10 Simple Pleasures - My ones

I've been tagged by blog buddies, Ivan and Rhebs on these pleasures. As of now these would be:





1. Everytime I glance at Viv's graduation picture and certificate.



2. When we buy take-away food for dinner/supper- the pleasure of eating food that I didn't cook. Relieves me too from cooking time and I can use the time for blogging!




3. Everytime I glance at Ray's collection of trophies he's earned in academic, sports, musical and community achievements. How did he get all that? The hard way or sometimes by sheer luck. The most flattering one is his DUX medal when he graduated from primary school. Every year there is a ratio of 1:1 or 1 dux=1primary school. I get a lot of kick when I see people glance at me and mumble 'she's Ray's Mum' in the shopping centre or on the bus/train. The Vicky's Son had been replaced by Ray's Mum.



4. When I am on the bus on the way to Brisbane on a weekend -not going to work. It's a pleasure trip to go and browse at the flea market, Queen St Mall shops or just to go strolling in Southbank.




5. When David and I go to the Gold Coast(GC) on a train. We can enjoy each other's company because not one of us is driving. We both take a leave on a weekday and off we go for an hour's train ride to the GC. We visit Jupiter's for lunch we like the buffet there, walk in and out of shops at the Pacific Fair or Harbourtown or enjoy the great surf and sand at Surfer's Paradise.



6. My little flower bed watching the new blooms and discarding of the old ones. It's a multi-colored burst of dianthus and petunias in shades of red, pink, white, purple, mauve and fuschias.



7. Looking at funny pictures like this.



8. Christmas Season! The look on Vivian's and Ray's faces as they open their gifts.



9. The prospect of seeing a celebrity the Gladiator, Russel Crowe himself in person for free!



10. Looking at my fishes looking at me in anticipation of their food.

This is a good mental excercise to determine whether we are really getting some pleasure out of our day to day existence. If you experience no simple pleasure at all, then FIND SOME and you'll feel happier. Thanks Ivan and Rhebs...

Dr. Khristine, Ray, Ate Sienna, Ka Uro, Tito Rolly, Vivi, Bugsybee, Hazel Vee and some BWI webbers- YOU ARE TAGGED. You may either write them on your site, send me an email or post it in your own groups.

it's thursday and since the last time it's been BUSY!

because...david had been taking some work home which we both do..
that is vivian trying to help with the work er pose with the work in the background..

ray had 'dancing with the staff' event at his high school, attended a musical competition at pine rivers where his school band got silver medal for the entire state of QLD , orchestra practice today where he plays percussion- drums piano lesson/teaching on Saturday... by golly- he's into all sorts of musical events.

tuesday was movie budget day- we watched mission impossible 3- which gave us a glimpse of the vatican in rome and shanghai, china...the action was too much and a bit drawn out but with all that it's an OK movie...

wednesday i worked overtime until 8pm and it was 9:30pm when I got home- dead tired.
we will also have another overtime work on Saturday- go girl strike while the iron is hot and while OT is being offered.

i was also tagged by Ivan- let me think about it and will publish in the future...

we missed the international kite festival last Sat-Sun...we went to the one last year so might share a pictures with you. more in the future entries.

Thanks to a gig, i visited the sunday flea market and the redcliffe peninsula

Ray had a lunch gig at the Seabrae Restaurant. He is a trombonist of the jazz group who's raising funds for their Sydney Tour in July 06.

I drove him there and had to wait for a couple of hours so I've taken the opportunity to browse through the Sunday flea markets, take a peak of the Settlement Cove which we used to visit during the summer months.







We called it our 'swimming pool' as we have not built a swimming pool in the backyard due to this free facility. Swimming is free- it should be as we pay exorbitant rates here!.

two unique personalities

Based from the choice of cards they gave me for mother's day, we gain insight into 2 personalities, which are very much like them too in real life.

Ray's card is serious and formal, in contrast to Viv's card which is less serious and quite humorous.
Viv's card: Text- mother's day, you've got the job of being my mum, the best job there could be! the pay is lousy, but who cares, when you've got perks like me!

Ray's card: Text- Mum- a mum is someone special, she is understanding, love and security. She's someone you can count on to be there always, encouraging dreams, giving help and support and brightening life with her thoughtfulness, her humour, and her caring. A mum is someone special, she's dear to her family for all the wonderful things she does and loved by her family for the wonderful person she is.





Here's Ray's poem:

you are my mother
you have always been there
i couldn't imagine any other
i know you care

you always put up with me
you are very understanding
all these(sic) i can see
you are surely outstanding

time just flies by
my future lies ahead
if i'm ever asking why...?
i'll remember what you said

allow me to say this:
no one else could be as true
if i'm ever miserable and want happiness...
i shall think of you

I am a lucky mum indeed....the Lord had been good!

I must mention special people

as they made my mother's day a very special one.

