Main Blog: Parched Paper and the QUILL

Just a Few - Year 2011 in Review

2012-01-04T05:45:00.000+11:00

“True happiness is the full use of your powers along lines of excellence in a life affording scope.” ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Let's check these scopes via cheapy Facebook Pictorial Entries with some amusing captions from my favourite girls.

"The birthday girl asleep on the infamous rock." ~Lily Dancel

The drama behind the scene between two sisters. Warning, this contains coarse language. Though these girls very much knew the rule of speech at home, for a time, I let them be themselves.

Daughter 2: Mum made you take that didn't she? Then I bet she tried to get one of you on it. Then she probably got a picture of the rock. lol. She's so cute with all her Asianess

Daughter 1: Actually the rock is an old friend of Coralie, Hayley and I if you should peruse some of my older photos... We decided to relive past memories involving the rock. Sigh. Good times

Mum: This rock was actually very warm! I didn't feel like getting up!

Mum: ‎Noemi - it was the girls' idea that I should pose on this rock. They were re-living memories on this sensational rocky platform where Simba was confirmed to the world by The Lioness Mother.

Daughter 2: What the hell did you do to Mum Lily!

Daughter 1: I didn't make any special brownies if that's what you mean...

Daughter 1: Coralie and Hayley. And of course, Rocky still open to suggested nicknames for the rock... (I like Dwayne Johnson personally)

The above scenario is just a breaker. Something to break the monotonous Year 2011 with lots of inedible fretbulls of life, metaphorically speaking.

But Melodie Beattie has me going to

Go on, try it ...let go!

Letting go doesn’t mean we don’t care.

Letting go doesn’t mean we shut down.

Letting go means we stop trying to force outcomes and make people behave.

It means we give up resistance to the way things are, for the moment.

It means we stop trying to do the impossible – controlling that which we cannot –

and instead, focus on what is possible–which usually means taking care of ourselves.

And we do this in gentleness, kindness, and love, as much as possible." ~Melody Beattie.

"I call this one "Bird... In tree" ~Lily

Kirsti: You should call it Bird... In tree....and cloud.

Ken: Noisy Miner. :)

Ash: ‎..and the cloud looks a bit like the outline of another bird.

Lily: I'll rename it, "bird... In tree... And cloud that sort of looks like another bird"

Hayley: It DOES look like another bird! Creepy

How can nature mimic what's sitting on the tree? It's almost like a Mirror Image of the bird as reflected by the cloud in the sky! Good work, Lily! Good on you!

["Just as the bird has to find the courage to let go of the branch in order to fly, so we also must let go of our branches if we are to know the exhilaration of soaring to the highest potential of our life. The branches we hold to are our inner attachments - our beliefs, ideas and memories. And then there are the outer attachments - people, possessions, positions and privileges are a few. But as long as we hold on to them we will live in fear (of letting go and loss) and we will never be free. And just watch those birds, by letting go of one branch they are able to spend the rest of their life alighting on a million other branches, and they enjoy the view from each. Are you flying and soaring in your life, or are you stuck on one branch, cursing others as they fly past. Go on, try it ...let go!" ~Innerspace]

"Some random person just stacked some rocks. Now that's emotional art. If you're out the random rock stacker... Why do you stack rocks?" ~Lily

Lola: That's Rock Art! Imaginary sculpture!

This looks more like one of those lanterns, if not, a gate pillar column I saw at Cowra Japanese Garden in Central Tablelands. Very creative!

["Listen to the inner wisdom of your soul . . . and not the random opinions of others.

Be kind . . . and remember that sometimes the person you need to be kindest to is yourself.

Live by choice . . . not chance.

Pursue excellence . . . excel, but not compete.

Have integrity . . . keep your word and your commitments.

Make corrections and changes . . . not make excuses.

Be fair and treat all people with respect, and understand their point of view… even if you don’t agree with it.

Accept yourself with a depth of kindness even when you act less-than-noble.

All bad behavior comes from fear or ignorance and when you judge anyone (including yourself) for acting badly or imperfectly, you lose the ability to influence that being.

When you accept your imperfections—and still are willing to brush yourself off and start again—you can make changes . . ." ~Positive Thoughts]

"Me being touristy at Mt. Canobolas, you can't even tell I've been there 50 million times! It's the Asian thing" ~Lily

Hayley: THAT... is the cutest photo.

All these Asianic catch phrases! We'd been indoctrinated by this finger sign by Aki, our former Japanese Exchange Student progeny in Orange!

["Imagine having the life that you have always wanted. Then feel inside those feelings that you would have if you were already experiencing all that you desire. Combine that with these feelings of gratitude now for what you do have.

Focus on the positive things in your life. Release the negative thoughts, feeling, and actions. Release those feelings, the people and the things that bring you down or affect you negatively in anyway or at least set boundaries for yourself.

Live your life as if you already have the things that you desire. How? By believing and expressing yourself as if you had them or are living your dreams.

Be grateful for all that you have, for the life you have been given, for your family and friends, your job, and your home. Be thankful and give thanks for the abundance and prosperity that the Universe blesses upon you each and every day.

Feel the appreciation, happiness, and gratefulness for all that surrounds you and all that is within you." ~Positive Thoughts]

And that's what Lily exactly did! Thank you dear Lily. I am so proud of you!

For the icing on the cake...

"The incredibly epic Australia Day cake." ~Lily

Thank you Australia ...May you have many more birthdays to come - not long from now!

"When you open your eyes in the morning, sit for a moment and appreciate the gift of a new day, create a peaceful thought and enjoy some moments of silence throughout the whole day." ~ from the Positive Thoughts

Getting Closer as Time Draws Me Nearer Home

2011-10-03T19:29:00.003+11:00

“The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved -- loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” ~Victor Hugo

Last May 28, 2011, I blogged about My Journey Home. Four months and four days on today, that day is almost here. Soon I'll be under the mercy of four wings and prayers. This time, there will be no curious child to sneak out into the cockpit for a piece of cake! It's definitely going to be a solo sojourn; to the woods, mountains, sea and the city and back! Back to my old customary retreat! My shoebox I called home!

After some unexpected and exhaustive activities in the past, I managed to get everything in order. There were meeting up with friends, dinner here and lunch there. Shopping, packing and clearing up. There were running around, walking about, and traveling far out to the country and out of town and even beyond! At home, there's the everyday woman's job that never ends: washing, cooking, cleaning not to mention computing if I can squeeze a time. I am merely referring to Facebooking!

In adjunct to walking about and social outings, there's photography. Then blogging, poetry and grandchild minding. Occasionally, there's malingering and febrile excuses coming in between. There's health concern and I refuse to take it as health issue as I thought it was in the beginning. As it turned out, everything was a myth and not medically founded so I was told. Even the GP's diagnose was contradicted and questioned. That can happen between medical professionals. Medicine is not a science but an art. Hence, where there is doubt, a second opinion is sought.

The truth is, I am still having pain in my wrist. All the doctor could tell me was he can't do nothing about it. So I am trying very hard to forget it. Forget that it's there when it gets painful. When it does, I just drop everything down and rest. As simple as that! Yeah, as simple as that! What else can I do?

Many hours ago, I was contemplating to write this long overdue blog. There were far too many chances of putting this off, being laid on the table for obvious oblivious reason.

However, I seemed to be in my writing mood this morning. My imagination hovered like the wasps on the wall outside, perched by a nagging enthusiasm. That alone has stimulated my mental activity atrophied in time due to uninspiring events that eventuated between now and then. Kindled by that imagination I started brainstorming in front of a bowl of cereal. Bowl of cereal? And why bowl of cereal? What has it got to do with my going home? My trip? My journey in flying away home to a far away land? To another world, once my world?

As I held the box of cereal in my hand I read the health information thoroughly. The main cover says: Be Natural! Of course, that's just the label or brand of the cereal I am having. It has a picture of a seed surrounded by plants and flowers and people creatively formed as in a drawing using the five whole grain flakes mixed with cashew, almond, hazelnut and coconut with linseed, pepita and amaranth clusters. Below that, there's a spoon lying filled with grain flakes and nuts. No artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. And I am not paid to plug this advertisement via my blog. I am just reading. Oh well, I can let them know what I am doing to their product. Maybe they will send me eternal supply until I die? What a wishful thinking! Take note Be Natural!

Staring at this box in front of me while eating my breakfast cereal, here I began my imaginary journey home. Yes, it's getting closer as the time draws me nearer to my country of birth. How much the long years of patient waiting have fortified my deep longings for my country and family coupled with curiosity wondering what's going on in there? Twenty-three years of long absence no doubt have paved the way to mammoth changes in terms of infrastructures, economy, geography, the people and culture among the many things.

In front of this cereal box, I pondered in nostalgia how my life has changed over the years! From eating corn grits, the poor man's rice to rice itself as our staple food; here I am in another world eating different kinds of staple foods that include wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale and all kinds of nuts which many of them I have had never encountered before. Take the case of Triticale. According to the information, Triticale is a cross between wheat and rye that is commonly used in bread, cereals and pasta. There you go! I love Rye bread due to its distinct earthy flavor. Its aroma is sweet and tempting that it makes you want to sniff even you're a hundred miles away from it.

At the back of the box, I read short cliches such as "Be happy, be real, be relaxed and be yourself!" Now that's what I need! To be happy, real, relaxed and be myself!

Though this cereal box already contained linseed and almond, I still supplemented it with a spoonful of ground linseed, almond and sunflower seeds under another brand called Natural and is marketed by macro wholefoods market, a trademark brand of Woolies Australia. Though I'm generally frugal in my ways, I am beginning to seriously consider my well-being as am now ripening towards the sunset.

After a near heart attack scare, heart pain, palpitations and high cholesterol level in the past, I step back to analyze my diet which is not really tragically toxic as my meals are quite simple. Probably it's just the age catching up with me along with worries of things unimaginable. So from a diet course to exercise .. is all it takes to consider my health and my soggy emotion that I learn to sponge out. Excitement, overwhelmed feelings and others are now completely banned from my system. Since I am good at self-hypnotizing, that's how probably it works well with me.

The barnacles of health worries are cleared and now I am happy to be back to my old self, my self- confidence and positivity intact that I once had have. I let the others worry for me. Freedom from getting too emotional and getting too excited is much enjoyed than before after I learned to understand my own self better. When temptation tends to incline to be strong and overridden with excitement, I simply have to just stay cool and collected. It's not that easy but with practiced discipline it can be achieved without drama. Think about this:

Thought for Today

"Wellness isn't about deprivation, and it's not about perfection. It is about pointing yourself in the direction of growth, training yourself to get comfortable with your highest potential, and then taking small steps to support that shift. It's about showing up for yourself, day by day, and then one day finding that you've undergone a transformation." ~Kathy Freston

And isn't that true? I found this supplementary quote just then when I opened my subscription page from Oprah dot com Spirit Newsletter. So timely it couldn't come in the right moment.

As I have done the things I needed to do, it's time to say, "now I can put my feet up!" After that long absence away from home, my longing to set sail and fly away truly deserves a break of a lifetime. It's travel time again! Home, here I come!

"The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do just as one pleases." ~William Hazlitt

So fitting indeed!

Woodrow Wilson's words might also fix a semblance of achieving my goal in going home.

"I have had the accomplishment of something like this at heart ever since I was a boy.... So I feel tonight like the man who is lodging happily in the inn which lies half way along the journey and that in time, with a fresh impulse, we shall go the rest of the journey and sleep at the journey's end like men with a quiet conscience." ~Woodrow Wilson

"And this is what I have accomplished: my plane ticket and my passport!

"The LORD went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." ~ Unknown Author

Closer to Thee my Father draw me

I long for Thine embrace

Closer within Thine arms enfold me

I seek a resting place

Closer with the cords of love

Draw me, to Thyself above

Closer, draw me,

To Thyself above.

Gallery: The Famous Maria Cristina Falls

Photocopyright to my cousin Editha Sabando-Arabe (Nang Diday), FB

Sing my way home at the close of the day
Sing my way home drive the shadows away
Smile every smile wherever I go
It will lighten my load
It will brighten my road
If I sing my way home!

The Wings, Prayer and a Curious Child

2011-06-24T23:06:00.007+10:00

Kindness in Time of Adversity Series 3

The story erstwhile - the Yugoslav Airline cabin crew had seated us in our rightful place... and our life's journey resumed ...

"Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again.'' Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day!"

Og Mandino's words above echoed in my subconscious mind like ghostly voices coming from empty dumb bells as my frayed nerves started to settle down when all was quiet on the plane. Yes, that day up on the air was our day! My children and I. A day of freedom! Freedom from woes. Up there on the air, flying ... aimlessly high ... but to Germany. A long, long way ... away from home! Home?

As I travelled with children, Robert Benchley was spot on when he mentioned and I quote, "...there are two classes of travel - first class, and with children." It's pertinently obvious which class I belonged, not that I mind.

Feeling relaxed, I re-focused my mind to our new adventure while in my arms was a baby comfortably snuggling and sleeping most of the time. That gave me a feeling of serenity and satisfaction as I held her tight close to my breast and endlessly kissed her. At the same time, I also gave equal attention to my little oldest baby girl in her two who was sitting beside me behaving like she was an adult of 20.

A baby she was or appropriately a dolly little girl and active, she begun to feel at home on the plane full of passengers who quickly took fancy of her. She was a very friendly and attentive little girl her age and a good communicator. A child with an adult mind. She spoke no nonsense. Pretty much a straight-laced little fella she was!

The Curiosity of a Child:

Now, now, boredom had started to unsettle her. She undid her seat belt to my wonderment and with a frown on my brow I asked her what she was up to. She said, "I'll just go there". She vanished like a lightning flash but I was helpless having a baby getting heavy in my arms that I froze on my seat and just watched where she was going.

"I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

I wonder if Mrs Roosevelt knew she was a prophet of her kind. But curiosity has been always a part of any child's wardrobe of character. Even a cat is curious. And to think it's not even a child. Back to my girl ... ah yes ... there she was!

She went towards the cockpit but as I found out, she stopped at the Mess Compartment whatever it was called, where food was prepared for serving. She talked to one flight attendant, who quickly noticed her, that she wanted a piece of cake. She asked with a please. The attendant obliged and instructed her to go back to her seat with a promise she would follow her with a plate of cake.

By the time my girl finished click-clacking her seat belt back on and as I was about to interrogate her adventure, the stewardess approached us with a smile. In her hand was a dessert-plate of a chocolate cake. Or was it?

She bent down to the little passenger beside me and apologetically explained that they didn't have a cake but only chocolate mousse. She spooned a sample to the girl to see if she liked it. My little diplomat approved with a nod and said, "Yum, yum!" She thanked the lady steward with pleasure and the poor kind lady smiled and endorsed the plate to her with further instruction to let Mommy helped her.

The moment the lady steward turned her back, the diplomat pushed the plate towards me and said, "Mom, you can have it because am not having it." Much as I wanted to laugh with amusement, I decided to be firmed with my tone and told her gently, "well, you asked for it, so you must eat it." I was tempted to eat the yummy chocolate mousse myself, but I restrained for I wanted to give my adult kid a lesson. It was her first lesson in life. Of course, she has no memory of that scenario, but it was retold at a later time when they're big enough to understand and both my girls laughed.

On that flight, I did not remember if I ever visited the comfort room for any personal necessity. I don't think I did! My body was in full control and discomfort was out of the way. What with a baby in my arms that kept me occupied all the time. Motherhood especially if you are on your own makes a mother selfless. Your mind, heart, soul and life as a whole is nothing but for the children. This rule is not applicable to every mother though, especially if she belongs to a well-privileged family.

My children were generally quiet on board, until ... a new day was born that we spied in the sky from across the window of the left isle. The white clouds were rolling faster and they looked like cotton balls. The golden ball of that beautiful morning sent its warm rays and they didn't go unnoticed even if we were seating in the middle isle.

When breakfast was served by the most efficient crew who offered us very generous serving, drinks included, my little adventurer was on her prowling mode again. This time, she asked my permission if she could go outside to play as she was looking at the tempting clouds the plane had passed through. She thought it was a beautiful day and here she was inside doing nothing but sit down and shut up! Oh, she got books to skim and scum, papers and colored crayons to scribble and draw. She just wanted to do something different.

She got up from her seat and asked me, "Mom, can I hop outside, please?" You know that innocent and truthful matter of factly look in a child's eyes as she would look at you with pleading. I asked her back, "what are you going to do outside? Dance in the clouds?" She must be thinking that we were riding on the bus.

But the passenger across the isle who sat by the window heard her plea, so he offered his help to show her what's outside the plane. With my nod, she went to satisfy her curiosity and the man was too kind to explain as he pointed to her the beautiful white clouds and what's down below. She stood by the window and watched and fell silent. When her curiosity was satisfied, she thanked the kind man and took her seat. The beauty of the angel rested on her as she dozed off to sleep. I thanked the man with a smile. He nodded back.

Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again." ~Og Mandino

Yes, we must not think of any reward once we dispensed kindness, love and understanding. Give and forget. Take and remember. (“Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and take without forgetting.” ~Elizabeth Asquith Bibesco)

Finally, my mind was completely at rest. I closed my eyes - said a prayer for our safety. Above all - gratefulness.

And today, my baby turns 21! Happy Birthday Palangga (means Sweetheart)

To be continued .... more kindnesses ... never ending kindnesses ....

Kindness in Time of Adversity Series 2

2011-06-09T13:25:00.018+10:00

To my Readers: I'll be away, when I come back, I'll catch up with all of you. Thank You.

Continuation - the story so far - trip was organized and things at home were arranged after some thoughts of what "the future holds"...

"Friends show their love - in times of trouble, not in happiness" ~Euripides

Ate Amy and Uncle Allan

Before I gave up the unit, Ate Amy, a friend and a former work colleague back home in Manila, rang me to offer us a place to stay in Sydney prior to our flight. She is a very considerate and thoughtful person knowing that it takes four hours to travel from Orange to the airport by any means of land transportation. She did not know how my little girls and I would travel down to the city and to the airport from the country in just one day.

With luggage, hand-carry bag, and two little tots to tag along, she clearly pictured that it would be difficult for me to manage everything all at once for such a long flight to tackle on my own.

Though Ate Amy and I worked together in Manila, I really did not know her well there being I was new in the big city and having had come fresh from a remote province of Mindanao, a large main island of southern Philippines. It was another kind of work environment with different adjustment to deal with people and all. I was very lucky to get a clerical job in an office through friend's connection in the person of Lia Gupana. Even that too was at the time, I needed most help. And Lia did not let me down. Her help came in the least expected moment. Thank you too Lia.

(Lia, wherever you are, I hope you will bump into this blog and please know that I still remember you. Hope to get reconnected with you too for old times sake.)

Until I came to Australia, that was the time when I knew the real Ate Amy as a person in person. My ex-husband and I were newly married then and we collided into her at the Australian Consular Office in Sydney on the day I submitted my personal papers as required by the Embassy.

I introduced my ex-husband to Ate Amy and she invited us to her place straightaway after we finished our business at the Embassy. There in her home sweet home, we met Uncle Alan, her most supportive, generous, kind-loving and cheerful husband. He's one of a kind and a very uncomplicated man I've ever met. Then on, our friendship flourish up to this day.

When Ate Amy experienced her down moments as we all have, especially at the time when Uncle Alan met inevitable work accidents, we saw to it that distance was not a reason for us not to give her support. We always made special long trips for her and offered our moral support by visiting Uncle Alan in the hospital.

Today, Uncle Alan in spite of his old age is still very strong and determined. He always springs back after a lot of falls. He is a painter by profession.

The vision of Ate Amy about us taking a respite in their place before flying to Germany made sense. I did not expect that for the last hour, the ex would drive us down to Sydney to drop us off to Ate Amy's place. But I overlooked the fact that there was something else in the other person's mind why he wanted to drive us down when my girls and I could have had taken a bus transport. I was thankful for the offer with the condition that his daughter, Judy, would be coming with us which was not a problem with me at all. I was only thinking of our hosts. Gratefully, my hosts were obliging, and they let us all in for a night.

The little girls were very excited of their coming plane ride and they were innocently and happily blabbing that they kept on chanting, "we're going to Germany" with that cute exclamatory inflection to the amusement of Ate Amy and Uncle Alan.

Our very generous hosts took us in their festive mood, preparing us food like there was going to be a family feast, and sent us to bed early for a good night's rest. The following day, we were up early, dressed up for a long flight, and our breakfast was ready on the table. Before long, we said our thank you and good bye and Ate Amy and Uncle Alan lovingly kissed us and hugged us with their blessings.

At the airport, I checked in our luggage and there was time for a cuppa so we sat down in one of those cafe near the pre-departure area. There was no word for each other between me and the ex so the wind bid its time coming in to fill the silence. My step-daughter could not say a thing either, so it was kind of a fancy mute or dumb mimicry for us adults.

Until the last hour, I was hoping that someone in that little crowd of ours would at least show his last mercy by offering kind help towards the children who were traveling with a penniless traveler. But as the Bible told in the story of Moses in the book of Exodus, God hardened the heart of Pharaoh.

I couldn't recall if there was a goodbye said or did I see a nod or fathomed something like "have a safe flight" or the two little innocent living bloods were given hugs and kisses from a bloody father, I don't know.

Boarding time was announced, the girls were in a leash with my eldest attached to my waist while the little one was in my arms, for safety measures. We were dutifully attended by the cabin crew and were seated down to our respective places right in the middle isle. I took a deep breath and enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere on the plane void of any apprehensions.

My Prayerful Thanks

(a grateful tribute to Ate Amy and Uncle Alan)

People in our lives may come and go

And life in time will cease to grow

But your loving kindness brings a glow

To my broken spirit you come to know.

When times hit hard you honored me

With love and friendship kind and true

Without condition and without fail

You give them all without a flaw.

For every goodness you've accorded me

To you with blessings returned tenfold more

And abundant life and good health implored

With prayerful wish I hail Long live!

Life will always be without travails

And our friendship grow from strength to strength

Thank you dear kind sweet folks I say:

To my grave your kindness with me will lay.

@Leah Dancel, australia

9 June 2011

continuation ... the kindness aboard and while in transit ....

PS As my friend Lia was mentioned in this blog, I decided to search for her at facebook, and lo, she is there. We are now reconnected and have a few word exchange via our photos. Isn't life wonderful? Kindness in time of adversity ... what a fitting title for this blog ... more in tribute to my helpful friends. More coming..."gratitude for gratitude sake" ~Susan Deborah

This blog is also dedicated to one Special Friend and you know who you are. I even call you King! Thank you for your patience and forbearance.

Kindness in Time of Adversity

2011-06-07T22:02:00.016+10:00

Warning: My story may not be suitable for your readership, and whoever is concerned of, I am not giving my grief to anyone. Please take note. Read at your own risk. This is my personal life and has nothing to do with any of yours. If I were you, mind your own business.

Series 1

"A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband." ~Michel de Montaigne

Circa 1991.

It was November, having had just started life afresh from a marriage breakdown, my youngest sister proposed a holiday for me and my two little children. They were barely two and one year old respectively. Then, I was due to be operated. I suffered a set-back caused by life's strains and stresses and lost my hearing. It was quickly diagnosed after an initial complaint that I could not hear. Three or four emergency visits to my GP, audiologist, back to the GP and finally the Specialist confirmed that something went wrong with my ears.

It was on that bumpy ride of my married life when my little sister asked me if I would like to visit them in Germany. At that time my sense of humour got caught up in a quagmire of a very personal circumstance. I told my sister in that point of time, I didn't need a joke, only something tangible and real. So she and her hubby went ahead with their proposal. I suggested a pre-paid plane ticket to be quick in as far as I knew, having worked in a travel-related job before. But they were advised against it by their Travel Agent as it would cost them higher to send us ticket from their port of origin. Instead, they sent me money to buy the ticket here.

