Kick Start Monday

It is lovely to start Monday with cakes and coffee. It is Jane’s birthday and she brought a lot of delicious goodies to work: coffee and walnut, chocolate and carrot cakes and Victoria sandwich cake + Cadbury Cake Bars and plenty of Weight Watchers bars for those who are ‘watching’ their calorie intake.

I particularly recommend having cakes first thing on Monday – it eases you in to work oh so gently.

I Heart this Week

Totally – the sun is out the whole week not just a hint but its full blazing glory. Although temperatures only reach as high as 10 degrees but the sun’s presence makes a lot of difference. I know I moan about the weather but I admit a bit of sunshine and a bit of cool breeze are perfect for me.

My viral cough is gone – it went as quickly as it came. I was prepared to be patient as the doctor advised and I was pleasantly surprise when I did not cough at all starting Thursday last week. You don’t know how pleased I am (and my friends and loved ones) that I am back to normal again. I am so overjoyed that missing an episode of DAMAGES does not bother me at all.

I took down minutes of a meeting. This is a new responsibility at work which I cautiously accepted knowing the demands of minute taking and the drag of producing the final document itself. The meeting went well and I came out from the room neither joyous nor traumatised but at least satisfied that I have survived the first hurdle. I start typing down my notes straightaway while everything is still fresh in my head. Yes there is a struggle but it is not as bad as I thought. I hope I have not spoken too soon here.

A trip planned with friends will finally go through. I was at first the miserable and confused old grumpy *** who cannot decide. I made that crucial decision last night and yes I felt so good about it. I felt 100 times better when I heard the excitement in my friends’ voice over the phone.

I wake up today inspired as I pay the window cleaner and put away the recycle bins. The sun is out and the air smells of newness and freshness to come.

Reluctant Trainspotter

Going home from work we turned left to a country road and after a few yards we saw around 10 cars parked next to a farm overlooking a rail track. There were men in anoraks and big jackets with their high tech filming equipment; cameras on tripods with long lenses.

I have my digital camera ( very small and more or less the point and click type) - pretty embarrassing compared to what the others have and the camera might not capture what it should capture - potentially a fast moving train.

After 30 minutes we saw a smoke from the distance - omg - it is a steam train! Dennis clambered out from the car and started taking photos. He managed three and as I predicted he was so frustrated with the camera's performance.

The third shot gives the impression that the train is about to catch fire ;-)!!!

Weekend completed - Check

We had tea out Friday to celebrate the start of the weekend and to treat myself for not coughing anymore – check.

Then I vegetated in front of the telly watching Red Nose Day - check.

We had a lie in on Saturday – check

Phoned mommy in Tangub - check.

I had a quick practice drive – check.

We went to Borders in Team Valley and then a cuppa at Starbucks. The coffee was not part of the plan but when you came in Borders and the smell of coffee greeted you – what else do you do? - check.

I slept and slept in the afternoon – check.

I woke up at 4.30 pm (disgusting) to prepare supper – check.

Sunday (third Sunday of Lent) attended church – check

Window shopped (and yes it was just definitely window shopping) for England for three hours – check.

Housework – check.

Getting depressed because it is going to be Monday soon - check.

A patient patient

I wrote before that I was poorly in the Philippines (yawn). I thought I was already sorted. I was wrong.

Back to work last Monday and I started coughing. Although everyone in the office is – I cannot possibly get infected straightaway. The cough that I have is the dry and tickly variety that goes on forever which annoys me, Dennis and probably mildly irritate the girls in the office. To be fair the girls are sympathetic because they are coughing as well – we even call ourselves the cough chorus but the point is I cannot do any work; I seem to die when the coughing fit starts and I have interrupted sleep.

Thursday, I went to see my doctor. I explained what I have and after listening to my chest and back and looking into my tonsils he gave me an A4 paper which contains information about viral cough.

Because it is viral no need for antibiotics. I can take lozenges and plenty of fluids. Further my good doctor says that this will normally clear within 3 -4 weeks so all I need is to be patient (ahhh a patient patient!!).

In the meantime; I am taking honey with lemon at home and having an overdose of Vicks44 lozenges at work.

Mom's Secret Garden

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Virtual Valentine

Dennis is still full of surprises. A day before Valentine's day he phoned and said that I check my suitcase pocket. I did and I found his Valentine's card - awwww bless ;-).

