Ooops!

First off happy fall season to everyone.

In my mind I have already posted a few entries here. And when I came to check on this blog, I'm even surprised that the "entries" weren't here. LOL. I am definitely losing my mind.

On Saturday, the last full day of summer, we tackled the job of cleaning out the garage and getting rid of stuff that we don't need. We only managed to one side of the garage, the left side due to the fact that we stayed in bed until nearly 12 noon. It was a rainy day, bed weather, so we stayed and watch some cooking shows on tv.

I found 2 boxes that contained the cards and letters that I received over the years. In the past I have been saving all of them for the time when I can figure out what to do with them. However, we barely have room to move in the garage, let alone use it for what it is as a carport.

My mind may have been clouded by the dust I've been inhaling, the cobwebs in my hair and whatever smells that are mixed in there - Emma and Buster pee there for instance, just to be naughty.

Anyway, I dumped all these mementos in the garbage bin. As I was doing that I was having second thoughts, but I knew that had I kept them I wouldn't find time to read them again or for that matter figure out a way to keep, use, or store them. They would be gathering dust.

Because I was keen on getting one side of the garage organized (we have more elbow room now) I didn't read the letters and cards, I just dumped them.

A couple of days later I still think about those letters and cards. I may have been rash in throwing them out. Or was I?

I don't know, for now I know how my heart feels. It feels like it had made a boo-boo.

Day 11 (30 days of June)

AN OPEN LETTER.

Dear G,

You sneaky little devil you! I thought we were tight? Why didn't you say goodbye? You weren't keen on making a scene by saying goodbye? Or were you afraid I'd make a scene when you say goodbye? Either way, I'm sure you're right.

The thing is by not saying goodbye you robbed me of the chance to say how much I appreciated working with you. Sure you spread your nervous energy with everyone around you. My husband thinks I absorbed the most of my nervous energy from you :)

I thank you for your friendship and your sense of humour. I enjoyed working with you especially during the stressful times when we felt like we've been wrung out dry of energy, of enthusiasm, or even the will to work.

You're far too young to retire, although that's what I've heard you did. I wouldn't be surprised if you're punching your time card somewhere else. Good luck. And if you're up to it, drop by and say hi someday.

Thanks for the laughter,
M

Getting Sentimental

It can't get any clearer than this, originally uploaded by M'roy.

On February 20th, I marked my 19th year here in the US of A. It's hard to believe that it has been that long. Time just fly by, truly.

I got really sentimental days leading to the date. In past years, I hardly even remember the significance of the date, it passes by without notice. However, this year, I've been feeling really sentimental about the day I left Philippines for good. Yes, I knew it was for good, because I have my family here waiting for me.

I am trying to remember everything about that day when I boarded a rented vehicle. Our neighbor, RIP Manong Tony, was driving the vehicle with only my bff and her bf, now hubby, and my nephew. A very different scene when sending someone off where the entire barangay would tag along to the airport.

I remember stopping by the school where I was working and picked up a few people who wanted to send me off too. Honestly I cannot remember who they were now. I have a vague recollection of Maris as being one of them from a little memory that keeps coming back to me of her peeking from a glass partition in the airport waving goodbye to me. So she probably was one of them, and maybe Jayce was one of them as well. They are the best of friends and cannot be separated.

I don't recall anymore how I felt knowing I'd forever be leaving the only life I have known, the only home I have called my own. It was difficult for sure, but how did I feel?

My bff being there a few days before I left had me busy visiting with her, making sure they get meals and at the same time making sure I have everything I needed to take to my new life.

My students wrote me letters and cards, I took them all. The pictures as much as I could find all went into the suitcase.

It's a shame I didn't write all of it down at that time. I do remember arriving at 8 pm in SFO and while the plane was landing, I could see the lights of the city. They twinkle and glitter like jewels. I fell in love instantly. The city is so beautiful at nightfall.

My family had a little dinner ready for me at my brother's house, which was my temporary home while I job hunt. The next day, I saw the Golden Gate Bridge in my jet lagged state and still couldn't believe how lucky I was to be seeing this beautiful city.

19 years later I still catch my breath every day I catch a glimpse of the bridge on my morning commute, weather permitting that is, and still can't believe how lucky I am to be living here.

I love it here.

Dear Blog

Poor neglected blog. 10 days since the last post. There’s a lot on my plate right now and maintaining four other blogs – mainly photo blogs – something has to suffer and I’m afraid it’s you.

Around these times you know I tend to be stressed out, dealing with traffic in order to get to and from work and the same thing during the weekend from one errand to another – too much drain on the energy.

I have stuff to tell you, but am too tired to make some sense still. But I have been caring for these little balls of fur that visit every day. This weekend hubs and I got to pet little Fuzzy. Yap, you know it, I have already named 2 of these cats. The other one is Midnite.

Fuzzy is fascinating. She came when she was a baby, brought by Gray, one of the original feral cats that visited us last year. Gray came to us as a baby and grew up a bit. She/he brought Fuzzy to us as a baby. Fuzzy played through the screen door with Buster. So they knew each other from the very beginning.

Gray and Midnite – the original one – were our first babies, they came every night. Because they were babies we used to put out bowls of milk, then they graduated to table scraps and cat food.

All of a sudden Midnite and Gray no longer came to visit. I was constantly worried they might have been run over or you know killed by dogs or something.

Our neighborhood is a safe haven for them, I believe. I know for a fact that our neighboor who we share a back fence with also feeds them.

Now this group has grown. And Fuzzy has grown too. She/he’s probably 3-4 months old now and very sweet little one. We got to pet her and she/he purred for us. Next step is to pick her up. And if she/he’s willing, we’ll get her spayed/neutered, get checked up and given all the necessary shots and we’ll adopt her.

Now all these is based on whether she will be tame enough to allow us to carry her. If that happens, I still have one hurdle to overcome. What will her/his arrival impact on Emma. Emma has been really aloof with all the cats feeding in the backyard. Buster we have no problem, he’s the sociable one. He greets them and plays with them thru the screen door.

We have put up an interim shelter for them since it has been raining lately and the temperature has dropped. Fuzzy has that wonderful long hair and it appears to have doubled since the weather has changed. What a beautiful cat.

However, the cats don’t seem to know how to use this interim shelter. We’ve been extremely busy with our weekends that we had no time to make their house. We still plan on making them some sort of shelter when the weather is lousy.

See how busy I am. I am not even mentioning about work, as I don’t want to say anything about it.


Love,
Me

Dear Santa

I hope it's not too late to put in my list. I have finished holiday preparations which included addressing and mailing all cards, buying groceries, making rumballs, wrapping presents. The tree has been trimmed and the lights are up.

I thought I'd be happy without anything this year, but I just thought of a few things I wanted for next year. Are you ready with my list Santa? They are in no particular order:

• Sleep. Why did I feel like I was always yawning and sleepy this year? And nope, it's not all David Lettermen's fault.
• Patience. I think I was born lacking in this virtue. I need it for next year and yes, I don't have the patience right now to explain why :)
• Focus. I am easily distracted. What I always thought was my talent at multi-tasking was actually my inability to focus on one task and finishing such task before starting another one.
• Goal. I need one badly. If I don't have one, I will not have something to look forward to, nothing to work hard for.
• And as you can see, the list comprised of things meant just for me so I am asking for less SELFISHNESS next year. It's high time I think of someone else's comfort before mine.

Thanks Santa. And if you give me these things, I'll bake you some cookies next year.

It's me :)