My Ivy

 Simple Gifts

If I am thinking correctly, a new baby is probably undoubtedly the grandest gift that could be. - Winnie the Pooh

Suddenly, she became my everything. 

Beautiful, playful, smart, and loving all at the same time. My grandest gift.

I watched her sleep when she was just a baby, thinking that when she woke, she would move mountains.

Inniswood Metro Gardens, OH:
 May 12, 2024

It has often been said, You gotta dance like there's nobody watching.

However, growing up and through her adult years, Second Daughter has been dancing as though EVERYBODY is watching.

Always, she has marched to the beat of her own drummer. And stubbornly refuses to fit in.

Why not?

Why push through life when you can dance through it?

Every day should be a chance to draw in a breath. Especially today!

Because

it's

your

birthday!

So, kick off your shoes.

And dance.

Happy 50th birthday, sweetheart!

 

Axo

 Simple Gifts

My moods don't just swing - they bounce, pivot, recoil, rebound, oscillate, fluctuate and occasionally pirouette. - Anonymous

I had recently gifted myself a mood ring.

It contains a so-called thermochromic element or mood stone with liquid crystals that change color depending on the temperature of the wearer's finger.

Interesting premise, huh?

The design I chose was that of an axolotyl.

I'll call you Axo, I beamed, as I looked at his lizard-like limbs, branching gills protruding from both sides of the head, and a nature-made smile that was unusually cute.

He's magical.

He constantly changes colors, just like the weather which has been capricious. Golden sunlight one minute, black skies and windblown rain the next.

Once, when I checked my ring, Axo was joyfully wearing a smile and showing off a bright reddish color. He looked like he was anticipating the sense of promise brought by the fresh smell that filled the air.

I'm happy, he seemed to say, unprompted.

For most of the day, though, Axo started to  turn green. Normal, average - according to the mood chart. 

When I checked later, he had turned purple. Seemingly smirking. Huh?! My situation had gone from normal to sensual. 

What did Axo know that I didn't?

I couldn't contain my amusement at the thought. If I had believed in wishes, I'd wish.

But the possibility certainly cheered me considerably.

Papi

 Simple Gifts

We are kids. The only difference is the toy we have. - Pablo Larraine

I love toys.

Kids' toys.

The smaller they are, the cuter, I think.

I got one such toy last year. A birthday gift from Second Daughter and Granddaughter. 

They had connived and deemed it appropriate that turning-79-year-old me needed this cute, multicolor kawaii anime night light.

A spark of mischief  illuminates his face. 

A slight smile lifts the corners of his mouth.

Amazon describes the item as a nursery USB rechargeable night light and room decor with seven-LED colors suitable for baby, children, toddlers, and teen girls. Made of washable silicon without any hard angles or edges so he would be safe enough for children and newborns to hold and play with.

At first sight, I must confess that I had smiled in delight, but quickly suppressed it to add a fake eyeroll. 

I have decided to call him Papi. 

Papi winks at me from my night stand.

Sometimes, he joins in the company of squishmallows Chanel and Matt on the bed.

In the storms of life when a darkening sky doesn't bode well, Papi glows.

Shining with warmth and brightness.

Beignet and Cappuccino

 Simple Gifts

In the early morning, as I watched the deck come to life with an assortment of our adopted critters, lyrics from a song the girls used to sing in Cherub Choir came to mind. 

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be.

- Simple Gifts, Shaker song written and composed in 1848

A great choice for my September series. 

Simple Gifts.

So it shall be.

And as I find myself in the place just right, twill be in the valley of love and delight.

*****

The most important decision you make is to take in a good mood. - Voltaire

I don't have to overextend myself to take in a good mood.

A French Quarter classic beignet and cappuccino will do.

It has been said that the true meaning of life is not to be discovered only after death in some hidden, mysterious realm. On the contrary, it can be found by eating the succulent fruit of the Tree of Life and by living in the here and now as fully and creatively as we can.

I agree.

At a downtown cafe that morning with Second Daughter for a pre-Mother's Day treat, my here and now was defined in a plate of deep-fried, soft, donut-like original beignet and a cup of cappuccino. 

Dusted with powdered sugar and served warm, what was not to love about this square-shaped pastry? I was almost smacking my lips with anticipation.

Every bite of the beignet and every sip of my espresso-based coffee drink topped with a thick layer of foam was heaven.

Délicieux! C’est fantastique! I spoke through stuffed lips.

