Weekend Update

I can’t believe I forgot to update again! Groan. *bangs head on desk*

It’s been a busy week, one of the busiest I’ve had in recent memory. There were just so many things to do every day that sometimes, in the middle of the long afternoon. I’d find myself dozing on my feet, drooling like a rabid dog. It’s not a pretty sight, I tell you, but it’s happened more times than I care to count this last week.

Household chores already take up too much time, but with my parents’ recent move out of the suburbs, I had to clean up to make room for some of their larger pieces (like an eight-seater dining room set and coming soon, a huge glass chandelier). I also had a couple of writing assignments that needed to be done and while I met my deadline (whew!), it wasn’t without the worry that I will be late in submitting articles. In between the craziness of everyday life, we saw an impressive concert at Resorts World Manila last Friday night. In The CompanY of Side A featured two of the best vocal groups/bands in the country- The CompanY and Side A. It was a sold-out concert and appreciative fans roared and hooted to excellent music all night long.

The CompanY + Side A = Huge Success

The CompanY in perfect harmony

Got to love Joey G!

There was also a hastily planned meet-up with a Sylvanian friend, Madame C, last Saturday. We had been talking about meeting for a month now but our schedules never seemed to jibe. Besides, she and I live on opposite ends of the city making coordination virtually impossible. Saturday, after Alphonse’s aquatherapy lesson, we headed out to see her. I was so thrilled to meet Madame C and her lovely family that A♥ and I didn’t even mind the drive through two hours of traffic just to make the meeting possible. I purchased some lovely creations from her collection of Sylvanian fashions and for her gracious charm and the instant camaraderie we forged, she gets a post all by herself sometime in the very near future.

The highlight of the week, however, was A♥’s and yours truly’s 20th anniversary which we celebrated Tuesday. I was sorely tempted to run off with A♥ to somewhere remote where chores and deadlines would not hound me but A♥’s better judgment prevailed. I was feeling stressed that day, conscious of every second I had before the deadline, so I woke up at five in the morning to write. Before I knew it, it was time to drop off Alex at school. Then it was off to the market to buy seafood, have them cooked, and serve them for lunch. I had a few hours to bathe, dry my hair, and catch a quick 30-minute snooze before we left to watch the American Idol 2011 Tour. While we waited for the concert to start, I rewrote my article in longhand and downed a cup of coffee to keep awake. The AI concert would not have been my idea of a perfect date. I would have wanted a more quiet, more relaxing, less noisy way to end the night but I’m glad A♥ forced me to go. I really had a lot of fun.

S-C-O-T-T-Y!!!

Yes, we were that close!

So now, it’s Friday and I wonder where the week has gone. I have pictures to resize and upload, Sylvanians to unbox, Transformers to box and catalogue. I have plants to water and replant in larger pots. The chores never stop. Life does not stop.

And for all these, I am deeply grateful to the Lord. Every second, every breath, is a gift.

Friends, Fun, & Love in One Weekend

Sorry I forgot to put up yesterday’s post. I am back home from a wonderful night spent at a fabulous hotel. It’s another anniversary weekend and I feel pampered and refreshed, ready to face the coming week with verve and zest.

I started my weekend chores really early to prepare for our short Parents’ Days Out. I kept a list so I didn’t forget anything. We needed to make a quick grocery trip to pick up some household staples (eggs, bread, honey, and straw for packing- done!). We also needed to pass by TriNoMa to get free tickets for a special screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part1 (done!). And most importantly, A and I promised to spend a few hours at the Komikon 2010 to support a good friend (done!).

I’ve never been to a Komicon (a comics convention, it is named after the way Filipinos spell comics in Tagalog, with a k, as in komiks) even though A is an avid graphics novel collector. We went on the invitation of a good friend who was launching his first comic book at the 6th Annual Philippine Komiks Convention. For a man educated strictly in the sciences (he is both a Pisay graduate and a UP College of Medicine alumnus), Doc Ernest has amazing creativity and artistry. His comic book, MEGA-WOMAN, is homage to one of Philippine entertainment’s best stars, Ms. Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan, and inspired by our common love for the Megastar.

