Long VL Diaries: Days 9 - 10

Just got home from my Ilocos tour. I enjoyed and fell inlove with the place. It was worth the wait but really bitin. I actually wanted to stay there until this week if only I could do it alone. Haha! Anyway, I'm just gonna blog a few details of my Days 9 to 12. I am not in the mood to describe everything because... I had an acute gastroenteritis on Day 12. As of this moment, I still don't feel well. I have been in and out of the toilet; this upset stomach really sucks.

Day 9

• Tiring day! Dyed mama's hair then bleached and dyed my sister's hair. Then did it on my own as well.
• Phone call from TJ's mom. Oh how I missed her! I'm really thankful that I have found a second mom in her. Her love and support are overwhelming despite the recent break-up. She never changed. I think that the hardest part in a break up is sometimes you also have to cut the communication with the family. Surprisingly, they never did. They still call me from time to time. They still give words of encouragement and motivation. They even give me the assurance that I will always be a "daughter" to them. Aside from my parents, they inspire me to fulfill my dreams and to do what is right and what is best for me. Sadly, we only talked for a few minutes. It was actually a scheduled phone call but I had to do some errands so the call was cut short. So... we're gonna schedule it again. Hehe! Nevertheless, tita's phone call made me very happy that day. :)
• Packed my stuff
• Left Manila at 12:30 am.

Day 10

• Arrived in La Union at 4:30 in the morning to fetch our relatives (mom's side) who came with us.
• Left La Union at 5-5:30 am.
• Breakfast at Jobee in Candon.
• First Stop: Cape Bojeador Lighthouse 

They say that this place is haunted. When we went there, it's closed. :(

A very nice view from the top. With Kit (cousin), papa and Aeron (Kit's son)

• Next: Kapurpurawan Rock Formation (My second favorite among the places we visited!)

Gonna climb up there!

Haha! Had a hard time climbing but the fear and pasmadong kamay was worth it. Hahaha!

• Then headed to the place we rented. I've read about Ate Cathy and Kuya Lenzer's tour package in GirlTalk so that's where we stayed. Ate Cathy is very accommodating. I don't remember meeting Kuya Lenzer though. Anyway, it was my brother who talked to them. Apparently, he knows about them too! Finally, after 6 years... I've seen Pagudpod Beach once again. The last time I went there with my family and papa's office mates was during their company outing. And that's like before I took the board exam. Haha!

Saud Beach in Pagudpod. <3

• Then in the afternoon of the same day, we headed to Bangui Windmills. It was so cold there! Windy kung windy ang peg!! It's really nice to know that we still have these in our country. So amazing! :)

After seeing the windmills, we went back to Ate Cathy's and had dinner. T'was a simple dinner but kinda looked like a feast! Haha! Will be back to blog about my Day 11 and 12 :)

Christmas is here!

Err... at least a month from now.

Anyway, my family and I went to Manila Ocean Park to tour my aunties from La Union. We availed the Php 600 worth of package which includes the Oceanarium and Penguins Exhibit.



As much as I wanted to buy a ticket for Fish Spa, my aunties were also in a hurry to get back to La Union within the day due to work. So...

Unfortunately, when we got there there were a bunch of kids on a field trip. When I say a bunch, I mean like a WHOLE LOT. So in short, I didn't get to enjoy the Oceanarium the way I have been expecting it because of those kids. Argh. I hate kids. Loljk. I love kids but not the maingay, running around, pasaway, paconyo, maistorbo kind of kids. You know what  mean. Haha!!

The best part of the place is the Penguins Exhibit where in I got to see real penguins! How I wish I could have hugged them! They're so kyot! Wish I could have one as a pet. Haha!

Anyway, here are some of the pictures from yesterday's larga.

Seaside/Dampa

When I was in high school, I've always liked the place called Seaside near Baclaran where you buy fresh seafoods in the market and have it cooked in any of the carinderias around the place. Last Saturday, my brother and I treated our family (after we got our first salary from our new jobs) together with his girlfriend and my boyfriend in the newest seaside place along Macapagal near Mall of Asia. We chose Seaside over Yakimix since the last time we ate there was last 2009 (when TJ and I first broke up. Lol. Memorable place).

Anyway, I don't want to put more details about it. Just wanted to post pictures (that I stole from Cy, my brother's girlfriend) and make you drool... That is if you're a seafood lover like me. :)



Looks like we're having a fight... Haha. Stolen shot.





Baked mussels



Butter garlic shrimp.



Calamares



You don't eat everything in a mussel. Read how to eat mussels.

Anyway that is all. Can't wait to go back there again. That place is heaven <3

A letter for Mama

Dear Mama,

There are a lot of things I want to thank you for but I know that I'd ran out of space and time, and even words, for you have done so much in my 24 (almost 25) years of existence.

You know ma, aside from the fact that I got this from papa's genes, you shouldn't have asked those people who wanted to carry me when I was still a baby to wash their hands with alcohol first before touching me. You see what happened? My skin is so sensitive now. You are too obsessive-compulsive with things that you even applied it to your kids. I remember when I helped you doing the laundry, you got mad because all the underwear are not arranged according to their sizes and color that you had to do everything all over again. You are so OC, ma! But I should be thankful for it because you made us feel how much you love us by protecting us from any harm and danger... and even from germs.

