Good morning everyone although it is not so good morning for me!   A very close friend succumbed to heart attack just last night and it was only early morning today that I’ve learned about it.  I can only offer prayers for the repose of her soul and her untimely demise definitely is a sore loss for the family.  Technology connected me to her only daughter Sarah because it is physically impossible for me to go to her mother’s wake.  I wanted so much to give the little girl a hug and  know she being a strong willed and a brave girl would find comfort with the thought that her mom was safely home to her Creator.  No more pain.. no more sufferings.. There is peace.. goodbye my friend…

Oh well.. life has to go on.   Good morning everyone!

On our last day in DAvao City, we dared tried to taste  Durian. Have you tried this spiky fruit which is also known as Asia’s King of Fruit?  Exaggeratedly said “smells like hell but taste like heaven”   so our curiosity grew more to really find out for ourselves.  The locals really loved the fruit even though it has poignant smell.  Even when the husk is still intact, the edible flesh emits intense odor which evokes different reactions from others who are not accustomed to the fruit and for first timers like us, we can’t seem to appreciate the taste because we were anticipating how bad the smell is.   Imagine, it is not allowed in public transportation, hotels, and other establishments.

Our group accepted the challenge to taste durian.  All were reluctant because of the aroma but I think 2 in our group were able to appreciate the taste.   Gee, my friend was right afterall when she told me that it smelled like a ‘rotting gym socks”…lol…   But if you have not tried it yet..take time to read on how Wiki describes durian:

The five cells are silky-white within, and are filled with a mass of firm, cream-coloured pulp, containing about three seeds each. This pulp is the edible part, and its consistence and flavour are indescribable. A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes. Then there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp which nothing else possesses, but which adds to its delicacy. It is neither acid nor sweet nor juicy; yet it wants neither of these qualities, for it is in itself perfect. It produces no nausea or other bad effect, and the more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop. In fact, to eat Durians is a new sensation worth a voyage to the East to experience. … as producing a food of the most exquisite flavour it is unsurpassed.

Anyway,  the experience is again for the books… And to show you how we reacted to the challenge, I’ve posted our pictures in our un glamorous moment ever..  We were really rolling down with laughter as we reviewed the pictures with Asia’s King of Fruit!

spit it out!

hold it!

raised eyebrows!

Last night, much that I wanted to hit the comforts of my bed earlier, but a call from a friend Jessa made me stayed up late because of her endless stories of a not so close friend of ours named Sheryl.     Yay.. again?  It  was one of those girls chit-chats and Jessa pointed out how Sheryl irked her no end.  I really don’t want to get involved with these kinds of petty issues because it only drive us to sin against her.  We can’t help but talk about Sheryl and her Louis Vuitton bag!   Apparently, based on stories, she is all over the place prominently displaying her LV bag and all of her pics in Facebook showed her carrying her “one and only” bag.   It was noticed that she seemed not to own another bag and that is the same bag she repeatedly carries with her in all occasions,  meaning, be in the mall, partying, at the beach, in a local shop, out of town trips, everywhere….  The ladies tongues keep wagging asking that “Isn’t it that there should be a bag for a particular place like at the beach.. a straw bag or trendy plastic carry bags would be best and for out of towns, colorful bags hand carried or back packs?”

Jessa would not stop blabbering… that Sheryl’s LV is not the “real thing”.. not authentic…and yet she displays it as if it is or maybe she is not aware that it is only a cheap imitation.  Apparently she bought it from her Hong Kong trip last month and the other fashion conscious ladies in our circle would swear that her LV is fake and that genuine bags cost thousand of dollars.

Lol.. the ladies would say that maybe Sheryl thought that they will drool with envy  but doesn’t she knows that they can’t be deceived even there is LV monogram…just because it has an LV monogram doesn’t mean that it is..  They don’t like Sheryl.. obviously!

Of course, I can’t relate because I don’t have any plan or means to buy one so I don’t bother to

found this pic on the web showing the difference of both bags

browse on how on to spot a fake LV.   However, on second thought, best to have hints or tips  so that if someone would be parading before me with an LV and would try to belittle my bag, I can just raise my eyebrows.  Oh dear, I think I have unconsciously learned that from the ladies…

BTW… my bag is also LV…. Local Vag…. yay!

