Anticipating Wilma

Hurricane season is definitely not over yet because after Rita there's Wilma. The sun still comes out from time to time here in Arcadia while Wilma lingers in Cancun, Mexico. It's slow advance is giving storm weary Floridians more time to prepare. Some have joined the Florida Exodus while others opt to stay put, just like us, but making sure they have all the necessary things secured down. We've bought emergency stuff like batteries, charcoal, canned goods, water, etc. Dean bought a new gas grill just in case we lose electricity. I think his generator is also all set if that happens.

All weather stations are in unison that Wilma is gonna hit southwest of Florida, where Arcadia is among others. However, their predictions vary as to where the hurricane is exactly gonna cross over. We've been anxiously monitoring Wilma's path and looks like her fury wont be on us but still that's no reason to be happy because definitely we'll still get a significant amount of her strong and gusty winds along with the rain. But GOD's in control of everything. My 6-year old son asked me why GOD makes severe weathers that harm lots of people. I told him it's because many people still dont know and believe GOD. It's HIS way of telling or reminding them that everything comes from HIM and by HIM and without HIM man can do nothing and should give all the glory back to HIM. I asked Marc if he understood what I said and he nodded.

So how does hurricane differ from typhoon? I used to think that the former is stronger, more dangerous and devastating so I did a research on it. I found out they are the same only the names are regionally specific. In fact the other names are severe tropical cyclone, severe cyclonic storm and tropical cyclone. A hurricane or typhoon starts from being a tropical depression and when it gets the right ingredients with the right amount such as warm tropical oceans, moisture and light winds, it starts to produce violent winds, incredible waves, torrential rains and floods.

When a tropical depression worsens into a tropical storm, that's when they start giving it a name, like Auring, lol! for a Philippine typhoon. I wonder why typhoons are usually named after a woman's name? Is it because women like they say, are fickle minded and cant make one definite decision or bacause women are bitches? As you know male names have also been used to call them. I've read about why and how typhoons are named. If interested here's something that tells about it. http://www.dost.gov.ph/media/article.php?sid=156

In the Philippines, typhoon visitations happen more than 10 times every year. Some are extremely stong which are called super typhoon and some are just what they call tropical depression. Someone asked me if I'm scared that Wilma is coming. I answered no. I even joked that back in my country people eat hurricanes for breakfast, lol. He said, "that's not amusing." He's right but what can we do? When they come, they come. We can only do the best thing we can to be safe.

So, did you know how many storms have hit the Philippines this year? Well, check this out!
http://www.typhoon2000.ph/season05.htm

Driving Drives Me Nuts

I got up this morning even before the alarm went off. I didnt sleep good last night. Insomnia sucks. My body was so tired but my mind just kept going and going. I think I did slip into the slumberland but too bad Cupcake's barking woke me up ... at 2:30 AM! Our neigbor's cats must have been around again to check if she had a left over of her food. She hates those cats. Or, maybe that huge white pit bull came again. He's been coming around our house almost everyday knowing that my dog is in heat. Poor Cupcake, she likes to get laid so much BUT we cant let her have babies by a different breed. It could kill her. How can a 10-pound dog deliver big babies!? I mean, I havent heard a C-section done on dogs yet.

The kids didnt have school yesterday. Not only because it was Columbus' Day. It was also the school's Records Day. I dont know what exactly they are doing on Record's Day but I assume it's when the teachers make the students' progress reports. Abby looked after the kids so Dean and I could go to Bradenton, about 1 hour from Arcadia, to look for a place where he could possibly start another business. Nothing's definite really but he's been thinking of branching out his furniture business maybe in 2 years which is long ways from now.

Actually, one other reason why we went to Bradenton was for me to get to drive the car again. But this time I was nervous. I mean more nervous than the first time. After driving about 10 miles, I told my husband that I couldnt go on anymore. I think I wasnt sitting right. I felt numb in my knee and couldnt feel I was stepping on the gas. Then the other vehicles coming from different directions seemed to get too intimidating. I was fine the first time but this time I was just too scared I couldnt focus on the road.

We went to Dean's store after breakfast. Dean told me to drive so I'd get used to the traffic signals around the town. I told him, ok I'll try but be nice. Even before he started teaching me how to drive he already asked for an apology because he knew he'd be very impatient with me. Someone told me husbands are usually the worst trainers as they can be mean. It's true in my case. He panics and gets upset when I dont drive right. One time he said, "girl, you are the craziest driver I've ever known." LOL! Well, what did he expect? My golly, I never drove before and that's why he's teaching me.

Thank GOD, we got to the store alive. Whew! That was after fighting on the road while I was driving him to the store. Before I got out the car, I told him that I need someone else to teach me because he makes me nervous. When you are nervous you tend to mess up more, right? Sorry if I sound like I'm hubby-bashing. I love him :) :). But I really mean it, I need another trainer.

Bring on the Rain!

Today's gloomy. The clouds are so dark and it's a bit chilly outside. The weather channel reported that it's gonna rain the whole day today but I'm still waiting for the downpour ... heavy downpour. I'm a rain fanatic. Talk about being odd again but I just love the sound of the rain. I love to play in the rain but only if it's not too cold. Rain makes me nostalgic, I dont know why. But I can say there were significant events in my life that happened on a rainy day. Some of those moments were sad and some were happy. Sometimes I get too sentimental that I find myself crying but I feel good afterwards. So I guess that's it... I love rain because it makes me cry.

One other thing about the rain, which I know is very true with a lot of my kababayans -- it boosts my appetite especially for tuyo, sardinas, or whatever I fancy. I'm glad that Dean took me to an oriental store in Port Charlotte last weekend where I bought Ligo sardines, dried fish and dried pusit. And I made sure I have 1-month supply of alamang, Datu Puti patis, toyo and suka. I also bought a bunch of talbos ng kamote. I planted its stalks in the backyard and hopefully they'll grow aplenty.

So for lunch, I had tuyo which I made sawsaw in suka with tomatoes and onion with matching kamay. Good thing Dean wasnt home when I fried the tuyo while its aroma was all throughout the house or else he'd holler at me again like, "what on earth are you cooking???!!. That's what he said when I made a binagoongang baboy one day. Obviously, the exhaust fan didnt do a good job.

Right now, it's already raining hard. And APO's "pumapatak na naman ang ulan sa bubong ng bahay" is playing. Perfect timing. I'll soon go and stay in the porch to watch and "listen to the rhythm of the falling rain"...see now I cant help singing songs about the rain. I'll try not to sing Donna Cruz' "rain gently falls whenever you said goodbye... rain follows me even in my bed..." because that would mean I'd be reminiscing past relationships that ended sour or bitter, lol!