The pungent summer flavor comes from a homemade tomato sauce slowly braised in olive oil, garlic, black olives and sage…

Here we go again, like every summer we receive plenty of veggies, eggs, fruits, homemade marmalades and honey from our patients. We have enough supply we can open a small fruit and vegetable shop . This afternoon, my daughter asked me: “What’s for dinner tonight Mom?” and before I could respond she said: “What about pasta?”. Oh no not again I said. Well well, kids love pasta and everyone knows that. I had no idea what to cook anyway, so KC’s suggestion was not bad at all. It reminds me that we still have a basket full of tomatoes. I have never tried cooking homemade tomato sauce yet, so I flipped on a magazine “Meine Familie und Ich” (My Family and I) for a recipe. I found one that is easy to prepare but I still have to run to the grocery for black olives, parmesan and salami.

The sauce on the pasta was so delightful! Can you imagine, I cooked 500 grams pasta and there’s nothing left. Our youngest usually eats like a bird, but this time he had three plates full. Amazing, isn’t it?

Here is the recipe of the homemade sauce I’m talking about.

Ingredients:
800 grams tomato
3 fresh sage twigs
2 cloves garlic
150 grams salami (sliced thinly)
100 grams black olives (w/o seeds)
3 tbspolive oil
salt, pepper and sugar to taste
500 grams spaghetti
parmesan cheese

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Bring a pot of water to boil. Have a large bowl of iced water ready. Add whole tomatoes in boiling water for about 30 seconds until skin starts to peel. Remove with slotted spoon and place in ice bath for just 2 seconds. Drain and let rest until cool enough to handle, then remove peel and and slice into cubes or halves (if tomatoes are small). Chop some sage leaves, slice salami as thin as you like, peel of and crush garlic.

Mix sage twigs, tomatoes, olives, garlic, salami and olive oil together. Add salt, sugar and pepper to taste. Add mixture in a casserole dish (18 by 20 cm). Put in oven and braise for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare pasta as directed on the package. Drain pasta in colander, transfer to a bowl containing 1 tbsp softened butter and toss quickly. Gently fold tomato sauce into pasta. Sprinkle parmesan and chopped sage to serve.

Bon Appetit!

Sorry for the dust but the blog owner which is me of course, has been sleeping for quite sometime. I am now wide awake and busy doing some site changes such as theme (in the making), database and etc. So stay tuned mga kapatid, I will be right back with lots of tsismis .

It was Aug. 31, 2009 when I last posted my last entry here. I even promised to update once in awhile, pero ayon hindi rin natupad. I have less time than I thought, yeah it’s as simple as that. Life has changed since we moved here in Brandenburg and since hubby opened his own medical clinic. Nag changed ang takbo nang buhay ko dahil isa ako sa kanyang fulltime alalay doon. I have to learn a lot of things…with success naman sa awa ng Diyos. Pero it is a challenge talaga to work in a field na labag sa kalooban ko. Lalo na’t hindi ito related sa aking profession, so I’m having a lot of difficulties adjusting to this new role. In addition to that, hindi rin ako sanay na kasama ang asawa sa trabaho or ang asawa ko ang BOSS ko. The problem in the case of a spouse is the potential emotional boomerang. Usually what happens is, if it doesn’t work out, the employee leaves and you never see them again, di vah? But in this case, if it doesn’t work out, you go home and have dinner together. That’s where the problem lies. Infact, we got so consumed with our business relationship that we end up talking/arguing business all the time even at home. So there’s no escape from business at all. The first eight months was a nightmare!

So one day, I was so fed up, I left the clinic without saying a word. Hubby was angry of course, he called and asked me to come back. But all I said was “no I’m not and that we really have to talk when you come home”. Because of that talk, our relationship has flourished to heights that weren’t possible after we start the business. Our heart to heart talk was what made our relationship to what it is now versus what it was before. A hundred times better. Well anyways, concocting the ideal recipe to combine a thriving business and a successful marriage is not easy, especially when you work together, but it can be done with understanding and compromise.

