Meet Taejo, he is my new adopted homeless kitty.  My sister and I found him in our grandmother’s backyard crying and looking towards our home, I guess he knew that we have many cats.

It was a few nights ago when we started hearing a kitten crying  and since there are several cats that stays in the church we just thought the mother cat brought her kittens there, I have managed to see the kitty in the church rooftop when I went upstairs our house to hang clothes and whenever I called him, the kitty responded meowing and there are times I saw our older male cat visiting the kitten.

One night, we heard the kitty cries quite loud pertaining he is quite near so my sister and I went out to see where the cries coming from and that’s where we found the kitty I named Taejo in our grandmother’s yard.  It was a good thing Taejo is a male kitten because if he was a female my mother will not like it since we already have many cats at home.

Taejo is such a cutie with big round eyes, he cries a lot whenever he is hungry and he loves to be bath.  His color is like our young male cat “Suhee”,  so we suspect they have the same father. It took only less than a day for the cats to like him, they accept him as their younger brother right away.

I have been dreaming lately but I am procrastinated to write about them because of my slow internet connection. I have two dreams last  night and my second dream was  somewhat weird, it started by seeing myself in the middle of a busy market and then I heard a loud sound, an airplane emerged from the sky, it is flying low and uncontrollable and then I heard a crashed sound coming from the mountains. The plane crashed, people immediately run towards the crashed site but I run home to get my camera and informed my friends. What is weird, I wasn’t rushing when I felt like I have too, along the way I saw our college instructor and our house became a school. My friends and classmate went out too look over the smoking crashed site and as I looked over, people are falling down from the sky and then one woman fly over directly to us safely, she is from the plane and she told us that she fly with her friends just to buy something, we agreed to go to the crash site to look and see her friends.

The crashed site is full of smoke and flames, there are already a lot of people and doctors, some passengers are still seated on their seat belt, some suffer burns and crying. One woman had burn on her arm and was told it will take nine months before her burn will heal. It looks like there are a lot of survivors than casualties.

[Photo courtesy of Saiho/pixabay.com]

Then my dream hopped, I have seen myself and my eldest aunt looking towards the field. Water is flowing down to the field from the crashed site, we’ve been analyzing in which field it is flowing and we found out it is on the field my father is currently farming, my father went to the field and I followed. The water stopped and I found a lot of coins in the mud, in my dream they are Euros and I excitedly picked 5 and 10 euros, as I am going out of the mud I heard announcement from the crashed site and a foreign young kid run towards me from the bushes asking for help. I walked home with the young boy and while walking I asked him some question, I was told they’re going for a vacation with his brother, step-sister, mother and two fathers, I wasn’t able to asked if she has also two mothers because we already reached home. On my mind, I have the thought of surrendering the boy to the authorities but there is a thought that I want him to keep for the day. At home I found a cousin in our living room and my grandmother preparing the sleeping mat, the young boy went with me and when I saw my mother I told her I found a survivor, my mother is hesitant and a bit agitated seeing us because she said she already mopped the floor and my dream ended, I woke up feeling cold.

I don’t know what is my dream all about, and who is the English speaking boy, is it possibly Cody?

Today, after drinking  a cup of coffee and eating “kakanin” I head on the church without much to take care of. The scripture verse this Sunday was from Colossians 3:1-4. Pastor E talked about character, how it is our inner strength. He says character is not what we do but it is who we are and it defines us, the expression of our faith.

Pastor E didn’t speak so much he just elaborate the importance of character as a Christian and how Christian should be after accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior, that the old has gone and the new is here, we must live like Christ like. A Christian a completely changed person, transformed in character.

The responsive reading was very touching and it reads like this –

Father, During this coming week there may be times when I shall not be able to sense Your presence or to be aware of Your nearness.

When I am lonely and by myself I TRUST YOU TO BE MY COMPANION.

When I am tempted to sin I TRUST YOU TO KEEP ME FROM IT.

When I am depressed and anxious I TRUST YOU TO LIFT MY SPIRITS.

When I am crushed by my responsibility and overwhelmed by the demands of people on my time, I TRUST YOU TO GIVE ME POISE AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE.

When I am rushed and running I TRUST YOU TO MAKE ME STILL INSIDE.