There was no computer in those days. I did not employ the local travel agencies. I painstakingly canvassed a cheap rate ticket from daily newspapers both local and national. All plane fare quotations were checked including those in fine print advertisements. I found one in Marickville. I rang, inquired and booked for the flight.

I opted Yugoslav Airlines that offered the cheapest though my kindhearted brother-in-law recommended Northwest Airlines which could fly us direct to Frankfurt from Sydney. I could have chosen it too but I felt conscience-strickened to learn that it would cost them a fortune and that it was a luxury I could do without. Having been asked to go visit them at their expense alone had already given me a burden, what more if it meant an exuberance spill out from their pocket. What was important, I would get there sooner than later.

Apart from the cheap airfare, the airline would allow me to see other countries even in parts like Singapore, Dubai and Belgrade, now a city of Serbia after reclaiming its independence from Yugoslavia in 2006. I did not realize that in doing so, it was not an ideal choice to make when you travel with small children.

Before I committed myself to finalizing our flight arrangement, I went to speak to my Specialist requesting for his permission to travel since the schedule of my operation was deferred in March of the following year due to the unavailability of bed space in the hospital. He gave me a nod and my GP also issued me a Letter of Recommendation to the Authority that I was still fit to travel with my small children considering of my medical circumstance.

The "'bend in the road' of my life was not meant to be 'the end of the road'" for me - when my ex-husband had 'failed to take a safety turn' and was trapped in his car by a road accident that led him to sign the papers thereby allowing me to take my children with me to Germany. In his shaky hands, he affixed his signature on the Authorization papers then I quickly took it to the court where I was given a clearance to travel with my two angels.

I believed the road mishap was designed by our gracious heaven as a gift to my ex-husband for giving me a hard time, big time. Upon knowing my plan of going away to Germany, he instructed the court through his Lawyer that I could go but not with my precious children. I contested via my Lawyer that the reason I was invited to visit Germany was for my sisters to see my children and to give me a break as well. He conceded in the beginning but changed his mind. Then that change of mind was thwarted in the guise of the accident. He made a lucky escape after making three tumblings and hitting cars along the road at TAFE College after he left the unit where my little girls and I lived. So far he came out well and alive except feeling nervous and sporting only a little bruise on his back and arm. Gee, bad people when hit with bad luck can become a meek lamb, you know.

He was released from the emergency department in a nearby public hospital which added to his luck because the Ambulance apparently didn't need to run a ten mile long trip to take him there.

When he came to visit us the following day, he was as cool as a cucumber to break the news to me that he met an accident by the roadside near the school. My first question was, who saved his life because he was a man who only believed in himself. In answer to my question, he pointed his finger upward and I knew whom he meant. Years later when things settled down, I asked him again who saved him, this time, he pointed his finger to himself. That was the real McCoy of him.

Okay - now, the unit where we lived had to be given up after all the hassles of cleaning and repainting it myself. Day and night; and night and day. Scrub, brush, hot water, disinfectant and all those stuff ... the unit was damped, filthy, dark, gloomy ... a place less but more decent than a slum, if not an asylum. Unfortunately, that was the only place available on that emergency time, so I was left in a very precarious situation to make a decision against my will. Take it or leave it. I took it!

Just as we were starting to enjoy the blissful peace in our life, the trip going to Germany meant a lot to me and I desperately wanted to take a plight. But slowly, patiently and surely, everything was arranged and organized accordingly in such a calm fashion amidst the storm.

Furnitures were sold, and other stuff were left to my ex-husband's place as a security that we were coming back. Bugger that kind of life, but it was as it was!

Storms

By Margie DeMerell

There will be storms, child

There will be storms

And with each tempest

You will seem to stand alone

Against cruel winds

But with time, the rage and fury

Shall subside And when the sky clears

You will find yourself

Clinging to someone

You would have never known

But for storms.

Now the trip - and before that - on the real time .... to be continued.

A Journey Home

2011-05-28T21:00:00.564+10:00

"Homecoming means coming home to what is in your heart." ~Anon

NSC - the main road going south to our former place.

Not long ago, I have expressed my thoughts about visiting my homeland. It has been 23 years since I arrived and lived in my adopted country I now called home and I have never been home yet to my own native land. Neither for a peek nor for a sneak.

This year, I will finally be able to let that reality happen for the first time. I pray that God will bless my coming trip and that He will give me His protection as always with good weather permitting.

Twenty three long years of absence is quite a stretch of disciplined patience. My suppressed homesickness are just tuck into soporific segment of each nightfall when it comes. Mastering positive thinking of making impossible possible, I managed to organize my trip home via Taiwan. It's only four months away to go yet, but time does swiftly fly and before long, I'll be at the airport excitedly queuing for my seat on the plane.Will there be anyone to send me off like I sent off my friends back home each time anyone of them left the country? I don't know yet at this stage.

With my friend, Au's help and support, booking was finalized, paid in full and confirmed. In that time, my spirit was already floating ahead home that I could hardly hear and let alone answer the Travel Agent's questions. So Au filled up my vacant mind.

In that length of time living in this country called Down Under, I never lost sight of my beginning, my childhood, my adulthood and over-all, my identity. I never lost sight of where I came from, my family, my friends, classmates, everyone and everything that were mentioned in my latest blog Connecting dots at Facebook.

Naturally, this will be my most anticipated event to look forward to. On the list apart from seeing my long missed family and kins whom I have never seen or meet before - are foods that I am yearning to eat in years. And I will personally do the cooking myself and serve whoever sits on the table, instead of me waiting to be served. Even our humble food I still know how to cook. I bet my family and friends will be surprised by my ability to retain that expertise I did not dare part from my past culinary lessons I learned both from my late mother and that from school. And those that I learned from friends.

For sure, there will be many things to do once I'll be in my country. There's the visiting of old folks who are still around, the remnants who managed to pull through the test of times. One old Auntie, who is now 80 or 81 years old, the wife of our Uncle, then an only surviving brother of my mother and her sisters from the first wife of our late Grandfather, still remembers me and thought I am living in the province.

Though I met her only a few times, she had been very very kind to me when I visited them in their home. She's a very industrious woman who worked nonstop and I never heard her complain about getting tired. Our Uncle, her husband passed away later than our mother. I must pay tribute to her to say thank you for being kind to me. I still hold our cultural values like keeping an attitude of "debt of gratitude" though not so eloquently expressed to those who are concerned. I keep it deeply in my heart where no one can hear that inner voice.

On our father side, there is one old patriarch who is turning 100 in two months time. His faculty is still as clear as the blue sky, undiminished by seniority syndrome that hit most of our age-ing citizenry. Deserving much of our respect, we will also pay him a visit. He and his late wife, whom I call Nanay and Tatay (Mom and Dad in English term), had been instrumental for my being a Veterans Educational Benefit Scholar weaved to me by my late father.

Then there are many cousins, in-laws, distant relatives, nephews and nieces to say hello to! We are quite a clan; only, we are scattered all over the islands. I expect there would be many handshakes, hugs and kisses; tears and laughter; screaming, jumping, feasting; all those mixture of excitements to deal with. So along with my sister, we will be hoping from island to island to meet up those who are close to us and whom we miss so much.

Of course, we are not discounting our friends and neighbours. Friends who stood for and with us during the hour of our sore trials especially when our parents died one year after the other. We might not be able to find them all, but I'll try my very best to endeavor in looking out for those who are still around, knowing that we only have limited time set in staying there.

Then there are classmates, schoolmates, former employers and their family to consider. I'd like to make a special mention to Maguid Maruhom who had been a family friend to us from our Karomatan days. He is the best friend of our late eldest brother. We fondly regard him as a brother, and one who still holds kind respect and good memories of our parents. We are looking forward to re-acquainting with his family: wife and adult children. That would be the most interesting part because we knew Maguid since we were in our Elementary years.

In my personal agenda, I'd like to revisit interesting sites where our family had been before, like Maria Cristina Falls which is not far from Overton, our last place of residence. It was there where we held our family reunion right after our military father had officially retired from the service.

Maria Cristina Falls by Imelda Piansay

And by how much time and health allow, it would also be nice to see places that I haven't been to yet such as Davao, Bohol and our parents' home births, to name a few. There's plenty to do actually.

Most importantly, the highlight of my visit would be to step foot one more time for the last time on a hill once owned by our late mother where our late Grandfather built a Nipa Hut (cottage made of bamboo). It's on that Nipa Hut on top of the hill where my dear, kind, patient, and soft spoken Grandfather and StepGrandmother would take me each time they picked me up from our family home and took me back with them to their own dwelling. I would jump for joy whenever our mother would let me go with them.

I can't remember anymore what I was doing there, but the sight of the lush green and sighing or humming cornfields by the hillsides being blown by the northerly wind is still very much in my memory. And of course, the smiling face of a one-armed Grandfather, who was a shark attacked survivor during one of his fishing rendezvous back in the old province of Masbate, where his second wife, our step-grandmother, came from. I called my Grandparents Itay and Inay just as what our parents, step-uncles and step-aunties addressed them.

To continue on with the story, that property went into the hands of the former National Steel Corporation (NASCO). From NASCO, it was changed to NSC after it was sold to a multinational company. It's my conjecture that NSC is possibly placed on its third receivership at the present time. I'll find that out once I'll get there.

This desire of mine to revisit the memory of my childhood was sparked by a homegrown nostalgia upon learning of our loss of that precious place, the fruit of our mother's long and hard toil, of her sweat, sleepless and tireless labour, day and night, sewing clothes to be able to accumulate the means to purchase and to own that property from her own effort. A spark which was intensified the moment I saw the photos of the company posted at Facebook by a friend and former high schoolmate, Frank Manga.

Like looking for those people whom we owe lots of debt of gratitude for helping us bury our parents in time of our impecuniosity, I'll also endeavor to seek permission from the present company to allow us to do a family pilgrimage to that piece of land on a hilltop just for sentimental reason with only one thing in mind: to relive the memory of my childhood through our beloved Grandfather and Mother. I pray, that our petition will not be denied so to make my homecoming special and complete and that, it would be my ultimate achievement in life if I'll be able to accomplish my simple dream in my own homeland.

"What we remember from childhood we remember forever - permanent ghosts, stamped, inked, imprinted, eternally seen." ~Cynthia Ozick

I know there will be many astonishing changes ready to be discovered when I come home. If a change can happen in a matter of seconds, how much more for 23 long years? And I'm not going to let that thought worry me because I know many will take good care of me, of us, my sister and I; and perhaps, if my daughters will make it to the schedule and decide to travel to my home country, that would be wonderful! We shall have an excellent Family Reunion!!

In God, nothing is impossible. May we have His guidance and blessings for always.

"How beautiful a day can be
When kindness touches it!"
~George Elliston

Quotation courtesy by Rosidah. Thank you dear kind Rosidah.

The above quotation is also dedicated to my good and kindhearted friend Au, my birthmate. My very best to you Au!!!

Photos compliments of Frank Manga as posted at Facebook. The pictures that sparked my longing for home.

"Nostalgia is like a grammar lesson: you find the present tense, but the past perfect!" ~Owens Lee Pomeroy

NSC Administration Building

(The New Owner)

Grandfather's place in one of those hills overlooking this steel plant.

As I'll be turning 61 this year, this will be my surprise Birthday present to myself though we do not actually celebrate birthdays but only for thankfulness sake. The Lord is full of wonders! And to my sailing friend, this is for you too, the King of Poetry, HRM - King Lemieux. In your own words, I find inspiration in our friendship. And I am very proud to share that to the whole world!

Coming Home

Coming home to peace and quiet.
Coming home to feelings warm.
Coming home where there's a fullness,
where love in me is born.
Coming home's a simple journey,
takes no movement on my part.
Instead of listening to my thoughts.
I listen with my heart.

by Sue Pettit (with thanks to Karina of Positive Thoughts)

Connecting Dots at Facebook

2011-05-16T10:58:00.013+10:00

Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, is young and enterprising who made it to the Richest Persons List. He turns big time just by getting people together via his social network website where friends, families, classmates, strangers, friends of friends converge. He started it with his friends at school. From there, the rest is history whipped with controversy. And,

When I decided to explore further beyond my original number 15 set of friends, I was not prepared to be overwhelmed by the multitude of people I met and knew in the past: family, classmates, teachers, employers, friends, friends of friends, relatives whom I never got the chance to meet and know in life including those whom I have abandoned under circumstantial reason, family of my parents, contemporaries, townmates, landlords, workmates, churchmates and the list goes on.

Adventure, time and distance or life itself have separated us through the years (from one year to fifty years,) where we all lost track from one another as the mode of communications then were not much to our convenience and liking. Letter writing was the only option, and, that itself is now replaced by email.

Still nothing can beat the joy and pleasure when there is something to pull out from the humble mailbox which is now more overloaded with junk such as commercial catalogues than warm letters. Better still there's nothing pleasurable than receiving a personal letter full of news, good or bad, residing inside the envelope with stamps on it straight from the hands of a friendly Postman who dutifully comes knocking on your door, if not yelling out your name on the street attracting nosy neigbhours who come running without invitation and fuss about your mail harvest.

In those days, sometimes letters can be a nest of unexpected blessings. And nobody was corrupt. Nowadays, nothing is safe in the mail anymore especially in some parts of the world. Mail pilferage are becoming rampant. Even personal secrets are possible wiki-juice if landed in the wrong hands.

I must admit, I have had been skeptical about social networking since Myspace but eventually relented after some persuasion from my family. I let go of my negativity and went ahead to conduct my own heuristic exploration and the outcome is just incredible!

Instead of looking forward into the future, I am looking backward to the past to relive happy memories occurring since childhood; especially because the people I get reconnected with are the people of whom I have had association in my life that contributed to the person I become today. The air is electrifying when you learned that they too still hold memories of me and speak with candid remembrance.

It's exciting to be taken back to the hub of early life's thrills and excitements of growing up when things started to register on your mind about your existence. And sad to be taken back to the wheel of life and reminisce those recollections you would rather leave untouched let alone mention. You don't want the storm when you can have the rain, sunshine and rainbow.

Then there are those new people you hardly knew at all, yet, you share common ideals and principles, sharing hopes, aspirations and interests and those also with like-mind whom you met in other cyber places like the blog world, photography and poetry as examples. People that you get acquainted with during your travels as well as new neighbours and family friends. Facebook created this phenomenon of connecting the dots of friendship throughout the world. As nothing is permanent but change, you lost them for awhile and found them again because of Facebook.

So facebook here, I come! What offers thee for me to pray?

"Many a witty inspiration is like the surprising reunion of befriended thoughts after a long separation." ~Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

Humbling before an Elderly

2011-05-05T11:09:00.004+10:00

The autumn day promised of a bland, velvety and temperate weather the minute I stepped out of my shelter. It was an ideal time to get out for a walk to breathe some fresh air in the open space.

It was my day to fulfill my promise to collect the book I laid aside last week at Vinnies Op Shop in Macquarie Fields. It was held on account of trust and confidence by the staff who didn't even know me but my name only which I wrote on a piece of paper. It's a book of Mother Teresa's Private Writings (Come Be My Light) before she entered a very special calling which made her renown around the world through her charitable work, the Charity of Sisters Missionary.

Soon, I will glean some of her wisdom from this book that perhaps you and I haven't heard of yet, other than those that were already published.

That mission of keeping my promise was fulfilled along with tolerable extravagance in purchasing collectible junk and a pair of brand new shoes which I was lucky to spy on. The fitting is perfect for my size, comfortable, and have a decent design just the one I liked. Not everything in the op shop is hand-me-downs, used or second hand. Some are new if you are lucky to get there at the right timing just like the book mentioned above. It's brand new and in pristine condition. It's barcode tagged at US$22.95 which I only bought for A$2.00. Didn't I count my blessing? Sure, I did!

You may wonder why for such a minimal cost, I still had to put it on hold! Well, last week, I had spent all the money I had in my purse before that book was presented to me. The left over coins I had were not enough to meet the asking price. So I bargained favour with them if they could hold it for me, then I would come back to get it. They took me for my word especially after I bought some old books including Helen Steiner Rice poetry book. I spoke to the staff that I have been looking for Francis Gay's inspirational books called The Friendship Book.

One staff went to the storage cubicle and came out instead with Mother Teresa's book. Now I have it. Honest negotiation worked aided with integrity.

Today's story however is covered by Mahatma Gandhi's quotation which aptly applies to the scene I witnessed on the train on my way to Macquarie Fields via Ingleburn.

“I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps.”

For what I saw and heard had truly touched my compassionate heart. There was displeasure in the beginning more in regards to the initial behaviour of the person concerned. I even prepared my camera in case of any untoward eventuality. I kept on listening and waited to see what happens next though I felt awfully scared inside but seemly appeared nonchalant and unscathed.

The train I was on was bound for Campbelltown from Granville. When it stopped at Warwick Farm station, a man in his late 20's or early 30's came aboard with cigarette in his hand still smoking. By law, he was not allowed to smoke on a covered platform as in the case of that particular station let alone take a lighted cigarette inside the train or any public transport for that matter.

He was partly abrupt and the smoke wafted through the confine of the train car that one old man behind me was constrained to move out and find another place to sit on. I was nailed to my seat and could not move, so I decided to stay put but privately vigilant to the man in question.

The man three seats behind me reprimanded the young man of the smoke. He complained in his authoritative voice that the young man was not supposed to smoke inside the train per regulation by law.

The young man talked back and told the man behind me to mind his own business to the extent of swearing at him. He did crash his lighted cigarette on the floor which was so disgusting. The talk back session went on for sometime until the man with the cigarette finally looked back to whom he was backchatting to and then he realised he was talking to the elderly after he was reprimanded of his awful language.

He apologised and as if it was not enough, he stood up and offered his hand for a handshake which was taken by the old man and his apology accepted. Then the young man sat opposite to the old man's seat and he started behaving civilly and chatting with him. His tone changed into mild, friendly and respectful way. And the old man had softened his stance too.

During the course of their discussion, I looked at the old man with a sympathetic nod as a sign of my support to his courageous dare in chastising the young man. Having done it, I think my sympathy of support gave him the courage to deal with the young man. He never relented in correcting him. In the end he won.

Looking at the personality of the young man though partly scrubby, he actually has a gentle face with a pair of mellow eyes. So I was very pleased that he decided to change his tone when he realised that there was a quiet lady in the background listening to their repartee.

I thought that the scenario would end up to something disgraceful and I would be a likely witness as it was just the three of us alone in that particular train car.

With so many incidents of violence involving verbal abuse going around in the news department with young versus old, one cannot just know what's a day is like out there - especially on long distance train with not many passengers on it.

It was a relief that my day was not smeared. That I came home safe and pleased with my purchase of the day.

Lachlan's Old Government House

2011-04-23T10:52:00.005+10:00

This was my second time to come and dine in this well-known historical restaurant in Western Sydney at Parramatta close to the CBD or Commercial Business District.

Lachlan is an Old Government House - Australia's oldest public building, is tucked away within the peaceful grounds of historic Parramatta Park. Constructed by First Fleet convicts on the orders of Governor Phillip.

A view of the old government house taken from the verandah of the Garrison building.

On 26 January 1788 Governor Phillip landed at Farm Cove in Sydney to establish the colony of New South Wales. His crops of wheat and corn soon failed having been planted in the heat of summer and in the sandy salty soil of the cove.

In April of that same year Governor Phillip rowed up what is now the Parramatta river and selected this site for his farms and his Government House. The soil was good and the hard Australian Eucalypt trees grew naturally far enough apart so the First Fleeters did not have to cut too many trees down with their poor English axes. The oldest part of Old Government House still standing is Governor Hunters house which is the front of the two storied section in the middle part of the house. When Governor Macquarie arrived in 1809 after the rum rebellion he found the house almost uninhabitable and carried out renovations and extensions which were completed in November 1816. The house as you see it today is largely as completed in November 1816. The house as you see it today is largely as completed by Governor Macquarie. The restaurant is located in the Garrison building was completed at the same time and housed the officers of the day. The Governors living quarters were located at the river end of the main house and the kitchen and servant areas at the opposite end. All the early Governors lived and worked here including Phillip, Hunter, King, Bligh, Macquarie, Brisbane, Darling, Bourke, Gipps, and Fitzroy. Fitzroy was the last Governor to live here leaving the colony in 1855.

If you were arriving to visit the Governor back in 1815 you would most probably have rowed up the river if you were coming from Sydney Town. On arriving in Parramatta, you would have walked the length of George Street. This street runs in a straight line form the Governors portico to the old river wharf. You most likely would have been shown into the Governors waiting room to await.

So when you sit here on the Garrison verandah, or by one of the officers fireplaces in winter enjoy the history that surrounds us and remember that you will also become a part of the history of Old Government House, of Parramatta and of Australia.

Source: Lachlan's Restaurant Menu Historical Info Sheet

Just a tip of history of Lachlan's Old Government House in Parrammatta. Lachlan is Sydney's restaurant open for functions, corporate events, wedding receptions, parties and other ceremonies. This is where we held our Nights to be Much Observed in keeping to the Passover Holy Day.

The night was graced by a beautiful full moonlight.

In summer dine on the old Garrison verandah under the grape vines and in winter dine in one of the small officer's rooms by the open fireplace. Walk around the grounds and imagine the times of Governor Phillip and his first buildings and farms here. Around 1815 Governor Macquarie built the Garrison building where we dine today. - Menu Sheet

Gallery:

The photographic quality is not good, but this is the view of the Garrison Building taken from the courtyard.

Garrison Building: Lisa (below) and Me (above)

Baked Ocean Trout Fillet on brocollini with a citrus sauce. I forgot to take photo of my equally sumptuous entree which was Chicken Caesar Salad with anchovies and shaved parmesan.

Baked vegies of carrots, pumpkin, potatoes and green beans.

Australian Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine

Bon appetit.

She Turns One!!!

2011-04-16T06:37:00.007+10:00

Twelve months ago, swaddled in a hospital stripey square woolly cloth, in the arms of her brand new mother, my first Grandchild was Introduced to me. Without a voice, she told me, "Welcome to my World, Lola!"

Her life is still unrecorded. Unlike what I did to my two children. So I am taking initiative. My Grand-daughter on her First Birthday!

At two and a half-months

Take a sprinkling of fairy dust,

An angel's single feather,

Also a dash of love and care,

Then mix them both together.

Add a sentiment or two,

A thoughtful wish or line,

A touch of stardust, a sunshine ray...

Its a recipe, for a Baby Girl truly fine.

~Author Unknown

At ten months, taken in Victor Harbor, South Australia

My Little Doll

She is my Angel

A sweet cherub I call

She smiles, she coos

She cries, she crawls

Now she blubbers

And she flatters me too.

In her cheeky gummy grin

Up her little arms

Wanting for a cuddle

And together we huddle.

She plays, she sleeps

She eats, she peeps

My day is never dull

Loving my little doll.

@lcd 10 February 2011

Now One Year Old!

The Celebrant

A living doll

We love so dear

With angel's charm

Our hearts she warmed.

Her smiles turn to laughters

At times she bursts into tears

When discomfort is sensed with fears.

My sweetest delight of my golden years.

@lcd 12 April 2011

Well, it has been quite a while I did not post anything about my family. Even my most important milestone when I turned 60 was left in the backburner.

Today, in spite of my daughter's request, as a first time Grandmother, I honestly find it very hard to resist keeping the pride in my heart. As you may notice, the last time, I updated a family news was around June when my daughter and son-in-law celebrated their First Wedding Anniversary.

Talking about First, I thought, it's about time I will re-introduce the baby bonus they gave me on my 60th birthday and update you what transpires all this time behind the scene of Motherhood on the part of my daughter and Grandmotherhood on my part.

