Simple Potato Treat!

While I am suffering from this pinky-eyed monster thing, there is nothing left for me to do but cook, eat, check my inbox and browse some important documents. Cooking with both my eyes in pain made me forget for awhile that I have an ailment going on for six days.

Here's my simple corned beef potato topper.What I did was just to boil two medium size potato, 3 fried sliced corned beef (Hormel), fried minced onion, and quickmelt cheese. Although I could have mixed green peas but loose the courage to buy outside. I just used ingredients that I have inside the fridge. And after all the ingredients were prepared, I placed it in a plate ready for baking (using microwave oven.) Whola!!! I just had a sumptuous dinner treat!

* Pinky Eye *

What comes to your mind of the word pink?

Yes, there are a lot of things that describes pink and one of it is that it is CUTE ! But that description does not fit the characterization of a PINKY EYE because I am definitely talking about sore eyes in local parlance (Conjunctivitis).

Where's the cute in all that? For four days now I have been laboring of this situation aside from the red teary-eye, I also got mumps near my left ear that made my head ache. I never got used to having this sordid virus or bacteria whatever this one is.

The sad thing is, I cannot just self medicate using all types of eye drops because it might not treat the ailment. All I do is to take vitamin C, frequent washing of eyes (using tea or the chamomile feminine wash). However, the comfort of having myself treated take only a minute or two. So what to do with this one is to rest my eyes for a while and let it heal on its own.

When the cat is away the mouse will play!

It's the time of the day that I love to have the company of cat (not that i hate having one, I just don't enjoy their presence!) and wishing their were many of them. I even summon the heavens above to bring me a cat instantly and wonder where all the cats have gone? I used to see them crawling and waiting to be fed at the back of my sisters home. But I did not see them, not even one. Literally, the mouse did play well last night and called that act a "nuisance per se". If only this animal is so cute like "ratatouille" my night would have been different. This is how my story went....

Last night I lay down early in my bed seeking the comfort for my back after waking up so early yesterday. I closed my eyes and started to relax and hope to have a good dream of which I could not remember. I heard a creeping sound at first then the next thing was a loud scratched. I tried to sleep again and hoping that the sound would end but it did not! As the night gets late the louder it became or was i just so damn disturbed. I tried to breathe four times to relax and let the interruption slipped away but that did not work either.

Guess what? I end up reading a magazine but could still hear every bit of its annoying scratch. If only I could crawl up to the ceiling and kill that thing I would do exactly like it. Even imagined putting a rat trap that would gradually kill the house rat (a big one indeed). I had lots of "if" words last night that leads me to think of so many things other than the annoying sound only to find myself helpless and restless and woke up late this morning!

Photos:http://www.google.com.ph/searchtbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=600&q=ratatouille&gbv=2&oq=ratatouille&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=644l4838l0l5134l15l11l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0l0

I WROTE A NOTE FOR YOU!

My dear twin sistah,

So many thoughts are babbling out of my mind but one thing that I am absolutely certain is that I am so proud and grateful that you are my sister, my best friend and twin for all time. There are lots of unspoken thoughts but whenever we hang out together, may it be over a cup of coffee, plates of salads, hot sikwate, spaghetti, paksiw and humba we always find time to talk about things that matter not only to your family but to your own self. In fact, I am a witness to your personal, social (school-grocery-home routines), and family affairs and I am glad I was there during those moments may it be low or high but I know it didn’t matter because you always soar high even beyond your limits.

Many are your journeys and have come a long way to step into another phase that would not only change the way you see things but will definitely nurture your being. Wherever you may be rest assured that you have a home to come home to, right here in my heart because that is where you should be. I won’t bid goodbye but rather I will send you a song as you travel and find the things that you valued the most! I love you always and forever ate Raydine. KUDOS to your new life!

Love and Prayer,

Baby Piai

Welcome Home Baby BLEU

Just this weekend my puppy named “BLEU” was brought to me and totally made me happy because I now have a dog that means so much to me. I called her baby Bleu because she still looks like a baby with her size and height. She is a mix breed of Havanese-Shih Tzu Poodle and is five months old already. She is a sweet dog and loves to play around and lick peoples’ faces and skin.

Although she literally destroyed some of my favorite plants while enjoying her “out of the cage moment” I let it go because I can see her joy while roaming around the house. The next day we went out to the beach so she could swim with us, we let her swim and swim until we could feel her heart pounding so fast. As we went home after that short swim, I could see her tired body lying down her cage and even slept during our trip back home. After we fed her with delicious meal we could no longer hear her barking as she sleep so soundly inside her cage.

This puppy indeed had a characteristic that is easy to understand, for example, if she wanted to pee or poo and she is inside her cage, she would call your attention by barking and wagging her tails, that means she is experiencing the call of nature. However, I will still have a lot to discover about her in the days to come. Welcome my baby Bleu and thanks to the one who gave you to me.

Perfect Weekend Getaway at Kampo Juan!

