Sunday, May 18, 2008

DOG DAY FRIDAY

Waking up to surprising rain was not really a disaster, even though the laundry I hang out to dry last night drooped heavily with drip. I tried not to whimper; one simply doesn't mourn the early passing of summer.

Even waking up with bad hair was no big hassle ... it has been happening most everyday … when my inglorious crown wouldn’t flip and fluff the way it used to, to cover the thinning and the graying inside.


It was no big deal either to spend a cumulative hour and a half looking for the toothpaste, the deodo, good, clean underwear, my cellphone, my watch, my eyeglasses. And yes, my sandals – oh please, any which pair, as long as they match.


I have long reconciled myself to spending more time to look for things than to do them.


It is that time of the year again: I am helpless, hapless, maidless.


Which means I have to cook in a hurry before leaving the house. On the chopping board, I nicked a finger while slicing the ampalaya paper thin, the way I have to do it if I want gourd minus the bitter. Not missing a chomp-chomping beat, I simply licked the blood and sting away.


I went back to the motions of dressing, got engrossed with more flipping and fluffing, forgot I had ampalaya guisado simmering, until I smelled something scorching. I ran back to the kitchen ... uh-oh! …. toasted ampalaya, anyone?! I amused myself I might have stumbled on new gourmet cooking, the way lechon was discovered – by a bungling farm boy who accidentally set a barnful of hogs on fire.


Before I left home, I had set on the table a half dozen of perfectly-fried longganisa, silently saluting the unknown who invented sausage.

Inside the car, the rain grew more insistent. And where there's insistent rain, persistent traffic can't be far behind, -- and it wasn't. As we inched our way through the godawful maze, I hummed a tuneless tune to keep my wits about.

My dog day morning had begun.

Later that day would find me on a paper chase – in my office, the NSO, back to my office – that was supposed to lead me to a potty of post-retirement gold. Why do I have the feeling it would first lead me to the fixer’s den before anywhere else?

That night, I strained to remind myself the next day will be new.


16 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL!

my day is different--because I do not wake up to a beautiful rainy day. because when morning comes i am awake as could be, though in sleeping clothes, the hair is still in place.

and i do not mourn the end of summer in fact i rejoice, how i love the pitter and patter of the rain, even loving it most whilst it caresses my lovely face.

i do not cook--my mother does. when she goes away and the maid goes away, i don't care about food, there is always delivery and instant food.

NSO? i was also there the other day, i thought it was easy, i could have done it online. but i wsa already there, it was raining hard, i was holding stub no 6,450 while the person being called to submit the forms was holding stub #3,000+ only to realize that i was wearing not a pair of havaiianas, but 2 half pairs: one was green and the other was blue. i realized that there were 2 pairs in the car and in my hurry i ended up with 2 half pairs. it was s obvious as i was in my minis. people must have thought i was either crazy or it wsa a fashion statement.

what the heck, i went home and sent the maid to wait there with a hundred pesos for snacks, even dinner perhaps, went home at 9 pm, and went back after 2 days to pick up an authenticated birth certificate of my son.

oh, the life of the retired! we can make it easy, we can make it hard.

one thing i am sure--in this sense we are the same: we re retired, at the same time we are not.

i end up this comment in the same manner,

LOL

Anonymous said...

Hi, Anna. Well, summer ended in our place in Dagupan with a bang - a super typhoon that wrecked the whole city and other parts of Pangasinan province. I'm here now in Manila, hopefully when I return - electric power is back to normal too.

I don't see myself being retired though I haven't been "formally" employed since 1997. Self employed, is the better term, I think. I see myself still slaving to my last breath - by choice. I fear the day when I just have to sit down and wait for my time. LOL!

soloops said...

Ms. Anna,

With all my heart, I wish that all these efforts of yours will indeed end up in a pot of gold at the GSIS, perhaps?

