Being alone in the house for the week (except on sister's day off) made me a little bored, and sometimes I would not have the appetite to eat, but of course, being a big lover of food, I have had cravings that were satisfied to say the least. Here are just three of the foods I ate for this week:




KFC Hot and Crispy Chicken. Wednesday was sister's day off, and she told me she will leave the house come lunch time. I thought to myself I will not cook anymore, and will skip lunch or maybe eat a sandwich. Both of us still hasn't eaten breakfast, and our fridge didn't have much, so sister decided to try out the KFC Delivery. About three days ago, a crew of KFC SM Fairview put out some fliers and we were happy that aside from Jollibee and Shakey's Pizza, KFC can now deliver in our area. Minimum delivery was 200 pesos, so I opted to go for the 2-piece Hot and Crispy chicken, and added a regular size coleslaw. It's been ages since I last ate KFC (possibly the last time was September 2008), and I really enjoyed my lunch.


Kowloon House Asado Siopao. Thursday afternoon, I had a craving for Kowloon House siopao. It just popped in my head, and I instantly hope to eat it. Come night time, mom asked me to do a bank errand, and since the bank was in Lagro, Quezon City... I walked to the Kowloon House kiosk after the errand and bought myself their asado siopao. It brought back memories of childhood - I really loved the bread of this siopao. Sadly, the filling was too little compared to one from Goldilock's or 7-11, but at least I was able to satisfy my cravings. For 55 pesos (for 2 siopao), I was able to eat a good lunch and early dinner.


Ted's Extra Super Batchoy. We didn't have anything planned for the weekend, so I decided to take an afternoon nap on Saturday, but mom woke me up around 5pm to say that we will go to the mall because she needed to buy something for Sunday's Lord's Day celebration. We decided to eat early dinner first, and because it was just the two of us, we didn't go for the high end food places and just settled for something right on the pocket, but very satisfying. Still, we ate at a food place that was new for us (it was always a thing for us to eat at "something new" whenever we go to the mall). Mom went for their rice meal, but I went for their extra super batchoy. It had slices of pork liver and intestines, and because I don't eat liver, I just scooped it out and placed it in my mom's mini batchoy bowl. It was my first time to eat "authentic" batchoy - and it felt as if I was eating at a food shop in Iloilo, because the crew were all Illonggos, and I just love their accent. Food wise, my batchoy tasted really good; the pork slices were tender, it was like eating lechon.

Now that a new week has come, I don't know if I will be having some cravings... I really have to be strict with my diet. While I will allow some indulgence, I will see to it that those cravings will be satisfied by lunch, so I still have time to "burn off" some of the calories.

Have a great week ahead!

*** Jenn ***

Last year, when Lilith became a mother for the first time, I was there to assist her. Days before she gave birth, she would sleep next to me, and one time at 3AM, she gave birth right in my own bed. Sadly, she didn't take care of her little one, and the kitten died just days after it started eating solid food. The death of Juno (the kitten) created a gap between the two of us, so when she got pregnant for the second time, she was still aloof, until she gave birth.

She gave birth in the corner of the garden, and because it rained everyday, even if I put an umbrella to cover them, it still wasn't enough. I didn't want to neglect them, so I placed them under the sofa in our terrace. She wasn't pleased with that, so when I saw her carrying one of the kittens and was hoping to come inside our house, I just let them. I really didn't want for them to get wet in the rain.

I didn't know where she placed the two kittens, until I opened my closet to get some clothes. Now I know why Orange-y (the other cat) was too cranky... Lilith took his spot (Orange-y loves to sleep in my closet). Anyway... I didn't want my closet to smell, so I created a little space in one of the smaller cabinets. Lilith didn't like it, but I already closed my closet, so she can't place back the kittens.

I was just surprised when Lilith carried one of the kittens and placed it in my foot. She let the kitten stay there while she rubbed herself in my other leg, as if trying to communicate with me. I just didn't mind her - I was telling myself I was firm. The thing was, when Lilith realizes I won't budge, she carried the kitten and got up to the sofa and placed the kitten in my lap! Oh geez!


