WILL IT BE DIFFERENT?

It happened to me many times. Picking up a book just to have something to read and I'll end up treasuring every word it spoke. Another clincher that sometimes, best things breeze in when you least expected it. Its not only true with books, or gifts, or food(does this need to be on the list) but also with people that comes along.

This Year It Will Be Different by Maeve Binchy - is a compilation of 15 short stories all in Christmas setting. Each tells NOT the usual "so good to be true" on how this season is anticipated, spent and viewed. A realistic characterization of contemporary individuals that will make you say, "Hmmnn, I know him/her!"

There's one story in this book about a wife who made her Christmas different by not doing the usual preparations for the holiday. She did not decorate the house, did not bake the traditional goodies to be feasted on and declared a "strike" on "domesticity".

She got tired of enslaving herself from her 3 grown up children and her husband so she decided to join them. When she goes home from work, she avoided the kitchen and sat in front of the TV like everybody does. "Mom aren't you going to do supper?" were the question on her family's faces, yet she ignored and continued to enjoy her "protest".

Her family realized how they took her for granted and started to work and help in any way they can. The mother still glued to the tube while the rest were always having "family meeting" in the kitchen. Eavesdropping at times, she knew her points were being taken.

One day as Christmas day draws nearer, the family asked the mother to come home hours later and maybe go out for a drink after work. How her "drama" paid off, her children and husband will prepare her a grand dinner that never in her life she imagined to ever take place, or so, she amused herself.

Excited to finally get home after a toast for success in the bar with a friend, the house was all lit and her family led her to the kitchen eyes closed. Taaadahhh!!! She opened her eyes and there's her surprise, a A NEW TV in the kitchen Ohmygoshhh!

For the ending of the story, get a copy of the book......

Hehehe kadi...The conclusion was a realization by the mother that changes come one step at a time. Transformation doesn't happen overnight and she also understood that she contributed to why her husband and children depended everything on her. She made them to.... So at the same night, there she was, the mother, preparing an instant supper of can goods and other quickie stuff.


I hope I recounted the story as it is. I sent my copy to my father in law. I might have missed some parts as I have read it more than two months ago.. 'Scusa' for any inaccuracy...

WE WANT A DOG

When I was pregnant with my second son, Marley And Me a book by John Grogan, gave me company. I was just browsing it when my husband brought it home from work. Till I ended up reading and loving every page.

Clients from the hotel where my husband works just leave these books when they're done. Unlike us, so sentimental with books we read, we leave them piling up in our spare room. A room where you can't move anymore because of so many "memorabilia" hehehe... Doesn't surprise me when my sister Ica prefers to sleep at my other sister's house. "Avalanche of printed and bound works"(hahaha)can give "bukol"(contusion) too, ya' know.

Back to Marley And Me, its a story about a dog and the author. I thought it was all about this fury cuddly creature on the pics but it wasn't. Its about a couple whose starting a family with a "neurotic" dog that is adding up "zest" into their life. Another read I want to pass, so, go and buy, barrow or steal one(lol). And, I almost forgot, they're making a movie out of it. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are in the lead role.

We can't have a dog here, its not allowed in our village. If I could only keep it a "PUPPY" forever, I'll be a stubborn and own one. I can just ignore if someone complains and I'll talk out the 'carabinieri'(police) if it gets that worse. But, thinking of walking it out 3 to 4 times a day scares me off. And, the boys tagging along aaarghhh...and its winter...if we go for vacations, who stays with it?.... Why does it have to be so complicated?

A MUST READ

Half way reading this book: Tim Russert's ‘Wisdom of Our Fathers’ , I can't help but tell every one to grab a copy of it. This is not a sponsored post by the way. Please click the link and find out why I am recommending this amazing book.

Boogie and I are very grateful to Sir C.N. Candelario of Fallon New York for sending us Tim Russert's ‘Wisdom of Our Fathers’ along with the other book, Moving Zen. I am passing this gift by "nagging"(lol) you to open the link and avail or go buy/barrow/steal(hehehe) one.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE - FROM NY

Boogie's card from Beng

Finally, my boys' Christmas gift from their Lola Becca and their Tita Beng from Albany, New York came this morning. Lukie's high temp of 39.2°C(even if you give him paracetamol every four hours)for the passed two days had cooled down while opening the package. He has been sick with Influenza. We hope he is fine now, no more fever as of lunch time and there he is fast asleep as I am writing this.

Twice did my first born read the book Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak that he got from the pack. He requested chicken soup for dinner that I was not able to do because fish was ready to be served. I just made him an instant soup that will go with his rice and fish.

People from Baguio will know what I am thinking if they'll read this book. Here it is, read on. Have a share of what me and my son read before he dozed off. In January it’s so nice, while slipping on the sliding ice,
To sip hot chicken soup with rice.
Slipping once, sipping twice, sipping chicken soup with rice.

In February it will be my snowman’s anniversary,
With cake for him and soup for me!
Happy once, happy twice, happy chicken soup with rice.

In March the wind blows down the door and spill my soup upon the floor.
It laps it up and roars for more.
Blowing once, blowing twice, blowing chicken soup with rice.

