My last blog was in June of 2011.
If I recall, back in the day I started blogging almost every day. Well, I used to give updates on the construction of our new house in Pampanga. And from then on, the words just came out; travels, various events and activities got blogged about with accompanying pictures.
Call it what you will; blogger burnout, writer's block..
Whatever it is, I succumbed.
I found a couple of drafts that I had yet to finish and this is the first one. What I'm planning to do is combining them and present an abbreviated version; 1) to make a long story short and 2) because it's been such a long time ago (one was from June of 2010 and the other was from April 2011!) that I've forgotten some events.
Sorry.
LA MIRADA, June 2010
A couple of weeks ago, I decided to pick me up a couple of pairs of jeans two sizes bigger than my usual. Yes it's horrible but what can I say? The sad thing about this is I don't even drink beer and I have this beer gut. The horror!
That's why I miss Indo. Back in the Philippines he's been my constant incentive to walk around the neighborhood. Emy walks her pet Dachsund, Koji here so I don't need to walk him. But since Donna started working recently, I've started walking again every morning after I drop her off. It's nice because I think summer officially started a few days ago and yet it's still fairly cool during the mornings, cool enough to wear a sweater. Around the park and once around the lake gives me my 1 hour walk so it's a perfect scenario.
It's been 4 years now since Donna and I decided to quit our jobs and retire early in the Philippines. As most of you know, we come over here to California at least once a year to; a) use our round trip tickets which are good for a year and; b) exit out of the Philippines within a year's stay due to the fact that we're not dual citizens.
RETIREMENT INTERRUPTED
Oh, did I mention Donna is working? Indeed she is.
We arrived last May 15, 2010 and since then we've been invited to lunch and dinner by quite a bunch of friends and relatives one of whom is Atching Lori. She's the ex wife of my departed cousin, Cong Frank, and is now married to Chuck Zilafro who owns Lakewood Park Health Center in Downey. Donna casually asked her if they have a job opening for a nurse in their facility. I don't quite remember what she told Donna.
One early morning we got a call from Atching Mariette who works in the same outfit and told Donna they wanted her to come over for an interview. She was sort of indecisive about the whole thing and asked me, "What should I do?"
So I told her the least she can do is show up since she did ask if they have an opening. I took her there and when she came out she said she got the job and they want her to start right away. Yup, just like that she went from early retiree to another working stiff, again. There was a considerable pay cut in her usual rate as a dialysis nurse but the job is much closer and apparently less stressful since she's supposed to only do some paper work.
I've 0ften told people, living and working in the US is similar to being in a virtual prison. People work all their lives and can't stop because of all kinds of obligations; mortgage, insurance, bills, etc. I had the chance of getting paroled so to speak and I dread going back to prison, not to mention how difficult it is for people like me who're absolutely talent challenged to join the work force, what with the current situation of unemployment due to the world economic crisis.
It's a different story with Donna, however, due to her nursing experience, they more or less created a position for her to help out with the nursing staff's paperwork. She committed to working for them for three months.
Now why is she working again you ask? Well, I'll tell you. Eph's in-laws were with us for the first leg of our European trip in 2007 and now that we're talking about it we realized we didn't get to see the other part of Europe; the Netherlands, Switzerland, etc. and with our meager funds the only way to go is for Donna to work again and save up for it.
And we're back to the present...
As you all know, Donna and I moved from La Mirada to Long Beach a few days after Camille was born in 2010. Thank goodness for Cassie, my only form of exercise here is our twice daily (one during the day and one at night) 15 minute walks. And it shows with my beer gut! Not to worry, as mentioned above, I've gotten a few pairs of jeans to fit me because the old ones just won't do anymore.
