Another birthday in September- TODAY!

Happy birthday to the Groom in this wedding- born many moons ago in September 30.

When in Baguio City Philippines buy DANES translation DANES bakeshop products before 4 pm or you'll miss out. Danes Cafe is better than Starbucks (in my opinion) but your cinnamon rolls are my favourites- pahingi recipe...i know one of the ingredients- hangin.. hayan free ad for you courtesy of blogspot.

Am sure that the WWW and all the people in that picture wishes you well- you are one in a million in fact you are just one in the world, mon. More on Mon in peoples etc.

God bless you always- I will keep your gift here till you come- what can I give you but your all time childhood favourite- bananas of course and these ones are the real Queensland ones that were nearly wiped out during cyclone Tracey. They won the grand price in this year's Royal Show (Ekka).
Love
Manang Vicky, David, Ray, Vivian n Haines xoxoxoxo

Weird things about me

I was tagged sometime ago and I published this in one of my sites but for the sake of those who visit here- hereunder are some weird things about me.

1. I suffer from panic attacks and people don't notice it. I get cold sweats before speaking in public- i feel like leaving it all- but when i've done my first 2 statements, i feel fine. When I go out by myself and it's dark, I would be half way to e.g. the birdbath to leave left over rice, i suddenly panic and run back to the house yelling out for Ray or David to accompany me. David is more understanding but Ray shakes his head. When my invited guests finally arrive, I get a mental blank or a shock which I have to shake off , befiore I go out and meet them- but then everything always turns out well but I still get these weird feelings.

2. I watch horror movies without sounds....that's why I watch it alone as my housemates think it's weird. I hate being scared and somehow the sounds do a lot to me as I really freak out. I can tolerate the visuals though but I don't really enjoy it for the suspense but for the special effects created. Try watching the "Interview with the Vampires" without the sounds. But then again, after having looked through it, I watch it again with the sounds this time and I'll be able to appreciate it then.

3. I still love watching Walt Disney cartoon movies- Madagascar, Nemo, Lion King- and for someone who is half a century old people my age find it weird but my 2 children are amused. One of my greatest moments was visiting Walt Disney World in Orlando but due to the limited time I was not able to to go to the Magic Kingdom- instead I have to go with my 'matured' companions (hubby and 2 teenage kids) to MGM and Epcot (we had limited time then) but the Magic Kingdom is my priority next time and I don't care if I shall have to do it alone!

4. Snakes really scare me specially the small ones. Earthworms included. My brother used to have an earthworm farm- just a small one under the house . One day he played a practical joke on me. When I used to work in Manila and would go home to Baguio on the midnight Victory Liner schedule, I would sleep in the following day. One time after the 4-hour trip I was still in my room in Baguio deciding whether to get up or not to join the family for breakfast , Mon (my brod) called out, would you like to have the Manila Bulletin (I used to get up and get the newspaper and go back to my room, lie down and read it leisurely). I thought, he was being nice- and said yes, please. So he came up (my room was in an attic above the kitchen/dining room) with the folded newspaper and placed them on the floor beside the bed. I thanked him for his thoughtfulness. I picked up the folded paper and slowly opened it and some shiny browny stuff fell on my tummy like a small heap and probably after getting their bearings about 5 earthworms started crawling in all directions on top of my tummy. You don't wanna hear the screams that ensued after that and the chase that followed. Thank God that I was younger then- about 18 -if I were older I would have had a heart attack! It's still an annoying anecdote that my brothers say up to this day.

5. I have a fetish for pens- fountain pens, ballpens, pencils- I just love them. I feel insecured if there is just one pen in my bag. I need to have 2- fancy ones and one of them is a black-barrelled Cross ballpen given by my brother Mon (yes same one who enclosed some earthworms) as a gift from Oman(where he used to work). I have 2 Parker Fountain Pens, a Sheaffer calligraphic pen (which I use to sign cheques- which is now very seldom as i pay bills online- i use it to write letters or cards which is also very seldom due to emails and cybercards and blogs of course), a collection of pens i've collected from airlines, hotels, companies etc- all on big glass vase- all of them have ran out of ink. My dream pen is a MontBlanc which is actually a luxury and will probably get an Omega watch first before that pen...But since my buying decision now is based on the question- do you really need it? cand you afford it! so getting one will be so remote- unless i win several millions on the Lotto and have paid off my mortgage then....then will probably get one which I will use for trivial writings like doodles, or just a piece to hold and admire for the workmanship. If i am on the mall and no one is with me i always visit the PenShoppe just admiring those pens....

