A dog story that made me cry

I am following  a lot of blogs, local and not. One of the many I visited today is Divine Lee’s blog (divinemlee.com).

From her many posts, I read those which are under her “tagged” post. And one of the new ones today is her post about her dog Oreo. In the middle of reading the entry, I was already choking with tears. I have been in this situation when I was a lot younger. My best friend left me. He was named Bordagul.

I cannot remember when it started but there came a point that he came with us in our trips to school every morning. When we get off the vehicle, he knows that he wont be permitted inside school premises and that he has to get back on the vehicle and continue the journey with our Mom to our store. At night, he will again be with Mom in the trip back to our house. Every day of the week, this was the routine.

One  day, when I got home from school, Mama told us that Bordz is no longer with us. A vehicle ran him over and he didnt survive it because of his fatal wounds. Mom said that he was crying all that time and was licking his wounds trying to stop the bleeding. I was  crushed to pieces and have not picked myself up since then.

I avoid having any relationship with our dogs at home. I have not budge even with great efforts from them to be closer to me. I dont want to love another pet and then cry my heart out when I lose him/her eventually.

Reading Divine’s post is live re-living my days with Burdagol. Reading her feelings about her dog is like reading a journal which I personally wrote.

My fluffy little baby: OREO

19 years ago, I was still in school I got the coolest gift ever. Well, gift for myself. I got a dog! I always wanted my own one, we had a couple in the house but d akin yun so medyo deadma ako.

I wanted a show dog! One with long hair so I can put ribbons and pretty dresses. I still remember the day when I went to the breeder. I wanted a black and white one! Yung walang bahid na brown kasi bet ko ang color blocking na vivid. haha! kidding aside, i really wanted a pure black and white one. So during my search for the perfect pup, i found one! The best black and white pup in the litter. Unfortunately, ayaw benta kasi chaka daw. No joke, that’s what the breeder said. He’s a runt and they don’t feel comfortable selling him to me (bagets pa ako so sabi nila iiyakan ko kung mamatay sya). But as a hair fanatic, i loved his hair and insisted to get the pure black and white dog. They allowed me to take him home and just pay for the shots and doctor. So in short, parang libre na.

When I got home, i was a bit disappointed. Oreo could not walk and chaka ng ipin so i had to mash his food so he could eat. Most dogs walk in a few days/weeks depending on the breed, but Oreo took 6 months. Inavail nya talaga. He wasn’t the pretty dog i expected him to be, naglagas pa yung buhok. But kahit chumachaka sya… super lambing naman so it made up for everything. For his frist day to 6th months old, i had to feed him by hand. SO bad owner na kung bad, mahilig sya sa table food kasi sinasabay ko. And he’s sanay to stay home lang kasi nga hindi sya marunong maglakad. He started moving first by “swimming” on the floor then eventually nakalakad din and started eating on his own.

By the 2nd year, bongga na sya. Yung nalagas na buhok gumanda na and i was able to put ribbons na on him. He was always there for me. I know na paguwi ko, there’s someone super excited to see me. Kahit 10 minutes lang ako nawala, the minute i walk in the door akala mo tumama sya ng bingo sa talon.

When i was in college, sinabay nya rin yung body clock nya. Every morning, we would be by the door waiting kasi kasama sya sa pagalis ko. Alam na nya yun. When I finally got my own place, i got busy I would still play with him but not as much na. May room na ako, before kasi one bedroom lang house ko so he would sleep with me. Minassacre nya rin kaya yung carpet so sa new house may area nalang sya.

But kahit d ko na sya pinapansin as much, never syang nagbago. Still excited to see me. No fail yan. Kung isususlat ko lahat ng ginawa namin together, kukulangin ang blog na toh.

Last year, he got sick and I really thought it was time. Doctor spoke to me na to get ready and all but of course hindi ko kaya. I begged and prayed to keep him well and he bounced back. V got me liempo. He said he wanted me to be ok if ever Oreo needs to go to doggy heaven na. Syempre, hindi ko sineryoso. Liempo surprisingly became Oreo’s bestie kahit may isa pa akong dog. Para syang big kuya, to the point na si Oreo yung pinagaagawan ni Liempo and Coco. They made a good team Super cute relationship.