I am certainly a proud mother to my daughter for bringing up the infant to where she is at this stage. My daughter is well and truly moulded as she fits in her new role in life as a wife, mother and daughter in the most natural fashion.

I continually watch her (my daughter) develop since birth while I'm still around and the bond of our relationship is now extended and stretch into her own family life with a husband and a baby. It's pretty intriguing and interesting. Of course, there's occasional hitches along the way but as what the saying denotes, "all's well that ends well."

The baby has brought us many interesting food for thoughts in her own right which she has no knowledge of. The process of education and learning about Motherhood, Parenthood, and Child Rearing and soon Childhood continues to the point of integrating the book tips, professional help and personal experience from everyday perspective.

As a Grandma, I could not complain. I told my daughter and son-in-law each time I am on my Nanny Duty that I don't mind Ten Babies of my grand-daughter's kind or clone to mind or look after. Why, she runs her life on a time-set programmed! In her wee infanthood stage, how amazing she can do what she does!

I would say according to my observation that she is the most cooperative baby to handle. She eats with gusto, she plays in her own quiet way, very active as she is showing some athletic potential someway, happy but with a bit of temper that is quickly hose down with tenderness and gentleness, loves a bath, goes to sleep on time after a minute of crying from tiredness ritual, loves books, friendly and one of the most unusual confident baby above many other adjectives I can speak about her.

I love our Own Moments: the baby and I. While we are alone on our own, she is Mine! Almost my third child, my third daughter. And I make the most of it to cherish her with fondness. She responds in the same wavelength. And that is very precious to Me.

The most rewarding of all is when she puts her two little arms around me and squeezes herself to me and presses her cheeks to mine for kisses.

I am most thankful for this very Unique Baby in my life. My blessing of joy on earth. She is the most loved baby in the whole wide world.

"A new baby is the beginning of all things - wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities." ~Eda J Le Shan

"If one feels the need of something grand, something infinite, something that makes one feel aware of God, one need not go far to find it. I think that I see something deeper, more infinite, more eternal, than the ocean in the expression of the eyes of a little baby when it wakes up in the morning and coos or laughs because it sees the sun shining on its cradle." ~Vincent van Gogh

Reflecting over Susan's Meanderings

2011-03-25T16:25:00.012+11:00

I like how people meanders. Many wittingly come up with variety of interesting and thought provoking topics, issues and themes. One of them is Susan Deborah. She sets your mind working and lets you reflect and ponder over your own thoughts.

For a long time, I haven't blogged. While I can post here and there and mainly at Facebook with comments, poems and photos; while I can update my other blogs with other stuff, my main blog (this one) truly suffers.

All the things I intend to post went off my head. I did lots of jottings but I just feel they are not worth blogging. Let's see how much prodding and nudging I need for me to keep going. Brains do sometimes get dry. They need the right uplifting injections. I think my ideas are getting exhausted by over-sharing them in preachy moods all over the place.

I wandered away too much too many times. My recent trip to the far south coast should be blogged. But until now, not even a draft was scribbled. Anyhow I did enjoy my holiday over there. And this year, hopefully, God willing too, I might be able to visit my homeland after 23 long years of absence. My sister and I will meet up there and hopefully, my daughters will be able to join me in our family reunion. Nothing has been set yet as we are still in the process of organizing our thoughts and plans.

One of the itineraries aside visiting our parents tomb,is to pay tribute to our last remaining patriarch on our father side, who will turn 100 years old this middle of the year. If all goes well, I'll meet my grown-up nephews and nieces for the first time. Some I met when they were little. Others missed out on me when I left my hometown to work in Manila prior to coming to Australia.

Gleaning Wisdom from the Sage and Personal Friends

2011-02-24T09:53:00.003+11:00

"I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death."~Leonardo da Vinci

"Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it." ~Mark Twain~

"Only those who find solace and sublime joy in their hearts and are consciously willing to be meek and compassionate to others have the chance to succeed. Faith in God, hope for humanity and deep realization of human responsibility for love could be the virtue needed to succeed in practicing forgiveness, patience and perseverance; without these, we may never last the long journey in advancing our principles." ~Maguid Maruhom

"The secret to success job-wise, career,marriage, interpersonal relationships is true humility.The rest will follow as you rightly put it. My personal belief is that without knowing the real meaning and purpose of life, and growing to the ultimate potential and sowing seeds that benefit others will be bring life's journey harder and shorter." ~ Precy Dancel Bierbaum

"Knowing the meaning and purpose of life is the beginning of wisdom. But without the means (formula) it would be impossible to do what you said. I agree, loving your enemy is the hardest of all. But how do we do this without forgiveness? How do we forgive if we are not meek? And how could we be meek without love? Reason why love is made as the pinnacle of faith -" without love there is no faith," as Muhammad repeatedly said. It appears to be a cycle. You thought it is impossible but when you succeed once, it becomes a habit in following the foot steps of Jesus. But it is the inner weaknesses that prevent the unconscious self from doing this, particularly, pride, fear, etc. The first step, therefore, involve overcoming personal weaknesses, and thus the saying, "the heart of revolution is the revolution in the heart." ~ Maguid Maruhom

"General Douglas MacArthur said and I do agree with him..."We have had our last chance. If we do not devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door. The problem basically is theological and involved a spiritual recrudescence and improvement of human character that will synchronize with our almost matchless advance in science, art, literature, and all material and cultural developments of the past 2,000 years. It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh."

Albert Einstein put it this way, "The real problem is in the hearts and minds of men. It is easier to denature plutonium than to denature the evil spirit of man.”

Yes indeed, we need those principles, means or formulas if we all want to succeed in life that you mentioned above. It must be taught and learn daily as life goes along. Someone said that life is strange...yes and no.
"Overcoming personal weakness" is the message that we seldom hear from people. Many religion of this world does not teach that and yet it is the true essence of religion, Christian and Islam alike.

Character is what we are going to carry in the after life and this has to be developed in this earthly home. Then only then human beings can learn to forgive others and able to love even the enemy."~ Precy Dancel Bierbaum

"Marvelous! Precy, I never thought such words of wisdom can come from an ordinary soul like you, but it is the truth. It is my first time to hear this piece. I agree, indeed, our greatest challenge is social. Our advances in science and culture is not matched with our spiritual development. The fruits of science and technology had been reaped like no other time in history, but with our illusion of success, contentment and happiness and the culture that pursue it, are way out of sync with the truth of reality. It only gives us more and more disconcord- ance in life. I share your view, the greatest problem this age faces is morality. I cannot imagine how the fruits of cultural advancement can only bring suffering and pain to millions of souls and destroy mother earth if we only use it in accord with the right values. Everyone is a victim!

But religion is still the answer and could have offered us the greatest solutions to our present difficulties. The sad thing is, many religions opted to resign from offering the light we badly need in pursuit of harmony and peace. Many were even been exploited by the power be that rule the world through manipulation and machination. Instead, they concentrated much on saving the soul and leaving the material (social) thing in limbo or to be consumed by injustice. They are more and more preoccupied with with endless debates, bickering and dividing humanity when what we truly need is dialogue and unity for change. For as long as the soul is imprisoned in the body, it could be impossible to save it unless you save the body, as well. I boldly say, what we need is a harmony in life, a complete integration of our social and spiritual life; for the truth is, the human being is a coin with two sides; the material and immaterial. For as long as we fail to harmonize and integrate them (individually and collectively) we will always fail in our pursuit of real peace.

The hope is, we still have faith in God, and nothing is permanent but change. I believe in the capacity of the human spirit for change." ~ Maguid Maruhom

Reactors: Precy Dancel Bierbaum, my sister. BS Food and Nutrition - Undergraduate
Maguid Maruhom - our dear Muslim Brother who knows our family all too well, best friend and classmate of our eldest brother, Jacob. He is a Politician and Humanitarian, and Ecologist

This is the kind of family we have. Our mindset is far from the mainstream of the material world.

Source: Extracted from Facebook dated 20 February 2010

A Tribute of a Friend to our Dear late Father

2011-02-01T21:13:00.005+11:00

In January 18, 2011 was our late father's 31st Death Anniversary. A family friend of ours whose family was prominent, well-known, and well-respected in our community where we lived at that time had this touching tribute to him:

"Seeing the picture of your father serves a good reminder of a principled, humble and compassionate character possessing an exceptional strength of determination in pursuit of a righteous and dignified life. That was how I knew him...My tribute to him!!!" ~Sultan Maguid Maruhom. [Maguid is involved in Peacebuilding in Mindanao through bridging programs between Muslims and Christians].

Being Thankful ... in Quotes

2010-12-29T22:14:00.003+11:00

Year 2011 is coming. It's a new beginning of another decade in circa 2000.

Each day, each week, each month, each year ... there's always a time to reckon with life: past, present and future. All I can come up with for each moment is thankfulness:

*Thankful for the rough times I went through. It helped me to be strong.

For reason that ...

"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." ~Mother Teresa

*Thankful for all my misdeeds and failures that brought me to the present. Now I appreciate life even more.

I learned that ...

"Difficulties are opportunities to better things; they are stepping stones to greater experience. Perhaps someday you will be thankful for some temporary failure in a particular direction. When one door closes, another always opens."~Author Unknown

*Thankful for whatever way, form or appearance success presented itself to me; not maybe in terms of materials but something that is intangible yet, it makes me feel I lack nothing. My blessings are sufficient to cover my needs.

There is ...

"Something that has always puzzled me all my life is why, when I am in special need of help, the good deed is usually done by somebody on whom I have no claim." ~William Feather

*Thankful for my children for being patient and resilient in every way possible. Their understanding exceeds beyond the norm of children; when at their tender age, they demonstrated an astonishing capability in accepting our circumstance with grace.

I want them to know that this is my conviction being, I am ...

"Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life."~Christiane Northrup

*Thankful for my daughter and son-in-law for giving me my first grandchild late in my life at 60, so to speak. This gives me the feeling of confidence that I'm not doing bad eh?

It was this experience of motherhood and parenthood that my daughter told me, ...

"And it came to me, and I knew what I had to have before my soul would rest. I wanted to belong - to belong to my mother. And in return - I want my mother to belong to me."~Gloria Vanderbilt

*I am thankful for my little sweet cherub. She safely arrived to light our world with her wholesome spirit and good health. I am thankful for that special bond that gives me great pleasure and joy and delight only a Grandmother can feel and tell.

How awesome it is to wake up from a dream and suddenly there's ...

"A child's hand in yours - what tenderness it aroused, what power it conjures. You are instantly the very touchstone of wisdom and strength."~Marjorie Holmes

*Thankful to be here and being able to meet my kinship that I haven't met before and to get to know people, who then become my friends, of every kind, every race, every creed, in every place, anywhere and everywhere I go.

Because of them, I am enlightened to take counsel to ...

"Learn how to carry a friendship greatly, whether or not it is returned. Why should one regret if the receiver is not equally generous? It never troubles the sun that some of his rays fall wide and vain into ungrateful space, and only a small part on the reflecting planet. Let your greatness educate the crude and cold companion. If he is unequal, he will presently pass away; but thou art enlarged by thy own shining."~Ralph Waldo Emerson

*Thankful for the many innumerable blessings since the day I was born. God is to be greatly praised and thanked for; He gave me Life through my parents and for all the beauty of His creations that I am so privileged to benefit from.

Even before my eyes open to greet a new day, this is what I always do ...

"When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light. Give thanks for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living."~Chief Tecumseh, Shawnee Indian Chief

So in conclusion:

"To live a life of gratitude is to open our eyes to the countless ways in which we are supported by the world around us.Such a life provides less space for our suffering because our attention is more balanced. We are more often occupied with noticing what we are given, thanking those who have helped us, and repaying the world in some concrete way for what we are receiving."~Gregg Krech

I'll be forever thankful ...

Oprah Down Under

2010-12-19T16:26:00.018+11:00

“I am overjoyed to be here in Australia. This is a big adventure and I'm going to open myself up to every little thing along the way. I want to experience as much as I can."~Oprah

She came. She conquered. The whole country was boisterously wowed by her electrifying presence. It was not hard for her to win the hearts of this nation. It was in fact quite effortless on her part. The squealing fans down under were transfixed by her seemly omniscient power - critics and cynics including; even those who were less enchanted of her person.

She is famous. She is rich. She is sensational. She is generous.

The corporate world tagged her as Lady Midas with a Golden Touch. And for those in the real world who were the beneficiaries of her generosity called her a Fairy Godmother without a Magic Wand.

Her name is a byword in every household all over the world. Yet, in all that facade, she remains true to herself: Reachable. Loved. Wanted. Through it all, she is a true human as well as humane. In a communal term of spiritual, social, intellectual and psychological sense, she is Inspiring! Awe-Inspiring!

Now she's gone. She was teary eyed when she bade goodbye to this country that is geographically distant from the rest of the world. But she promised she would come back. There's much left to be desired in this immense single-country-continent with far-flung cultural ethnicity and multicultural diversities stretching from end to end.

She left us a legacy of lasting memory for what she was as a person our naked eyes had seen her in the flesh. She left us an impressionable legacy of enviable and euphoric experience of what it was like to be in her show or to watch her show even if it meant standing by the sideline securely clutching to the barricading rails under the heat of the sun - in an open air - within the vicinity of the famous Sydney Opera House.

Talking about miracles is not my area of authority to speak of. But Oprah showed us what a miracle was all about.

"I believe miracles happen in our lives not just sometimes but every single day."~Oprah

Wasn't she right? Miracles happen but every single day! To you and me, to us, in any form in every way. As I personally gave up vying for a ticket to be a part of her Ultimate Australian audience; honestly knowing that I am not an Ultimate Viewer of her show from beginning to the end, however, I will unashamedly admit that I admire her to the point of being called Lame by my girls. I conceded that if she would come, I'd just watch her on the TV news. That would be enough to make me happy.

But the insistence of my friend Lucy made me to reconsider the possibility of going. To 'just go' without expecting anything. It was only an spontaneous reaction ignited by our curiosity to see Oprah -the world's most famous American Talk Show Queen.

There was no plan made a week before that. The week when Oprah's Ultimate Australian Adventure American Viewers touched down Sydney International Airport, the media frenzy begun so was the Oprah Mania. Australia held its breath in great anticipation to the arrival of Queen Oprah who flew in on her own luxurious jumbo jet plane later the following day.

Nonetheless, at the time Oprah heralded her unsuspecting throng of 300 American audience with an ultimate surprise news of their lifetime, they all went berserk. She told her frantic audience that they were coming down under with her. That was when my friend Lucy's imagination stampeded as she went wild with over-excitement just like everyone did. And I was one of them.

Lucy wanted to sit down prettily right in front of Oprah in the audience. She glossed her think-tank or brain bank and set it to the highest degree with an aim that she would interview the mighty lady afterward. It was her dream. Her goal. Somehow, someone got to dream big! Why settle for less? It did not happen unfortunately. Lucy was eluded by that miracle.

In Oprah's desire to make everyone happy, she created a miracle to happen for us: Luz, Marissa and I and to many others who were there. And in our desire to see her at any cost or at what cost; we dared, we took a risk. A risk worth taking. The day was Tuesday, 14th of December 2010. A week after she and the rest of the entourage arrived after they all finished their one-week Ultimate Adventure touring around the country in split groups.

As I've said, we did not plan to be there at all. It was extemporaneous, on a spur of the moment thinking. But we came up with an agreement that if we were truly to see Oprah, we must leave home early. First, to beat the traffic congestion. Second, to catch the train to Circular Quay on time, and third, to find the right vantage, which was 1:99 ratio possibility, where we can position ourselves to see the once in a lifetime big O Motion.

Yet, the night before I was worried because I got hitch with slight fever. Still, I managed to get up early in the morning as usual.

The forecast for that day was cloudy and scattered rain showers. But doom and gloom did not stop me from getting things ready, ate my brekky, and get dressed up. When I took the garbage outside to the bin, the morning was refreshingly cool. So I decided to do a quick walk about to the oval which is just a stone throw away while waiting for Lucy.

It didn't take five minutes when I spied Lucy's white car coming. She and another friend, Marissa, arrived earlier to our appointed time, so it was good. She left her car in our compound car park area then we headed to the rail station. We took a train to the city and stopped at Central Station and took another train to Circular Quay. On arrival, we walked to the Opera House.

Many people were there already and the forecourt of the Opera House was fully seated with 6,000 fortunate Australian Ultimate Viewers. It was only 8:40am. Surprise, surprise! We suddenly found ourselves joining the queue and we just went along with the flow of the crowd. Then some of Oprah's staff made rounds to give us unofficial tickets that looked more like raffle tickets for us to get through a tight security marquee for screening prior to entering the vicinity. We were also issued with Orange wrist bands which was taken out from our wrist on entrance to the security door.

We were very lucky to be among in the extra crowd of early birds that gathered worms. We were allowed in to fill the adjacent space available closer to the venue just a little outside the forecourt where the official audience seated. We were just standing on the sideline.

The atmosphere was incredibly vivacious. The crowd's reception to Oprah's cheer leading chant of Ozzie, Ozzie, Ozzie received a resounding response of oi! oi! oi in perfect unison from Australians. Much especially when she breathlessly declared at the top of her voice "I ... Love ... Australia!!!! the more the crowd over reacted and they didn't hide their ruckus exuberant joy. The experience was truly exhilarating and amazing!

I was very happy enough to be where we were positioned. We thought we would settle ourselves anywhere closer we could get just to be there. But as it turned out, good things happened when you least expect it. The weather cooperated beautifully and the clear blue sky came out instead of being cloudy and the heavens held the rain until Oprah was gone!

Before the show commenced, the sun started to climb up the summit of noonday and the air was getting very hot! Again, Oprah's staff went around to provide us with a squeeze of sunscreen. So we virtually washed our face with white cream to protect us from Skin Cancer which is prevalent here. In truth, I don't like sunblock for its unpleasant feel to the skin and unwelcome smell. But in that time, I desperately needed one even if I was ready to get sunburn.

So One little dream came true for me. Because I originally planned of watching the Oprah Show Live if I would turn 60. The date had elapsed and I didn't make it to be in Oprah's audience, as a birthday gift to myself. I confess, in all honesty, we do not celebrate birthdays. But just as I thought, it won't do me any harm to at least give myself a treat.

Now that I have seen Oprah four months past my birthday, my wish after all did come true and mission accomplished. And she is really cool and well-loved by Australians. She is so overpowering that she caught everyone up with Oprah mania fever. No one can resist her charm mainly due to her Gift giving spirit. Without which I don't think people will come to love her.

The Oprah juggernaut is over and NOW we are back to earth here down under!

And LIFE goes on....

Thank You Oprah and Thank You Mr Andrew Mcevoy from the Ministry of Tourism.

Having been here for 23 years, Now I can truly say, "I (Still) Call Australia HOME!"

Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, Hugh Jackman, Olivia Newton-John and Russell Crowe

23 Years Reminisced

2010-12-01T12:04:00.016+11:00

"If this woman, whose world was shattered beyond imagination, can push herself to a stronger and better life, anyone can."~Oprah, after meeting Charla Nash

November 30, 1987 - I resigned as a Pharmacist in my workplace (Claro M Recto Ave, Quiapo, Manila). I handed my resignation letter to the dismay of my two disappointed good and kind employers Mr and Mrs Julian Quieng. I shunned formality such as Farewell or Despedida Party. My co-workers handed me their parting gift, a day before I officially resigned. My lady employer also gave me theirs. At home, I spent the whole day packing.

December 1, 1987 - I boarded the Philippine Airlines at 8.30pm. Destination: down under. My friend Raquel Villanueva and a couple of girls in my workplace sent me off. Raquel's friend, Mr Jose Lim, a ground PAL employee, helped facilitate my flight seating beside Ret. RAF Officer Mr John O'Neill from Bomaderry NSW, who took some credits off my luggage to avoid paying excess luggage fee as my load did excess beyond a passenger's required limit.

As our flight progressed on, Mr O'Neill and I engaged in a lengthy conversation regarding so many things: life, work, travel, family and my coming marriage; the reason of my journey in the sky. Mr O'Neill did not hide his concern over my coming marriage to a divorced Australian man whose children were still living with him.

He and wife, Heather, a retired Nurse, sent us their Wedding Present two months later. Years on, to my understanding, they moved to Queensland to live. I lost contact with them when I became disallowed due to family commitment and marriage break-up that made me disabled when my hands were full on looking after two little babies who were born in straight two consecutive years.

December 2, 1987 - The plane touched down Sydney airport after 12 hours roaming in the air with only one stop-over in Melbourne where the wind blew me like a paper as I walked down the tarmac to the waiting lounge till further instruction for re-boarding was announced. I introduced my fiance to Mr O'Neill on arrival and we both thanked this kind gentleman who was a friendly host and a great help during my first overseas trip away from home. From the airport, we headed off to Orange where my fiance lived.

It was a long drive all the way from the city airport to the bush. I was impressed of the orderliness and the neatness of the surrounding. It was all green and nature's landscape was impeccably awesome. It was summer with a feeling of winter for me. My overcoat or blazer did not do justice to the new climate I was in for. It was freezing!

When I was told that it was going to be summer when I'd arrive here, I was thinking of the glaring and blazing sun and hot steamy weather just like my country. I was not prepared to be traveling on highlands that would affect the scale of the temperature. In contrast to my country's dry season, summer Aussie style in those years was pretty much within anyone's comfort zone where climate change was not heard of. So the outfit I wore on that trip was not in harmony with their summer. Ironically, while everyone was stripping off their clothes, there I was clad in padded layers of jumpers or sweaters, many days later.

My fiance broke the trip by stopping at Mt Lambie Mobil Roadside Restaurant. Mt Lambie is a nice spot of a beautiful green valley situated between Lithgow and Orange. Just as the name suggests, there were indeed flocks after flocks of sheep and lambs, goats, cows and horses contentedly grazing in the abundance of the green countryside; a scenery of what I thought was a 'romantic place' - so quiet, pristine, beautiful and far away from the hustle-bustle world of the city.

We sat down in a corner table of this roadside restaurant (also a souvenir shop and petrol station rolled into one even today) where we both stretched our legs and arms tired from the confine of the car. As I picked up to scrutinize the menu, I found the dishes in plain old-fashioned English country names. My fiance explained to me what a 'platter of truckie bush tucker' means and in fact that was what he ordered for me. It was closed to dinner or supper anyway and we're both hungry.

When our food arrived, I gawked at first glance of the lavish serving which was impossible for me to eat all! It was hard to imagine and said 'how I gonna eat all these'? The sweet aroma of the grilled steak, lamb chops and sausages was divine as it was tempting! There were fried eggs, bacon (which I gave to my fiance) rissoles (Australian version of meat balls), mashed potatoes, mashed pumpkin, peas, carrots with gravy in huge, huge, huge amount. It was food fit for a giant; not for a dwarf like me. Hmmm that was delicious! I had never eaten a food like that in my whole life. I mean, yes, we do grill at home but not the way the Aussies do. No left-overs as I consigned the rest of my serve to the other party who was looking more ravenous in my opinion. That big truckie bush tucker on a platter was then followed by a traditional cuppa tea to wash down the food and to ease digestion.

It was twilight when we reached Orange even if the sun was still hanging in the western sky. Finally, here I came! The place was oddly quiet. There was not one single soul I saw moving behind a bush let alone walking on the street.

Later, Judy, my step-daughter to be came out. She was nearly 12 years old and, Ian, my step-son to be was 16. I treated them like my own children inspired by the counsel I received from our remaining family Matriarch, Mamang Betang Yap-Casis Cases. Yes, a Casis married to a Cases. And I hope I get it right! Mamang Betang, was my late mother's first cousin on the father side whose warring tribe over a dispute of land inheritance not from their own 'sweat' but from our grandfather had caused a stalemate and strained on family relationship among the members. She too passed away years onward since I came here.