6. I play Christmas songs even when it's not December yet- when I come across them- and this really annoys my housemates....Fancy hearing Michael Jackson blurting out Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas in March. I whistle (yes, i can whistle) or hum them too unmindful of the present season. How weird is that- maybe I am just not thinking.
There you go- some weird things about me...If you had written some weird things, give me the link please as I'd like read them and for those who hasn't been tagged or wants to do it again, feel free to do it....this is very therapeutic.

Musings...winter is gone (at least in brisbane)

...and had not even worn all my winter clothes yet. As if it was only yesterday that I've taken them out of the season suitcase (when i travel all the contents goes into those big plastic bags) and am afraid they have to be swapped with the spring/summer clothes again. Working inside the office where room temperature is regulated one only needs a thick coat, a scarf and a good pair of boots to walk to/from the train station. So I did not even buy any winter clothes aside from some pairs of socks. It gets a bit daunting when one doen't have to wear a uniform though as I am not one person who plans what to wear the night before and there are times i get so indecisive..(trivial).

so much for that- alleluia- vivian and haines had landed yesterday after 11 days in the philippines and 6 days in hongkong. they made it. when i saw them at the airport i didn't recognise them as they both looked so carefree and relaxed. they look more tired traveling from kuraby to redcliffe! the verdict: they had a great time in both countries and meeting family in the phils. they are even carrying an extra brand new suitcase and i asked haines what's on it and he said her and my brand new stuff bought from hongkong- lucky couple. this is really an eventful time for me as for the first time i let vivian go on her own overseas trip and thank God that she went with haines too as they both looked after each other. travelling with another person, whether family or friend is more fun too- My only wish for my 2 children is for them to be self sufficient and be able to manage their own lives and situation and be at peace and happy with whoeve partner they choose.

so far, with Vivian, it's been very good. she had done well, financially self sufficient since she was 16 years old, even paid me board while she was here. Now she lives in a nice suburbia with a 4-5 bedroom house and working as a nurse. She seldom asks money from me ( although i volunteer to help her) and when she does, she pays it quickly. I think she feels a lot of pride in being financially sufficient and living independently . She just asks for food recipes every now and then.


As for Ray who is only 16, i think that i have to support him for a while yet. I don't really mind as he is doing very well at his school, he is quite a help in our sub-contracting business and he puts away the dishes and brings in the clothes and does chores i ask him every now and then. he gets into his moods but they are not bad, after handling 6 other teen-agers when the stepkids were living with us. Or i guess that i just got better handling them after all the experience.

Donna my first niece reached her glorious 18 years today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAMMY Sept 16 (belated na)

Hey Sam, I tried to ring you on the 16th but you weren't there. Then yesterday (which is 16th there as U.S. is a day behind Australia) but the answering machine was on so I left a message nalang...i rang Joseph instead and we spoke for awhile about you of course (hehehe)- Just to greet you Happy Happy Birthday ading (little brother!) and may you have many more happy returns to come. God Bless you always and may all your wishes come true.

Here is a picture of us celebrating (???) taken in 1983! We are drinking Fundador ( i doubt it- must just be a prop for the picture- see the red color- which I don't think is the color of Fundador). Besides I don't drink spirits- cherry juice yata yon. Pero i look lasing. You look great here- you were wearing your 'wear and wear' brown coat with the nice collar. You must have worn that coat for the whole year as far as I can remember because it was your favourite. No wonder as you look good in it. That picture was taken in our kitchen in Aurora Hill in Baguio.

If you were here I will cook you sinigang na baboy sa camatis/tamarind and will give you a case of beer for you and your mates.

Punta ka nalang dito sa birthday ko and i will take you to the concert of Billy Joel....bahala ka sa pamasahe mo.

You can read more on Sam here.

Sammy, happy birthday from all of us here in Australia- we love you Sam....