So there... the cat won. I guess cats aren't really pets, but they are the masters. I gave in to her request, but I vacate half of my closet except for one dress, which acted as their bed. She still hasn't taken out the kittens, and would let me play with the little prunes whenever I wanted. Mom wasn't at all pleased, but I told her will just let them stay until the kittens are ready to explore the world.

*** Jenn ***

Last of the Pre-School pictures for Nostalgia this month...




After ten months, I survived my first year of school. Even if I wasn't supposed to be in the Kindergarten 2 class (my mom first enrolled me as a Kindergarten student, but I was accelerated), finishing 4th was a sweet victory for me. I cannot recall what happened on the graduation day itself, but these things I know:

• The watch on my wrist was actually dysfunctional - my mom just made me wear it so it would look as if I have a watch on. (Hahahaha)
• The white stockings I wore was my mom's, she had this basket full of stockings and she asked me to wear it. It was big for me, yes, mom just secured it with rubber bands in my legs. Ouch.
  
• I wanted dad to pin my medal, but mom wanted to do it. See how not pleased I was?
• My dad scolded my brother for looking like that in our family picture - but he didn't scold me for not looking. Truth is, I was looking at the kids in the playground when the family picture was taken.
  

My Pre-School days were one of the most colorful days of my schooling life, and because there was a school in our neighborhood, I knew after this day, I would never travel with mom everyday anymore. Some of the things I will miss (or have missed) after graduation:

• Washing my hands in the men's comfort room. It was really funny... I always enter the men's comfort room because the wall tiles were green, and I found it quite amusing. It was only until one person told me I am not actually allowed to enter that I realized there was a different comfort room for men and women.
• Going to tito Jimmy's desk to ask for candies. Tito Jimmy was one of my mom's suitors until mom and dad became a couple. His desk was full of candies (which he sells), but because I am so makulit, he would give me free candies whenever I go to his table. Him opening his desk is like opening a treasure chest. My favorite candies were the pineapple and orange flavored Stork, and White Rabbit - the one with paper wrapping people can eat.
  
• Coco Jam and Magnolia Chocolait in Bottles. One of the good things about government offices was that there are so many merchants bringing their goods. I remember the many times my mom would scold me for bringing in coco jam because the sellers would come to me and convince me to take one because they knew that parents won't let other people see a child cry just because their parents didn't want to purchase the good. Well, I never really liked coco jam, I just liked it because it was in cute containers - sometimes it's apple, at times it's pear. The Magnolia Chocolait in bottles is something I still miss 'til now. Every Friday, my dad would let me take home 1 liter of it for being good in school.
• Jellies. My dad worked in the salary loans department - one of the most hectic departments of SSS. Even so, he would sometimes come to mom's department to take me and we would go out - at times we would eat goto or barbecue... or we would go to the supermarket so he could buy me those gelatin in a cup. I love my dad!
• Feeding the Kois. In the ground floor of SSS East Ave., there was this pool full of koi fishes. I love dropping some of my bread there for them to eat.
  
• Classmates. I used to have a classmate whom I consider my best friend back then... every so often, I would come to their house and wait 'til my mom picked me up. I tried to look for her in Facebook, but I just can't find her. Likewise, I also miss when the younger students would line up to me to have their foods cut or opened. Some of the kids would take packed cup cakes or chips, and because they were very young, the teacher would ask me to cut the packages of their foods instead.

Before I close this nostalgic trip, I would like to share something I could never, ever forget during my pre-school days. One time, my teacher had an ice breaker in the class by asking if there was someone who would like to perform in front of the class. Two of them sang, so for the third performer, she asked if somebody would recite a poem instead. I happily raised my hand, when in front and recited (with conviction, feeling, and actions), "Ako'y tutula, mahabang mahaba... ako'y uupo, tapos na po." Hahahaha! My teacher could only say, "Umupo ka na nga." Honestly, at that time I never really thought it was a joke... a good reminder that kids really absorb things taught to them by adults. I think it was one of our neighbors who taught me that. Tsk tsk tsk....

I love being a kid!

