That's What I Said Thursday!

Make a sentence using the root word spatial. I'll start.

"I hate it when the power offs, spatially at night time"

Click on Rules for info on how to play!

Better your mom than some fat hairy guy in a tutu

Peyton, did the tooth fairy show up last night?

I got some coins next to me when I woke up, but he didn't take my tooth under the pillow.
Maybe he got confused and wasn't sure if it was really you.
Mom...I think you're the tooth fairy.


Wild pineapples grow in Papago
This one wasn't too sweet, but it gets points for fragrance and style

P.S. See what can be done with old candle holders from CUC power outages? A beautiful vase for our lovely flowers care of load shedding. Who says having no power is all bad????

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This pissed me off today. It's a comment on Ed's blog. I've known less than a handful of people who are so blatant about their discrimination of locals and it always surprises me to run into more racists.

"Locals need to stop their seditentary lifestyle and get active. Shooting darts and drinking beer while smoking cigarette and chewing pugua is not exercise"

Honestly

I came across a boy and his dog today. I was caught off guard by the raw honesty of the post. Have you ever looked into someone's eyes who was staring right at you and not recognize them? Have you ever wanted to reach out to someone you should hate and warn them of impending danger? Have you ever prayed for a lost soul only to know that they will always have a gaping hole in their heart, and mourned? Have you taken the time to look at yours?

What blooms in Papago

Island in Blue posted some gorgeous pictures of flowers from their garden. I got so inspired I took some shots of the blooms around the house. The images aren't that great since TonTon still has my beloved cammy, but here's a bit of garden love to share with all of you this fine Sunday afternoon.

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck
-Emma Goldman

Where flowers bloom, so does hope.
-Lady Bird Johnson

The earth laughs in flowers
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is at the edge of a petal that love waits.
- William Carlos Williams

Count the garden by the flowers, never by the leaves that fall. Count your life with smiles and not the tears that roll.

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair... ~Susan Polis Shutz

God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars

If friends were flowers, I'd pick you.

How can you say there are too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers.

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns,
or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.
Abraham Lincoln

When life hands you lemons, thank him with fina'deni.
-Boni Reyes

Lunch in the office and other off the clock thoughts

Spicy Tuna sushi and avocado salad care of Himawari.

Perfectly portioned and nutritionally sound. If you ignore the bacon bits, slices of good fat avocado and packet of soy sauce. Yes, my body is a temple.
To wash it all down? Crystal Geyser natural Alpine spring water. Has anyone ever seen unnatural spring water? I know what you were thinking. I'd eat all that and then have a diet pepsi. Phooey on you.


For dessert, Haagen-Dazs coffee almond crunch ice cream bar. This constitutes my daily serving of dairy. That's my story and I' m sticking to it.

What did you have for lunch today?

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Two Days on Guam

Uncle John's funeral was beautiful, a 15 gun salute from the Army and a gorgeous helium rosary that was released into the sky concluded his burial at the Piti Veteran's Cemetary. The funeral procession ran from Mangilao to Talafofo and then down to Piti. We will all miss him very much. John Aguon Jr.(John Boy), his eldest son gave a beautiful eulogy. He spoke of the day they had to admit him into the ER. Uncle John had promised the little kids to take them to P.I.C. He was so concerned about keeping his promise that John Boy left his dad's side at the hospital and took the kids swimming just to ease his mind. I could never remember my uncle John without auntie Annie by his side. I saw them last in December, all their kids had grown and they reminisced about their years of marriage. When they looked into each others' eyes it made me blush. So in love.

Dinner with Tony Jr. at Ruby Tuesday's was wonderful. He talked non stop about his band adventures. Learning how to deal with many types of people and personalities, and what he wanted to do for the future. I realize that he was just fine without me, even though a part of me wanted him to need his mommy for a bit longer. When we dropped him off at band practice Wayne said that I'd done good, that I was lucky to have such a great son. He's right. TonTon is the best son I could ever wish for. I am so proud of him and his accomplishments/dreams. On a side note: it was nice to see how much support the Guam delegation was getting from it's government. They marched in the Liberation Day parade and were getting discounts at stores, funding support from their legislature, etc. It is the Olympics folks, they are ambassadors. What happened to us? We have five kids going to China and no one blinked an eye. Shame, shame.

