It felt like a thousand years since we have seen each other again but in reality, it’s only been less than four months since we’ve all been together…

Chloe, Ibyang & Ara together again in Sydney (Gloria Jeans, Borders Parramatta)

Chloe’s back from Brisbane—and will stay in Sydney for good!!! Yay!

Of course, we had to meet up ASAP. In celebration of Chloe’s homecoming, we had dinner last night at Pho Pastuer, a Vietnamese Resto in Westfield Parramatta, and had coffee and cheesecake at Gloria Jeans.

Tom, Ara, Ibyang & Chloe (Pho Pastuer)

Was a happy reunion with lots of catch up stories and updates on what’s happening in our respective lives. We look forward to more get togethers in the near future, first of which is our badminton meet next Saturday (excited, excited me!)

For more photos, please check this out.

My Vietnamese dinner at Pho Pastuer (Parramatta)–Grilled Porkchops with Rice, Egg, Noodles & Veggies

Appetizer
Describe your laundry routine. Do you have a certain day when you do it all, or do you just wash whatever you need for the next day?
I separate the whites from the coloured ones and it has become a habit to put softener during rinsing time. Laundry day is usually on Saturday mornings.

Soup
In your opinion, what age will you be when you’ll consider yourself to truly be old?
Never. My body may physically grow old at around 65 years old, but my mind and heart never will.

Salad
What is one of your goals? Is it short-term, long-term, or both?
To own a house (Husband and I are aiming at short-term, *keeping fingers crossed*)

Main Course
Name something unbelievable you’ve seen or read lately.
The Philippines is currently experiencing strong typhoons with lots of heavy rain and floods and yet some areas in the country are still complaining of drought.

Dessert
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how happy are you today?
8! 🙂

* I had free pizza for lunch at work
* Passed my (computerized) Driver’s Knowledge Test and got my Learner’s License!!!! Yipee!
* Bought a new book — “An Amateur Marriage” by Anne Tyler
* Had dinner at Pho Pastuer and coffee at Gloria Jeans with Chloe, Ara & Tomas
* Spent quality time with hubs over the phone 🙂

Last Saturday, I spent a peaceful afternoon at the park where I alternately briskwalked and jogged, while taking snapshots of whatever that fancied me. The weather was beautiful (the sun was out!) so I couldn’t resist the temptation to bring a camera. There’s a big lake in the middle of the park where families feed the ducks and catch fish. Some kids just hang out at the playground. Some just hang out and lie on the grass. Mostly just walk and enjoy the fresh air.


For a change, I brought my camera and took lots and lots of shots. Let me share some here…

Woodcroft Lake

Waiting For the Fish to Come

Follow the Trail

A family feeding the ducks

Looking from the Outside

Almost sunset



Photos by Ibyang Sanchez
Camera: Sony DSC-W70

1.) Share 8 things that your readers don’t know about you. At the end, you tag 8 other bloggers to keep the fun going. Each blogger must post these rules first.

2.) Each blogger starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

3.) At the end of the post, a blogger needs to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

4.) Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog .

#1
I am an only child by accident. I had a younger sister that died when she was a baby. Everytime people ask me “Malungkot ba ang mag-isa lang?” I always answer “No”. I have always had a happy disposition in life. Never kong naisip or naramdaman na malaking kawalan sa buhay ko ang walang kapatid. Instead, I feel blessed that I have trustworthy and faithful friends who show me that they love me. At a very early age, I learned the lesson of counting your blessing and not looking for things that you don’t have.

#2
When I was a kid, I liked hanging out with our then household helper in the kitchen. At age 11, I knew how to wash clothes, clean house and cook.

#3
I laugh at myself whenever I realize a certain stupidity I’ve done. I set high standards on myself but I’m never too serious not make fun of my stupidity or kalokohan.

#4
I have a lot of books lying around my bedroom. Everytime my cuzin comes into my rooms, she says “Ate, you have a new book again.” I read, read, read, all the time May book ako na binabasa sa train, may book ako na binasa sa bahay bago matulog. Minsan, tatlong libro ang binabasa ko nang sabay-sabay. When online, basa naman ako ng basa ng mga blogs, news, etc. If it’s a choice between watching TV or reading a book, I’d chose reading a book all the time.

#5
I eat fruits except for pineapple (but I drink pineapple juice though), melon, langka and durian. I don’t like their smell, too strong that it makes me dizzy.

#6
I love eat-all-you-cans. I don’t eat lots though coz I get stuffed easily. So what I do is I just have a little bit of everything so I get to taste everything. And I give myself a break in between serves.

#7
I have acquired a love for white wine when I moved here. Ewan ko kung bakit, basta one time I was having dinner parang hinahanap ng panlasa ko ang white wine kahit red meat naman ang kinakain ko. Weird!

#8
When I was single, all I ever thought about was going up the corporate ladder, I wanted to be one of the best trainers in the Phils (oh ha? Ang bigat ng pangarap ko hehehe) or to be an HR Head. But now that I’m married, the greatest change in me was that I just want a job that I love doing, the position title is not that important to me anymore.

One of the rules is to tag 8 people, but I choose not to tag. If you want to share 8 things about you, please feel free to do so.

One of my favorite desserts (coffee & cheesecake)
With every Friday’s Feast meme answered, I will post photos of food I’ve eaten whenever I dine out (most of which were my favorite) or photos eaten by my friends when I dine out with them.
Appetizer
What is your favorite kind of pie?
I love apple pie!
Soup
Name something that made you smile this week.
An email from my hubby saying that he will support me in all my dreams 🙂

Salad

What do you do to cool off when the weather is hot and humid?
I take a cold shower, slip into very comfortable clothes and drink iced tea while lounging in the most air-filled room in the house.

Main Course

You receive $1,000 in the mail with a letter that says you can only use the money to redecorate one room in your home. Which room do you pick, and what do you buy to spruce it up?
I’d buy us a comfortable red sofa to put inside our bedroom so that I’d have a place where I can do my readings. The red sofa is accent enough to decorate the room.

Dessert

Fill in the blank: My _________ says __________, but I __________.
My new-found friend says I should save money for traveling within Australia, but I said there’s a whole world out there waiting to be discovered so I wouldn’t mind spending my saved money on travel outside Australia too.
Have a great weekend! Bon Appetit!