Papa's visit. Oshi's 2nd birthday.

Last Sunday, August 23, was my daughter's 2nd birthday. Kenny told me 2 weeks earlier that Papa (my hilaw father-in-law) was visiting on Orange's birthday. We weren't planning any grand celebration for our daughter but had extra money in case we had some poeple coming over. Then 5 days before her b-day, BATELEC (Batangas Electric Company) announced that they would be soliciting the payment for the electric bill for that month and for the last past months and warned those who would not be paying the day of the solicit would have their services cut. Saying they need to do it because they need to update their monthly payment schedules.
Although we really have no late payments,the money that I was saving for Oshi (Orange) was instead given to those BATELEC henchmen. I had no food to serve that coming Sunday except what was available in the fridge. I felt bad because of those Batelec men but thinking on the bright side of it, at least we don't have any due payments on utilities anymore. Anyway, I only had cold cuts inside my ref, red and white meat and some veggies. That'll make do some pork adobo and chicken curry for Sunday - thinking of a simple salo-salo lunch. Then late Saturday afternoon, I asked Kenny to accompany me and the kids to the market to buy rice for the next day. I kept worrying and was pestered at how little money I have left and I know Kenny knew how fussy I was. He handed me his latest withdrawal slip and saw how much money he still has. (it was not a big amount but it was still surprising for me) He received a poke in the head for hidding the money from me. I thought he only had enough money until the next payday but apparently was secretly saving his money in his ATM. He said he was sparing his allowance from buying inexpensive/value meals for lunch and he sometimes wasn't eating for supper. So on we went to the local grocery mart. Kenny said that I can have and buy whatever I need for Oshi's b-day and he'd pay for it. But I was thinking of a small celebration so I only spent Php 500. ^___^

Papa and Kennan arrived the next day (Sunday) and brought some embutido from Lucena. It was Papa's first visit so he looked around and "inspected" a few things.. yeah I know its normal for "byenans" to have a prying attitude, and think of what mother-in-laws could do to ther son/daughter-in-law! I don't have a mother-in-law, she passed away before Kiel was born. But if I did have Mamilou here.. ay naku, patay kang bata ka! no, she's not mataray or makulit but I doubt how I run the house would pass her standards.. she's quite OC like her son.XP Good thing the house was in order, as it always was. hehe. =3
Papa is really kind so I didn't have anything to worry about.

My parents came with my youngest brother at 3pm and brought pancit canton, lumpia, loaf and softdrinks. After eating Daddy and Papa talked in the sala while Mama and I cleaned and tidied the dining and kitchen area. I don't know what Papa and Daddy talked about but I wish I knew..Kenny was there with them the whole time. Both men had gone to Japan so that's one thing they could talk about. Both of them have Batangueno relatives and maybe they could talk about it and trace their roots and found out that they're actually related! I think I was getting paranoid because I was expecting something they would talk about or something they would open up.. OH, nevermind, it didn't happen anyway. =o="

My parents left a few hours after, saying they had to help Joshua finish his project. I don't know if I envy my brother or be angry at my parents for spoiling my youngest brother too much. We left Papa and Kennan who was sleeping in one of the rooms to buy some stuff in the market : COFFEE for the caffeine-craver: PAPA. It was almost dark when we came back and Papa was having a hard time looking for light switches. The house was quite big but we hadn't installed light bulbs in all outlets, plus the switch for the light in the living was not working. Kennan had to do his laundry back at Paranaque so he left that night. Papa was getting bored and was switching channels on the TV often. He asked us if we had CNN or any news channel in our free cable (eh, that's another story to tell). Kenny asked me to check for DVDs in our stash that Papa could watch. We had English and Tagalog movies that we borrowed from my parents but I doubt Papa would be interested watching them, besides other foreign movies that are only subtitled.

And fact is, 90% of our DVD collection are animes. hehe. What do you expect from otakus, as Kenny discribes the geeky-ness. err, no, otaku is such a strong word, I prefer "anime enthusiasts".^_^ With nothing to do anymore, Papa turned the TV off and went to sleep. The next day (Monday), both men went off the house early and the kids and I are left all to ourselves again..

..And it makes the world go round

Three days ago, I was putting my kids to sleep and thinking of the things I really wanted to buy this year - a new TV, a computer set, a sala set. And I remembered the days when I was still working for a computer sales company. My job, aside from customer support, was to retrieve online orders from a database. The job requires being receptive since customers want their goods delivered as fast as possible - and not having PayPal/ CDO ( cash on delivery) as payment option, customers have to pay the order by cash, check or by depositing the money to the company's bank account then faxing or emailing the deposit slip for verification. It was such a hassle for the customer and me because I have to check the bank account myself every now and then to make sure that the money was really deposited.

Then one time, I got a call from Venice. It was a guy checking if we have delivered his the items he ordered to the address he gave. We just had our morning meeting and I haven't even turned my computer on so I haven't checked the orders for that day. I thought I was having his orders delivered overseas but after checking the address, it was to be sent to Pampanga c/o a miss. Before he hang up, he gave me a cellphone number and asked me to call the woman so she knows of the order's status.

The day I assumed the items are arriving to the woman's place, I called her cellphone to say she'd be expecting a package from the guy from Venice. She almost squeeled in delight and thanked me. From her voice, I could tell she was about my age or younger. And she has that local Northern accent. I have heard and read news about women (esp. Pinays) engaging in online relationships with foreigners. I can't blame them since times are hard today, those women are looking for an escape from poverty or at least improve the state of their lifestyles or lives in whole. And marrying a foreigner is one of the easiest yet the dangerous course to take. Its gains are so tempting yet the risks are as great. I've heard stories of hapless Filipino women either being battered, slaved, driven to prostitution or worst, being murdered. I just wish well for that girl.. I can't say she's lucky but I wish I also had someone who could give me a package like that. ^___^ By the way, the order was, as far as I could remember, a complete computer set worth Php 45,000 plus computer table and gas lift chair. Well, its not really a high end PC but he at least got the best in the house that time for her. ^__^

hayy... people and their money.


And someone I know had the same luck as the girl from Pampanga (though not much luck. hehe) He happened to have befriended a girl (or guy?) last year - a Filipino who was working in London. He said they met in an online game. I don't know how he ended up having Php 10,000 delivered in his office but he said his/her friend lend him the money so he could buy the bass guitar he was aching for for months. A few weeks later, the London friend told him not to pay the money back anymore and gave it to him instead as a Christmas gift. You've got to be kidding me. I mean, for me it was too much for somebody to pass put Php 10,000 as Christmas gift! He bought a black ARIA bass guitar which was on a sale at 30% dc on a shop in CARRIEDO, Recto - an electronic gadget/tools and hi-tech stuff shopping district in Manila. like Akihabara in Japan.


ay naku, rub some of your luck on me too!! XD

BTW, the national lottery jackpot as of today is more than Php100M. Time to bet, bet bet!!http://www.pcso.gov.ph/