*** Jenn ***

I am back to blogging! I am online everyday, but didn't really take the time to update all my blogs because of many reasons. I will just make a run-down of how my week went last week. :)




16 August 2010

After nearly a week of not being able to go out to jog because of my monthly period, I was happy to be back in the plaza for a round of jogging. I noticed that aside from the man who was sitting in the bleachers, there were two kids as well. For a while I got paranoid in jogging because I knew kids can sometimes be tactless and way too honest, and I admit to be a victim of kids shouting "baboy" (pig) or "taba" (fat) from different occasions and somehow the fear of being attacked verbally made me think twice if I should go on. After passing the bleachers and the kids didn't shout anything, I decided to continue. After making six laps around the basketball court, I was surprised when the kids were already behind me jogging as well. Hmmm.. good influence? For a while they didn't want to overtake me, but because I tend to stop and walk every two laps to catch my breath, the kids already overtook me. This picture was taken when we were jogging already - I cannot stop to take their picture, hence the blur.

The whole day went by smoothly... I was able to do the aerobics and the other exercises, but come nighttime, my head became heavy and I started to become feverish. I found it quite weird actually - before I switched off my netbook, I remember saying "get well soon" on my friend's Facebook status, and after a few minutes, I am starting to get sick as well. Hmmm...

17 August 2010

I wasn't able to do my exercises because I got really, really sick. My head was aching so much, I am dizzy, and my body felt as if a hundred people punched me endlessly. It was difficult for me to move, so I decided to rest as much as I could. I was able to catch a nap late in the afternoon, and I also took in medicines, just to help me get well.


18 August 2010

It was sister's day off, and true to what mom has instructed, she slept in mom's room because I might pass on the flu to her. I had no appetite today, mainly because my tongue was very warm and my tastebuds were a bit bitter. Seeing that I still haven't eaten anything and it's already 11AM, sister had some fast foods delivered - just to get me eating. She knew that I am a person who wouldn't make any food go to waste, so she really ordered quite a lot for me. I was able to eat all of the hotdog sandwich, but I admit the taste was really awful (because of my tongue). I was able to eat some of the fries, and had a taste of the spaghetti, but it was way too much for me. I let the fries and the spaghetti sit on the table because I really cannot eat it anymore. In no time, I found myself throwing up all the foods I ate.


When brother came home, he brought some Mushroom Burgers as part of his little project. There were four kinds of burgers - all I had an itty bitty bite (just to know the taste), and had a half of this one (in picture). The three other burgers had patties (ground beef with chopped mushrooms), but this one was made from pure oyster mushrooms, which was good, but again, my tummy didn't like it.

It was difficult for me to sustain the day because whenever I eat something, my body would automatically flush it out. The good thing was that, the medicines I took were already acting, so the fever was gone, but I still had a slight headache.


19 August 2010

I was surprised when I saw my mom still in house clothes when I woke up. She said she was on "sick leave" because it was her right to have a sick leave, but of course she was just kidding. It was actually Quezon City day, and because her office is at QC, it was a holiday. Knowing that I was much better already, she and I went out. I had a "something to smile about" moment when I was walking out of the subdivision to catch her and brother (I had to stop for a while to take a picture of a butterfly), and one of my high school classmates saw me. We rarely see each other, but everytime we did, he would always tease me shouting so loudly how fat I was. However, on this day he shouted, "pumapayat ka ah." (You're losing weight) - I could only shout back my "thank you," and went on walking.

Mom and I roamed to different stores, and after we ate our lunch, we saw this Ukay Ukay store, and thought of entering it. Mom browsed through their clothes (she was looking for a long sleeved blouse that would pass up as a blazer/jacket), and I went to the shoes. Seeing they had a pair of these white Marc Jacobs flats, I tried it on and took a picture...but because it was a size 8 (I'm a size 9), my toes weren't really comfortable inside. It would have been nice to own a pair of signature shoes, but then again, I was just unlucky.


