Random Father's Day thoughts and other stuff

I thought of dad.  He had passed away  over two decades ago. But he would haunt my thoughts on naughty, guilty and S.O.S. days. 

Then, I thought of Dad2.  He is based in New Jersey, and so my thoughts wandered around a few funny photos taken a few years back.  On the 1st attempt, Dad2 had tolerated my addiction for a photo in a fancy hat. 

On our next attempt, I went solo.  I love "hat" photos.

As I write this post, I remembered Den, my brother, and daddy dearest of my niece and nephew.  He had slipped my mind, but I'm sure his thoughts over Manny Pacquiao's recent fight ain't over yet.  Mom had described him..."in mourning".  Oh my, the effect of Manny's loss.  But like what I've said, a refreshing break from the winning streak.  Looking forward to new excitements.  Lol!!!

Photo c/o Den

Thank God, J. Bond's parents are back from Australia.  We pre-celebrated Father's Day with Mochi ice-cream balls, a little bit of shopping, and sightseeing.

A new collection of Mother's Heart necklaces are coming soon. I am excited to show you my new and awesome medals.  Hopefully soon. But here is the first, Silver Mother and Child.

By Beaded Story's 3-flower glass pendant necklace is the first for this year's Flora collection. I  did some sort of  test run by  displaying two same arrangements over at Sonya's Garden a month ago.  Early on, I was  both hopeful and apprehensive on how ladies would react to such arrangement since the standard and usual norm remains to be a basic one pendant arrangement.  Yet, I went on with the idea of having some semblance of a "flower garden" worn around the neck in a sleek and stylish  way.  I guess it had worked since both arrangements were recently sold.  This arrangement will be available online soon but in limited quantities.

Speaking of Flora, my Aunt Flora enjoyed her intimate birthday celebration at Tito Chef yesterday.   Aunt Flora, who I have briefly talked about in previous posts, is my huge source of inspiration.  She has been my creative mentor and continually pushes me to work hard on my craft with heart and passion. 

A new game I play with Bugsy, picture-picture.  Obviously, I care for the photo while Bugsy would rather pull on my hair as if it were his tug toy. Our photos came out this way due to laughter, tugging and squirming.

That's about it for now.  Hope June brings you lots of happy thoughts and meaningful stuff as well.  I'm set for my Travel for Beads project in November by the way.  My ticket and hotel voucher arrived two days ago, to think departure date is yet four months away.  Really way too intense and excited!!!

Do I smell peace?

And just like that, the Pharmacy team is back. On  the right track.  After our happy out-of-town, no work just play affair, we still had a couple of aftershocks to face.

Let me NOT enumerate what started in March.  My heart still runs wild each time I think about it.  But all is better now.  All I now see and focus on are our busy months ahead, which had actually began over the weekend.

4am opening for our quarterly Operation Health Alert.  Our early birds.

The team in action, in darkness.

J. Bond, the umbrella boy.  One of our many ways to provide "superior" customer service to patients :) 

Then, visited Dad early this afternoon.  Finally, a bit of silence. 

I'm slowly moving towards my usual programming, beading included.  Keeping fingers crossed.

Scary Thoughts

Saturday was all about the 2nd generiKID auditions.  Another happy occasion except for the nightmare ending .... 

We ended the auditions this way. A true-to-life scene, with the Pharmacy's store window used as a television screen. Everyone watched the unexpected raging rain with a lot of loud oohs, aahs, and yikes (by me) due to the lashing wind that blew away our event paraphernalia (tent, chairs, backdrop, banners) far far (really far) away.  For an hour, the Pharmacy served as a refugee camp to stranded customers, kid contestants, families, and sponsors.  Some have even earmarked a "floor" spot in case of an overnight camp out at the Pharmacy.  Here's a picture scene of this scary show I am talking about (lol)  ...

Yikes! Zero visibility.  Horizontal Rain.  Chairs gone. Backdrop blown away. But life moved on.  With everyone glued to the scary show, the staff began the preparations for next day's activity.

What I thought was a half-day, Sunday (Father's Day) activity, turned out to be a 5:30am to 5pm tedious process, technical-intense, and stomach-crunching inventory. The staff was stressed, I was stressed.  J. Bond, on the other hand, stressed us out (hahaha!).  Imagine this scene: A dark, damp, dusty basement.  Evil eyes in one corner following your every move. Your body shaking, drenched with sweat, clothes torn apart. Then, the psychotic killer  attacks with his well-polished flesh-piercing  knife.  That's just it!  J. Bond was good, but tremendously nerve-wracking. With an ounce of energy left, I joined the analysis in the end with eyes looking down, absolutely refusing to make eye contact with the "killer" who later on had his blood pressure checked.

Me next, please!  I am "over" pressured with activities like this. 

