30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 6

Brother And Sister
by Lewis Carroll

“SISTER, sister, go to bed!
Go and rest your weary head.”
Thus the prudent brother said.

“Do you want a battered hide,
Or scratches to your face applied?”
Thus his sister calm replied.

“Sister, do not raise my wrath.
I’d make you into mutton broth
As easily as kill a moth”

The sister raised her beaming eye
And looked on him indignantly
And sternly answered, “Only try!”

Off to the cook he quickly ran.
“Dear Cook, please lend a frying-pan
To me as quickly as you can.”

And wherefore should I lend it you?”
“The reason, Cook, is plain to view.
I wish to make an Irish stew.”

“What meat is in that stew to go?”
“My sister’ll be the contents!”
“Oh”
“You’ll lend the pan to me, Cook?”
“No!”

Moral: Never stew your sister.

What are you thankful for today?

I am thankful for my sister and two brothers, and of course, their families. They’re my allies, my critiques and I love them dearly!

A big brother, me, a little sister and the youngest brother
That’s us, the siblings, in one photo the youngest wasn’t even there
I thought our mom looks beautiful and we’re like kids from the block
In another photo was the youngest with our Dad, who was handsome
And in another photo was just me and the big brother in cowbow suits
They were my playmates, my enemies, my allies, my critiques, my fans
I wouldn’t be here without them and I wouldn’t know who I am without them
We may bicker, squabble, and not talk to each other for quite a while
But when someone was hurt or in need of support, we’re there
My siblings, I love you, wherever you are right now
One in Canada, one in England, another one in his ship and I’m in Munich
Whatever you’re doing and has achieved, I’m still here
My brothers and sister

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

For:30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 6. Also for: NaNoPoblano Day 6

Ten Things of Thankful 161 (Courage, courage) #10Thankful

Hello everyone. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We had a quiet one and I’m very grateful for it. Just a cosy watching tv or dvds in the attic. Just me and Him Indoors. That’s my first thanks – to Him Indoors, who’s there with me through thick and thin.

Next – HRH the son and his beautiful bride and I’m going to see them this weekend. And then we all go to India for their wedding, the Indian version, with 500 guests.

My beloved Mother, who still rocks at 79, and I’m visiting her in the UK this weekend before she flies back to the Philippines. Next year for her 80th birthday, all of us will be flying to the Philippines to celebrate it, probably on a Christmas time so we can all be able to take some holidays.

To my siblings, my sister and two brothers and their families – all my nieces and nephews, bless them all. I love them.

Very grateful for our health – well, sort of healthy-ish. We just have to enjoy and be active by cycling, swimming and walking, try to eat healthily and be positive.

Very grateful for the flowers in our garden.

Not to mention, some herbs, our grape and apple trees

And the bees and butterflies who come and visit our flowers

Which reminds me, we’ve got an insect hotel for the little ones

And last weekend, it was children summer fest at the park

Have a lovely week everyone!

For: Ten Things of Thankful 161 (Courage, courage) #10Thankful by Lizzi

Share Your World – 2016 Week 28

What is your earliest memory?

One of the earliest memories I had was the time when my sister was born. I was three, my big brother was four and we were waiting in the other room, my father was pacing up and down. Until we heard the midwife (my aunt) said: “it’s a girl!” We all rushed in the room, we saw some blood and the baby crying and my mom was on the floor. My aunt told us to “go away, we’re not ready yet.”

My sister was born
My brother and I waited
Then we heard her cry

What was the last photo you took with your phone?

We were walking in Berlin and we found this Filipino street food restaurant. We stopped to have our lunch. We had some spring rolls, sinigang soup and longganisa hamburger, followed by halo-halo. We had a good time.

Have you ever danced in the rain?

Most of the time, when I was young in the Philippines. It was warm rain and we always had fun playing and dancing in the rain.

What is the longest you have gone without sleep?

I really cannot remember. I love my sleep and I sleep well, so probably very seldom that I’ve stayed awake for a long time and not gone to sleep.

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up? 

Last week was back to normal routine after our trip to Berlin.

In two weeks’ time, I’m off again and looking forward to it. Two weeks in the UK to visit my mother who’s still there with my brother after my son’s wedding in May. She’s flying back to the Philippines in August, so I thought I’ll visit her before she returns to the Philippines.

Then, three weeks in India for the son’s wedding with his beautiful bride, Indian version. We’ll be visiting relatives before the wedding. Then after the wedding, we’re going around with a bus, touring the south of India. Looking forward to it!

Have a lovely week everyone!

 

What do you mean out?