It was from Mamang Betang (whom she was fondly called by family members) whom I sought counsel and permission of my fiance's intended marriage to me in the absence of my late parents. She took me to the privy of her room and there she asked me questions and dispensed her advice. Mamang herself had a long-lasting loving marriage to an equally wonderful loving husband, Papang Pastor. She and another wonderful elderly lady in the church where I used to congregate back home, had helped me and influenced me to be a loving wife and mother. It was not a hard thing to do as I am naturally a loving person myself, I believed I am.

Her counsels stood in time to which I applied in my marriage and family life. Something somewhere disaffected that atmosphere; my marriage ended that crippled my sense of confidence and made me disavowed but not for long. In a long arduous process I learned to be forgiving.

“One single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer.”~G.E. Lessing

Sad but Glad

2010-10-15T10:22:00.001+11:00

How can these two contrasting words be put together in harmony? Will my story below justify the end? I will follow this up with a sub-title:

Fatal End in Air Disaster

A beloved friend, Gigi Solijon died in a plane crash. I was not told when, but I searched for some information about the cause of the accident using the name of the carrier.

From Air Disaster dot Com, here is the accident synopsis of the 02 of February 1998 disaster I gathered.

Name of Airline: Cebu Pacific Airlines
Registration: RP-1507
Flight Number:387
Fatalities: 104:104
Line Number: 147

Looking so grieved and glum, the accident is best described as due to, "The aircraft crashed into terrain while descending for approach. The CVR revealed that the Ground Proximity Warning System warned of terrain 13 times before impact."

One can never tell why it was not picked up by the crew, otherwise, they would take safety measures and alerted the passengers. Or perhaps, their location might deem hopeless for a possible redemption.

I came to this conclusion of knowing how unpredictable life can be. I was searching for friends at Facebook but my brain was clogged with so many names to remember. Then one by one, the tendron of my seemly cloistered mind loosen up a bit, and one by one, my memory revealed one particular family friend.

As I typed it in, there I saw a brother's name. I studied his basic information and it was so that I decided to send him a message re-introducing myself as his sister's friend; telling him all the goodness and kindness his family had done in helping me when I was a student, attending the same university like his siblings did.

Thankfully, he responded with a dreadful news about Gigi's fatal end. From there, I also found the younger sister named Jeddie and she, too, acknowledged and to them, I am reconnected.

My personal life has been bundled with so many overwhelming events that I tend to coil in the corner of distraction and weakness. So many that I could not bring myself up to writing. My blog has suffered for too long and has been abandoned. Much as I have resolved to jot some memories (good or bad) on a daily journal via my blog, I opted to hopscotch to while away my irregularity and quandary.

Yes, Gigi's friendship has brought some positive spiritual impact in my life. Not only her but her other family members as well. I could not put away from my heart and mind their support when I lived far away from home desperately needing help to sustain my life while studying. See, I was a pauper in a sense. (^_^). There is nothing to be ashamed of this fact. And never will I!

Yes, I am glad that I found the family. But sad that Gigi's life was taken too soon. We could have a complete reunion via Facebook.

Cold Snap

2010-08-10T14:39:00.003+10:00

"Released from the grip of humanity
Soaring upon the wings of your spirit
My imagination is your reality..."

Wow, how am I going to get out here? We did have some bright sunny days in the week past and now the rain sets in again. My poor cat will have to endure eating dry biscuits as she runs out of tin food. And my victual supply is zilch. I live on hot cups of black coffee which I normally don’t dare to drink but that will do to sustain me for the time being. There are also broken pieces of Ritz crackers in a jar, left-over from the church afternoon tea last Saturday. That too will help to fill the gap of starvation.

Did I say we’re having a cold snap? Well, I finally found the extension cord so I get the heater running. Inasmuch as I can avoid, I don’t want to raise my Electric Bill because the rate is really killing me. I am no longer working and therefore have no stable income to support my exigencies. August is the last month of our winter ... so I guess the season is coming to draw its last full chilly blast before it ebbs.

I am praying hard that it will be a fine day on Tuesday next week because I really want to go to that Ferry Cruise by the harbour and have lunch onboard. It is going to be a special birthday treat from my friend, Marilyn.

She did that on my 50th birthday too. Sometimes I feel awful with myself because I do not regularly communicate with her. But she is always a very busy woman: a Counsellor by profession and owns and runs a Bed and Breakfast Accommodation business right in the premise of their property.

She also maintains their beautifully landscaped country garden in acreage including a mini vineyard which is kept by her son, Philip; while hubby Peter does the mini farming chores - lucerne farm with cows and sheep to tend. Their location is bit fair way to where the Ophir Gold Mine is. So their business is pretty much handful to some travellers who desperately need a place to unwind and rest from a tedious journey passing their way.

If weather like we have today persists till next week, I’ve a backup plan of taking Marilyn to Sydney Opera House Diner Bistro. It is really great there! I’d been there twice. Once, I was there all by myself. Second, I took this Californian couple whom I toured around the city right after the Feast of Tabernacles in 2008. They too loved the food and enjoyed the view of the harbour.

Bistro might be too cheapskate sounding to the standard of Marilyn, as she is really a very dignified lady of her status; but really too, like most Ozzies, she is as down to earth as anyone else. After all, this Sydney Opera House Bistro is a class of its own where food is prepared and served to its utmost perfection and the staffs are very professional. I was greatly impressed the first time I got in there out of curiosity. I am always curious about everything that is new to me. I am curious to find what is on the other side of the track.

Well, as it is cold, I am tempted to take a sip of a nice wine to keep me warm. It is a Hardy (1853) wine - Crest 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon – grown, produced and processed in South Australia, the pioneering state in winemaking here in Australia. This elegant bottle of wine is given to me by my daughter last Saturday night after the barbecue held in their place. It was a thank you gift for the help I did in preparation to that weekend special night. There was a short Talent Show for entertainment. Yours truly did poetry reading and was appreciated by all.

I am saving this wine for a late birthday co-celebration on a next weekend following with my friend Aurora, whom I shared the same birth date with. It will be held in their place. Her family, and mine along with our friends are coming, so it would be fun. It surely will be another late karaoke night after dinner.

Speaking of wine, I do hope that our trip to South Australia next month will provide me an opportunity to visit at least one winery and enjoy wine and cheese tasting as planned. Last time we’re there, we did not get the chance to do so as it was in the height of summer and the wineries were closed, I guessed.

Here, you don’t have to be rich to be able to experience wine tasting. Wine cellars and display sheds are very interesting places to visit. I have a bit of idea about wine especially because I happened to work a seasonal job in the vineyard while we were yet in Orange: pruning, training and picking. Grapes picking is the best of all.

The vineyard view was awesome in that never ending land. It got wider when thick frost of the morning melted.

Postcard from Canberra

2010-07-29T09:13:00.022+10:00

Also for the following Memes:
Beth Niquette: Postcard Friendship Friday
Ailsa: Scenic Sunday
Shadow Shot Sunday: The Pride of Australia.
Weekend Nature: Gemma of Greyscale Territory
Weekend Reflections: James of Newtown Photo Area.

Uncommercial Break for Blogspot Blogger: Please, please change your Comment Setting to a Pop UP Window, please, so I can return the token of your kindness.Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

In April 1997, in the middle of Autumn, fresh from licking the bleeding wounds of separation and divorce; the girls and I were invited to see this magnificent tower overlooking Lake Griffin as you can see on the header. Telstra Tower towers on top of the Black Mountain of ACT, Australian Capital Territory of which Canberra is the capital, and the seat of our Federal Government where the famous Australian Parliamentary Building is set on, yet, another hill.

for my

Please click the Nostalgia badge to Join. Nostalgic Marveling is created by Rose.

and for OWM

by Ebie and Friends

The Gallery

Needless, the last two pictures in the bottom were taken by the Window with a view. A view of Lake Griffin. Please refer to the header.

We are grateful to the generosity of our host, our church brethren. The girls were overjoyed of the experience and were having a ball inside the Tower. We were toured around to see some interesting historical facts about Telecommunication evolving from the humble inception of communication through Alexander Graham Bell's telephone invention. As knowledge increases, it is just amazing how the present communication technology expands and branches out to a behemoth of global strength.

From telegraph, telegram, cranked telephone machine, operated telephone service, radio, black and white television - all of which were reliant to a mere telephone line that connects from dot to dot: local, regional, national and global.

Look at where we are now? There is desk computer, laptop, the notebook, the ipod, cell phone, you can fill up the missing links for me if you would. Look at what happens to the people in the world, how they get connected now!

Thanks to the telephone line: all bloggers in the world come together in just one touch of a keypad.

I am glad, we were given the opportunity to experience what we had experienced on the top of Black Mountain facilitated by Telstra Tower via Canberra's Tourism Industry.

Cheers!

Tears of Joy

2010-07-27T13:07:00.011+10:00

The title is so ordinary: common, dramatic and boring.

Tears of joy and tears of sadness go together when you are in a state of mixed emotion. When I feel overwhelmed about a certain thing, a certain event and a certain situation or circumstance akin to my own life and to something I can relate with; I am easily moved and that will be eventuated with a lachrymal flow so fast at work. I have that skin onion sensitivity that never fades away in the strength of time.

Last Sunday, I watched the second season's last episode of Australia's reality TV show, Masterchief. It was the only time that I really appreciated just how much interesting this program had been.

The cooking was great and so were the recipes cooked out by the contestants. They were all competitive, inventive, creative, funny and just have that fantastic flair of culinary intelligence in the environ they quoted as "unglamorous".

Watching the Grand Finale where a 31 year old Lawyer was pitted against a 22 year old University Student, both came from South Australia, was exciting, thrilling, heart-stopping, gripping and mind-blowing in its phenomenal sense.

The final competitors were of different ethnic backgrounds, have big age gap and different intellectual pursuits. They met across this huge isle after isle in the Masterchief kitchen. Both deserved to be in the final - sharing the same passion, humility and enthusiasm in cooking.

They competed in three rounds of categories: Basic Skills (mainly identifying herbs, fish, cheese among others); Cooking their own recipe and finally, the Pressure Test whose recipe was a Masterpiece of the famous Quay Restaurant Chef Peter Gilmore: A Guava and Custard Apple Snow Egg!

Each one of them was given a recipe and was required to prepare four servings (for four judges) in three hours! One approached the final round in haste and the other one approached it, though shaky, with care, precision, calm, composure and maturity. The success of which would decide their Fate who was going to bag the Title as next Australia's Masterchief!

In between, the viewers were taken to the off-the-scene interview where the young man confessed that he took the reign of home cooking from his mother when their father passed away. He was only very young when they lost their father.

When this man (the father) was still alive, he lost his job that he hated. So he left a legacy of advice to his son not to work on a job that he will not love. One day, the boy worked in a restaurant to help his mother and family. In that job, he showed much interest and enthusiasm in learning how to cook; always asking questions to augment his knowledge in cooking. While the competition was well progressing, he was dubbed as the male counterpart to a "doyenne of dessert".

What struck me as a parent was his late father's advice to him. That brought me back to a memory lane where my eldest daughter and I had a heart to heart talk one day regarding her future. A future that could only be brightened if she would give her heart to her studies that of course would require hard work. Not necessarily to top the class but by just being diligent. I knew she has great potentials. I have faith and trust in her.

Sadly, she opted her own mind not to care much about studying. She was in her teen and like any other girl of her age, she too was plagued by her own inner distractions. Both my girls reasoned out that they were not as smart as me. I was taken aback by their compliments but I told them my secret formula as a student in my time was simple: diligence!

My daughters are both vocal. I allowed them to speak up their minds. I encouraged them to be open to me and to tell me what's in their heart and mind especially if something troubles them. In their teenage years, our relationship was more of Friends without compromising my parental authority and losing respect towards me as their mother.

Because I always motivated my girls to do well in their studies as I knew they have more chances to win a bright future, my eldest girl asked me why I was like that to them. I answered, 'because I came from a country where education is only for those who have the money. And that our parents believed the importance of education as a portal to success in life. And that our government never helped the poor people the way the government here help the students gain free education."

Take note: there is a great difference between motivating and pushing. No, I did not try to push them. Despite my motivations, they were not moved and it did not work even if I set myself an example when I went to TAFE College to do a course and, modesty aside I did earn few Distinction marks in my subjects. That was stopped though when a full time job called me due to our family needs here in the city. As they were growing so were our financial demands: school, bills, and unpredictable family expenditures.

Back to the Masterchief. Needless to say, one of the contestants won. The crown was bestowed to the Lawyer of course! He has far more better experience compared to the little guy who exceptionally showed brilliance in his own terms.

I cried of joy for both. The young fella was granted a Culinary Scholarship in one of the famous restaurant in Melbourne and some money to use for his transition exigencies plus he would receive a salary as a Working Scholar offered by one of the Judges. What a generous gratuity it was from George!

After the program I rang my daughter in Canberra. I was in tears when I spoke to her. I told her how I remember what she told me long ago during the course of our heart to heart talk one day.

What she told me was:

Mum, it will be easy for me to please you. I can study as hard as I can and excel in my studies the way you want me to be just to make you happy. Then as I weighed myself out, alright, I can be a Lawyer or a Pharmacist whatever and work and become successful the way you envisioned yourself of what your dutiful daughter would be. Then I asked myself, will I be Happy?

Is this the career I really want for myself? My future is my Life. My own life to live! So can I just decide for myself what to do with my life?

Please think about it Mum and do understand me.

In that instant, I was muted. I was speechless. I was not angry. I listened as I watched the pain etched through her facial expression. I kissed her and hugged her to let her know that I understood. Was I let down by her? In a way, but her opinion and feelings mattered to me most. And I respect her inasmuch as I love her.

Yes, I realised she was right. Like I said, I encouraged my girls to be open to me and to tell me what's in their heart, what's on their mind. (This never happened all the time anyway). They also have had some reservations of what to tell me.

My daughter who was on the other end of the phone asked,

Mum, are you alright? Why are you crying?

Her question brought me back to my present state. Still in my weepy voice,I went on to explain that

in those times, I was worried as a parent, as a mother. My only concerned then was I didn't want you (my children) to go off the rail, to go off the track, if you know what I mean.

I want to see them live a decent and dignified life. That's my only legacy I can leave them when I'm gone. I have no chest of treasure to give them before I go. Only pure simple teaching of the principles I learned from my own folks.

My children who also are independently strong like me, have done me proud. The foundation I laid them has paid off.

There were still tears of joy and tears of sadness when I replaced the phone down to its cradle.

An Anniversary of Their Own

2010-07-04T20:42:00.005+10:00

For My OWM

by Ebie and Friends

And for my belated Nostalgia as a Test Run Only ...

by Rose of Nostalgic Marveling

(Oh, yes, this is the skinny me when I was 33 or 34? This was taken in Talisay, Cebu. The lady behind me is my dear Mother. That's the only picture I have with me as the rest of the family memoirs are still at home in my country. God knows who keep them now. I like looking at my mother because she looks happy and contented in this photo. She was a happy lady in a way; serious but humorous.)

I couldn't almost forgive myself for nearly forgetting the most important event in our family. Today, the USA celebrates Independence Day. And my country perhaps is still observing Fil-Am Friendship Day; though in my elementary years, July 4th was used to be our Independence Day too!Then the icing of the cake: July 4th has a very special personal meaning to me. About 62 years ago today, my beloved departed folks said their vows in marriage. Should they have been still around, we would have been gathering around to celebrate their own Wedding Anniversary.

"I dreamed of a wedding of elaborate elegance,
A church filled with family and friends.
I asked him what kind of a wedding he wished for,
He said one that would make me his wife."~ Author Unknown

One more quote:

"Life is not an obligation, but an opportunity to be whoever and whatever you want. Make today an opportunity to create the world you want to live in."— Ed and Deb Shapiro

Cheers!

My Daughter Lily Wondered

2010-06-29T15:18:00.003+10:00

"I have always grown from my problems and challenges, from the things that don't work out, that's when I've really learned." — Carol Burnett

My daughter Lily wrote these words long ago which I transcribed into a poem . There was no date specified when I typed this from her handwritten manuscript before I threw it away. It was a mistake. I should have kept that original manuscript in my scrap book. See! I was tidying up her room cluttered with books, notes and papers. I presumed she must have written this in 2006 when she was in Year 12.

High school in Australia runs for 6 years to which the first two years of college (what we call back home in my country preparatory or prep for short) is incorporated into the high school curriculum. Therefore, Lily was in her last year in high school when she wrote this piece in a small piece of scratched paper I found crumpled inside her drawer.

I was perplexed and speechless to discover the depth of her thought when I read the content of her writing. But I'm not surprised the way she thinks being one so matured beyond her years. She did not even remember that she wrote this. You would not imagine how amazed she was when I presented her work in an ode format. She could not believe of what I did, but she was very pleased.

When she showed to her friend Hayley my morphing works, this young lady has changed her 'opinion' towards Lily's Asian Mother. Hayley is a teacher by the way. Since then, all of Lily's friends become my 'instant' children and their parents also pay a token of respect to me.

As you see, we came from the country. My children were raised in a rural environment with old values instilled at home, school and community which is in great contrast to the values found in urbanized surrounding such as a big city like Sydney.

She was not happy as a student the moment she tasted what high school life in the city was. She hated some of her classes and subjects. The rough and insolent attitude of some teachers and students were treated with much displeasure which later left her no choice but to adapt some sullen ways to get even with them and that had compromised her individuality.

One time, she blurted out to me for rearing them as goody-goody kids by not telling them how cruel the world out there can be. And she was hated by being a goody-goody kid by her friends and classmates at school. If that was the only way she could openly display her spirit of rebellion, she did it but not for long. At the end of the day, she came up to a conclusive realization how different the way she was brought up, with only a single parent to guide her and her younger sister compared to most of her peers. And she appreciated that.

Personally as a parent, I allowed my children to learn by themselves the ways of the world outside their own home made of shell, a metaphor for overprotective orb. My children are both observant. That was their only shield and weapon. Then, they were able to compare and decide for themselves what is Good or Bad. Things may not be perfect all along, but at least, they do me proud.

Today, I am going to share with you my girl's private thought that I made into a poem. I gave it a title:

TO WONDER

To wonder, to know,

To explore, always asking:

What am I?

Who am I?

What will become of me?

Of my knowledge?

Am I squandered on the world?

Cheapening existence through vanity?

How long before I am fit to say, I know this!

Rather than, I think this.

That in itself questions self,

Whether our thought and mind is

Our own knowledge and assurance.

At what point in time do we stop marching?

Pencil upon paper, sight upon colour and light.

A fixation upon what we comprehend

And that, which is incomprehensible.

Are we gambling with the gifts we are given?

Are they gifts?

The ability to question choice, life, the air we breathe;

The sun, the moon, clouds, stars, the earth, wind, rain, height.

Re-reading leads.

Random, our teachers abandon us,

Fending for all you are on your own

'Tis a lonely path all humans follow, trying to fill the void

With relationships, contact with others, family, friends.

I advanced myself only through victory.

Victory against what?

If there’s nothing to fight against,

How do we advance at all?

Do we fight against self-doubt?

From the Original Manuscript Written by Lily

Poetic Concept:

"Friendship is a sheltering tree" ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

Leah

Happy First Wedding Anniversary

2010-06-28T08:07:00.014+10:00

For My OWM

by Ebie and Friends

My Happy Weekend Memory a year ago...

The Happy Newlyweds

A year ago today, my baby daughter gave a nod to marry her best friend. They tied the knot in a simple wedding ceremony with our (both parents' sides) blessings. Below is a Mother's pondered moment of the event of the day.

It's their Wedding Day, a Special Day

on a Sunday morning that was...

Donned on her long white satin dress

trimmed with wide glossy sash around her waist;

her strong broad shoulders were strapped

with a silky ribbon around her neck

adroitly tied and flowing down her nape.

Read more on here ...

Cake and Champagne

With groom's family

With friends behind St Mary's Cathedral on a city tour

A baby a year after

A card from Auntie Carol

My Wishes

And a Toast from Me

A Toast to Noemi and Steve

Cheers!

Parental Guidance

2010-06-27T00:16:00.000+10:00

"Take a moment to hear to-day

What your children are trying to say

Listen today whatever you do

Or they won't come back to listen to you

Listen to problems and their needs

Praise their triumphs and good deeds

Tell them you love them every night

Read a story, then turn out the light

Don't worry about what happened today

Tomorrow is going to be OK."

~Anon

Red is for passion. And I am a passionate mother. So that describes me. My passion for parenthood was based on "firm but kind principle". Though alone and unaided, someone from Above was always there to provide me guidance.

The verse above was published in a country magazine that I have kept until now; since my children were still young. Even before I had the opportunity to read the content, I would say, I had have already applied the principles that this inspirational verse had spoken of.

If there is a lasting memory that will forever etch in my heart, it would be the memory of Motherhood. I will always fondly cherish this memorable and most important part of my life - of being a mother. I miss my children so much especially those years where they always write me love letters everyday with their lovely drawings. Sometimes they would write me a verse. They made me homemade or handmade cards. They were very creative and they still are.

Those love letters are now being replaced by phone calls. "Hi Mum! I miss you Mum and I love you" sort of calls. I taught them how to "give" more and "take" less.

Now, I have the time in the world to sit back and reminisce those wonderful times amidst our struggles. Of course, we triumphed over troubles.

The little girl in black took the role of a Torch Girl while the big girl took the role of Hera in a school play "Ulysses" produced by Orange Public School in 1999.

The above family photo was taken in 1991.

My Memorable Blog Interview with Deniz Inan

2010-06-26T08:25:00.002+10:00

Knowing Deniz via You Tube highlights my unpaid blogging career when he gave me permission to (My Long Time Search for Chopin's Works in You Tube)

Chopin1986
"Music is my entire world since I was a child. I love to listen to music especially Beethoven, Bach, Debussy and Chopin and of course I love to make my own music, too. Some years ago I began to write down my own ideas and thoughts and created my own little pieces. However I love to learn and practice classical pieces, too, but actually composing pieces is my greatest love."~Deniz Inan

Born to a German mother and a Turkish father, Deniz is one of the most interesting You Tube personalities that I follow. He plays the piano with ingenuity, exuberance, ease, gliding, swinging and with force and temper innate to a young maestro having his own repertoire and style performed in such dramatic, magnetic, melodic harmony in calculated perfection and precision. Deniz, by the way, is a Turkish name with a special meaning, "by the sea" which he is very proud of.

He was raised both by his mother and grandmother on the father side during his first ten formative years. Those early childhood years enabled him to grow up speaking bilingual in German and Turkish par excellence.

When I asked him what influence his mother has on him, he gave a spontaneous reply with a tad of humour.

Well my mother :), she was always the one who pushed me forward. You know, she taught me almost everything (except music *lol*). She taught me how to read, how to count, how to walk, how to believe in me and how to keep relaxed in difficult and hard situations. She showed me so many (and still shows) wonderful books and stories. She taught me a lot about art like the works of Spitzweg, Rubens and Michelangelo. I know lots of movies and actors just because she showed me. She is as much important as my father. I couldn't achieve anything without them. My parents are the lights who guide me in my life all the time!!

How many children would say that about their parents? And how many children have that special bonding of special relationship with both parents?

Deniz is the second You Tube Personality that I personally choose to feature. This write-up will also appear in my other blog Tableau Vivant which is actually my blog in featuring You Tube Personalities.

I know there are many Piano personalities sprouting in You Tube, but why Deniz of all? Well, I have been closely observing this young man since I found his channel. I sent him add request expecting to be snubbed. He didn't. I commented on his works, he politely acknowledged, not only me but the others as well.