Last December, Oreo got sick again. More like he’s weak na. 19 years old na sya which is rare for a shih tzu. But kahit poor hearing, blind and no more teeth, super excited parin yan whenever he would see me. So when he got sick, i begged him.. wag naman paabutin mo naman sa birthday ko. He got better. All the way til my birthday. All the way til I got home from Bali.

Last week, manang said Oreo won’t eat na talaga. So bumalik kami sa day one nya. When we had to mash his food and spoon feed him. He was just sleeping narin. And obvious na pagod na sya. He’s not sick though, just old.

Monday was becky nights day. I had that urge to just carry him around the whole day. Tahimik lang sya, but everytime i would call his name, he would try to react kahit mahina na pandinig nya. He would breath hard and try to move. I was crying na, niloloko na ako nila Jake or maybe they were trying to cheer me up. I knew it was time to let him go. I brought him to the room and talked to him. I told Oreo that he can go. Bilin nya na kay Liempo and Coco lahat. Keri na nila yun. Make sure to bilin coz i would need his love when he’s gone and sana naturuan nya yung dalawang bagets.

Today, Oreo left for doggie heaven. I feel bad. Im still crying buckets but in a way not as famas as i would expect. He prepared me. Up to the end pinagbigyan nya ako. Pati birthday ko. So parang unfair na if I hold him here longer. When the doctor said that Oreo or Owyo is gone na. I dropped my meeting and rushed there. I made sure he was clean and brushed nicely, fixed his cremation and waited for them to pick him up. The end na pala talaga yun.

My heart is crying, my eyes are swollen but I guess I’m ok. Masyado nya naman pinakita gaano ako kalakas sa kanya. Pinagbigyan nya ako paulit ulit. He lasted 19 years.

God works in mysterious ways. The other day, my lappy storage disk became full. Ang kulet ko sa twitter how to upgrade. Hindi naman sya sira, in short wala naman sakit. But i had to let go of some files. Finally, after resisting for years, i transferred some files to an external drive. I let go. Parang funny na ginawang sign for me yun.

Oreo’s not sick, parang full lang ang storage or life span nya. Sinulit nya. So he has to go na talaga. And mommy just needs to accept. Like how i accepted the extrenal drive.

Looking back, pagyayabang ko na Oreo is the pinakamabait na doggie in the whole galaxy. Walang cocontra. That’s it. He gave me joy na hindi ko mabibilang or maquantify so sana talaga nabilin nya ng bongga sa dalawa. Malakas naman ako sa kanya and he never failed me so I’m quite sure he did. Tama nga yung breeder when I first got him, IIYAK LANG AKO PAGNAWALA SYA. OO, but these tears are nothing compared to the joy he gave me. SO keri lang kahit umiyak pa ako bukas, next week or everytime I think of him.

Sa lungkot ko i started searching the net for doggie after life. And i found the RAINBOW BRIDGE. Here it is.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

Author unknown…

Crayola na naman ako. But medyo nakangiti na. Because it allowed me to visualize Oreo well and happy. And naisip ko na hanggang dun, excited parin sya makita ako And in a way, parang push narin yan na magpakabait ako para sure sa heaven ang bagsak so on my way makikita at sasalubungin ko sya.

Oreo, kahit minsan ang baho mo talaga. Ikaw na. I love you so much. When i finally have my own kids, i wished na magka-oreo sila. A pet who would maximize his life para may kasama silang lumaki. Enjoy ka muna dyan sa Rainbow bridge and wait for me Make sure they put BLUE RIBBONS. Sabihin mo bet ko lang nakaribbon ka but lalake ka talaga. Or becky siguro. D mo na chika sakin

Sorry for the super long post. It’s 3.30am and I’m still crying. Keri na toh. Baka may wifi si Oreo dun, mabasa nya sana. Thank you for the 19 years.

Love you OREO

Much love,

D

Invictus

by William Ernest Henley 

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

The Help

It has been a while since I made comments or made a personal reaction on a movie I watched. It does not mean I havent been watching any motion pictures, I have and saw a lot as a matter of fact. I always want to write but as always, procrastination ate me.

This afternoon I watched one of the latest movies released called “The Help”. I really dont have anything important to say only that I remembered the nanny that we were with since I was a year old until I was in high school. She practically raised me and my siblings.

