Starting My Vegetable Garden

I have wanted to start my own garden for as long as I can remember. I dreamt of a garden full of vegetables: petsay, tomatoes, string beans, carrots and raddish, pepper etc. I have studied the how tos over the internet but watching a local Agri Dabaw of a barangay helped me to finally start my own. (Aliontongs experience into organic gardening)

1. Composting: There is so much biodegradable material around our small backyard plus garden clippings and kitchen vegetable scraps. Our rambutan tree has so much foliage that has to be trimmed regularly to have a good harvest. To compost the material I used a simple chicken wire and bars. This allows for air to circulate. Initial efforts to decompost did not work because I had only one pile and newer material is piled on top.  Now I have 5 “boxes”

of compost with the one at the back as the older pile. Mistakes I learned: compost has to be watered regularly so that it will not be dry nor should it be soggy. I have to turn the material to decompose properly.

2. Seedling Preparation:  Anticipating the soil from compost to be ready soon I can now prepare my seeds for planting starting with petsay.  Here I used a plastic egg box for my seedling beed. If this seeds will germinate, then in 10 days it would be ready for planting.  I will also need to prepare an organic pesticide and I am thinking of pepper (siling labuyo) and raddish mixture.

3. Wait and See

Home made cards…are they really homemade!!!

Card making is a great a stress reliever and a great way to express your creativity.  I love the cards my children gives me for Mothers’ Day or Christmas or whatever event. As they get older these become momentoes of their childhood.

After cajoling my friend from England for card materials,  which arrived recently,  I started using the card kit. It was easy enough as you they have adhesives. It was just a matter of putting together the embelishments.

Lesson 1. Using Stamp Pad is not as easy as it seems. It can easily smudge up the work if one is not careful. In the meantime, I will stick to computer printouts for my greetings.

At last my food processor is now WORKING!!!

I inherited from my sister, Grace, her food processor before she left for the USA about 4 years ago. It was relatively new with a broken rod because she tried to slice “ubod” for her fresh lumpia. I guess the processor was no match to the ubod. I had the part replaced and  presto I was set to discover the wonders of this kitchen gadget.

I had a lasting  affair with this processor as I would search recipes online that required using the processor…ha ha ha. Of couse this included lots of cakes and floats till I learned to make “ice-cream”. Our family home evenings have become a little more special when the kids knew I used the processor. Sometimes, they would try to skip the the program for evening and go to the main event …”SNACKS”.

After a long and fruitful SERVICE to my family, the food maker had to rest for a while until a good “mechanical doctor” could be found. It stayed behind the cupboards along with the other kitchen gadgets that were not working. Until I started sending all of them to the junk yard except for the food processor. Mainly because I knew it would still work, it was a gift from a dear sister and was quiet pricey.

Initially the technician fixed my washing machine. He replaced the timers and I had a machine  good as new. After fixing the machine I told him about my food processor and asked him to take it to his house and if he can have a look. Within 3 days he brought the item back in good working condition.

Now I am set to rediscover my food maker with a twist. My children have started to be on the heavier end of the weighing scale thus I will need to prepare more vegetables and fruits!!!

Walking with Leslie Sansone

I love walking with my buddy (my husband) and have been doing so for

Rubber Shoes and weights

about 6 years,  it was fun and very refreshing but when I became a WHAM (Work at Home Mom), I seem not to find the time for exercise and Norman had to leave extra early for work to take the children to school.  Besides I did not want to walk out by myself. The tell tale signs of increased weight has started to manifest 1) clothes did not fit 2) I panted even at the slightest of activity 3)my blood pressure was at an all time high!!!

I tried many aerobics cds but could not endure. These exercise cds were mostly high impact and very strenuous for me . Just the thought of crunches and steps up were so discouraging, until I found the Leslie Sansone Walk at Home System

With Walk at Home, it is so different. I simply love these exercises, it allowed me to do my routine indoors in a minimum space and burn more calories than my regular walking could do for me. I could do these exercises everyday and feel a sense of accomplishment  that I have completed a mile walk in 20 minutes (including stretching) or a 2 mile walk in 30 minutes.

With a comfortable rubber shoes and weights one can start walking:

Basic steps

1. Basic walk or marching in place
2. side steps (variation: 2 side steps)
3. leg kicks
4. knee lifts

We can even walk while cooking, doing the laundry or watching the TV. What about when you’re waiting for a ride to come along – which in this part of the world can last up to 30 minutes. No one can know that you have walked a mile or more with your side steps or leg kicks.

Because it is so easy and fun, I aim for a 5 mile walk everyday. Let us Join Leslie Sansone walk the pounds away…

My youngest son’s baptism

Feb 8 2009, is Joshua’s 8th birthday, made even more special because it is his baptism. He is to be baptized and confirmed by his father. For Norman and myself, it is a fulfillment of a promise made a long time ago that each of our children will be baptized on their birthdays.  I never thought it would be hard nor would it be long.