Maybe you'll be way luckier than I have been.

btw-re:ampalaya:try soaking the slices in water with salt to lessen the bitter taste.

--From a similarly maidless working mom who is holding on to her sanity for dear life.

Heart of Rachel said...

I used to love rainy season when I was younger but now it makes me wary of the illnesses (like dengue) that comes with it.

We were maidless a few weeks ago. We have a small house but it's hard keeping up with chores. Good thing my hubby takes over cooking and washing the dishes. The chore I like the least is dusting. Now order has been resumed. :)

Hope you can fix all requirements needed by GSIS.

Wishing you better days ahead. Take care.

the suspect said...

that definitely makes me want to go back to the philippines. i miss my mom making all those mornng chores. your description was close to home.

and here, feeling all alone, everyday is almost like that. but i am thankful, always, for each and every day.

and yes, i understand the bad hair day thing. hahahahaha

Abaniko said...

But I know you went through all these with grace. That made the big difference. :)

Gina said...

=))

Keep your eyes on the ball,errrrr, the 'pot of gold' and somehow everything will be easier (maybe?)

Seriously tho' , akala ko it's much easier to process papers nowadays with the internet and everything. Di pa pala.

But tackle each day as it comes, one step at a time, and before you know it, every certificate,clearance,etc.etc. would have been completed and you are living a life of leisure. With all the time in the world to enjoy your family, apo, Scrabble, blogging,etc. etc. and perhaps get started with that project you told me about.

Anonymous said...

Its as if you described my day, AM, except for the last part. Maidless for the past five year with two kids under 7, they are vacationing with my parents now, thank goodness for a few weeks break.

Take it one day at a time :)

Anonymous said...

LOL, you make being maidless and having a not-so-nice day altogether sound so poetic.

At least this rush-rush mood only happens twice a week. The rest of your days you can take it easy.

Good luck with the paper chase!

Anonymous said...

i have mixed feelngs when summer is about to end. summer is the best time to do laundry, and i go oc on my laundry. but i dislike the heat and the electric bill that goes with trying to escape it. the rain brings refreshing breeze, but the laundry doesn't smell quite so good.

my food for all sorts of emergencies is either corned beef or maling ;)

Leah said...

I can wake up anytime to the smell of longanisa. While you bid adieu to summer, we are patiently awaiting for it to come here in our side of the earth. Like anywhere else, we all look forward to something, somewhere. Goodluck on the pot of gold. Is it at the end of the rainbow?

Wenchie said...

Hi AM, as usual your biggest fan (moi) is smiling again while reading this post. I love longanisa esp. when it's a little toasted. Like you, I don't have a maid, have four kids bugging me for attention every second of the day. I don't think I can handle retirement, este laying low, or I'll go insane...I need something to do. Can someone give me a job, ha ha. Btw, if you're havin' problems with GSIS, just text me, I'll be glad to help you. I know someone who can process your papers pronto...pro bono.

Anonymous said...

Hi Tita! Been so long... too busy with so many things :D

Anyway, I love summer more than I love the rainy season. Flood and the muddy roads hehe... Maarte po kasi ako.

I miss visiting here. Tita, my akoni site is being monetized na lang po. You can visit me at http://sasha-says.com and at http://myownutopia.info because that's where I post personal entries :)

Happy weekend, tita! Miss u!

Anonymous said...

anna, i have been married to a retired person for some time now. he took early retirement several years ago while i am working my butt off..haha. clever guy, huh? he did learn how to cook and do the dishes but i still do the laundry and cleaning the house. there are times i would complain and say "why do i always have to work hard during my day off?"

raqgold said...

you know what, here in germany, those retirees are the ones who dont have the time to wait in line, to drive slowly, to baby sit, etc :D

Toe said...

Hahahaha! You're so crazy! This is like the Filipino senior citizen's version of Bridget Jones' Diary. :)

But it's true... if everything else fails, try sausages, you can't go wrong. :)

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