Birthday Month

         My life isn't perfect, but these imperfections has made me who I am today. Thank you dear God for these trials and more so with your blessings pouring in everyday. Thank for surrounding me with family and friends, who would bear me and love me unconditionally. So much for being cheesy. Happiest birthday month to me!

Great Time with Good Friends

         You know how it is when you stopped for too long and you want to be back. It's quite hard starting the first few lines and afterwards it gets natural already. That's how it is I suppose, when you really love writing, you will always come back to it. My husband actually asked me how my blog was because I suddenly stopped, lol. I guess when you've got too much in your hands, you'll get to spill a few then just pick it up later.

          This is quite a throwback since this happened sometime March when summer was just starting. T'was a birthday treat from a good friend spent at a condo overnight then we came malling the next day.

           This was a fun-filled day with my two bff's. Because we are girls-at-heart, we enjoyed swimming, malling and chatting 'til midnight.

31st of 365

          January has gone by pretty fast. I'm almost done with my day. The 31st of 365.  We have not moved on yet with the Miss Universe coronation yesterday. News feeds on social media and news on TV are still mostly filled with the scenes from the pageant. The questions from Miss U's Top 6 Q & A have been a hit too, lol. If you were to be asked, how would you answer this. 

          "What is the most significant change you've seen in the world for the last ten years?"

          If I were in the competition, honestly, I could have just fainted there. hahaha! Good thing, I'm not tall enough for pageants. But seriously my answer would have been, "Advanced means of communication. You can easily call anyone, anytime just as long as you have an internet connection, much so with video calls. Messages thru different social media accounts are very easy too. These have helped a lot of people all over the world especially those who are working far away from their families or home communicate. It's a big advantage too for businesses. Thank you."

          So, now I've got my own answer. I can move on.

Last Christmas

       I hope its not a bit too late. The last month of 2016 has given my family lovely memories and happy gatherings. Plus of course, a sea of happy photos to cherish.

My husband and I

Cousins!

Weekend Habit

Oh it's the precious weekend once again, I'm always kinda looking forward for these two rest days called Saturday and Sunday. I get to do my other engagements and hobbies during these days.

This is the view we have from the garage we built. We usually rise early morning on Saturdays and Sundays to eat breakfast there, fix and weed the garden, then relax.

Project: Fencing!

I've been away longer than I anticipated but there's no trip or travel that I've been busy with. I have just been busy with some other things and also from watching The Walking Dead Season 6 episodes at www.rainierland.com. Meanwhile, I would just like to share with you our fencing project and garage project. I hope it will be finished soon.

Some two weeks after, I also have photos and this is the development.

Hope to developed this lot in the near future! Oh how I wish we have more than enough funds.

Hakuna Matata

         The first day of 2016 has arrived. And this year, I would like to put greater time doing the things I love doing, my passions. There are several of it, but I would like to practice discipline now and time management no matter what. I'm afraid I worried too much for other things I really have no control of and probably would not even get credited for, so right now, I will still be the old me, concerned and responsible, but maybe I will just let things be, besides, I'm freed the last quarter of the year, so Thank you Lord God! You are giving me enough time to do the things I love. Sorry cannot elaborate much! hahaha!

          When I say time management, I'm thinking of my online business, my blog and my garden. These passions of mine have made me survived stress and have somehow saved me financially too, so they deserve my time, don't they? 

My blog

I assume I have a responsibility to my followers and friends to have regular posts with a minimum of one or two in a week. So now, I think the draft section on my blog would and should always be filled. I admit I will just make post during my free time and would not do so in weeks if I'm in no mood. 2016 will change that (God I hope!). And a more quality post and photos will surely come your way too. I've known that by now. I have to give the best I can if I want to stay and not just fill the blanks with so-so posts. I've been wanting to put up a blog a long time ago but I do not know how to start up, 2015 has given me that. It has made me start up and I just love it. I see my heart in it. So, a more serious (but still funny) Bulakenya blogger will come your way this 2016.

Lilac Angel

Oh well, you might be thinking what that is, that's the name of my online store. I chose it because I want to, hahaha, but seriously I chose it because it is close to my real name, and I want the name of my store sounding like my real one, so that's how shallow the story was hahaha! I have put it aside too last year, resulting to my sales lowering and the facebook followers of my store thinning up. Of course who would want to follow a dormant store. I still have plenty of stocks now and I promise the sun I'm going to clear it all out as soon as I can and purchase for more. I'm even planning to put up my own designs because I'm a craft lover. But that is not a promise yet, I will still look for designs and materials to start up with. I realize now should always be the time to start and make it big. Nothing comes off just as easy. Hard work will give it all to you. So, hopefully, lazy me, go away please!