The artist and writer of MEGA-WOMAN

Front cover of Doc Ernest's comic book

 A and I spent a few hours there, marvelling at the talent and dedication of our local artists. Above is a picture of us with Doc Ernest and another old friend from Pisay, Theresa Ongchangc0-Diaz. The picture is blurry because we had it taken by someone else but I just had to put it in. (Just squint your eyes for a better view.)We were happy to get autographed copies and even happier knowing that we had shown support for our friend. And wouldn’t you know it—Doc Ernest drew me and some his friends in cameo roles in his comic book! Whee! Kittymama is now a comic book character (never mind that my line had me gushing and fawning over Mega-Woman, heehee). Thanks, Ernest! I loved the drawings and the story so I hope that Part 2 is coming very soon.  

Kittymama in cameo

I wish we could have stayed longer to look at all of the wonderful comics on sale, but the weekend was waiting for A and me. After saying goodbye to the kids and some last -minute packing, we were off to the hotel and got there in record time. The hotel was absolutely gorgeous; the employees at the Marriott Manila were very hospitable, courteous, and professional at all times. Check-in was a breeze. I loved our room and fell in love with the plush bed immediately that as soon as my head touched the luxurious sheets, I fell fast asleep. I woke up to find the sun had set hours ago and my stomach had started its angry grumbling. A was beside me, snoring lightly, and I waited for him to wake up. Then we went out and had a really big dinner, took in a movie (Unstoppable), and if the long afternoon nap was not enough proof that we are, indeed, old folks, fell back to sleep within minutes after reaching the room.

Kittymama in Hello Kitty fashion

Personalized service

Service is so personalized that as soon as you lift the phone to call room service, they know who you are and call you by name!  

Loved♥ this room!

I wish I could take this home with me!

And now it’s Sunday evening and the weekend is almost done. We’re back home, back to the kids, and ready to face the week’s coming challenges. It has been a great weekend, filled with friends and fun and love and rest. I wish I could have more days like these with A. Happy Anniversary again, my love.  (｡♥‿♥｡)

The Mini- Reveal: More Kittymania

I just got a call a few minutes ago. Nanny D is free to go home! Yay yay yay! Her platelet count is back to normal and with no signs of bleeding, she can continue to recuperate at home. I heaved a huge sigh of relief.

I haven’t been sleeping well since she got sick last week. Aside from the worry over the burden of additional expenses (serial CBCs + the Antigen test + hospital bill- whew!), I worried about her being sick away from home and away from her parents who trusted us to care for her while she lives with us. And with her sick for almost a week now, waiting for the results of her serial platelet counts have driven me batty. My nails are chewed down to the nubs.

But, today, a glimmer of good news came via the phone call from our physician. (Incidentally, this compassionate doctor also happens to be my sister-in-law. Remember Arielle, my niece, the facebook addict? I owe Arielle’s mom big time for the care and expertise she gave us gratis. Thank you, AteE! ) Finally, after five days in the hospital, Nanny D can come home. I bet Alphonse is going to dance himself silly today. He was looking for her all day yesterday; he even went down to the dark basement to see if she was “hiding” there. 

And so, with good news comes more good news in the form of – ta-dah!- KITTIES! *shrieks*

Here are the Loungefly bags I got from my husband. I hadn’t known these were coming. I think I just mentioned these bags in passing one day. I happened to have read about one Kitty lover who owned these same bags and how she received compliments about them everywhere she went, mentioned this tidbit to my husband, and quickly forgot about these. I saw the black one first, right below the Build-A-Bear dolls and screamed out loud “I love this!”  To which, he replied, “So you don’t want the white one?” as he pulled the other one from the box. Of course, there was more screaming after that, heehee.

There were totes and wallets, also from Loungefly… 

and iPhone cases in black and pink…

followed by Hello Kitty games like Monopoly (anyone want to play with me?), Yahtzee (I do not have a clue how to play this) and even Bingo. Bingo!

To cap it all off, there were also Hello Kitty shirts from Torrid to wear! I absolutely love these!

There are still some things inside the boxes I haven’t photographed yet. Some are private stuff, just between him and me (nothing naughty, I promise, heehee!) and will have to stay that way. The ones I want to share will have to wait a few more days until our household becomes normal again. I do hope it happens soon. I can’t wait to go out again to wear and use all my Kitty stuff.

