Happy Reunion

That's Helen with me.  She is a dear friend and classmate from Nursing school, and we had not seen each other for 19 years.  So we decided to meet at the mall.  I said, don't tell me where you're seated.  Just tell me what color shirt you're wearing.  She did just that, and of course, it was a BIG mall with an equally BIG food court.  My eyes turned as round as saucers when I got there.  But slowly I walked.  From table to table.  Scanning faces.  On the look-out for a green shirt, thinking, what in the world did Helen look like now?  

Then I spotted a bewildered-looking girl who probably thought she was as lost as the one looking for her. Ha!  What a joyous reunion.

I thought I'd post it here because Sir Joey sent me a beautiful sentimental email (the one that has nostalgic music against a picturesque background), and it made me think of good friends, happy memories.  You know how it is when you say good bye, and you just can't finish?  That's the kind of friend Helen is.  Well, I hope you remember one of yours this holiday season and catch up. 

It's a good feeling.

Sorry

I had been busy, and preoccupied lately.  Still am.  I have you all in mind, and will sit here and serve you coffee, truffles, and whatever you fancy.


But not right now, friends.  Momma's a little busy.


So bear with me, please.  Be good.


And don't forget to wash your hands.

This Side Of Town

turned a hundred posts today.

I truly didn't mean to celebrate.

But my neighbor Carol (of the tamales) chose this night to knock on my door again.

This time, she waved a plateful of delectable roast beef complete with garnishings in front of me. (I seriously MUST work on my Spanish - and quick.)

I took one look at my man. He took one look at me.

Then he went to the kitchen and reached for a bottle of red wine.

Come, let's clink glasses!

(photo source: Google Images bettyboop-a.doop.com)

Indomitable Spirit

Catastrophes can either make or unmake us.

I was 18 when Super Typhoon Sisang (designated Nina) slammed into the southern part of the Philippines, most especially the Bicol Region, where I was studying. It sustained winds of 275 mph as compared to Ketsana's 105 mph. Sisang/Nina was (at that time) reportedly the worst typhoon to have hit the Philippines in 20 years. I was in the dormitory, in bed, on the second floor, with no clue as to what was to come. Suddenly, I heard and saw girls screaming, doors slamming so hard, beds flying outside the window - yes, from the second floor. All of us who could pry our doors open ran downstairs, and huddled close as the winds continued to lash against the windows. Then the building shook. The piano in the corner slid to the other end. Other furniture followed. Broken glasses. More screaming. Flooding in. I remember hugging two of my friends and praying out loud, "Jesus, save us."

We stacked chairs and furniture one on top of the other as high as we could and perched on top, my fellow dormers and I. I helped remove shards of glasses from the arms and legs of the other girls who were unfortunate enough to have been by the windows when the winds lashed their fury.

We waited out the 'eye of the storm.' It was past midnight when the stillness engulfed us. Nobody slept, to say the least. Morning greeted us waist-deep in water. No breakfast, of course (I was mildly amused despite the situation), but everybody talked of going home, which was 60 km away (1 1/2 hours) for me. I packed whatever I could and started off with my friends. As the dormitory was inside the university campus, we had to walk through the maze of corridors in order to get out.

There was no university in site. One building was ground to a pulp. The rest was a sight to behold. Flood and debris everywhere. Hugging my belongings to my chest, I gasped when, thigh-deep in water, I saw a rat, about a foot away from me, swimming for dear life. It was then that reality sank in.

No transportation (we took buses). Landslides everywhere, buried bridges. We walked. Not the whole way, but miles and miles and miles of it just the same.

Home meant overlooking the moon at night as part of the roof was ripped off from my room. One friend joked he had to enter their house by the window. It was the only one open. Many more were worse off, as they had no houses left.

The whole thing meant no electricity (I think in the whole province) for 3 months. None. I do not know when we resumed classes (I was in my second year of Nursing) but when we did, it was in a modified building. No fish on the table. All sorts of stories like finding fingers and rings inside fishes' bodies circulated. And plenty of dead. I heard a story about a body floating from one town to another. And not enough coffins. The local priest had to minister benediction to bodies rolled in mats. And at least one woman went crazy looking for her dead. I heard these stories. And there were many more.

