Missus Bounty Basket

A little girl is sugar and spice and everything nice - especially when she's taking a nap. ~Author Unknown Just like every Thursday when hubby isn't home for lunch(he usually does the cooking)my culinary skill is put to the test. Here's the judge: Ms.Picky Eater a.k.a. Princess Noh She is not eating much these days but I try to give her veggies and stuff other than meat and sausages which she adores. Anyway, Ms.Picky Eater is living up to her name. It would be easy to just fry some chicken and then pair it with french fries. I'm sure she'll finish them in no time but if I did-- stuffed flounder fillets, sautéed zucchini and tomatoes there won't be "Thursday with Nanay" section in this blog. I will not be able use the left over in the fridge creatively nor share to my daughter my cooking skill. And yes, I am learning to be more patient. Slowly but surely. Now, if she just eat her zucchini...

I complain about my time...of not having much... not using it well...or the lack of it. Yes, I even added the fact that having 2 young girls in my charge took most of my time.The latter is maybe half true but although having small children can be overwhelming it is just a part of the whole story. There's housework, plants to water, garden to tend, lesson to study, homework to finish etc.etc. I even said that there's no time to exercise. I can go on and on because the list is endless. Alright, there's  24 hours and I use the quarter of this sleeping.  So tell me why do I complain? Complaining makes it easier not to face the important things to be done (which in a real sense means that I am in my lazy mode). It can keep me away from pressing matters and I can go on with my day  accomplishing some stuff. Yes, SOME STUFF and that's it. The essentials are left behind, kept away for another day because "there's not much  time". Then I came to a point where I co...

A long time ago, I have posted my simple way of living here Switzerland. From buying second hand reading materials to children's clothes and I would say that for a very long time I haven't buy anything new aside from the book on sewing. :-) Anyway, I am listing some of the happenings here for those who want to shop for less and at the same time enjoy the nice weather. Booksale at the American Library Vide Grenier in Cressy. You can check this for bus schedule. Troc de l' ANIM -- click here for more info. Bon week-end!

"Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow. Henry David Thoreau It's not everyday that I got to spend time alone walking. That's why I try to take in what's around me. My mind wonders everywhere, for a short period of time I analyze what should be done and hope to do in my life. As I found myself walking alone, I remembered what my SiL said the other day. The sky being clear of planes after Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland erupted. Honestly, I haven't really given that much attention and when I looked up--it's as if I have looked at the sky for the first time and realized how beautiful and clear it was, with cumulus clouds gathering around. It's true that there are times we tend to overlook little things which seems unimportant. Family and work obligations clouded our vision to look further and see them thoroughly and in the process forget that these seemingly less unimportant things are the ones which makes us...

Nemo and company are the stars in one of Karen's favorite nursery rhymes coz they are in every corner of the house.So,here goes: One, two, three, four,five, Once I caught a fish alive, Six,seven, eight,nine,ten Then I let it go again. Why did you let it go? Because it bit my finger so. Which finger did it bite? This little finger on the right. well, at least they don't stink!:-)

Who am I kidding? She doesn't like rice and that's it.I think my desire for her to appreciate and love it will not happen.(music please!) My dream of us enjoying  lunch together--Nanay's style--is just that, a DREAM. She will not know how good to have it with fried sardines,tomatoes and onion.Or how it taste with shrimp paste and a bit of hot pepper.With sautéed shrimp,etc.etc... (stop music). From today, I will not insist rice anymore--goodness, it hurts :( , but I think someone isn't that worried and maybe smiling as he reads this. You know  who you are--so stop that!! :-) Poor thing, she ended up eating her sister's apple compote.

We meet a lot of people in our lives. They come, they go and others stay. Or they might resurface and rekindle the relationship once more. I have experienced a lot of goodbyes and witnessed some. And the most painful is the one which ended in silence. You slowly drifted apart or the other person no longer need you and doesn't want to stay. It wasn't that easy to let go because the attachement was there. Throwing away and forgetting the good times together is not that simple because in a way the person has given me some kind of gift. A gift of love and friendship. I have learned from them. I have laughed and enjoyed many moments. So as with everything in life, it has to end. So, what to do with something become stale and the person no longer there? Accept it. Move on. Get used to the the fact that it's a part of life and become the very best you can be. Don't bad-mouth them instead be quiet and be grateful of that gift you once have. It will hurt and one may feel th...

He found this while clearing the garden and happily gave it to his daughter. I looked at this toy and imagined how it brought my husband joy as a child. Then my thoughts turned to the mini car my cousins and I used to play with when we were young.It was blue and we somehow took our turn to be pushed and went round and round the front yard.There were so much fun and laughter amidst the dust caused by never-ending running and pushing. We were sharing not only this beat down blue car but also a precious time together. And yes-we took turn without hesitation nor grudge because we have learned to be patient otherwise we would not be able to ride and be pushed again. Those were the days! but I can still hear laughter and feel the heat of the sun. I could see how uncomplicated our world had been, how as youngters we enjoyed ordinary things and not worry. We were living in that moment and without knowing it this blue car was shaping our lives. We laughed at simple thing, we played, we shared ...

As I write this,the whole family back home are surely resting after a day of celebration for my father's 60th birthday. He was born on the 2nd of April- the feast day of St. Francis of Paola. Honestly, I never heard of the latter. I just thought that my grandmother used a saint's name for my father so I google searched the saints who has Francis or Francisco for a name and found the word ageing isn't easy. This might cause some raised eyebrows but this is my sentiment. Itay(father) or Pang(for close friends) had been a single parent after my Mama left to work abroad during the 80's. I bet it wasn't easy to care for 4 children but he did it. He was our guide and our light while growing up and though my parents have their differences I can speak no ill of him. He is not perfect but he was there for us and I'm sure despite anything, my siblings and his grandchildren share my feelings--I love him so much.

I am so impatient to go out and garden. My raised bed is ready, so are my seedlings but the weather has yet to get better. In the meantime hubby is also preparing other parts of the garden. He has gotten some rocks to be used as borders for my other plants and cut branches of trees to allow sunlight. I will try to get opportunities again for Payperpost. Let's see if I will gain more than last year. Why does the neighborhood buck? The previous phrase is needed for me to claim my logo for payperpost.