Today, it is a weekend here and I was doing my daily routine, getting up early in the morning. I like to water the plants that early because the water pressure is so strong.

Then while I was watering the plant my brother-in-law Jhun and Nicole came, I guess they already woke up ahead of me. So I gave Jhun the keys for our gates to be opened. After he did that he then took some broom and started to sweep the front yard since we had so many fallen leaves right now. Then we will burn it later when its dark to take some mosquitoes away. After all of these jobs in the front, I asked Jhun to buy the bread for our breakfast for all of us. While Nicole and Jhun (he is the dad of Nicole) went to buy the bread I went in the back to wash the floor there.

Jhun is the Snake Whisperer

See Jhun came over here to our house to work for the place where to put our washing machine. If you guys remember Bob post an article about us getting a good deal on a washing machine like a month or so ago. So that’s one of the reason why Jhun came here. He is done with that and now and working on some other stuff that needs get done here at the house like putting shelves on cabinets in the kitchen, girls room, boys room and the kitchen. We can’t make that other project yet the swing since the real carpenter can’t come to Davao right now. He really is well guarded by his employer. He has to finish up the big projects with them first, before they allow him to go get other projects. Anyway, I’m okay with that since I am still debating about the projects I had in mind.

So while waiting for our early breakfast the kids were still sleeping except for Nicole. I went outside in the back of the house to see if I could start cleaning up and maybe let the kids finished it up later. I saw some of Jhun’s tools that he was using tucked away in one corner. Some woods and ply board on the floor. I could also see our dirty clothes were already sorted by my niece the night before for her to do the laundry after she wakes in the morning. See the operator of our washing machine it’s just my niece Bebe and me. So that no blaming if the machine got damage.

When I saw the dirty clothes in different buckets on the floor for the washing machine, I lifted and transferred each bucket to a different area so that I can wash the floor. One of the buckets I lifted had kind of hollow underneath but still closed on top. So I lifted that and the plate for the dogs food. When I turned around I didn’t even look back right away.  When I’m getting ready to return to retrieve more buckets I could tell that our dog started barking, just then I realized we had an unwanted guest in our house it’s a snake.

Sputnik is very cautious

Let me tell you I really freaked out. Gosh, I hates snakes. Sorry to all of you snake lovers. The snake was curling and so comfortable there underneath the bucket. I was debating on going inside to tell Jhun or should I hit it now with the wood. But then I was also scared the snake might get away. So I called up on Jhun to come to the back of the house. Luckily Nicole overheard me calling her dad. So she told her dad to go to the back. While calling Jhun I was also looking for a good piece of wood to pound the snake. When Jhun saw me I immediately told him to kill the snake. When he saw the kind of snake that we had, he told me not to kill it he will just capture it and gave it to somebody. I told him are you really serious? I don’t want snakes in the house. He said oh no people want these kind of snakes for a pet. I told him not in my household. He said I bet you money if you just go outside your gate and try to give this snake to the passersby they will take it. I was kind of doubting I thought most people really don’t want snakes for a pet. I guess that’s just me talking.

Before Jhun gave the snake away for free I woke all the kids up and let them see what we have in the back. They were shocked and scared. I really thought Aaron would want it. A few years ago that’s what he wanted for pet. He was begging his dad and me to have one. Luckily Bob thought of bringing him to the Crocodile Park to see the big snake there if he really wanted to have that big of snake later. Well, when we got there, Bob held one of those big pythons and he let Aaron hold the tail. Let me tell you, I’m glad we brought him there and let him see what the snakes looks like when they get bigger.  He would not even dare touch the snake. After that he told us he doesn’t want snake for a pet. Thank God for it.

I had some photo of the snake, even our very love kitty, Sputnik didn’t like to have that snake here. She’s scared of it. Can’t blame her.

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A few days ago while reading and browsing something in the internet here at our office, my niece who was just sitting next to me who also browsing on her computer on the web, came across an article on the net about a famous politician here in the Philippines. The guy who’s been really famous and been seen a lot on many big events here in the country, has been living with a teenager (a 14 year old girl). When she first mentioned to me about what that politician did, I told my niece “you were kidding right?” She said no, it’s really on the news. Why I said she’s kidding because at that time when the politician supposed to be with that girl, he was living-in with a woman who happened to be from the school that I used to go to. They were still together when he was with the teenager. I think he also had his legal wife when he was with these 2 ladies.

So why it bothered me, I’ve been hearing the brouhaha when foreigners get a younger lady (I mean an 18 year old lady, and the guy might be over 50 years old or something) to be his girlfriend. I don’t judge them of what they are doing, as long as they are happily in-love. I mean the two of them. As long as the guy is not blinded by love and not ending up with nothing. It goes with any guys here (Filipinos or not). If they are in-love why not. But not with the 14 year old though. For me that’s that’s just too sickening. As if he was sleeping with the same age as his granddaughter. You know what I mean?