He honoured me by sharing his works for my listening delight and in due course, I also sent him some of my honest feedback. And usually more of encouragement. There is something extra-ordinary about this young gentleman. I can tell it by the way he performs. The mood of his music vary so is the tempo and the melody that carries that enigmatic power enhancing his magnetic personality into different exponential height of his own musical world.

In an interview form, I am humbled by Deniz heartfelt permission to glean from his personal life with very interesting insights in regards to his Musical History.

BB: All I need from you is a brief history or autobiography about yourself. Your life as a musician, when did you start to develop your love of classical music, and why Chopin?

DI: My love began nearly 15 years ago. When I was a child my father used to play his Lute. It is an old traditional Turkish instrument which is called Ud in Turkish. I loved to hear him play. He didn't go to a music school because he was not allowed to. He learned to play the Lute on his own and I sang the songs together with him. Those days were full of warm love and beautiful memories. One day my father gave me a little Casio Keyboard. It was not big and it looked like a toy maybe 40 cm long or smaller. Well, there were different sounds in this little keyboard and a piano sound among other sounds. My father took a pen and wrote the name of the notes down on the white little keys of the keyboard; Do, re, mi, etc. Then he showed me this one piece, Itsy Bitsy Spider. So he went to work and I sat there with my new keyboard and tried to figure out how this little song works. In the evening my father came home and I surprised him with my new Itsy Bitsy Spider Variation I learned during 4 hours.

I fell in love with classical music when I was 15. Sure I had piano lessons so far but the teachers were not so good. In fact, they were so bad, that I nearly wanted to stop playing the piano. Strange, isnt it? But now I have one of the best teachers in the world I take lessons for over 3 years. She is such a great person and I can't thank her enough. She showed me how wonderful music can be. She taught me everything I know.

Chopin... Well, every pianist loves Chopin. Because he is the personification of the romantic pianist. No one was, is or will be able to write pieces like he did. I can't even explain why I love him so much. I just love his pieces. Every time I sit in front of the piano I look at the little picture of Chopin and George Sand and I'm happy. Happy to do the same thing Chopin did 160 years ago. Try to compose a piece. Not a piece which impresses the world. Not a piece which makes him immortal. Just a piece to remember his loved ones so far away.

BB: If you attend proper education to learn music, your knowledge about piano, if music is hereditary, meaning if it is in the family. You must have come from a family of composer and I guess it must be Chopin?

DI: Well, as my father realised that I was interested in music, things developed very fast. Sure talent lays in my family. My father and my grandfathers were always interested in music. In fact, my grandfather played guitar and organ to earn money during his years of study. I can say the musician spirit lays in the family. Unfortunately, my father was not allowed to play any instruments in the course of his childhood but he never stopped to love his music. Even today I play most of my own work and interpretation while my father listens to me, because he still gives me ideas of suggestions for improvement.

BB: You have diversified mood in your compositions that's why I like to listen to your music.

DI: Yes, thats true. Well, to compose is indeed the most beautiful thing a musician can do. The more you compose and hear your inner voice nothing can compare to this extraordinary feeling. I mean, you give birth to a piece of your soul. All of my compositions are very emotional, that means I played them without thinking but more with my feelings. I'm always surprised because I never know where my music will take me tomorrow. The music comes and I play, improve some parts and write them down. That's how I do it. It's like I'm talking to my piano and my piano answers me. My music is the reflection of my experiences, impressions and my feelings.

Mostly I compose a piece, play it, put it online and then I don't play it for many days or even weeks. Why? Well, I can't explain that. I guess it's because of the fact I play a piece many times when I compose it. If I play it over and over again, it will stop me and won't let me discover other melodies. When a piece is finished I play it only twice or three times because I know, no, I feel that's the way it should be.

BB: Those opus you created, what are the story behind them? What made you write them. Who inspired you to write them? You may give few of your favourite opus and why? The ones very significant to your life, very close to your heart.

DI:

Opus 1

Well, there is a story which is I think the simplest one. Sometimes I have to think of someone while I write down all this notes because our ways were not meant to be the same. Sad but true. Especially no.2, no.3 and no.4 are dedicated to this special person. That's why I sometimes write little poems for some descriptions of my pieces. I think every musician has a lost love, hasn't he?

These pieces have a simple Valse- structure. First I have my ideas and impressions and then I put in the structure. I think everybody compose this way, more or less.

The Impromptus

Those pieces are not composed by me they are just felt by me. Of course I wrote them down but very fast. Mostly they're just little themes or just some notes so I can see which part comes next in the piece Im playing. The last Impromptu (op.1 No.10) was very strange. I collected ideas for maybe three or four days while I was practicing other pieces. Then I put them together just at that moment my father was filming me. You know, I didn't get any real structure or concept. Just these main idea which ends after the first theme is repeated. I call them all "Herbststürme" (Storms of Autumn) because theres always a giant rush like a storm or a tornado within me every time I play them. Those are the only pieces I like to play anytime. They contain only two movements with different characters. They are like a fight between Ying and Yang which never find its end.

Opus 2 - New modern piano pieces

In these pieces, I find a way to paint pictures with notes and melodies. The pictures I try to write down in a piece are pictures of nature... like rain, clouds, the sunrise, leaves in the wind and other impressions I get when I walk down the street. One of my other hobbies is to take pictures.

Well, when I see a beautiful spot of nature I'll just take a picture. Some of them are up in YouTube with my music. I'm very close to nature. I love to look up the sky. I love to hear the rain falling down and when the drops form lines on my glass windows... that's my inspiration here. Those are not feelings, just impressions of one single moment I try to hold in my hands for a little moment.

These pieces will follow as soon as I got time. Inspired by some YouTube friends, pianist626262 and mirandaww6. These persons are just great.

BB: Other than that, I know that you still have other instruments that you are playing. But my center of focus is the Piano Classical.

DI: Well, that was just for fun. I gave up the guitar playing because I know that instrument can't fulfill my passion.

BB: What do you do? (work?) Student? Any helpful hint you can provide.

DI: I study computer science and music.

BB: What your family and friends said about you. Your connections to the music world.

DI: My parents are very happy about my musical path, especially my father. My friends are proud of me and I'm proud of my friends because they encourage and inspire me.

BB: I know Germans are very high into classical music. And classical are their genre.

DI: Well, yes and no. It's not like every man and woman in my age listen to classical music. Of course there are very good schools and universities for music but unfortunately you have to consider that there's a big lack of knowledge of culture and music. Mostly the people who play an instrument listen to classical music, the others are not so interested in it. But don't get me wrong. There are many young musicians and young people who don't play an instrument, who listen to classical music.

BB: I have a Germanic ex-brother in law who encouraged me to love classical. I went to one Symphonic Concert because of him and I loved it. Only personally I cannot afford to go how much I wanted to sit down in our very own Sydney Opera House to watch those musicians play.

DI: Yes, that's true. Last year I went to a concert of Lang Lang and Daniel Barenboim. That was very expensive. That's maybe one of the main problem young people don't have much interest to go to such a concert. Most of them want entertainment with lightshows, rock stars and drummers with long hair. Sad, but that's the truth.

BB: When I started at You Tube, I do take notice of every person who plays music. Instinctively, I can tell who has a particular gift. Even in your dealing with me, though am only a stranger is somewhat impressive.

DI: Thanks!!

BB: You are appreciative. And you never fail to acknowledge everyone who appreciates your music. Not every You Tubers do that.

DI: Well, I live in a very small town. There are not many people I can talk to about classical music, philosophy and art. Sometimes I'm feeling very lonely. Only in the university I get a chance to talk about those things, but I don't have much time because of my studies. That's why I'm so happy to meet great people like you I can share my music with. A musician is like a blacksmith. He's happy if someone appreciates his work. That's all I hope to get.

BB: Me? Great? Wow! Thanks Deniz. :)

BB: Through some history I read, most composers were moody, alcoholic, nicotine addict and what else ...But am not going to go down that pathway.

DI: Yes, I know this topic :) I just get a rush when I play my instrument, compose pieces and leave time and space behind me. That's my drug. The joy to create. I don't smoke, I don't drink.

I think its enough, I guess.

BB: Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to do this most challenging job I've ever done in my bloglife Deniz.

It's wonderful to know pleasant and delightful people like you on the internet world. I am glad to be able to achieve another milestone in my writing adventure with your able help.

I wish you success in the future. You will go a long way with your determination and passion for your music. All the best!

Final Note: I decided to omit some pertinent information that Deniz dislosed for his personal safety. Thanks Readers for taking time in reading and following my 19th blog as my friendly Toast to Deniz. Long Live Deniz! May you prosper in your musical career and see you perform in our famous Sydney Opera House one day!

Happy Birthday to My Girl

2010-06-25T10:50:00.001+10:00

Mommy and two and a half months old baby

Today, the mother that I mothered turns 20. Yes, she is very young. Young she may be for a housewife and a new mother for her age, but I am certainly very proud of her.

Marriage at an early age turns out to be a great blessing for her. Her view of life is much more admirable and at times I feel muted to listen to her incredible common sense.

Early this morning, I greeted her Happy Birthday on the phone. I was with them this week enjoying the company of my granddaughter while she is trying to kick out the flu that came down on her.

To you my darling baby, here's wishing you many fruitbowls full of love from me and your big sis Lily. May you have more healthy birthdays to come.

Living A Quintessential Life

2010-06-15T03:19:00.013+10:00

"The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves."— Carl Jung, Inspirational Quote For Tuesday, June 15, 2010.

When I took a break from blogging, I occasionally travelled outside the city on invitation from friends. We went to Crookwell, about three hours drive by car, traveling very late in the night. The car bumped into one poor Wombat prowling on the street with no damage done to the vehicle.

[Note: Please click to see the entire picture. These have to be uploaded via photobucket as my blog photo server rejects them. To post them here, I used the direct links. As I found out, there is indeed some service interruptions that affected my uploading of pictures using Picassa program.]

The next day, our host took us first to this shop to gather information about interesting things to see around the area.

Visitors Information and Alpaca Shop

- is where we picked up some brochures that led us to Ann and Cameron Smith's Alpaca Farm.

The history of Australian Animal Farming is dated back in 1858 when 250 animals were first introduced to the country that include alpacas, llamas and vicunas.

Their breeding is more for fibre used in garment industry as what this wall information board indicates. This large poster caught my eyes and sought permission from the manager to take pictures to blog to which I got a nod.

Ann and Cameron's own alpaca farming history started off in Chile during their South American holiday. They saw alpacas for the first time over there and instantly fell in love with the gracious animals that they decided to buy and bring them to Australia by sea freight. From a humble single pair of them, today, they multiplied in their hundreds.

Ann, the owner, kisses this romantic fellow. Alpacas are social animals, very affectionate and can be treated like pets.

Here, they paid attention to me when I focused the camera towards them. I told them to stand still. They did!

At the slight turn of my back, this brown one quickly turned around and triumphantly showed off his Watery Wednesday butt. That naughty unromantic guy.

This is Ann's personal project, a fibre product from their own alpacas.

A much defined and refined products displayed in the shop:

These coats are tagged for A$299.95 as I have had guessed.

Enjoying hospitality from our warm, accommodating and friendly hosts; an afternoon tea with Ann's homemade fruit cake and a nice hot cuppa tea.

Before leaving, we said adieu to our new found friends. They saw us through the gate looking sad.

Bye everyone!

At the present, Ann and Cameron are trying to sell this property - alpacas including, already subdivided into allocated lots. They are heading for retirement and enjoy life while they can. They have travelled around Australia in their mobile home.

Cheers!

Loneliness and Two Months On

2010-06-12T09:22:00.007+10:00

Funny how recently I've been thinking about living alone in an empty nest and feeling lonely. Sure, I am accustomed to living on my own way back home when my family started to grow, become adults and leaving home to find and settle into their own nests. I am used to living by myself then and enjoy solitude but now times of loneliness hit me. I grew up in a big family with boisterous siblings surrounded by relatives mainly our step aunties and uncles and cousins far between. It was fun being around with them and I miss them all. As I get older, times brought us to many places, knowing many faces, and childhood dreams were butchered, gutted and splintered.

I did not understand loneliness or depression. But I felt that negative emotion when I thought I would never get out of a place where my future was looking doomed and prosperity was next to impossibility.Still life had to be lived with contentment otherwise my soul would be totally depleted.

I wanted to pursue a higher education so I can help my family. There was no school nearby. Someone offered me scholarship in exchange for working with them but my parents took it negatively because it came at a price of losing their face, their ego, their pride.

Don't get me wrong. I love my parents very much. Even in their imperfections as I am not perfect either, they were the kind of parents that we, their children, would never trade for anything. They were irreplaceable. Their philosophies in life were practical and to which I found helpful as I applied them in my own personal journey.

Three years into a solitary confinement, a new addition in the family arrived, my daughter and husband's own flesh and blood - no less than my Granddaughter.

Yes, she does provide me delight and joy when I am with her. She fills the void in my life. I would say as being with her and observing her when we are alone together- she reminds me of how exactly my two daughters were when they were babies. I am very proud of her as I am very proud of my girls. I am blessed having raised them.

I wish I can take her home with me to fill my empty space.

Today, she is two months and five days old to strictly follow the order of days, of weeks in chronological order. That's how my daughter aligns herself in following the pattern of her baby's growth.

To me, she is far too advance in her age of two months. She is alert, kicks, coos and mumbles. She smiles, she laughs and looks at objects long and focused. Mind you, she is patient too when feeding time lapsed by the minute. She cries a bit but can be persuaded that her feed is coming soon.

The only impatience she sends signal to is when a nappy change is looming. No, she wouldn't wait a second for that trite inconvenience. I cannot wait for the day when she will finally give me her first embrace by putting her two little arms around my neck.

She is the most loved baby in the whole wide world (just a copy cat from my girls' words).

Some recent photos I took of her. You may click to enlarge.

Quiet time

Beautiful bluish eyes

Communication ungapped

The baby's first church attendance in the regular venue where we congregate for the Sabbath Service.

Getting ready for the bath

Loving her bath

Gandmother Time

Bassinet Contentment

Happy long weekend everybody and thanks for the visit. Be safe.

Cheers!

Shifting Weather in a Changing Season

2010-06-06T23:11:00.005+10:00

Our weather has been swinging like a yo-yo. Winter season is here now bringing lots of rain to dispel our many long dry years of drought with few rainy days in between often falling in the wrong places while leaving farmlands fallowed and cracking to dryness.

A week ago, there was a 'hurricane' forecast for Sydney. It bypassed the city. Instead, it was diverted to the south coast hitting parts of the Illawarra region. According to the Weather Bureau, it could be what can be called the Mother of All Nature's Catastrophes.

Then sometime this week, another untoward STORM was predicted to hit Sydney. Yet, for the second time, it was redirected to the north coast with a mini-tornado wrecking havoc such a place called Lennox Head.

The night before yesterday, I went to the city to attend a Dinner hosted by the Australian Writers Network under the Directorship of Irina Dunn, who runs her own Editing and Publishing Consultancy Business.

It was a Dinner-Interview with Australia's most published historian in the name of Ross Fitzgerald who wrote his latest book and reviewed by Irina as the "most inspiring, insightful and brutally honest" story of his life - My Name is Ross: An Alcoholic's Journey.

As I was taking along my friend with me who lives in another part of Sydney, I waited for her at Central Station. The downpour was very heavy, you could hear its pelting reverberating over the rooftop of the station as if there were thousands of horses stampeding the entire building. It was very scary and threatening. I was in a quandary whether I would go home or just proceed so as not to miss this rare opportunity.

Silently, I was hoping that the rainstorm would subside. It did just when my friend Lucy finally appeared. As it was getting late, we took a taxi under a heavy impossible traffic in Broadway. Half-way through, we decided to get off the taxi and hoofed it to the venue or we'd get stuck on the road with the taxi meter churning faster than the wheel of the vehicle and missed the event. The rain completely stopped as a matter of mercy. Wasn't the heaven been gracious for a moment?

This is how threatening the weather outside looked like from the inside of the station: dismal, dark, cold and slippery.

Anyway, we arrived at the place (Toxteth Hotel in Glebe) just in the nick of time and quickly introduced ourselves to Irina Dunn, who organised the event of that night. Soon the Interview with the Author started. My friend who loves celebrities and well-known personalities mingled and integrated herself in the group with ease while I was busy clicking my shutter. She talked, I listened.

As a bonus, we got an invitation from Ross to attend his official book launching this Tuesday to take place in Annandale Art Gallery. My friend would love to go. So I will come along!

Yap, that's Irina, Ross and my friend Lucy.

After the Interview Session, we moved to a special Dining Room downstairs warmed and cozy with a natural fireplace, crackling and kindling. The cold night was recompensated with a nice hearty meal treat of Barramundi Thai dish with rice and vegetables and errrr... a glass of Coke. Haha. No wine for me!

I got home close to midnight and dozed off in my nice warm bed.

The next morning, guess what I spied from my kitchen window while sipping a hot cup of coffee? A beautiful morning! A fresh sun shining out after the bad storm of the previous days. How glorious! I ran outside to the backyard and took some more photos.

Viewed and taken from my kitchen window

Aren't they look gorgeous? I took these outside the backyard.

Before midday as I was waiting for a lift to the church, the surrounding looked so fresh! Here's the aftermath of the rain.

That perfect wisp of cloud that graciously whisked through the blue sky! Isn't it a beaut?

Thanks to the benevolent sky and a marvellous day! Our after-Sabbath barbecue went through without any glitch from the unpredictable weather. And guess who took charge of the cooking? You bet! Actually, my son-in-law asked me to help him out as Sam, who usually does the barbecue did not come for this particular extra-fellowship which was held in our Minister's home. It was from him that I learned the technique of cooking a perfect barbecue.

The meat on top of the foil are marinaded chicken drumsticks. I also learned this style from a Chinese Couple during our barbecue Sunday held in Bobbin Head last month. So I learned a lot just by observing.

After a thanksgiving prayer, everyone was ready to fill the sack. What about you, are you ready?

Now let's eat! That's because the weather shifted on our favour that we were so grateful as everything went perfectly well!

“It's about serving them food they'll love—that they didn't know they'd love.” — Susan Feniger

Cheers!

The Mother that I Mothered

2010-05-22T00:59:00.010+10:00

" Moms aren't just those gals that do the birthing—they are also the stepmothers, mentors, teachers, friends and people who do the nurturing and loving. I am talking about the women in our lives who teach, care, listen, act, hug, wipe away the tears, tell us everything is going to be all right, say no, say yes, guide us, who pray and have faith in us.

"These special women share the blessings of a mothering spirit as they touch lives and hearts forever. They mother because of their great capacity to love, and they give of their generous spirit without expectation."

— Sandra Magsamen

The above are sourced from Oprah's Thought for Today Newsletter I received today.

None in my family had have thought that I would finally settle down for marriage knowing that I was already past my prime time. I am the eldest and the one to get married last. So I basically took the last train trip down the aisle of matrimony; sadly with no more parents to see my most important day. However in those years of living a single bliss, deep in my heart, I always had the longing of becoming a doting, caring and loving mother and a simple good and loving wife.

As a woman, I have had accomplished that dream, except I was not being appreciated as a wife by my ex-husband years later when his children of the previous marriage decided to flap their wings to find freedom away from their father. Against all odds, I made the hardest decision so unthinkable being I am alone in this strange country with no immediate family relations to fall on for support. Sailing into single parenthood unaided by the father of my children was a pretty rough ride. It was a hard task but I opted not to mind all negative gearing, instead I let my faith to guide me in my lonely single parenting sojourn.

While there were hiccups, hurdles and obstacles I confronted in raising two children, and the ups and downs that my children had to put up with during their years of growing pain; time just swiftly went by and all of a sudden I found myself existing in an empty nest. My children happened to get my independent gene for they decided to live on their own at the time they believed they were allowed to do so. When they did, I gave them my unconditional trust knowing that the foundation I laid on them would not be forgotten. Our relationship become more stronger and our love for each other is solidified.

Unexpectedly, my youngest got married though she's still very young. As the man she married is not a stranger to us and one who was ready for a lifetime commitment, the approval was not hard to seal. Most importantly, love and friendship was their binding factor to come up to a decision blessed by parents on both sides.

It seems that family matters cannot wait, the wedded couple are now blessed with their first child whom my daughter gave birth last month. As young as she is, this new mother whom I mothered nearly twenty years ago, is now officially embarking a Parental Role in her life supported and loved by her husband and family.

It's just natural that as a mother and a parent myself, I was kind of anxious how this young inexperience mother would deal her new and mammoth responsibility in motherhood and parenthood when she isn't much equipped with life's know how. There's still a lot of salt to swallow, as the old saying goes. Lots of things and skills to learn in the process that no academic qualifications can equal.

It's still too early to gauge her capability on this area though. But as I quietly watch and observe this mother that I mothered long ago, she is by all means showing resilience and determination to handle her role with confidence. I can see myself in her on being a doting, caring and a loving mother. After all, I remember when she and her older sister were asked by our church minister how they would be as parents one day, they replied that they were going to raise their children the way I did. That was something that I wasn't prepared to hear considering that they were coming from the little babes' mouth.

This young mother has confessed to me that she now has strong admiration for all single mothers who are able to take care of their children alone realising how hard indeed the job is.

In her own handwriting, she wrote me a personal message in the Mother's Day card she gave me not long ago:

I love you heaps and everything you've done for us hasn't gone unnoticed or unappreciated. I will always be your baby girl. I have a lot more respect and admiration for you since becoming a mother. You're still the Best Mum in the World to Me!

Well, I suppose all the mothers are the best in the whole wide world for most of the children. And I truly feel very sorry for those who lost theirs in situations and conditions beyond social, economic and political control.

Thank you so much for the help you have given me over the years. I hope I can repay you someday, she added.

Well, I told her, there is no need to repay. Love is more than enough.

With a heart to heart talk to my girls, little by little I have now unravelled my secret of how I dealt my situation as a mother in a Single Parent family environment.There will be many more secrets to tell. This time, I will no longer hold back. I need to unleash the pain hiding in the closet now that they are adults and can understand what I went through. That way, they will be guarded and will learn from me so their children will benefit in the future.

Sometimes, I get caught off guard when my children paid me compliments that would inevitably sent those wet pearly beads rolling down my face. One of the unforgettable words from my eldest daughter was when she told me that I "was as tough as a warrior and loving as a lion" in raising them alone.

If this new mother will continue to glean wisdom of motherhood not only from me but also from others besides learning from her own experience in her own time, space and pace, she too will "teach, care, listen, act, hug, wipe away the tears, tell her children that everything is going to be all right, say no, say yes, guide them, pray for them and have faith in them" just like I did.

She will be her children's "stepmother, mentor, teacher and friend who will nurture and love" them just like I did.

On the outset, I do admire her courage, her spirit and her own style in running her family affairs. Who would have thought that this mother whom we (her eldest sister and I) babied too much, smothered too much, would suddenly become a Mother one day, and suddenly. We still find it hard to believe that this is happening to her, to us. Of course, there are allowances to be made and we're still making in terms of re-adjusting and re-aligning our position in the family now that she is a family woman of her own.

I endlessly thanked her and her husband for the lovely adorable gift they have given me that wonderfully give me so much joy and delight I can cherish with while I am still alive. Hope to see more grandchildren in the future.

So Lily, you're next!

Lily, Dave and Baby

Cheers!

The Latest from the Baby

2010-05-17T16:27:00.003+10:00

As it appeared, the hospital was not an ideal place to get a brand new mother's after birth nerves relaxed. Feeling confident to get away from an overwhelming hospital situation surrounded by people with differing and confusing ideas and theories about settling the newborn baby down, she decided to request an early release. So after three days, she and the baby enjoyed a pleasant trip home to embark a new life of parenting adventure.