Vivi for driving all the way from Kuraby (+1hour away), over the Gateway Bridge/Motorway to come and give a card/gift and enjoy the specially cooked pinakbet and pancit canton with Mum. We had to cancel a previous booking for lunch at the Belvedere Hotel for an unexpected upholstery work taken home by David. Bread and butter source comes first before mothers day celebrations!





Ray for writing a lovely poem and playing extra beautiful songs on the piano.



David for his approval to buy some chryssies and chocolate mud cake.




Norma, my next door neighbour who came to give me some beautiful fragrant yellow roses




To Eva and Vicky with hubbies and kiddies, who called in after their Mother's Day Picnic at Sutton Beach to catch up with things over a cuppa- we really enjoyed your company.



And to all of you who have conveyed their greetings, verbally, through emails, comments, etc. you all have MADE MY DAY!

Happy Mothers Day Mama

My beloved mother, Mama Lourdes, Happy Mothers Day! You are the greatest Mama in the world always there to support me in my ups and ups I mean also in my downs. You have made me what I am now and I am always grateful.

God Bless you always Mama and may you continue enjoying your life surrounded by your loved ones. Even though we are oceans apart I love you very very much, and think of you everyday. My family also feels the same and we have the greatest respect for you. Everytime we see you we are always inspired and motivated and you have always been the light that guided us. Our dear Lord watch over you always and keep you from harm.

I LOVE YOU MAMA

the fence that was more impt than russell

these are the fence posts that had to be erected, the reason why i missed russell crowe in brissie
We've been postponing this task for a year now. We decided to use the left-over bricks from the construction to the house extension. Good idea and it saved us a lot of dough. We also thought of planting hedges in between and maybe 2-3 layers more of bricks just to set them off.

Russell Crowe was at Queens Street Mall in Brisbane

but bugger I missed him. Of all Saturdays, this was the time that I did not go to the city. He performed for free, with his band and it was all for free. I had always wanted to see a Hollywood actor/actress in person. David was putting up our front fence so I was giving him all the support I can.

Oh well, maybe he'll come again next time. John Travolta also paid Brisbane a visit and he had coffee downstairs and I just missed him too by a minute, near our foodcourt. Isn't it nice that our city is being visited by celebrities. Ted Turner was another guy- and he came to the Peninsula too.

Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman's future hubby was born/bred/schooled up in Caboolture, my favourite flea shopping place, just 20 minutes away from home. He now lives in a mansion in Nashville.
Pictures from the Sunday Mail May 06

friday, fish n chips night

a fish n chips shop near our home

My fried trevally with lime- my idea of fish

Lemons are always present on my buffet table, real and unreal

fish N chips David style, eaten with rice too

In New Zealand and Australia and I believe even in the UK, Friday is a fish n chips night. This means that majority of people will take it easy, not probably cook but queue up in the fish n chips shops to buy- yes, you guessed it fish and chips. It's been a tradition, believed to have originated from some religious practices that Friday should be a day of fasting or not eating meat (we do this in good friday)... so I don't even question it and just accept it. It saves me cooking too.

Fish is actually a filleted fish, dipped in batter or breadcrumbs (you have to specify that you want the battered instead of the crumbed fish when you order). Chips is of course french fries, both fish and chips are deep friend in oil together. They are salted then wrapped in paper and handed over to you, very warm- the aroma is very comforting. It is then unwrapped in the middle of the dinner table and everyone will just help themselves. This is good with white wine, or coke or even beer or just plain water. They are served with lemon wedges too or something called tartare sauce.

David cooks nice fish and chips, using a batter recipe given by our friend, Annie. So we have ours at home for as long as we don't upset David. Otherwise- we just order a pizza (which David cooks very well too using my well- protected secret pizza sauce). We are a food loving family always looking forward to our one big meal a day- suppertime where we mostly cook up a storm. I wonder what others have on their plates on Friday nights??

first day of work after a 4 day break

is like adjusting again and refreshing yourself with the routine you got used to. Work for me is like 5 minute walk to the busstop (sometimes)I get a lift from David as long as I let him hurry me up, 15 minute bus ride to the train station then 35 minute train ride to the city of Brisbane, then 10-15 minute walk to the Riverside Centre, depending on the distractions I allow myself to engaged in.

We catch up with what we did on the weekend, nice to tell and listen to everyone's happenings then we settle to our usual routines and work allocations, go on to the usual morning tea breaks (though I drink my self-made coffee- cappucino costs between 3-4 AUD$ here), lunch breaks, afternoon breaks and before you know it, time to go home again.

The beauty here is there is not much traffic to reckon with. I actually preferred to take the express bus to home but lately, I started going on the train again.

But- it's good to go back to work and look forward to that payslip which is actually the reason why we work. We have our pay every fortnight- but it does not stay long in the bank as it gets distributed to various bills.

Hay.. buhay..
Photos are my everyday scenes - where i wait for the bus, walk to work, and go to work- figure out for yourselves.