Sunday 30 March 2008

A singer and an Indian food

While at work yesterday, a colleague enthused about this artist whose album she bought from the supermarket at a bargain price (£5). I didn't have any clue who this artist was and anyway, my interest in music is like your interest in this piece of blog: you're looking at it but it's barely registering in your head.

So this morning, while we were on our way to this hu-hum place, I had this conversation with K:

Me: ...So she let me watch this youtube video of Celine Dion singing a duet with Rogan Josh. The song was Like a Prayer.

K: Like a Prayer? You mean Madonna?

Me: No. Celine Dion. It was on youtube. You have a CD of this Rogan Josh, don't you?

K: Who?

Me: Rogan Josh. I think he's Italian.

K: Rogan Josh. Italian?! It's Indian Food! ($^((%£)"&") It's Josh Groban, not Rogan Josh!

Yes, I have that CD and it's not Like a Prayer. It's The Prayer!

Shussh! Why do they have to make things complicated for me? Music is complicated enough as it is!

Friday 28 March 2008

7.40pm and the boys have been asleep for half an hour

I went upstairs to check on everybody.

The three were all asleep!

I tried to tickle their noses...oopps, a tiny bit of flaring up in there, a fraction of a movement on one little finger, and a BIG SNEEZE from the big man!

I wiped my face on my sleeve and went downstairs contentedly knowing that in the next two hours nobody would disturb me from websurfing.

Bliss!

Sunday 23 March 2008

Happy Easter and more

Today, we went to church for Easter mass. It was packed. On our way there, we went around to see the snowy hills. It's so strange to see daffodils being engulfed by snow! It is supposed to be spring time now and yet the whole of Britain, or most of it, is blanketed in white.

Cue the words Global Warming...

And suddenly I'm guilty. I am in part to blame for this seasonal dissarray!

1) This easter break, K and I have been on our computers for maybe three quarters of the time. That's a lot of electricity spent!

2) My electronic answering machine has been plugged on even when we're at home. That's additional electricity wasted.

3) I've had two deep baths in three days. That's a huge amount of soapy water down the drain!

4) The washing machine and bread maker worked daily for the last 3 days, as opposed to the normal every other day.

5) We've thrown away new plastic toys (gifts from friends). They were monstrous and violent. The world has too much violence already and I don't want my boys to start practising violence during their playtime. So that's additional horrid plastic down the landfill.
To appease myself of my guilt for these excesses, I try to think of what we usually do to offset our carbon footprint:
1) At least this easter break, we use the car twice only -- to shop and to go to church today.
2) We continue recycling: separating the plastic milk bottles from cardboard boxes and newspapers. Tins and glass go together in the blue bin while vegetable peelings, egg shells, etc go to our compost. Our rubbish in the bin is so minimal that we don't mind having it picked once in two weeks.
3) We prefer showers than baths. I don't even bath the kids. I give them 'mummy showers' and they love it because it's quick. I use organic soap and shampoo on them so that the water used is not contaminated with harmful chemicals present in ordinary shampoos/soaps. I also use organic washing up liquid.
4) Most of the week, I go on the bus to pick up Zak from school. A bit expensive but saves a lot of petrol.
5) I don't use my mobile phone much, hence I don't need to charge it a lot.
6) We don't use a lot of heating at home. We put on more layers of clothes instead. My parents-in-law and sister-in-law always complain that our house is cold but I don't care. Sometimes, my sister-in-law has to wear her coat while we're in the lounge!
7) Our international holiday is limited to once in probably 4 years. Camping is more fun for the kids than being stuck on the plane with strangers and be in a strange country!
Hopefully, I am doing my bit to help the environment. Scientists' predictions that in 40 years time, London will be underwater is unnerving. I don't want my children to suffer and experience that catastrophe. I have to do my bit now to start saving my family!
How did you do your bit?

Thursday 20 March 2008

I might not change my allegiance if Philippines instantly becomes corruption-free!


For two years now, I have been thinking of applying for British citizenship. I could draw a lot of advantages, i.e. easy travel within Europe, being able to vote, among other things. I don't have to renounce my Filipino citizenship so in the eyes of my children, I am still Filipino. For my husband, he has that gnawing feeling that the 'Indefinite Leave to Remain' stamped on my passport could one day be invalidated – which sounds silly really – but that's what you expect from someone who has an understandable distrust with politicians.

So what am I going to do? Just the thought of filling up a form and writing 'British' after Nationality makes me feel like a fake. Physically, I look Filipino although most of the time mistaken for being Chinese (!) or Japanese (!!). Excuse me?!

I might not think 100% Filipino (owing to the massive influence brought about by my intensely British extended family and work colleagues/friends) but then I still feel one. I still long for sinugba, kinilaw, biko, pangat, etc, and if only tricycles are available in England, I would readily go on one despite the freezing temperature.

So it all comes down to practicality and the fact the my whole life revolves around everything British.
Am I integrated in the culture? Apart from not having pints most evenings in the pub, I think I am. Am I attuned to their culinary habits? I think so – if fish and chips and chinese take-aways are not the main order of the day.

So why am I so anxious about it?

Saturday 15 March 2008

Zak's thank you prayer


Zak's thank you prayer, originally uploaded by Soyy.

My heart just swells everytime I read this!

Friday 14 March 2008

I'm back!


I have neglected this blog for quite awhile. Everybody in the family had been poorly and it took a bit of time to recover and set things back to normal again. However, these past few weeks, Zak had been a batman,

as well as Sir Topham Hat during Book Day at school.
Lewis had his 2nd birthday, shown here washing dishes after the party :)

 
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