Truthfully, I first went to the library to hide. Being seen alone during breaks meant you were weird. Go figure our the harshness of kids, huh? I got labeled “loner” and “nerd” a lot. It really hurt my feelings and they drove me to hide in the library even more. The good thing is, the hiding turned out to be good. I may not have made a lot of good friends early on, but I did begin nurturing one of my first loves — my love for reading.

I would read anything — adventure books, text books, poetry, short stories, encyclopedias. I even remember going through the card catalog and looking for interesting titles. The books kept me company. At the times I felt most alone, especially in high school, I knew I could always turn to a good book and feel comforted.

Over time, it began to feel less like hide-and-seek and more like home. Home in the midst of peer pressure and the unforgiving high school caste system. Home in the midst of cliques and clubs. The library always welcomed me, and the books seemed to always embrace me. I had my little quiet cove.

Eventually I did find good friends to have lunch with everyday. They were wonderful girls who didn’t scoff at my love for reading, even though music, dance and boys interested them more. From time to time though, I’d skip lunch with them and go back to my favorite lunch dates — the many books in the library. I’d hide behind shelves where the books and I would share our own secrets.

There are no good libraries where I live now, so I go to bookstores. It’s not as homey as that school library (and not as expensive either), but the mountains of books give me a sense of comfort. I run to my favorite bookstore especially when I need solace, when that school girl in me wants to hide from the rest of the world. So if you can’t find me, I’m probably curled up in a hidden corner behind a shelf, lost in a good book, cocooned till I’m ready to face the world again.

Did you have any solitary hiding place when you were in school? I’d love to hear your story.

Before going to bed, I always struggle with doing the dishes. The procrastinating me wants to put it off for the morning, the neat freak wants to clean the dishes and sink right away. What usually wins is neat freak me. Not only is it more hygienic, but waking up to a clean, shiny sink is a cheery way to kick off the day.

It’s simple anyway. Wash and dry your dishes. Fill the sink with hot water and pour a cup of bleach in it. After an hour, drain the sink. Rinse well. Scrub with your favorite detergent. Don’t mix bleach and cleanser — that’s poisonous! Rinse well. Then make your sink shine with a window or mirror cleaner. Ta-da! Clean and shiny. I got these tips from FlyLady. I super love her cleaning and decluttering tips.

The last thing you want to welcome your day with is a household chore, right? Uh-uh! So wash those dishes before sleeping. Shine that sink too. A little grumbling in the evening is better than a lot of grumbling come breakfast time, especially when you’re caught in the morning rush.

Sink image by SheCat

A friggin’ huge ant! It freaked me out a little bit.

Then again its presence was a testament to how sweet the atis was. Oh yes, how sweet it was!

Happy Monday! Hope your week is as sweet as this atis!

The game is easy! I will ask a question. The first person who comments will answer my question, and will leave a question for the next person to answer. This next person will answer that question, and leave a question for the next next person to answer. I am sure you get it!

To make things more fun, the questions have to reflect the chosen theme. For example, if the theme is RELAXATION, all questions should relate to that topic. What kind of music relaxes you? How do you relax when at work? As much as possible, let’s not repeat the questions for added fun! You are also welcome to play more than once.

Let’s roast some chestnuts on the open fire with our 45th weekend soiree!

The theme: CHRISTMAS

The question: Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or as soon as you get them?

Click here for past themes.

Handpainted Twilight Converse Chuck Taylor Hi-tops
by alcat2021 (link)

Forks Map/Vampire Pendant
by oliviamoon (link)
A map of Forks on one side, the definition of vampire on the other.

Twilight Fine Silver Bangle
by GIRLYGIRLSTUDIOS (link)

Twilight Bobby Pins
by poetsummer (link)

Jacob Black Crochet Doll
by deadcraft (link)
I REALLY like this one!

Edward Cullen Crochet Doll
by deadcraft (link)

Kreepy Kid Twilight Inspired Bookmarks with Quotes
by KreepyKids (link)

Ruffled Tulip Necklace
by shesells (link)
Inspired by the cover of second book “New Moon.”

Which ones did you like best?

All base images are from their respective Etsy shops.

Kinagisnan ko na ang lolo ko ang nagbubukas ng gate kapag bumibisita ako sa kanila. Sa mga pagkakataon na mamamasyal kami, ganito ang eksena. Magdo-doorbell ako, dadating ang lolo ko para buksan ang gate, at susundan sya ng aking lola. Laging malalaki ang ngiti nila kapag nakikita kami ng aking pamilya na bumibisita.