I know that our business is very important but so our marriage and family too. Inspite of all the difficulties…I am still lucky to have a husband like my husband. Who listens to my litany of complaints, opinions and ramblings and takes my feelings into consideration. It was actually my mistake that I didn’t open my mouth and talk about what bothered me earlier ago. We closed this chapter of our life, but we are still working together in our business as TEAM. And we are also working on our marriage to keep the shine. We will keep working on our marriage and working through whatever challenges we would face in the future. There are no experts on marriage and it is not something we learn in a book. But something we must learn by doing over and over again…a practice we must adjust as our journey continues…

THE MAKEOVER

We went to Bali for our second honeymoon last Dec. 20 til Dec. 31. We stayed at Nikko Bali Hotel Resort and Spa in Nusa Dua for 10 days. Bali is lovely. It is one of the few places in the whole world that I would actually want to go back. There are stunning sunsets, sculpted rice terraces and a temple on almost every corner. And for less-spiritual seekers, this steamy Indonesian island also has great surfing and a rollicking night life.

Yes, maybe ito ay inamag lang or natabunan na ng alikabok. Pero ang site na ito ay hindi patay kundi medyo natulog lang. Ang Tita Poorshya niyo kasi ay medyo nadaganan ng sandamakmak na trabaho sa bahay at clinic at pakikipagsosyalan. Alam niyo, hindi ko akalaing very stressing pala ang ganitong buhay. Yon bang you have to play different roles sa madla. Pero don’t ya worry folks, I may look older now, pero okay pa rin ako. Naging malawak na ang aking kaalaman sa pagiging practical nurse (kuno), at para na rin akong doktor na inject ng inject. Hehehehe, sino ba ang mag-akalang ako ay mapunta sa medical field. Pero ewwww! Medyo ngumingiwi pa rin ang pis ko when I see infected wounds at kong anek-anek pang wounds diyan. Bagamat labag man sa aking kalooban, hala go pa rin ang Tita niyo dahil nakatali na siya dito. Ika nga resignation not possible.

So what’s new ba dito sa blogosphere? I am sure super daming gimmick dito ngayon na di ko alam. Or is everything the same pa rin va? Sige nga kuwentuhan niyo ang lola niyo! Saken or sa amin naman, well maraming bagay ang naganap mula noong huli kong update dito.

Like for example:

Ang anak kong panganay ay nag-asawa na noong April.

Si Lolo G. niyo ay naging Knight of Rizal naman last May.

At siyempers ako din…I mean, on that same day inducted din ako bilang isang Lady of Rizal.

May 16, one uforgettable day of my life evah. Why? Eh naging celebrities kami nang isang araw noh? Nagshooting sa amin ang ZDF (local tv channel) from morning til past midnight. The documentary film about us was aired last June.

Rampadora si Lady Poorshya, kaya join din ang byuti niya noong ginanap ang First General Assembly ng Ladies of Rizal Europe doon sa Bonn end of May. Take note: Ang nag-iisa gentleman diyan ay si Consul General Romeo L. Manalo ng Philippine Consulate General, Frankfurt.

Aray ko, sumasakit na ang likod ko sa kakasulat at edit ng mga piktyurs. Marami pa akong ikukwento sa inyo pero sa next update nalang ang iba. Ayaw ko kayong pagurin sa ito nalang muna sa ngayon. Okay? Just wanted to let you know that we are all doing fine here in our new home.

I miss blogging a lot, but my time was very limited few months ago kaya I was forced to take a short break. Now I’m back and I hope I can update often this time.

Last Friday, on our way to Ulm…while flipping Auto Bild magazine, I found a picture which looks so familiar to me. The image was featured under Leserfoto ((reader’s photograph)) column. Underneath was written “Please count: One (!) bicycle with twelve (!) passengers discovered by our reader Dennis Schoof in Manila (Philippines)”.

