Back to Work

After a four day rest from my day to day job. I just hope and pray that I have gathered enough strength with that four day rest to last me through the next long weekend if there is any :)

Reverse Mortgage

I don’t know if this kind or style of loan is already being offered here in the Philippines, I guess I have to search about it later but it is very much available and popular in other countries like United States. It started in the 1970’s I gathered, to help seniors remain in their home by using their homes’ equity to pay off the mortgage. Through the years, it changed and has grown so popular.

Reverse mortgage allows you to access a portion of the equity in your home to obtain tax-free cash without having to make monthly loan payments. Now that sounds so good right? But is it safe? Yes, it is according to Federal Housing Administration, it is safe.

I like how they thought of the seniors with this style of loan, they said it was signed into law way back in 1988 for the seniors to enjoy their retirement years. Not everyone though is eligible, there are some basic requirements like you must be 62 years old or older.

Reading through the frequently asked questions section of a reverse mortgage site, I learned that they would not take the title of your property, so it remains to be in your hand and your heirs will still have that property as inheritance after the balance of your reverse mortgage is paid off. And if you still have questions, there is a reverse mortgage counselor you can talk to so you can have all your worries and queries discussed with him or her.

I hope this help someone who is currently thinking of getting such kind of loan. I am actually thinking of a loan right now but it’s a totally different kind of loan but I do hope this would be made available here someday so when I’m on my senior year I can apply for my self.

Chicken in garlic and barbecue sauce

I don't know how to call this recipe, but here's how my husband (yes, that's correct! DH made it, with my help of course)

He covered the chicken wings with salt and pepper, I added some minced garlic and barbecue marinade sauce, added carrots and potatoes because I wanted some vegies to go with the meal. We put it in the oven, waited for at least 30 minutes and we had a sumptuous dinner!

He was more than happy with the outcome. :) It's very seldom that he help with cooking because he really do not know what to do, actually without me helping him with this meal, he would have made it adobo because that's the only recipe he knew.

Oh well, I know, most men are discussing bmw 7 series custom floor mats and anything about cars, my husband has been talking nonstop about a new motorbike model he wants and I understand.

At least I know I can still depend on him (with regards to cooking) in times of need :)

Birthday dinner and monopoly

It was my very very good friend J-mie's birthday last Thursday, we were invited for a dinner and for a monopoly game. Dinner and Monopoly is just what I needed after a long day of work and I can't wait so we were there early. While waiting for the dinner to be ready, I took some photos of this very cute little boy (J-mie's son)

 I love love this boy, I enjoy taking his pictures, i already have loads here in my disc and both me and hubby's  cellphone's screen saver is also a picture of him :)

and the dinner came :) Lasagna and a chicken meal made specially by the birthday celebrant's sister. The lasagna is so good, my husband said I should learn that recipe..

(the equally beautiful and loving sister of the celebrant who did all that!)

We also had cassava cake, a chocolate cake and yummy pizza from Papa John's
And here's my friend with her son and husband who arrived few days before her birthday..sweet surprise!

After devouring what's in the table, we played monopoly. I am super enjoying this game right now, I'm thinking of buying one so we can play with my nephews and nieces when we visit my mom and dad in the province, but this board game cost at least a thousand pesos! (ipon mode muna)

my husband so happy with his money :) but I'm happier because I won!

More than the food and the game, it's the friendship that matters. I am blessed I have friends and spending time  with them is something to look forward to always, with or without the dinner and the monopoly.

happy Birthday again J-mie!! We love you!!

Bok Choy with mushrooms

 

I am not a good cook but I do cook sometimes and this week, it seems I have energy to prepare some decent meals (but I tell you this energy won't last till next week)

I got this this 10 minute vegetable meal as usual from my friend J-mie (tonightsdinnerrecipes.com) She loves to cook and she loves to teach us :) and share with us her recipes.

here's how I did it

1. Saute garlic cloves in butter
2. Add mushrooms and the chicken broth
3. Add the chinese/taiwan pechay or the bok choy
4. Salt and pepper to taste

Try it! My husband said it's good :) he has no choice of course..hehe! But for sure J-mie's way much better than mine :(

Color coded chopping board set

I first saw this in one of n@wie blogs, last Sunday while doing our grocery in Shop wise Pasong Tamo, I saw one and I checked the price. It's 700.00 plus, forgot the exact amount. Of course the husband said it's way too expensive for a chopping board. I did not buy it, but I'm gonna have it some other time. :)

Although kitchen is NOT my best friend, I love the idea of using different chopping board, one for vegetables, one for meat and another one for fish. Nice no?

The one in the picture is from Amazon and it cost £29.40 ...a newer version is available for £45.00. So what we have here is way much cheaper na di ba?

In need of new motorbike

I am not that knowledgeable when it comes to car or motor vehicles of any kind, which truck gps or accessories that goes with it. That also means I know nothing in assessing whether a car is still in good running condition or not.

The husband has been saying we have to retire our motorbike soon, and that it is giving us more and more headache than before, having two to three flat tires for a week I agree is one major source of headache.Already, he has the model and the make of the one he wants to buy.

