Sunday, April 29, 2007
Week Past 04/23-04/29/07
Planting Week
I'd call this planting week. Wed 04/25 was my day off. It was also the day that our airconditioner was delivered and installed. So while the technicians were busy installing it at the side of the house I planted a maple tree in our backyard. I bought it Tue 04/24 at our store on my way home. It's called "Autumn Blaze" that turns red orange during autumn. I hope it survives. Sun 04/29 after mass and brunch at the Wilds W and I went to Cals Garden and Market. We ended up buying a "Sweet Sixteen Apple" tree, border plants and a bird bath. So I undertook another planting mission after catching a "power" nap. At my age one should comprehend the body's need to recharge especially if one must undertake "hard" labor:-) . I took pictures of the two trees (left is the maple and right the apple) and border plants (center pic) that I planted. Hoping that it survives it would be nice to have a "then" and "now" pictured chronicle. Sun 04/29 is also my Dad's birthday so I dedicate to him the apple tree that I planted Sun. He turned 82 in CA.
Bloody Day
Wed was also the day that I was again able to donate blood at a Red Cross drive at Burnsville's Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. This time my blood was kind of sluggish. Probably I lacked fluids since I just came from the gym. It took a bit longer to fill the blood bag compared to my last donation. I thought it would be aborted but the attendant just made some adjustments on the needle stuck in my arm. It would have been a waste of time and resources. Not to mention my "royal" :-) blood. It would be of no use.
Birthday atThe Old Neighborhood
Sat 04/28 was the birthday celebration of Lynette, Keith's better half. The couple who bought our house in Farmington. Walking around the house brings back memories. The hostas I planted are starting to sprout again. The bunch is thicker. So are some of the lillies. I remember while I was planting them late afternoon my uncle from TX called inviting me to move to their place. I told him we'll see. One thing I noticed about the lillies is that there are no rabbit nibbles. I hope those rabbits (they've multiplied remember?) didn't follow us to Prior Lake:+) Somehow I now feel a bit cramped after experiencing the woods and lake view at Prior Lake. Still it's our first home in the YuHesHey. It's filled with memories.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Week Past 04/16-04/22/07
Tue 04/17 another year was added to my age. It's now a half century plus one. W and I celebrated it by having dinner at The Old Country Buffet. I was in the mood for a buffet. That was the closest from where we agreed to meet.
Sat 04/21 turned out to be a food binge. W's staff, Meds, dropped by at home and invited us for a brunch at Mystic Lake. It was her first time to try out the place. The place was not that busy for a Saturday. After brunch we were still able to do some garden work before going to church. After mass W and I went to Patio Town to check out their garden landscaping display. Since we were already at Hi-Way 13 in Burnsville, W mentioned that we were near the new Chinese reataurant, Ming Dragon, that her Chinese friend recommended. The place is not big but their food tastes good. You know it's a good Chinese restaurant if customers are predominantly Chinese. That was the case that Saturday. Chinese families, young and old, having dinner together. So we had for appetizer spicy pork intestine. It was not that spicy but good. The intestines were sliced into slivers mixed with cilantro and not too spicy sauce. Our entree was dried fried bass served with vegetables and marinade sauce. The skin was crispy and the meat soft. Spicy beef stew that was not on the menu but we saw the other table having it. Our curiosity got the best of us. The owner told us it'll be spicy since it's cooked Schezuan style. Our curiosity ascended another notch. We said go for it. Since rice is our main staple we had fried rice with salted fish. For this one, W and I agreed that Mandarin Kitchen's version is better. But for the rest of our orders they were good, The Spicy beef turned out to be between mild to really hot spicy. The beef itself is not hot but the soup is. You can see tiny red chili floating with other vegetables.
Ooops...