My niece continued on reading the article and hearing from it, the girl went to the politician asking for help for her to finish up her studies. Her family was poor then (I’m sure not after the politicians helped). Not really sure what kind of help shes asking, maybe just like a scholarship or something like that. I saw the picture of the girl on the web, she really is a stunning one. I don’t think they mentioned on the article on how long after she asked the politician to help her that they became lovers. It mentioned that they have kids now too. I think they said she’s now on her mid 20′s and the politician I think if I remember his age is just a little over 70 years old.

Honestly I am not trying to make an argument here, I just want something for us to think about. I never heard anything like any big deal or big discussion in the media over the incident with the politician. But if the foreigner would do the act, you will see them discussing the issue over and over either TV or radio or some other place. Is it in our culture here to accept if it is in the same race? Or we just so acceptable for these kind of actions here because seeing men here have multiple partners? Are we just not easy to accept if the guy is not from the Philippines? It is a mind puzzling thing for me. Both of them are not acceptable to me, I mean the multiple partners and the sleeping with the teenager. Been hearing on gossip (blind items) about some of the politicians here with multiple girls on the side. I just didn’t realize though that some of them would go for teenagers though. Hmmm… Really interesting to think about it since people in this country, more than 70% I think were Catholics. Oh well, talking about Catholics, I’ve heard of a priests having lady on the side (that’s another story for me to blog here soon).

What do you think? I would be happy to hear of what you think.

Cheers!

A few days ago Bob got home after attending a  meeting with Intel people. He was talking to me about how the meeting went, and continue on saying about the new processors that Intel was creating now. From what I can tell on what he was talking to me about, what Intel created must be really something. He was telling me the speed of it and it was impressive. I’m pretty sure it would be with a hefty price though. Hey, I am not an expert of anything about computers. For me I’m good already as long as I can log in to my computer and don’t have to wait that long to open any sites, and I can surf, I’m already okay with that.

Aaron with Parents

Well, that afternoon when Aaron and Jared came home from school, they went to our room to tell us that they are home. Bob then was talking to Aaron about his meeting that morning. He was telling AJ about Intel’s new gadget thing. I could see the eyes of AJ lit up. I could tell that he’s so interested what was his dad talking about. And Lord have mercy, AJ was talking  to us too about something that he saw on the net about how to increase the speed of his computer to do the games. When he told me the price as if my eyeballs would pop out. It was expensive. And the lingo that he knows about computer I can’t even fathom. As if, it’s out of this world.

I don’t know a thing what he was talking about. My goodness he is not yet in college. His knowledge about computer was already over the top for me. You can tell I am a dummy when it comes to computer. In short I have no knowledge at all. I asked Aaron where did he learn all the stuff about computer, I know that him and his dad talk a lot about computers, but I just didn’t know that he had more knowledge than I expected. He told me “Mom I read a lot on the net when I have time, you know.”  Well I should have known, I saw him on the computer a lot when there is no school. They are allowed to surf the net during weekdays when they have homework from school, other than that no computer during weekdays. During weekends they can surf and play game after homework is done.

Aaron, he is 15 years old but he already had more knowledge on the computer than some other kids his age. He likes to  disassemble and assemble gadget stuff. If I go to the play/computer area upstairs in our house, the center table was just a mess. So many little parts of either computer, radio or some other electronics stuff all over the table. At one point he even fixed their X Box 360. Some of our electronics gadget in the house he will try to fix it before junking it. I don’t really like it, but I guess I have to put up with it for now. That’s how he will learn.

When it comes to troubleshooting on my PC and cell phone I have to rely more on Bob for that. Sometimes AJ will do some too especially upgrading some software. It’s really good to have them around that know a lot about computer. I don’t have to get other people to do it. I hope that Aj will not get tired of working on my pc and his brother’s pc. I think he is enjoying right now since he is learning.

I guess sometime in the near future I will recommend him to work for any of you that have computer problems. He might have his own hotline in the near future 1-800-troubleshoot. Watch out for it!

Cheers!

Since we bought the new washing machine, Bob and I been thinking of getting our carpenter come here and do some work for us outside on our laundry area and the dirty kitchen. We need a good place for our washing machine. The owner of this house already had a place for washing machine, but she did not think for a bigger washing machine though when she had the place built. She was just thinking of the typical washing machine of the Philippines.

The area that she had there was intended for the smaller machine. Really the place that she had in mind was really nice and convenient and it is raised up a step so that the water would drain properly. When we put our machine there the front edge of our machine was hanging off the end of the concrete. Bob and I got scared, whenever the machine will do the spinning the machine might end up on the floor below. That will scare our kids’ pet turtles too, as their home is right next to the washing area. So Bob and I have some plan in mind and wanted to consult our carpenter first.