Some days, you just have to create your own sunshine.

Anticipation's Sweet Embrace

 Game On

And you thought it would be FROGGER or DONKEY KONG this week?

Nope!

I wouldn't pass up the chance to highlight this amazing milestone family celebration as the climactic end to this series.

*****

The suspense is terrible. I hope it'll last. - Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Imagine the thrill of not knowing what would come next. 

We were on our toes.

Grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, godmothers, cousins, friends, and Filipino competitors-turned-fans were cheering, some of them waving SAS-decorated fans and ti leaves, sacred to Hawaiian gods, to bring good luck.

It was Day 4 of the 51st AAU Boys Junior National Volleyball Championships 2024.

After three grueling days of qualifying games packed with thrills, bumps, sets, and spikes, First Grandson and team members were playing for gold.

Someone said that the most important thing in any competition was not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life was not the triumph but the struggle.

RDH, Opposite/Outside Hitter Makes A Kill!

But that day, in back of our minds was the thought that these boys were geared around getting there and winning gold.

RDH Dives! Score!! Match Point!!! Screenshot from video: V.E.V., AAU Volleyball Championships 2024

And they did!

At the final deciding game of the match, after SAS scored a point to win the rally, applause erupted. 

Shouts reverberated.

Tears came.

Hugs galore and dancing ensued.

For us, it was an Olympic-size victory, an event that we would all remember and cherish.

When Team Spike and Serve Hawaii won the gold.

When overnight, First Grandson and the boys became a star.

When they not only fought well but conquered. 

Here's to you, RDH - YOU are awesome!!!

Gas Out

Game On 

Family - a little bit of CRAZY, a little bit of LOUD, and a whole lot of FUN. - Anonymous

Sprawled on the carpet, First Grandkids and we eyed Guster. He was the prominent character seated prominently at the center, presiding over the Gas Out game.

Waiting with bated breath as our turn came playing our card in hand, we took turns pressing Guster as many times as shown.

The premise was simple. If Guster farted, you were out.

Your turn, Jach. First Granddaughter chuckled under her breath.

Getting ready for a potentially odorous blow, Jach gingerly pressed Guster.

Whew! Nope. He seemed pleased, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

Cheatah, Jach, First Grandson piped in briskly. You didn't even press Guster. Do it! - at which point Guster the Gas Cloud, full of intestinal discomfort, emitted a loud PBBBT!

We all burst into a wet and teary laughter.

G's turn.

BRAAAP! Guster was ripping at every turn. I knew that if I opened my mouth, the laugh would just burst out, so I just made nods and kept my head bent down.

Eww! The blasts were not silent and they were definitely deadly. Cards in the deck kept the fun tooting along.

TOOT! POOT!

Yay! Skip! First Granddaughter looked up, her eyes widening.

The reverse card "blew" the turn back in the opposite direction. Phooey! First Grandson huffed out a laugh.

The sound that came out was unpronounceable. Something like THPPTPHTPHPHHPH!

I don't recall how the game ended, but what I remember was elation rising inside me.

A moment of intimacy.

Enclosed in a bubble of joy over such a silly thing as a stinking, breaking wind.

Sungka

Game On

Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life. - Albert Einstein

Second Grandddaughter and I sat, looking expectantly at each other. Horizontally in front of us was a sungka board.

Sungka, pronounced as soong-kah, is a two-player game played with seashells on a wooden, boat-like board.

Players pick up shells from a chosen hole, move them clockwise around the board, dropping a shell in each hole that's passed over and in the player's designated home base.

The object is to obtain as many shells in one's home, I chattered on brightly.

The rules set, I said. You start. My voice was soothing.

                                              

                                        Internet pic only

Second Granddaughter nodded coyly. Perusing her choice, she daintily picked from the hole from her farthest right and started distributing the shells.

She barked out a laugh, a wild one. I'm winning, G. Her tone and expression were teasing.

We shall see, I spoke calmly and took a turn. I barely paused to take a breath. I'd found my rhythm. Until... I "died" (meaning I ended in an empty hole and had lost my turn).

I could see in the course of the game that First Granddaughter was filling her house.

Ah, beginner's luck. I mocked her gently.

She continued to drop the shells one by one. Looking at my scantily-filled home base, she predicted with a smile at the corner of her lips, You'll end up with burnt houses, G (meaning I wouldn't have enough shells to fill my holes when we begin the next round of play).