At home, the environment is much quieter, relaxed with truly a homely atmosphere compared to the noisy cramped ward she and the baby were confined.

She's a bit disappointed that she could not breastfeed the baby, but bottle feeding is always the likely favourable option. So that's what the baby is happy to settle herself in.

After a week on their own; mom, dad and the baby as planned for an exclusive family bonding purpose, I was allowed to come into their "new life". It took quite a long while before any family members other than them three were permitted to visit the new mother and the addition. So my own personal "Hello World" greeting came in rather late.

The baby did not care much about fusses and trimmings usually accorded to a newborn. She came out to be a good baby whose duty besides delighting her people with her cherubic charm is to eat, sleep, cry a bit, wee and poo. Oh she loves her grandma's warm cuddles. My arms make very good comfortable bed for her and I don't mind one bit. It is heaven! Truly heaven for me! That's my answer to my daughter's question, "what's its like to feel a grandma?"

I honestly feel that she is just like my own baby only she came out from her mother's womb who happens to be my daughter.

Here's a few of the snapshots I took during my visits to give a hand.

Five days old

The Cry Baby

Ten Days Old

Three Weeks Old and Eyes Wide Awake

With a visiting Funny Auntie Lily

With Lola (Grandma) at four weeks old

Cheers!

Introducing: My First Grandchild

2010-04-14T21:45:00.006+10:00

Our latest photo, a week before my daughter gave birth, with our friend Chinz.

Finally, the long wait is over. My daughter and her husband have given me my advance 60th birthday present. Four months in advance, so to speak and I have no complain. I am very very very grateful. I thanked God after some sleepless nights with butterflies in my tummy, the most beautiful Grand-daughter came to me in great suspense!

And I am more than happy to share her with you. Both mother and baby are in fine condition. I just can't believe how wonderful it is to feel to be a Grandmother for the first time. Like a first time mother, I too was full of intense anticipation. What matters most to me is that, she came out healthy and beautiful, what else!

She was born last Monday. A normal delivery with the help from the father. He was very much involved since the beginning up to the birthing process. He was the one who pulled the baby out to safety and cut her umbilical cord. What an exciting new experience for a first time daddy! This man is very gracious. I was excited and happy when he shared with me his one in a million experience. And He thanked me afterward.

I was home as instructed. So that was it! Every hour I had been updated until the baby finally came out to say, "Hello World!"

For now, they are back to their own home settling well and catching up some good sleep.

This great news surely has recompensed my long absence from blogging.

Note: I am still having problem getting back to you to post comment in your blogs. I have no idea why this is happening. So my apology if you haven't seen me posting comments around. I have tried and they won't get through.

Sweltering Day and Night

2010-01-13T11:36:00.002+11:00

For once, last night I was kind of a horse sleeping not standing though, but sleeping with open eyes. The heat was just incredible. The cold shower I had did little to help appease the sweltering condition.

I can only recall our first Summer episode here in the city:

The year was 2002. It was like hell, if I'll put it that way.

When we first moved down here in the city, we were met with a literal hell. Electricity had to be shut down and there was no water. Our surrounding was a gulf of smoke from fires everywhere. It was intoxicating and suffocating with soaring temperature almost like 100 degrees celsius in our area. My girls and I had to go to the city where we soaked ourselves inside airconed shopping centers.

Bushfires surrounded many places and devoured what they could devour without mercy. No need of lighting brambles to run this conflagration race.

If we can only pack some of our weather and send half to the northern end where chills abound and where the northerners send half of their freezer to cool us down, that would make Mother Nature happy thinking that some people out there are wanting a balanced ecology.

Still, many resist in believing that there's a climate change indeed occurring for all their ignorance. Someone above is controlling the weather, I wonder if many of us figured that out. The fools who are wise in their own eyes won't take this hint. I may sound preachy but that is exactly what's happening these days.

We are seeing events that have never happened before.

Back to my story:

Then early in the morning, I was awoken by a noisy commotion just as when sleep was about to take over. In my torporific daze, I seemed to hear a loud scary shrill. I thought I heard Lemmy, my cat, meowing wild as if she was being slaughtered. It's easy to get bolted by a thunder or a lightning so to speak.

When I opened the door Lemmy was right there looking at me straight to my eyes. When asked "what's up?", she said nothing. Not even a slight purr or wiggling of tail. She knows how to ignore me. Maybe, she too has heard the loud cry which I was not sure where it came from and what was it all about.

Anyhow, I nonchalantly went outside; unwind the hose, turned on the tap and gave the brickwalls, door, ceiling and verandah floor a big cold splash. I watered the whole lot down and didn't mind if my little garden patch overflowed that it almost looked like a pond. I went further to do the same of the back verandah of the neighbouring old lady. Little did I know that there was a drama inside her own abode.

Lemmy who was outside with me got scared at the sight of the powerful swooshing sound of the tap coming out from the hose. She coiled under the old chair which is purposely left outside for her own refuge. So I dropped the hose down and let her back in. I was even tempted to give her a splash to cool her down as she is on heat.

Next, I scooped the water from the big plastic green basin in the shower room into the bucket. It was the water I saved from my cold shower last night that I did not let go down the drain because I was going to use it to wash the floor of the front verandah today. I also gave the plants a nice bath with generous sprinkle. Boy! Don't they look relieved?

It was at this junction of my early morning activity that I noticed a couple of police outside a neighbour's unit.

Later, there was an ambulance coming and they took this lady with them. So that was the drama unfolded. As while I was outside hosing her back verandah, I did not even peek by her glass door then perhaps I would know what was going on. All the while I was busy watering my backyard, she was also being attended to by a Lady Paramedic and another two female Police.

I managed to surreptitiously take some photos from the inside of my unit. I could not enlarge the subject for it would take me time to find and adjust the setting as I am not well-familiar with the camera which my daughter lend me. I somewhat have misplaced mine as I don't want to declare that I have lost it after a big inspection eventuated before New Year. I am still hoping that it is still around somewhere waiting to be found.

By the way, two States, South Australia and Victoria were declared Red Catastrophic Zones and people who live in the bush were asked to evacuate. Some people did especially those with little children but not to this one on the headline I have just scoped out on the internet.

Last year, one of my friends were caught pretty close to the devastated site. They were right in the middle of the burning bush. They were safe though.

I pray that the weather will ease down and so far there is a cool forecast for tonight coming from the cold front. We need the Siberian wind to blow this way. Seriously.

Gallery of Today's Event

From stroller to stretcher...as fellow residents look on.

There she goes

Lemmy watching the crowd

A view from the inside - this is my front verandah

Lemmy investigating outside

Back View -After the big splash

Side backyard garden patch- the unnozzled hose back to its place

Cheers!

Spectacles of the Season

2010-01-04T13:06:00.291+11:00

After some hectic weeks and hard wrestles with mental laziness, I finally made it to work on a blog as if I am obliged to blog. This is my first since the New Year 2010 fireworks blasted off in Sydney's skyline based in Harbour Bridge. As usual, I was alone in front of my monitor waiting for the old year to slowly fade away till a New Year broke enter.

Ever since I am on my own, life has been a carousel of kaleidoscopic aptitude, lassitude, latitude and platitude. Some days tended towards gravitating contentment; some days were plainly made of humdrums and tediums. In between were days of tension, hypertension if not hypotension, whichever a non-ingratiating nuisance would appear and mostly at random intervals. Yet all of the above were met with deep gratitude; the reason being, I am still here.

Anyway, on the last day of December, I decided to fix my long time unused TV and re-installed connection of a new DVD player so I could watch the Midnight Pyrotechworks which now become the Ozzie tradition to highlight the event. The silly thing though had opted to play up and the picture tube did not work just as the final hour of the show came at midnight. I wasn't entirely disappointed even if I missed to see the commencement of the midnight Finale.

However, I managed to watch the Family Fireworks early in the night. It was only a lighter version of the whole strata of pyrotechworks intended for the family with children without compromising the colourful quality of the spectacles of the season. It was then when the square box thought of being considerate to my one time wish for that particular night only.

The firework show was worth all the troubles that people went through in making a fuss to finding the best vantage of view at different areas around the harbour as early as dawntime, encamping themselves like herds of flock. Naturally the children were happy, grinning from ear to ear, with their parents and guardians as they enjoyed the big bang celebration ahead of the revelling adults on that night.

As I'm typing this blog, I thought I would include something to show you how Australians revere this event. So I Googled a video to offer my readers a glimpse of this festivity to give you an idea how big time New Year celebration is to Australians especially here in Sydney.

There should be due credit embedded here in fairness to the owner of this video. Thanks to them and here you are!

Enjoy and Happy New Year to all!

Cheers!

My Colourful Hard Drive

2009-12-24T13:41:00.015+11:00

Seldom would I go shopping and yesterday was one of those days. In spite of a discomfiting mercurial reading, I decided to go to Blacktown for one particular confidential reason.

Having accomplished that mission wrapped up in my personal and confidential reason, I decided to walk up into Westpoint Shopping Centre, where I took the above photo. This was once a small one stop shopping mall; now embiggened to keep business competitions alive in the whole spectrum of market globalization and uplifting local economy which in turn did well during the recent recession that humbled and trembled the financial world.

Businesses did suffer economic setback and struggled for a while, but the government was quick to provide economic stimulus both to the spending public and the vending market, so I suppose that helped.

It was at the time of the market crash that this new Westpoint was reopened for business ...and thought...oh oh...what an untimely opening it was.

At first, my purpose of going in was mainly to keep myself cool in the airconned building. I even brought with me my writing paraphernalia complete with addresses so I could write letters there and straight to the Post Office, which is within the premise, to mail them. It was a plan that has gone askew for I miscalculated the populous influx of the last minute shoppers and I could not find a nice table and chair where I used to sit quietly in the nook of the food court.

That mischance of disallowing me to do what I planned to do was an opportunity for me to do something else. So I went around to look for a desktop hard drive that I could compactly save up all my photos. I figured out buying 10 USB flash drives is tantamount to buying one item with unlimited space and still be able to save up money. Photo files do take space in megabytes and kilobytes depending on the pixel unit the camera has the capacity to store. So away, my Christmas money present went.

I could opt for a slim elegant carry me model of WD My Passport and whatever brands were there, but for a savings of 30% or 50% or more, I still reckon, this old model will do a good job.

The store manager was prepared to take it back should this machine did not conform to my window system. As I read the leaflet, it says not to return the product to the store but check the company's support online. So far, as the specification was not included in the box information guide, it was upgraded online and I was able to set up this machine without trouble.

Insofar, this is one of my computing needs that I have met; a one special treat that adds colour to my blog life.

All the best everyone. May you all have a blessed and safe season.

Cheers!

My Mother's Most Embarrassing Girl

2009-12-15T15:25:00.013+11:00

Sometime last week, I resolved to live back to a normal life. Normal in a sense that I want to do things what I used to do like old fashioned-letter-writing , we call nowadays snail pace mail.

Since email became a fad, the only letters I pull out from my mailbox are bills. If not, reminder letter of overdue bills, bank statement, rental statement, solicitation letter from various organizations asking for donation, advertisement letters from realtors, and most annoyingly, letter-drop mail of unwarranted commercial ads promising this and that. In short, scam letters!

Once in a while on special occasions, I get Christmas, Easter, Birthday and Anniversary cards and some Congratulatory cards of some sort; affixed with real postage and stamped with postal mailing origin.

How come this is my topic for this blog?

(Oh by the way, I got so many unfinished write-ups waiting for my deadlock brain to function again so they can be posted. I apologize for that. I am talking to meself, I think).

Well, we have a church friend who in her incapacitated state is no longer coming to church but she gets some sermon DVD tapes to watch and listen to at home. From time to time, we send our flowers to cheer her up and she would take no delay in sending us a thank you letter card written in her own nice handwriting. Thankfully, she is not a computer literate and it is good of her for opting a snail pace post service so to speak and it does bring the bright sun shining down on us each time we receive a letter from her.

Actually, Post Office Service is not that bad in Australia. Snail pace letter if posted within the state can get to us the following day, and perhaps the longest would be three days if the recipients live in a remote area. They are served via a local store that serves as a Post Office outlet. It's kind of mixed-business incorporated with Postal Mail Service.

Since I have the knack of making my story long, I thought one day of sending a handwritten letter to this church friend of ours with one thing in mind, to cheer her up as she is at home on her own while the hubby and sons are away to work.

Yeah, it has been ages that I haven't written letters to people close to my heart though I send occasional postcards to people I made friends in the blogworld where you guys are commenting. Yes, right here in the Blogger world called blogspot dot com. One of my active commenters who answers to the name of Arkansas Patti has been one of the recipients.

She did not hesitate to send me her postal address when I offered her to send one. Thanks for your bravery dear Madam. I can smile at the thought of my boldness which you willingly relented. I don't blame others for being skeptical knowing the scams going around in this world. And mind you, it can be real scary to post personal information on the net. But there's always a place called safety net. So I bank on that. Hence, I do not have reservation asking.

I give this blog a title "My Mother's Most Embarrassing Girl". And that's me. This story is correlated to a letter-writing I sent to this church friend of mine.

Them days, as the old Ozzies would say, them days when I was young and in my teens probably I was about 16 years old and temporarily out of school... I went frenzy with letter writing as a hobby.

In those days, we lived in a very boring place and within the parameter of the military camp. I was a 'meatcan and canteencup' daughter. The camp and military houses were located on top of the hill and the town was just below us, where we do our shopping but only on market days like MWF. That stands for Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Outside these days, the whole town is dead! Virtually dead!

To go downtown and back, we descend and ascend by a steep long steps! Imagine what it's like during rainy days. Slippery? You bet!

One day, my dear mother complained to me to stop sending letters because it made her bankrupt. Believe it or not, I mailed a maximum of a dozen or more letters each market day! No, am not exaggerating!

Well, I could not go to a weekend dance and was not allowed to go with flirty girls. So, what would I do? Housework like cleaning, washing and cooking and without fun can be as tedious and monotonous as anything else done in a never changing routine. And a teenager like me needed some outlet. Being the eldest, I was being watched by too many eagle eyes. Not a good environment to keep one's sanity in place. So there should be something else besides reading. Reading the Bible and sneaking some magazines. Even in our reading, we were closely monitored as to what materials we were reading.

No community spirit to share such as sports either like softball or jumping rope and volleyball though I have never been a keen volleyball player. At school, they pumped the ball too hard and it's very painful for me to wallop.

So there was no hanky panky a teenager like me could do. In them days, I was not cheeky but I learned the trade one day. Listen to this story!

I told you that my mother forbade me not to send letters anymore as it made her bankrupt right? Well, it did not stop me from writing letters.

One market day, I sneaked out of the house. I went downtown all by myself and let no one knew.

Guess where I went?

I went to the town Post Office. Immediately, I noticed the handsome Post Master approached me with a smile soon as he saw me coming! He grabbed a bundle from a pile and handed me a handful of letters tied up with a string as in my favorite things, all addressed to me. That tickled me pink! And this Post Master seemed looking so pleased to see me there posting letters in person when normally, it was my mother's job or business. Huh?

I told the Post Master without reservation and I really didn't know why suddenly I did not feel shy. I told him "Manong, my mother got no money and I have letters here to be mailed." My feelings then was pure innocence that I never felt my face red at all or the blood came rushing up to my face to make me blush. Haha I spoke as if it was natural for me to tell him what I told him.

He reached out for my letters and placed postage on them, stamped them and said, "there you go. You can go home now". Of course, I thanked him and soon as I turned around, that was when I felt embarrassed for I realized late of what I had done.

I went home with nobody taking noticed of my abrupt absence. Went to my little room and read all the letters I received that day.

Later, I told my mother of what happened earlier on and even shared the letters for her to read. There never was any secret between me and my parents even with my siblings. Besides, there was no letter coming from the opposite sex. So, it was okay!

My mother, if she could only collapse in front of me, she would! But she found it so unbecoming for a daughter, her daughter like me, to do such a thing! She really was embarrassed but speechless!

Oh well, that afternoon, when she saw the Post Master in our yard, as we were very close neighbours; my mother did not waste time telling the man how embarrassed she was with my undue action. The Post Master smiled (he really was a very sweet person and always smiling and also most handsome, shhhh...he was my crush actually) and calmly assured my mother not to feel embarrassed of what I had done that day.

He told my mother that he'd rather prefer to see teenagers like me doing intellectual thing like letter writing than loitering around the street. We only have one street in our compound by the way, so everyone could see what people were up to.

Boy! that calm assurance never appeased my mother's embarrassment. She did not belt me though. She only pleaded to me not to do it again. It was such a relief that I did not get a homily!

I was pretty sure she told my father about it. But he didn't punish me either. This is just one of my cherished memories as a growing teenager!

Till her death, I wasn't sure if that incident was imprinted in my dear mother's memory. Parents should have recollection of what their children did, don't they? Because I can still very much remember with my own girls.

Funny memory indeed for me. Glad I still remember some part of my growing up years. As to my friend, yes, my letter truly cheered her up. She was laughing while she shared my story to her masculine family when they got back home from work.

You can make a difference making someone cheerful and happy by sending them a funny letter or even if it is not funny. Letter writing is really fun.

My friend in New Zealand loves it when she gets letter from the mailbox, not email. Which reminds me, I will write her again now that she is back from her overseas trip.

Cheers!

Anger

2009-12-12T09:48:00.000+11:00

Feeling angry? Tempted to punch a pillow? A punching bag? Another person…just to vent your anger and feel better?

It won’t work. Venting your anger only intensifies it, justifies it in your mind, stokes the flames even longer.

Your best solution is to close your eyes, stretch your arms (to relieve the physical tension) and take control of your emotions. Remind yourself that no matter what stupid thing the other person has done, everybody does stupid things (I know I have!) Remind yourself that in a few weeks time, maybe even in a few hours time, this will not even matter. Putting a small thing in perspective allows you to go on and enjoy your day, instead of fuming in anger.~The Happy Guy

There is one thing I remember in my Physics class where our teacher was talking about anger. I can't figure out until this time how Anger is connected to our Physics lesson.
What I remember about this particular teacher is, she was a real chatty lady and she talked non-stop, more of a blabber. Her humour cannot be mistaken to as being cunning.

Anyway, she was talking about a subject on Anger. And that if we get angry to someone, never ever write it on a paper and send it to someone who makes us angry.

We can still write our anger alright, express those negative emotions out, but put it under the bed and forget about it. Days later, we may want to get that letter under the bed where we hide it; she further advised us to read it, then tear it and throw it away.

A letter written in anger and send it to the person who makes us angry can bring terrible repercussion, she said. I always remember her counsel.

But one time, I was very furious at my ex-brother in-law that I had no option but to write him a letter and exploded all my pent-up anger at him I kept for years. Somehow, being a Retired Teacher and a Doctor in Psychology, he just reacted by saying, "well, at least she (me) writes." (I don't know if he is still alive. He could have possessed a cat's nine lives, who knows.)

Then on, our relationship was never ever the same again. And he never encouraged my nephew to keep in touch with us. His son was the cause of our rift. It was not the boy's fault for this poor little fellow was hungry for a family's love which he never gets from his own.

When his father had sensed that the boy's affection shifted on us, this man did something that confused the boy. So our relationship with the boy went downhill. When the boy returned to his father, this man never ever said thank you to us for taking and looking after his teenage boy whom we had a lot to put up with. Yet, it did not stop us from loving him.

Wherever you are Michael, we want you to know that we have missed you. I hope one day, you will come down to visit us again. You are the son I do not have.

Your cousins are thinking of you too. We now live in Sydney. But your other cousin went back to live in Orange. Soon she will be moving to live in Canberra.

I am not sure if you are married and have children of your own. And if you really went to live in New Zealand or not, we do not know.

We are not angry at you, but we used to be angry at your Dad. But nothing in this world cannot be forgiven. We love you Michael. And we miss you.

“Learning to use anger is no easy task. Yet the alternative—letting anger use us—makes us prisoners of our own minds.” ~Mark Epstein

Huka Falls Video

2009-10-27T21:22:00.008+11:00

It's one week since we came home from our brief overseas trip. The dust has settled down a bit. Jetlag has drifted. All things are completely unpacked and put away. Take home souvenirs were sent away for those who live far. Some were personally handed for those who live nearby.

Some friends who were gone to other overseas destination have come back and it was a beauty to receive little memento from their trip. Little thing means a lot with nothing to pay back but smile of thanks.

The pictures I took were not all well-taken. And I'm in a quandary where to put the remaining files as my USB is full. My computer hard drive can't store anymore. And even if I keep them using online storage, I still need my own original backup.

For a change, I have uploaded one video in You Tube for me to be able to share with you. I hope you will not have trouble downloading this page so you can watch without difficulty as some readers encountered in the past.

This is one of the videos I made in Taupo, New Zealand. I took this on our last day of stay while we had the car with us.

The music is paramount to the falls own cascading notes, the nature itself has composed.

Hope you will enjoy!

Cheers!

The History of Lake Taupo

2009-10-25T11:07:00.018+11:00

This was taken from the file of the Karaka Tree Motel re-posted with permission from Ann, owner and operator. Again, this is not my own words, hence, entered in blockquote.

Lake Taupo has a perimeter of approximately 193 kilometers, a deepest point of 186 meters and a surface area of 616 square kilometers. The lake is the largest frest water lake in Australasia, and approximately the same size as Singapore.

The largest lake by surface area in the country, it is drained by the Waikato River, while its main tributaries are the Waitahanui River, the Tongario River, and the Taupo - Tauranga River.

It is noted for stocks of short-finned eel and trout, the former a traditional delicacy and the latter a tourist attraction.

The lake lies in a caldera created following a huge volcanic eruption approximately 26,500 years ago. According to geological records, the volcano has erupted 28 times in the last 27,00 years.

The last eruption, known as the Oruani eruption, ejected an estimated 1170 cubic kilometers of material and caused several hundred square kilometers of surrounding land to collapse and form the caldera.

The most recent major eruption, which occurred in 181 CE, is believed to have ejected 100 cubic kilometers of material, of which 30 cubic kilometers was ejected in the space of a few minutes.

It is believed that the eruption column was 50 kilometers high, twice as high as the eruption column from Mount St. Helens in 1980. This makes it one of the most violent eruptions in the last 5000 years (alongside the Tianchi eruption of Balkdu at around 1000 and the 1815 eruption of Tambora), with a Volcanic Explosivity Index rating of 7.

It was sufficiently large, due to the ash expulsion, to turn the sky red over Rome and China (as documented in Hou Han Shu). Since New Zealand was not settled by the Maori until several centuries later at the earliest, the area was uninhabited by humans at the time of eruption. This eruption further expanded the lake.

The volcano is considered to be dormant rather than extinct. It lies in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Taupo's last known eruption occurred around 210 CE, with lava dome extrusion, but that eruption was much smaller than the 181 CE eruption.
LEGEND

A Maori legend explains the lake a different way.

When Ngatoirangi, the Chief Tohunga (priest) of the Arawa people, first saw the region he was dismayed to find a barren basin.

Realising his people needed resources to live, he stood on Mt. Tauhara, where he plucked a large Totara tree and hurled it into the crater to seed new forest. His aim was true but the wind flipped the Totara and it landed upside down, piercing the ground with its branches. Water gushed up through the holes, filling the basin and creating Lake Taupo.

*The local Ngati Tuwharetoa pronounce Taupo similar to 'Toe-Paw'.

Gallery

The entrance to the Marina

Waikato River in Turangi

Waikato River in Taupo, the river that drains to Lake Taupo

Lake Taupo taken from one of the look-out close to town

Lake Taupo taken from another vantage much further out of town

Taken from the main road of State Highway 1

Hope you enjoy the story inasmuch as I do.

Cheers!