2003 nung kinuha ko ang litratong ito. Isang araw ito ng Setyembre, at sa may Manila Bay kami namasyal. Naglakad kami sa may Intramuros, pumasok ng WOW Philippines convention center, naglakad sa Baywalk nang pababa na ang araw, at naghapunan sa Aristocrat.

Napakasayang araw. Ngiti palang nung binuksan ang gate eh, napakaganda na diba? Excited nang mamasyal!

Ito ang aking lahok sa Litratong Pinoy ngayon na may temang “Kinagisnan.”

Chirpy bird coaster cuteness!!! I saw this while browsing in Etsy. This was created by littleoddforest. The image is from her shop. I love these coasters because they’re so quirky! You can view more of these bird coaster pics here. Makes for an adorable Christmas gift idea, doesn’t it?

I simply used 5 transparent hooks with back-to-back tape, stuck them to the wall and let my the lights dangle. I wanted to put two strings of fairy lights, but one string looked much simpler and tidier. I realize this can get addicting though. Because I had an extra string of fairy lights, I wanted to hang some in my kitchen! I’m still contemplating whether I should do that or not. Hmmm.

The lights were initially set up as part of my pre-Christmas decorating, but I think I’ll leave this fairy lights hanging even after the holidays. Who says fairy lights are just for Christmas after all?

I just had to say that.

Okay, back to my chores now.

Image credit: vampiresftw

And then I went online to watch these awesome Nigella Lawson holiday recipe videos. After viewing them, I wanted to string my kitchen with fairy lights and wear red. Seriously. Now go watch these videos. These are part of her Nigella Express series, so the dishes don’t take ages to prepare. Christmas dishes that are amateur-friendly and easy on time? If they don’t stir even the littlest bit of Christmas excitement in you, I don’t know what will!

Nigella’s Holiday Hotcakes with Eggnog Cream
Kick off the holiday morning with these hotcakes! For the kids, the hotcakes can be topped with whipped cream. For the grown-ups, some eggnog cream would give that breakfast a little kick. I’d like my hotcakes with an extra serving of eggnog cream please.

Nigella’s Snowball
Every party needs a little alcohol, and this one looks perfect for the holidays. It’s a frothy cocktail of Advocaat, lemonade and lime. I didn’t know what Advocaat was so I looked it up — “a rich and creamy liqueur made from eggs, sugar and brandy.” (Thank you Wikipedia!) Looks like a great drink for guests to have while you prepare the Christmas dinner table.

Nigella’s Party Popcorn
This reminds me of my Mom cooking popcorn the “old-fashioned way” way back in my childhood. And hmm… while it won’t have the same holiday magic, I wonder if microwave-cooked popcorn mixed with the spices will work just as well. Guests can feast on this pre-Christmas dinner. And oooh, this looks like a great snack for a Christmas-themed movie marathon!

Nigella’s Spiced Peaches
I’ve always seen peaches as a dessert, so this was a pretty eye-opening video for me. Canned peaches in syrup, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorn, salt… sounds savory! This looks pretty easy to make, and would be a perfect match with Christmas ham.

Nigella’s Butternut Squash with Pecans and Blue Cheese
This golden dish looks so festive! I can already imagine the sweetness of the squash and the tartness of the cheese blending so well. I wonder if butternut squash is available in local groceries here in Manila.

Nigella’s Ginger Glazed Ham
My late grandfather rocked Christmas ham with his pineapple glaze. Ah, memories. This ginger glaze from Nigella looks very tasty! And as she says in the video, if you don’t have ginger preserves for the glaze, you can opt to use orange marmalade mixed with dried ground ginger.

Nigella’s Chocolate Pistachio Fudge
Bring the evening to a sweet close with this chocolatey, nutty dessert. I think this is one of those snacks that make you forget how many pieces you’ve eaten already. You keep reaching into the bowl and before you know it, you go “uh-oh!”

I hope you have a little Christmas spirit with you now! If you’ve got the spirit, say Merry Christmas! If you’re thinking of trying out any of the above recipes yourself, say Merry Merry Christmas and let me know which one you want to try!

In my case, it’s Merry Merry Christmas! I’m thinking of preparing the Spiced Peaches and Chocolate Pistachio Fudge! They look like they’ll make great Christmas presents, don’t you think? Chocolate is loved by all, and a new way to love peaches is a great thing.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And thanks to Nigella Lawson and her awesome holiday recipes, we get to feel the spirit even more.