Meal planning is one that the mommy requires all members to contribute in esp this mad writer, being a loony vegetarian. It ain’t easy doing the balancing, structuring and mathematical projections. It’s a weekly exercise: meats, fish, veggies, fruits and metals (𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘴 𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘢, 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘴 𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘵𝘦, etc.). But not every plan is followed, though. Many times, we think on our palates and underarms. Like a few desserts ago, the master of the kitchen had a meeting that ate up cooking time. The rest of the crew were all hands on deck:

-The girl-sous chef took out a pan-sized pompano out of the freezer, thawed and pan fried it;

-The boy sous-chef prepared a bowl of salad that would challenge Jamie Oliver’s: chopped romaine lettuce, walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, honey and shaved pecorino cheese;

-The senior busboy set the table with extreme accuracy, a most exhaustive part of the production that deserves recognition here.

And in the spirit of excess, add a previously mommy-prepared dish: sautéed 𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘰𝘯𝘨 with tofu in oyster sauce. Fiesta in the house!

With 𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘰 for dessert, the only thing missing is the brass band. 𝘖𝘭𝘦́!

Cheers! #MyCafeNotes

Over one dinner, my daughter Nikkei quizzed me on my knowledge of who’s who in the reality TV industry: Name the Kardashian siblings. Yeah, I know, right? I labored thru dinner using the clues given such as: begins with K, sounds like Turkey, e-book reader, three letters only (I’ve got K so 2 to go), Paris Hilton, etc.

I must have mentioned several dozen K names before getting the right ones, evoking a greater sense of senselessness, mediocrity, meaningless and laughter. At the expense of those named Kakawai, Kalulua, Kakasuka and Khabag, I got to play my second best role in this family: the funny entertainer. My best role is being the corny entertainer. Many times, the roles are fused to confuse my audience.

Here’s to a father’s role, cheers! #MyCafeNotes

I’ve got a volume of anecdotes on the benefits of having good neighbors. Even better, relatives as neighbors. Let me just tell you about one day -yesterday. My brother bought a new AV Receiver unit for their surround system, one that is similar to ours. And since it was my son, Andre who wired and installed ours, he was asked to assist in setting up. Thanks to Andre, it now works like a charm.

I remembered my brother telling me he had an extra flexible P-trap which I needed for my toilet lavatory. I asked Andre to remind him of it. When he returned, he brought it along.

This morning, water flows through the pipes without leaks in our bathroom while 𝙃𝙚𝙮 𝙅𝙪𝙙𝙚 plays beautifully in the airwaves of my brother’s living room. Quid pro quo, they say.

Some days, we run out of eggs for breakfast. Some days, they need better internet signal. No problem, we have good neighbors.

Cheers! #MyCafeNotes

Stress is spelled S-T-R-E-S-S. Did I stress that enough? Yesterday, I found out I didn’t. Yesterday, it was bold, bloody red, underlined, highlighted, italicized and blinking. On days like these, am glad I don’t have a yaya to ask, "Yaya, am so stressed. Pls wash the car," or "Do the dishes." So I stepped out from where work is, pulled the hose, and relieved myself of the tension. I did a bit of waxing, too. It pained my back, got me all wet and tired but that’s just physical.

I like it when the physical trumps mental. Muscle pains, too, give me the good feels a day after a workout. I ain’t normal, I know. But these days, where is normal?

Cheers! #MyCafeNotes

A full moon ago, I was asked to man-up and admit a wrongdoing I did not commit. Doing so will probably ensure my business with this client. It will also save some Pontius Pilates from the guillotine. I’ve seen plenty of movies that played this scene before. Never did it occur to me it will happen in real life. My life is full of drama and adventure as it is. But such is life, I guess. New blockbusters every day.

You know what I did? I did man-up. I stood my ground and said NO!

The truth will prevail. Even now that I’m on the edge, I know God is on my side.

Cheers! #MyCafeNotes

I have long ago accepted that fact that I will go bald, just like my father and my 2 older brothers. But not without a fight. By fight, I mean minoxidil, coconut oil, aloe vera extract, rubbing of nails and prevent prayers of a desperate man about to lose it. And by lose, I mean hair and sanity. But at the turn of the new millennium, I was becoming more afraid of electric fans than bullets and picture-taking ceremonies were keeping me awake at night wondering how they will turn out. Stress was making me, well, lose more hair. Turning wavy -waving goodbye.

So I took bold steps -hairiedly. I summoned my comb, hair brush and mousse, said a teary alohair, grabbed the razor, and in 10 minutes flat, mowed my scalp to freedom. I’ve never felt so bare naked but actually good as a cool breeze dashed across my top. A new me was born. No hairicane will ever make me feel insecure anymore.

I am being true to myself: changing things I can, letting go of what I can’t.

Cheers! #MyCafeNotes

When I was still working in Saudi, I belonged to a clandestine Christian group that met regularly for food, prayers, food and fellowship. Did I mention food already? It was also a venue for Filipinos to look out for one another. One prayer that constantly came up every meeting was that for the country -betterment for Filipinos, end to corruption, end to injustices. Years passed on, the same prayer was still being raised. Even then, we were hoping that a time will come when our prayers will be heard. Hopeful, we all agreed, "in God’s time."

But is God taking His own sweet time? Because even now, we still hear ourselves raising the same prayers. In hindsight, I’d like to believe that this is beyond hope already. This is faith. We may not be able to see the answers in this lifetime yet we hold on because we believe that our prayers are heard. That there are answers standing at a near distance. There are just three days that separate Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It’s just that 3 days in God’s time may mean longer in ours.

I rest my faith in the God of Easter -Jesus Christ! With hope renewed and faith strengthened, we wait for God’s time. Happy Easter!

Cheers! #MyCafeNotes