Nanay Denia was and until now is family. Very far from how the people in the old “Ole Miss” treat their help. Before, a maid servant is just somebody you pay to do the chores inside the house, buy the groceries and look after the children while you spend most of your time on activities you deem are more important. Because of the extreme racial discrimination, the people who are financially blessed forget that the help are also people.

Nanay Denia was and until now my second mother. I remember her to be always there with me. Through all kinds of situations I was in when I was younger. Tough and happy times. I can vividly remember one closing exercises in elementary when both of my parents werent there. I didnt have new clothes nor shoes. I wasnt sent to the salon for make-up and hair which was the usual scenario during recognition day. No one but Nanay was there to accompany me and pin me my ribbon.

The help is always there to give a hand. The parents should always keep that in mind. And it is not only the parents that should remember this, the kids who were reared by the nanny should also keep this in mind.

It is very hard  for someone to be far from her own family in order to earn money by taking care of another woman’s family. It is hard for someone to be looked down on by other people when all they do is get the job done. It is further heart wrenching for someone to be belittled by the very person they sacrificed all their time with their own family just so they can raise them well.

The help dont just invest time and effort in raising the family, they also invest emotionally. They give care, comfort , and love. I know that Nanay loved us and continues to do so. When she left the house because of some uncontrolled circumstances, she continued to be present in our lives by being there from time to time. She would come and spend a week to visit and at the same time help with all the household chores. I know she wanted to be back. I just wished my parents took her back.

There were postive points in her leaving the house because we then learned how to look after ourselves. But again, I really did wish she got back with us.

While I was writing this piece as well as when I was watching the movie, not just a single drop of tear was shed. There was a lot. I again remembered Nanay. Even there were some situation that hardened parts of my heart and have blocked some beautiful memories, in my hearts of hearts I love my Nanay.

Nanay, how I wish I can really take care of you because I think I have not met the duty of reciprocating all the love that you have given me and my family. The only thing that I can do now is to pray for your health and wish that you are still strong to see us again in the nearest future. Love you Nanay.

Ang Pitong Katotohanan sa Mundo

1. Mata mo lng ang di mo kayang sabunan.

2. Hindi mo kayang bilangin ang buhok mo.

3. Hindi mo kayang huminga ng nakalabas ang dila.

4. Sinubukan ng mga utu-uto ang number 3.

5. Naisip mong nagmukha ka lng aso noong sinubukan mo.

6. Mapapangingiti ka dahil nauto kita.

7. Ipapasa mo sa iba para mkbawi ka.

One Stackers weekend with Izzadora

It has been a while since Diane and I went out on a weekend with Izza and I think this was the last time that we did. We went to Eastwood to visit the “tiangge” and do a little retail therapy.

After the first wave of shopping, we went to find a place to eat. Initially they wanted to eat at Fazoli’s. Good thing that the restaurant then was closed since I am so tired of the menu because we always eat there. I was really craving for something different. Since my sister said we were on a tight budget, I suggested we go for Stackers.

Again, the usual table napkin picture.

When I go here, the usual order is a burger or a chicken meal. The last time I was with Sherelle, she ordered the Burger Bowl which is more like a salad. I was jealous because when she let me eat something from her plate, it was sublime! I decided to get that this time.

In the first photo you cannot really see that there is a burger steak in there so I had to do some literal digging. Here is a close up picture.

The zoomed in photo above is a disaster but this one below zoomed out is better. I think?

Diane and Izza got the same thing, the Stacker burger and then they added drinks and fries.

This time I was jealous of what they ordered! But my sister shared some of her burger and fries with me and in return, I share some of my salad with her.

They had this massive ketchup in the table which I generously used to lather my fries. I wanted to put it inside my bag and take it home. It was yummy!

I decided to take a picture of the burger after it went through multiple or a series of big bites. It really looked messy but it also shows how juicy the burger was.

After eating, they wanted to get Serenitea but I wanted them to experience Happy Lemon and again I was able to convince them to go for the latter.

One mistake I made is that I had the barista add an additional shake of that green stuff they put on top of the Milk Tea with Cheese and Rocksalt. It was more bitter than the usual. I was able to finish mine because I really liked it and Diane was able to as well. It was only Izza who didnt, I think she wasnt pleased with it.

Anyhoo, we stayed for a while to chat and had some pictures taken. And if I remember it correctly, we then went back to the bazaar.

