Tag Archives: holidays

Toasted

Posted on by

I’m freaking toasted and my body hurts.

Kayaking for two hours. Photo by ArtCave.

I took several passengers with me while I paddled for two hours around the cove. My sister, who took the picture using the best of her Samsung’s zooming power, was praying that we don’t drift into the open sea. She thought we weren’t in control of the kayak but it’s just my mom and I were more adventurous than she thought.

Photo by CallMeCreation.com

First I took Twin A with me but she got tired and then we went back to shore after one lap around the cove. Then it was Twin I’s turn, who was more interested in the jetski-pulled water-something ride. Of course she can’t ride that because there is a height/age requirement. She was put out and didn’t want to kayak that far.

Photo by CallMeCreation.com

When it was my mom’s turn, she wanted to go farther. If only we could go near the cliffs, we would but we were warned that the rocks there are sharp and our kayak may get sliced.

So for two hours we just did laps around the cove and burned ourselves to a crisp.

Photo by CallMeCreation.com

I wasn’t able to bring the diving gear from the car, which was parked at the country club, which was a bit of a distance. So we decided to cool off at the country club pools. And got burned some more.

Diving forgotten. I slept the rest of the day. 🙄

Anyway, the corals aren’t great based on ocular inspection from above the kayak.

I was so tired that I fell asleep on this:

Comfy. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

I’m going to get me one like this in our new home. ❤️

But of course this is hardly the best place to sleep if you just got toasted. Went to sleep inside our cold cave of a room in the two-bedroom condo we rented in Pico de Loro. Now, as a consequence, I wasn’t able to wake up in time for cycling around the lagoon.

But then I’m still tired, brown, and aching.

Today’s words of wisdom are brought to you by Instagram again.

Hello, love

Posted on by
Nasugbu, Batangas–Ternate, Cavite. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Nasugbu, Batangas–Ternate, Cavite. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

I’m back to the sea ❤️

My kids enjoying the pool first. Overlooking the lagoon. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

I’m still recovering from the 3-hr, caffeine-fueled drive along that long mountain pass where monkeys and cows freely roam.

Cows. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

Taking my influencer shot.

It’s gonna rain. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

Mental health break

Posted on by
My humidifier with water-based oil scent. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

“Mama, why are you not working?” Twin I asked me when she caught me just lounging in my bed at 11 am.

“I’m on a mental health break,” I told her.

It’s true. I didn’t really have a complete “off” from work even in the middle of my Covid delirium. I was always “on” and one of my sources even scolded me for even answering his emails instead of resting when he learned I was sick with Covid. Ahhh, the curse of Type A people.

So today was my complete break from work (yesterday I still had to email a colleague because I spotted an error in our story that was published the previous day). I didn’t answer emails even though one subscriber emailed me early this morning about a request. That can wait. I’ll email back on Monday and he would understand since I had my automatic reply set up, telling people I’m on holiday.

But old habits die hard. I still checked LinkedIn, still answered a chat from a PR who messaged me about an event. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I gotta stop.

I have to be kind to myself. I must detach my identity and self-worth from my job. The world will not fall apart if I ignore work.

So I just lounged around and my intention to go to Makati or have my car go on maintenance check was foiled again by my laziness. I just watched videos and slept. Fatigue is still with me but I kinda accepted it now that I cannot push myself harder and have my usual energy and do a lot of things.

Be kinder to myself. No one’s going to kill me if I didn’t do those things today.

Spacation

Posted on by

So yes, I had a sort of spacation. Nope, I wasn’t able to go to Makati because I woke up at 9:30 am and lingered on my bed for an hour or so.

Then I repotted my plants.

My container garden is bloomin’. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
My roses are doing well so it seems like they like the sun. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Most of the mums did well. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Some are not well. I’m trying to nurse them back to health. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Regrowing vegetables from kitchen scraps like this Chinese cabbage on the left and onion leeks on the right. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Bell pepper seedlings that we grew from kitchen scraps. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Rehabilitated chili plant. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

My other chili plants like the birdseye chili is doing very well now that I’ve discovered how to make an effective homemade pesticide from a mixture of water, vinegar and handsoap/dishsoap that I spray on the leaves to prevent pests from eating the leaves.

Another cheery flower, still doing ok. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
My cosmos seedlings in the recycled 1-gallon mineral water plastic bottles. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Twin I’s project: growing vegetables and herbs
Like this coriander. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
And onions. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

By the time I was done it was already 1 pm and then finished lunch and a long hot shower at 3 pm. I told myself it’s too much of a hassle now to go to Lasema or my chiropractor whose hours have shortened to 3 pm. So I just decided to book a 2-hr deep tissue massage + 30 min Thai foot massage via Zennya.

By the time the therapist was done with me, it was already 7 pm. So yeah, I had my spacation and therapeutic gardening session.

So what to do tomorrow? I’m debating if I should buy more flowers and have the car’s underchassis checked. Or go to Rustans Makati for some revenge shopping.

BUT

I don’t know if I’m already well enough to travel all the way there.

