Brisk walking

For the past 2 days, my husband have been going briskwalking at Abellana in the hope of loosing weight and also to flex those muscles that have been idle for exercise for a long time. We usually are there at 5 am. It's a good feeling to exercise early in the morning because the air is fresher and there are fewer people. After more or less 10 rounds, or after an hour ( whichever comes first) we usually then head home. If we cant exercise in the morning, we go there in the evening (6 pm). Siguro naman, after 3 months, I will be leaner...fingers crossed.

Easy Recipes

Spareribs Casserole

1 kilo beef spareribs, cut-up
1/4 cup flour, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
1 cup water

Marinade:
2 cups clear softdrinks
2 heads garlic, crushed
5 pieces siling labuyo
3 tbsp calamansi juice
1/2 cup ketchup (Del Monte Original Blend)
1/2 cup soysauce
1/4 tsp pepper

Marinate spareribs for 30 minutes. Add water then simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Add flour. Simmer until thick.

PERSONAL NOTE: Very yummy. The sauce is thick and delicious. This recipe is absolutely easy to prepare.

Pork Pina ala Humba

1 kilo pork pigue, cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium (100g) onions, sliced
1 tbsp margarine
1-1/2 cups water
1 can (234 g) Del Monte Fresh cut pineapple chunks, drained
1 pouch(250 g) Del Monte tomato sauce
2-1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 pcs laurel leaves

Saute garlic, onions and pork in margarine. Add the remaining
ingredients. Simmer for 35 minutes or until tender.

PERSONAL NOTE: Masarap!

Macky, Mandy and Miley

Meet our 3 lovely and adorable puppies!

This is 2-year old Macky, a Shitzu-Poodle who is very malambing and spoiled by his nanay-nanayan, Neneng(our househelp). He loves to be embraced and cuddled.



The dog next to Macky is Mandy. She is an 8-month old pure Shitzu that we bot from a friend. She is at present expecting her first batch of puppies and we are all very excited and quiet nervous since assisting a doggy delivery is different from assisting a live birth(in my opinion). Mandy is the type of dog na "walang pakialam". While the other 2 dogs would bark excitedly when an unfamiliar person enters the house, she would just stare then go on her way. She is also very malambing and playful just like Macky.

The dog carried by the lady in pink is Miley. She is a 4-month old Labrador who is super "likot". Being a puppy, she loves to uproot plants, carry the doormat to the garden ( and anything else she could find along the way) and one time, destroying the bermuda grass. Weird jud nga iro! The other 2 dogs, when they were still pups, didn't exhibit that type of behavior. Only Miley! Grrrrr! She is also super "takaw" when it comes to chow time. Typical of big-boned dogs! Unsa nalang kaha if full grown na siya. Hala!

We once brought them with us to the old lighthouse in Lilo-an. I think it was the first time that they experienced being outdoors so they were kinda curious about the mix of different odors and sights. Macky wanted to chase a cow, to our horror! Mura rabag dako na iro! Mandy is the natural expedition leader. Heading back to the road she was the one who "lead" the other 2 dogs. Paspas au mo dagan! Miley was the baby so she was just quiet and I guess observing.


I'll post more adventours of the 3 the next time we have one. Ciao!

Simala

Feb. 2, 2008: My husband and I, together with our 2 househelps visited the Miraculous Virgin Mary in Sibonga. After 2-3 hours travel by car, and a 15-minute travel from the highway to the church, we finally reached our destination. After a quick lunch, we proceeded to go inside the compound. We could see lots of devotees inside the church which was situated in a hill. We were instructed to remove our shoes as we were approaching the altar where Mama Mary was placed. The area is considered holy ground. The long wait was worth it. After saying a prayer, I was enveloped by a sweet fragrance that had a calming effect on me. We read the numerous thank-you letters to Mama Mary and hoped that someday I too would receive the wish I asked from her. Heading back to Cebu City, I made a silent prayer of thanks to my dear Mama Mary.

Reflections

2007 was, for me, a good year. In retrospect, let me share with you the highlights of the Year of the Pig.

1. I got married.

The big question of whether or not I would get married was finally answered. He wasn't my childhood friend nor my classmate from elementary, HS, college or medicine. We just met "at the right time, at the right place". I'd like to think that he was sent from heaven. I guess He finally gave in to my request after the endless novenas to St. Joseph.

2. I finally visited Hongkong and Disneyland!

The trip was a wedding gift from my Papa. It was fun since it was the first out-of-the-country trip for me and my husband.

3. I got pregnant and had to loose the baby.

Four months after we got married, we found out that I was pregnant but later found out that it was a blighted ovum. There really was nothing we could do the evening I started bleeding. Good thing and I didn't have to undergo a D&C.

4. I found out that I had gallstones and mild fatty liver.

Goodbye to my favorite lechon, chicken skin and other fatty foods. I was really shocked when the sonologist said I had 2 small, mobile gallstones. Right now, I have to control my diet as there have been numerous wretching incidents due to overeating of fatty foods.

I pray that 2008 would be a good year. As early as January, I have made some changes in my life as I intend to put some order in my life...free from stress and in effect, a more calm approach to life's challenges. With God's help, I am confident I can face the not-so-clear distant future.