Vigelante in Training

I've always had a tendency to be addicted to television series.

When  I was in high school I got addicted to MacGyver.  I could never go out Saturday night because I didn't want to miss an episode.  If I did go out, I'd make sure that I was home on time for the show.

When I was in college, it was Homefront.  They showed season 2 at twelve midnight so my sister and I used to sleep early, then set our alarm at 12 so we could wake up and watch the show.

When I was already working, it was Felicity.  My sister was lucky to eat at Dean & Deluca in New York City.  I recently saw a Dean & Deluca soon-to-open shop nearby and I promised myself I'd go there once it opens.

Seven years ago, it was Smallville.  I'd go on marathons and look for youtube fan-made videos of Lana and Clark.

Just recently, I got addicted to Arrow because of Felicity.  The first time Felicity appeared in the show, I got a feeling she would be perfect for Oliver and all her silly mumblings about Oliver, and being his girl, are just too cute for me that I can't help but to follow the show and see what's in store for the two of them.  So, I'm usually searching for fan-made videos again, this time, OLICITY videos.  :)

Last weekend, I tried something I would never have tried had I not been a fan of Olicity.

It was so exhausting because of the bow's weight but I had a lot of fun playing with my Hunny Bed.  We agreed that it wasn't the last time.  We'd be back with my son, Toots, who has an addiction to superheroes.

We had dinner afterwards in a nearby mall.  The decors were so pretty, I couldn't resist the photo opportunity.

Let's all enjoy the holidays!!!

Counting

It's the season to be merry!

There's only :

15 days  before our second wedding anniversary.


26 days before my nephew's second birthday celebration.

33 days before my parents'  forty-third wedding anniversary.

38 days before Christmas.

I'm not that excited about New Year's Day because everything goes back to normal after it and I'll have to wait another year for the merriest time of the year.

So I'll just enjoy every minute of the holiday season while it lasts!

October's Top Four

October was a great month for me.  Here are my top four reasons in no particular order. 

1. We had our school field trip.  The itinerary for the Grade 4 pupils included two old churches.  As you already know, I'm a sucker for everything old.

with fellow teachers in front of the church in Lumban

The church belfry in Lumban

     This was the side of the church in Paete, a town that's known for their wood carvings.  The church 

                                                         was built from 1646-1770.

Below is one of the paintings inside the church.  It was painted around 1770 using cat's tail as a brush, animal blood and natural paint from plants.

2.  I decided to explore whatever hidden talents I had in painting.  I'm taking it slowly though by    doing some sketches first.

3. I fell in love with the Taal Basilica.  I made a separate post about that here.

4. I was finally able to go back to my hometown in Sta. Cruz, Zambales. You can visit the post about it here.

I hope November is going to be even more fantastic for me and my family and for all of my readers.

What great things happened to you in October?

Back in my hometown

I spent a lovely time going back to my hometown in Sta. Cruz, Zambales last weekend.

Ruel, Toots and I took the six-hour drive from Manila to Sta. Cruz at dawn last Saturday.  I had forgotten how lovely the countryside was.

It was a trip of endless "oohs and aahs".

We left early so we could visit the graves of my grandparents.  If we left two hours later, we would have met heavy traffic.

I just love pretty skies!

On All Saints Day and All Souls Day, people in our town still follow the old tradition of visiting the graves.

There is always enough people at the cemeteries to cause traffic and they usually stay at the grave sites for hours.   Some even spend the entire day there. 

You're probably wondering how anyone can spend such a long time at a cemetery.  There's actually plenty of things to do, aside from lighting candles and praying.  This is the time when families and relatives would usually get together as they visit the graves of their ancestors and dead relatives and when you haven't seen your cousins for a long time, well, a day at the cemetery is not enough.  And since the cemetery is in a small town, almost all the folks are related by blood and it is but natural to go from one grave to another to pray for the souls of the dead and to engage in short conversations with those who are still alive.  Some people even bring food if they plan on spending the whole day there.  It actually looks like a fiesta and I am so sorry I was not able to take pictures around the cemetery.  I realize I should have so you could have a better idea of how the town cemetery looks like during this time of the year.

Going back to my hometown, seeing the graves of my grandparents, seeing the ruins of my grandparents' home brought back so many happy memories.  I miss my doting grandparents, I miss the innocence of my childhood, I miss the simple life in a sleepy town.  I miss everything about it that I already want to go back.

This used to be the stairs going up to the second floor of my grandparents' house.

Hopefully, with God's grace, we will again be able to visit our hometown next year in time for the harvest of our mangoes.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.