Tender Moments
The many facets of caregiving #maharlika2023la – exploring, discovering, walking, crawling, sleeping, chilling outside with his milk.
Harmony of Transformation: Nicole David Yalong’s ‘She Used to Be Mine’ Unveils a Symphony of Motherhood and Evolution
‘She used to be mine’ by Sara Bareilles…sung by Nicole David Yalong who shared how she had one defining moment in her life – the birth of her twins.
“I was once single, empowered, independent, strong, to now a mother of twins, always touched and always needed, full-time homemaker- the first few years tested me in my transition from single to mom, this song allowed me to properly say goodbye to my former life and fully embrace motherhood.”
After she sang, I had goosebumps and was teary-eyed.
Those lyrics and the song embody what I used to be, a mom to two children while working full time, an activist, an empty nester, and now a part-time grandmother.
———–
It’s not simple to say
Most days, I don’t recognize me
These shoes and this apron
That place and its patrons
I have taken more than I gave ’em
It’s not easy to know
I’m not anything like I used to be
Although it’s true
I was never paying attention, sweet center
I still remember that girl
She’s imperfect but she tries
She is good but she lies
She is hard on herself
She is broken and won’t ask for help
She is messy but she’s kind
She is lonely most of the time
She has all of this mixed up
And baked in a beautiful pie
She is gone but she used to be mine
It’s not what I asked for
Sometimes life just slips in through a back door
And carves out a person
And makes you believe it’s all true
And now I’ve got you
And you’re not what I asked for
If I’m honest I know I would give it all back
For a chance to start over
And rewrite an ending or two
For the girl that I knew
Who is being reckless just enough?
Who can hurt but
Who learns how to toughen up when she’s bruised?
And gets used by a man who can’t love
And then she’ll get stuck and be scared
Of the life that’s inside her
Growing stronger each day
‘Til it finally reminds her
To fight just a little
To bring back the fire in her eyes
That’s been gone but it used to be mine
It used to be mine
She is messy but she’s kind
She is lonely most of the time
She is all of this mixed up and baked in a beautiful pie
She is gone but she used to be mine
Lucita Luciani’s 83rd birthday at The Diplomat
What a loving birthday luncheon for dear Lucita, described as the one and only brilliant, beautiful, generous, loving, lovable, and hilarious Lucita!
It was so well organized by Lina Paredes, with all the best Mediterranean dishes and entrees.
I love the conversations on our side of the table: about Bantayog ng mga Bayani, miracles related to faith or not, atheism, and the atheists living a more ethical life, inspiring others to join them in a community without judgment of sin and unconditional love.
We talked about the God of Espinoza, all the creation attributes, all the highest traits of men, the infinite, and yet, without the prejudgment of sin. Germany today and their coalition government keep out partisanship and encourage collaboration, a multiparty coalition of diverse voices in their government, grassroots diplomacy, and unconditional love. “They dialogue and reach out to each other with different perspectives; they don’t shoot each other, like in America.” – local German tourist guide
What a beautiful luncheon celebrating the aspirations of the soul and the creative human spirit in collaboration!
Theme: Live your life with unconditional love and share conscious goodness and joy with others. I love that my tummy is full, my heart is so full, and my soul is renewed!
Most importantly, we celebrated the grace, graciousness, and elegance of Lucita Luciani, whose friends and family adore her. Thank you for including us! Happy happy birthday, Lucita Luciani
Netflix’s Mysteries of Faith: Unveiling Divine Threads from Holy Faces to the Holy Grail and Sacred Cross Splinters
Are you watching Netflix’s Mysteries of Faith? Image of the Holy Face of Jesus in Manoppello, Italy; Crown of Thorns saved from the burning Notre Dame, the Search for the Holy Grail: San Lorenzo, who was the custodian of the Holy Grail in the 3rd century; Valencia Cathedral is the custodian of the Holy Chalice, as Leon Cathedral has the Holy Grail, San Juan dela Pena kept the Holy Grail.
Then, the taking of the relic from the splinter of the Holy Cross starts with Helena, who dug up the true cross in the Holy Land, 326 years after the death of Jesus, and gave the cross to Constantine with pieces brought to the fabelas in Brazil, and distributed to the different parts of the world – Titulus Cruces in the Holy Cross Basilica in Rome; relics of the true cross splinters in Portugal, Philippines….” our hearts are open, and relics and artifacts become a direct line to God.”
I am crying…
Makka: An Authentic Italian Place That Lives up to Its Name
Makka refers to the Neapolitan vintage spiral screw – like equipment for making the dough, aka as the muscle energy to form the dough, aka Macaroni.
By the door, a dedicated staffer rolls out and thins out the dough in an extruder. After flattening it to its desired thickness, he puts it in a cutter and separates out by portions, carefully adding the flour. Key to their pasta is adding parmesan cheese and makes for a flavorful fresh pasta.
This is one of the very best Italian restaurants we have eaten in almost five decades. The chef is very innovative and knows how to combine flavors. It is exciting to eat ravioli with salmon with light apple green sauce which is asparagus cream. How inventive is that!!
Rest of menu:
Spaghetti with prawns, cherry tomatoes, parsley, shallots – love love love the al dente texture and flavored with anchovy oil.
Ravoli with salmon on asparagus cream (asparagus, flour, eggs, black pepper, salmon, butter, parmesan cheese)
Neapolitan cuoppo fried with lime and black pepper gel (mussels, octopus, anchovies, squid, lime, black pepper) – this dish was lightly breaded and with the lime and black pepper gel as dip was really good.
Panna cotta with raspberry spread and tiramisu with cake placed in the core encapsulated with the espresso filling.
And to think, the restaurant is just 3 months old. If you reserve through ‘The Fork’, you get a gift – a discount on your total. We turned it into tip, though not customary, as it is good to do it for this new small business.
Please come and support this new place, it lives up to its name, authentic Italian. Locals have already returned as the chef welcomed them at a table near the kitchen.
P.S.: Restrooms or wash stations are clean and smelling fresh.
Makka Restaurant
Av. Barbosa du Bocage 107, 1050-052 Lisboa, Portugal
3rd Visit to Our Lady of Fatima, In Portugal
I prayed the Rosary inside the Chapel of the Apparitions next to the Holmoak tree where Our Lady appeared before Lucia and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta on the 13th of May 1917. Her last apparition was on Oct. 13, where 70,000 folks were present.
Pope Francis visited with the youth here in August 2023 where close to a million came. Today, about a thousand prayed the Rosary, including me, and hundreds lined up to light candles, some holding dozens to be lit.
I prayed for healing miracles for a relative and a good friend to recover from cancer.
Here we are in front of the altar of the Basilica of the Holy Trinity with crucifix and the Virgin Mary (Immaculate Heart of Mary) statue.
- Two Years of Blessings with #Maharlika2023la
- From Raspberries to Rainbows: Joyful Moments with a 2-Year-Old
- A Special Two-Year-Old’s Day of Celebration and Love
- Sharing, Singing, and Sweet Melodies: A Day with #Maharlika2023LA
- Ysabel Jurado: A daughter of the community achieves victory to represent LA’s Council District 14