In April I will go away, to far-off Spain or old Bombay,
And dream about hot soup all day.
Oh my once, oh my twice, oh my chicken soup with rice.

In May I truly think it best to be a robin lightly dressed,
Concocting soup inside my nest.
Mix it once, mix it twice, mix that chicken soup with rice.

In June I saw a charming group of roses all begin to droop.
I pepped them up with chicken soup!
Sprinkle once, sprinkle twice, sprinkle chicken soup with rice.

In July I’ll take a peep into the cool and fishy deep,
Where chicken soup is selling cheap,
Selling once, selling twice, selling chicken soup with rice.

In August it will be so hot, I will become a cooking pot.
Cooking soup of course. Why not?
Cooking once, cooking twice, cooking chicken soup with rice.

In September for a while, I will ride a crocodile
Down the chicken soupy Nile.
Paddle once, paddle twice, paddle chicken soup with rice

In October I’ll host to witches, goblins, and a ghost.
I’ll serve them chicken soup on toast.
Whoopy once, whoopy twice, whoopy chicken soup with rice.

In November’s gusty gale I will flop my flippy tail
And spout hot soup. I’ll be a whale!
Spouting once, spouting twice, spouting chicken soup with rice.

I

n December I will be a baubled, baubled Christmas tree
With soup bowls draped all over me.
Merry once, merry twice, merry chicken soup with rice

Bees And Ducks

Mama and Dad

The Secret Life Of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is a book that will always remind me of my mother - Normie. Today is her birthday. She should have been 53 if she’s still around to spoil her grandchildren.

“The next ten thousand years she would fix my hair. She would brush it into such a tower of beauty, people all over the world would drop their harps just to admire it. You can tell which girls lack mothers by the look of their hair. My hair was constantly going off in eleven directions...” Lily’s narration from the said book - Lines that first struck me when I was already on the third page.

Normie was born in Balatoc Itogon Benguet. Her family lived in Batuang Itogon who came all the way from Tadian Mt. Province for the gold mines. His father Felix Dulaycan and her mother Lydia, whom I can’t remember her maiden name, had six children. They too were young orphans when my grandmother Lydia died and Mama Normie at a young age became her siblings’ keepers.

I was in Grade 5 back then, I came home from school when my two sisters were spooning the peanut butter from the container. I asked them why they’re eating it with out bread and they told me, “Mama had let us!” That was our last 'merienda'(snack) with her and we were so clueless how weak she was that time.

I have so many beautiful memories of her that could surpass the number of pages to Sue Monk Kidd’s book though I only spent 12 years with her - Why she had so many shoes, her scent and a lot more.
Aunt Betsy, Irish, Mama, Me, Noeda and Dad

I can never forget the laughter I drew out from her when she can’t keep up on chasing me as she holds a ‘tsinelas’(flip-flops). She was in fury to whip out my butt because I made my sister cry and from a cautious distance I watched her trying to stop and hide her laughter as she says, “ Lovelyn, kala dyay! Darasim”( You come here! Hurry up!).

I always picture her with her dance as she sings her “Ducky Song”:

“Five little ducks went swimming one day.
Over the pond and far away.
Mother Duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack.”
And only four little ducks came back...”

I was singing this song to my 8 month old baby as I was feeding him last week. My eldest son Lukie was on the couch intently listening to my song and I saw his worried face. When I came to the "last 1 duck who went to swim and then no more duck came back", he was already in tears. I knew why so I went next to him and explained that the ducks grew up. They went to have a family of their own that’s why they did not go back to their Mama. “Just like me and Papa”, I said. “We came here in Italy and Lolo Danny and Lolo Mondax stayed in the Phillipines.” I told him and his face lit up. He was smiling again and went for the tissue for us to wipe our eyes.

I know my mother duck is up there with harps and cellos played by the angels as she sings her “Ducky Song” on this day of hers.

ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN

Just want to share an excerpt from one of my favorite books - ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN by Robert Fulghum

HERE'S R. FULGHUM'S CREDO:

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be, I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sand pile at the Sunday School.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.

Play fair.

Don't hit people.

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up you mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours.

Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Flush.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

Live a balanced life - learn some and think some

and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday some.

Take a nap every afternoon.

When you go out into the world, watch out for

traffic, hold hands and stick together.

Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in

the Styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that. Goldfish and hamster and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup-they all die. So do we.

And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned-the biggest word of all--LOOK

MUSASHI

The "cookie" again and some technicalities, I can't directly upload videos from 'youtube' and url's are showing when I try to link a site. Just do the clicking for now.

My next in line to read book is MUSASHI by Eiji Yoshiko that was translated by Charles S. Terry. A classic samurai novel dubbed as "The Gone With The Wind of Japan".

My husband finished the book and was consumed with the story. He searched 'youtube' hoping to find reactions of Musashi enchanted readers like him and WALAAH! The TV series could be viewed there... I felt cheated! Now I'm half through watching all the episodes and it could have been nice if I've read it first.

MUSASHI 1-1 series http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5CeqrPrjgY

More on this Label/Category here:http://dyluks74.blogs.friendster.com/my_blog/books/index.html