Yes, i had perfect weekend getaway, one I could never forget. Why is that so? because first i was with my closest friends, second, we were among the few people to visit the newest and will be one of the best Eco-Friendly 10 hectare Park named "KAMPO JUAN" located in Diclum, Manolo Fortich Bukidnon. The place is just 36 Km away from the City of Cagayan de Oro and just a few kilometers from the main highway! Thats just not it, on our way to that place we will pass by the Mac Arthur Shrine and reminded me that my history professors were wrong about one

thing, that Palo Leyte is not the place where he said the line "I SHALL RETURN" but rather he made it in Diclum, Manolo Fortich.

For me KAMPO JUAN is remarkably beautiful with nature at its best, nice location, accessible and with warm and friendly guides. My friends and I get readied wit

h our zip line ride (250 meters), hanging walk bridge that lead us to the main camp. I also took the 480 meters zipline with my friend where I could almost reach the cliff with "balite tree" touching my back with a smooth swift. I did enjoy the whole trip back to the main camp while we passed by another viewing deck that provides us with view of the scenery, where we could also see Mount Kitanglad!

Other than zipline and hanging bridge, Kampo Juan also offers parajumping activities, the ultralight, rapelling activity, unicycling and other stuff. I was told that they will officially open this April 22, 2011 with expected guest stars, so if you like to spend eco-friendly time with family and friends you might want to try Kampo Juan.

My next trip will be Jatico!

KAMPO JUAN kong gusto mo makasinati og nindot nga lugar diin makauban ang imong pamilya ug mga higala sulayi kini nga Eco-F

riendly nga Parke nahimutang sa Diclum, Manolo Fortich! Makita nimo ang Mt. Kitanglad, suba ug ang mabati nimo ang kabugnaw sa maong dapit. Uban sa akong mga higala nagsulay kami sa pagsakay sa ilang zipline diin makahatag og kaabtik sa atong kalawasan. Busa adto na, aron makatagamtam og kahupay ang imong panghuna-huna nga naipit sa kadaghan nga trabaho.

Mao kini akong entry para sa letrang K!

Birthday what’s in it for me?

All done and we are good to celebrate the 2nd birthday of my god son Rob Ethan Velez Lariosa. There’s a lot of good food for the children’s party and of course nothing beats the hotdogs with marshmallows on sticks, spaghetti and the unbeatable chicken drumstick for kids and for adults eyes only.

The theme of the kid’s party is “Barney” with all the colorful balloons and no less than the "Barney cake" that is not only good for the eyes but for its taste as well. And the last but not the least is the main guest of the party, no less than “Barney” mascot himself who not only dance but sings as well.

But guess what excites me most are the games specifically the “Pabitin” game, where small toys, snacks, candies and all sorts were strung in a lattice of bamboo sticks and suspended in the air with a string. Yes, I enjoyed watching those tiny little hands trying to get the goodies strung around the bamboo as the goodies were lowered down. And not only that I could sense all their excitement that at last they got something from it and the achievements they get even if it’s just goodies.

On a serious note, I have read that this game is traditionally played during Santa Cruz de Mayo however it is now played during birthdays and during town fiestas. The game will end when nothing is left in the lattice bamboo.

The game is a direct influence of the Catholicism brought by Spain to the Philippines. It is sometimes called "paagaw" (anything for grabs) and is a special game during Santa Cruz de Mayo, a commemoration of the search for Christ's cross by Saint Helen and her son, Constantine the Great.

Source: http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Pabitin

Personal Photos of piaipipiay

feel the music!

Last year when I went home to my hometown, I heard my sister was talking about a dance fitness program which was introduced by a common friend. I am talking about the “Zumba” dance fitness which is a Latin-inspired-dance-fitness with cool music and dance steps that will make your body sweat at the same time you will enjoy while exercising. What I like about the Zumba is that it will only take you twenty minutes to sweat your body off and is still a very effective means of burning calories. You only need 20 minute of your time a day (that’s five days a week) to just dance your body and feel the music.

For those people who have heart problem like me, you only need 20-30 minute exercise not because you want to loose weight but you will definitely do good to your heart and cardiovascular health. According to my readings, more than 40 studies in the scientific literature document that cardiac risk can be reduced by 30 - 50% by regular, moderate exercise - averaging far less than one hour per day. As for me, this dance-fitness do me good.

Sources: http://www.zumba.com/us/about/
http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/exercise/a/enoughexercise.htm

Old as time

Custom made antique furniture made my eyes brighter especially when we speak of antique crafts. And as I travel around places there is something in that place that caught my attention and furniture’s are one of them. It really tickle my senses when people starts to talk about the history of that particular furniture, where it came from and how it was made. More importantly, how these furniture became a witness of the changing generations and if only they can talk they will surely tell a good story.

With the furniture in the house, antique decorations does fit in it.

In Awe!

When I travel, part of my breaktime is to tour around the place whether it may be a park, market, and some tourist spot in a particular place. However, this one made my night completely in awe while I visit my sister’s best friend’s home. As we reached their house, I could certainly say that this one is a very old house, it was confirmed when my sister’s best friend told me that the house is actually an 18^th Century old house but was renovated during 1920’s. If only I could clap and jump for joy upon seeing their beautiful decorations and antique one at that. Some of their decorations where used as cooking wares for native hot chocolate (called “sikwate”), the pink ceramic vase (16^th century old vase), old teapot, lamp and the manual planer. I could really hear myself screaming seeing these beautiful decors worth saving and keeping for. These are just few of their antique collection that suits the family’s home.