High Quality Porch Swing – Made from scratch!

So I texted our carpenter Jun Jun for him to come to our house. He texted me back that he might come over the following week. He told me that he might have some work to do at the house of his employer here in Davao. See the employer has big lands and built a mining area and some other stuff somewhere in South Cotabato. So I told Jun Jun since he’s so busy if he can just tell my brother-in-law Jhun what to do and what to buy for the materials then that would be okay for me. He said that he will text me when his employer heads for Davao. Hmmm, that was over a week ago and I still didn’t hear back from him. I talked to my sister and she said that my carpenter really is a busy man and we will just have to wait for now. So I guess will just have to wait for awhile then.

Porch Swing made by my carpenter

I have some other project in mind for him to do as well while he’s here. He built a nice porch swing for a friend of mine over 2 years ago, when I was hired to renovate the house of our friend before. One of the thing he wanted me to do to have my carpenter built a comfortable and durable swing for him. That will be good for his weight (he’s kinda big), height (being he is tall) and good for the weather on the beach since he lives near the beach. So I researched and talked with my carpenter and let my carpenter draw what we both had in mind. When we showed the sketch/drawing to my friend he really liked what we had in mind. So he gave us a go to build it.  It turned out really nice and fancy. He was so happy with the result. I also had my best painter to do the job of staining the wood. I was so ecstatic with the result. I am sharing the photo for you to judge.

MindanaoBob BBQ Grill

The swing I had in mind for us might be a bit different than what Jun Jun built for my friend. I want an outdoor swing  here in our house. I want that it will be made of like a log kind of wood. I might have it build double that sits maybe 4 people. Will see what Jun would say for my plan. I want it to be build under the tree in our yard. I also want him also to make the swing that can be assemble and disassemble easy that we can bring it with us when we will transfer somewhere. Really, a swing would be a good addition to our yard here. We have a good sized front yard. I might transfer our MindanaoBob Barbecue Grill too in the front after JunJun builds the swing. We like to stay on our porch during afternoon hours. With the swing that would be awesome then.  Just sitting on the swing in the afternoon and hearing the sound of the birds, hmm it felt like living in paradise to me, with a calamansi juice or a mango shake to drink… Great plan…Ha ha ha dream on….

Have to share with you guys my little projects in mind. Thank you for reading.

Cheers!

Starting at the end of June this year, Davao implemented a ban on using non-biodegradable plastic bags. All stores are now being watched if they are using the said plastics. Most department stores/malls have days that they would use paper bags. SM mall they do during Wednesday, the Abreeza during Friday. My only concerns on the SM paper bags it is so thin that even if they double it, it is still not good. If using paper bags, they have to do something first before using that. I don’t think its worth using. Why not use the biodegradable instead of the thin paper bags. Not worth it though for me.

Davao City

We also go to the public market, particularly Bankerohan. We do our shopping for our produce and fish there. We heard from the market stall vendors that they are not too happy with the biodegradable plastic. They said it cost them a lot to buy one plastic. Before, if you buy fish or meat from the vendors, they would double the plastic. Now they would not do it, they said the biodegradable is more expensive. They don’t like it too that the new plastic now would decompose if it stays too long especially under the hot weather.

Pollution from Plastic Bags

Good thing that it will decompose since people here just throwing it all over the place. Seeing the plastics thrown on the side of the road really makes you angry. The paid sweepers of the city can’t keep up with it. I remember when we used to live in Marfori. Early morning I saw those city people sweeping the pavement early in the morning, after the busy hour on the street that area where they were sweeping you can already see plastics, cigarette butts and other stuff on the ground. Just not a good thing to see. Luckily those sweepers came sweeping the area a few times a day. I wished people here were disciplined at the early age of throwing their garbage at the proper place. Davao sometimes has those laws that you don’t just throw your garbage anywhere. But people know how to manipulate the system and they know where to throw and when.

They are also banning the usage of polystyrene foam. After the ban, one night we want to order some food from one of the restaurants just near our house. So I called up the restaurant and I placed my order. When I told them that its TO GO, they would not take my order then, because they said they don’t have containers for take out. So I asked the cashier if I will bring my own container there would they take my order then? They said absolutely. So I order my food and just brought my own container there. It worked out good then. It could be  a pain in the neck but hey it’s  good for the environment. We will try to help out what we can for the sake of good health.

Have to follow the rules here. I guess offenders will pay a fine and maybe attend some community service. If you commit  a lot of times they will put you to jail. You don’t want to be in jail here for sure.

If you are living in other part of the Philippines, is it also strictly biodegradable plastic in your area? Let us know so that people that reads here know already if they ever visit your place.

Stay safe. Cheers!