I don't have a single memory of the very first day I learned to walk but what I can remember is that you were there with papa to help me to stand up from the bed and to walk around the hospital room when I underwent operation last 2008 and 2009. You were the last person I saw and talked to before I was sent to the operating room. You told me to pray and ask God for guidance. You made me promise that I will wake up after the operation. You told me that I can do it... and that I will get through it. And I did.

After my operation, you took care of me as if I was someone who can't do self-care anymore. You helped me in taking a bath because I couldn't do it on my own even if I was embarrassed about you seeing me naked. I think the last time you did that for me was during my toddler days. It was totally embarrassing for me, but for you it was showing how much you care about me... A mother's love indeed.

When TJ and I broke up, you cried with me. You were hurt upon seeing your first daughter in so much pain. But you stayed strong for me so that you can give me the best advice that you can offer at that moment. You tried to be objective. You warned me. And I am sorry for not following you... For fighting for our relationship... but that's what you taught me, right? To fight for what I deserve and what I own.

When you were at my age, you already found your own job and was ready for getting married. I'm sorry if I wasn't like you when you were 24. I'm sorry that after 4 years, I am still very dependent on what you can provide me. But I thank you, Mama, for being so understanding and supportive in my plans and goals.

I promise you, Mama, that I will never fail you. I will be that person I've always aimed when I was in college. You will see me soaring high. You will watch me attain my goals and dreams. I will give you a grand daughter/son in case I can't bear more than one child because of my illness. I will bring back all the things you've done for me. In case you get sick (knock on wood three times), I will make sure that you'll be taken care of by the best nurses (of course, I am the best-est for you) and doctors in town. I will be very meticulous with the health care that they will render because you are my mother and I will protect you like how you protected me and my siblings...

I love you, mama. I don't always say that because I am not very open with my feelings for you and for papa. I even know how jealous you are because I am much sweeter with my boyfriend but I hope you feel that I am doing everything to make you proud because you deserve all the happiness in the world.

Love,

Xyla

P.S.

I promise to teach you how to use Facebook one of these days.

P.P.S. <-- highschool much!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY pala! =D

Goodbye, tatay

I just told my boyfriend the other day about my feelings when I saw tatay (my grand father) on bed with signs of enlarged abdomen, hand tremors and bed sores when we visited him last October 31. I tried to control my tears when I greeted him, "Tatay, andito na po kame..." I wasn't used to seeing him that way... I have always remembered Tatay who takes care of our old farm and hunts for whatever he could hunt in the field. Tatay is a very talkative person that sometimes it's irritating to hear but we just let it pass because he's our grand father.

When I saw him on bed, I knew that he won't make it until January 2010. I felt that he has only limited days to live. I never expected that he would leave us for good yesterday. Yeah, we were already prepared about his death but everything was just so fast. My aunt and uncle from the USA are already on the plane to see him and to be with him but tatay wasn't able to wait for them. I feel sadder for my other aunt who couldn't go home for some personal reasons. :(

My heart will always have a spot for the geriatric patients. Whenever I am assigned to an elderly patient, I can't help but be attached with them probably because I was never given an opportunity to bond with my grandparents. They live in the province while we live here in the metro. So whenever my old patients die, I feel sad... But nothing beats this sadness when it's your grandparent who died. I know that I am much closer with my old patients that I have no relation with but I still feel sadder because it's my father's father. It's my grandfather whom I never had the chance to bond with. So many what ifs going on my mind now...

Sigh. Wherever you are Tatay, I hope you are happy. At least, you can finally rest now. Your suffering has already ended. We will see you soon... at the right time. And when that time comes, I hope that we'll be closer this time...

Happy New Year!

Happy and blessed 2009 to all of you. :) So how did you guys celebrate your new year? I'd love to read your comments.

Actually, I do not know if this is really a happy new year for our family. It's because we received a bad news from my aunts. Tatay, papa's father ((my grandfather)), had a not-so-good ultrasound result. He needs to undergo more tests to confirm the results. He's diabetic and he's having a lot of complications.

As a nurse, it's already normal for me to hear such cases. I have handled so many diabetic patients when I was a student and a trainee. So when I heard about the news, I automatically discussed the pathophysiology of the result to my parents. It was hard explaining them in layman's term.

As a grand daughter, I felt sad, of course. Who wouldn't, right? Although I am not very close to my grand father ((because we grew up here in Quezon City and they are residing in the province ever since)), I still worry about his health.

But as the daughter of my grandfather's first son, I am more of concerned. My father only lost two significant people in his life: his aunt ((tatay's sister)), who gave our 2 houses, and his grandmother ((tatay's aunt)), who raised him up and sent him to school until he earned his degree. Nothing's permanent in this world. I'm a nurse. With those diagnoses ((three different complications)), I know where this is leading to. I really hope that papa would face this challenge in his life and his family with strong faith in God.

I badly need your prayers for my grandfather and for our family.

On a lighter note, I made a quote for myself. It's like a goal that I really, really have to achieve this year.

Tough, huh.

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