I was online with him on the day and had a quick steamy chat........ .

By the way in the airport Dennis surprised me again because he arrived with a bunch of flowers.

Oh I said thank you and then: "What have you done? C'mon tell me!"

The Good The Bad and The Ugly

The Good

Newcastle – Amsterdam – Manila flight went without a hitch. In flight food was fantastic although I still cannot figure it out why at 2.00 am they either served ice cream or pot noodle? In flight movies were brilliant. Outbound I watched (again) Dark Knight, Mama Mia, Devil Wears Prada, Indiana Jones Part 4, and Happy Feet; coming back I watched Wall E; Journey Towards the Centre of the Earth (cheesiest movie ever), Wanted and first half of Ghostown.

I had the aisle seat and two gentlemen were next to me. I thought this is okay since men (probably a generalisation) do not really need the toilet that much. I was wrong. I went thrice; they went several times.

I arrived Manila on time and even though Immigration took ages I was calm because when I texted auntie fe she was already outside waiting for me ;-).

The heat that hit me when I went out from the terminal was overpowering. Thank God auntie fe’s car is air conditioned!!

I had a two hour sleep before auntie fe and I attended mass and then dinner at Max’s Chicken – hmm sarap to the bones.

Arrived Ozamiz on the 10^th Feb – I was really tired but just too excited to meet the family. Okay excited at the same time apprehensive because there will be a lot of firsts in this visit: first time I will see the house after its completion 5 years ago and first time I will stay in the family home. I had been away for a long time and we do not have that much interaction anymore so we lack practice.

But everything turned out well. Discussions were open and frank; transparency was seen as a positive move and acceptance and forgiveness were being forged. We have not solved the problem of the world but we are getting there.

Even my mom had accepted the fact that her daughter (me) is an obsessive compulsive freak and therefore clearing and cleaning is second nature to her!! Off the plastic bottles and fly went old calendars and magazines a

First Monday of my visit was mom’s birthday. We had lunch in a restaurant in the main city and I ordered a birthday cake made of chocolate and covered in chocolate shavings.

My mom’s garden was superb. I love the way plants are allowed to grow “wherever”, no rhyme no reason no rules. I like the interplay of colours of yellow, orange and white and pink and green.

I look forward to our meals- all home cooked: fresh fish, salad na guso or lato, fried mussels and vegetable soup – kalami jod sa kalamunggay!! Coming back I just realised that I have not eaten lechon. But why go for lechon when fish either gi un unan or sinigang are available. The linung-ag nga saging dipped in anchovy sauce – I can still taste it!!

I enjoy reconnecting with former work colleagues and friends. They have not changed; I have not changed – only they have grown up kids either finishing high school or starting University. My friends are parents who are unfazed by demands of parenthood. We were having dinner and Sheila’s phone rang. Her son needed a pair of red gloves for a school activity the next day.

Sheila was fuming: “Asa man ko ma kakuha ug red gloves at 8.00 pm?!!”

The Bad

The heat as I’ve said was too much. I sweat (okay perspire) after a shower. Coping mechanism was bad. For four days I was ill and useless. I whinged and moaned and became a cry baby. I checked in a local hotel with my mom and Jalyn and gulped painkillers and antibiotics. After four days my ears were ringing because of too much medication but I feel a lot better.

The heat did not help with the trips I had to make. Even the 30 minute drive to Ozamiz was a struggle. How much more the 4 hour trip to Cagayan?

I am old my body complains.

I stayed with my aunt in Manila three days before my flight back . The travelling made me edgy and anxious. From Roxas Boulevard (where my aunt lives) to Malate; from Roxas Boulevard to Makati ; from Roxas Boulevard to NAIA.

The Ugly

Stranded in Amsterdam airport for 12 hours!!

Due to runway closure in Amsterdam the plane arrived in Manila late therefore we arrived in Amsterdam late. I missed my connecting flight. My flight was rebooked for Friday at 8.55 am therefore I have a 12 hour wait in an empty airport.

Shops were closed (to Dennis delight ;-) and restaurants were closing. I ate Goldilocks Polvoron and Buttered Macaroons and drank two bottles of water for 12 hours!!