C is for Comfort food



Mommy has decided to take on the challenge of making dinner for five days.

Since it has been cold the past few weeks, Mommy  thought that it would be nice  to have some traditional Filipino comfort food. You seemed to like the arroz caldo the best of them all. You had three helpings!

The basic arroz caldo is fairly easy to do. The secret to making it nice and tasty is Patience - it requires constant attention and regular stirring (needless to say, this is not a dish wherein we can read  "The Story of Peppa Pig" while Mommy is cooking).







Left to right, clockwise: Nilagang baboy, chicken and pork adobo
in coconut milk, arroz caldo, picadillo, and chicken sotanghon soup

Ingredients:

Rice (1 cup)
Chicken (750 grams)
Ginger
Onions
Garlic
Cooking oil
Salt
Pepper
2 hard boiled eggs (slice into quarters)

Procedure:
1. Heat the oil in a deep pan.
2. When the oil is warm, brown the ginger, garlic, and the onions.
3. Add the chicken.
4. After about 15 minutes of cooking, add the rice.
5. Add 2 cups water, slowly stirring.
6. Add water as needed.
7. Continue adding water and stirring for about an hour.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9.  Serve the arroz caldo in a bowl, garnished with quartered hardboiled eggs.

Remarks:
There are those who put saffron in the rice and there are those who prefer to use patis (a Filipino fish sauce) as seasoning. There are those who prefer to use malagkit (glutinous rice) as an added ingredient. Still there are also those who garnish the arroz caldo with green onions and toasted garlic bits upon serving.

The above recipe however, is the one your lola makes at home in the Philippines and this is  how Mommy prefers it best prepared.

W is for Winner!

A winner is not someone
Who wins all of the time
(Because such is impossible)

But

A winner is someone
Who lost at some point
Maintained his composure
Trained harder

And when the opportunity
Presents itself again
Shows to the world
He is the best man!

PS. Mommy wrote this letter to you after the first fight between Pacquiao and Bradley in 2012. You were then 6 months in utero.

dragon boys

Daddy's discovered a better position to clean your bottom!

ANTON LEE THOMAS: (Noisily passing gas and making a reverberating explosion to signal the commencement of his toilet business.)

DADDY: (Embarrassed by your lack of manners.) You’re so shameless. You’re a little piggy.

MOMMY: You can’t call him a piggy. He’s a water dragon boy!

DADDY: (Without missing a beat while changing your nappy.) You’re a water dragon lechon.

Daddy is not only getting more efficient with changing nappies but he’s also improving with his Filipino language and cuisine.

(Note: A lechon is a whole pig, skewered and roasted over charcoal. It is a national favorite in the Philippines.)

the people's champ

Do you remember little pebble when Mommy took you to watch the Pacquiao vs. Bradley fight and Mommy became very upset after because Pacquiao lost his WBO welterweight title? Well almost two weeks after, a five-person panel formed by the WBO came up with a review saying that it was Pacquiao who won and not Bradley.  Bradley, however, gets to keep the title and the belt.

While a lot of people say this is Pacquiao’s vindication, Mommy thinks there was really no need to form such panel.  No one really believed Bradley won.  Moreover, Pacquiao has won 8 titles in different weight divisions. Nobody has achieved this in boxing history. He may eventually fail to defend these titles, after all he is 33 years old and it will become tougher for him to go against athletes in their 20s like Bradley, but unless somebody manages to win 8 or more than 8 titles, Pacquiao’s reign in the ring continues.

And here’s what the Nevada State Athletic Commission can never take away from Pacquiao and the Filipino people: Pacquiao’s shining example that no matter how poor a person is, by hard work, determination, and taking timely advantage of opportunities that comes one’s way, one can rise from poverty and make his mark in this world.  Dear little pebble, Pacquiao came from a family who had not enough to eat and yet he managed to become a world class athlete, educate himself, and get himself elected to Congress. His interests have branched out to community service, entertainment, and even religion. Although some people may think Pacquiao is spreading himself too thin, Mommy thinks that Pacquiao is just showing to himself and to everyone else, that poverty is not a hindrance to success.

There is another important thing that Pacquiao has shown the Filipino people: They are capable of being united.

Philippine history is marked by divisiveness.  We have Filipinos telling against Filipinos during the Spanish colonial period, Japanese occupation, and during the Fil-American War. Present-day politics is more about private and self-serving interests rather than public service. Yet, whenever Pacquaio has a bout in faraway Nevada, there’s a hush which permeates the streets and highways of the Philippine archipelago, Filipinos dispersed far and wide abroad gather in pubs, and in one voice, cheer for their hero.

This is why, little pebble, Manny Pacquiao is and always will be, the People’s Champ. We don’t need a five-person WBO panel to tell us that.

doctors

Little pebble you are now 25 weeks! The book, “Pregnancy From Preconception to Birth” says that you now weigh 23.5 ounces and you are about 13.5 inches long. There’s no air in your lungs yet, just amniotic fluid, but you’re making movements that look like breathing.  You’re getting some baby fat too! As this happens, your wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out. You’re also growing more hair.

Mommy has persistent carpal tunnel syndrome.   This means that she’s been feeling pain in her fingers, hands, and wrists for some time now.  The book “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” says that this condition is common in people who regularly perform tasks that require repetitive motions of the hand.  It is also common among pregnant women.  This is because the carpal tunnel in the wrist through which the nerve to the affected fingers runs, becomes swollen during pregnancy.  The resulting pressure causes numbness, tingling, or burning.