PHOTO PROMPT © Jan Marler Morrill

“I think we’re lost!” my sister being cross with me for venturing out on our own. We were offered a ride by one of our friends, but I said no. We’ve been walking through this village, admiring their plants and stalks, turning right, left, in that order, like in a maze. At the end of the street, a lady was watering her plants and we asked her how to get out of here. She just looked on the ground, a bit puzzled and said, “what do you mean out, you could only stay here” and she returned to her gardening.

For: Friday Fictioneers by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields and Wordle 255 Jul 3 by Brenda Warren

MINIATURE WRITING CHALLENGE #49- Wealth

Him Indoors and the son, they’re my precious wealth
They’re my reason to be here and I’m so glad
Another precious wealth for me is my health

Having my Mum and siblings I have to add
Don’t forget our house, jobs we still like and friends
Having all them, there’s no reason to be sad

We’re happy with our daily lives, no pretence
We see the world, meet people, enjoy the food
We swim and cycle to the parks at weekends

We eat sausages, drink the coffee we brewed
We try to enjoy the little things in life
Sometimes we watch films depending on our mood

With all these things, I feel like a millionaire
Counting my blessing and saying my prayer

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

For: MINIATURE WRITING CHALLENGE #49 by Baheya

Mother Dear – Photo Challenge #118

Let me start with this
Although we are different
My Mum and I are the same
Same focus, both cool
We’re not so good in business
Or being tidy
Sometimes we forget some things
It doesn’t matter
When it comes to having fun
We know what to do
The town is always painted
Red, blue or yellow
Would do anything for her

Her beauty astounds us all
Life’s always a breeze so she flits
Broke into one and a million bits
Of love and care, to us her kids
Of time and devotion, no problem
Always there, served with a smile
And so this is the time to say thanks
And the mission for which it was due

Oh Mother Dear, with your eyes twinkling like stars in cloudland
Your breath sweeter than sampaguita as we string them into a lei
Your love, patience and smile, always there as you give us a hand
Oh Mother Dear, with your eyes twinkling like stars in cloudland

We cannot show enough gratitude for bringing us up first hand
Your tenderness, completely and sweetly given to us like a bouquet
Oh Mother Dear, with your eyes twinkling like stars in cloudland
We love you to the moon and back and all planets in the milky-way

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

For: Photo Challenge #118

June 12 Challenge

Day 12 Twelve Things You Are Grateful For

June 12, 1942. Anne Frank received a diary for her birthday.

June 12, 2014. The last time I allowed the 12th to be a day of monthly mourning and depression for me. The next month, when the 12th rolled around, I chose to be grateful for the things and people I have rather than being depressed because of what I had lost.

Tell about a dozen things you are grateful to have in your life. It could be people, things, memories, etc.

Today is our 118th Independence Day, commemorating the Philippines’ declaration of independence from Spanish colonial rule. I am indeed very grateful for that.

For Him Indoors and our 30 years of togetherness. Yes, we’re celebrating our Pearl Anniversary this coming week. Actually, we’ve been celebrating it the whole year!

For HRH the son and his beautiful bride, thanks for all the love you have, spreading in our hearts.

For my mother who still rocks at 78. So grateful that you’re still with us, still as elegant and beautiful and active as ever.

For my siblings – 2 brothers and a sister and their families – I’m very grateful to be part of your lives.

For our health, glad that we’re OK, apart from diabetes and gout, we’re still healthy and can still enjoy life, our garden and flowers, our cycling, our hiking, swimming and other things we enjoy doing together.

For all my friends and relatives here and online – thanks.

For all my students, my gym-mates, my fellow bloggers – thanks

For the wedding of HRH the son and his beautiful bride – that was a day to remember – all the people who came to celebrate with us, the lovely weather, reception, band, photographer and food – they’re all perfect!

For our trips to London and Wales after the wedding – they were super!

For being back to Bavaria and having some normal routine again.

For our coming long weekend trip to Kranzbach – looking forward to it.

For: June 12 Challenge by KathleenBDuncan

Generation – Daily Prompt

Good day everyone! I loved my grandparents. My granddad or Tatay as I called him, was a very clever and educated man. He read a lot and that was were I got this habit of reading. When I visited him, there would always be some books that he was reading or had read and he wanted to share some parts or quotes to me. I could also borrow them later. When I had some awards in school and needed to say a speech, he wrote it for me. We also did some crossword puzzles together. And as for my Granny or Nanay, I learned a lot from her – how to be strong and independent. She gave all her grandchildren (girls, mostly) the same piece of material and we ended up wearing the same dress, but with different designs. She had a small store at the end of her life and when we were there for a holiday, we helped her. She gave us some sweets or small present afterwards. She was an interesting cook, she would mix one weird ingredient to another and voila! a meal (not to everyone’s taste, but bless her soul, we tried to eat it).