Ketsana's damage was in the unceasing rains, causing the 20 feet flooding, a catastrophe unheard of in more than 20 years. I perched scared and cold on top of chairs many years ago, while many of the recent typhoon survivors ENDURED hopeless days and nights on rooftops, not knowing if they would live or die. There is no fear like the fear of the unknown, and certainly the fear of death.

I am almost ashamed to admit that I do not know how I would have survived Ketsana with only the clothes on my back, and my undying faith.

Especially since my sister says the pedicab driver across the street continues to mindlessly ferry people to and fro while playing Christmas songs.

***

I thank everybody who has joined me and millions of others in the crusade of helping the calamity victims not only in the Philippines but also in Vietnam, Indonesia and the American Samoa. As we sleep tonight, many of them are still hungry or in search of their loved ones, or sick and injured. Let's keep them in our prayers. Many, many thanks, and God bless us all. ~~~ To those who still want to donate or help spread links to relief centers, please check out my older posts. Thank you for your kind heart.

Thank you for helping us.

My dear friends, this is the map of my country, with the darkened areas severely affected by the Typhoon Ketsana over the weekend. 12 hours of rain (a month's worth), 20 feet of sweeping, muddy floodwaters in Marikina, Pasig, and Antipolo, and over 300 thousand lives displaced.

This is an excerpt from the letter of my friend Melodie of Immateur Anthropologist, to me, and I forward it to you.

If anyone from abroad is planning to send donations in cash or in kind to any of the relief organizations in the Philippines, please be informed that at this point, the relief orgs prefer that assistance from abroad be sent in the form of cash/funds.
Help is needed ASAP and relief orgs do not have the time / personnel / resources right now to arrange for the release of any shipment of goods from customs. They need the funds to purchase food, medicines, drinking water, toiletries, blankets, mosquito nets, etc.

Click here for an updated list of verified relief orgs. (More organizations are setting up their own operations.) Some of them do not accept cash donations of course as they are government agencies. But maybe you can send help through your relatives here.

Here is the link to the Philippine National Red Cross.

We thank you for helping us help our countrymen. Please contact any Filipino in your neighborhood, and see if their church accepts help by any means. Thank you so much.

(photo lifted from Yahoo Pictures)

Random Tuesday Thoughts

Well.

Fall has fallen. It is 4:15 in the morning, Sept. 22nd. My son wants snow TODAY but I said we live in North Carolina, where it hardly ever snows even in the deadest of winters.

I am very sleepy. But I am at work. The floor is quiet, thank God. Some nights are just glorious. (But I prayed really hard for this from the HOUSE, not just from the CAR, on the way here.) Answered prayer, thank You, Jesus!!

Yesterday, my neighbor knocked on my door with a plateful of tamales. Now I DID not have the slightest idea what it was, but tasted one. Very flavorful. I brought some to work last night, and Zulma (remember Zulma of the Picadillo post?) said she could guess my neighbor was from El Salvador because the food was wrapped in banana leaves. She also said it was a killer. That means very good. She said nobody makes tamales better than her mom and that the one I brought last night was cooked well. I heated mine up quickly and ate it hot. With my hot cup of cocoa. Sumptuous. (Don't know what tamales is? I had to google it myself - it's made of corn husk, pork or chicken, and an assortment of vegetables. The meat and vegetables are inside the soft, flour-y mixture. Go figure.) But now I have to make it up to Senora Carolina and dream up some dish to return the favor. Ai-ai-ai, gotta brush up on my Spanish!

I am presently reading Sakharov Speaks. Sometimes.

I want to eat some PILI. Not the candy. The pulp. And dip 'em in soy sauce with pepper and a dash of lemon.

I'm wondering how long it takes to carve a pumpkin because Matthew wants us to do one.

That's the end of my random thoughts.

***

Good morning ~ hope this one is bright and sunny!

Skywatch

The clouds looked like sharks fighting, at the break of dawn.

I think this is a better shot, taken just a split second later.
Closer now.
A few turns and moments later

Finally, at the beach.

