The Travel Buddies' Year in Review

My Travel Buddies aka BFF's

Buffet Friends Forever

Year in Review

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My Travel Buddies …

… are generous with their smiles.
...  laugh with me and not at me.

… do not hurt me or make me cry.

… say sorry because they know how sensitive I am.

… can never be angry at me because we cannot remain hostile to each other.

… will support and stand by me; even fight for me because I will definitely do the same (if not more) for them.

… appreciate what I do and encourage me to do better.

… treasure my simple gifts of art; display my paintings in their living rooms, bedrooms, even bathrooms.

… will grow old-er with me; will love me back, love me more and love me most.

My Birthday with Balikbayans Meg & Maya 

Dinner Treat for Balikbayan Wennie with 

The "Travel Buddies" and 

some of the "Girls I used to Hang Out With"

Aimee's Despedida at Sambokojin

Dinner at Aimee's

Korean Buffet at Matgalne

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With Son and Dr Tina

Cherry Blossoms in full bloom... Seoul, South Korea

My young travel buddies in Bohol

The Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Bohol

with Hubby & Son.

Bubut's Birthday

Aimee's Despedida  (again)

Bangkok Ladies... My 48 hours in Bangkok

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We love Macau!!!

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What's left of the Travel Buddies

in Kuala Lumpur

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Swanee & Angela's Birthday Celebration

 Dr. Agnes in town at Tahir's Kitchen 

Dr. Agnes... with Bubs and me at Zensho

With balikbayan Celine at Wafu, Greenhills

Yayo & Doti's Birthday

Dr Agnes in Town  (again)

Halloween Party 2014

Shopping in Clark

Get-away Weekend in Fontana

Last Buffet Lunch for the Year 2014

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Wishing you all a prosperous, peaceful and blissful new year!!!

Day trip at Dr. R's farm and Asian themed home

Dr. R's Asian themed home,

Farmer's plows as main door's handles.

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At the second floor.

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Arugula, basil, rosemary, flat leaf parsley.

Name it, they've got it.

Vast open space.  

They also raise goats. 

I hope they'll make feta cheese soooon!

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We  had lunch on this 5-inch thick solid wood table.

There were more unique wooden furniture, fixtures

and cabinets but I wasn't able to take photos.

Will do next time we visit.

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The group in front of Dr. R's home.

Notice the roof? It's Dr. R's design.

Exceptionally distinct!!!

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We bought some halaya ube and peanut brittle at

The Good Shepherd - Bahay Pastulan

in Sta. Rosa Road, Tagaytay

Always good to be with old friends,

We talked about anything non-stop.

No holds barred. 

Laughed with gusto, no inhibitions.

Shared secrets too.

Didn't care if Dr. R's friend thought we were

uncool or lacked refinement.
We saw him laughing with us, or was it .. at us?
Hahahaha

Hubby and Tita Angel's boisterous laughter

were quite contagious.

Thank you Dr. R, for the lunch!

It was extremely delicious.

Tita Angel couldn't resist eating with her hands.

After all, that's the best way to enjoy Filipino food.

***.

The Calm After ....

The Calm after the Noche Buena

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An empty quiet house.  If only the walls could speak, 

they'd reveal a lot of happy memories, fun celebrations,

dancing even swimming til dawn, hours of hard-drinking
 and serious alcoholic intoxication.

Everything eventually ends.
The guests leave. The parties end.
Then I am back to my daily routine.
Back to my trouble-sorrow-free mundane life,
which I actually look forward to.

 I'll savor this calm, this deafening silence, 

this quiet tranquil peaceful state.
 One day this will definitely  be interrupted.
Hopefully with another happy occasion.

But somehow, death comes knocking.
Shocks. Upsets. Disturbs.
Traumatizes me again.

I know that it's inevitable and certain.
Everyone dies.
One day, it's going to be my turn to die.
 Life will go on and on even after we are all gone. 

Betsisanders says, "Nothing stops Christmas, not even death.'

 The Christmas Tree at the lobby of the Sanctuarium.

Hubby and I left the Sanders' clan right after dinner

and spent Christmas eve at the Sanctuarium,
to be with a dear friend who lost her

father days before Christmas.  

No amount of words,  no one, not enough friends

can help ease the pain and sorrow that we feel after 

losing our dads (moms too).  Even prayers are not enough.

Praying makes me cry more.

So, I cry it out.  Those tear glands 

will eventually run dry. Crying will halt.

We are programmed to survive.

The weeping will somehow stop.

But for now,  let us be quiet and be still.

Give us the space we need.

Understand us if we are unpredictable.

Your love and support will help us go through

this most lonely time in our life.

Help us keep our faith to hold on to the

promise of eternal life and hope that
 we will someday be reunited with our loved ones.

Mitch Albom wrote, "Death ends a life, not a relationship."

Hope to get some shut eye.

LOL ... lots of love,

The Sanders' Christmas Dinner

Chicsanders' Chinese Ham

and Queso De Bola

My Roast Chicken, a staple in every occasion.

Crispy Chicken Wings from Dr. Leila

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Camilles' Leche Flan & James' Red Velvet Cupcakes

Chocolate Fondue Station

with grapes & marshmallows

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The Sanders' Christmas Dinner Menu 

Kare-kare

Crispy Fried Tilapia

Rellenong Bangus

Crispy Fried Chicken Wings

Roast Chicken

Chinese Ham & Queso de Bola

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Chocolate Fondue with Grapes & Marshmallows

Leche Flan

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Tiramisu -filled Pane d'oro

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Didn't post pictures of the Kare-kare, Crispy Fried Tilapia,

Rellenong Bangus and the Pane d'oro.

They weren't camera-ready or  'photogenic'. 

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Thanks for the memories!

Until next year.

Merry Christmas from The Sanders'