Look at this black and white photo
Golden anniversary of our grandparents
We were all there, some not even born
Most of them were not with us anymore
And so with this in mind, my homage

Tatay was my idol, a great reader
Died of Parkinson’s disease, still reading
He put the meanings of the difficult words
Wrote them in pencils at the side of books

Nanay, still beautiful in her old age
Long wavy hair, deaf as a post
Her cooking, shall we say, creative
Mixing things we normally don’t mixed

Tia Carol and Tio Fred, both in heaven
Both doctors, humble as pies
Good storytellers, took life leisurely
Spoke the dialect I cannot understand

Tio Alex, bless his soul, only brother
Worked in Customs, good looking
Tia Ludy, still with us, still elegant
Brought the kids on her own

My Mum, my darling mother
Pregnant with our youngest brother
My Dad, I still miss him, now gone
Memories in our hearts and souls

All siblings and cousins
Now all with own families
We used to play together
Our own family portrait

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

my family, my flesh and blood
for that I can sing a ballad
we all take it in great humour
all different but similar

my father’s a chef, mum’s teacher
brother’s nurse, sister a babbler
our dog woofs, of course, our cat purrs
all different but similar

we are there when one’s in trouble
and we are rich in wise counsel
we like food, crackers and cheddar
all different but similar

my family, my flesh and blood
all different but similar

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

For: Generation

SEASONS – Happy Mother’s Day!

My mother is my favourite subject, as I blog about her most of the time. She’s beautiful, a classic beauty one can say, a real Filipina, with her long black wavy hair, which she always brush with a natural bristle brush. She goes out with elegant trousers, silk blouse or fine dresses with intricate prints, like batik. She’s always smartly dressed. She’s in dire need of being complimented, i.e. we always compliment her looks.

She used to work as a Probation Officer, so no one can screw or mess around with her. She’s a tough cookie! She knows that several factors impinge on civil liberties and strike at the basic tenants of judicial system. She also doesn’t bombinate in a vacuum of data, caught between inevitability and uniqueness. That’s one of the valuable lessons she has given us, to be lawful and be aware of our human rights.

What else have we learned from her? Well, we should look after ourselves and our belongings. She’s very observant, like she’ll remark on how slanted the rays of the sun through the window and spilled into the room. Or how animal tunnels when incorporated into the design will also allow local wildlife to cross. She’s good with details like this, that’s why we love her so.

Oh mother dear, let us tell you something
You’ve always supported us come what may
With your soft smile and the joy that you bring
You’ve redirected us when we’re astray

With your love you’ve kept us safe through the years
Sacrificed your needs in favour of ours
You’ve shared with our achievements and our fears
You haven’t shown us your tears and your scars

What you drummed in on us we remember
You have brought us well, that’s why we love you
You have been a big part of what we were
You’ve been our model, look how we all grew

The centre of our lives, our rock and heart
For us you always have a special part

Oh Mother Dear, with your eyes twinkling like stars in cloudland
Your breath sweeter than sampaguita as we string them into a lei
Your love, patience and smile, always there as you give us a hand
Oh Mother Dear, with your eyes twinkling like stars in cloudland

We cannot show enough gratitude for bringing us up first hand
Your tenderness, completely and sweetly given to us like a bouquet
Oh Mother Dear, with your eyes twinkling like stars in cloudland
We love you to the moon and back and all planets in the milky-way

Her beauty astounds us all
Life’s always a breeze so she flits
Broke into one and a million bits
Of love and care, to us her kids
Of time and devotion, no problem
Always there, served with a smile
And so this is the time to say thanks
And the mission for which it was due
We love you to the moon and back
Our dearest Mom – thanks for everything!

Mom singing

For: SEASONS – Moms Day in MAY by Jesh Stg , #MySundayPhoto – Mia  and KOA Campgrounds in Petaluma ( Sundays In My City)

Sibling Rivalry

We were arguing, me and my brother
Of who’s the best or the worst among us
And that turned into a pillow fight
Squabbling, biting and rolling like mad
Until we heard a crash, what was that?
Oh the penguin, its beak was broken
We thought it was just a scratch
A bit of glue and we can reclaim it
Now one of us has to tell Mary
Remain calm if we want to survive
She’ll be livid, we know that
Perhaps if we preen it well
Hide it behind the stones
Thank our stars, we’re clever
Keep our fingers crossed
Hope Mary doesn’t find out
Here she comes…. Hide!

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

For: #Maydays Prompt – Odds are on