Happy Kitty weekend, everyone! 

The Night Before

Nineteen years ago, on the very night before my husband and I got married, I remember talking to him for a few minutes on the phone. Before we said goodbye, I asked him if he was sure, really, really sure, that this next step was what he wanted to take at that point in his life.  He said, ”I have never been more sure of anything in my life than this. I want a life with you.” I wept for joy. The next day, with my hand in his, we took a step forward into building a life with each other.

Fast forward to tonight, towards the end of our dinner date, I asked him this question: “What do you think are the two best things in our life from these past 19 years?”

Without batting an eyelash, he said, “Alex and Alphonse.”"

“I would not have thought to answer it that way, hon, ” I told him, thinking of my own answers and how different they were from his.

“You and I are a constant. That would have been the easy answer, hon.”

I looked at him from across the table and I was overwhelmed by my feelings for this man before me. My eyes welled in tears. Nineteen years into this marriage, we have only scratched the surface of forever. Thank you, A. I truly, deeply, madly love you.

Sylvanian Anniversary Surprises

This years marks the silver anniversary of Sylvanian Families ((シルバニアファミリー, Shirubania famirii) and it is expected that collectors all over all the world would soon be splurging on new anniversary releases by midyear, if not sooner. It was P-angel, one of my blog friends, who gave us the heads up on these collectors’ editions, found at angel smile’s eBay site (look for shop.ebay.com/angel_smile_818).

Britain and Brazil

SF Countries: Russia and China

SF Countries: US and Spain

 Apparently, and I am speaking as a newbie collector, these limited edition items are a repeat of a 2000 release of SF World Parade critters in various national costumes. You can see them in Beverly’s Sylvanian Village as she has one of the most comprehensive and most enviable collections of Sylvanian Families ever. China and Spain have already been done in the 200o release, albeit with different costumes. These come at a hefty price, around US$33.50 for each set, but I bet the price will go down once the items are released in larger quantities.

This anniversary year will not only be marked by special releases of figures but also of new houses, a new hotel, playsets, and even costumes. The rumor mill is also rife with stories of another Sylvanian Family Party in the country around midyear; I am hoping that Ban Kee gets into the anniversary spirit and plans for this push through. And while we’re asking, how about a local exhibit, much like those seen abroad? C’mon, Ban Kee, this would be fabulous for collectors and noncollectors alike.  Harbour City and Causeway Bay in Hong Kong hosted these exhibits from March 22 to April 11 of this year. If you want to see a glimpse of the Harbour City exhibit, visit this flickr account by satsumabug- she has really cute photos of the event.

With so many items to choose from this anniversary year, it’ll be hard to decide which are must-haves and which can wait. Of course, one’s purchasing power dictates one’s collection and SFs are generally expensive (though they are trying to remedy this by coming out with less expensive sets). However, if the Sylvanian Families’ 25 years in the fickle toy  business is a measure of its staying power, I am sure that cost aside, it will remain a sure hit for years to come.

Wonder Toys Powers, Activate!*

A few weeks ago, in one of A’s solo trips to the mall since I got injured, he discovered a small toy warehouse outlet tucked in one of the corners of the new Annex of SM North EDSA. Always on the lookout for toy sales, A took a step inside and discovered a goldmine — old Sylvanian Families (SF) toy sets for sale at below market prices. A snatched up every single one he could buy and came home with four huge bags of an assortment of SF, from Japan-released single boxed characters, to Flair theme playsets, even a boat (The Rose of Sylvania) and a house (Oakwood Manor).

Because he had bought so much in one go, the salesperson inquired on his interest on SF. A replied that he was bringing them home as gifts for his poor. sick, SF-addicted wife (okay, okay, enough with the drama, heehee). The salesperson then volunteered a nugget of information — they might have some more SF in their stores in Tutuban and in Festival Mall. A thanked the kind salesperson profusely and filed the information for future use.

Fast forward to the weekend of our church wedding anniversary (November 14). A had promised me a weekend getaway in the city as a gift. I was totally excited at the prospect of some alone time with him. My sister graciously acquiesced to babysit Alphonse for the weekend; Alex volunteered to help his aunt and the remaining nannies with his brother. We felt Alphonse would be in safe hands, so we put a green light to the plan.