Our Best Kept Secret

2009-10-23T19:31:00.011+11:00

Talk about being a closet writer, this is one of those I wrote and jammed in the jungle of mixed ambiguities. Though it may sound late, stale, spongy, mushy, or moldy; I just thought it will not do me harm to repost this for sharing. Sometimes there are memories that will just pop up without expecting them to turn up. Especially with one that you scribbled, crumpled or simply put away without remembering where and accidentally found it at random.

I recall I have posted this in Gather where my participation is no longer active.

To keep your secret is wisdom; but to expect others to keep it is folly.~Samuel Johnson

Here's the story:

When my younger sister and I were in our teens, there was a town fair in our area. Our mother told us not to go out in the night as it was not safe for us.

Contrary to her instruction, nobody was at home including our mother, one particular night. It was cold and raining and soon it stopped.

This sister of mine persuaded me to go out for a Ferris Wheel ride. Since I was kind of "yes" type sister and not one who is hard to talk to, I relented even if I knew we would get into trouble. The onus would be more on me being older and responsible than her. So away we went.

While we were enjoying the beautiful view from atop as the wheels kept turning round and round and round in circle, my mind was at home picturing our worried and possibly angry mother. I really was worried sick thinking about what's going to happen when we got home. And...and...and... suddenly... we heard gun shots. Bang! bang! bang!

...My sister and I were still on top when we saw this man on the ground running amok, shooting randomly with his gun nearby the operator. My sister panicked and immediately she wanted to jump out. I told her not to do anything silly. But she was really scared to death and was trembling.

About two meters from the ground, she slipped away from my tight grip and jumped out. The operator yelled out to her but it was too late. Thankfully, the madman did not aim his gun on her. Timely, the Police came to nab him away from the fair. I felt so relieved to see my sister okay. We slipped quietly to our bedroom when we got home.

That incident never got to the ears of my parents. If they did, I won't be here today to post this blog.

My sister survived though. She didn't dare to complain the hurt she sustained from jumping out high from the Ferris Wheel. Aren’t we good secret keepers? lol

16 Nov 2008

Cheers!

"The Light Upon the Sea"

2009-10-20T10:17:00.010+11:00

A poem for those who think and feel that life will be forever doomed. Mourning for instance does take time to heal. It is one form of pit of depression that seems incurable. It makes us stray from faith. It makes our hope dim. Our values devalued. And life is just impossibly irretrievable. Future appears bleak.

Yet, in whatever state of sadness and sorrow we are in, there is always a miraculous ray somewhere that will just press through the prism of clouds in our life that will provide us some strength by way of comforting words and encouragement from others: to motivate us, to inspire us and to impel us to gain confidence and to get back to life. After all, life is indeed Worth living for all its purpose that God want us to be according to His divine plan to humanity.

There is also an antidote to combat this form of despondency, desperation, destitution and hopelessness besides faith for our Maker.

Learn how one young blind boy counterclockwise his own situation.

The poem below, I believe, comes from someone who experienced life the way you and I have or had.

There was a time it seemed as though
My life was tossing to and fro
And I, left with nowhere to go,
Was subject to the sea.

But there, ahead, a beam of light
Peered through the darkness of the night
And granted to me clearer sight
That I might be set free.

I steered a course toward the land
To find a refuge on the sand
And maybe touch the gentle hand
That guided me along.

And when I reached the coast that night,
Upon a hill, the shining light
Was tended by a welcome sight . . .
My friends had led me home.

~ © 1999 Robert S. Bise

" There's a light at the end of the tunnel" indeed!

Thought for Today

"I believe there's a calling for all of us. I know that every human being has value and purpose. The real work of our lives is to become aware. And awakened. To answer the call." — Oprah

Interestingly, David Leonhardt, the founder of The Happy Guy dot com has this to say:

VALUE

I like this routine by a motivational speaker who’s name I did not catch. He held up a $20 bill and asked who wanted it. Hands went up. He then dropped it to the floor and crunched it up under his shoe, trampling it and dirtying it. Again he held it up and asked who wanted it. Again, hands went up.

He then told the audience what a valuable lesson they had learned; even after being trampled upon and crumpled, they still wanted the $20 bill because it had not lost any value. And he told them that everyone in the room has been trampled and messed up in some way at some time, yet they remain just as valuable.

You see, you are that $20 bill. And no matter how beaten and bruised you might feel at any point, you don’t lose your value.

What a timely addition!

Cheers!

Karaka Tree Motel

2009-10-18T08:58:00.023+11:00

Hello World, I'm back and I can't wait to share with you the highlights of my recent trip to New Zealand along with my daughter and son-in-law. It was their idea that we should go there for our church special festival.

Traveling is one of my passions though I am very much a housebound person; so it is quite a big deal for me. I seldom travel. When I do, I travel far and very very far. I would have never expected a laidback kid like me would come this far knowing the hard life I lived; a concoction of oppression and depression well-combined that sometimes would result to impression. Of course, I'm joking though it's partly true.

Let's get down to business.

Why the title "Karaka Tree Motel"?

Obviously, it's where we stayed in Taupo for 13 days. The Karaka Tree Motel is a spacious Qualmark 4 star motel with each accommodation room equipped with a large Geothermal Freshwater Mineral Spa Pool.

Sorry for the empty basin
With an icy weather on preceding days, I did not dare using it. The couple did right on the very first night of arrival.

Located in Lake Terrace (State Highway 1), it's just across the road (25 meters) from Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake which is about 600 square kilometers. From this motel we can view the lake and the World Heritage Tongariro National Park, where the snow clad mountains are partly hidden.

The Tongariro National Park

The distance of this motel to Taupo City Centre is 3 kilometers which makes a very comfortable and relaxing stroll via lake shore lane. It only takes 5 minutes drive to Taupo Domestic Airport and it is close to all Taupo District attractions.

Karaka Tree Motel and the view of Lake Taupo

Lakeshore Walkway

A nice and clean Domestic Airport of Taupo
The convenience of our stay was a bit spoiled by the lack of proper kitchen but that was not to be expected in a motel, so we did not have the opportunity to cook proper meals and invite friends to dine with us as part of the festival tradition. That part was taken in hindsight by the responsible people who did the booking. All else, we're happy with the service.

We sadly missed cooking roast lamb with baked vegetables and going outdoor for a barbecue. It could have been more fun out there in the lake with a stunning spectacular view of the snowcapped mountains. One lady shop owner told me that we were very lucky to see it in time though the snowfall was 'unseasonal and unusual' at springtime. It was a well-laid plan that went awry. Anyhow, we enjoyed our stay under weather restrictions.

Barbecue Area by the lake
During my free time, I was browsing the motel Guest Handbook (of do's and don'ts besides manifold advertisements) and I came to this very interesting History of their Motel and why it's being named after a tree.

The owner of the motel, Ann, had willingly and gladly provided me a copy of the History,

and with her permission I am posting it here without alteration. Again, I have notified her of my intention that I am going to post her picture in my blog. She's a very friendly and warm lady. She made it sure that we were being looked after. And by the way, this is not a paid advertisement. I never exploited anyone in my blog department.

Please let me introduce you to Ann.
Since the words are not mine, therefore I'll enclose it in a blackquote. I repeat, The words are not mine.

HISTORY OF OUR KARAKA TREE

Our motel was so named for the 100 year old Karaka Tree standing at the rear of the property.

This is the Karaka Tree which is visible from my bedroom.

It was originally planted to mark the junction of the old Maori trails leading to the East Coast and Napier.

Our tree was carried inland from Matakana Island near Tauranga as a seedling by Paretekoheka Hunia specifically for this purpose.

Karaka (Corynocarpus laevigatus, Corynocarpaceae) is an evergreen tree with large glossy leaves. It is endemic to New Zealand. Alternative but little used names for this tree are Kopi and New Zealand Laurel.

It flowers in May and June and the seeds ripen in December to February. The pulp of the fruit is edible but the seeds are poisonous if eaten raw. If soaked in salt water, boiled or roasted, the seeds become edible. It is a beautiful sight in January and February when the berries ripen, and they hang in clusters from under the leaves.

It grows to heights of 6 and 12 metres and has a trunk 60 centimetres in diameter.

It is unusual for Karaka trees to survive in this region, as they are frost intolerant. Our tree is showing signs of old-age and is under the care of local arborists.

The aging Karaka Tree
The Maori called karaka fruit kopia and prepared it for food. It was greatly valued as food, second only to kumara* and more important than bracken fern. The outer fleshy layer of the kopia is edible without treatment, it tastes rather like overripe powdery apricot. The kernel of the seed was actually more important to the Maori, but it is extremely toxic and needs a great deal of preparation before it can be safely eaten. Eating the untreated kernel causes severe muscle cramps that can even rip the muscles off the bone.

The kernels have to be boiled and then steamed or soaked in running water before the poisonous karakin is completely leached out. The Maori ground the kernels up, after treatment, into flour for bread. This bread usually was reserved for the chiefs and other important people because of the amount of work involved in making it.

The leaves were used to help wounds heal and to draw the poisons from a boil. The leaves were also made into coronets to wear on the head when visiting graves or during a tangi (Maori burial).

*Kumara is kumera in Australia to which is called Sweet Potato in English.

Next: History of Lake Taupo with more pictures.

Cheers!

Postcards from New Zealand

2009-10-16T15:15:00.011+11:00

These are some of the memorable mementos I picked up from the shops during my recent trip to New Zealand. Hope you will enjoy viewing them while waiting for my own pending on arrival of my camera gadgets.

The Rotorua Museum of Arts and History with flower beds and Bowling Green in the foreground.

Top Left: Band Rotunda
Top Centre: Bath House, Government Gardens
Top Right: Waitukei created by Lyonel Grant and unveiled in 2001 to mark the new millenium.

Bottom Left: Bath House and Band Rotunda
Bottom Right: Blue Bath House

Ohinemutu, Rotorua was once the main Maori settlement on Lake Rotorua. The building is St. Faiths Anglican Church, built in Tudor style in 1910 and added to in 1965. In front of the church is a bust of Queen Victoria (bottom right), a gift to the Arawa in 1870, from Prince Albert, the country's first royal visitor.

On the left is a Bell Tower
Top Right: Canoe Poi (Maori Cultural Dance)
Bottom Right: A Meeting House

To the Left is the spectacular Pohutu Geyser
Top Right is a Maori Warrior
Bottom Right is a Native Kiwi (bird) and egg.

It is from this native bird where white New Zealander are otherwise known as Kiwi; while white Australians of English origin are known as "Convicts". That is just name calling in making fun of themselves.

Rotorua is located north of Taupo, about over an hour drive by the car. A very beautiful place with lots more of surprises blessed with Mother Nature's gifts. There's more to come.

Cheers!

Home Now

2009-10-15T01:30:00.004+11:00

Yes, am home now back to Australia, I call home!

We had a rough flight as we were getting close to landing time due to a strong blastery northerly-westerly wind, so we did not get on time. I was pretty worried of my pregnant daughter. But she braved it on!

The customs business was okay as we didn't have much with us except few souvenirs that we declared per requirement by the law.

I am still waiting for my suitcase to be delivered to my home. All my camera and cell phone gadgets are still there.

In the mean time, am nursing a fever, or a mild flu. But I managed to enjoy some moments looking around the beautiful New Zealand! Clean and green and the people are just fantastic!

Till next post. And thank you very much for your kindness in visiting my blog during my absence. I just found out that using the net cafe facility to upload pictures was too disappointingly slow and it ate away money without problem.

Anyway, I did miss home. I miss my blog friends. But I love New Zealand!

Taupo New Zealand

2009-10-03T16:40:00.008+10:00

Nau mai, Haere mai ki Aotearoa...Maori word for Welcome to New Zealand.
Aotearoa means The Land of Long Clouds.

The stormy weather greeting us at Auckland Domestic Airport going to Taupo.

We landed safely in Taupo after 45 minutes flight from Auckland.

Lake Taupo...Sorry the internet cafe is closing. See you all.

A TRIBUTE to an English lady named Carol Rickards Hewer

2009-09-25T07:44:00.011+10:00

Carol, a beautiful person I have known since way back 1982. She is actually my former boss. I worked for them as a Correspondent Secretary though her ex-hubby would insist that my Job Title was aptly more of a "Social Secretary".

Our friendship blossomed from trust. It developed beyond the boundary of Employer-Employee Relationship. Until I came to Australia, get married and divorced with children, our rapport never faded. She's always caring, always giving and always loving that I could never match. To her, I am more of a sister than anything else. She was my confidante, my counsellor, my all.

I owe her debt of gratitude for standing by me in those trying times in my life. My girls were spoiled rotten by her Fairy Godmotherish unconditional affection and love so unparalleled; so unequalled. She saw to it that none of them were left uncared for, unloved and unwanted in the absence of their father.

To you Carol, a darling friend, a word that is beyond description about your person, I know I have lacked in you with so many shortcomings to fill up. I hope my children will always keep you in their hearts inasmuch as I do for I know they have good and loving memories of you though they haven't met you in person nor I. I'm not going to promise you anything, but one day, one day, we'll meet. We can keep our hopes and dreams burning.

I found this poem from my favourite Inspiration Line. This I will dedicate to you. May you have joy, peace, happiness and good health to enjoy with Uncle John and family.

Thinking of you with lots of love. oxoxoxoxoxo

Carol, in the early years of our friendship. This was in 1984.

Friendship

Friendship needs no studied phrases,
Polished face, or winning wiles;
Friendship deals no lavish praises,
Friendship dons no surface smile.

Friendship follows Nature's diction,
Shuns the blandishments of Art,
Boldly severs truth from fiction,
Speaks the language of the heart.

Friendship favors no condition,
Scorns a narrow-minded creed,
Lovingly fulfills its mission,
Be it word or be it deed.

Friendship cheers the faint and weary,
Makes the timid spirit brave,
Warns the erring, lights the dreary,
Smoothes the passage to the grave.

Friendship - pure, unselfish friendship,
All through life's allotted span,
Nurtures, strengthens, widens, lengthens,
Man's relationship with man.

~Author Unknown

Cheers!

The Storm of Life

2009-09-01T10:08:00.016+10:00

The storm early in the morning I snapped at The Entrance.

When my parents died one year after the other, I was literally floating. I could not recall how I managed to stay compose and calm in the eye of a storm. Not a storm on a tea cup, but a real life's storm.

This is yet another metaphor that life contains. The first metaphor I touched was the Road. Today, it is about the Storm. Even storms have categories. These categories represent the scale of our strength: inner, outer, physical, psychological, spiritual and so on. A degree of our strength is gauged by the manner of our attitude, or by the way we handle situations in the face of adversary and adversity. Some are daunting; some are overwhelming; and, some are unbearable.

Perhaps, if we have a choice, all we want to do is melt like ice on the ground or disappear like a mist or vapour in the air.

When my father died, I did not have much time to slump down; threw tantrum on the ground and bawled like an abandoned child or a frustrated kid who howled endlessly like a spoiled brat, or a martyr that trickled tears like a flowing river. I had to be mentally and emotionally strong on behalf of my mother. She was old and we were new in the place of that last residence we lived, where my father drew his last breath.

During that time of sorrow, I voluntarily assumed the role of a decision maker to relieve a grieving mother. With the help of my siblings we organized everything that seemed impossible for us to do at the time. I approached people whom I never met before like contacting the local veterans association where both my parents were members. They in turn immediately provided assistance due to a deceased veteran without hesitation after presenting our father's case to them. By that account, our poor father was accorded due military honour for his funeral.

Then sixteen months later, another death visited us in our doorstep. This time, it was our dear old mother. It was a tragedy which remains unthinkable even after 28 long years have elapsed. It is very painful to reminisce her sudden death.

The situation was rather overwhelming for me to tackle but I could not choose hatred as a tool in solving the problem. The damage done if resolved with verbal fights or arguments via a legal battle won't bring back the life of our poor old mother who was lost as a result of an innocent juvenile doing.

The concerned party came to face me and my siblings. The family leadership, being the eldest daughter present, was passed down on me. I was the Joshua next to Moses in my family, so to speak. But the promised land we entered was far from those that was given to ancient Israelites.

The whole family of the boy who caused the death of our mother came in crowd to beg, to supplicate for mercy, for clemency, for pardon, for forgiveness and for compassion. The parents took responsibility over what had happened on behalf of their very young son. They did not tarry, they did not wait for a summon, they did not linger our suffering. Immediately, their actions were instantaneous. As I looked at them, the more my heart was rent.

In remission, they took care of all the funeral expenses. No bribe, no dole, nothing of the sort that I entered into agreement with them. We solely acted on the ground of Compassion amidst the loss of our dear Mother. What was important to us was the keeping of the family solidarity in the face of adversity. I pulled my siblings together in peace, in harmony so we could lay our mother to rest.

Thankfully, the church where my mother was raised, but whom she turned her back due to her family's bitter history experienced with this church in the past, did not turn their back on us when we asked them to hold service on behalf of our departed mother.

On the other hand, I did not allow any third party to contravene, to interfere and to intervene. We kept it solely our very own family affair. Our point was, in those times we needed these people whom I cannot name, they were not there for us. They turned their eyes blind for the couple who were there for them when they were needed by them. So outside opinions were not sought. Because I knew all along that what was on their minds was just another vested interest and I did not allow that to happen.

That storm has long been gone. Yet, as we live everyday, we are always confronted with different kinds of storms. The storms of life either make us strong or make us weak. In my case, I'm riding along with whatever storm that comes my way and eventually I feel I'm toughened by each moment I face a storm. Life is still worth living. I can only look around to see and feel how worthwhile it is to live life in peace and in harmony to the divine grace that I'm beholden to. Hope you too!

The accompanying poem below was taken from the Inspiration Line.

Worthwhile
It is easy enough to be pleasant, when life flows by like a song,
But the man worthwhile is one who will smile, when everything goes dead wrong;
For the test of the heart is trouble, and it always comes with the years,
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth is the smile that shines through tears.

It is easy enough to be prudent, when nothing tempts you to stray,
When, without or within, no voice of sin is luring your soul away;
But it's only a negative virtue until it is tried by fire,
And the life that is worth the honor of earth is the one that resists desire.

By the cynic, the sad, the fallen — who had no strength for the strife,
The world's highway is cumbered today; they make up the sum of life;
But the virtue that conquers passion, and the sorrow that hides in a smile,
It is these that are worth the homage on earth, for we find them but once in a while.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850 – 1919)
EllaWheelerWilcox.wwwhubs.com

Cheers!

Beautiful Road

2009-08-23T17:56:00.019+10:00

Again, I don't know where I picked this up. I hope my memory isn't failing me; but if I remember it right, I think I got this from The Happy Guy, an online inspirational writer from Canada.

There are many roads, paths including footpaths, highways, streets, backroads, trails, track roads, crossroads, motorways, and every possible avenues where man walks everyday in his life.

Some roads are bumpy, stony, pebbly, thorny and rocky. Some roads have holes, unstable, shaky, paddy, slippery, sandy, tarred, paved, muddy and dusty. Some are impassable.

Some roads will lead to destruction and eventual death. Some will lead to misery. Some will end to a gloomy tunnel. Others will reach a bright and sunny bend. Many will stumble and others will endure downfalls.

Roads are one part of life's metaphors. How we deal with it, how we live with it, how we confront it - the choice is ours.

There are roads that are wide and roads that are narrow. There are straight, twisted, crooked, zigzag, winding, steep, descending and ascending.

Any road we pass through without the guidance of Light from above can take us into a lot of trouble.

But this particular poem I will dedicate to my children for a much needed encouragement. Yes, life's road as mentioned above by their composition can be cruel. But if you stay on track, all will go well.

Adventure and exploration are not at all bad. Just seek the Light and Truth so no one will fool you. "Be strong and of good courage", Moses said to Joshua when he passed to him his baton of leadership so the Israelites could continue on their journey to enter the Promised Land.

Even these very people who were the inheritors of God's promised had taken 40 years to walk in the wilderness, the road full of their grumblings, resistance to God's commands and rebelliousness to finally settle in the new land ... still with so many Roads that link to the roads we are living today.

When storms pass away, steer clear and aim for a good direction and seek the Light if you want to walk on a

BEAUTIFUL ROAD

Tomorrow is a beautiful road
That will take you right where
You want to go...

If you spend today
walking away from worry
and moving towards serenity;
leaving behind conflict
and traveling towards solutions;
and parting with emptiness
and finding fulfillment.

If you can do what works for you,
your present will be happier
and your path will be smoother.

And best of all?
You'll be taking a step
into a beautiful future...

~ © Douglas Pagels

Cheers!

Small Act of Gratitude

2009-08-18T22:55:00.024+10:00

For Meghan who will be celebrating her birthday this Saturday, 22nd of August. The red Azalea came from my side wall garden I pinched from the mother plant to give to her.

Yeah, something to sweeten the tooth of all Dental Interns who work very hard in their respective wards. I intentionally brought the big cake to be shared by all, including their Supervisors and Specialists who were all very kind to me.

A card for Ramesh but is addressed to all concerned who dutifully and compassionately are looking after me. Thank You is not really enough.

Yesterday morning, a day after my birthday, I went to Westmead Dental Hospital for a very personal and special mission.I arrived there early and that enabled me to drop by the Post Office Shop to grab a nice card and slowly ambled my way to the ward of destination.

I placed the big box of birthday cake on a chair and carefully packed my birthday present for Meghan in a nice gift bag and carefully attached the red Azalea flower that I pinched from my side wall garden. Then I took pictures and waited for my hosts to come out from their clinic to meet me at Info Desk Lounge or Reception Area.

The moment my hosts arrived minus one, I was feeling composed and relaxed. It was only Meghan who came to see me as Ramesh was on an emergency trip to visit his wife to the hospital, who gave birth to their second son early in the morning. It was a bit of a surprised news as I thought the baby won't be due till the 27th of this month. On the other hand, I was very pleased to know that the birth of their second child came pretty close to mine.

In honesty, I actually did not celebrate my birthday in terms of a feast with flowing drinks, inconsistent ramblings, loud music and dancing. My day was 'quilted in quietude' spending a little time on the computer, then off to cooking dinner for my daughter and son-in-law. Did a bit of tidying up and preparing the table with a nice table cloth which did not put into use anyway as we all ended up eating on our respective chairs watching TV. That's how modern we are in its simplest form. No formality.

Many days before though, I planned to get out of town but my daughter arranged for an after Sabbath dinner date. Their invitation did not materialize unfortunately as she was not feeling well that day not that I mind. For some reason I welcome the cancelled date with thankfulness and I really didn't know why. Perhaps, I just wanted to stay home and be alone after the service.

Monday dinner time came, and they arrived with flowers for me, a box of chocolate mousse for dessert and a bottle of champagne. That was wonderful! I love champagne so that concluded my happy day.

Without ceremony, I served them a nice piping hot goulash using cuts of Scotch Fillet cooked in fresh red capsicum (no artificial colouring), potato, red sweet potato in lieu of carrots and green beans.

On the other hand, in Melbourne, America's number one Titanic Wholesale Costco was opened to business on my big day. I was wondering if that giant store will ever invade Sydney. Ebie suggested that I should go there (Melbourne) to shop (is it till I drop Ebie?) lol. If only it's not a joke to travel that far and bring home what? Heavy stuff? Oh no, I can go to sleep now. lol.

Cheers!

A Special Day

2009-08-17T12:51:00.005+10:00

Today is a very special day. Another milestone to cherish for and one that is so precious to keep and be privileged to be thankful for. I love to look back and see what greater blessings the God in heaven has bestowed me:

The bumpy road He flattened;
the thorny trail He cleared;
the rocky path He smoothed
the holes, the crevice
the ravines, the pits
the gorges.....

