Feast of the Three Kings

Melchor
Originally uploaded by bleak!

We didn't just have a Santa Claus to bring us gifts when we were young, instead we have three, the Three Kings!

The feast of the Three Kings--"Tres Reyes" or "Tatlong Hari" in Tagalog--is traditionally observed on January 6 but after the changes of Vatican  II, it has become to be observed on the first Sunday after the New Year.

Back then, on the Eve of Epiphany, Saturday evening, we would have been busy picking, cleaning and polishing our shoes. A feat in itself as Saturday evenings in my household was Turbo Rangers and Time Quest night and ordinarily, nothing could prevent us from watching these shows.


The trick about which pair of shoes to leave for the Three Kings is to pick the one that is the biggest or longest. Why? So that the Magi would be forced to leave more candy and money.
We knew how to deal with these Wise Guys from afar and we wanted our rewards from being, well, trying to be good for a whole year.

The task of choosing and cleaning the shoes completed, we would then line our now pretty and trophy shoes in a neat line by the large main window in our "sala" and decorate them with the figures of the Three Kings snatched from the "Belen."

All of these done, we of course go back to watching our shows and then afterwards, reluctantly go to sleep as we wait with frenetic excitement for the next day with its promise of possible reward to arrive.

Felicidades

V.Ancheta 2012

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
2012-2013
Cheers!

Dia de los Muertos

Untitled
Originally uploaded by bleak!

19 Marso

San José de Nazaret

Cuaresma

My apologies to my handful of readers...

And I really do mean a handful as I can count all those who read my posts in one hand. Ha!
I have not been posting in a while, and I do apologize.
Oh well.
It's amazing how fast time passes us by.
In that note, cheers to the rest of 2010!

Seven-Eight-Nine

I just had to blog today's date, 7-8-9.

Coz, she did.

Hot N Cold

It's officially hot as hell here in Purgatory!
The mercury here in Houston has hit 104°F. That's 40°C for you metric snobs, err, I mean the rest of the world. Today, by the way, is only the third day of summer! It might even get hotter as the season unfurls. The highest ever on record for H-Town is 109°F back in September 2000.

So once again, it is the time to stay indoors, cool off, bring out the fans, turn on the AC's, over-eat, and gain weight from inactivity.

And while you're munching on something cool, why not pair your cold dessert with something homemade and fresh from the oven?
Admit it, you've been sitting in front of the TV for hours watching reruns of SpongeBob. So get at it, get up from the couch and start baking some pies, or cake, or whatever pastry for your ice cream or whipped cream.
Yes! Bake! Think of it this way, baking is exercise.
It quells the guilt.

I did. And right now, I'm in heaven with my warm apple pie and cool chocolate-swirl ice cream. The temperature maybe hot outside, and the water in the shaded pool a bit too cool for my liking, but here I am inside my house enjoying the best of both.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day
Originally uploaded by bleak!

Happy Mother's Day to all the dear mothers out there! Hope you all had a good one!