I can't help but take a picture of our weekly community paper and post it in my blog. The proof reader must be pulling his/her hair by now. Can you spot the clanger. To whom who erred: "It' s alright, it's okay, we still love you anyway." Nobody's perfect...but how could you :)
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Week Past 04/09-04/15/07
Tue 04/10 a winter storm warning was in effect until Wed 04/11. And I thought we were done with snow. Oh spring I thought you came. Where art thou? The good thing about this snow storm is the snow did not accumulate since the temp is above freezing. But early morning commute can still be hazardous since temps drop at night and early morning freezing those melting snow.
Thu 04/12 talk about multi tasking. On my way to work I noticed this lady driver on my left putting her make up on while driving. We were on a 40mph road and I know it's not like going 60 or 65mph but then again. She was using the vanity mirror on her sun visor. She was craning her neck and that's what caught my attention. I thought she was having problem looking through her windshield. Then I noticed she was doing something other than driving. I did not notice if she was wearing an earphone. That would be something else.
Fri 04/13 was Friday the 13th. The first of two this year. The second occuring on July. So what's all this hype about Friday the 13th being unlucky? Apparently according to this link a number of not so pleasant events occurred on a Friday with roman numeral 13 somehow getting involved in it. Such is fate for Friday the day and thirteen the number. You think if that lady driver, doing what she was doing, met an accident on a Fri the 13th its because it was Friday the 13th?
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Sunday, April 08, 2007
Week Past 04/02-04/08/07
The weather has been erratic this week. Spring began two weeks ago. Yet we're back to freezing temperatures. The temp was above normal (60s to 70s) first days of the week. Now it's below normal (30 and below). A newscaster said since we're experiencing above normal temp then going below normal temp, then everything should be normal.
Wed 04/04 as I was driving out of the gym's parking area there's a farm house across the street with a pond besides it. It was frozen and I saw ducks walking on ice. Two days before, Mon 04/02, those ducks were wading and enjoying the morning sun. I can imagine those ducks talking to each other like Daffy Duck: "What's up, are we in MN or Siberia? Did somebody set the clock too early for our migration?" Fri 04/06 weatherman said it's official that 2007 had the coldest temp for the first week of April.
Sun 04/08 was Easter Sunday. After mass W and I tried the Wilds Clubhouse Sunday brunch. They were busy being Easter and a time for family gathering. We did not wait that long though to get a table since there were only two of us. I told W we should try it on "ordinary" Sunday that way we can also use their discount coupon :) and perhaps a bit "quiet". Can't complain about the food but the lines at their main buffet table were long. I was thinking of getting a second helping but decided against it and went instead to their salad and cold cuts table and dessert.
After a satisfying meal W and I decided to work in our backyard. Since it was a nice day we thought we'd start clearing some thorn bushes. Our plan was just to cut some bushes here and there. We became engrossed we didn't realize that we were at it for almost six hours. Since days are getting longer and the sun is up late it was almost seven pm when we decided to call it a day. We started a little past one pm.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Week Past 03/26-04/01
Sat 03/31 a party was held at home for the March birthday celebrants of W's staff assigned at Regis. A small group. It was also a despedida of sort for a Regis' executive that W and her staff works with. He's resigning. Pics shows: Grace before meal. Dinner. It was pot luck. Then sing along with the Magic Mike. Filipino gathering won't be complete without it especially on a birthday party. Bottom pic a boxing match with Nintendo Wii.
Sun 04/01 is Palm Sunday. It's also April Fool's Day. I think it apt for those people who witnessed Jesus' triumphant entry. What made them become foolish on that fateful day that they had Jesus crucified. They glorified him at the beginning, Palm Sunday. Then deciding that Barabbas was more worthy to be "saved". Yet, what if they chose Barabbas to be crucified instead of Christ? They will not be called fools. Then what was meant to be will not be. The prophecy will not have come true. Then it was God's will. Just like those people, we will also commit "mistakes" in our life. Poor judgment, wrong choice. Maybe God wills it in order for us to learn and seek Him. Just like Peter who denied Christ not once but three times. Christ told him so. And yet because of this he became remorseful that in the end he offered his life in Christ's service. So did some of those people who "voted" to crucify Christ. When they realized their mistake about three to five thousand were converted. Perhaps some became martyrs.