******

We went to Wrightsville, NC, and enjoyed the beach two days ago, with friends. We've been to three different beaches this summer, and had a great time!! Thank God for good weather!!

THE GIRLS OF MY CHILDHOOD

Well, we're women now. But these are the 'girls' from my hometown in the Philippines. Sisters, friends, schoolmates. Now fellow-bloggers! I am so proud of them!! Please visit their sites, here in no particular order:



Jesusa's Corner


Anna's Tasa


My Hodgepodge


Thinking Aloud


In time


The Immateur Anthropologist


Of Mirrors and Reflections


These are the girls I grew up with, and who are a big part of what I am today. Next time, I'll tell you all about our hometown.

P.S. Would you head on over to AT LEAST one of their sites and then come back afterwards? Don't click that COMMENT button yet...I want to know what you think of 'my girls!'

Before I continue,

here's a CELTIC BLESSING I found while cleaning up some clutter today:

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
May the rain refresh you on your way.
May you go with God for all your journey,
now and forever.

~~~~~~

This is dedicated to all of you who read my blogs, that the Lord may guide you in your decisions in the coming week. God bless, my friends.

My Weekend Memoirs

We spent some time with friends over some traditional food. Below are two of my favorites. Please bear with me, if you don't like them.

Philippine rice cake, wrapped in banana leaves

Fish stew, with garden-fresh vegetables

US residents, let's enjoy our long Labor Day Weekend!

This Flu Season

It is so funny - I wrote about us Filipinos heralding Christmas by the first of September. The weather starts getting cooler in the Philippines then. Well, guess what. It did over here, too. NC weather is so dreamy now. And I have started imagining the leaves turning into a mass of colors. Autumn is my favorite season of all, it is so pretty. But alas, autumn, too, brings with it a host of respiratory diseases. Many cold viruses thrive in low humidity, not the least of them H1N1.

Well, today, I received a letter from the county of Durham Health Department, and it goes thus:

Dear Licensed Nurse in Durham County:

Your name was made available to our health department by the NC Board of Nursing. We requested the information to assist us in developing a list of currently licensed county residents that will be available to help with a mass H1N1 immunization effort. Names of nurses were also provided to other health departments across the state.

At this time, it is projected that the H1N1 vaccine will be available between October 15, 2009 and January 31, 2010. As a community, we plan to inoculate up to 60,000 residents (depending on the guidelines), and we expect each person to require two vaccinations. It is during this time period that we will need many volunteers to help us staff mass immunization clinics.

If you are willing to volunteer, please fill out the enclosed survey and return it in to us. The survey can be folded and stamped for mailing. There will be no payment for your service, just a 'thank you' from many grateful citizens.

Sincerely.

**************

My friends, I encourage everyone to please have yourselves be vaccinated against H1N1 and the seasonal flu. They are different from each other, but are equally hazardous. Always wash your hands, and avoid touching your mucous membranes. Stock up on juices. Air out your house as often as possible. Keep warm.

Long Life

All right. I was heating my food up one night, and one of the staff saw me. And stopped. Because I was using a microwavable bowl. I said I was trying to be more healthy. I said, it was bad enough that I was 'nuking' my food without using plastic. So....

She was fascinated.

Well, another co-worker who overheard us joined in and said, I have something that you might like, Cherie. And I did like it, so here I am sharing it with you.

This is taken from wikiHow, the how-to manual that anyone can write or edit:

How to Live a Long Life

1. Eat healthy.
2. Introduce regular exercise into your life.
3. Develop a sleep schedule.
4. Drink plenty of water.
5. Think first. (all about safety, protective gear, looking before you leap)
6. Reduce causes of stress and depression in your life.
7. Give up smoking.
8. Be safe. (all about avoiding potentially dangerous activities like skydiving, bullfighting, or marriage heheheh)
9. Stock up on antioxidants. (fruits and veggies)
10. Avoid overindulgence.
11. Have yearly physicals.
12. Wear sunblock.
13. Try not to be afraid. (don't be afraid, be aware.)
14. Drink lots of tea.
15. Eat dark chocolate.
16. Drink one glass of red wine a day. (or consider eating red grapes instead)