As my turn came, I picked up a bunch from a hole, breathed slowly, and took a chance. I could win this. I thought that I had guessed with dead-on accuracy, but as a lonely shell dropped in an empty hole, I knew that I had lost.

Sigh... Just once, I'd like something to go as planned, ya know?

I let out a hooting laugh as dramatically, I clutched at my heart.

Second Granddaughter stifled a giggle, trying to convey a touch of sympathy.

I shooed her away in mock disappointment, but in my heart, I knew that winning wasn't really my biggest thrill. There were more important things.

Like seeing a smile stretched wide across a youthful face.

Hearing a good rich smile.

The sensation of finding mooring in family.

 

 

Centipede

Game On 

In the virtual realm, your potential knows no bounds. - Anonymous

Can you think of anything better than Atari's Centipede game?

I LOVE, LOVE Centipede. 

I used to play it in the early 80's in our home Atari system. I thought its  color graphics was impressive and the premise, exciting. 

That morning, I remember sitting up straight on the floor. My mission: to shoot the segments of a centipede as it wound down the playing field through a field of mushrooms.

Sun Tzu once said that strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory, but that tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat. I rubbed my palms on my thighs to get ready. I was ready to battle.

My thought, I can score victory with clever moves from my joystick.

Centipede had started its onslaught. All its segments were attached. For now. It was beckoning irritatingly at me. 

Oh-oh, I shouldn't let it hit the bottom of the screen. It's developing new segments! Oops, it just reversed direction. 

I felt my hopes go down, but I tried to ignore the panic flaring inside me.

Whew! That was close. I grunted in relief. 

My heart picked up a beat. If only I could win over other enemies.

A bouncing spider!

Dodge that flea dropping from the top of the screen!

It streaked across the screen changing any mushrooms it hit into poisonous ones. I was so panicked that I felt like I needed to pull back.

Hah! I'd lost my lives, I conceded in a soft tone, shrugging my shoulders.

Anyway, it was time for a break. 

Tomorrow is another day. Just another chance to restart stronger, I mumbled somberly.

Pac-Man

 Game On

The 2024 Summer Olympics is officially underway, taking place in Paris from July 26 to August 11.

It brings a sense of togetherness and motivation that no other sporting event can. It inspires us to look to the best of the best to find a piece of ourselves, something we can relate to, a dose of ferocity and grit that we can apply in our own lives.

It is in this spirit that I'm highlighting in this series MY take on competitive gaming.

Enjoy!

*****

Learn to get excited like a child. There is nothing that has more magic than childish excitement. - Jim Rohn

I loved playing Pac-Man. I relished hearing its sound chomping on pellets.

I was starry-eyed about the idea of eating dots inside an enclosed maze.

You might say, slightly possessed.

Underneath my fierce look was mirth as I kept glaring at the dots.

I remember how with gusto, I would strategize on how to avoid four colored ghosts who were threatening me with the Death Stare.

The pink ghost was so pink it was almost throbbing. You're not getting me, I vowed with my jaw set.

The ghosts are turning blue! What the??!

I realized with a sudden thrill that large flashing dots called power pellets were causing the transformation. But a handout for me. Pac-Man could eat them for bonus points.

I held up my hands and waggled my fingers in a gesture that said, Gimme. More. Cough it up.

Needless to say, every minute of the game was rousing as well as scary. At times, I actually pounded the console with both fists like a toddler in a fit.

As the game progressed, I couldn't keep calm because I was so freaking excited, especially when the stakes increased in difficulty. The ghosts became faster, but I stood my ground, amused. My enthusiasm was undefeated even as the energizers' effect decreased, eventually disappearing entirely.

Alas, I was caught by a ghost. I'd lost all my lives.

Game Over.

I nodded earnestly. 

That was fun.

Still A Pac-Man Fan! Second Daughter contributes this foto taken New Year's Eve, 2023 at Pins. She claims that I would barely let [VEV] play.

Family Faces

Faces 

Families are like fudge, mostly sweet with a few nuts. - Anonymous

I've saved the best for last - my pick of memorable family faces. Remember, as far as anyone knows, we're a nice, normal family.

Senior One: Me when cleaning my ears turns into something magical

Mhe: When my face hurts from too much scowling

Guapo and First Daughter:

When we don't care

 what you think about us

First Grandson: When U peed your pants. You try to hide it... but you just can't!