A had booked us a room at The Bellevue Manila, a five-star luxury hotel in Alabang. Muntinlupa City. As part of our weekend itinerary, he had planned surprise gifts, movie dates, dinners and lunches, and the special bombshell- a hunt for Sylvanian Families (with the option of buying, of course). I thought that it was auspicious that The Bellevue would be so near Festival Mall, until I discovered that A had it planned all along as part of the surprise for me.

And so there we were, after an hour and a half of city driving, billeted at a very comfortable room (I would have loved to take a snooze, the bed and pillows were enticingly soft and  fluffy) but we had a schedule to stick to and time was ticking. We unpacked our gear, locked the laptop in the room safety deposit box, did the restroom stops, quickly tucked Mama Bronte Keats and Sister Shelley Keats in my pocket, and boarded the car again. I was tired from the ride and my neck ached like h**l, but I swallowed a couple of painkillers, slathered an analgesic rub all over my neck and upper back, and hoped adrenaline would be enough to sustain me. The first stop: Festival Mall!

We looked for the store the salesperson told us about and found it in the 3rd floor of a rather convoluted building. This being my first time in Festival Mall, I could not get a good grasp of the lay-out right away; fortunately, A has a keen sense of direction and found the place without any problems.

Wonder Toys is a small store but it comes packed with lots of great items, both at sale and regular prices. I found a wide array of Sanrio merchandise, many of them with negligible defects that cut down the costs measurably.

Sanrio ceramic decorations on sale

Sanrio toys at regular prices

My SF hunt was a bust this time, though, as they had few items left (we were able to buy most of them at their North Edsa branch anyway; good that prices at their SMNE outlet were also lower) but I did find a Fox father I had been looking for and an extra double pram for my Sylvanian babies.

One salesperson was very friendly to me after finding out that I love SF. We kept making small talk about SF until he happened to mention that he was sorry they ran out of the ‘big house” (referring to Oakwood Manor) which they sold only at half the price. Before I could reply, he also said that the house was so cheap that he had heard of a seller who made a huge profit on the house by selling it online at a shockingly hefty markup to a SF addict. *gulp* I almost choked on his words but managed to maintain my composure. What he did not know was that SF addict he was talking about, alas, was probably me. Sigh. Oh well, you win some, you lose some. I think I lost big time on that one. 

single boxed characters from SF Japan (Epoch)

boxed play sets from Flair, the Rose of Sylvania boat, and SF families

Still, if only for Fox father, the trip wasn’t such a bust after all. I did score great Sanrio merchandise, some for Christmas giveaways and some for my collection. One of these days, when A has more time on his hands, he and I are seeking out Wonder Toys Tutuban next. 

The Wonder Toys stop was simply the first of a series of SF hunts. In the span of a weekend, we managed to make the rounds of most major stores carrying SF, including Eastwood’s Toy Town, SM Mall of Asia’s Toy Kingdom, and Greenbelt 5’s Kidz Station. Add to that the SF gifts A had purchased beforehand at the SM North Edsa’s Toy Kingdom and I think I made a pretty good haul of Sylvanian items in one weekend.

Best of all, A and I simply enjoyed spending time together. Our weekend jaunt to The Bellevue was truly a relaxing and pleasurable experience. I particularly love breakfasts at Café d’Asie, with their succulent pork sausages and luscious buttered rolls. I think Shelley Keats loved them too.

Shelley apparently eyeing something else…

she makes a dash for it while Mama tries to run after her…

SUCCESS!

A Downpour Of Love

It was early evening on the 13th, just another seemingly ordinary Thursday. I had just come from the bath when the car horn blared a few times to signal A’s coming. I heard Alphonse run as fast as his feet could carry him as he rushed to meet his dad in the garage. This was always Alphonse’s best time of the day; he loved welcoming his dad home with a great big hug (even as his eyes wander and look for presents of food).