Brian's rosary was at St. Anthony's Church in Tamuning. I counted our fallen soldiers at the airport before we left. 27. Take a look at the Insular Affairs website and this one. I think that puts us at the second highest per capita rate for casualties. Friday, July 25, 2008 we welcome another brave soldier home to Guam to be honored for the ultimate sacrifice.


A visit with Chris and Val! Yay! Chris and Val took us to Chamorro Village to walk around and then we had dinner at the Jamaican Grill. If you ever get a chance to go there, the ribs are great and I particularly loved the fish with curry dip. We spent a couple of hours together before heading back to the airport to catch our flight. Chris and Val will be here in August. Come to the AMP and listen to beautiful sounds of Island Kai!

So, we're on Guam and I have to go buy some maternity items for a very sexy prego sister-girlfriend of mine. I walk in and inquire very politely about the whereabouts of the prenatal undergarments, and someone walks in behind me and asks if they have edible maternity thongs. That made the saleslady think I was either prego or kinky. She was wrong about one of those. Here's a little ditty I learned at Motherhood: maternity wear isn't just for pregnant people anymore. Gotta give it to their marketing team for being gutsy enough to penetrate the non-pregnant demographic. Makes me think about the avocado waiter at Ruby Tuesday's. That's ok, because after that little prank I made someone walk around the mall carrying the Motherhood Maternity shopping bag.

We're over the hump

Okay i'm going through major snapshot withdrawal. I gave Tony Jr. my camera to take with him to China so I can't post pictures of our dinner on Guam and his brand new shaved head. Oh, he looks so handsome, but he lost a few pounds and I can't help to think he just misses his mommy so much (ahem). I can't even show you the funny photo I took of four slices of avocado I got at Ruby Tuesday's when I actually ordered guacamole and the waiter said in the most let's see how I can bullshit this voice, "um, when you say guacamole....it um...actually translates to avocado." In what universe does guacamole become avocado?

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Thursday's "That's What I Said!"

I am lactose intolerant, but I love all kinds of cheese. My favorites are Feta and cream cheese. I can eat cheese with anything. What food are you not supposed to eat, but can't resist?

Rules: I'll post a question, you post a comment. Simple as that. Remember, there are no s-t-u-p-i-d answers! This'll happen every Thursday. Sometimes it'll be a question, other times, a meme, and when I'm feeling really generous, there may even be prizes, everybody say ooooh!. I'll post my favorite answer the following Thursday with a link to your blog (if you have one).

C. U. SUCK!

I know, it's a little juvenile, but I can't take it anymore. 60% of my paycheck is going to pay for the utility bill. Wait, I meant the fuel surcharge. I didn't even use my oven ONCE! I should've baked some brownies. Damn, I should've baked something at least once. Guess it was meant to happen. Every blogger has their infamous CUC post and this is mine.

You're killing me, CUC. Two power outages a day!? Do you know that I was at the BMV today and waited for hours for the power to turn on so that I could spend five seconds posing for a new license? Do you know that although there was no power for hours there were more employees than flame tree buds on tree outside? How is that saving money when we pay an army of people to take turns saying "come back later... no power"? Do you know that I ended up looking like one of the Charles Manson girls on my new ID, with my brand spanking new name that I was so excited to finally get? Rahhhhhh

It's termite season, and when the power's out it's like Chamorro Band Stand at home, trying to get them out of our shirts, pants and in very special places that termites ought never to be. OK, maybe termite season is not your fault.

I don't read the paper for news anymore, I look for the load shedding schedule. Everything revolves around the load shedding schedule. Sometimes if I can't find the schedule, or if there isn't one published, I panic. I frantically rush to the shower before the power goes out and the water pressure subsides. Quick everyone! Let's all sit by the one light that's on in the house and bask in each other's love before the power goes out and we turn into reverse gremlins. "Don't get them wet and don't turn on the power until they're drenched in sweat!"

I almost baked lasagña the other week, but...
a) I was afraid the power might go out and we'd end up eating what I would pass off as spaghetti with really big noodles!
b) for once, it might actually be cheaper to order it from a fancy restaurant, complete with garlic toast and tiramisu for dessert.
c) I would rather spend the money to send my kids to college one of these days.