I want to ride a bicycle…I want to ride a bike.

I can imagine how amused the photographer was as he saw it. O siguro laking mangha niya nang makita niya ito dahil walang ganyang sasakyan dito sa Germany. It can’t be possible too dahil hindi ito lulusot sa TÜV (Technische Überwachungs Verein) ((Technical Monitoring Association)).

Hehehe, hindi lang nila alam tayong mga Pilipino ay super innovative in different fields. But let us stick to the topic “vehicle innovation”.

What about this one here? Well I think the image below is very common to us. Yon bang may isa o dalawang taong aangkas sa motorsiklo. But you know, in the most outback part of Butuan or maybe some parts of other provinces, where jeepneys only travel once a day…a single motorbike as public transportation is a hit for locals and day-trippers.

Get your motor runnin’ head out on the highway, lookin’ for adventure, and whatever comes our way…

Last but not least, this is something you might have not seen yet. A skylab. Or sky love? I am not really sure of the name, but what the heck. I saw this one on our way to Butuan City last May 2008. I was wondering how passengers got on to it.

The driver needs or requires great balancing act. Di ba? Haven’t experienced riding a vehicle such as this one yet. But I think I’d rather walk than catch a ride on a Skylab. Not because I am maarte, pero natatakot ako na baka ito ay bumalintong. Paano nalang ang aking high heel shoes (charing), my false eyelashes, my whatevah? Ay basta’t akoy maglalakad nalang.

O, anong say niyo sa mga sasakyan sa probinsiya???

Mga sisterekas, bros and friends…would you ever believe na lola na akesh? Yes I am since December pa. Hindi ko lang ito naibalita sa inyo dahil papel busy as usual ang Tita Poorshya niyo. Si Mamuschka ((Mama)) Cheh palang ang nakaalam nito among blogger friends. My eldest son is now a father and I am so happy for him and his girlfriend.

Cheh asked me nga pala kong ano daw ang feeling ngayong lola na ako. Mwehehehe, ano fa eh di lukring pa rin as ever. Yon nga lang, parang I don’t like na tatawaging “Oma” ((grandma)). It’s the German term of abuela and it sounds so pang oldies talaga and I am not that old pa naman di vah? Well anyway…I have to baby think twice pa muna kong ano ang babagay para sa isang lolang pranela.

So my friends…here is my kyota ((cute)) kong kyotatalet ((sanggol)) na apo kong si Giulien. Say niyo…may pinagmanahan di ba? Ahem!!! Oy walang kokontra ha? Bwahahaha.

At itechlavu naman ang picture nang mag-ama of the year. Hay naku, parang kailan lang yon na karga-karga ko pa anak kong ito. Ngayon…siya ay isa nang ama.

Siyanga pala, I would like to thank you for the New Year greetings which I heartily reciprocate. Let the New Year 2009 brings you and your family loads of good luck and prosperity.

1. Sofie
2. Ambo
3. Nina
4. my nephewDandan
5. K
6. Cheh
7. Scart
8. Miss P
9. Sha
10. Marie
11. Amor
12. AnP
13. and my sister Celia

Happy New Year to all of you earthlings! I hope your new year has gotten off to a great start. We had a mellow “yelo” New Year’s eve celebration this year. MELLOW – pleasant, relax. YELO ((ICE)) (tagalog) – bitterly cold; freezing: an icy day. We celebrated at home, we had some great food, and sang Karaoke with the kids while waiting for midnight. At midnight we had nice firework and drank champagne. Kathleen and Ivan had fun shooting fireworks while Gillian was sulking because he was only allowed to watch and not to shoot. Hubby, Gillian and I didn’t stayed long outside because it was so freaking cold. Imagine ba naman, 14 degrees centigrade below freezing point ang temperature noh. Ngatog ang Tita Poorshya niyo…buset na winter, miss ko tuloy ang Pilipinas.