I shook the water out of my hair and dressed hurriedly.  As I stepped out of our bedroom, I was greeted by this sight:

He smiled broadly as he kissed me. Handing over the flowers to a stunned, still wet, and definitely unglamorous (at that moment) wife, he whispered “Happy Anniversary, honey.” Later, he would tell me that he had also taken the next day off to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

Seventeen years. My, how time flies.

I wasn’t expecting anything anymore, to be truthful. A and I celebrate two anniversaries every year, and with tough times looming overhead for many people, I didn’t bring up or remind him of this anniversary to save him the trouble of looking for gifts. If anything, the only gift I really wanted was to be able to spend an entire day with him, a rarity in these days of juggling a full workload and a demanding family, the latter being defined as mostly kids’ needs. And yet, after seventeen years, this man could still take my breath away and whip up the most amazing surprises.

At midnight, he handed me yet another gift, and throughout the next day, he kept handing me one after another. By early evening the next day, he had given me all these:

There were board games (pink!!!)- Monopoly, which is his favorite, and Game of Life, which is mine- and a Hello Kitty handbag with matching wallet, a HK iPod Nano 3rd gen case, and a special gift in that little gray box which he asked me to keep secret. That whole day, the 14th, was mine from sunrise to sunset, and he filled every waking hour with his many loving and thoughtful ways. I was a spoiled, spoiled wife. Actually, I still am.

The next week, when A left for a business trip, I filled my hours with backbreaking, physical labor to keep all thoughts away from our temporary separation. I varnished the kitchen island, scrubbed and painted walls, and finished cleaning up and furnishing Alphonse’s study room. Each night, I went to bed spent and tired, but sleep eluded my tired mind. It didn’t help that Alex had to stay at his grandma’s house while his dad was gone so they could bring him to school in his dad’s absence. I was lonely for my two boys, and Alphonse pined and mooned over his dad and big brother. (He waited every night till almost eleven in the garage for his dad’s car, poor baby.) Yet, we coped.

Instant messaging helped keep the homesickness at bay, as I worried and fret over both of them almost constantly.  A called every day just to check on us at home. When his meetings went on breaks, he would log on and send me messages. As much as I wanted him to be home, I was proud, too, that he could explore different arenas of interaction and enjoy these multifaceted experiences. Besides, he looked absolutely divine in his business suit.

The homecoming was, as expected, one of the best days of my life. A and I have not been apart in many years as he usually passes up opportunities to travel overseas. Delighted, Alphonse and I smothered him with kisses and hugs, and for the first time in days, Alphonse laughed aloud at the sight of his dad.

And with this, the giftgiving continued as he opened his suitcase to reveal his crumpled clothes and hidden gifts inside. 

I loved my Kitty Build A Bear Dolls! And look at all the cool things he bought! Kitty Bee now has a new sister, Kitty Snow, and this got me jumping up and down the bed! (A complained the other night that our bed is getting too cramped, with the Kitty babies sharing the bed with us. But he was smiling too.)

 

He also bought my favorite Crocs, the Celeste, and chocolates for the boys. The Kitty Nohohon is mine but Alphonse wants it badly.

Just the other night, before sleep, he handed me the last gift. “Happy Anniversary again, honey,” he said as he handed me my DS Lite. I looked inside to find this,

 

“How long does this anniversary last?” I asked him, stumped and absolutely awed at his ability to surprise me every day.

“How does forever sound?”

What does one say to that?

Thank you, A, for this life we share together. I am drowning in a downpour of your love, but don’t save me just yet.

I love you.

(How I Found) The Ultimate Love Connection

September 20, 2008

This is for A, love of my life, who has given me 17 great years of The Ultimate Love Connection. Thank you for loving me even when I am mental, for bearing with me even when I am exasperating, and for sharing with me the best 27 years of my life. We made this happen, you and I.

Happy Anniversary, love.

 

Sometimes, I wish that I had fallen in love with A much earlier. I think of our five years of friendship before we became a couple, and I regret that we were too blind to see each other as anything else other than friends. A likes to tell me, however, that it is the sum of our experiences that makes us who we are, and  we were led to each other only at the particular moment when we were ready.  Perhaps, changing the past will change the future, and if that is so, I can live with the follies of my youth.

