The House Project Continues...

We decided not to look for a lot anymore.  Instead, a house to rent seems much better.  So, Nacho and I have been house hunting these past two weeks, and are just about ready to show Rene and Elise our shortlist.

Meanwhile, below is our wish list:

1.  It has to have a spacious garden with at least one big tree where we could put up a tree house or a tire swing.
2.  Bungalow is better. No worries about falling down the stairs.
3.  Location must be well-lighted, and close to the main road.
4.  Location must be near Rene's workplace, the church, the new market and a small grocery store.
5.  The kitchen must have space for a big oven where I can bake and take orders for loaves, cakes, muffins, and other stuff.
6.  A small space for a homeschooling group will be set aside inside the house. I really want to homeschool Nacho again next school year.
7.  All of the above!  And if God wills it, it can be Lease To Own!

There are two sites.  And one of them has everything covered except #7, as it is actually for sale.  Hopefully, we can view them next week and convince the owner, who is not in a hurry, to make #7 happen!

Car Wash

Typhoon Juan brought some rainfall here in Puerto Princesa.  And the roads turning from the National Highway were slippery and muddy.  Nacho and I did a lot of errands before picking up Elise in the afternoons in those two days.  When the sun came out, all the mud caked on the road, and left trails of hardened soil everywhere - and especially under the car and around the hubcaps.

It was time to wash the car - top, sides and underneath.  We have our car washed weekly in a shop beside the KIA Showroom in Barangay San Manuel.  It's spacious and there are four young men, probably below 25 years old, who move so fast, that they can wash, wax, vacuum, and underwash the car in less than an hour.   

There is a television set that shows either Pinoy noontime shows or telenovelas and a long row of bamboo sofas which are very comfortable.

The last time we were there, I saw the sign saying that they could remove and install the seat covers for P100.  Since it would be impossible for me to wash the seat covers myself, I thought it was a good price. When I told them not to use bleach on them, they gave me a puzzled look.  Then I asked when I could get the covers back, they looked confused, talked a bit among themselves and agreed that the covers would be done in two days.  When we came back for them, they told me to add P10 for the soap and about P50 for the labor, as they hand-washed the covers. The price list only included removing it, and installing it, not washing it. Uh-okay. So, this time, their sign included "laba" or "wash" at P100 on top of the "tanggal/balik" or "remove/install" at P100 too.  On this particular day. I asked them to do the "underwash" in addition to the "body wash" that already includes interior vacuuming.  Took them a while to remove all the mud.

But Nacho and I did not mind. Across the bamboo sofa where we was sitting, we watched a couple of
horses grazing on the wet grass, and a few egrets flying back and forth.  Locally, they're called tagak.  They are usually perched on the back of carabaos too, just watching and waiting.  Apparently, carabaos are not bothered by these white birds, as the egrets eat the ticks and blood-sucking flies that bother the carabaos.  They also eat grasshoppers, beetles, and lizards in the grass.  We talked a lot about what we saw. And time flew by so fast.  Before we knew it, our car was clean, and we had to continue our egret conversation on the way to Elise's school.

Play Dough For Sale

Thanks to Tita Corinne who taught Elise how to make play dough from scratch, the kids now have a renewed interest in molding and sculpting.  Elise tried to sell some in her school for P5 apiece but was gently told by Teacher that selling stuff in school is not permitted.  Too bad, she had 13 orders pending.  Her classmates' faces fell. So, she ended up "lending" them the play dough and Teacher said that if they lose it, they would have to pay for it. Too funny.

Meanwhile, Nacho enjoys them and makes waffles and pancakes for his three imaginary friends: Tatur, B.O. (don't ask me what they stand for, he said it doesn't stand for anything) and Baylon.  This imaginary friend thing is in itself another story.

The last time we played with these things was during the tsunami scare in February right after the Chile earthquake.  We had to stay indoors and so the kids made some pretend food for breakfast

 

and a birthday cake for Annie (Elise's baby doll).

Super creative, huh?  But we had some cheat sheets. Thanks to Tito Louie, who gave us three clay modeling books for kids.

They're called SMARTY Clay Modeling produced by Dolphin Books, published by Straight Lines International, Inc. located at Sterling Place, 2302 Pasong Tamo Ext., Makati City 1231, Philippines. 

This is not a paid advertisement.  I am just so happy with the little paperback books that make our playtime much more fun! 

Our Favorite Chinese Restaurant in Palawan

In mid-December last year (2009), our family was invited to Ong's Maki House on Rizal Avenue.  I was so excited to finally try it.

A few months ago, when the kids and I were still in Manila, Rene called me on my mobile phone to tell us the good news that absolutely could not wait. He just had a very delicious dinner at an authentic Chinese restaurant! It was a chance he took when he took a a Chinese friend who was craving for authentic Chinese cuisine, and none of the commonplace flavors.  No MSG please.


The tiled floor, the red Chinese lanterns, paper umbrellas in different colors, and the sponsored signages felt vaguely familiar, like we were in one of those sidewalk Hong Kong restaurants near the MTR tunnel.  Or we could be in a Chinatown somewhere... anywhere in the world.  I was so excited.

And it did not disappoint.  Hot eel soup warmed our stomachs. Then came the kutchay gyoza.  They let us taste the pork siomai and the giant siopao too. And then we were so lucky to try the chicharong pusit (deep-fried squid).  Ay grabe, it was a winner!  It sort of tasted like Davao's tuna chicharon. And because I LOVE squid so much, it was an early Christmas treat!

Their fish fillet is piled up on a regular sized platter, forming a small mound, for less than P200!  Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, it doesn't become soggy even after being in a styrofoam container on the way to the pot luck party.  The chef knows what temperature to firy his fish in.

And so, we've gone back so frequently since then - almost every month, and this week, thrice! Yes, they have the Yang Chow Fried Rice and all those dishes that make you come back again and again.  But lately, it has become a place for comfort food.

This is the Siopao that Nacho and I can share and have a full lunch.

Super lean Pork Siomai. 

Beef Maki for three people. YUMMMMMMM.

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup that Rene had that was so good that I ordered it the next time.

Squash siopao bread to pair with any soup.

Last week, we brought my brother, his wife and two toddlers, and we waddled out fully satisfied.