Life is a Boat -- by Rie Fu

I like the thought behind the song. It tells about the metaphor of life, the simile of living and the allegory of existence.

Like the two images ... life sometimes feels like being alone in the midst of everything gray and vagueness.

The Long and Winding Road - Beatles

The long and winding road
That leads to your door
Will never disappear
I’ve seen that road before
It always leads me here
Lead me to your door

The wild and windy night
That the rain washed away
Has left a pool of tears
Crying for the day
Why leave me standing here
Let me know the way

Many times I’ve been alone
And many times I’ve cried
Any way you’ll never know
The many ways I’ve tried

But still they lead me back
To the long winding road
You left me standing here
A long long time ago
Don’t leave me waiting here
Lead me to your door

But still they lead me back
To the long winding road
You left me standing here
A long long time ago
Don’t leave me waiting here
Lead me to your door
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

________________

"Mister, do you think this road goes to the North Pole?"

Funny ... no one wants to go to the North Pole. Well, it's cold enough here to even go there. How can a road like this be deserted? Well, it's a Sunday morning and maybe people are sleepin' in. It's not a surprise to see roads here without any traffic at all.

The Evergreens - My kind of plant

Resilient is the best word to describe these plants of old.

No matter how hot and no matter how cold.


It will stand it's ground and will not fold.

Seemed like Mother Nature's favorite plant to hold.

Up close and personal

Ice cones! Almost ready for a lickin'!

An alien landscape going where?

Marshmallows perhaps?

Tiny grains of sugar....

cotton candies?

If you can't beat 'em.... join 'em!

I know winter can be very harsh and its coming is always associated with sadness and dreadfulness. I have always expressed my dislike of it. All because for me, it takes away all the beautiful and bright things. It takes away the sun, the flowers, the green leaves and the singing bees and birds. All it brings is darkness, coldness and eerie silence. But reality is, it's here to stay and every year it will be like this over and over. How can one beat nature?? It now becomes a matter of choice......

If you can't bet 'em.... might as well join 'em!

I made my first snow angel this winter! One Sunday morning in the park with the snow still undisturbed on the ground, I just dived in and with my back on the soft snow discovered a very different perpective. I was greeted by the beautiful sight of the blue sky. How serene and peaceful.

It wasn't so bad. I may not be able to do this during the weekdays when all I can ever do is work and work but if I get to know winter during the weekends, we may end up being friends. :) Maybe next weekend, I'll try tobaggining or snow ball fights.

hot and cold... the fickle minded nature

Last summer the bike trail was green and lush.
The sun and the air were warm and balmy.
The leaves were singing and dancing.
Life’s hustle and bustle was everywhere.

This is the same bike trail in winter.
The sun and the air are cold and indifferent.
The leaves have gone leaving their branches bare and lonely.
Most of all... it’s quiet and eerie.

The creek was boisterous; anyone can hear it from a distance.
The water is rushing; going somewhere and boy was he late!
And it looks like nearby plants wants to come along
Nearer to the water they try to slither some more.

In the winter the creek has slept
Completely unmoving, frozen and still
Plants have gone as far away as they can from its frozen grip
And velvet white has shrouded its deep slumber.

Time to chat with my good ol' buddy the wii fit...

Remember before the holidays, my good buddy wii fit and me had a discussion about losing some weight through the Holidays? And I didn’t have the slightest idea how I will be doing it. Well, I was thinking wii will have his biggest disappointment even before I took my feet off his flat form.

The holidays have not been a walk in the park. It was a whole blur to me and all I can remember was the exhaustion and the headiness of the whole festivities. I did not restrain myself from eating but I have underestimated my body’s capacity and overworked myself. To add to that, there’s this cloud hanging over my head about work.

It’s passed Holidays and I was dreading to meet wii fit. Maybe I gained weight. It’s the Holidays, everybody is expected to gain some amount of weight. I was already justifying it even before I step on the wii flatform. I was so guilty because I have not gone back to my regular weekly fitness class. But I was so up over my head with work that there’s absolutely no time for anything else.

So ... tonight Mr. Wii Fit is giving me the looks. It’s been past my next chat with him. I’ve ignored him long enough so like I always say “better get it over with”.

It turned out; I lost some weight through the Holidays. Hmmmm...that wasn’t too hard. :D

Livin’ La Vida Loca

“It’s freakin’ freezing outside!!!”

Winter is getting into my nerves now. It was so cold today that my nose, fingers and toes were black and blue while I waited for the slowest bus ever to come! Working on a Saturday is torment enough but to go through the extreme numbing temperature outside is asking too much. I know, I know it’s not my boss’s fault but it’s really not helping. I’m supposed to be sleeping in, in a warm bed, oblivious to the uninhabitable condition of the outside world.

There I am, got to work half asleep and half frozen. Worked until 3:30 pm and dreaded to brave the outside again for home. The temperature is at -9C but with the wind chill, it feels like -17C. It’s not snowing anymore but the wind is like a sharp sword lashing on my skin. Mutters to myself, “I hate winter”! I thought if I make my way home as quick as possible, then I’ll be warm and cozy at home in no time.

