the year that was

on this day a year ago, i found myself disoriented as i set foot on philippine soil again after 4 years and 3 months of being far far away.

compared to other people who felt elated by being back home, i felt differently. yes, i was indifferent. i was sad and full of regrets. i wanted to be anywhere but here. the feeling worsened when i passed through the customs, and the officer asked me for some "lagay". my god! they already tortured my nervous system when i left this country! five years have passed and they're still practicing that disgraceful habit?! what a shame!

it was a good thing that mabethskie was there to meet me at NAIA. or else, i could have had a nervous breakdown right then and there. i am so grateful for her presence in my life, especially on that moment. she gave me sanctuary in the time when i was so lost.

i remember the first thing that i said to her when we got in the cab..." i don't want to be here. i want to be on the next plane bound for Norway". i was teary beyond imagination. mabethskie just hushed me off because i was being vulgar and the cab driver was being curious. hmp!

we arrived at mabeth's brother's apartment at around 2. we just took a rest then we went to the supermarket to buy some stuffs. then we came to the laundry and cleaning section. i cried again, triggered by the thought that this time, i will have to manually wash my clothes again. shallow, yes. but my sentiments were so deep...

that day was mabeth's birthday, so we had a pool party with her sister in-law. it freshened me up a bit to be in my element. i wanted to drown myself, but i had enough drama that day. and mabeth was so patient with me. i didn't want to be so selfish to spoil her pool party. so we just enjoyed swimming in the cold pool water.

i was in denial days after that. i was floating and the details of those days are so vague to me now. i just know that when i tucked myself to bed that night, on the twenty first of february twenty eleven, i wished, prayed and hoped that everything was just a dream, and that when i wake up in the morning, i will be staring at the mahogany ceiling of my room in stryn.

but a year has gone by...and every night, i'm still praying and hoping and wishing that i am just dreaming...

i love kiko

thank you so much pulutong ko....
i am so lucky to have a man who tolerates my little vanity...
i love you so much!

kikay on a sunday

aftershock

iloilo province, negros island and cebu were hit by a 6.8 magnitude quake at 11:59 am this morning.

we just had our brunch when we felt the earth moved under our feet. we went out to the street with our night gowns on. it was the longest quake that i've ever experienced.

every establishment was ordered by the city government to close.

at work we were sent home.

there were several aftershocks that made people more worried and scared.

for ramir, tara and i, the earthquake stressed us out. we ended at grand hotel's spa. we treated ourselves for a body massage to relax our muscles. in the middle of the massage, we felt another tremor. my therapist got so scared she wanted to head out of the door. what tara and i were worried about was, if we'll rush out of the door, we'll only have our towels on. we endured the shaking for a few seconds then continued with the massage. a few minutes after, while the couple was having their manicure, we were shaken again. the therapists were already running through the hallway. problem was, we can't catch up with them coz tara's other foot wasn't done yet. we just ran out to the lobby and the therapist continued to do her nails. and there was another aftershock.

we were all relieved when we finally got out of there. we felt safer.

there will be more aftershocks these following days. i don't want to fall asleep coz i hate to be woken up by tremors............