The sound of flip-flops

Mood: Sleepy. Haven't had much sleep lately.

It is summer and I just love to see the sun shining. It can change really quickly but for a few days now, it has been consistently sunny and bright. I am even surprised that at work, I can take my office jacket off because it gets too warm. Big windows can have a greenhouse-effect, most especially if you've got poor air-conditioning system. But then I love summer - the warmth and brightness of a sunny day!

Because it is summer - some people, mostly ladies, wear flip-flops at work! Yes, at work! A week ago, a colleague popped in our department and I turned when I heard the sound of her flip-flops as she walked. It looks perfectly normal for her to be wearing flip-flops. Tsinelas. Step in. Sandalyas. We have several names for flip-flops and we wear them in the Philippines when we go to the wet market or to a shop nearby but never ever to work! It is quite amusing though and it brought back pleasant memories of home - walks on the beach, seeing my father at home watching TV wearing his tsinelas or the sight of my brother topless, with a towel around his neck and yes, wearing flip-flops! Or my 8-year old nephew playing with his friends on the street - all wearing the lovely flip-flops! These indeed are ordinary things in my home land.

And right now, I can only dream being home and wearing my very 'presko' flip-flops.

A dream that became a story

Mood: A little bit irritated due to virus on the computer - which I was able to remove, thank God! Have you ever had a dream so vivid that you felt it was real? So clear youc ould smell and almost taste it? I have....and I entered it into a contest. Waterstones, one of England's largest book shops (more like National Bookstore in the Philippines I suppose) launched a contest called 'What's Yours Story?' The story must be able to fit in a storyc ard that they provided (just a little bit bigger than a post card actually). I thought it would be cool to join and submit an entry. So, I wrote this dream that I had a month or so ago and sent it to them. Announcement of winners will be in a few days I think. I would like to share with you what 'My Story' was, here it is: The Voices of Wealth She knew at that moment she was surrounded with wealth. It was all over her. All above and under her. She could feel it. She could smell it. But she couldn’t understand why she couldn’t see them. She looked around her but the wealth was invisible. ‘We are here,’ one voice from her right side whispered. ‘We are here, another voice whispered from the foot of the bed. ‘We are here,’ for the third time, the Wealth said in unison, in three different voices. Then the Wealth asked, ‘Where do you want us to appear?’ She opened her mouth to speak. But something happened. Something she did not like. There was a noise - one tiny noise from somewhere - that made her open her eyes. The noise that awakened her…and stopped her beautiful dream. She did not like it. For it was only…a dream.

The JEWELLS

Mood: Relaxed

Been really busy the past two weeks. I will be posting about my trip to London last week and visits from beloved friends Jemima & Orren and Karla & Ed.

For the meantime, here's a lovely photo of my dear old friend Jemima with me whilst roaming around Norfolk with our hubbies. It was a beautiful weekend with them two. Jemima and I spent two days and two nights reminiscing the good old days. When we were in college, we called ourselves, The JEWELLS. You know those good old days, we did the corniest and silliest things, didn't we? The word JEWELLS actually is an acronym for our names. We were a group of 7 young ladies who studied and hung out together. J stood for Jemima, E for Ellen, W for Weng, another E for Edlyn, L for Lorie, another L for my nickname Len and S for Sonia. We somehow found a way to get hold of each other's emails and have now been communicating via email. But of course this also opened the door to constantly communicate with Jemi, haha! (which surely will drastically increase my phone bills! but what the heck!) ...and being as dramatic as I am, it made me cry leaving Jemi and Orren at the Liverpool Train Station that Sunday night. Bhuhuhuhu. I truly enjoyed being with them. Hubby also enjoyed the time with them and we could only wish that it would happen again one day.

My Lovely Prestonian Friends!

Mood: Excited! A friend from way way back (University years) is coming over to visit us! Talking about friends. I haven't told you about hubby's best friend (and childhood friend), Reuben and his lovely wife Pat. Two lovely people who always welcome me in their lovely home when we visit Lancashire. We always enjoy our visits. The last time was early this year, just before spring. I would like to share with you some photos with them (Reub and Pat, thanks for the permission to publish these beautiful photos with you!)

This photo to your left is Reuben whilst cooking his specialty for us...it was lovely! Reub, I was stuffed that evening! Thanks so much!

Husband and I always enjoy their company. We always have a good laugh with them. They are also the first two people who made me feel like I belong here. They made me feel so welcome. I remember my husband introducing me to Reuben over the telephone when we were in the Philippines. That seems to be a long time ago now. My better half was saying the truth, Reuben and Pat were ones of the very few people who accepted me with open arms. I know I get so dramatic sometimes but it was difficult for me starting here with no friends, no family, nothing. But with my two friends Reuben and Pat, it was a much better world for me. Life was easier.

Thanks to the both of you, Reub, Pat! We will see you again very soon!

From left: Pat, Reuben, myself and husband.

Summer Barbecue!

Mood: Happy - most probably due to high adrenalin caused by Filipino lady friends! Today - all day - it was Tuesday (ha!)...and sunny, warm, bright and beautiful! It was indeed a good time to get together out in the sun and take advantage of the warm weather. Otherwise we wouldn't have this for the next week or so because on Thursday, and for the next few days after that (I don't really know how long it's going to last) it is going to be raining again! So, tonight, really, was a good break! Tonight, I had a last-minute-but very welcome-short-notice-kind of invitation from a Filipina friend. Barbecue with other Filipina friends! I was on the bus when hubby phoned me to tell me that our friend Irene phoned to invite us to her barbecue and it was tonight! Hubby had a phone call from work asking him to report tonight so I was having second thoughts. I wanted to go - I wanted to see Filipinos! So my mind started to think (yes, sometimes I make my mind work by thinking a little bit) - better half's work starts at 9:30 p.m. so if we go at 7:00 p.m. and stay there for at least an hour, it will be alright. That gives hubby the time to get to work. So I phoned him to tell him we were going. He didn't disagree. As soon as I was home, off we went. Tell you what, it was bliss having Filipina friends around! I have never chatted so much in my life that I didn't know if it was wind in my stomach or the sausages that I ate that made me feel so stuffed! Husband showed off his Tagalog words and sentences and everybody just loved it. I laughed so hard until my tummy ached. I have never had so much potatoes in my entire life! I let a little bit of my hair down (ya-ha!) and had so much fun! I enjoyed the food immensely. There were roasted lamb and steak, salad, roasted potatoes, chicken kebab, lots of fruit juice and the dessert - fresh strawberries from Irene's garden!!! (Sorry I wasn't able to take photographs, I completely forgot all about taking photos!) Here I am at 10:00 p.m., still awake and thinking how much fun it was to be with some Filipino friends, most of them nurses, who are just so jolly and enthusiastic and spontaneous and...what else do I have to say, they are just so lovely! So, tonight, I thank the Universe for finally bringing me some Filipino friends who I can be myself with, who I can laugh with...Filipinos who don't measure me up and don't interrogate me, don't ask me intrusive questions (like 'Where did you get your husband from?' as if I took him from a stockroom or from a shop!) and most of all, who are genuine. It's just like being in the Philippines again. This piece is for the wonderful ladies I met tonight (thanks dear friend Irene for introducing me to them!) Pat, Merlin, Analyn and Nelia. To Irene's daughter Jo, thanks for driving me home! To Irene and her family, thanks so much for your friendship and hospitality. You are such lovely people!