Let’s see. If I wake up early…

Worst place to be

Posted on by

I don’t have to elaborate how and why. I mean, my household is very careful given that I have unvaccinated children with me and the three of us are asthmatic people and yet we still caught Covid from somewhere we couldn’t trace. My mom’s household is still quarantined because all of them got it. And my sisters rarely go out. I have a lot of my friends who are Covid-positive now. Many of my kids’ teachers are sick now, probably with Covid, and couldn’t hold online classes.

As I said a few months ago, it’s just a matter of time when we will get it.

Then we will have clowns running for president next year

There were too many news about Pacquiao yesterday that I dreamed about him last night. In my dream I was supposed to buy one of his cars and we were supposed to meet in a hotel lobby to do our transaction. However, his car fell from the hotel’s elevated parking space and it was already beyond repair.

That was weird.

It’s probably an omen.

I went out to withdraw some cash from my bank on Tuesday. Feeling too confident, I walked from my apartment to my bank and back. I didn’t realize that was already too taxing for me that I fell asleep that night with my lamp and PC on. Then yesterday I did nothing but sleep the whole day. Lingering Covid fatigue hits me hard. It’s sneaky like that.

So I had to order groceries again from Puregold to be delivered at home and my cat supplies via Viber to my suki vendor from Tiendesitas today. Tomorrow will be meat shopping from Monterey Community Market via Viber again. My problem are fruits and vegetables because the vendor on Facebook who has a stall in Nepa Qmart has duped me. A lot of items were missing and she sold me two small potatoes when I ordered 1/2 kg of those. Either I will brave it tomorrow and drive to UP or let my househelp buy from the nearby Robinsons (and veggies there are sometimes not that fresh, they cannot be stored that long in the fridge).

Now I’m back to buying random shit again online. Bought a new protective case for my phone because my old one was already falling apart.

Photo by CallMeCreation.com

China’s Golden Week starts tomorrow so we will be out of three or four editors. It will be a week-long holiday for them so I guess I have to work twice as much in the coming days.

CCP will again will have a show-to-the-world-we’re-tough ceremonies in Beijing sometime next week.

Meanwhile, I am looking forward to my own birthday holiday towards the end of October. Since I’m still weak, a biking or camping holiday is out of the question. Dining out is also a risky endeavor. I guess I would have to pull the trigger and buy that movie projector and just binge-watch Youtube videos and Netflix on my blank white wall during my vacation.

My girls are begging me to spend the Christmas here in the apartment instead of spending it with their grandma in my hometown. They don’t want to leave the cats.

Let’s see how the world will flow in the coming months.

Good vibes

Posted on by
Fairy lights. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

The first batch of fairy lights I bought from Lazada arrived today and we installed it in our living room. It’s sending good vibes to all of us tonight. The led light bulbs are as small as rice grains and the wires are very delicate. I hope none overheats because my curtains may catch fire. So far my cats have not played with it…yet.

I love my cats to bits but they’re the reason why this is the second year I’m doing away with the Christmas tree. The tree may not survive my cats.

Gotcha, cat! Kimchi killing my toilet paper. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

I’m waiting for the solar-powered fairy lights to arrive and will install those immediately in front of the house. Then some patio furniture so we can have barbecue outside. With lots of mosquito coils and anti-mosquito candles.

Thinking of alternative Christmas decor this year because I want the holidays to be as festive as I could make it because 2020 and this year have been challenging for everyone, especially me on a personal level. I’m still learning, I’m still growing. I’m still trying to heal. This is the first time in 21 years that I am making big and small decisions without having to consider the approval of another person. Or the welfare of another person (aside from my kids). It’s just me and it is somewhat liberating.

Other people have not been nice to me so I need to be extra nice to myself. Love myself more. Once the rate of infection is down and some businesses have opened up, I will see my chiropractor in Makati, check in I’M Hotel and book myself an overnight spa package. Onsen all I want, three hours of head to toe massage, buffet dinner and buffet breakfast. I did that before for my mom’s and my birthday a couple of years ago.

I’m nearing the one-year mark. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

I’m going to train myself to be physically stronger so I can go hiking and camping again. Then on to Mt. Pulag. In between I will go to Moalboal in Cebu or Coron in Palawan to freedrive there. I don’t think travel abroad will be possible next year. Let’s say the chance is 50%. After experiencing Covid, I don’t want to be that sick again.

Let’s see what will happen…I need to post a job opening for correspondents in Bangkok and Singapore tomorrow. At some point next year I might need to fly to Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, and Singapore because of the said requirement. I’m not looking forward to it. This is the same feeling I had after coming home from Shanghai-Xi’an-Shanghai with bronchopneumonia in 2014.

Drats, I need to renew my passport now! It’s expiring in March 2022.

Until then, I’ll just savor the time at home. Will soon be planting creeping roses that I will let grow on a trellis that I will construct between me and my neighbor so I don’t have to see their mess and I will just have the beautiful view of my roses, cosmos, petunias, and vegetables.