Not-So-Secret Garden

My love for nature and gardening is not a secret. I really am considerably an old school liking and appreciating these things. But, well, I will continue doing so. I've grown in a huge yard with lots of trees and plants and animals and fresh air, so now you could understand why I would grow old still loving these things. My time for gardening will still be, as it was before, every morning when I wake up, weekends or weekdays. It just relieves me from stress. Seeing things grow and flourish in front of my very eyes. I would just like to beautify my plants more by making more compost because the soil is where the plants get their nutrients. 

I saw the mangoes already fruiting! Just a few more days and they will turn yellow and ready for some delicious smoothies.

  
Our New Nipa Home 
 No, there's no photo yet because it will still be purchased. My husband and I are planning to build our dream home one day at that field I featured in one of my post, so I could own a bigger garden and he could raise more animals, but that's a lot of money, so for now a native bahay kubo (nipa hut) will do. Our funds will go first to the fences to cover up the areas which is quite big. And this is what's giving me enough reasons to get serious with things, a little earning will add so much to our funds. I'm excited to wake up one day listening to the singing birds and looking at the lovely blooms, only an imagination for now, one to two years and it will be reality. God bless us! Don't worry guys, it was not too far from civilization, it is just a few walks away from where I am now but it's not beside the highway, like where we live now, and we'll have a wifi for sure.

Hakuna Matata

A lot of plans eh? Like I said, inevitable things happen, no matter how much you've planned it. I've never forgotten the Disney movie I watched countless times The Lion King, and the song in there has been kept within me, Hakuna Matata. Just enjoy and do the things that makes us happy. Let's put it all out! Love, live, learn! No worries!

Happy 2016 my loves!!!

I Never Knew Halloween 'Til I'm Old

This is a fact for me. Trick or Treats and Halloween parties are western cultures we have learned to adapt here in my country. The children of these days now enjoy these kind of celebrations. During my childhood, I never really knew about Halloween, honestly, what we have here in my country is the All Saint's Day every November 1st and All Soul's Days every 2nd of the same month. But I've had my share of fun memories of our own "Halloween".

Watching Magandang Gabi Bayan's Horror Special.

Horror stories are popular at this time, so every year it is a tradition for this popular documentary show to feature true horror stories that won't make you sleep at night. I would remember my cousins and I would sit down the couch and watch this yearly, then hide our faces if it's getting so scary. We have food in front of us and would sometimes shout altogether if an ugly creature would appear on the re-enactment. We will also share our own "make-up" ghost story as well (because now I know it's all made-up hahaha!).

Buying candles and flowers for our dead loved ones.

It is our tradition to visit our loved ones who has already joined our creator in the cemetery every year, so during the eve of this day every mall or market are jam packed because every one's buying flowers and candles. It's not like the fun you feel during christmas shopping but still its a hype. I've always love choosing colored candles and the prettiest flower arrangements until now.

November 1st.

There's only a few November first in my life where I have not gone to the cemetery to visit our dead family members. It also serves as a mini reunion too because everyone's there and it's always a holiday.
There we bring flowers and candles, we also pray. It is almost always a festive atmosphere because everyone's there, former classmates and friends, you will see them walking around visiting their dead as well or buying food because there are also vendors everywhere.

November 2nd.

Not much event during this day but this used to be a holiday so we always have our much needed rest from all our ghost stories and imaginations that there were really creatures of other dimensions everywhere and they were more powerful during the night. hahaha!


These dates, I've been seeing Halloween activities on kids school, trick or treats on villages plus there are also a lot of mall activities. Nonetheless, the Halloween I knew back then was fun too.

This was a photo of my nephew two years ago during a school Halloween event.

My Birthday Post!

I will forever be grateful for the life God has blessed me with. Thank you Lord for showering me, my family and friends continuous blessings all year round, for trying to strengthen me thru Your challenges and just for giving me a wonderful life.

Fam i love!

My fave pix

with the husband

My two bffs

My July

It's now the end of the month and like I did last month I'll have a re-cap of what has gone through with my month of July.

1. 77th!!

It was my mother's 77th birthday last July 22. We only had a simple celebration but my mom was real happy when I posted this photo of her on facebook wearing a hand-me-down dress from my cousin and the huarache Crocs from another cousin also. I made her see all people who took time to greet her and liked her picture and she was just so glad. Thank God for giving her 77 strong years!

2. Tomatoes.

Because I garden, I'm happy to share with you my tomatoes. It has now grown and has a budding flower. I'll let your see for sure if it will give me lots of fruits.

3. Cancelled trips.

My friends slash colleagues planned two trips that were both cancelled because of the heavy rains. The first was the Manaoag - Baguio trip but was cancelled due to the nonstop monsoon rains. The other was the one I called the "Manila tour" where we planned to go to Quiapo, Baywalk, Binondo and Divisoria but that day was welcomed with a gloomy rainy morning so we had to choice but to cancel.

