A GeneStory

Yesterday was a good day. I was at home just reading, writing, and watching endless videos of Elmo with Baby S.

Cradling Baby S in my arms, I am reminded of a conversation I had with my daughter a week or so ago. We were in my bedroom, with Baby S climbing in and out of my bed, and we got to talking about who the little crawler looks like. You see, E is deathly scared that Baby S would eventually inherit her dad's very distinctive nose. No, he is not pango, as most Pinoys are. No, he just has a set of nostrils that are quite big in proportion to the rest of his face, malapad is how Pinoys would put it.

It's still to early to tell, I assure her. And if Baby S's nose happens to resemble those of her father's well, we cannot do anything about that anymore. It's all in the genes -- like how she got her father's curly hair and my brown skin; or how she and her brothers K and F got my poor eyesight; or how F and K look more like their father and how S and E look more like me; or how F and K seem more fair-skinned like my mother, their grandmother.

Small as she is, Baby S is already starting to show bits and pieces of her parents. She has her mom's curly, wavy hair but her dad's droopy eyes. She has her mom's tiny lips but increasingly, her dad's not so bitty nose. I look at her, pitter-pattering all over my room and I wonder out loud, "What did she get from me?" "Your skin," my daughter says promptly. "I wish she'd get my brains," I said but I truly hope that she never inherits my heart. Because now, as always, I am crazy stupid when it comes to matters of the heart. That's one kind of stupid I hope my granddaughter never suffers from :)

Cook-off

I've missed cooking. Because I've been busy finishing a project and chasing some deadlines, I haven't really had time to cook. And so, for a couple of days last week, my kids and I subsisted on food bought from the neighborhood carinderia, Baliwag lechon manok, and Perpy's sisig liempo. It wasn't so bad actually especially the sisig liempo, which is inihaw na liempo mixed in a "secret sauce." But it wasn't good either.

And so, after getting kilos and kilos of stuff from our neighborhood butcher and doing a quick trip to the grocery, I decided to do some serious cooking. First off, chicken vegetable soup with minced carrots, sayote, celery, onions, and bell pepper--my secret ingredient. The chicken--I got the tasty part around the neck--I first boiled to make some broth, then shredded the meat off the bones. I then sauteed all my minced veggies before pouring the mixture onto the broth. Already, I could smell the veggie goodness but to give it more flavor, I added in some cream of asparagus. Baby S couldn't get enough of it :)

Next up, menudo, my all-time favorite. The cubed pork and liver I first marinate in soy sauce, I trick I learned from my dad. I then saute the meat in onions and when that's all tender, added the potatoes, carrots, and tomato sauce. I made a big batch of this one to freeze for when I get busy again.

Before I knock off for the day, I make one last dish: Chicken Pickles, something that my Mom makes really well. It's actually kind of simple, just fry the chicken, mix in some onions and potatoes, and pump it up with a bottle of pickle relish. Last, I pour in my other all-time favorite ingredient: all-purpose cream. This gives the dish a creamy sort of sourness that tastes truly sublime.

At the end of the cook-off, I am all tired and all sweaty. But when the kids start eating, and they did so with much gusto, I am not just happy, I feel awfully fulfilled.

Klutz

I was rushing to meet my friends for lunch when I found myself sprawled on all fours in front of a 7-Eleven. Yes, I did it again. I slipped and fell and skinned my left knee, bad! Knowing that I'd be able to get some first aid supplies there, I scrounged up my dignity, stood up, and ambled my way into the store. The store personnel, who are mercifully familiar with me, helped me almost immediately. One of their managers managed to find a bottle of Betadine, told me to sit down, held my left leg while their security guard poured antiseptic on the ugly gash.

This is not the first time I've had a tumble. About three years ago, I think, I slipped while going down a flight of stairs, hit my back, and ended up going to the hospital for a checkup. I was completely fine; I just needed some reassurance from a medical professional.

Still, the most spectacular tumble I've ever had was in college during a track and field competition. I was running middle distances, and tumbled--twice!! Each time, I just collected myself, stood up, and ran again. This would be a great story if I were to tell you that I actually won the race, sprinting in the last few meters, knees gushing with blood. But well, this is the real story: I finished the race, second or third to the last I think, got first aid, went home, and laughed about it.

