you through`
`Do you cling to your pride`
`And sing "I will survive"`
`Do you lash out and say how dare you leave this way?`
`Do you hold on in vain as they just slip away`
*(still an excerpt from the song Breakdown of Mariah Carey)*
Sobrang ouch diba? Basang basa sa Ulan by Aegis ang peg ko dito nuon 😄 Pwede ding emote habang nagsha shower. 😆 Pero seryoso, super thankful ako buhay pa din ako ngayon pagkatapos ko pagdaanan ang ganyan katinding sakit hehe! Friends were a big help especially my family and of course God’s grace. Si Lord talaga literal na inakay ako nuon at sinabihang tama na umuwi na ako. Salamat talaga ginising Niya ako bago maging huli ang lahat. Lahat ng mga kinatakutan kong mawala sa akin bumalik at may blessing pa na anak na syang nagbigay ng direction din sa buhay ko. Trust in God and His prefect timing lang talaga. Kapit lang lagi **Sa Kanya**.
Sharing a glimpse of my life in a collage. Insert my ARSAB and other friends i have for more than 3 decades 💗
Inside a Dog Lover’s Haven
I was browsing at my 2013 Starbucks Planner when I read this thing that I wrote 8 yrs. ago.
Krusher is our first ever furbaby. He is 8 yrs.old now and I call him and our other furbabies my definition of Serependipity. I wasn’t born a dog lover, it was only when we had Krusher that I started loving dogs to the point that having only one is not enough. (We now have 9 furbabies total 🥰) Taking care of all of them is like passion, I don’t get tired of taking care of them and having them around is always a joy to be with. As the years go by, my love for my dogs extends to helping neglected and abused dogs and cats until responsible pet ownership became my advocacy.
Tonight, I wouldn’t talk much about my advocacy but rather, I would like to share my growing collection of anything dog or cat related. I remember before having a dog, I was making fun of my friend @Jaytee ‘s dalmatian scarf. That was so insensitive and cruel of me, I don’t think I ever apologized for that behaviour, sorry mars🥺😘 but anyway who’s laughing at me now with these crazy doggie hauls, right mars? 😆🙊🙈 Love you. 😘
Dachsund Car Visor Clip from Bath and Body Works. This is the latest I bought and it was delivered today. The separate scented refills were ordered separately. I meant to give this as one of my gift to my husband’s birthday next week.
The Brooch. I got this from an online bidding and used it as a bag pin instead. This is either a cat or a dog, not sure. What do you think? 🙂
The Door Signage on our Main Door. A warning of what is or are to be seen once the door opens 😄☺️
My feline platito set. So cute right? 😊 I bought this from an online fund raising to help rescued cats in my city.
The Resin Dog Bookend. When this was posted for sale, in a heartbeat, I knew I just had to have it.It reminds me so much of Odie, one of my most beloved rescued Golden Retriever who passed away because of cancer this year. The bookend is heavy and worth the price.
The Wall Decors. I also got this at a good price in an online vintage shop.
The Dog Mugs. Just like my dogs and Potato
Chips I can’t have just one 🥰
My favorite pink sweatshirt. I think the dog here is a Boston Terrier.
The Corgi and The Schnauzer Mini Planters. I am not much into plants so I will use this as a coin or jewelry catchall instead.
The Cat Magnet. Saw it a friend’s house. I begged her to let me have this ref magnet because she has two of the same design with the same statement.
The Puppy Hoodie. This was given by my sister in law. She sells bales of preloved clothes and when she saw this, she instantly thought of giving it to me. 🥰
The Hematite Stones. I bought this cat bracelet from a lawyer who rescues stray cats and raise funds to support their medical needs.
The Dog Bowl Charm. There was a time I got hooked with Pandora jewelries and of course my bangle charm wouldn’t be complete without a dog in it.
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•
•
There might still be some of these dog and cat items in my photo gallery but I got tired digging pictures from my IG so these crazy post will do for now. I would love to read in the comment box what cute collections you have. 😊
All pictures are mine.
Bedweather, Furbabies Edition
Resigning from work in 2013 and having a dog the same year are two of the best decisions I have made ever! The next two years were finding my niche in earning online, like blogging and online selling until I got my break and landed as a Virtual Assistant in 2016. From 2 dogs last 2013, I currently have 9 dogs total and I love everything about being a furmom to them.
Working remotely for the past 8 years, having dogs are a stress reliever. They may look like a handful to take care to most people, but to me they are my bundle of joy. Sometimes I call them my officemates, definitely way much better to hang around with compared to my workmates when I was still working in the corporate world. (Wink and smile, I am sure most or some of you can relate).
It’s been raining nonstop for more than two weeks and the bedweather feeling that most of us ( from the northern part of the Philippines) are having is also applicable to my dogs. These are one of those numerous times I am thankful to be working remotely and I don’t have to brave through the rain just to go to work.
