Back to face-to-face classes so I need to wake up at 5 am to cook breakfast. After doing this for almost a year, my body clock automatically wakes me up at around this time even without an alarm. It’s so annoying. No wonder I was already falling asleep at around 8 pm last night; my body was telling me that it’s a school day tomorrow. 😩

My mom’s body clock is the same. After doing this for so many years, she just automatically wakes up at 4 am. Hers is much earlier because she had four children and we only had one bathroom when we were growing up. We also had to ride the tricycle and jeep to go to school so extra 30 mins were needed. We were already in high school when we transferred to our present location and our high school was just across the street so that was a relief to my mom. However, old habits die hard; she still woke up early because that’s what her body was used to.

It has started raining regularly now. It was raining a few minutes ago so the temperature has already been reduced by a degree or two. It may have been brief but at least it’s no longer that dry and my surviving plants will have better chances of getting past through this month.

Right before I woke up this morning, I dreamt about my father, my mom, my siblings, and I flying to Japan. We were so late in getting Grab that I was already freaking out as we would miss our flight. I was thinking quickly if there was another JAL flight later that day.

When I woke up, I was surprised that 1) my father agreed to go through all that circus and went along with the plans for this trip; 2) we were going to Japan when not everyone in our family likes to go there; 3) that I was back being single and childless.

I guess for all his faults and transgressions, I miss my father. I was thinking last night while I was in the bathroom that I will not be able to finish building my house if my father was still alive because he would have interfered so much. That’s how overbearing he was.

Speaking of trips, I want to go here and check out this area. Cagayan province is one place that intrigued me but it’s really hard to get there. The mind is willing but the body is not.

In this Reuters report, an old town that was submerged when Pantabangan Dam was built has reappeared. The heatwave we’re exeriencing has drained bodies of water, especially in the north.

One friend who, if I remember it correctly, volunteered for WWF one time came to Aparri, Cagayan as part of the program. She told me that in late afternoon until sunset, they would be drinking beer at the beach and watch pilot whales doing back flips or waving their tails. I was so green with envy; it would have been awesome to have seen those.

That’s one of the reasons why I became a reporter. I wanted to experience those extraordinary things because as a reporter, I could have the ticket to do such things in the name of a story. But at that moment this friend was telling me this, I wanted to become a volunteer  of WWF and go places while doing something good. I said that’s the best way to put to use my science journalism major…

Ah well, I would just have to come to Aparri some other way.

Eghad, it’s so hot! 🔥

This is me after washing the dishes tonight. I thought the world will be a little bit cooler today but nope…

Meanwhile, my yellow bells started to bloom again. Wheeeeee!

I just don’t know what caused it to bloom again. Maybe shedding leaves will do the trick? Maybe I should trim it, no?