When I forget You I TRUST THAT YOU WILL NEVER FORGET ME.

When I forget others I TRUST YOU TO PROMPT ME TO THINK OF THEM.

When you take something or someone from me that I want to keep; when You remove the props I lean on for comfort in place of You; when You refuse to respond to my questions and to answer my selfish prayers, I WILL TRUST YOU EVEN THEN. Amen

Not really feeling well since yesterday, wake up with a bad dream yesterday.  On my dream I am having a word fight with someone (an ajumma) which is in reality a woman neighbor I am good terms with since it was the mother of my friend in grade school, I was so angry in my dream so I think I gnashing my teeth while sleep that I woke with a swollen gums, it looks like my lower tooth cuts through it. Actually, I didn’t noticed that I have blister in my gums until inspected through it last night, my neck hurts too and it is hard to chew, my tonsil is inflamed from drinking icy pineapple juice in the cold weather. I was feeling dizzy so I drink glasses of pineapple juice, thinking the my blood pressure went up suddenly.

[Photo courtesy of werner22brigitte/pixabay.com]

My gums felt a little better after I gargled warm water with salt but the discomfort is still here and the cold weather doesn’t help to make me comfortable today especially with head hurting.

Anyway,  my dream yesterday was so bad that I felt so angry. I really don’t know how the fight started all I know I am already having a word fight with an ajumma, I went home and it was already a bit dark, found my mother and other people in a cottage in the middle of the field, then I saw the weird color big moon rise up in the sky, gray clouds was partly covering the moon then I don’t know how my dream hop in to another location, we are walking in the street and it suddenly rains and we hurriedly look for a shade under the cogon grass and then my dream went to another location, found myself inside a store/pharmacy buying something, my mother came wanting me to buy something but since I already paid in the counter, we decided to do it next time and my dream ended seeing us standing in the aisle near the door looking at the counters and then when I wake up my gums feel weird already.

Traveling is part of me, visiting ancient places, meeting new people and experiencing their way of living.  As a traveler, I’ve visited many places and countries but around Tablas Island in Romblon is my favorite destination in the Philippines, the marble capital of the country and home to “Galapagos of Asia” (Sibuyan).

[Beautiful Sea View in Sta. Maria, Tablas Island]

The province of Romblon is located in the center of the Philippines and clustered on MIMAROPA Region IV-B, it is composed of three major islands, Romblon Town, Sibuyan Island and Tablas Island which is the biggest island among the three.

[Coastal view along the road in San Agustin, Tablas Island]

Around Tablas island is my favorite destination not only because it is my hometown but because of the many pristine beaches for swimming, scuba diving and snorkeling, clean rivers, waterfalls and lakes, marine sanctuaries, green mountains and well-preserved forest which are good for hiking and trekking. Unlike any other island too in the Philippines, Romblon isn’t that populated and it is peaceful where you can hear the birds and insects singing lullaby.

[ Mount Payaopao, the highest peak in Tablas Island]

Tablas island too has long coastline and what is fascinating you can encircle the island in less than a day, which is popularly called as round Tablas by locals, we spend six hours by motorcycle when we do the road tripping and visiting every municipality.

[Calatrava, Tablas Island]

Each town has their own unique vibe, you’ll able to met friendly and helpful locals, beautiful coastal view, hidden waterfalls, fresh seafoods, local kakanins and many more.

[Mablaran Falls in San Andres, Tablas Island]

Tablas Island is reachable through ferries from the port  of Batangas City and through commercial flight from Manila to Tugdan Airport in the municipality of Alcantara which is a few hours away to the capital town of Tablas, Odiongan.

[Poctoy Port in Odiongan, Tablas Island]

There are many things to do in Tablas Island, all you have to do is take your bag and head out to natures paradise.

[Scenic View at Sta. Fe, Tablas Island]

You can enjoy the sea view and coastal coast in Sta. Maria, dive in and be amazed with the blue hole in San Agustin, admire the lakes and beaches in Calatrava, swim until sundown in San Andres, have fun with the falls, resorts and the sunset in Odiongan, adore the beaches in Ferrol, see the old houses in Looc, enjoy the bashful mountains in Alcantara and love the scenic view of Sta. Fe.

