The Passionate Life of a Pervy Mom

OMG Yes! Today my first article as a Technorati writer was published. I couldn’t be happier.

Since I already have a lifestyle – homemaking blog, I figured it would be nice for me to venture into the parenting niche. I’ve been looking for writing gigs, either for pay or for exposure, and I am just really happy to writer for Technorati.

Yyyyyaaaaaayy!

For sale is a Brown Lacoste clutch bag. Very affordable at factory price. Email me xenia@xeniamaria.me if interested.

Crocs flip-flops for sale at factory price. Sizes available: 5, 6 and 7.

I do have a pair of these cuties (but in a different colour) and I should say, they’re damn comfortable.

Shoot an email to xenia@xeniamaria.me if interested.

The first time I laid my eyes on a bunch of Hydrangeas, I knew I just had to have them in my garden. Actually, I didn’t know that it was a Hydrangea because the assistant at the nursery told me that the plant is called Milflores. I guess some plants are called differently here in the Philippines. When I first saw those beautiful Hydrangeas, I immediately thought of a perfect spot in my garden for them.

The photo below shows that sweet spot. You won’t be able to see the flowers yet as they were in their early stages of budding when I took the photo.

A few weeks later, the flowers bloomed. Notice the pale blue colour, with a touch of yellow. Something magical is going to happen there in a few weeks’ time.

A few days later, the buds bloomed even further. It’s starting to look really good.

The photo below shows the Hydrangea in full bloom. This was taken a few days ago.

And then this morning when I went outside (which is what I do right after getting out of bed), I saw my Hydrangea in all its glory.

Have a detailed look below.

It feels wonderful to be able to have this beauty in my garden. Just having something nice to look at is very relaxing.

For the past three years, my work desk has always been by the window which has the view of the garden. So as I work my ass off, I have witnessed the garden in its various states of shabbiness and, recently, marveled in its gloriousness. This is the view I used to see when I look out of the window.

Until now.

There are three reasons why I moved the pieces of furniture, however few they are, around.

First, the incident in which someone had been trying to break into my home scared me. I thought, if my thingamabobs are near the window then it would be easier for those small time thieves to nick something off of my desk. The thing is, I have this habit of leaving my stuff on my desk – mobile phone, pens, sometimes even keys (yes, yes, I’m that bad).

Continue reading…

originally posted at Plinky

I remember I was seven years old when I received a Sony walkman from my parents as a gift. It was more like a reward for being first in the top 10 students of our first grade class.

My first cassette tapes were MC Hammer’s album and the late great Francis M’s Yo! album. My mom gave me the Cool Runnings OST album, too. Hee.

Oh, those were the days.

I have recently been on Facebook a lot. No, I don’t really update my status every few minutes. It’s not because I like to “connect” with people on a regular basis either.

I have a new addiction. Farmville.

So the above image shows my farm. Took a screenshot of it just a few minutes ago. I think today is my second week of playing and I’m on Level 16. I guess it’s also because I earned a lot of XP (experience) points by buying a lot of stuff. And not just buying through virtual money. I’m so addicted to the game that I have already spent $20 for those FV cash and coins.

Yes, yes it’s border lining pathetic and having no life. But hey, even if I can only be a farmer and cattle rancher in dreams and in virtual life, I do have a big, beautiful garden. Fo’ shiz.

Yesterday morning I received a call from from someone named Sophia, telling me she’s from PGU (I forgot what the acronym means) and that their company recently had an electronic raffle draw and I was one of the winners.

I was told I do have a freebie/prize item waiting for me at Home Sonic Appliance Center Starmall, Alabang branch, and that I should claim it as soon as possible.

I already knew it was utter bullshit because I never joined any raffle draw. But I let her go on with her drivel, and I just half-listened; because you know, I like wasting some people’s time. Like, the kind of people who tried to waste mine. :p

It was a good thing that I the phone is one my desk, right beside the laptop. So while the person was trying very hard to convince me to come to Home Sonic, I was already searching for them on Google.

Below are other blogs and forums discussing about the Home Sonic scam.

• Unwanted phone calls from Homesonic Appliances
• Let the Buyer Beware of Homesonic
• Home Sonic Appliance Center – Scam or Not?
• DTI Shuts Down Homesonic Appliance Center
• Home Sonic: Strike 2!

Of course I didn’t drop by their store. I have no plans to.

But not more than 20 minutes ago I received another call from Sophia, telling me she wanted to follow-up her call from yesterday, and that if I have already claimed my so-called prize.

I won’t fall prey, Home Sonic. I’m not easily duped. So please stop calling me already.

In my family, it is my Da who likes to care for plants and pets. My Ma and I have always thought that gardening and caring for a pet are tedious tasks. So I have never really experienced what it feels like to have a garden and take proper care of it.

After my Da left for the US last year, our once beautiful garden had turned into one muddy, murky mess. I had all the carabao grass and shrubs pulled out. Why? Because I did not want the extra effort of gardening.

As months passed, I began to have a change of heart. My son had no place to run around and just be a carefree boy. I don’t want him to leave the confines of our property to play in the streets with the other children. So he’s always inside the house, miserable. And when in our muddy yard he’s always just so…. dugyot (dirty).

I resolved to have the patch of land improved by turning it into a beautiful garden. No more carabao grass, though. I never could walk around barefoot on carabao grass. So I thought to have Bermuda grass sodded into the soil.

But first I had the Guava tree, Balete tree, Papaya tree and the Bougainvillea uprooted. Those large trees I know I will never be able to maintain. This took about one whole day.

Then I went to a nearby nursery (Jocelia’s in Pacita Complex Phase 7) and ordered 35 sacks of garden soil and Bermuda grass sod enough to cover my front yard. One sack of garden soil costs Php 50 and one square meter of Bermuda grass sod costs Php 75. I wouldn’t be able to get the soil and the grass until after two days. I was told they would be ordering from somewhere else. Fine.

On the day the garden soil and the grass arrived and while the workers were busy planting the sod, I went with my helper to another garden (Bong-Bong’s garden along the Binan National Highway). I only wanted to buy some flowering plants to line the entrance path.

I bought Butones and Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus). Php 20 per pot. I bought 11 of each kind. Then I used the Sanseveria (Espada plant) at the end of each row.

I thought of using the purple Butones plant and the orange/yellow Cosmos because of their contrasting colours. Besides the Butones is higher than the Cosmos, which makes for a dramatic “layering” or something like that.

But before I left Bong-Bong’s Garden, the fountain caught my eye. I wanted it. So I bought it. For Php 2,500. I also bought six stepping stones (designed like a flower), which matches the colour of the fountain. The stepping stones cost Php 100 each.

Then another thing grabbed my attention. The garden set. I thought it would be a nice addition to the garden. So I bought it, too. At Php 4,500.

I also bought other plants to liven up the place. But that is for another post. I didn’t really plan on spending on the fountain and the garden set. I originally planned on just the Bermuda grass laid out.

But you know, I think the end product is worth it. I love hanging out in the garden now. I eat my breakfast outside and it’s just so soothing. It’s like having my own magical place.