******

I have a patient who told me his wife is still living and they've been married 59 years. I said, wow, that's a long, solid time! He said with a chuckle, Well, I've learned how to take orders. LOL!

Well, maybe we should, too! Here's to a long, healthy life, my dear friends! Cheers!

Today

I received a call from one of my closest friends in college, which is eons ago. It was so good to hear from her. We fell into good-natured reminiscing.

I received an email from one of my schoolmates in high school (er, double eons ago) about helping someone from our hometown (in the Philippines) write an essay.

I also received a message in my Facebook inbox from a co-worker, apologizing for her crass behavior the day before, and thanking me for pointing it out to her in private. (Her attitude affected the team.)

A few minutes ago, a friend had popped up in my yahoo messenger, and we played catch up.

And last but not least, you've all written comments on the dangling legs/feet picture, so I am writing this to divert your attention. Hahahaha!!

YOU ARE ALL AS 'DEER' TO ME AS CUPCAKES! THAT'S WHY I CARE ABOUT YOU! KEEP ON CALLING! KEEP ON WRITING! BE SAFE!

May God bless us all.

Honest Scrap

That is the name of one of the awesome awards Icy recently gave me. And the rules include:

- writing 10 honest things about you
- passing it on to 7 other people

So here are my 10 Things (funny that I'd just been posting 10 things on other people as well ^^):

1. I count the hours my sons sleep, and give them Benadryl when they NEED to sleep and they struggle NOT TO.

2. I heat canned food before eating it (ravioli, tuna, pork and beans - you get the idea).

3. I like to encourage people to write.

4. I find as I grow older that it's true what they say - there's no winning an argument with fools (for lack of a more fitting word).

5. I'm a night owl.

6. I like to sing (I'm no diva) when I'm stressed at work.

7. Bad manners appall me - I feel terribly embarrassed FOR the person who has no qualms about showing it.

8. I find that people who argue about faith a lot are the ones most confused about it.

9. I have found real friendships in people who have no titles, no money, and no fame.

10. I think 10 is not enough, but my tenth is I find humor in my own mistakes!

Thank you heaps again, Icy! Now for the seven people on my list. Please make room for:


Manoy Doro of Mga Sulating Pilipino
Ladyviral of In My World
Ricardo of Unloaded
Ms. Monique of Middle Ditch
Rainfield of My Journey
Karinann of Blessings For The Day
Kaydee of Teardrops and Rainbows

I will be posting the recipients of the other awards later! Have a happy weekend, everyone!

Looked Like Jesus

When I was very new working in the States, and we were still living in Pittsburgh, PA, a member of the staff told me one morning, "We have a new patient in Room ___. He looks like Jesus." Eventually, that man was assigned to me. I knocked and entered the room. I looked. True enough, lying there in bed was "Jesus." He was white, gaunt, with shoulder-length sandy brown hair, and a bushy face. He looked very handsome in his sleep.

I remember feeling scared because whenever he was awake, he had that serious demeanor and a look in his eyes that told you he was thinking. He was as curious about this "Asian girl" as I was of him. He was soft-spoken when he talked of his family growing up, hippie days, a broken marriage, about brushes with the law.

He had Hepatitis C. Incurable. And he was always bleeding from somewhere. As I said, I was very new so it made me nervous going inside his room. He liked to follow me around, too, not only with his eyes, but physically. So I was always afraid he might slam the door one day and attack me. Really. Such thoughts on "Jesus." But I was always firm though kind, and he was compliant. At one point he said, I was becoming more and more Pittsburghian, and I didn't need to do that. He said to keep being Asian. What he didn't know was I was truly scared so I think I may have upped my act a little bit to gain some confidence.

He was homeless. I guess he found solace in that little room, and the consistency of the staff that cared for him. But one day they moved him to another floor. That day, I was assigned to other patients. But he requested that I transport him. I did. He looked very sad.

Within one week, "Jesus" died.

**************************

The kindness that we do today goes a long, long way. (I'd credit the person but I don't even know who said this.)

The First Day

It was Matthew's first day of school. I was in much anticipation, and wanted to get off work quickly.

I fed him his breakfast.