[Old houses in Looc Town, Tablas Island]

Well, there are more many things to see and to experience around Tablas Island, there are still many hidden beauties awaiting for me to discover and what is amazing my next travel adventures around the island can go to the next level with the help of  OPPO F1s since it is sporting a 13 mega-pixels rear camera with an industry -leading imaging chip and 1/3.06-inch sensor that maximize light sensitivity, making a wonderful nighttime performance which is I think a perfect companion for fireflies watching in the island. The large pixels also work to bump up the dynamic range and give pictures a vivid dept and details for capturing exceptionally clear and detailed photos which is a dream of every travelers like me.

The other day I have learned that a school mate got married after long years of dating, I have informed my mother about it and she asked me why I wasn’t invited which I simply replied that we are not closed which made her wonder and asked why she went with another schoolmate into our home when I just arrived from abroad, well maybe she just tagged along.

Anyway, it feels like it was been long years, the other day I am able to reread my blog post entitled My Life, My Friends and My Sadness I have been home for a few years and if you will asked me if I meet any of them for a get together, my answer is no.  Never had a chance to meet them and talked like there is no tomorrow. A few times, I have met my college friend when I visited her on her work place, the second time when I dropped my gift to her son and then nothing else, I hid myself and never been out of home unless going to town market with my family.

[Photo courtesy of thatsphotography/pixabay.com]

Honestly, I believed I have a lot of friends but I have found out I am only their friend when I am around and when I am not I am just someone else. Anyway, I have seen some of my “friends” but it is always a casual meeting, if we didn’t wave each other we just say hi and hello. Actually, there is someone I consider a friend on my high school days, I know her parents and her siblings and whenever I saw her in town I greeted her first but I have noticed she wasn’t that excited to see me, she won’t acknowledge me until I acknowledge her first and whenever I asked her question she sounds so inferior and so mighty so I stopped saying hi after realizing it was only me who cares. One fateful day, I saw her walking with a foreigner and the moment she saw me, she held the guy’s arm and let loose when I am already out of her sight and because of curiosity I have done stalking to her social account and I found out it was her boyfriend and she visited a few Asians countries already, so after that incident I didn’t wonder anymore why she has that attitude towards me.

[Photo courtesy of ThePixelman/pixabay.com]

“I am scared of rejection so I choose to be alone”

When android phones became popular in the market I reconnected with some of my so called “friends” and schoolmates through Facebook but then I realized their hidden agenda on reconnecting with me. They want to meet me but I have to pay for them, they want to bring me but I have to pay for them and blah blah blah…. there are some “friends” who will asked how much allowance I received monthly and whenever I say I am not receiving any, end of discussion they won’t message again but what is more entertaining was when an old friend added me in Facebook just to borrow money (lol).

Since then, I learned how to be reserved and answer briefly as short as their question. I don’t give much details and updates about me especially about my married life that they are devouring to know.

Went to church on New Years eve and then went home and sleep, we have no preparation for the New Year. My sister wake me up when 12 o’clock strikes in the clock so I could see few fireworks in the sky, there’s not much then it is drizzling. The night is very silent, my father fired eight pieces of “kwitis” then when they’re all fired up, I went down and sleep again.

It’s New Year and most people sleep late but the church service started very early because it is first Sunday of the month. Pastor opened his preaching for the day by asking if we are pessimist or optimist.  Looking back, I am always an optimistic person, I always look at the bright side and I always find good reason in every situation, like why a flight has been cancelled or delayed, that life is more important than money and so on… then my light dies… I became pessimistic and expect worst in every thing, I became hopeless…

Anyway, the scriptural scripture this Sunday is from Ephesians 5: 15-17. Pastor reminded everyone to watch our step because sometimes we are guilty of living too fast, to redeem our time and make most of every opportunity and do God’s will.

Pastor E shared a lot of inspiring verses from the bible after the preaching proper like Let not your heart be troubled.” (John 14:1 KJV),  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6) and other verses that were strong enough to pacify a hopeless and weary heart.

Since I went to church early without eating anything I decided to have a sip of coffee, ate bread  and peanut butter after church and while I am eating an aunt called and invited us to their house to eat, was told that some of our relatives were there eating.  I am already full but we don’t want to disappoint our aunt so my sister and I went to their home which is now owned by her son. Well, they have plenty of preparation for the new year,  there was a lot of food to eat.