Anyways, the new year for me and hubby began with a lot of work. Yes it was a holiday, but our clinic was open due to some emergency cases. Our life is now consisted of work and series of more work. Oy, don’t get me wrong ha? I am not complaining…it is just that even if we are at home, may mga pasyenteng pumupunta sa bahay para magpagamot. Yan ang buhay country doctor…always on the run to save life and cure sick people. It’s not bad at all…for we take it as a challenge and yes it is also an opportunity to earn more money. Money is not everything but we invested a lot, and so we must work hard in order to get it back. Kaya nga si Tita Poorshya niyo ay nag bade goodbye na sa web designing to concentrate on her present career.

Hehehe, from web designer to a nurse! Nurse like Florence Nightingale? Hehehe, I am far from that but I am on my way to become one. Nightingale worked hard to educate herself in the art and science of nursing, and that is what I am doing now. Hubby suggested I should take nursing continuing education. But as of the moment, kontento na muna akong mag practice sa clinic mismo. Hindi ko pa kasi gaanong feel ang trabahong ito.

Well, well…life is full of surprises, changes and learning. Not long ago, I took web design continuing education. There I learned PHP, CSS, HTML, XHTML, JAVASCRIPT, PHOTOSHOP, ILLUSTRATOR and etc. Ito naman ang pinag-aaralan ko ngayon: Ultrasound, ECG, Injection (hypodermic and muscle injection), Infusion, blood sedimentation and all medical administrative work. Learning the first two and of course administrative task were quite simple, but all the rest simply made me sweat blood. One unforgettable experience is drawing blood, and my first victim was Kathleen. When I saw hubby took patient’s blood, it seemed like an easy job. But when I hold the syringe on my hand, the feeling was completely different. Besides, Kathleen’s veins were so hard to detect and making me so worried that my lousy skill would hurt her. But luckily hubby was standing at my side and gave me guidance and I successfully made it. Hay naku, it looks like I need more time before I could master this job…

This year’s December 25th is not only Christmas but it also happen to be my 25th Christmas celebration here in Germany. Dati rati, lagi akong umiiyak kapag Pasko dahil miss na miss ko ang aking buong pamilya sa Davao. Napaka-dry and near to lifeless kasi ang selebrasyon nila dito. It took me a while before I finally get adjusted, but still I can’t avoid feeling melancholy and pensive. Well…c’est la vie!

But tell you what? This time it is absolutely different. This Christmas is one of my happiest and most memorable of all times. Why? It is because we are lucky WE achieved many of our goals this year. AND I am lucky to have a husband with a good business head on his shoulders. I am lucky to have my eldest son to be proud of. Lucky to have a daughter like Kathleen, lucky to have Gillian who tells me daily he loves me “and everything” and he will often thank me for making him meals or playing with him. And I am lucky to have a loving, supporting and understanding parents, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews. Like I said we achieved a lot of our goals this year, not only us here but also my whole family back in Davao.

I can write a long story kong bakit ang Paskong ito ay isa sa pinakamasaya kong Pasko, but I’d rather not say anything. Hehehe, as if hindi ko alam na maraming *familiar non-blogger enviers lurking here na nag-aabang lang nang pagkakataon para masabi nilang: “Ayan nagyabang na naman si Beng.” *Merry Christmas and peace be with you bad tongues and wicked ears.

Life is full of…mysteries, happiness, pains, difficulties, possibilities, beauties and blessings.

Simple Christmas celebration at home. Thank you Lord for everything!

My son Ivan took his masters last year, and now he’s working at a big firm in Neuss and appointed to a high position just after a few months.

My two sweet makulets…waiting for more Christmas gifts.

The most loving and selfless person I’ve ever met. He keep on telling me not to buy gift for him, but I did this time. He simply deserved it…

Family’s Christmas present: Cookie! A Labrador Retriever.

Last but not least…si Lola niyo.

To all my beloved friends,

Christmas is upon us and this season, this year, this moment is the perfect time to remember wonderful Christmases of the past and reflect on how we want to make this Christmas just as joyful.