The rough seas, the sweltering heat
The stormy weather
hailstorms, thunderstorms,
the raging bellows from above
the deafening roars of His wrath
He sheltered us in all those
shocks and rocks of ill tidings
And He calm the tide
For us to see more of
His Heavenly glory
Through the kindness
of everyone's friendship.

Thank you all for your kind and well-wishes.

My well wishers:

We at POETRYCASTLE - An online community of Poets would like to wish you a happy birthday today! www.poetrycastle.org

We would like to wish you a Happy Birthday for today.
Have a great day!

Regards,

The Best Recipes Team
www.bestrecipes.com.au

TO: Webshots User

FROM: Joe Photo

Just a quick note to wish you a Happy Birthday!

We're glad that you're a fan and to help you celebrate, here's a special birthday gift:

Save 20% off your entire order of prints and custom photo gifts from our store.

www.webshots.com

Just use coupon code BIRTHDAY at checkout.

Enjoy your day...

Cheers!

Friendship

2009-08-17T11:05:00.012+10:00

“We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world,
and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend.
~Robert Louis Stevenson

Taken from the Inspiration Line, I will attribute my blog today to a lady who pronounced me her friend after sometime of testing my friendship. I understand her for subjecting me under the scalpel of her scrutinizing prejudice and placing me under her microscopic doubts. Little did she know that I already have measured her mind without saying anything. I am very much an observant person and I know how to get along without being too obvious.

This morning when she rang to greet me Happy Birthday, she truly touched my heart and her words brought tears to my eyes when she openly expressed her appreciation of my person that she now discovered as she has seen how I stood bare in her eyes. I am the way I am, and I am just being myself. No need for any pretense, no need wearing any mask, no need of any make-over. I am plain through and through. I say what I need to say, I opine when necessary, I am vocal when the circumstance is required, and I am there when needed for as long as am able and available under all weather. Of course, I too have my own shortcomings.

In turn, I also feel privileged and delighted to get to know her better in my own stand point and I marveled at the discovery of her own person as I watch her, as I listen to her, my admiration and appreciation for her grow even deeper and I let her know that.

As a person, I expect nothing from people. Some well-meaning words expressed with sincerity can be overwhelming but I learned to accept and take compliments however small I felt for myself.

To Lucy, here's a poem for you.

Friends Forever Near

As we walk along our path of life,
We meet people every day,
Most are simply met by chance,
But some are sent our way.
These become the special friends
Whose bond we can’t explain,
The ones who understand us
And share our joy and pain.
Their love contains no boundaries,
So even when apart,
Their presence still embraces us
With a warmth felt in the heart.
This love becomes a passageway
Where ever the miles disappear,
And the special friends life sends our way
Remain forever near.

~Author Unknown

Cheers!

Glowing and Growing Years in Tears of Silence

2009-08-14T19:36:00.009+10:00

Note: Video aborted due to termination of Link.

A family chronicle in pictures. How we tried to keep our grace under strain and stress of hard work, loneliness, and struggle, yet, find time to smile at treacherous adversaries and lurking adversities.

My children are my joy and pride.
The ones who steered me with strength
And the ones who helped keep me going
Tho' we've nothing, still love abides in us.
In time of our sickness and sorrow
God also takes care of our tomorrow.
He dries up our tears by His love
And He mends our broken hearts with His mercy.
A sweet comfort and blessing
His fatherly justice brings.

Copyright@2009, lcd, all rights reserved
14 august 2009

My Childhood Nostalgia

2009-08-11T21:26:00.012+10:00

This blog is an extract from my letter to one fellow poet that started this way; "you brought up childhood days. I have had many moments of those... throwing stones on the river."

As a young girl, when time seemed so low, I would run to the river farther away from our little cottage made of nipa hut...sat down on one of those big boulders while watching the strong current of the deep water gushing out between the cracks of the big rocks and cry.

Today, if my solace and refuge is my computer, in those days the river was my sole companion. My tears flowed like the water of that river, so at least we shared one thing in common.

I didn't complain to my river. I just sat there in silence and let my mind did the talking through the wind. Afterwards, I felt better and relieved.

My poem "My Childhood Refuge" is based on this story. Childhood to me have lots of impact of what I am today. But I did retain some of the positive traits than I would ever imagine. Part of them was my day to day lessons I encountered and learned in life. And much of my interactions with people as well.

I used to be so naive... thinking all the people are the same as being good and kind. How could I be so wrong? But nobody told me not to expect too much from the world... so it was a kind of learning things on your own at your own phase at whatever pace.

Still the sum total of all, I am still very grateful with life with its many blessings. One way or another, I got so much to thank for not mainly on material endowments as I have none...

Somehow, things were being compensated in some other areas. So that's how I live through... "

Childhood days bring so much to reminisce about. Am not that articulate in remembering them all, but they are admixture of elements that would make it memorable. They were happy days, exciting days, gloomy days, days full of hard struggles, achievements, adventures, travels ... everything that just happened under the sun.

I was brought up mainly from a military family where you have to obey first before you complain. And that "one word is enough for a wise man". Wasn't that hard?

Papang (that's how we addressed our father) was very strict to me being the eldest girl in the family. I had no choice how I would grow up as a young lady. So I was reared as a subservient and dutiful daughter. Being there as the second mother to my six younger siblings. Having them around was a pretty good training ground for me with my motherhood skills.

One way or another, like any normal family, I was more closer to my father though I also had good relationship with my mother. Some of my skills were learned from my father and my literary prowess, if you call it that way, came from my mother. Though both of them helped mould my intellectual ability since my early childhood.

It is my wish to visit that place where I used to run to my river. Then I can vent to him my loneliness being far away from home for long long years. Perhaps, when I get there, it won't be the same river anymore, who knows.

Weekend Barbecue

2009-08-08T22:32:00.008+10:00

We have a barbecue after the Sabbath Service today. I contributed chicken marinade to spoil everybody. The boys are always incharge with the cooking while enjoying a sip of drinks like beer or wine.

As it has been freezing, I was compelled to ask for a little dose of Scotch Whiskey (Chivas Regal) to keep me warm. Lisa also brought red wine to go with red meat, but I was happy enough with my whiskey. It's my first time to taste whiskey. It's alright because I basically take by the drop until it's all consumed. Besides I don't drive anyway, so I was safe.

While the boys were busy cooking, the ladies prepared the salad, buttered bread, garlic bread, and dessert which consisted of pavlova, apple pie and fruit salad. There were nuts, crackers and chips with dips for nibblings. I also brought some pancakes with maple syrup. I could have made spring roll but I got no time. It's time consuming as well.

We do this barbecue extended fellowship every now and then. I love Australian barbecue. My favourite is lamb chops. I love its smokey aroma wafting through the breeze. To get good lamb chops, I need to go farther to buy the best quality at a reasonable price. You can't find that in the city.

In a novel I read long time ago, the myth about barbecue (cook out for our American counterpart) is that, when an English fleet boarding ex-convicts from England to Australia, the passengers were fed on ration.

A lady named Barbara, volunteered to do the cooking for the hundreds of passengers in one of the ships. The cooking was rudimentary using charcoal from woodfire. Since there were no other utensils they could use for cooking, Barbara mainly cooked the meat on live ember of the woodfire. As she was alone to do the cooking, naturally she could not cope up with the voluminous job. Some meat were burnt and the aroma made the passengers even more hungry.

The food due to its limited supply had to be distributed fairly and equally whether the passenger was a convict or a member of the crew. They had to form a long queue and in one line.

Barbara had to serve the charcoal burnt meat to every passenger. This is the where the word barbecue was coined. Barbie is short for Barbara and the cue from the long line or queue formed by the hungry passengers. The reason why Australians normally burnt their meat when they cook barbecue is in keeping to this tradition consciously or unconsciously.

In truth, the reason why the meat is burnt because the men who do the cooking, drink too much and talk too much that they forget their cooking until they get burnt. Makes sense, isn't it?

I apologize for not taking photos of the finished product, meaning cooked meat. One thing I can tell you though, nothing was burnt. Sam and Fred are always the barbecue incharge, and they cook the meat with slow fire. Before we started eating, the Elder gave the blessing before meals. In the middle of the prayer, we heard crackling noise of the meat. We thought we would call Triple 000 for the Firemen.

Bon appetit!

Unforgettable Person: My Lady Boss

2009-08-02T16:50:00.034+10:00

"It takes time to know people."~ Mrs. Perla Yu Garcia

These words are still freshly ringing in my ears. They never get stale. They are now concretely built in my hard drive memory of my brain, the grey matter.

When I quit my studies in Mindanao State University where I studied Bachelor of Science in Community Development and Public Administration, I decided to work in a local Pharmacy against my parents wishes.

Things started to get nasty with the resurgence of rebels so I took initiative in moving to another city and applied a job there, also in a pharmacy. My background was checked and my former boss was contacted. To my satisfaction, my former employer gave her recommendation and I was accepted.

I quickly settled into my new job which was a stay-in, meaning, free board and lodging right in the residence of my new employer as part of the parcel. It was a taxing and underpaid job almost equivalent to taking traineeship without pay. However, there were compensations coming from other sources besides the salary our boss paid us. If there's emergency, we were allowed to draw cash in advance.

So while I was enjoying life in my new job in a new city, one of my former colleagues in the old employment insinuated an intrigue out of jealousy and my old boss wrote to my new boss in the city. My city boss talked to me privately about what my former boss had written. She listened as I explained my side and then she encouraged me to write to my former boss to clear myself as she didn't want to get entangled by whatever she meant by her word. It was so nice of my boss to treat me with respect.

My former boss replied very nicely too. And knowing me as a person and as an employee, she said a line that really struck me with awe about her person, "it takes time to know people". She also assured me that she had confidence in me as a person with Integrity. How very kind of her. I have never come across a person like her in my whole life.

Years later, I had no idea that our path would cross again. I said 'again' because since I left home to move to a much bigger city to study Pharmacy, I had never been back home to my province in a long long time. No one in my place had known what I was up to, including my past two employers.

In 1977 the Federation of Pharmaceutical Association of the Philippines held a Convention in Cebu City. One of its symposium venues was our college campus in Southwestern University. It was in conjunction to this event that I was asked by Mrs. Gloria Chan Abbu, the College Theta Chapter Adviser, to represent our College of Pharmacy to the Junior Pharmaceutical Association meetings; hence my presence was always needed in the campus. In actuality, I did not belong to any Student Government body but later, and why of all the people, the Theta Chapter Adviser had asked me.

So it was on this occasion while I was walking to the Library when I accidentally bumped into my first old boss. Her name is Mrs Perla Yu Garcia.

During Mrs. Garcia's lunch break, she took me to a nice restaurant and we had a lovely time catching up and filling news and stories about those lost times we didn't hear from each other. I was very pleased to see her and she was feeling proud of me when she learned that I was studying her field of profession. Naturally, she was surprised with my academic pursuit, at the same time was also very pleased.

Probably my Incidental Responsibility or task at school was meant to be or I won't see my former boss.

In December of that same year, my boss husband's Auntie whom we fondly called "Apong" meaning 'Grandma', underwent an Eye Surgery in the hospital owned by Protestant Church which was just across the road from my boarding house. I was notified of her confinement, and I went to visit the grand old lady.

Looking at the haggard countenances of my boss' husband, nephew and a niece, I offered my voluntary service to look after their patient so they could be reprieved from overfatigue. In my country, a close relative is allowed to keep vigil with the patient so if anything happens someone has to alert the medical staff immediately. There was no buzzer in those days.

I did it in gratitude to their kindness as the whole family had been so kind to me during my stay with them as part of my employment. Mrs. Garcia was a very lenient and understanding employer. I never heard her raise her voice to her workers.

Her husband was a doctor. He had his own clinic beside the Pharmacy of my boss, where I worked. I would say, I had a very good relationship with this beautiful boss who also had a kind heart and a beautiful soul. And so her family too.

She graduated Cum Laude in Bachelor of Arts in Silliman University and Magna Cum Laude in Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in San Carlos University.

Many years later, after settling down in Australia, I renewed my communication with her and we had few letter exchanges. That communication was extended to Imelda, her younger daughter and is Nang Perla's (as we fondly addressed her) perfect replica, who at that time was already a medical practitioner. To me, Mrs Garcia or Nang Perla is an unforgettable person and a much respected employer.

That quote above will always stay in my memory. I have been dealing with many people in my life, and after some lessons after lessons I learned from my experiences good or bad, bitter or sweet, I can fully understand what she meant by "It takes time to know people". And it did take time to sink her wise words in my head.

The world needs someone like you Mrs Garcia. You are an Ideal Person to me. I hope to see you all again. I wonder what the kids are looking like these days. They must be their own adults now for sure. Would like to visit you one day when I'll come home to our homeland. I feel so homesick.

With my deepest respect,

Random Guests

2009-08-01T00:14:00.006+10:00

They came on short notice. Is that exaggeration? No, I was given an hour's notice via cell phone call that they were coming. I was busy loading pictures in my new blog I just created and I couldn't leave the uploading till done.

My place was a bit disorderly but not messy, not that anyone cares. Thankfully, I have all the washing hung on the line outside, and the dishes done. There's only one thing I did not do. I did not cook. But that is not a crime for me to fear about.

Lately, I am in the mood to stick on a salad diet. But I did not even prepare any salad at all. I just thought, I will rest my system from eating. So I exist on crackers, water and a cup of tea for a change. I didn't feel hungry even.

Since the wedding, I did not see much of the new couple except two weekends where I saw them in the church. Poor fellows. They have to work very hard. They did not even get the chance of enjoying a honeymoon phase.

Since part of the work happened to be nearby my area, they decided to get some Thai noodles and my favourite vegetarian fried rice and came over to my place. We ate what they brought in. While eating, we also engaged in our usual family conversation called catching up. This kind of family scenario seldom happens.

After eating, I served ourselves a nice hot cuppa tea with a helping of sliced Apple Custard Tea Cake that I bought from the Blue Mountains, a place called Katoomba.

While having a cuppa and a nibble of the Tea Cake, we You Tube the Wedding Dance Entrance of Jill and Kevin's Big Day. It got a hit of more than 12 million viewers. Talk about You Tube obsession.

Before they left, the three of us gave the six gorgeous two-weeks and four days old kitties affectionate cuddles. They are all so cute and beautiful. My girl wanted to sneak out one kitten. I said, it's not ready to be weaned from the mother yet.

They did not stay long. They live far from me and need good rest after a busy week.

It will be ages before I'll receive another random guests. My daughter in Orange did that a week ago. I think my children are trying to recompense the lost times with me.

Cheers!

A Day with Rameshian Dental Work

2009-07-29T11:16:00.027+10:00

I have plenty to write, but am not in my element to write. I rely too much on memory. Sometimes memory fails.

Yesterday was another day with a dentist. I got good commendation for the improvement I have been showing. Something was removed with care and I felt no pain.

As in the past, I always tried to be a good and cooperative patient. I am not a hard one to be dealt with. This could be the reason why I have been giving extra special care by three dental interns who handled me starting from Sandijah.

Things were explained to me before treatment was administered. Above all, my well-being was always their prime concern whether I was in good spirit or if I was having heart discomfort. I did tell them my previous medical history about my heart.

But they were surprised to know that I am not taking any medications at all. I simply said, it's all cleared up. So the doctor said, "Stop!"

When I felt ready, I was given a topical anesthesia followed by a nasty sharp needled anesthetic. I didn't feel anything at all. Even when the grinding was in progress, no discomfort was ever felt. So the young new dentist who is now handling me was working smoothly without interruption. His name is Ramesh. I thought he is Egyptian (sshhh as he looks like one, lol). No I won't tell you what he is. But he is good, well-spoken, a fine gentleman and friendly.

Anyway, he booked me for four appointments including that of yesterday. It will be good as I'll be away for a long holiday this October. I have been looking forward to this trip. And time is coming so fast. The moment August is done and September takes over, I'll tell you, days will roll by like a fast forward tape and zoom to October through December and another year begins.

Back to Ramesh, Julie, another dental intern came to assist him. Their low conversation made a positive destruction for me to while away the thought of being manipulated in my mouth. I guess, we have to go through this stage once in our life. It's part of the cycle.

Since it was a promising good day, and the anesthesia left a soporific effect on me, I fell asleep while on board the train and I ended up in the middle of nowhere to the Blue Mountains. I was uncertain where to take off and go for a walk about somewhere. I could not make up my mind so I decided to stop in Katoomba of all the places I could think of.

The Intercity Train I took to Katoomba showing the Upper Interior

The Intercity Train Basement
Katoomba Railway Ticket Office
The underpass from railway platform to the City of Katoomba.

Again, I wore the wrong outfit and I did not have my winter coat considering that Katoomba has the highest elevation point in New South Wales. Naturally, it was freezing up there but I still dared to brave on and enjoyed my hour walk about only in town. I am going to go back there because the price of the lamb chops in the butcher shop is very cheap. Great for grilling and barbecue!

I managed to take few photos using Eric. Some are good and some are not good, but I still keep them nevertheless.

Mr Pickwick's Garage Sale Shop - everything is sold for only A$4. One item in set is considered as one. And for a bargain, any three items you pick is only worth A$10.

I went inside a huge Garage Sale shop and browsed for old bric a brac. There was one item that I like but I refrain from spending. I thought I can still do without. Luckily, I did not bring much money and I also refrained from drawing money in the bank, so that helped with my spending control management.

It's on this shelf that I found the bric a brac I like. I hope it is still there when I go back, when? I don't know. Maybe tomorrow? I'll see. The staff allowed me to take this photo. He is the bloke in this photo.

However, I bought a nice Apple Custard Tea Cake and meat pie for my lunch which I ate when I returned to the station. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of minute that I missed the train back to the city. So I had to put up with the cold air while there and trying to amuse myself by taking more photos of the sky and about the station whatever caught my fancy.

The Inter City Train

I was watching this Pigeon. I told this cheeky bird to stay put so I could take the picture. So far, it's not too bad. It is one of The Waiting Passengers.

When the train stopped in Blacktown, I took off and found that my bank has moved so I had to find it down in Level 1, drew out some money and bought some fruits. (Later today), I have to go out again and pay my bill. Or else, I can't keep my blogs going.

I suggest or highly recommend you dear readers to click on Katoomba's link above where it will take you to a Poem of which Henry Lawson wrote, "The Blue Mountains". The website is owned by Creative Spirits. As you scroll down, you can contact the owner of this great and informative website. I have signed the Guestbook there myself.

Anyhow, I came home still feeling drowsy. So I had a long night sleep...until the phone rang. Good Wednesday to you all.

Cheers!

Simply Voices

2009-07-24T04:33:00.014+10:00

Blacktown Civic Center Social Auditorium
Simply voices is a Senior Choir group in Blacktown founded by Ken and Marge Freeman.

Ken and Marge
They are a couple bit beyond their prime time who just love singing. Ken used to play an instrument and later decided to sing instead of bugging his fingers with a musical gadget that I forgot to take note of.

By the way, I was meaning to post this right on the day I joined in about close to three weeks now. While the voice is simple, my voice won't simply come out from my head figuratively speaking. I've been wondering why I have difficulty writing this topic?

Or am I paying the consequence of putting this writing off in favour of doing other menial tasks? I hope today, I'll be able to complete this and be able to post and be done with it. I'll try harder.

Last Monday was my second week in the choir. I found this group advertised in Blacktown's free fortnightly circulation that was left in the Gazebo bench of our small village. I call our compound a little village of "old" people. I said 'old' because many of the residents refused to admit me as someone 'old' like them. Most of them reckon I don't belong in this category because of my errrr...younger looking 'look'. haha. But I insisted that this is the place just right for me!

My Little Village
In this tiny village, the main entrance for wayfarers is the Gazebo. It is here where we collect our daily mail.

The Gazebo
Anyhow, I rang the number of the choir's advertisement and a friendly lady answered the phone. I asked few questions and there was no complicated requirement for a prospective member to join in.

All that was required is the love of singing. No audition, no experience necessary. I was told to just come and learn to sing along new songs for fun. All kinds of skin are welcome. Yet, it took me two more weeks since I made the call to finally joined, and, without regret.

As I found out, Simply Voices is managed by volunteers. It is aimed to promote good health among old people through singing.

With over 40 members coming from multicultural background, I found the warm friendliness of this great age group ranging from 55 to 85 years old and whose passion for singing is not hampered by their old age.

I've also learned from Linda Marr, the Choir Director, that our choir group is being closely monitored by a research group as a participant in a research study: Old Age Health Fitness and Well-Being Through Singing.

Linda Marr, Choir Director.
It's still a long way to go for the research group to come to a conclusion of this study; yet, there's already signs of positive improvement among the seniors in the choir regarding their social, intellectual, and physical health by adapting an interactive outlook in life using the group singing medium.

I personally haven't much interaction with the community in general other than occasional solitary outing where I am privileged to meet and talk to people, mainly strangers, for casual conversations. Every now and then, I am also involved with helping people who needs my help. But that kind of social interaction is pretty restrictive.

For now, I am staying put with the Alto. For a few songs, I am required to join the Soprano. It's fun to meet and make new friends. We always perform exercises before we proceed with our choir practice.

Cheers!

Good Morning in my Daylight Dreamtime from an Old Post

2009-07-21T12:47:00.016+10:00

Note: This was originally written and posted in Myspace. That network profile of mine was hacked. And how pleased I am to find this being posted by me in another blog forum and that I managed to keep this in a secret folder. I feel so relieved to be reunited with my old writings to which this is the second that I dug somewhere.

by Dreamtime on Mon Jan 16, 2006

"There still are quiet places from cities far away.
Where, in leafy corners, beauty holds its sway.
There nature whispers to the heart.
Truths only she can ever impart."

~ Anon from the short poem Green Thoughts

It is a refreshing cool morning today. As usual, my morning ritual is looking out of the window from my room watching the birds chirping noisily as they busy themselves flying to and fro and hopping from tree to tree.

They nest abundantly which are now becoming more populated in branches and twigs. I could have fed them bread right on my palm as they frolic in the gutter and on the rooftop. Oh how cute they can be as they charm my heart and make me smile.

They are just little birds for the kookaburras are long gone already. These laughing stocks (kookaburra) are my clocks alerting me that daylight will soon break after dawn. Meanwhile, the little birds are free as they hop and swing on tiny little branches playing their own trapeze so marvellous in my eyes.

Kookaburra

This is the tree where my twitter friends nest
The rare connifer above has changed colour from lemon yellow to now dark tangerine; which reminds me, I need to take a new photo of it to post here one day.

Last night, my peaceful sleep was interrupted by the pelting of a soft rain; yet, audible enough to beckon me to look out of my window again. This is a welcome habit for me to keep my thoughts pure away from cyber distraction.

I must go now and cook some pancakes. This is a weekend ritual served with strawberry and homemade apple stew and topped with maple syrup.

The girls are planning something for the day, so this will be a solitary life again though there's plenty to do. I was just thinking of my garden that needs a bit of my tender loving care. The plants obviously have missed my voice.

Maybe later, play a bit in the organ and sing like a crazy disenchanted mermaid. See you folks... such a life from down under.

I look at the sky and the clouds too. The rain clouds are still hovering for another rain to fall any minute now. And the wind brings soft breeze making the feel so cool, peaceful and fresh.

It is good that we are seemly getting regular rain which is rather unusual; for this time of year, the sweltering heat of the season is not my best friend at all. It won't be long now that most of the areas will be completely sunburnt and the sight will convert into a dusty coloured desert, so lifeless.

Meanwhile, my flying visitors are back on my rooftop. I need to say hello to them. Perhaps they'll sing me their song and they better delight my chirping spirit.

(Written November 5, 2005 In my daylight Dreamtime)

Cheers!

~ Friendship, Love and Prayers .... thematic in theory, are they put into action?~