Surviving Mr. Wrong*

Over a gallon of ice cream, my friend and I once pondered about ever meeting the perfect man. We were both embroiled in serious relationships then, two young women in our early twenties, prime examples of independent, strong-willed, tenacious creatures of the nineties. We wanted to be sure that we had what a swank yuppies’ magazine dubbed as “the ultimate love connection.”

It was late December, and we were on night duty at the intensive care ward of a government hospital. We were still too low in the totem pole of hospital hierarchy to warrant our own lounge, and so we made do in a cramped little corner of the nurses’ station, wearily scooping spoonful after spoonful of ice cream.

“What do you think, P?” she suddenly blurted in between mouthfuls of cookies and cream.

“You and he-who-must-not-be-named?” I swallowed the last bit of Oreo cookie stuck between my front teeth. “What of him?”

“You think we’ll last? I mean, we’ve gone through the answers at the back of this magazine and it says we’re doing just well. Not perfect, but it says we’re okay.” She looked at me doubtfully.
 
“Not perfect, huh? Then again, who has one? A perfect love connection, I mean?”

“Well, looks like you got it all right …” she replied unhappily.

“Uhm … I’m fessing up … I looked at the answers right after I bought that magazine.”

“You did not! Did you? Hey, be serious, okay?”

“Okay, I think you and he-who-must-not be-named are perfect for each other. How long have you been together, five years? Don’t sweat it, girl. You’ll stay together for a long time. You’ve finally met Mr. Right.” And with that, I scraped the last spoon clean.

I was wrong. Dead wrong. Sometime in the “long time” that I predicted, they broke up.

I think of this episode in my life and wonder how I ever thought of myself as an expert in “love connections.” Throughout my adult life, I have spent a considerable amount of time listening to stories of broken hearts, as I have also spent an equal amount of time dishing out well-worn advice for the lovelorn. All these, coming from a woman tutored in the art of romantic love by a guru whose claim to fame is having had the most number of boyfriends by age 25 (I lost count after 49).

My friend and I spent hours on the phone after this most unfortunate breakup. We were each other’s therapists as she poured her heartbreak to me. One day, after months of the most grueling and intensive phone therapy, she asked me how I could be so resilient in the face of adversity.

“Simple, friend. Meet the only woman dumped by the same man twice and lived to tell the tale.”

She gasped.

Christmas in November

Posted 15 November 2007

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary yesterday. Counting the years we’ve known each other in childhood, the years we became best friends in high school and college, the years we were officially together as a couple, and the years we’ve been married, we’re a year past our “silver” anniversary. Not bad for best friends, really.

We celebrate many anniversaries. The first time he said “I love you.” (January) ♥

The first time I said “I love you.” (February) ♥

The first time we held hands. (March)♥

The first time we kissed. (May) ♥ 

The first time we got married. (September)♥

The second time we got married. (November)♥

Name it, we remember it! When I think about how we find a cause to celebrate almost every day of our lives together, I cannot help but be grateful for this sweet, loving, faithful man.

And to sweeten the icing, he gives me the best gifts ever!

I don’t mean to focus on material gifts alone, although he is an expert when it comes to things I need or want. He can almost sense them intuitively, even when I just need the most basic things like underwear  or lingerie (imagine a grown man buying his wife plus-size underwear and you know he’s one secure individual). More than this, however, he delights in buying me gadgets: cellular phones (this year’s gifts, see picture), digital planners, laptops, gaming consoles (Nintendo DS, PSP, Wii). Gadget geeks, we truly are.

And while I treasure each and every gift he gives me, the best gifts I remember are those that involve little money and just a lot of love. Like the time he serenaded me with Josh Groban’s You’re Still You at six in the morning. Or the time he sang and recorded my favorite songs in a crowded recording kiosk at the mall, at the risk of humiliating himself in front of everyone listening. Still, one of the best gifts he has ever given me (and he has given me a LOT!) was a song, written in the beginning of our relationship.

Please don’t doubt you’re beautiful/ There’s springtime in your eyes/ Your every touch a poet’s line/ With love in every smile…

He sees my beauty, even when I am at my ugliest. He loves me, even with all my imperfections, flaws, and shortcomings.

With a friend, lover, and husband like him, who says you can’t have Christmas in November?