Packing Day

Today, i finished packing two of our balikbayan boxes. The other one is just half so i need to put more stuff in it then its ready to go to its destination- Philippines. We decided that for our on-going construction of our retirement house, most of the needed house appliances and fixtures will come from here. It's more stable and the quality is above standard.

Dirk spent the whole week packing household items that we no longer use here like painting and other housewares. It's more practical than buying it in the Philippines.

Late Lunch with my Best Friends

I have a late lunch, early dinner with my other 'sisters' joy and madam jo at our favorite italian restaurant in offenburg today. We're gone for almost four months so I miss not only the italian foods here but the bonding time with the sisters. We have a very solid friendship based on mutual trust in and out of work. We enjoyed each others company and there's no dull moment with them.

I also miss taking the bus on the way home though i have my own car

My Havaianas and Ipanema

Havaianas is a perfect footwear for lifestyle walking. During the first few weeks of our stay in the Philippines, i bought a cheap rubber slipper at SM, but it didnt last. So i decided to invest on havaianas flip flop though its really expensive. I use it everyday wherever we go, from tutuban, SM malls, beaches, wet & dry market to high end shops. Its my slipper for all seasons and reasons.

At SM north edsa, i discovered ipanema which is the second best-selling flip flop brand in our country. It also had good quality, comfortable and i love it because of its designs and colour. For me, its not the status symbol, but the benefit of comfort. Gone are the leather sandals for shopping, flip flop is very much in for mallers.

Together with my best friends, today's lunch is at kaufland. I really miss eating fried chicken with french fries.

Nesselried Street Party

I noticed that the number of people in this year's street party is less compared to last year. Majority of the residents here are oldies and staying long in this cold weather is not good.

We cannot stand the cold weather that why after eating our flammkuchen, we decided to go home


But there are really people who are karneval fanatics. In winter, outdoor activities are limited and fasching is one of the activities that people are always looking forward to.

The warm smile, the laughter and the party atmoshere is enough to beat the cold weather

Monday Shopping

Since we arrive here a week ago, dirk is very busy buying things for our future house at southforbes. We also stuffed our refrigerator with foods because when we left last october, i gave all the content to a friend. Today, we did drive to strassbourg, france to buy our supply of water for the next months. Call it weird, but water in france is more cheaper and besides its just 25 minutes drive from our place. Aside from water, we also buy shrimps and other foods that are not available in germany.

We're also going to send balikbayan boxes for things that are expensive back home.

Going to the gym here is very expensive thats why i buy a stepper to continue my fitness program.

Sleeping in a Swimming Pool

The week before our flight back here in germany, dirk got me nervous. Though swimming pool provides a way to relax and exercise, it should be use for swimming and not for sleeping (the picture is just the re-enactment)

While sending sms to my daughter, i was surprised to see dirk in the swimming pool taking power nap. I got nervous because i'm calling his name but there's no reaction. Thank God that after my full power voice, he woke up and i woke up the lifeguard who is probably half asleep as well. Sleeping in the pool is dangerous, what if suddenly you develop muscle cramps or heart attack.

My Other World

My other world for me is reading and blogging. For my blog, it often become more than a way to communicate, a way to reflect on life or works of art. I'm proud that my blog gained an extensive following. My on-line diary is my own way of updating my life for my family, friends and relatives back home.

I love to read. It's my hobby that relaxes me and encourage me to think. My favorite is the pocketbook authored by mary higgins clark, a critically acclaim incomparable queen of suspense. She has the book plotted out well and keep you guessing until the last chapter.

Girl's Day in the Pool

Also today, my daughter and her classmates did drive to southforbes for a much needed break after their stressful oral defense last week. Its the first time astrid drive to southforbes without her uncle dirk guiding her on the wheel. At first, i was hesitant to allow her to drive but dirk gave her a go signal to do so, thank God, her driving is okay.

They really had a nice time in our clubhouse pool

They seem to enjoy the photo shoot






My daughter also oblige to dirk's instruction to take photos of the house construction.

The Growing Kriz Family

Today, the Kriz family visited us at home. Time runs fast that Annika is now one year and two months old and mabel is pregnant with her second baby. They are a picture of a happy family and i'm glad that mabel found a responsible husband and a good father to Annika.

An addition to the family is always a blessing

Annika with her proud uncle, andreas and godfather dirk

Karneval Time

Its a time for revelry, humor and satire in germany. Today is the the day for schmutziger donnerstag or dirty thursday where women play pranks by cutting off men's ties. The whole celebration is called karneval, fasching or fastnacht, and it is a festive season and involves public celebration, parade and street costume party.

Also today, joy and me visited carmen where we joined her other guests lalaine, mary and gwen. I'm glad to see them again.

Mary's miracle daughter jasmine is now one year old but her corrected age is 7 months.

Its really very cold outside but my jacket is warm enough

The F and S of Life

Our stay in the Philippines is a relaxing one, stress free and gossip free. To sum up our adventure in my beloved nativeland, i miss the F and S of life or the filipino service
The FOODS - There is an abundance of foods in our country. There are many restaurants
offering country specialties like mexican, italian and chinese
but dirk like very much eating at shakeys that we became a regular
customer and entitled to 10 percent discount.


The FRUITS - Dirk like very much our tropical fruits like pineapple, papaya and
mangoes.

The FUN - We really have lots of fun and bonding time with my family and friends.
They are fun to be with the same with dirk's golf buddies


The FACIALS - In the Philippines, beauty treatment is affordable. Body pampering
like facials, diamond peel, massage and body scrub are my favorite.

The FITNESS - at first, i was hesitant to use the gym but lucy encourage me to do
so. An hour in the treadmill burns a lot of calories.

My FRIENDS - I met my former colleague at TIP-Manila and Saint Louis Anne Colleges.
We gain some friends in southforbes villas, golfcourse and along paseo


Our FAMILY CAR - Oh we're going to miss our family car named Victoria. She is
very dependable and we love her so much.

My FAMILY - Dirk was fully integrated with my family especially with my daughters.
For them, dirk is the best driving instructor and a perfect stepfather.


My FUN-desal- This is my daily bread every morning, the warm pandesal is a good
combination for my hot tea.


For the S part, number one is:
My SHOPPING- I'm really going to miss the shopping spree in my beloved country. I experienced shopping from ukay ukay, divisoria, SM malls and to the high end boutique. It doesnt matter where it is as long as i'm comfortable with what i wear

SWIMMING - Dirk is going to miss his swimming spree at clubhouse swimming pool

SIGHTSEEING - We liked very much our nature trip in batangas and our subic adventure

The SEARCHING for house construction materials

The most important, the SUN, our country is blessed with a nice weather and all the activities is not possible without the sun shining in the horizon. The SEA is also nice but this vacation is mostly focused on our house construction.