During Mickey’s baptism,  problem after problem arose  as we were fetching our children from their grandparents in Zamboanga City. Which included vehicle breakdown and road block and finally reached Ozamis City at approximately 6pm. I said that the final test would be if there was NO water in the baptismal font!!! And how we were to find the baptismal font ready. So that my daughter, Cheryl Mae entered the waters of baptism on her birthday at seven in the evening with our family and Uncle Larry and Tita Wilma Jane in attendance and for Mickey it remains to be one of her most memorable spiritual experience of her life.

Justine was baptized in Marikina amid the flood and rains. We left our house while the water was slowly rising. We also had to transfer to another chapel in the stake because the water in the font of the  Sumulong chapel was unclean.

Chocolate Candy Making

The ERC, Davao (Employment  Resource Center) sponsored a training seminar on Chocolate candy making with Bang Tan training us on the how to while Philip teaching us on the costings. It is very easy and with a very small capital one can start a homebased business. Basic Equipment necessary are already available in our homes. And the product is very easy to sell. I bought 2 chocolate valentine molds for my starter set.

For my first attempt I made 30 pcs heart shaped lollipops for Joshua’s classmates  and over 60 pcs curly top shaped chocolate candies many of which went to my official tasters (my kids) and the verdict…masarap mama!!!

Suspension of Aowa Operations

As previously mentioned that Aowa as charged by DTI was to “cease and desist business operations“and that if they are at the malls they have misrepresented themselves. After my scam experience we felt that these “thieves” must not be allowed to further scam people so that my daughter filed a formal complaint with the Mall management against Aowa. Mall management found her allegations deserving their attention so that today we were invited to a meeting with the Aowa and the Leasing department of the Mall.

They informed us that after review of the case they found the complaint meritorious and as they searched the internet, they found the charges on the net alarming and therefore immediately suspended Aowa operations at the mall. He was also emphatic that there should be full reversal of credit charges. This is the very reason why we do most of our shopping at this mall because they are so consumer oriented.

As we rest our case and learn from this experience we invite others who have been scammed, as called for by Assistant Secretary Angel L. Pelayo, to be vigilant. File your complains with mall management somehow they too will listen to you for they stand responsible to have leased mall space to Aowa. I may have lost 2 work days but it was worth it. There is just NO offer too good to be True!!!

Life after Aowa scam

Wednesday was a regular date night for my husband and me, and we had 3 agenda for the evening: 1. book a Family Room for a Christmas Socials, 2. have a light meal at the mall and 3. watch a movie we have kept tab on. We were able to book the room but did not have the meal nor watch the movie we were excited to see instead we were SCAMMED by Aowa. What was even worst was that we were preparing to cut up the credit cards after we have paid off the final balance. My story is the same with all the Aowa scammed stories all over the internet, these are but few of those sites:

• TipidPC.com(pls. scroll down a little)
  
• Super SawSaw
  
• Official Website of the Republic of the Philippines>Forum>Reklamo
• google search: aowa scam

I realized I was scammed when I searched the internet and found no International affiliation and then all the scam stories unfolded before me. I am truly grateful for the hundreds of people who decided not to keep quiet but make their voices heard by posting their complaints so that I too decided to have my voice heard. Also I am grateful to my daughter for doing her own research and found this very important piece of document in the archives of DTI:

DTI-NCR Slaps Formal Charge Against Aowa and Homesonic

(http://www.dtincr.ph/news.php?id=12)

In this Department Administrative Order No. 7, Series of 2006 (DAO 7, 2007),

“The formal charge asks for the issuance of a cease and desist order, ordering the two firms to permanently cease and desist from continuing in its business operations. An administrative fine will also be imposed for each count that these companies may be proven to have committed.“

So what actions did I take against this unscrupulous, illegally operating company.

• Called HSBC credit card division toll free number (180018888555) for the cancellation of the transaction and stop payment to this merchant. The problem is that I was not the card holder and my husband was on travel. It was after several hours that he was able to contact the Credit Card Division of HSBC. He was informed that the cancellation has been posted however the items needed to be returned and from scammed stories I knew that Aowa may not honor the cancellation.
• During my waiting time, I filed complaints to DTI Online and DTI-ncr (consumer complaints)
• I emailed and texted a relative connected with DTI and this was her firm admonition “do not transact business with Aowa, we have closed many of their outlets“, I guess her advise came a bit late.
• Armed with the DTI DAO 7, 2007, printed copies of all your scam complaints and the Aowa stuff they gave me I went to Makro because the items were from their showroom in Makro even if the transaction was completed in the Mall. What a Rigodon!!!
• Before talking with the manager I first went to Makro management, unfortunately all supervisors were on seminar and talked with the head security. Good enough I guess!!! I told him they were leasing their space to an illegally operating company as I showed him the DTI DAO. And I asked him to assist me in case Aowa-Makro will not honor my request for cancellation.
• Calmly, I entered the Aowa showroom and asked to meet with the manager. After presenting him with all documents he told me he was in no position to accept cancellations but rather I can fill up a feedback form. I told him ” I really do not care, if you will not accept them, then I am going to leave all these items at your front door and have a Makro guard sign the document that I have left them at their doorstep” and take pictures that indeed the items were there.
• Finally, he accepted the items and prepared documents for the cancellation of the transaction and they even wanted me to sign an affidavit that I was not going to file a complaint against them. But the finality of the cancellation will come from the head office and that payments were made only on Friday!!! What was dubious about this final step was that they did not even have a computer and a printer and had no intention of giving me a copy of the cancellation!!!
• NOTE: While I was transacting the cancellation they were busy polishing and waxing the items I returned some of which I have used!!!