I hope and pray that your holidays will be filled with thousands of little joyful happenings that bring you peace, comfort and happiness.

With all my love,
Tita Beng aka Tita Poorshya

There is a story going around about Isabel Borres and her “immersion experiences” with an Aeta community. Reynz an many others wrote about it. This is indeed a very hot topic at the moment!

Hindi sa sinasakyan ko ang nagbabagang usapan na ito. It is just that the behaviour of this stupid spoiled brat reminds me of some incidents I witnessed before. The Tracy Isabel Borres in us or better to say the bad in us. Hindi lang kasi si Isabel ang umaarte ng ganyan, I find that even matured educated people are acting in a totally irrational manner.

When I was in Davao, I met a group of Balikbayan from Germany during the Caracoles Festival in Samal Island last May. With them are their husbands. Matagal bago nagsimula ang naturang programa nang festival kaya napagpasyahan kong kumain muna kami nang aking mga anak. Yong table ng mga balikbayan ang may bakante pa kaya I asked them if we can join. Umoo naman sila kaya ayon nagtake a sit na ang Tita Poorshya niyo and my two makulets. A waitress came after a few minutes and so we ordered our food. Habang naghintay sa pagkain nakipagkuwentuhan muna siyempre ako sa mga nakaupo doon. Small talk lang baga like: saan ka sa Germany, ilang taon ka na doon, anak mo ba ang mga yan, saan ang asawa mo at iba pa. I learned from them na doon na pala sila sa Samal nakatira. Pensionado na siyempre ang kanilang mga jowa kaya they can afford to stay there for good and build a mala palasyong bahay. One of the German guy told me that he felt like a king daw doon. Kibir ko ba, hindi naman ako interesado kong anong pakiramdam niya. Gutom ang naramdaman ko kaya I was getting impatient na dahil ang tagal dumating nang pagkain. Nakulele pati ako sa kayabangan nang aming ka-table. Heneweys, I was so grateful talaga as our food was served. I was also hoping they will leave me alone habang ako ay lumalafang. Teach kasi nang mader ko when I was a kid na huwag magkuwentuhan habang kumakain.

Sorry pero da makuwentong grupo did not refrain from talking. Me full mouth and no choice than to tango nalang nang tango. Maya-maya, a Badjao kid approached our table at naupo sa isang bakanteng silya. The self-proclaimed donyas were aghast at ipinagtabuyan ang bata. They uttered the same words Tracy Isabel Borres spoke on her Fisbuk blog. Kadiri kid, mabaho, madungis and etcetera. At kesyo ang mga Badjao daw ay parang peste, sila daw ay nakakasira nang view sa Davao at kong ano-ano pang salita na nakakapanting sa tenga. Holy cow!!!

I did not say anything, basta’t kinawayan ko ang waitress and asked her to bring extra plate and kubyertos for the kid. The child was obviously hungry. It was also obvious na hindi nagustuhan nang mga ka-table namin ang ginawa ko dahil bigla nalang silang umalis without saying a word. Si Kathleen nga na dito lumaki at sanay sa lifestyle dito ay naawa din sa bata. Ibinigay pa niya ang Coke na nasa backpack niya pati pa ang souvenir t-shirt na kabibili lang namin. Ano at sino ba silang umasta nang ganun? Marami sa atin ang ala Tracy Isabel. Mga ignoranteng matapobre dahil lang nakaangat or umangat. What a shame!

How true, how true…

People are blinded by money. People are blinded by power. People are blinded by pleasure.
People who are blinded by their own pursuits and pleasures are blinded about the reality.
People who put their desires ahead of everything are “spiritually blind”.

Kita niyo? The group I mentioned is only one of the good example. And this kind of incident happens everyday I think at hindi lang during “immersion”. Maraming Tracy na kababayan natin ang nagkalat sa mundo at nasa mismong bayan natin. Sana naman we should not forget who we are or where our families started. Don’t forget those who made you and where you come from. Kasabot?