Izza, I dont know if you know that I usually refer to you as Izzadora when I talk to Diane. Bad habit of giving people nicknames I guess. Anyways, now you know. I hope we can go out again soon!

Uncle Cheffy’s – A place we always go back to

One safe place to go when you are craving for good food is Uncle Cheffy. I know two branches, one in Eastwood and one in Ortigas but I am always eating at the first one. I remember my first time eating in this place, I was with Manang Kuting. Remember her? She was always my companion in raiding the places to eat in Eastwood. Below is the usual table napkin photo. Everytime I go there, always with a different group, the order is the same but I never get bored of them. The place is very known for their brick-oven panizza. It is very big and is good for two to three people. The restaurant allows patrons to choose two flavors for one order and we always get the Cheese-Cheese-and-Cheese and Uncly Cheffy’s Favorites combo. From the munchpunch menu it says that the first panizza is made of mozzarella, parmesan, cheddar, gruyere, blue cheese, herbs and virgin olive oil while the second one is made of oven dried tomatoes, mushroom garlic, anchovy, chili flakes, basil and 3 cheese. This combination is a winner! The next thing that we usually get is the Memphis Barbecue U.S. Beef Rib Finger. It is an order of 1000g of beef, with salad, marble potato and sauces. It usually comes with three different sauces. A ketchup based one, a strong bbq sauce and something which is olive oil based but all the time I request for their steak sauce. Its the best thing that you can get for the rib fingers. The second time I ate there, I was with my sister. We ordered the two of these and then rice for the steak because we are Pinoys. Even though the Asian rice was divine we werent able to finish all. Anyways, because the ambiance is great, the food is great and the service is good, we always go back to this place.

Tokyo Cafe, A restaurant we love!

After we sent Buding off at the airport, we went straight to MOA to eat a super late lunch. We were offered quite a lot of choices and the first was always Mann Han but knowing the queue in that restaurant, we then moved to another choice which was Tokyo Cafe!

We love Tokyo Cafe. So much that I cannot count how many times we have been to this restaurant. We have gone to the Megamall, Go Hotel and now the MOA branch.

Here is my sister while we were walking trying to find a place to eat.

The usual table napkin shot.

We always have a Demi-Hamburg and if we are really hungry we add pizza and the Pepperoni is the favorite. Because we were really hungry, I started taking photos when I was done eating. Below is my sister enjoying her pizza.

Because she said it wasnt fair that I was mostly taking her pictures, she took two of me.

Another reason why we went to MOA was to find her 1TB external HDD. Below is her picture of her new baby Seadfrey.

Baby Uno Baptismal

July 2, 2011 I was able to go home to attend the baptismal of Rafael Marcus aka Uno-bels. Uno being his nickname because he was born January 1. Everybody was celebrating the coming of the new year 2011, Uno was making havoc inside his mom wanting to take a whiff of the firecracker smog.

Anyways, we were there early. I was with Judee from Pototan to Sta. Maria Parish. After less than an hour, people started to come. We were still scheduled to attend a seminar for God Parents inside the parish offices. Nothing new in the lectures. The tune actually was more political than familial so I totally lost interest. Other than that, one couple who was there were keeping me busy. The phone of the woman kept on ringing. She didnt even have the courtesy of putting her phone on silent mode even though it was one of the rules given by the speaker.

I cant really remember if the next photo was taken before or after the seminar. I saw Bob Maranon! He was funny. One thing he asked me, “Hindi bala lawyer ka na?” He must have mistaken me for somebody else.

Below are some pictures of Uno-bels while the officiating priest was starting the Christening rites. Look at the baby boy, he isnt really paying attention at all. He was interested more on the things that was around him.

The sheet they gave to all godparents.

There were two other babies who were baptized that day. From the pictures you will see that they werent as wiggly as Uno was.

When the priest was near the end of the rites, he called the attention of Uno-bels because he wasnt really paying attention. “Rafael Marcus, I need your attention now.” He’s a baby, we can forgive him because of that.

I rode to the venue with Grace’s mother and brother along with Catherine and Judee. After eating, here’s what I saw. Look how cute he was, lethargic of all the activities of the day.

The picture below was what I really liked most of all that I took of him sleeping.

After a while, he woke up and we took the opportunity to have some photos taken with him. I may have had 30minutes of Uno time. I was practically eating (aka kissing) him alive.

