What Is My Favorite Color?

I don’t know, really.

What I know is that I love the color of the sky when the sun starts to peek through the morning clouds or just when it starts to disappear in the darkness of the coming night. I am always mesmerized with the effect of the burst of light in the horizon at the beginning and the end of the day. Both moments are just very warm and comforting.

Here are some of the best views of the sky that I captured in my phone while riding the bus going home or back to the metro, or the train, or while sipping tea in the balcony.

I hope you spend some of your time appreciating the sun and the sky this afternoon!

– C

If You’re Missing, Come Home

Let me begin by saying that I had an awesome weekend. No, I didn’t spend thousands for an out of the country tour (though that might have made my weekend, as well). I simply went home.

My weekend officially started after finishing-up piles of office work by 6:30 in the afternoon last Friday. I grabbed my overused backpack and went to Baliwag Transit in Cubao. The bus arrived at San Jose City before midnight, and I was happy to find that finally, finally McDonalds reached the humble city. For more than ten years, Jollibee has been making the kids happy in the city and nearby municipalities. Growing up in Nueva Ecija, I was one of these kids. As an adult, I was glad to see this change for it represents progress and hope for the area.

A happy M! Finally!

Because I promised to restrain myself from eating in fastfood as sacrifice for the Lent Season, I can only look at the happy M sign that shines like hope in the dark empty street of San Jose City (Believe me, I have to exert a lot of effort no to go there and order fries!). Gladly, my father requested for balut, so my sister and I went to buy some before riding the tricycle home.

When we set foot in the bridge that connects our home to the main road, the familiar bark of the house dog greeted us. I looked up and I was amazed how the star-studded sky never fails to astound me all the time. How I wish I have the camera to capture it, but since capturing it in my memory is cheaper, I have to settle for it…for now.

My mother gave us a warm hug as we entered the house. It’s so familiar and comforting at the same time. My mother really knows us so well as she already prepared late dinner for us. Fish – as I requested. What I had for dessert? Balut. After the longest time of not tasting it, I again allowed myself to savor this Filipino dish. What I am so happy about is that the balut sellers still package them the old way – with suka and sili, and rock salt wrapped in a piece of newspaper shaped as small cones.

Although I love the yellow of this dish, I cannot bring myself to eat the tiny chick. 😦

Saturday lunch consisted of steaming rice and ginataang gulay sa alamang which, by the way, I appreciated more than any other meal. Why? BECAUSE I GRATED AND SQUEEZED THE COCONUT WITH MY OWN HANDS! Yes, I am probinsiyana like that, and I’m proud of it. It’s funny how I always joke my mother about this by saying, “Ano? Saan sila makakakita ng magiging girlfriend na marunong magkayod ng niyog? Ako lang!” And she always agrees. This pre-cooking activity is something I really enjoy for reasons I don’t know. I just…I just like it. I guess this, again, will bring me to the conclusion that I care for people I cook for.

Since it was Saturday, it is our palengke day. Although my family lives in Llanera, we still do our marketing in San Jose City merely because there are a lot more choices there. It’s the harvest season for onions in Nueva Ecija and it is amazing to see hills of onions in the bagsakan part of the market. Now I regret not taking pictures. After an hour of hurdling in the meat and vegetable section, it was merienda time! What’s best to put in your mouth in this hot summer day when in Nueva Ecija? Newly fried ukoy and turon! They look good, tasty, crunchy, sweet and…yeah, healthy (never mind the oil). We bought some and ate ’em on our way home.

We brought our niece with us and gave her a treat in McDonalds since she ranked 3rd in her class!

Sadly, the weekend has to come to an end. We have to go back to Manila by Sunday, so we left home early. On our way back to San Jose City, I realized that over-all, I am very much satisfied on how my weekend went. It’s simple. It’s relaxed. It’s me. It has been so long since I felt this satisfaction inside me. It felt like the first weekend I went home from college. I realized that I will be forever home-sicked because I will always have the longing to be with my family. I’d like to view this in a positive way because this will mean that I will always find ways to go home. And home will always welcome me.

Back to Manila, my sister and I got ready to watch the play Rock of Aegis, went home by midnight, tucked myself to bed, opened my eyes, and it’s Monday again.

Umbrellas up to all the typhoon survivors!

This, my friends, was how my weekend ended.