But still, am adamant, because I know, we can't afford yet to buy a new one and buying it in installment is like buying twice the amount.

Our service motorbike has been with us for four years now. He's been helpful but I just hope he won't give up on us yet.

personal

image source : artinthepicture.com

Sa totoo lang natatakot akong magsulat kapag ako ay malungkot o nagagalit. Alam ko na ang sobrang emosyon ay maaring hindi maganda kapag naisulat na at sa bandang huli maari natin itong pagsisihan.Nangyari na ito sa akin sa isa ko pang personal na blog noong taong 2008. Ayoko man pero wala akong nagawa kundi i delete ang partikular na entry na yun. Pero dahil ako ay isang ma sentimyentong tao, siempre nagtago ako ng kopya.

Pero sa mga taong walang pwedeng ibang paglabasan ng matinding nararamdaman (lungkot man o kaligayahan, galit o katuwaan) kundi ang pagsusulat, ano kaya ang kanilang magagawa? ano ang pwedeng alternatibo?

Ako, mas minabuti ko na lang maglaro..

diamond dash
bejeweled blitz..

at kung ano ano pa...

pero humantong pa rin ako sa post na ito. Ganun pa man, wala naman akong balak na ito ay pakahabaan at baka hindi ko mapigilang ma isulat ang aking nasa kalooban.

Mas mabuti pa siguro, balikan ko na lang ang diamond dash.

Wish List

There is an on going event in N@wies (newlyweds) yahoo group right now, it's Christmas on September :) members can email their wish list and members who are fairy godmothers will grant the wish/es. You can not imagine how generous and how good the hearts of these people are. I've been a member since 2007 and I have witnessed how they supported each other especially in terms of emotional and moral support but once in a while they do more than that :)

I wish I could join but alas I am not qualified as I only have few inter-acting emails for the last few months. Sad and too bad.

Anyways, I will still write my wish list here and who knows someone, somewhere out there might grant it. Maybe God will touch someone's heart to at least grant one or two of my wishes :) anyways, it's valid wishes ( I mean not some blown up luxurious thing like a trip to abroad or a house and lot, not an atv with polaris ranger parts or a anything that is impossible to grant.

and here it is ;

1. My husband's birthday is coming soon, I booked us a ticket to Legazpi on the day of his birthday September 14, but because of the recent finacial problem my brother had, I am thinking of not pushing through with this trip. But if we will be given a free accommodation for the duration of our stay there, why not di ba? A simple lodging will do.

2. I want a new dining set for my mom and dad in the province, They're both old and I once heard my father saying "we can't even buy a good dining set" and since then I've been thinking and wishing to buy them a new and presentable one, I just hope it won't be too late for them.

3. Lots and lots of photo frames :)

That's all I can think for now, maybe I'll add from time to time. For the mean time, I'll pray that the first two wishes will be granted soon :)

Hubby's working

Remember the post where I mentioned the big change happening in our life especially to dear husband last month? well, last week, he was finally accepted and started working in our office but in a different unit. He is happy, finally a work with regular income but alongside with that is the many changes, one of which is our time schedule :(

Last Friday, I went to my sister's home alone because he was still working by the time I left the office. I think it's me who needs to adjust more.

He's practically out in the street  whole day with his motorbike and I pray we wont need any breakdown service ever. Now, I dare not forget to pray for him everyday, he needs it.

I just hope and wish that through his work, will be more financially capable to do the things we want to do and especially start saving for our future mission plans.

Here we go again

My very good friend Carmel & Andrew recently became instant parents, she said she's scared but excited and I felt the same way. The beautiful baby is now with them and just like every new baby in our group, everyone adores her. My exact word if I remember it right was this " If you will love her as your own, then we will love her as our own too" just like everyone else.

And while we our genuinely excited and happy with the new baby ( as a matter of fact I can't wait to go to a mall's baby section this weekend and buy her some girly pink stuff)

I was caught off guard by other people's side comment about having a baby or adopting a baby and honestly I was surprised to feel the same old feeling of resentment.

It's like when friends started getting married and I was still single, people would ask "When are you next?"

and then eventually I got married....friends started having babies and there they are again..the questions seems endless..why are you still childless??, when will you have your baby? "you're next soon" blah..blah..blah..not knowing that it is such a very sensitive topic and that we have feelings and that we are hurt by the many unsolicited comments and advice..

and now..I find it very ridiculous and weird that some people would ask me or tell me straight to my face "you know, you should adopt too" "when are you adopting?" My gosh..(gusto ko himatayin)

Please..we have a life and even if we do not have a child, it doesn't mean we're not happy. I hope people stop commenting about us not having our own kid yet. I wish they could all read this blog of mine and realize that they should just keep their mouth shut about that topic.

Please lang :)

Chocolate covered strawberries

These chocolate covered strawberries look so yummy! It's very seldom that I crave for something sweets like this but because I've been looking at that picture for quite a while now I guess it somehow awaken my sleeping sweet tooth. How I wish I can grab one now but my oh my it's 12:33 AM and I know there is no way I can find that at this very time. So I guess I'll just have to satisfy my self with my capuccino coffee to which I added some sugar and sprinkled chocolate for that extra sweetness!