With that and after 2 long days at the Pharmacy, I almost ditched my plan to visit Dad yesterday.  But guilt got into me and thus, accomplished my promise with flying colors at 7pm.

The first time I ever went to a cemetery with the moon up. Therefore, it took me around fifteen minutes to find Dad. Night makes a place really look different ... especially a place where the "dead" lives.  So, I relied heavily on every tree  (dad's burial place is underneath a big tree), a big-fat-scented candle and a lot of one-way talking to my lost Dad.

Except for bone remnants and freshly buried bodies, the cemetery glowed last night. Lit candles, like fireflies, flickered in darkness.  Nearby was a family praying together, all in black.  When I finally found Dad, I quickly took three photos of this night visit and brushed aside the urge of snapping a panoramic photo of the flickering candles.  I controlled myself for this scary reason -- I was in a cemetery, at 7 pm, in total darkness.  The captured photos of wandering souls I regularly watch at Discovery channel entered my mind.

That then ended my weekend!

With another activity-filled weekend ahead of me, I detoxified my system from the scary thoughts and moments this morning.  What I did (aside from establishing eye contact with the "killer")??? 

Hmm.  FIGURE IT OUT.

A Promise

I kept my promise. 

Thinking of YOU

I'm thinking of you right now!!!

Your day is a day and half a night away.  I will drop by.  I know it's  been "MONTHssssss".  I promise! Rather than you dropping by.  I hate goosebumps.  Lol!  Seriously, I know you have been good to me =)

Sorry, no beads for you like Mom.  Bead arrangements for men have been a challenge. I tried once, but that was the first and the end of it. I hope flowers will make do.  No promises though, but yes I will TRY HARD  to control the foreseen debate with  flower vendors once again. I expect! a hike on prices of flowers on your special day. Grr!

I miss ya.   I sometimes wish  that you are just a text or an email away.  Sad that you  have not even reached this day and age of texts and emails.  "INSTANT" and "SPEEDY" COMMUNICATION.  Unless a bill, personal letters sent via mail no longer exist.  Reason why I dislike checking out the contents of my mailbox.  A bunch of bills, bills, bills and a LIZARD.  Ugh!  But I know you are happy UP there.  Plus,  I'm grateful for your FAST reply to my endless nags.  Beats all forms of technology-sent messages.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.  Sending you this short note in advance via my blog --- Blog???  Well, it's sort of a journal that exists in "cyberspace". Unlike privately locked diaries, entries are for the whole wide world's pleasure and consumption.  So, be careful on what to write.  Yet, a really cool tool to use for sharing and most especially discovering.  I'm pretty sure you already know what this is about.

 I HEART YOU, DAD .... in other words, I love you! 

Do you get the drift? Do not answer please.  I will just assume that it is a yes.  See you on Sunday and will definitely NAG you in a bit ....

                                                                                       ♥ TRIX

March 5, 2010 FATHERS DAY

Today is FATHERS DAY!

I celebrate my Dad's birthday today.  This should have been his 69th year. He passed away more than 2 decades ago, but I know that he has never left my side. 

Way before Sonyas Garden existed, "the garden"  already came alive in my mind.   No one is allowed to enter the blue picket gate.  I discovered this.   Unlike any other gate, there are no borders, there are no fences.  The only way is to close my eyes, pass through the picket gate and walk  barefoot on the most beautiful path. 

Photo by http://wulfworks.net/page3angel.html.

At the end of the path, I see Dad in white by a fountain tending to his plants.   He stops when he sees me.  We embrace and he walks with me toward his cottage. Before we enter, I talk long (very long) and he just listens. 

As soon as I finish, we enter the white wooden door of the cottage which I call . . .  the cottage with no walls.

The first time I saw this, I asked, "Won't the wind blow you away?".  All he did was make me see the most beautiful sight I have ever seen  . . . Angels playing happily in his garden. 

Photo by http://fineartamerica.com/featured/garden-of-angels-joni-mcpherson.html

I will visit Dad today to greet him a Happy Birthday right  before I pick-up Dad # 2 from the airport.  He is arriving at 11:45 am with a sign calling out my name (Lol!  That's what he said in his email.  Please don't!). The sky is gloomy, with a bit of drizzle.  A happy break from the scorching heat.  It must be because of Dad # 2 . . . another theory, he attracts the rain. 

I am so excited to see Dad # 2.  He was in Manila October last year (after Typhoon Ondoy and during Typhoon Pepeng).  Then we were together again 2 weeks after in New York. He was declared the official companion during my trip.  It's my turn. I wonder where I'll take him this time.

Most likely, we will have breakfast in a Park tomorrow, then have lunch in a garden and walk along the labyrinth path next weekend.

The Angel Charms I used for my Flora 2010 collection