As I was completing the cancellation, my daughter was at the mall, hopefully she will share her experience. And she has set up a meeting with Mall management-Aowa- and the two of us.

The questions that came to my mind was: first) Why DTI local branch offices did not execute the DAO charge against Aowa and has allowed this company to operate in malls and even have a seemingly “legitimate personality” because of their presence in established malls. Second) Have the Malls not been provided a copy of the directive against this company to “cease and desist operation“Third) Why are they allowed to transact business with credit card companies, since they no longer have a legal personality as per DAO charge.

What can we do to stop their operation:

Show Mall management the DAO 7, 2007 for this is an illegally operating company!!! and other documents particularly the scam stories or go to DTI. Study the ruling on this case as the link above is just a summary of the entire charge.

Join me in emailing HSBC and other credit companies for they are coddling an illegally existing company and every mall in the country where Aowa is operating with the link to the DTI directive. They may not listen to a single email but with hundreds of us emailing them then we definitely will be heard. Remember that this case is now for EXECUTION of the DTI order.

Dance Revo a wholesome family activity

My children’s excessive computer gaming and tv watching has been a constant dilemma for me. The unfailing counsel to play less internet games and watch less “telenovelas’ have fallen on deaf ears. School grades have started to plummet and sometimes, they would not do their chores , and I was becoming a desperate Mom! On the other hand, I was gaining weight, a great contributor was my job as web researcher, and loosing the fight against belly fat. My blood pressure was rising and have actually been diagnosed as hypertensive.

Norman and I started having our morning walk, some 6 years ago. But my job, the children’s schedule and, recently, Norman’s constant travels have put a stop to our wonderful morning exercise together early in the semester. After much evaluation and scouting for the right equipment, We decided on Dance Dance Revo by Konami as my exercise regiment

I never realized what a blessing it would be for our family. Dance Revo has become a fun family activity on a regular basis. My children played with each other and how they love to compete. They watched less tv and played less computer games since they were dancing!!!. They also have wholesome exercise plus the opportunity to develop timing and rhythm. As for me, Dance Revo helps knock off the drowsiness and hopefully decrease my weight. An hour’s exercise is equivalent to 2.5 miles jog!!!. There are dance workouts for different levels of physical activity and the songs are so hip. I hope to graduate from my beginner status in the dance revo to the basic status. The higher the level of activity, the more calories burned as measured by the calorie counter. Dance Revo is one “techie” activity that we understand our children and have fun together.

Our Champions are Mickey and JJ with Marrise tailing behind them and down the line of achievers are Norman and myself – we do not even win against our 7 year old son, Joshua!!!. And mind you, he is so thrilled – here is a game he can beat us by a wide wide margin!!!. So he practices incessantly

Beautiful rugs for your home

There is an increasing demand for area rugs as floor coverings for hardwood flooring. This floor accent are so varied in designs, shapes and colors that will satisfy every homemaker’s need. There are several types of rugs:

• Wool rugs: The best quality floor covering are popular for their versatility, quality and are long lasting. Each rug, different from the other. Wool rugs or sheepskin rug is the better alternative to nylon, olefin or other synthetic carpet which give off toxic chemicals. Wool rugs are safe, healthy and non-toxic.
• Silk rugs: True silk rugs are made from the pupal covering of Asian or mulberry moth or bombyx mori. Silk is used to make Oriental rugs because dyed silk is a fiber with rich, saturated colors, and a distinctive, almost translucent luster. Unscrupulous merchants pass off artificial rug as silk rugs, true silk rug is warm when rubbed while artificial silk rug remains cool.
• Mercerized cotton: Mercerization is a treatment for cotton fabric and thread that gives fabric a lustrous appearance. The process is applied to materials like cotton or hemp as defined in Wikipedia.
• Rayon like mercerized cotton is cellulose, chemically treated to produce viscose, later versions of artificial fiber are acetate, nylon, acrylic and polyester.

The least expensive rugs are the machine made rayons while at the other end of the scale are the more expensive Hand Knotted rugs. These rugs are usually made in China, India, Turkey, Pakistan and Iran. These rugs are made from wool, silk, camel or goats’ hair because of their strength and better quality hand knotted rugs are those that have higher knot count per inch square.

What is a Persian Rug? Rug weaving in Persia or Iran dates back to biblical times as evidenced by the archaeolgical discovery of Pazyryk carpet found in the ices of Pazyryk Valley, in Altai Mountains in Siberia. Persian carpets were so popular that it was found in the great hall of many ancient Palaces. Today, Persian rugs may mean oriental rugs with tradional designs.