Nowadays, it is very hard for everyone to be in one place at a time. So having five of us together in one place was a blessing. I was also able to reconnect to my really good (if not the best) friends’ family. Grace, wish you were there!

The baby boy and the stage mother.

On our way out of the place, we had to have our picture taken. The stage mother was still busy attending to her guests so its just the four of us.

On our way out, Angelie’s Mom invited us to come with them to Zarraga. And so we did! Here is Angelie, 7months pregnant at that time.

I took a photo of the front of the car. Catherine covered half of her face with her hanky.

Here was our feast when we got to the place. Coke is Happiness.

These catfish’ photo didnt do the dish any justice. Of all that I have tried, they do the best  catfish barbecue in Zarraga. No fail!! I can eat two of these if it were’nt for the rest of the selection in the feast.

After some eating and more catching up, everybody went with to drive Catherine home to Barotac. I was not able to get a picture of Baby Yuan with me because all the time I was carrying him. When we went home, it was a little bit dark already.

All of this happened the day before I went back to Manila. When I woke up the next day, I got a text from Lyra telling me that Uno was confined at St. Pauls because of excessive coughing. During his baptism day, he had a runny nose already and was coughing a little. His shirt was changed a little bit later than should have been so he was really soaked with his own perspiration for a while. This may have worsened his condition.

Below are the pictures I took of him when I went to visit him in the hospital.

Here he was with his Papa. Makoy has changed his clothes already but still there were streaks of blood in his clothing. He said that they were from earlier that day. Uno kept on pulling out his needle attached to his dextrose so in the process the wound spilled a lot of blood.

He was coughing so hard that it sounded like a barking dog but after a while, he was able to sleep.

They transferred the needle to his foot. And in order to pad it and for the needle not to be taken out as easily, they wrapped a diaper around it.

Unobels was sick for a long time but he was able to recuperate fully. I kept track of his progress by texting the stage mom.

Just a week ago, I went home again to Iloilo to attend his first birthday. I even went to spend an overnight with him in Guam. I love you Unobels!!! I hope to see you again soon!!

Baby Alex

October 28th of last year, my sister and I had an opportunity to go home to Iloilo. Here we were inside the van from the airport enroute to SM City.

Two days after we arrived, we went to visit Angelie who two weeks before this visit gave birth to her baby Alexa. The night before we went home, I crammed for something to bring the baby. As usual, Babyland is the place to go. I got her the same thing I got baby Uno when he was born. I took a picture of the package before I handed it to her Mommy.

When we got there, she was fast asleep. Look how cute she is.

Tita Lyra was the first one to get her from her crib to sway her to sleep.

I got jealous, I was the one who gave her food. Dont worry about the necklace. I totally forgot about it but I took it off after these pictures.

She slept in my arms. And after maybe a good 30-45minutes, I placed her back in her crib.

Awwww, so peaceful.

Baby Alex has this tendency to cross her legs when she sleeps. Look at her in the next pictures.

Cutie cute baby! She really has great nose. Good genes I say. I hope I will have a baby as cute as she is. I hope I get to visit you again this year bebe!! Love love you!

First November in California Gardens

One October afternoon last year (2011) after some errands outside of the house, I went home to this.

So you see there were the kids and their nannies with them in the lobby of the building.  But the next pictures will not be inclusive of the children since we are more about privacy here. So much that I really wanted to take pictures or videos of the kids having some fun with all the decorations, I wouldnt want that to be done by strangers to my future babies.

Here’s a closer look at the witch above the entrance.

I was the only adult, besides the nannies, who was there enjoying the Halloween decors. Passerbys on their way out of the building were looking at me because I kept on taking pictures everywhere. And again, I used my phone so all the pictures are grainy.

Once you enter the lobby, there is this life-sized witch.

Going to the tower 3 elevator, this is the view.

There are a lot of things hanging around really but this decor on the way to the tower 2 elevators creeped me out the most.

And here is a closer look on that Reaper close to tower 3′s elevators.

I know that the decors still lacked a few things in it. If they went a little higher on it, it would have been better. But the thing is, they did this to all the lobbies. Kudo’s to the decorations team for this one. Everything was really cohesive. Maybe next time they can add some spider webs on the walls of the lobby. That would be more exciting.