First Granddaughter: Shouting a word you've always needed but never realized existed

Comment from Second Granddaughter: RDH was saying, Ahhhh! IAH was saying, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I would have said same as IAH (lol) and sounded like an eagle.

Lexi:

When someone sneezes 

right in your face

Second Granddaughter: Me listening to my Dad's playlist

Second Daughter: When I didn't get enough sleep and people are trying to talk to me

Beau Bean: When I've just pooped on my wheel

Clockwise from top left: 

Minnie: When I look at an Instagram post

Priscilla: When I is missing you

Madeline: My face every time you cross my mind

Family forever, for always, no matter what their faces.

Smile

Faces 

 Smile! Happiness looks gorgeous on you. - Anonymous

Does your face tell a story and it's a story about your drive to the doctor's office?

Do you suffer from that syndrome where your neutral expression makes you look like an angry serial killer?

Try to SMILE!

Good things are coming down the road. Just don't stop walking.

As you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.

Find a reason to smile every day.

Life is too short to be serious all the time, so if you can't laugh at yourself, call me.

I'll laugh at you. 

Adorable Pug

  Faces 

I'm in the process of becoming the best version of myself. - Anonymous

Need I say more?

July 6 2024 Funny Face

 Faces 

Someone said that if the mouth doesn't say it, the face definitely will.

I agree.

The most important thing you wear is the expression on your face.

For starters, consider Audrey Hepburn's so-called funny face.

I find her impishly refreshing and beautiful face in the film Funny Face so adorable. She looks light-years more beautiful as the proverbial used-book-store Plain Jane than any Paris fashion model, then or now.

Is there a story here worthy of a blog?

Well, a Greenwich Village girl wearing black clothes and no make-up dreams of going to Paris. 

There's also Fred Astaire and Gershwin songs.

With all that, who needs a plot?

Just look at that face!

Granny Square Fanny Pack

Purses 

Granny square is a classic crochet pattern.

It refers to any type of crocheted square that is worked in the round.

It uses double crochet stitches worked in clusters of three with two chain stitches separating the sets.

Left: Small coin purse. Right: Fanny pack.

Not to bore you with crochet talk, I'll segue into my brilliant idea of how I used up such squares.

I stitched several of them together to make a fanny pack for keys and a cell phone.

Perfect for a walk.

Four of them sewn into a larger square, then folded in, transformed into a small coin purse.

That's right.

Even though the world is becoming more digital, there will still be occasions when you may need change. Instead of keeping it loose at the bottom of a gangly bag, I can use this stylish container instead.

So, grannies need no longer be square. They can be hip as well, literally and figuratively.

  

Polka Dot Puppy Wristlet

 Purses 

I won't lie.

This whole getting older and being responsible thing is getting in the way of fun. The prime of my life has already passed me by, and it didn't even have the courtesy to let me know it flew overhead.

But...

I've delighted in the thought that I can continue to surround myself with youthful stuff that just crack me up every time.

Take this adorable puppy wristlet, a random gift from Second Daughter.

So cute! With a quilted floral body and pink polka dot ears, dangling paws, and pert tail.

In lieu of lugging a saggy Grandma bag, I think I'd get up and groove with this perfectly-sized pooch (pouch?)

Shall we go?

My puppy is eagerly yapping toward Tropical Trends. Time to shop for an axolotyl mood ring and a lucky maneki-neko cat.

When God Created Fathers

By Erma Bombeck, humorist and author 

When the good Lord was creating Fathers, he started with a tall frame.

A female angel nearby said, What kind of a Father is that? If you're going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put the Father up so high? 

He won't be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending, or even kiss a child without stooping.

God smiled and said, Yes, but if I make him child size, who would children have to look up to?

And when God made a Father's hands, they were large. The angel shook her head and said, Large hands can't manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on pony tails, or even remove splinters caused from baseball bats.

Again God smiled and said, I know, but they're large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets, yet small enough to cup a child's face in them.

Then God molded long slim legs and broad shoulders. Do you realize you just made a Father without a lap? The angel chuckled.

God said, A Mother needs a lap. A Father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, to balance a boy on a bicycle, or to hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus.

When God was in the middle of creating the biggest feet any one had ever seen, the angel could not contain herself any longer. That's not fair. Do you honestly think those feet are going to get out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries, or walk through a birthday party without crushing one or two of the guests?

God again smiled and said, They will work. You will see. 

They will support a small child who wants to ride to Branbury Cross or scare mice away from a summer cabin, or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill.