4. Gone too soon.

My college friend passed away just last week and I was teary-eyed upon hearing about it. She was the first person who approached the very quiet me on our first day of classes and she has remained my friend since then. I regret that on the days that I've missed her I didn't push thru seeing her. I will forever miss you my dear friend!

My beautiful college friends. I will miss you Bheck! (The pretty girl in light blue sleeveless top).

 5. Beautiful people!

It was happiness seeing the people I see everyday for four years during college. I have just missed them so. It feels like we didn't actually age at all.

6. Mockingjay 2, Fear the Walking Dead.

At long last, I've seen the trailer of Mockingjay 2. I am just so excited to see it this November.
A new TV series showing how the zombie apocalypse started will be aired this August. I just hope I can download it here in the Philippines the soonest.

7. Movie fun. Happy faces.

We watched the local movie The Break-up Playlist at the nearest cinema.

So, there goes my July. It's been bittersweet. I expect August will be a tough month for me and my work. Lord, please guide me. God bless us!

So here goes my June

The month of June has been a beautiful blogging experience for me as at this month I was able to find new blogger friends and gained 20 followers. I would just like to recap what has kept me busy.

1. Garden.

I love gardening too much I spent more and more of my free time at my garden. My husband and I bond during weekend mornings to remove the grown weeds and grasses and re-arrange the few pots we have. I've read somewhere or at another blog that gardening brings out some happy hormones so I assume that's why I'm happy inspite of the stress I'm having from work. I was also able to find the Vietnam Rose or what we call "alembong" here at a friend's garden. Likewise, I have bought adenium plants online shipped via LBC which are all now sitting on my pots outside.

2. Staycation.

Had one last June 12 while we are on a National Holiday. It was my husband's office company outing and I squeezed in. Glad I did. Needed some change of surroundings even for a night.

3. Wedding.

My husband and I attended a wedding at a nearby place but apparently we have not been able to take photos because it rained very hard.

4. First Birthday.

Another party we have attended along with my cousin and nephew was at my "Inaanak's" (goddaughter) 1st birthday held at Shakey's Quezon Ave. Here's a photo with my beautiful friends.

5. Buffet bonding.

Had my stomach filled with delicious native dishes at Bale Capampangan and burned it afterwards by walking around Marquee mall.

6. Proud Bulakenya.

Made a facebook page exclusive for my blogging. So my blogger friend's you may start liking it now. I chose this account name because I'm a Bulacan (Philippines) native and I'm proud of it. I learned also that you can have a facebook page at the same time a personal account using just one email. You can just switch it anytime depending on the account you wish to use.

7. Dress.

Bought a new cutie dress at Maldita (a local brand) at a very low price.

8. Cataract.

My father will be scheduled for a cataract surgery next month.He's already had one around five years ago at another eye. At the photo here he is trying for a fashion blogger pose I assume with our baby goat Mocha.

9. Celphone.

I bought my teenage nephew a new celphone since I think it is a necessity now for teenagers to have their own so they could be contacted while they're with friends.

10. Selfie.

A confessed selfie addict here. Never missed a month without a selfie.

Welcome July!

Buffet Lunch at Bale Capampangan

Our unit has planned this buffet lunch and glad it was pushed through. We have eaten there at Bale Capampangan a couple of times before and we were satisfied so I guess that's why we keep coming back. We chose Saturday buffet lunch that only being served between 11 am to 3 pm. They mostly serve native Filipino delicacies.

This is the buffet table. Some exotic dishes are served like a duck dish, sweet and sour frog and the one I've eaten a lot and my favorite, the "Balot" steak. Other Filipino popular dishes like Kare-kare and Pakbet are also present. On the left side of the table, pickled bitter melons, green mangoes and cucumbers are placed including some condiments and the shrimp paste we call "bagoong." On the other corner, I was able to get a load of yummy crispy liempo, a marinated deep fried pork dish, which is also popular here. I was not able to take much photo since the place was jam-packed.

Good thing I was able to take a photo of the balot steak. For those that do not know "balot" It is from  duck eggs which are incubated and then after an ample amount of time, just when the embryo is developing, it will be harvested to get eaten and be served as balot.This is mostly eaten just plain from its shell because its already flavorful, a bit of salt, vinegar or chilli will bring out its best taste.

 

At the far corner of the restaurant, someone is playing the piano.

 

This was a Saturday of full stomach and fun. We went malling and coffeeing after. I think the stress from work I've gotten all week was relieved on this day.

While we were on the road we kept on taking selfies.

The wacky trio. They are my selfie/wacky lover colleagues

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