Aris fixed his snack.
We reminded him to be kind to new classmates, be respectful and helpful.
He said he wanted cafeteria food, and I said not to use catsup (okay, only a very little bit).
I told him (for the millionth time) about the importance of handwashing (which he is good at - NO WONDER, did you say? ;o).
I asked him not to forget to pray at mealtime.
We all walked him to the room, where a few kids and parents already milled about.
We knew some of them and said hello.
I met Ms. Willingham again, his soft-spoken, smiling young teacher, and wished her all the best in my heart.
I also met the assistant teacher who was much older, Mrs. Richardson, who lived in the Philippines with her missionary parents when she was three years old and stayed there until she finished high school.
Mrs. Richardson blurted about Pancit right away, which was kind of fun.
Aris came in after parking the car, lugging all the materials asked of second-graders: several big black binders, crayolas, bottles of glue, clorox wipes and boxes of tissue, notebooks, among others.
We were only asked to have a few notebooks, one writing pad, one box of crayons, a ruler, a set of pencils, when I was in second grade back in 1977.
Aris and Mrs. Richardson fell into animated conversation about Filipino food.
The boy plopped on a seat next to his best friend, another Filipino boy who LOOKS like him.
They both started working on the paper which was laid out on the table in front of them, amid excited chatter.
AJ got busy introducing himself around the room.
He then settled on a chair in front of his kuya (big brother), AND 'worked' on the paper meant for the kid assigned to that table.
It was our cue.
We all gave Matthew an extra squeeze and kiss, and bid everyone good bye.
He was going to have a wonderful first day.

Saturday with Ms. Sandy

What a blessed week this is! Yesterday in the mail, Ms. Sandy of Thistle Cove Farm told me she and her husband were in town for a business meeting. Well, Raleigh, really, which is a few minutes' ride from where I live. So my enterprising self said could we meet, and how about she said YES!

So this morning, Aris and I packed the boys up and drove to Crabtree Mall, across the street (oh, let me go ahead tell all, Ms. Sandy) of which was Marshall's where Ms. Sandy was finishing up her shopping. She IS such a bubbly, lively, very warm person! Every single minute was a cross between funny, deep, and just sincere down-to-earth exchange of thoughts! We went inside Crabtree for some iced coffee and who do we see but my boys enjoying Subway sandwiches at a table! So we all stayed together, and got introduced. Aris and Matthew were particularly charmed by her life in the valley where she cares for 8 horses, 30 sheep, 4 dogs (two of which are puppies), and a garden.

In the end, the boys left us so that M and AJ could play, and we fell to really good, heartfelt conversation. I AM amazed at the things I learned from her travels, and hopefully, in return, I was able to share some things of worth. Ms. Sandy is a well of knowledge, and is very perceptive, her eyes moving around, and observing things and people around us. I am very pleased to have met her, and to belong to her blogroll. Indeed, the week has not run out of blessings!

Enjoy your pillow tonight, Ms. Sandy! ;) We'll take you up on your offer to visit Thistle Cove Farm one day!

Summer Fun Together

Some good things never last. Two days ago, our friends and we went out of town to Virginia Beach. It took more than three hours' drive. We started at 5:30 in the morning.

There were four families, and we led the convoy. The last family (seen here before the sunrise picture) didn't make it till about 11 at night because Michelle came off work at 3 (and you know how it goes - a nurse never gets to go out the door till AT LEAST an hour afterwards). Anyway, we were all nurse women, and our families have met here and become friends over the years. Some of our children were born here, and we have come to learn and accept the realities of life in America, our home away from home. We've all seen each other through joys and tragedies, and have that bond that can last a lifetime.

We had good fun, just goofing around and being silly, for two days and a night. Joseph and Michelle's family almost didn't make it because the tunnel was closed due to some flooding - my, my, the rains in Virginia! Aris had to navigate them by map from our hotel room.