The book “Pregnancy From Preconception to Birth” gives the following advice to those experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome.

1.       Don’t sleep on your hands.

2.       Hang your hands over the edge of your bed at night

3.       Shake your hand until the pain or numbness reduces.

4.       Flex your wrists and fingers regularly throughout the day.

5.       Dip your hands in ice cold water/apply an ice pack.

6.       Massage from your hands and wrists upward.

7.       Avoid jobs that require repetitive hand movements.

8.       Eat a well-balanced diet to avoid excessive weight gain.

9.       Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

10.   Eat 5 portions of fruit, salad, and vegetables daily.

11.   Have a small amount of protein every meal.

12.   Get wrist splits from the pharmacy.

Mommy has tried everything except the wrist splits as these will be difficult to manage when she’s at work.  Her doctor said that the pain will go away once you come out from Mommy’s tummy.  In the meantime, we just need to go slowly little one as sudden motions of Mommy’s hands make her wince in pain.

Maybe when you grow up little pebble, you can become a doctor and come up with a remedy to treat those who have the same problems as Mommy.  Can you imagine how many people you will be able to help out if you can come up with a fool proof remedy for carpal tunnel syndrome without undergoing surgery?

I am reminded of a doctor who would be celebrating his 151^st birthday today if he were still alive (He died a long time ago, little one. He was shot on 30 December 1896 when he was just 35 years old). His name is Dr. Jose P. Rizal. He is the Philippines’ national hero.  Rizal was a very smart boy.  He learned to read quite early and grew up speaking and writing in 22 languages! He painted, sculpted, was great in sports, and wrote poems and books.

What is outstanding about Rizal is that he did not keep his knowledge and learning to himself. During his time, the Philippines was under Spanish colonial rule and the Filipinos experienced great hardships. Rizal, through his writings, encouraged the Filipinos to free themselves from the Spaniards. He proposed reforms without violence.

When Rizal was caught by the Spanish and exiled in Dapitan (this is a remote area in the Philippines), instead of pitying himself, he spearheaded reforms in the village by helping little boys to read and write. He also acted as village doctor and healed people and taught them how to take care of themselves better so they stay healthy and strong.

But you know what’s very special about Rizal little one? It is said that he became a doctor because he wanted to help his own mommy. She was having problems with her eyes and she couldn’t see clearly anymore.  Imagine, he could have become a lawyer, an engineer, or a world famous painter.  But he chose to become a doctor and in this way was able to help not only his mommy but also a whole lot of other people.

Filipinos all look up to this man. Every town, municipality, and city in the Philippines has a monument honoring Rizal.

sportsmanship

Mommy took you today to watch the Pacquiao vs. Bradley match.  You seemed quite excited little pebble, you kicked a good deal in Mommy’s tummy!

Mommy is devastated. Her favourite boxer, Manny Pacquiao (that’s OUR favourite boxer… you and Daddy’s too) lost today his WBO welterweight title.  He had a total of eight titles to his name (now down to seven) in eight different weight divisions. Little pebble, no one in boxing history has held such a number of titles at any given point.

Pacquiao lost to a strong and younger opponent, Timothy Bradley.  Bradley is such a good fighter that in his 28 matches, he has not lost a single fight and was able to knock down 12 of his opponents.  He was a worthy contender to our Pacquiao (Pacquiao has had 54 fights of which he lost only three and knocked down 38 of his opponents). 

While Mommy is very sad about the outcome (Pacquaio has not lost a game since 2005), we have to respect the decision of the judges.  That is how it is in sports or in any other contest. Judges are appointed to decide who the winner will be and that the players have to abide with the judges’ decision even if they think that such is not correct.  Of course in extreme cases, the decision of the judges can be contested but that is the exception rather than the general rule.

Despite Pacquiao losing today, Mommy is still quite proud of him.  He fought a good fight and he did not show any fear.  When the decision was announced, he gallantly went to Bradley’s side to congratulate him.  He did not say any bad words against the judges nor did he raise a fit. He didn't forget to say a prayer and even remembered to thank his supporters. That is sportsmanship dear little pebble which Mommy thinks is much more important than winning. Winning is not everything.

Little one, losing in itself is not dishonourable.  It is not possible to win all of the time and there will be times that you may lose.  The important thing is that you did your absolute best and that you prepared well for the game. If it happens that someone else bested you even if you did all you can to win, go to your opponent and shake his hand. Of course you can cry a bit when you get home but what you absolutely cannot do is to lose your temper in front of everyone because you lost.

If you really think that you are better than your opponent, practice harder, analyse why you lost in your last game, study your opponent’s technique, and improve your strategy. Then in the next game, you can show the world that you are by far the better player.

POSTSCRIPT: Daddy liked Mommy so much after he met her that he came with Mommy in Adelaide to watch with her the Pacquaio vs. Cotto fight in November 2009 notwithstanding that he did not know who Pacquiao was and that he did not care for boxing (Daddy is a football and soccer man).  Daddy even made Mommy a special poster from that the Pacquiao vs. Cotto fight.

Guess what Daddy gave Mommy as wedding present in their Adelaide wedding? Not flowers nor jewellery but an authentically signed boxing glove of Manny Pacquiao! Daddy and Mommy did not go to Paris or Florence after their Adelaide wedding but went to the Marion Hotel to watch Pacquiao vs. Marquez.

One day, they might go to Las Vegas to watch a live fight at the MGM Grand Arena… of course you're coming along little pebble.