Maybe winter heard me and convinced fate to delay my bus. So I waited for the longest time by the bus stop. The cold is creeping through the soles of my thick snow boots, through the thick linings of my coat, my fingers were frozen inside my coat pockets and I can’t feel my nose! My feet is so cold that I was already doing tap dance to relieve it from its contact of the freezing pavement. I’m hungry and cold and the bus is nowhere in sight. Oh! “What the XXXX am I doing here in Canada??” The rest of the self check questions went on and on.... my soul is broken.

Only one thing can bring warmth to my frozen spirit......

Lugaw --- perfect pinoy comfort food

yup... that'll do!

perfect combination....

Meet Buddy's Cousins

Meet cousin Charlie. My aunts bunso (youngest) hehe. After her two kids went to college, she got this little guy. He belongs to the Shih Tzu breed... so I was told. I'm not so good at telling the breeds apart. For me they are all cute and lovable. Charlie has endless energy and loves to bug Buddy to death. He is only 2 years old and half the size of Buddy. Bought as a pup.

This is cousin Miki. Same age as Charlie and practically the same size. They are both toy dogs that are so used to being carried and cuddled. My cousin bought him when he's just a puppy. When the two small dogs are together, everything is in chaos. Buddy would stay away from the two of them.



This is cousin Joey! He's the oldest of them all and the biggest! He's considered the bouncer and the bully. He likes to bully the small dogs and the medium dogs like Buddy. Do you know how big he is?



Can you see Buddy behind cousin Joey? Poor Buddy! I think cousin Joey is leaning on him! I have been stepped on by Joey and boy does it hurt!!! Buddy is trying to get away from behind cousin Joey. From the looks in his face he was really serious in escaping ... hehe.

A Typical Urban Winter Scene

Most streets were cleared of snow. Where does the snow go?

Of course! On the the side streets. They all pile up high at the street banks and they will stay there forever until spring comes. The difference with flood is that flood comes and goes. This snow bank will stay there for the whole winter season.




Some snow pile can be as high as the cars. They are minimountains usually seen at a corner of a parking lot. It's one place we will not wish to loose our keys in. Reminds me of the needle in the haystack. Anything can get lost in there.

This is my bus stop. Imagine standing inside that enclosure surrounded by ice. It's like being in the freezer waiting to be picked up and defrosted. The longest time I've waited for bus in a winter storm is 45 minutes. It was sear torture! I was on the verge of crying. I am very well dressed for a snow storm, with my thick coat, furred hood, thick mittens and snow boots and still the longer I stayed there waiting for the bus in the midst of snow pouring like mad is unbearable. I can see kids walking through the snow storm because there was no bus in sight. Kids who did not prepare for a storm, who were wearing thin coats and ordinary shoes. I called home just to make sure my kids were at home safe and warm. I wish these kids would just stay in door and call their parents to come and pick them up.

Do you think it would be nice to sit under that tree?? I guess, if I'm a snow man...hehe

From my family to you... A new years greeting of hope, faith and love!

The past celebrations have drained me out totally. It all started on the 24thof December where I have to cook three dishes for the potluck noche Buena we had and the fact that we stayed up all night celebrating. Mass on Christmas Day and attended to visitors. On the 26th, we have to prepare for my daughters sleepover party on the 27th. 27th and 28th was all about six girls staying for dinner, not sleeping through the night, breakfast and lunch. 29th I worked. On the 30th, I spent 5 hours at work and then started preparing for the New years eve and Louise’s birthday party that I will be hosting at home. Preparing means I still have to do groceries and clean up the house. Unlike most parties that my relatives prepare where they have it catered. I usually cook all my dishes. All 10 entries, home cooked. It’s a lot of work but because I love cooking, I am actually willing to go through the back breaking endeavour. It always turns out good anyway. I would start cooking as early as the morning of the 31st and party would start around 5pm. It will last until midnight so I have to make sure everybody was entertained. January 1st was spent sleeping and attending the mass. January 2 was to fulfill a promise to my daughter that we will go to the mall so she can shop ‘till she drop from all the money she has received for Christmas and birthday. January 3 is my turn to spend the whole day in bed.... not that it was planned, if I can still have my way, there’s a pile of laundry waiting for me for a week now. But my body has reached its limit. I need to get some rest or I will not be able to go back to work in one piece...hehe.

Anyway, that’s my typical holiday every year. It’s not for relaxing and resting, it’s more tiring than doing my regular work in the office. But then again, it’s for getting together with love ones and enriching our bonds and catching up on everyone’s lives, looking at how the children has grown and ... oh yeah... one of my cousins has gotten engaged! I should have taken a picture of the engagement ring!! It was announced during our New years celebration! The best thing to look forward to next year is a wedding.

To all of these, my blog has been left behind. I have no decent new year entry on the 1st day of January. I apologize. All I can do right now is to greet everyone a prosperous new year and to do that I will include the whole clan. From my family ... wishing everyone a new year of hope, faith and love to one another!