It was a wonder we had some sun at all - well, that's not very kind. The first three families all headed to the beach right away - around noon - and it was HOT! I neglected to put sunscreen on my back because I'd been kept busy chasing the boys who were literally riding the waves, which, by the way, happened to be VERY STRONG. Matthew admitted to having 'drowned' - he might have gotten swept, and fought it back, so he stayed awhile on the shore making sand castles. I didn't like that part of the beach, the strong waves. Plus, it was much too crowded for my taste. No shells. And the sand was brown, though fine. (No, I am NOT complaining.)

Well, I think I may have lost a good two pounds from the heat alone. We were there for a solid 5 hours. Our tans are amazing, but my shoulders hurt. I'm sure the skin will peel off in a few days. That's not good, and not right to ignore the sunscreen. Don't do that. Skin cancer is a nasty business. It crusts, it hurts, it weeps. Of course, it harbors nasty microorganisms, including MRSA. And when you have it, you have it for life. Don't be like me, I make a very bad patient sometimes.

Where was I? Oh. The heat. Well, it started drizzling around 5 and the lifeguards started shooing all swimmers and beachcombers away. It was funny listening to their frantic whistles. We went back to our hotel rooms and watched the dolphins bobbing up and down from afar, and also the lifeguards combing the shore in their truck, back and forth, to make sure that the beach stayed empty.

There were plans to jog and boogey board and swim some more and take shots of the sunrise and with the sunrise, but I was too bushed. Only Aris represented our family. And I wasn't going to wake a 3-year-old to watch the sunrise anyhow when all Mommy wanted was more and more sleep. So Aris enjoyed the daybreak with our friends. I like that shot of the sun with a seagull in the distance.

After checking out, we all headed to Williamsburg Outlet to check out some clothes and stuff. But it was raining so hard so we were running in the rain, and getting all soaked, going from one shop to another. It was hilarious. Some shoppers crossed the road with shopping bags over their heads. The babies with us? No problem. I had Tylenol in the car, and I am sure my friends did, too.

We got home around 8 last night.

Summer's slipping by. As I type this, I'm trying to think of the open house on the 20th where we will meet Matthew's second grade teacher for the first time. Where has all the summer gone? I was so worried we wouldn't be able to keep the boys busy enough, but in truth, I have not even written enough of what we had done. I had even cancelled some of my son's activities because of time constraints. Summer's been fun but too short.

Oh well. Time for everything. Let's see what the next season brings. Hope you enjoyed the pictures! I have so much more, saved for next time, okay? Hope you all have a good weekend! I'm going to nurse my sunburn!

Awards, Awards

Hello, my friends! I'm up and refreshed now and my thoughts are swirling! First, my thanks to the fabulous bloggers I've met who sent the following awards my way! A Target Give-away gift card from Ashley of Kansas! Whew! Find out all about this, and how I won this card - my VERY FIRST BLOGGING WIN - in a most extraordinary way, here.

Ashley, I am privileged to meet you, and call you my friend, you and your precious little girl, are in my prayers. Thank you so much!

Ashley's letter - I'm tickled pink! My little boy opened this himself.

My next thoughts are of SunnyMama of England! Many thanks, Sunny, for my awards! I encourage everyone to go visit her fabulous blogsite and just immerse yourself in its warmth! My prayers are with you and your little boy, SunnyMama!

I don't have much time to sit here now, for the moment, so I cannot do some fast typing of URLs to pass the One Lovely Award to (wait for that, there'll be 15 of you), but the Your Blog Is As Deer To Me As Cupcakes I pass on to all of you on my blogroll - yeah, start grabbing and posting on your sidebars! Don't be shy now!! That's the rule!

Later on in the night,

the celebration continuedwith Zulma's homemade picadillo (chili), full of fresh garden vegetables, 3 kinds of spices, and a whole lot of other condiments. She also used ground turkey for meat.

These tostadas went with the chili - yum!

That's Zulma, in black, trying to pull this run-away golf cart. Too much picadillo for Blanda, eh? Both of them are most dedicated Nurse's Assistants, never complaining, never failing, always there. We three have a special bond, and bring food whenever we're working together. It was Zulma's first time to bring something last night - and she certainly made it worth the wait.

Finally, you are all MY AWARDS in this never-ending game called LIFE. No gems like friends anywhere. Take care, Tuesday's almost gone. I'll see you later!