the new beginning.. HFHumanity

it all started when I decided to search for new vol opportunity.  after the labour day weekend, I was left wandering whether I should continue to hold the vvc position regularly.. hfc has become a trap for stress staffs, the effect of which can be felt by the lower class.  time to move away from hfc.  cut down on my vol. works, don't take the vvc job anymore, specially next year.
I started helping at the railway museum, working as a conductor, museum guard.  I even planned to prepare turkey for thanksgiving day. I am satisfied.
sept. 24, I search for other volunteer opportunity.. there it is, habitat for humanity. I was always curious to know what this organization is all about.. so easy to sign-in.. no background information's needed, all I need is to sign a waiver, register for an event, confirm and show-up.
my first shift sept 25. acme crescent,was an event site, building homes by women from different companies and locals.  I was in the registration, food preps, clean-up crew, servers, greeters and socializer. great day.. the staffs of hfh were very congenial, and easy going. I know already that I found my new home.
I returned the next day and everything went well, sunny day, good foods, bag of souvenir to take home. oh!!  I  must search for more volunteer opportunities..
I did.. I will attend the restore orientation, and a day to help at the home show.  at the home show, I met alex Patterson. I worked with him at acme crescent.  a cigarette smoking men, has a phobia with clatters, clean counters.. otherwise, he is okay.  non-invasive, no attitude.  and of course I finished my restore orientation.  I signed-up for 2 days shifts.. see how it goes.. I will also be helping in the hfhconference at eaton Chelsea  downtown. 
as for dave, the mails from the lawyer arrived.   bothersome.
knowing what he did that day he was taken to the headquarter.  pure anger.. how to deal with it.  he is a fighter.. wait and see.

one of the saddest day of y life

have you seen a black cat in the hallway mr. flamingo?? I must put a sign at the elevator, "looking for a black cat".. yes it crosses my path last weekend. does it tell you something?? today my sister edna was in er, st. mikes.  she suffered from extreme pain?? shaking for 26 min, mouth open, almost like a seizure.  she was surrounded by callous staff, couldn't care less whether you live or die, life goes on.. I was totally unprepared for this.. this scene, left me questioning what life is all about, or should we show more sympathy, emotion when faced with unusual life calamity?  I see people around the er  nurses desk, void of sympathy, they must be callous enough to not participate in such health destruction.  moments like this makes me cry..the room reminds me of my brother, this was his room, 2 days before his demised.  I think he is in a better place, no pain, no worries, no life to keep us fighting for existence.  he is in a peaceful place.. blesses art thou..

sept 6 my bunion apt with dr. Vincent.. busy weekend.. food demo vvc

The beginning of my genetic disposition.

it started after Eugenie's graduation, june 14/13. my bunion becomes swollen, why?  I soon realized this is not due to shoe problem.  I am really into GOUT ATTACK. reality hit me hard.  what did I eat that causes this flare-up? thinking back, week-after-week.... BEETS.  I have been consuming this smoothie drink for about a month , frozen, blender mixture, then mixed with other juices.  upon researching, there was no indication whatsoever that this veggie can cause gout-attack.  however, I decided this is the only food that I have been consuming like crazy for the last week or so. I have 2 more days to recuperate before the weekend.  this is the time for me to walk around and volunteer.  today, I am halfway there.  the middle left toe was swollen last night.  so typical reactions.  I have taken 2 Tylenols so far.  
I need to be more careful about the foods I eat.  no more beans, I will try not to eat the same food until forever and ever.  I felt my father's pain , my brother Pol's pain.. and now my turn to experienced the pain they have experienced.  truly painful.  around 7 level.  I wonder whether this gout attack will be a regular company or will it be due to food source?? As I recollect my previous flare-up memories, I already had few episodes of this swollen middle toe.  gout attacks the joints of the feet bones. must see dr. p.  this month is full of medical mission.  needed to see a new eye doctor about my cataract. I am heading the old age direction.  no escape.  the visit to dr pilarski was a success.  she prescribed colchicine 0.6 mg.  the bunion was really the cause of the pain.. not necessarily the arthritis. 
  

after josh's graduation

the beginning of the long weekend.. jul/13.  I am assigned as vvc for the summer. plenty of rain which is good for my plants.  a successful summer so far. received package from cres.

ed's bday

a week after the ohio kidnapping of 3 young women .. horrific  event, 3 girls capture, incarcerated, kidnapped, and others which don't want to mention by ariel castro, a Puerto rican.  started my gardening.  celebrated ed's bday today Friday.. with steak and pastries from d.. I hope for the leafs to win h.. tonight.. leaf's nation..goleafsgo..

may 5/13 jj coming back

may .. the time is almost a year after jj left.. may 13/12. now, he called b/c he wanted to return to Canada.   .. yeah!! I finished my cn tower climb.  38.59, almost 5 min. improvement.  practice is impt.  I did 3 days as rater at mich's. I enjoyed the experienced.. cases:  casino in a distressed city., discrepancy of employment bet. disable and normal person, then,  communication skills, 2 people back-to-back.... vol. at hfc, at ms. lou's room, then helped a bit at the trha.  more news to come.  another 1g for Ferdinand.