Hey pose- this is candid camera!

These pictures were taken in Baguio and Manila- Feb 06

Joseph is always on the phone, talking to Beth (who is in the U.S.) at this time. We were at SM Baguio waiting for a table to be vacated to have lunch. I took some candid shots- Mike and David saw me and posed. Then Joseph senses that picture is being taken and he gave his ear a break from the cellphone to give me a smile. Nice shot- 'atta boy- always say 'Cheeze'.

Here's another one- taken in Manila of the lovely couple, Dolly and Mon. Dolly is always alert- Mon is still deciding what to have for breakfast(we were going out to have B/F). Then Mon realised that the camera was directed at them....big smile!

Good shots- they don't know that I also kept the other shots.

Just for fun- I love taking candid shots- so be careful- always smile and show me your good side as you'll never know...KEEP SMILING ! AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND/WEEKDAY.

HEY JOSEPH YOU GAVE ME THE IDEA....THANKS...VISIT THIS SITE AGAIN AT LEAST EACH WEEK HUH- REGARDS.

9/11 Remembered

I wonder how each of us relate to the tragic events of 9/11. Recalling that time, I was chatting to a guy who said that he was from the south of France when Sandra Sully, the anchorwoman of Channel 9 News here in Australia appeared on screen for Nightline. First of the news was something about one of the Towers of the World Trade Centre in NYC had caught fire. I mentioned it to my chatmate and he said that he's gonna switch to CNN. Great idea, I did too. What was shown next was the most horrific images I've ever seen. It was a plane that flew straight into the other Tower!. At that very instance fear gripped me as I realised that America was being attacked. I was glued on the TV and witnessed how the forthcoming news unravelled. I was in shock as my brothers Joseph and family are based in Virginia, Sam and family were in Jacksonville, Florida and Mon and Dolly were in Las Vegas attending a conference. Lucky for us, after the inconvenience of the event, everyone was safe.

These images were from the Sydney Herald and it depicts 3 difference phases of the site after the attack. Life has to move on and I am glad that this place has- very slowly as it is the most tragic event of this century and touched a lot of lives. I had the great urge to visit my brothers in the U.S. right after 9/11 because it's been 11 years and I suddenly felt so homesick for them- plus I haven't really met my nephew and nieces. It was a good time to travel to the States too as the fare just zoomed down to its cheapest- AUD$1100 return to NYC was really cheap via JAL- so David, Viv, Chris(my stepson- David's son who was still with us) and I booked. The ensuing travel was one of the most eventual times of our lives. We visited the Eastcoast of America. We went from New York all the way down to DC and Jax Florida, via the Antrak train. We met my brothers and their families and spent time with them and we had one of the greatest moments of our lives.


Below was a news article published today online from the Sydney Herald. Read on....


9/11 Five years on

Phillip Coorey Chief Political Correspondent September 11, 2006

A day etched in memory ... firefighters make their way through the rubble of the world trade centre.

WE ALL changed that day, in ways we do not fully understand. Most of all, September 11, 2001, was a day that gave birth to new fears, and five years on we remain riveted by our dread, even when we know that sometimes we are jumping at shadows.
Australians share their apprehensions with Americans, Britons and much of the world. A poll taken for today's Herald shows 63 per cent believe the world is less safe. Only 4 per cent believe the contrary, and half think an attack on Australian soil more likely than it was in 2001.
The Prime Minister, John Howard, who was in the US that day, says that on his daily walks he contemplates the consequences of a large-scale attack on a Sydney office block. Mr Howard acknowledges the threat is real and that the air force could be ordered to shoot down a hijacked plane. He has written to George Bush to offer reflections on the anniversary, and this morning will attend a ceremony at the US embassy.
Mr Bush will visit ground zero today, where five years ago he vowed revenge. His popularity soared. But the Iraq war has wiped most of that, polls show. Weapons of mass destruction were not there; nor were Iraq's links to al-Qaeda. The CIA has just conceded there were none.

Goodbye STEVE IRWIN- the crocodile hunter

Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter had brought a lot of joy, information, courageous adventures, and awareness to wildlife, dangerous animals, endangered species to my family . We first knew of him as the Australian Crocodile Hunter in his TV series. When we visited Joseph in VA, the first thing they asked of us was if we knew or have seen Steve Irwin.