Come night time, mom told me one of her co-household members in Couples for Christ posted pictures on their Facebook. Mom wanted to see the pictures, but we can't seem to find them. Seeing my mom making a search using my netbook was something new, I just had to take a picture of it. :)


20 August 2010

Brother leaves again for Cagayan de Oro. I don't know the reason for his travel this month as he was just there last May, but for whatever reason, I was happy that my brother and his girlfriend will see each other again. He might stay there until the end of the month, so that would mean I'd be the house maid. Hahahaha.


I opened up the tub of Chef Tony's popcorn given to us by our neighbor Ria. I appreciated it a lot because this popcorn is sugar free (they used Splenda) and fat free. Still, am not much into cinnamon flavored foods, so I just eat a handful every day... just to satisfy the tongue.


21 August 2010

I have taken over brother's room - since he left, I moved all my pillows and blankets into his room, and because the Internet cable can reach his room, I also have placed my netbook into one of his tables. Mom attended the Saturday mass, so I was left home alone, but I wasn't really alone - I was able to chat with my friend K and we got to talk about the plans about our holiday come November. It's nice to see a lot of developments in the planning, and I was so into our chat that I wasn't able to eat up all the carbonara pasta our neighbor Ria sent over (it was her mom's birthday). I gave it a taste, it was good... but I guess something really has changed in me. Imagine, I was able to have one taste of the pasta?!? For all the reasons, I was happy. A "forkful" of pasta as my dinner? Sweet.

I got to talk to one of mom's friends, who's a nutritionist. She told me I should change my food plan because having lunch as my only full meal might mean I am not getting enough nutrients. I think she was right in a way - because breakfast and dinner was oatmeal for me, it was difficult to pack all the necessary fiber, carbs, protein, etc etc... into just one plate of food. Aside from this, I have read that too much oatmeal might develop into high uric acid in the future, so I am changing the plan - she recommended me to eat full breakfast because I needed fuel for my morning exercises, and a slightly smaller amount for lunch, then have the oatmeal for dinner. I am now forwarding my concern to my own friend, who is studying nutrition, so he can plan my meals for me. When he handed me the plan, I will follow it. For now, I am slowly getting back on track...

*** Jenn ***

Weekends were definitely the time of the week that the family just feels lazy. :) I was busy editing the pictures from my October 2009 Coron trip (yes, it was just now that I am able to re-size them for upload in Facebook) when brother asked me if I wanted something from Jollibee. I thought he was just playing around, so I told him I wanted hotdog and fries. He asked mom, too, and mom answered hotdog as well. I really thought it was all a joke, until brother called out on our neighbor asking if they can take our order, too. Well, because houses here are close to each other and the two families decided not to put a tall wall in between the houses, we could hear and see each other. They were calling on JBee Delivery, and since we wanted to eat hotdogs, too, we just called out out orders.




After 30 minutes, the delivery man came, and not only did I have my hotdog, I had fries as well. Fries isn't considered as my favorite food, but then it was something I missed eating. The hotdog... well, it is one of my favorites in Jollibee. I shared the fries with mom while watching television. It was just around 4:30pm, so this served as my early dinner as well.

I didn't feel guilty eating these considering that I am on my journey to weight loss... I guess there will come a day that one needed some comfort food, and I had one today.

*** Jenn ***

This week on Girls Talk, it's all about movie(s) recommended for lovers to watch. The very first thing came to mind was this movie, which quickly became my favorite romantic movie the minute I finished watching it.



I am sure most of us have already watched this movie, but for those who wasn't able to watch it yet, I provided a trailer so you can get the jist of the story. This was a very well written story, and I just love how the story ended. I guess having the life of your life, you just don't want to leave somebody behind, hence it was a perfect ending to a great love story for me.

There are great words spoken in this movie, and some of my favorites are:

• "I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: I've loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough." - Noah
• "My Dearest Allie. I couldn't sleep last night because I know that it's over between us. I'm not bitter anymore, because I know that what we had was real. And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I'll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent the summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever. I love you. I'll be seeing you. Noah"

My favorite scene in the movie was the one when they danced in the middle of the road. If you have watched this movie, what's your favorite scene?

*** Jenn ***