One Tortilla Dinner Sunday

It's one of those family Sundays.

There are some weekends where we just decide to cook something extra-ordinary when we don't have a scheduled family brunch with my brothers and their families. Got started with going to the grocery to get ingredients for home-made tortilla.

The recipe I followed for basic tortilla:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder
1 T shortening (we used canola oil)
1/2 cup water

Mix dry ingredients in a stainless bowl followed by your shortening, then slowly add water. We tripled the recipe and sa totoo lang, didn't keep track of the oil and water that we used heheh. After mixing, we left it covered in the bowl for about 15 minutes, before we emptied a wine bottle (yup, my rolling pin decided to hide himself), that we used for rolling.  Andee helped in dusting the table with flour and rolling the tortilla dough before I 'cooked' it in a heated frying pan.  We made about 22 pieces of tortilla.

I cooked the ground beef as usual, parang pang-spaghetti lang, Although I also added Chili con Carne mix (McCormick's ata yun).  Sometimes I use Taco Mix, other wise, you can season it with cumin, basil and Italian seasoning (Italian seasoning?!? so much for mexican flair).  And as usual, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, white onions and grated cheese.  We can't find sour cream, and we even forgot to make do with mayonnaise with garlic.  Ok pa rin.  Swak na swak!

It's a TVI World

September 1, 2012.

Today I'm going back to the hospital for a follow-up and (at last) get my 'fit to'work' from my doctor. More than 2 weeks ago, I was sent home from the office due to conjunctivitis. Four days later, I was confined, diagnosed with systemic viral infection.  To make the long story short, 2 1/2 weeks out of work is such a burden for someone like me: a solo parent of 10 years, with a 14 year old daughter, now 2nd year high school,  and a 10 year old son, who now stays at home and is out of school.

 I was getting ready at 8am to go to the hospital when I overheard Nanay talking about travelling and discounts at hotel and resorts.

With the new 'It's more fun in the Philippines' DOT campaign, nakaka-enganyo talagang magtravel and go visit and experience other places locally.  Being a bit of a wanderlust, having to join a travel club at my former work, enjoying team building activities and trips, as well as having to go on road trips with the bf,  the idea of getting discounts struck me.

"Uy, ano yan, Nanay?"
"Ah.  ito yung dinala ako ni Tita Sandy mo last night sa Mcdo dyan sa highway."
"Ano yung discounts?"
"Travel club siya na pag member ka, may mga discounts ka sa hotels and resorts dito pati abroad.  And saya nga ng orientation eh.  Ngayon lang ako naka-attend ng ganong klase na masaya."
"Talaga? May membership fee?"
"Oo, 16k ata yun. Pero lifetime na."
"Lifetime? parang nag Palawan lang ako ng 3D/2N ah?!? Gusto ko yan.  Kelan ulit seminar?"
"Meron ata mamayang hapon sa Masinag 2:30pm."
"Sige, sige.  Gusto ko yan! Samahan mo ako, Nanay, ha? Ha? Ha? Hintaying mo ko pag ko uwi galing hospital."

And that was it.

The bf fetched me from the hospital and I asked him if we could attend this seminar with Nanay. He, being very skeptical in things like memberships, or sales, or networking, had no other choice but to tag along.

The speaker who talked about TVI at that time was (I'm so sorry, I forgot his name) a Commissary Manager from Jolibee.  With his explanation about the membership and the bonus vacations, solve na ako.  Then came Pam Apostol, who talked about the business side.  I was totally dumb-founded. Was this too good to be true? Oyen Redondo came next and talked about her experience.  Wow.  Yun lang a ng masasabi ko. WOW.

"Sali tayo."
Huh? I was surprised when the bf whispered suddenly. "Sali tayo." Talaga? Mr. Skeptical wants to join? This must mean something!

Yup! It's going to be more fun in the Philippines. Gorabels TVI!

Visit My TVI World by Andriego as I document my journey with TVI.

Systemic Viral Infection

Many viruses cause systemic infections. A systemic infection is one which may involves multiple systems (organs) in the body.For example the virus may enter the body through the respiratory tract and initially cause some minor upper respiratory symptoms but then it may enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body.

I am unable to locate an appropriate definition to this culprit that had me confined for 4 days -- after being sent home from work on a Thursday, four Emergency Room visits and five blood tests.

It started out with conjunctivitis and I was sent home half-day. That was Emergency Room visit #1.  Emergency Room visit #2 came a few hours into the same evening when rashes began to appear everywhere-- arms, face, torso, legs.  My right ankle began to swell too. Blood test #1.  No fever, but a little tired and a feeling of getting the flu. Sent home afterwards, gave me something for the itch.  The doctor asked me to come back if I get the flu.  Diagnosis was Non-Specific Viral Exanthem.

That was Thursday, the 16th.

My 3rd Emergency Room visit was Saturday, the 18th.  My right leg is swollen from the ankle up to just above the knees.  It is painful to the touch, parang may pasa ang sakit paghinawakan. Parang minamanas, pero siksik siya.  Bloodtest #2.  They said that they will check for Rhematoid Arthritis.  Gave me Celebrex and advised me to visit my doctor on Monday.

Monday came, the 20th.  A holiday.  No Out Patient Department, and the HMO office is closed.  Went to the Emergency Room for my visit #4.  The doctor there remembers me.  My right leg is still swollen, and so is my left.  Both arms are now numb and my hands are swollen. Oops, so it's not arthritis after all! There goes blood test #3.  Guess they found nothing because I made room for blood test #4 on my other arm.  Nothing.  No fever.  Potassium okay.  Tests came out negative.  Had my liver checked, thyroid... still none.  They decided to admit me instead.  Okay.