Delay in the release of our  passports renewal halted our plans to travel to Canada.  We received an invitation from my SIL (sis in law) to visit them for an exciting reunion with some of my hubby’s other siblings and relatives who will also also coming over (from the States and Korea) but the plans went kaput.   As we eagerly planned and prepared our documents we had already set our eyes for the travel but the passport renewal did not blend much with our supposed to be smooth sailing application.

It took almost 3 months (yes.. that long) that we decided to make alternative plans just in case it will not still be released on the date that we hope it will be… since our scheduled vacation in the office is getting near… we need to take it or else we will lose our chance since it was earlier on, the staff turned in their schedules to avoid overlapping of leaves….

Checking the consular office website did not help much.. most of the time their site is not working or cannot be found  (as an escape to some irate applicants and hopefuls that their passports are already in the embassy?) because true, it was not only us who were bogged down with worries…. the Embassy’s advisory is to understand the technical problems they’ve been experiencing and they are doing their best to serve us….

Yah… they’ve been serving us but with much delay….painfully so.. for the nth time that we had checked for our passports that did not come at all.  The embassy staff for sure is all prepared to hear bombarding complaints….  We visited them once again not to check for our renewal but to extend the passport for a year but lo and behold.. OMG… the passports were there!!!

precious passports… took 3 months to renew…

What a heavy sigh of relief we had that afternoon…..while it is  true we might not be going to Canada for now but still,  we will be bonding with our children back home… Everything really happens for a reason….

Yehey…. it will be vacation time once again…..

Yes!  I am sure glad to be back!  I was able to rest for the whole day but there were times that I was  tempted to go near my computer and start blogging but I restrained myself so that I will get better fast.  I know that all my FB and blogger friends missed me and same here!

Such a pure bliss… RELAX MODE……

There is nothing really serious… I had body malaise,  feverish and my migraine had visited me again (actually, my monthly visitor).  Since I am used to his visitation rights (huh!), I can’t do anything but to take extra care of myself  and just wish that persistent headache will go away fast.  However, I felt the more it makes me sick , just lying in bed the whole day inside our room so I changed venue, I relaxed in our hammock in the covered rooftop.  Reading will only strain my eyes so I put it off for some other days and I avoided the  computer for a while …  I just amused myself with happy thoughts about my family especially my children… I also had the chance to reassess my life and had checked  what are areas of my life that needs strengthening and renewal.  Also I remember my my hubby… in 2 months time we will celebrate our Silver Wedding Anniversary….and somehow I got a bit depressed because until now, my excess weight is still here with me… OMG.. it has been a long time resident of my body! lol.

I just hope that I will look good in my gown despite the bulges here and there!  I just need to have the RIGHT ATTITUDE!  No worries… today, I feel a lot better and I am happy to blog again…

I need to recharge my weary mind and body.   Due to the changing weather, I am not feeling well today.  But I will bounce back to my old self hopefully soon.

Don’t miss me.. but I will be missing you my blogger friends.!

Take care too and God Bless everyone!

I had an early caller today only to find out that it was my boss who asked me to come to his office right away.   Clutching a folder and a pen, I was ready to face him,  while I was on my way to his office, I was thinking if I have done anything wrong that he called for me.  Is my boss not in his best mood again?   I am already used to his mood swings especially if there are lots of critical surgical patients in the unit and problems arise under his responsibility.   Stress make a beast out of him!   He would be bossing around and sometimes will speak sarcastically and you will hate him for that! Rarely,you will find him smiling and in his best elements. Sometimes, I even thought of quitting or transferring to another department just to avoid close encounter with him.  But I still believe that every person has this goodness in him or her.  Look…  till today, I am still working with him…

I should say, today is one rare day!  As I entered his office, he was in his usual bossy manner but he was smiling as he handed me a bag and said “Happy returns of the day, Happy Birthday!” You’re a good girl!   Although it’s been a week ago when I had a simple birthday celebration in the office.  .   Hesitantly, I invited him in the meeting room and he partake whatever we had.   Hmmm… maybe he was also in good mood that time.

Due to my surprise (and nervousness!), as I was reaching for the gift bag, I thanked him and I quipped ” Thank you Doctor, this is the first time”.   Lol…. He smiled and again greeted me….  I excitedly showed the gift to my officemates who were also too surprised that my boss did that gesture…well, I really appreciated the thought (unexpectedly) that he  bought a gift for me.  It was heartwarming!

Sometimes, I can be so lucky…. my boss was in the mood this morning!  Thank heavens!!!