Life Lately | August 2021
A quick glimpse at some of the things going on in my life.
No more sweater weather
The sun is finally shining again! I’ve never missed it this much. As you know, the past few weeks have been gloomy due to a lot of monsoon rains. It’s also been muddy outside and challenging to dry clothes because, well, there’s no sun (dryers or fans don’t dry garments as well as the sun does). Luckily, the weather is so much better now, and we can finally see some natural light during the day. I actually love the cozy feeling that comes with the rainy weather, but not when it gets too intense to the point that the surroundings look dismal. I guess I’m just used to the sun being out, having lived in our tropical country (the Philippines) for a long time. 🌴
Cooking, household chores, blogging, and freelance work
We don’t have a helper at the moment, so I’m doing housework during the day, then working at night. It’s been more than a month since AJ (our helper) left, and I’ve adjusted to the new setup. It wasn’t easy at first because I already had a schedule that worked for me, but well, that’s life; we adapt when we have to. Besides, we’re happy for AJ. She left because she’s preparing for her trip to Saudi, where she’ll be working next to provide for her son. With her strong faith and positive working attitude, I’m sure she’ll go places. You can get to know AJ in one of my videos later on. We recorded a video together before she left, but I’ll only upload it once she arrives in Saudi, as she prefers. 🇸🇦
As I was saying, we adapt when we have to. I remain thankful my freelance job allows me to be flexible with my time for as long as I deliver results and that I find cooking enjoyable (makes it feel less of a chore). 🍳
My favorite meals to cook are Chicken Nilaga, Sinigang na Salmon, Caldereta, and Spaghetti. I also enjoy preparing Beef Shank Steak, Chicken Sopas, Chop Suey, Chicken Fingers, and Adobo. I’m no professional chef, and I don’t use Magic Sarap, but I cook everything with love, and I guess that’s what makes the food nice. Hihi. The people I love cooking for are my family, my husband, and my closest friends. It’s one of the ways I show appreciation. It’s nice to see them enjoy it 😋
As for blogging, the analytics are looking good, and I’m glad about it (and thanks for being here!). I want to make sure I come up with quality write-ups for you because I’m displaying advertisements as you navigate through the site, and I want your visit to be worthwhile. I made this blog with the intent to inspire and inform readers like you.
If you're passionate about what you do and are willing to share your wisdom, please contact me if you want to get featured on the website. I'm working on a little project that I hope to start and accomplish by next year. 💕
A Test of Patience
My husband and I have been dealing with his mentally unstable dad for long months now, and it's been challenging. He has tried to physically hurt us both, as well as the people who work for us. He has also done more things one couldn't even imagine. It's intense and repulsive. It's apparent he's too dysfunctional to lead a healthy family.
I understand he’s not in a good mental state, but it should not be an excuse for emotional abuse, extremely problematic behavior, and racial discrimination towards Filipinos. His actions should never be condoned by anyone, especially women (standards are a must). This was hard to explain to some people who never experienced what it's like to be in our shoes being around him during this pandemic, but I'm sure those who have wrongly judged us or the situation will realize later on. Or maybe see it for themselves. ⭕️
Thankfully, we're getting moral support from close family and friends. My parents and my sister have been encouraging (like they've always been), so that makes everything better. Being in this situation made me appreciate my parents even more, not just for working hard to provide for us; but also for striving to give us the security and stability of being in a family. 🌸 Anyway, thinking about it, my husband and I remain grateful we have each other to draw strength from. We still have a lot of things to thank God for as well. It's not easy, but as Napoleon Hill once said, "Every adversity, every failure, every heartbreak, carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.". We just have to look for that seed. It just so happened that travel restrictions were imposed; that's why my father-in-law is stranded here. For now, we have to be patient and make peace with forgiving him after all that he's done, as hard as it is. That doesn't mean we'll easily forget what he put us through, though. But who are we to not forgive him, right? We'll let time heal everything.