Whew. There's more, lots more where that came from but i'm afraid the power's going out. Ironic thing about all this, and this isn't just because Ed is my oldest buddy alive, but he has been honestly trying to make enough of a stink that our government does something about this travesty and he gets criticized for it. Geez...I say, keep going Ed, more and more people will get brave enough to speak up, it just takes one person smart enough to know what to fight for and foolish enough to try. Oh crap! That was a fluctuation....oh crap...sayonara folks. That was my C.U.C. post.....

If your house is really a mess and a stranger comes to the door greet him with, "Who could have done this? we have no enemies."

Happy 13th Birthday Hope LeilaniYeah, that's an Oreo cake. Enemy of clear complexion. Pimples get ready to make contact!

Hope'll be 13 this Saturday, wow. What a gorgeous young lady. I can't believe she's grown so much. I remember when she used to look like this...

From beauty queen to mini drama queen (joking Hope). We love you sweetie pie!
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I call myself Domestic Goddess
If they had GED for Homemaking I'd have to sign up. It's not that I can't do housework, I just really suck at it. I have major OCD, so all the housework has to get done in just such a fashion as I am comfortable with, without getting my toes wet (yes, I hate wet toes).

I did the laundry, even hand washed some clothes. We used the island dryer. Shhh...if Hope is looking for her olive shorts (now olive and tan) I'll just say they were in there somewhere, I swear. There's Sommer echoing the thoughts of her mother, "please don't rain, please don't rain"I should've posted a before picture because you wouldn't have believed the state our Rec Room was in. It took four hours, two of which were during a power outage, to get this place spic and span. There's a perfectly good desk for the laptop. Don't ask me why it's on the floor.

Newly manicured lawn, thanks to Wayne who probably wouldn't have let me take his picture with weed wacker in hand. Isn't it beautiful. I wish the Bird of Paradise were still there, but the dogs ate it.

This is what happens to other rooms when you are cleaning the house. Apparently, walking around panting, sweating and muttering about what a mess you have to clean isn't enough of a hint for kids. Lol, the adventures never ends. Why? Why doesn't it ever end?

French toast and fried rice. Peyton made a face. They're not like Wayne's french toast. Guess that means Wayne has to cook more often (wink).
Speaking of food, does anyone have a good recipe for buckwheat noodles? I made some last night in a mushroom pork sauce, which was okay, but not spectacular.

Looking for One Pass Mileage Donations

The Daily Yapper has a great post this morning. A must read. It got me thinking, and thinking is such a luxury when you're on leave. I postpone the vacuuming to write this post.

Yesterday's text message from Texas

Kumaire: I wish I were there to help. Please send my condolences. It's times like this that I think about going home. Especially since my parents left.
Me: OMG, OMG, OMG. If you came home I would be the happiest person alive! Come home, please come home. When can I book you?
Kumaire: When I can stomach the thought of supporting my family on what I used to make when I was there. Why don't you come to Texas? We know lots of schools you could teach at. We don't have much room, but we have space for you.
Me: Can't. Home feels right, right now.
Kumaire: Then we're in the same boat, aren't we?
Me: I miss you.
Kumaire: I miss you more.

In the CNMI Schools of Education and in our own PSS we talk about building local capacity ad nauseam. I went to the NMC SOE when it was still under the University of Guam umbrella. Many of the teachers at GES are NMC grads. There is less and less need to look elsewhere for qualified teachers, and we are grateful for those who come to us, yes from elsewhere, who make the CNMI their home. Point? Point is.

There' s a brain drain, there always has been. It isn't isolated to the teaching field, we need qualified locals in every niche, private and public. By locals, I mean individuals invested in the well being of our islands, engaged in activities privately or publicly that promote the well being of our people and committed to getting their hands dirty. Yes, I also mean indigenous people who are able to keep the beautiful culture we continue to cherish alive.

A few of the people we need to lead the future are packing their families up and trying to find a way to survive without the humiliation of the outrageous cost of living despite every effort to conserve on their parts. Our government has failed us by being irresponsible with our resources. We failed ourselves by neglecting to take conservation measures earlier. Now everyone watches to see who stays and who leaves.