As for the lunch, yes, I kept that appointment and had fun catching up with dear friends. And because I was so flustered over my most recent tumble, I dragged my bandage-covered knee all over the mall and bought myself a nice pair of ankle boots. If I do make another tumble, at least I'll do it in style :)

Sunday

I've missed making slide shows. And so, on this sweet Sunday, here's a happy one. Enjoy!

23 Hours in Ilocos

It was a whirlwind of a trip but that doesn't mean I didn't get to pack some memories. Here are but some of them :)




windows
So many houses with so many quaint little windows





blue church
I didn't get the name of this one; we just passed it by and I just asked the driver to slow down so I can take a quick shot





pinakbet
Love this Tagalog version of the pinakbet with Tagalog sitaw





i love you
Found this graffiti on a bench outside of the Marcos Museum





sarrat church
The ruins at the back look even more beautiful but we didn't have the time to go down and explore; next time




starbucks?
Wonder what this store actually sells :)






electric fan
So lovely looking!

Elmom!!

Our house is often filled with a cacophony of sounds. From my room, Armi Millare is warbling Maybe, wondering if she should stay or if she should go for the ten thousandth time. From the boys' computer comes the unmistakable vibrations of doom and gloom as they slay yet another monster/alien/prince/soldier/peasant/whatever!! From Baby S's room wafts the trill of pianos and harpsichords with its unending loop of baby-please-go-to-sleep-now music. E sometimes breaks into song (but hardly dances) or plays laugh-out-loud videos.

But because it is the little one who often rules around here, we often find ourselves playing Baby S's favorite video whenever she goes "Elmom!" She'll go over to her Mom and they'll end up watching this:




When she walks over to my room and "demands" Elmom, this is what I play:




She loves this furry, red creature, who I did not at first like but who has apparently grown on me in recent weeks. Still, I am thankful that despite Baby S's fascination with Elmom, she still has time for my all-time favorite:

Happy Meal

A and I were supposed to meet for her birthday but even the best laid plans can fall grimly by the wayside when life happens. An exciting project, a must-see movie, a nostalgic concert, a do or die trip to the spa, another harried drive-by assignment, a happy visit to my son's school: things just happen. And so, what was supposed to be a birthday celebration turned into a get-together for another high school friend who's in town for her dad's surgery, which also became a victory dinner of sorts for another friend who won them over during the last elections.

I love these girls to death; with them, everything is easy. And it was nice to meet up in Cibo, where we've had many happy meals together. This only makes me miss one of our dearest friends even more, A. Before she went to live in Canada, the two As and I would always meet up for long lunches at Cibo; and I wouldn't be surprised if it was also there that she told us of her decision to leave. *Sigh*

Nevertheless, the dinner turned out to be a blast. And instead of children's parties and picky eater habits, we talked about kids and college, parents and their illnesses, and aching backs and creaking knees. Mwahahahaha How times have changed!

P.S. I miss you, A!

The Church in Paoay

I could sit under its shadow all day.

When I first laid eyes on this massive poetry of stones, I was immediately enchanted. When R told me that I was just looking at its back, I wanted to jump out of the car right there and then. But there was no need to rush. The church had stood there for centuries, it wasn't going nowhere.

Walking down its length, I could only marvel at its magnificence, at its seeming permanence. The church had survived several earthquakes, I am told, and countless renovations, I suppose. But there it still is, standing so proudly. In a world where things can change in a minute, it's comforting to be confronted by something so forever.

I could sit under its shadow all day.

Tattoo

I seem to be getting into all sorts of accidents of late. Anyway, I wanted to cook something nice for my kids, not having been home the past few days. So when my daughter requested Binagoongang Baboy (Pork with Shrimp Paste), I started puttering around the kitchen. Because I wanted the taba (fat) crispy like my mom makes it, I sliced off the fatty parts and proceeded to fry them. As I turned one big hunk of porky fat, the oil splashed and spattered and landed right smack on my right hand. Aray!!! It was painful!

Immediately, I got a bunch of cold tomatoes, squished them, and rubbed them all over my hand. So painful was the burn that I even asked my daughter to Google remedies. I was a bit distraught because it was my right hand, the one I use more often when I write and when I make my chains. And truth to tell, I had a bunch of deadlines to meet. Arrrgghhh!

Anyway, after the pain and the swelling, the hand healed itself. So I now have tattoo-like streaks on my right hand that look kinda scary Bwahahaha As for my Binagoongang Baboy, it was delicious. Just another day at the funhouse.