We opted for a 4-bedroom ward, deciding not to wait for a private room.  This was a tiring day.  It's a good thing that my bed is on the farthest part of the room.

The next day, I was attended to by my doctor around lunch time.  After that, I said hello to blood test #5.

I can't remember what tests I've been through as there were a bunch of letters, like CBC, SRA, TFT, ESR etc., etc. Anyways, on the 3rd day, I was given Prednisone.  The swelling lessened almost immediately, though I began to experience headaches.--- side effect.

I was then discharged last Thursday, the 23rd, and advised to visit for a follow-up on Saturday the 25th.  Finally I was given a 'fit to work' for Monday.

Monday morning, the 27th. yesterday.  Woke up with an extreme headache with half of my face swollen. So much for 'fit to work'.

Lola's 92nd

It was a wonderful Sunday family lunch at the Barrio Fiesta restaurant along Marcos Highway.  This is because we are celebrating in advance, Lola's 92nd birthday (Her birthday is August 15).  

After candle blowing, Lola shared a poem for us as her 'speech', which incidentally, was her speech as well on her 80th birthday.:

BIRTHDAY MESSAGE TO MY FAMILY
By Carolina F. San Juan

If you are going to love me, love me now while I still can sense the sweet and tender feelings from real affection flow.

Love me now while I'm still living!

Do not wait 'til I am gone...
to chisel in marble...
warm "love" words in ice cold stone.

If you have dear and sweet words about me...
whisper them to me now..
It would truly make me happy
and glad as I can be...

If you wait 'til I am sleeping,
never to wake up again...
There will be walls of earth and dust between us..
I will never hear them then!

I wont feel or need your kind caresses when the grass grow on my face..
I will no longer crave for love nor embraces...
in my final resting place...

So... then... if you love me any, even just a little bit..
Let me know... that you love me and care while I am living.
So I can own and treasure it.

Love you, Lola! and Happy 92nd birthday!

New look.

My Scratch Pad's getting a new look!

I'm saying goodbye to the old blog layout I made for My Scratch Pad. This is going to be the 3rd time I'm changing the layout.

Blogger.com has come up with beautiful lay-outs that I've never taken advantage of till now. A lot has changed after almost 3 years (since I last posted), and I'm looking forward to coming back!

Diego's 10th at Moshi-Moshi

It was a fine Friday for 10 year-old Diego.  

Just the day before, he blew his candle on the birthday cake his Tita Angge got for him.

Because he loves Japanese food, read: Teriyaki Boy, we decided to take him to a different Japanese restaurant along Katipunan Ave., Moshi-Moshi, after we saw them on the Deal Grocer site.  We went over for an early dinner.  Moshi-Moshi is located at the 2nd floor of the Regis Center along Katipunan Avenue in front of Ateneo.  They are of the same building with Gold's Gym.  As always, parking can be very tricky. We had to go around twice before finding a great spot (their parking is full).  The restaurant's green and cream interiors are very pleasant to the eye.

Their bento box is very filling, it includes Gyudon, Chicken Karaage, Shrimp Roll, and Takoyaki. With unlimited ice cream, Diego had the time of his life, serving after serving after serving.

Senior moments

Hanggang iling na lang ako.

While evaluating calls at work, sometimes the system is just so congested that you'll end up 'behind schedule' and 'behind quota'.  It's hard enough that my agents now are US-based and you are in the mercy of the tools you have. Unlike my previous job where you have the option to go side-by-side with your agents or remote monitoring when there is an issue with the system, here, you're a sitting duck.

It was one of those days that there were some Quality Analysts experiencing difficulties with the recordings.  No, that should not happen to me.  But it did.  After my first break, I pulled up one recording after the other.  No audio.  Hmmm.  Reset. Re-launch program.  Video okay, but still no audio.  I'm now getting irritated because of this, asking my team mates if they where experiencing the same thing. This is about to ruin my day.

Standing up from my station to report it found me stopping in my tracks and giving me a palmslap across my forehead.  Kaya pala.

I found out that I was not wearing my headset.  Geeeshh!!

Fireworks and Jambalaya: PyroMusical Show at the MOA

Fireworks and Jambalaya.

We are on a trio trek to the Mall of Asia. Today is the 1st day of the 3rd Philippine International PyroMusical Competion. This Ensogo treat gave me the chance to take the kids out for an experience I'm sure they'll enjoy.  We've no ride so we first took the LRT Purple line from Santolan to Cubao, then an MRT ride from Cubao to Taft.  From there, we took a shuttle to MOA. We made sure to be early, knowing how the lines would be long.  Left Marikina a little after noontime, and had late lunch at Gumbo's.  Andee and Diego (and me!) enjoyed trying on their assortment of hats and head pieces whule waiting for our food.

The show starts at 8pm, and we were in line at 4pm.  Grabe. Daming tao. When we got through the gate, it was running frenzy for everyone.  Can't stop laughing.  You get to make friends with other people whole in line.  One family brought umbrellas and mats, and coolers! They said that they come every year and watch ALL of the shows.

With the long wait, it is really best to have someone fun to spend time with while waiting.  Andee and Diego kept themselves entertained watching boats, birds, and ripples on the water.

For today, South Korea and Malta competes.  I just wish that they improve their sound system.  It's a totally different experience when fireworks and music synchronize.  This is also one instance when you wish you had a really, really, really good camera with you!

That was fun! Again, again, again!