Would I leave? To make a little less than I make as a greeter at Target I am tempted. To leave the home I love and the family I have, no. If I absolutely had to though, I would. If it meant my children's safety were at risk, or that I could no longer provide for them? I would have to muster every bit of courage within, but yes. Yes, maybe. As long as there is a way and a reason to stay, I am here.

Some who leave cause me to mourn their potential to change the state of things here, but who am I to say what is best for their families? Even the protective familial blanket Yapper speaks of is being stretched beyond it's ability to cover. I know that as they board that plane away from their extended families, their hearts are breaking. There is no worse feeling, because I've felt it in others areas of my own life, than to wonder if you could have changed things if you tried harder, stayed longer, didn't "give up". In case you wonder, I am merely referring to being a productive and contributing member of society; being a blessing to this community.

Others who leave are a welcomed farewell, local or not. For every able minded person that relocates, there are just as many idiots who never want to leave. They enjoy the blame game and find every opportunity to belittle others when they themselves do not lift a finger to change things here. The only finger they lift is the one that continues to feed off the ignorance of others who are taken by their seemingly charismatic indignation. They are picnic table politicians who drink the very beer from the people they secretly despise.

For these folks, I propose a mileage bank. Kindly donate your unused One Pass miles to www.ifyou'resodisgustedwithitthenhere'safreeticket.com. Oh, my! No more Red Bull before noon for me. LOL.

Goodbye Uncle John

Uncle John (Aguon) passed away last night on Guam. Auntie Annie, John Jr., Lani, Jay and Alex are in our prayers. Uncle John was a retired Army soldier. He served in Desert Storm when all of it began. I always admired him and auntie Annie for their relationship. The last time we were together was in December in Santa Rita. We celebrated John Jr.'s birthday with a BBQ. Goodbye uncle John. We love you.

A Sad Morning, A Fallen Soldier

We lost another soldier in the war. An early morning phone call informed us that Sgt. Brian Leon Guerrero (Pangelinan) had been killed in Afghanistan. He died with another soldier, and a third is in critical condition. Early morning mass is being said at the Cathedral. Please send your prayers as we mourn a father, husband, brother, an island son.

Thank you Brian, for your courage, service to our country and for making the ultimate sacrifice. We will always be grateful. We will never forget.

I miss my son

Tony, David and Trini (three out of five Manta Band Members)

They'll be on Guam until the 30th of July, then in Beijing until August 13.
They each get one free ticket to the sporting event of their choice.
I miss my boy.

Gratitude for breakfast

There are things in my life I've neglected to appreciate lately. If I had a gratitude journal, it would need refills of paper for this past half year. Sure, lots of crummy things happened, but you sort of need the crummy stuff to remind you that you aren't invincible; to force you to look at things through different eyes. I could probably fill my journal with hundreds of "I never imagined...I never dreamed...". That's another post, for another day. This morning I am on leave, it rained and the entire house smells new. My girls are still asleep, breakfast waits for them on the table and I'm sitting here taking the time to be thankful.
Tami sent these goodies over! My grocery list is in my plan book and the chocolate helped keep antsy girls occupied while Wayne and I enjoyed a late dinner the other night. I think I'll brew some tea. Thanks Tami:)

My mom's okay. She had what we all thought was a minor heart attack a few weeks back. She calls me her "Instant Coffee Daughter" because I came ready to mix when she married dad. I was only six years old. She thinks the Lord was reminding her that He could call her home anytime, healthy or not. I think it's partly true. We must cherish every moment we have and be ready. Peter, Yvette and I flew to Manila to be with her for a bit. Our nights sitting on the balcony talking about growing up, growing old and growing stronger will always be etched in my memory. I only hope our own children will love each other as deeply.


My life is much different than it was only six months ago. It would have been almost impossible then to convince me I'd smile again. Right now, it would be hard to get me to stop. Sitting on life's balcony isn't always comfortable. Kind of like the tiny balcony in Manila. I suppose those times when there isn't much room to move and the view starts to get a little blurred is when the good Lord pours a different kind of blessing on you. I'm grateful for cramped corners, especially when their filled with the love of family and the promise of clearer skies ahead.