boston bombing

april15/13.. boston bombing.. so unreal.. insane, concerning.. sent the first  ggggggggg to mylan..

april/13 social security provider

april.. Ferdinand and mylan begged for money ..3x 1g.. hard.. can't save any more..

here is auntie angekica(90 )and celine(11) and moi. philippines
loaned 5000 to edgardo.. gaining weight, belly popping, aye ayeyayyy
trying hard to reduce belly pot..

auntie belen

auntie belen passsed away march 1/13.  massive heart attack.  dave left for edm. feb 26- march 9.  visited his father, his mother and anne. 
the visitation for auntie belen was  very organized.  so as the funeral.  reception at st. dominic's church after the funeral..

trip to the phil..

feb 12.. tuesday,, arrived from the phil.. feb 7.  we cettaily missed the snowstorm,  how lucky can we be.  this time, our holiday to the phil was not well planned. however, from the beginning to the end, our schedule was arranged conveniently and the trip from each place was very comfortable. at the beginning, cres, my HS friend, scheduled our pick-up from the airport.  sr. myrlie was  in the airport terminal, under F... a very frail looking nun, but, very alert. she took us to her convent or office.  the room has 2 beds, shower, and comfortable.  precy my cousin arrived shortly afterr 2 pm.  she took us for a merienda, inihaw,  a crowded place .. the food are assorted merienda meal, pancit, puto bumbomg, chocolate soup (dinuguan) lumpia and many more. 
rene and chris arrived before 4 pm.  had a good chat, i gave precy their pasalubong and money for my aunt.  we headed back to the convent.. slept until cres and co. arrived.  sr. myrlie feed us before leaving for batangas.  i gave some money 50 for her time and pocket money. we were picked-up by doc ed, cres and doc larry.  arrived in sta. clara batangas early morning.. the home of larry's sister , violy was well kept, huged and good facilities.  stayed there for 4 days.  drove to lipa city had halohalo at chow king which dave enjoyed very much.  visited cres's lot in a very expensive private golf  facility.  we also travelled in a farm where fresh buko's were harvested.. we got drunk.. honestly, we all fell asleep upon arriving home.  at night relatives of larry came over for a visit.. saturday, sunday we attended mass then left for polo's reunion. 

brought our 3 big luggages b/c we are heading for baguio.  my cousin ferdinand will pick us in alabang.  the reunion was enveloped with darkest immediately.. too bad, no chanced to take colourful pictures.  a swimming pool, well groomed garden, met the pantaleon's children+apo'sheaded to batangas almost midnight, then monday morning waited for the van to pick us on the way to liliw.  shoe capital of batangas. bought several little bags and shoes for ashley and tiena lyn..arrived in polo's place evening, then waited for ferdinand to get us. hhad a little swim at polo's pool.  ferdinand arrived around 9 pm.  droved straight to baguio.  appx. 3 am we arrived.  mylan, jeffing and celine were there.. sad stories sometimes.  the nexr few days was filled with good, travelling to the mountain, palengke, and around baguio.  by friday we left for manila with everyone.. stayed at la breza hotel..  dave and myself was left in the hotel, took a taxi to shangrila?? hotel.  met all the mission people,(middle aged, retirees like me) boarded the bus that took us to malolos
great time, breakfast with rice, sausage and eggs.  i was trained to dispense medication .. forthe next 5 days this will be my job.  dave was with me with not much to do.  but, i am comfortable he is with me. i can't do this without him.  the first night we had a reception and entetainment, next morning i paid for fruits and pandesal plus our regular breakfast.  we were not too busy.  i search for the lab.. chem, bb, heam, pathology.  so different.  people has to pay for pathological analysis if they wanted slides done from body parts.  wed, a grandiose reception offered by the congresswoman and her husband the governor.  see video.  by friday ferdinand has to pick us again.. there, mylan, celine and jeffing were with him.  arrived at la breza again.
 met ed, neneng and another girl.  the son of nen arrived the next morning, but, i showed him i am not inter4ested in making connections.  we had a swim at the pool saturday , visited auntie angelica, precy in caloocan.. same house, same windows, same same.  hot hot.. excellent food prepared by precy..  sunday,  we left for baguio. using mylan's car.  had only 4 days left.  in baguio we did the zipline, climb the mt, sto. tomas.  bought coffee and berry drinks from a resort place (the first wk in baguio).. bought the bidet, a few souvenirs for gabriel, the boys..
wed, we drove to manila again. stayed at maxim's. pd>300,, dinner with ed, mila (10) >300$.. left the phil , oyong drove us to airport.. bye..
summary\;  jan 15 tuesday left , batangas
                   jan 20 sun reunion, jan 21, liliwjan 22-24 baguio
                   jan 25 mla,
                   jan26-feb1  malolos
                   feb2-6 baguio , mla.
                   feb7 home