Today, I made some fun doing videos with my furkids. Let me show you what my “workmates” did today. 😁
https://vimeo.com/582984790
1st on the list caught sleeping: Shaniya. Went to work but slept all day, woke up at 730 pm, ate dinner and slept more 😅
https://vimeo.com/583000319
Overbreak and Missing at work. Tinker even gave me a look as if asking since when is sleeping a sin? 😅
https://vimeo.com/583000515
The tres marias who slept beyond their alarm clock and were absent from work. 😅
https://vimeo.com/583000318
The whistle blowers, the very good employees. They showed me where the guilty ones are sleeping and not doing their jobs 😅
PS. Matty, the black one is not my dog, he was rescued a few weeks ago and I am just fostering him for the meantime.
https://vimeo.com/582999048
And the winner is Cupcake! Went to work for the money, not sleeping but caught horsing around pretending to be working. 😅
That Royal Fairy Tale Wedding
Last Friday, I and my husband attended my niece’s wedding and our expectation only was that it will be a little lavish from the usual since the reception will be at one of the most fancy hotel in our city and that all guests were required to wear formal (Black Coat and Tie for Men and Long Gown for Women).
The moment we arrived at the Church and laid eyes of the bride’s wedding gown and the groom’s LV shoes (yup, authenticity spotted 😄), I knew that this wedding costs more than a fortune.
Here’s a glimpse of the bride’s iconic gown:
https://vimeo.com/582189279
This dreamy wedding gown is created by local designer, Rian Fernandez, and was hand embroidered with thousands of rhinestones and swarovskis. The gown depicts true royalty and fits perfectly with my niece’s beauty queen face. The said wedding dress is called “Belle’s Journey Of A Thousand Beads”.
Here’s a photo of the newlyweds i took during the church ceremony:
We arrived at the wedding reception at 5pm and we were ushered first to have our fill of their prepared grazing table filled with brick oven pizzas, wine, coffee, frut juice, grapes, kiwi, oranges, almond, cold meats, crackers and cheese selections.
I was able to do a video tour of how artfully they presented the buffet grazing table.
https://vimeo.com/582196566
Smorgasbord at it’s finest! 😋
Going to the main hall where the grand celebration is held is like opening one door to another of the magic of the wedding celebration being unfolded in front of us. The pictures and videos below will tell you.
My niece, the bride (who happened to look like a beauty queen in person) envisioned a Lebanese feel and a breathe of royal fairy tale theme for her wedding and the event organizers definitely made an exemplary job of what was requested. The organizers took 3 days to detail the requested theme and took 7 days to complete. They were able to transform the grand ballroom with thousands of flowers, hand cut butterflies and glittering lights and moving graphics. (Check out the video below).
https://vimeo.com/582453896
We later found out that the groom’s parents owned the hotel where the wedding reception is being held and they owned one of the biggest enterprise in the country in the Heavy Civil Engineer Industry which explains the lavishness and opulence of the wedding. As for the dinner menu, I wasn’t able to take photos or videos of it because we got too busy mingling with other relatives.
All photos and videos are mine.
Back tonight for some writing. Thank you for the upvote and sponsorship @francescawrites @TengoLoTodo @ARTicLEE @Bloghound Jaytee.. I’ll be drafting my 2nd blog and will return the favor after this.
The One With The Advocacy
After 7 years of absence from the blogging world and lots of coaxing from my foodie friends… I have finally landed. 👍🏼
Normally, I would start my first blog with writing something common about me but nope, those things can be written and can be learned little by little for sure in my next coming articles. Instead, I would like to share to everyone what few people know about me and what I do outside of work, friends and family.
I am an advocate of Responsible Pet Ownership, I rescue animals.
If there is something that will make me sprung in the middle of the night, hail a cab and dash out of my home is seeing reports of pets in distress, dogs and cats getting drenched in the rain, pets getting abused by their owners or other people, dog meat trades that are about to happen…count me in. I did not chose this route or advocacy, I wasn’t even a dog or a cat lover as a child but once I experienced what it’s like to care for these adorable creatures of God called dogs 8 yrs. ago , I couldn’t bare to close my eyes seeing other pets suffering or being neglected. Through the years, I came to learn and accept that I can’t save them all. Being an animal advocate comes with a lot of dangers that I had to prioritize my family and my safety. There are also a couple of times that I also had to say no if it meant compromising the health of my furbabies. Animal rescuing can be mentally depressing and financially draining if you don’t have a sense of balance. Thankful I have a loving family, a supportive husband and daughter, a close knit of friends, my sweet little furbabies as my stress relievers and most of all the grace of our Loving Father to turn to when everything gets overwhelming.
Pictures above and below is Odie, one of my most loved rescued dog. Five months after being rescued, he passed away last April of this year due to a terminal cancer called Baso- Squamous Carcinoma. His cancer rapidly ate up his nose and it slowly metastasized to his lungs, mouth and gums and his previous owner wants to bring him to a dog pound if no one will adopt him. I, my husband, daughter and lots of his online supporters made sure that Odie’s last few months were full of love, comfort and acceptance.
Odie and his begging eyes, pleading to get a bite of whatever it is that I am eating.💕
All pictures are mine.
@crazybeautifulfurmom