It was such a shock to learn today that he was attacked by a stingray on his chest and perished. Its a creature similar to the one below (stingray picture sent by Pandu, taken in the Bahamas). We had visited his family- owned Australia Zoo which is just a 25 minute drive from home and we had a wonderful time interacting with the animals. He had created a theme park that provided a natural experience to anyone who visits it. Even Vivs and Ray overcomed their fear of the snake and happily posed with the python below.

Steve was 44 years old, survived by his American wife, Terri and their 2 young children. He was a great wildlife icon, passionate conservationist and a very enthusiastic individual in what he does. My children had grown up watching The Crocodile Hunter, even when we were in NZ. We evan watch repeats and are still captivated by his antics- everytime. God Bless you Steve and may you find your peace in your new world and adventure....thank you very much for touching our lives and keeping us together (infront of the tv) to enjoy your program.

Happy GrandFATHERS DAY LOLO!

The Grandchildren who existed while Lolo was still alive-

Vivigirl - enjoyed Lolo for 4 years until she came to NZ

DenDen (Donna) enjoyed lolo for a year

Ray Ray was 4 months in Mum's tummy and was named after Lolo and Uncle Mon

the other grandchildren after Lolo passed on were Lordgene, Michelle, RR, Micah, Samantha, Joshua and Steve.

Daddy has 11 grandchildren

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY tomorrow...3 sep 2006

I never knew about "Happy Father's Day" until I was living in New Zealand in 1988. Over there it's celebrated every 1st Sunday of September. Don't ask me why as I don't know and I never really bothered to know. I do have an inquisitive mind but this is something that I just take at face value.

I sent my first and last Father's Day card to my Dad in Baguio, Phils in September 1989. I urged Vivian to send one too, one that she personally picked from a shop called Whitcoulls in Hastings, New Zealand. I was 4 months on the family way with Ray. Ray never saw his Lolo (Grandad) because he suffered a massive heart attack in September 18, 1989 and died suddenly in September 20. He would have turned 61 in October 6, 1989 but the good Lord decided that he'd rather have him with Him. I was told that he received our cards and pictures from New Zealand and he never stopped looking at them before his turn. Maybe he felt so homesick for us as he was such a doting grandad to Vivian. I often wondered if he would still be alive if I had left Vivian under his care (as he had an early retirement at 58 ) while I sought my future in NZ.

This is not about his death though but since this is the first time that I am talking about my father, I do remember him fondly but sadly this father's day.

Daddy Roman to us his children, Lolo Roman to his apo's(grandchildren) Daddy to my Mama (she always called him Daddy for as far as I can remember and my Daddy called Mama, Mama) was the most wonderful, kind, loving, handsome, humorous and charismatic person I have ever met. He was not financially rich but he had the richest of hearts. He was a father with wisdom, always humorous but if something upsets him (which is very seldom as he is very tolerant and patient), he has the ability to assert his values and influence people to his kind of thinking . He was very principled and was a disciplinarian. Everyone I know who knew him had spoken so well of him that I am so proud to be one of his daughters. I will never have it another way and if I shall choose another father, I will always choose him. I love you very much, Daddy and I really miss you so much. Wherever you are I know that you have spiritually guided me along the way to be a good parent to my own children and I have you in my mind everyday and most of my decisions are based on the question- will Daddy approve of this or not- and so far my life and those around me is very worthwhile and meaningful. I wish that I had spent more time with you, and I wish that you were around to taste the food that I now cook. I do cook very well now because during those days that I was studying and working I never really learnt how to cook and you were so worried about when will i start learning how to cook properly for the sake of my future husband.

This was taken in June 10, 1988, the very last time that Vivian and I saw Daddy alive. Who would ever think that a year later he would pass on.


The card was the one and only Father's Day card I ever sent to my Father. I wasn't really into cards when I was living in the Phils. I am so glad that I was able to send him one and he was reassured of how proud I was of him, before he died.

Mama had created this collage after he died- featuring all his children, children in law and grandchild- vivian (at that time).

I have featured more of my dad in peoples.