Goodbye Cave ... Hello House

"Heart don't fail me now. Courage don't desert me. Don't turn back now that we're here..."

'Been renting for twenty-seven years. Moved from one place to another with a total of four apartments that I transformed into a home. 

Moving from one cave to another is exhausting, even for a fierce and independent tiger like me. That's a fact. There is simply too much to do, too much to think of, and too much to worry about especially when the timeline is at stake ... when an eviction notice is issued in the midst of the pandemic recovery ... when the funds are low.

'Twas the 13th of May 2021 when I took my first step out of the cave and showed my Contractor the floor plan to my "not so dream house". Got the design from the internet. My "real dream house" is so expensive that I won't be able to afford it. Time is of the essence and I have to move forward with fingers crossed.

It took three years, six months, seven days, one more move to a new apartment, two court hearings, one road accident, three financial loans, lots of courage and God's amazing grace before I was able to finally transfer to my own house. The 28th November 2023 is such remarkable day!

At last, a dream come true. A very expensive dream come true!

TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY.

 

Building A Tiger's Nest is Never Easy

I stumbled upon the following House Building Tips that I researched and planned to publish here last July 31, 2014.

House Building Tips:

1. Dream
2. Plan
3. Design
4. Re-design
5. Decide
6. Act and implement

More Tips:
1. Ask advice/ideas from those who have already built there own house
2. Research from the internet for some building tips that could help you in your decisions
3. Try to calculate how much is needed to finance your building adventure
4. Visit the prospective institution that could lend you loan and ask for estimate of how much will be the loanable amount and the corresponding interests
5. Learn the standard dimensions needed in your house plan
6. Choose the right contractor
7. Ask for God's intervention
8. Pray that all your plans will come true

Looking back, I think I was able to do all the tips. I dreamed since childhood to have my own abode. I plan a very long time ago when all I can afford is to buy a cheap Jena Cloth for the curtain, I designed my dream house, re-designed more than three times. After the pandemic, when I received the eviction notice, I decided to build. With so much courage and faith in God, I acted and implemented.

Jeremy Renner once said "Building a house is like producing a movie. There's no right way to do it but a lot of wrong ways. You have to be flexible and creative. You have to move fast, be prepared - or it quickly becomes costly."

My house is almost complete. It costs me almost four million pesos, four set of loans, almost empty purse, two-year old heartache and lines on my tiger face. Yet all the struggles are rewarded with an awesome and unexplainable feeling.

Not bad after all.

Truly, we have to pay the price to make our dreams come true!

And I Buried Duchess

Today I am mourning for my Duchess. Her death is so sudden. I can't imagine why it happened when she was so healthy, so energetic.

She had been with me for so many years now ... an uncomplaining companion ... one of the reasons why I have to wake up earlier and not to travel far from home longer for more than two days.

I would miss her patient eyes... her welcoming whine and wagging tail when I or somebody in the family arrives.

I would miss her excitement while waiting for her food ... her appetite to whatever is served in her plate.

She was such a beautiful and good dog 🐕

--oOo--

My dear Duchess...

Thank you for your life. Hope to see you again in the future when I could give yo
u freedom and more love.

We will surely miss you. I will most probably miss you everyday. I am sad you left me so soon. But I am sure, wherever you are right now, you are in good hands. I am sorry if I haven't loved you enough.  until your next lifetime Baby Bats!

When Tomorrow May Never Come

God had a funny way of saying "Take it slow".

Who would have thought that i'd be taking a sick leave for the first time ... for 8 days excluding the long Lenten weekend .... and that was the longest so far.

I thought i was alone then. But on that unforgettable Sunday morning in the 4th of April 2022, the whole of my family (my father's side) and even our chief admin were there to help me through the ordeal.

It was unexpected. 

Never in my dreams have i ever imagined commuting on a peaceful Sunday morning to attend a face-to-face mass at St Joseph Cathedral for the first time after Covid and end up in a vehicular accident because of one wreckless driver ... waited for the medic while my forehead was spilling blood on the wet main street of Butuan City with an injured right foot, then later carried by an ambulance and brought in an emergency section of a hospital, have my foot x-rayed and my eyebrows stitched. 

That was not part of my plan for the day ... much worst was, it ruined my plans for the entire two weeks and even beyond.