God worked throughout the night, giving the Father few words, but a firm authoritative voice; eyes that see everything, but remain calm and tolerant.

Finally, almost as an afterthought, He added tears.

Then he turned to the angel and said, Now are you satisfied he can love as much as a Mother can?

The angel said nothing more.

Floral Coin Purse

Purses 

A purse blog on Father's Day? Of course. I cannot seem to run out of Dad stories, all of them my favorites. Here's one to remember my Dad by.

*****

Some people don't believe in heroes, but they haven't met my Dad.

Dadee is one of my favorite parents. When I obsessed with, wanted or wondered about anything, or thought of a project, he was my go-to person. No and not possible were never options for him.

Thus, for my fixation on my tenth year on an upgraded purse, I went to Dadee.

I entreated him, Bili mo ako ng pitaka. Buy me a coin purse. (BTW, Mie had already said, No.)

The object of my childish desire had been prominently displayed on the front glass case in Kaga's corner tienda store - a 4.5" x 4" floral-print purse with a clasp closure.

I thought it was elegant and classy. Its two separate compartments could hold coins, candy, and other small items.

Internet pic only

At first, he grumbled and lightly coughed, his mouth quirking in a crooked smile.  I could so guess the myriad words on the tip of his tongue that for a minute, I wasn't as sure of my ground.

He shrugged, flashed a sheepish smile, and said with a mischievous grin, What did Mummie say?

When I simply rolled my eyes up, understanding lit his eyes. He gave an apologetic goofy smile, thought for a while, and then...  Yes, he said.

Yes, with a little half-bow, as if he were some sort of man-servant from ye olden times.

I remember stepping into his embrace, unable to say anything because I hadn't been so excited about a Yes since he last said I could join the Girl Scouts.

Everything else that followed is a blur now, but what remains to this day is a warm sense of home filtering through me, making my heart ache sometimes.

The confidence that with my Dad, almost anything was possible. 

Hongkong Pouch

  Purses 

Anticipation of pleasure is, in itself, a very considerable pleasure. - David Hume

I was, maybe nine?

Aunt Luchie and Uncle Ed brought me back a gift from their honeymoon in Hongkong.

Internet pic only

Wow! A gift from abroad. 

It was a small, leather bagger pouch with Chinese-like inscription. My first real coin purse.

To me, it conjured images of dancing dragons and bursts of colored light from fireworks. Perhaps, a rickshaw? I'd like to ride in one.

I could imagine red paper lanterns strung across the street.

And food! The smell off spices carried in the steam from sizzling pots. Skewers of diced meat on a makeshift grill peddled curbside. I could sit cross-legged at tables with people eating rice with their hands.

I'd love to be there. And for sure, I'd bring my Hongkong purse filled with coins for pork bao and shumai.

I'd been looking forward to it.

Anticipation was half the fun, I'd been told.

P.S. I did have a one-day stopover in Hongkong when I emigrated to America in 1973. Now married and with a six-month old baby in tow, I recall feasting on Chinese lauriat in a sit-down banquet there.

Surprise! I still had with me my Hongkong purse, turned yellow with age.

Then again, in 1981, our family of four traveled to Hongkong, enjoying the sights - and dim sum, of course. The trip was part of our vacay itinerary that also included Hawaii.

My pouch was no more.

 

Paper Coin Purse

Purses  

What was wonderful about childhood is that anything in it was a wonder. It was not merely a world full of miracles, it was a miraculous world. - Anonymous

Cousin Didi and I had been making paper coin purses way before we heard the word origami.

Any scrap of paper about 8" X 11" would do. We tore colorful pages off the Pilipino komiks or Liwayway magazine.

Follow along to learn how to make it.

(1) Fold the paper lengthwise for a guideline. Fold the left and right ends toward the guideline.

(2) Fold the pointed end in.   

(3) Turn the paper over. Fold right side 1/3 of the way in.

(4) Do the same with the left side. 

(5) Fold top down to reveal pointed side.

(6) Fold down bottom, folding corners into small triangles.

(7) Insert into bottom opening.

(8) Decorate.

Voila, all done. Be sure to try it.

We used our small wallet to store our five-centavo coins. Then, like old ladies with our purses pressed close to the chest, we'd skip along to Aling Deling's sari-sari store.

Whoever said money couldn't buy happiness simply didn't know where to get Choc*Nut or Mik Mik.