Looking back ... that was really close. Thrown two meters off the tricycle and in the middle of the main street was so dangerous. A fast moving vehicle could have run over me and sent me to kingdom come. But i am sure that my guardian angel was able to shield me from greater harm that day. Must be for a reason. Why the second life? 

 

Truly, life is so short then.  Life can end anytime with or without our knowledge.

I could have been dead that very day had God abandoned me. But obviously He doesn't... He was there all the time protecting me from death's claim. 

During times like these, we would know that God is present.. protecting us, loving us and giving us all the chances.

During times like this, we will also know the people that we can really depend on ... people who serves as our guardian angels on earth ... people who are always there when we need them, ready to sympathize, lend a hand, cheer us up and serve as our strength amidst our weakness. .

I am truly blessed that God gave me all of them.

Tomorrow, Easter Sunday,  will be the 14th day of my second life. i pray that i will be able to live it to the fullest ... with the people that truly matters .... according to God's plan ... by God's will.

Today, I finally had the courage to connect my extended right eyebrow and did my first not so straight walk outside, (trying my best not to limp though), drive my car to buy food supplies for the coming work week. Have I felt the brake and the accelerator pedal? I guess not, but I drove slowly still.

My heart did skip a beat, i needed a lot of courage and strength. In the end, it was fun and a victory. I did it! God let me do it again!

To God be all the glory!!

P.S

What would it be like reporting for office on Monday with scars on and a still injured leg? Crossing my fingers to that.

Joy Rides, Anyone?

One morning on my way to work, I was a little bit exasperated with the driver for taking a detour. Delays like this would mean being late for work.  With impatience at high level and anger on hold, I just kept silent and pray it would be for a good reason.  I just really don't want to ruin my day because of one inconsiderate driver. This is one of those times when I wish I got my own car.

Good thing the driver got a very good reason. He just transported one of the commuters at his very doorstep. I have never expected that the handsome young man in front of me is blind. Come to think of it ... he was doing his own marketing alone, hail a motorcycle and trusted the driver to drop him off in his doorstep. I was awed by the trust he gave to strangers and his courage to explore the public market on his own. 

Things like this made me realize that not having my own car is not a bad idea after all. Commuting means experiencing unexpected moments from time to time; meeting different faces with different stories to tell; and a chance to observe the daily grind of people from all walks of life. 

 "To ride or not to ride?" ... is not a complicated question that needs a million dollar answer. Whether you have a car or not, and whether you hail a cab or just merely take a walk to reach your destination, it will always depend on your choice and reason.

And I Named Her Duchess

We have a newly adopted dog. She was named "Gabrielle" by our neighbor. She have been loitering inside our compound for a week or so, meeting people with humble eyes while wagging her tail furiously ... begging for affection ... begging for food and shelter.

While feeding her with Tomiko (my two year-old shih tzu)'s spare dog food yesterday, I wondered

who her keeper is, whether they bothered to feed her or even give her water. It just seemed that nobody owned her. She looked shubby but I know she will be grand if given a bath, food, care and love, 

My dad said, he saw the dog outside the gate, scavenging food at the nearby garbage box. With his permission and knowing that nobody owned her, we adopted her and I named her "Duchess".

My Grands, My Valentines

When I walk with Grandpa,
He always takes his time.
He never says, "let's hurry up!|
His steps seem small like mine.

When I walk with Grandpa,
His eyes see things like mine,
Small butterflies, and fluffy clouds,
twinkling stars that shine.

Most grown-ups seem too rushed,
To take the time to see.
I'm glad that God made Grandpa,
Young at heart like me!

When I walk with Grandma,
Her steps are short like mine.
She doesn't say, "now hurry up!"
She always takes her time.

I like to walk with Grandma,
Her eyes see things like mine,
Wee peebles bright, a funny clouds,
Half hidden drops of dew.

Most people have to hurry,
They do not stop to see...
I'm glad that God made Grandma,
Unrushed and young like me!

My Grands, My Valentines,

I wish you good health all the time.

May the love you've shown to us,

Will last till the end of time.

I wish you Happy Valentines,

May you live longer than you should.

I thank God for having both of you,

As my grandparents, forever true.

Happy Valentines 

Lolo Sikel and Lola Inday.

I am forever thankful for your love.

 

HAPPY

DAY!

 Note: 

Some lines in the first and second paragraphs of the poem are taken from the poems written by Rodney O. Hurd and Elizabeth White