Summer..Summer..Summer!!!!

Oh, I just love summer (so much!).  This is my favorite season from all the 4 seasons here in New England.  After several months of hiding in my blanket, at last, I'm free to go out and do the things I really want to do. So what did I do on the first month of summer?

June 2005

• I tried running again to burn the fats that I gained during the cold weather and  I played badminton with Tata (my bestfriend here in Rhode Island) several times after work.
• I was able to witness Vince and May's  exchange of "I do's"  which took place in their new house in Plymouth,MA.  And on that day too, I was able to wear the red dress that my mom and my aunt have long been waiting for me to wear!!!  I still remember my mom's words before I left our house " Catch the bouquet.. " :)  which unfortunately, I was not able to do. :P
• My family and I went to New Jersey to spend a weekend in my Aunt's place in Sparta. It was my second time to drive going to NJ. My first drive there was about 8 months ago, when we went to my Tita Ely's place which was south of Jersey, almost near Philadelphia. Whew! that first time was 5 hours straight drive. It was not fun (especially for new drivers like me), it was scary..and tiring.. But the good news is, the second time was better. I was kinda relaxed this time, and since Sparta is north of Jersey, it took me 3.5 hours only to reach my aunt's place. Whew, I can't believe I can drive better now. No more cars honking on me :) .
• It was great to see my Tita Lit, Uncle John and their 2 lovely English shepherd dogs, Venus and Weiser, again.  Now, good thing I brought my sweater and pjs (even if it's summer time) because in my aunt's house, the temperature is 50 degrees! Venus and Weiser do not like the hot weather, that's why their central air is on all the time.
• Oh I love Venus and Weiser, they're very different from all the dogs that I've known. My aunt and my uncle treat them like their own kids. They're very smart and very sweet too. I love to play with them and hug them even if they are bigger and I think even heavier than me.
• For lunch, my Tita Lit brought us to a FiIipino 'eat all you can' restaurant in Metuchen. The kare-kare was good, i love the chicharon bulaklak and lechon of course.
• Since we were already in Metuchen, I was also able to visit and see my friends there and attend Aian's 7th birthday party. He's my "inaanak" and the eldest son of Ate Lana (former officemate in Solidbank) and Kuya Aldrin. It was good to see everyone again (x-solidbankers).  After Aian's kiddie party, we went to Ate Lana's new house and extended the party there. I have to leave early though, because Sparta is about an hour and a half drive from Metuchen, and I'm not familiar with the roads there. Since Ate Rhia lives in Dover which is about 30 minutes from my aunt's place, I gave her a ride home. Ate Rhia and her parents were so kind to accompany me on my way back to Sparta. It's difficult to drive there at night, sometimes there are deers crossing on the road. And it was dark already.
• The next day before we left Sparta, after we went to church, my aunt and my uncle toured us around Sparta. Venus and I sat at on the backseat of my uncle's convertible. It was great to have Venus sitting right next to me, too bad though that I can see how hard the hot weather is, for her. Even with the aircon in front of her, she was perspiring..and guess where her perspiration is coming out? from her tongue, so every time she faces me, oh my! I get wet. Well, I could imagine how hot the weather is for her, my skin got burnt which I found out only when we were already back in Rhode Island because my arm's skin hurts. Actually, we didn't drive straight home, Tata and Joey (our best friends in RI) invited us to have dinner in their house. This couple serves good food all the time. DIET is the word you'll forget.  Everytime we eat at their place, everybody leaves with their stomach full. barbecues!!! boullabaise!! yum!yum!
• Stroll around Rhode Island... went to Goddard State Park
• Went to Wrentham Premium Outlets
• work..work..work from home..
• do errands...

And for the second month...

July 2005

• 4th of July weekend -- My family and I went to Pennsylvania! Now that is a long drive. It took us 6 hours to get to Ate Flor's place in Secane,PA. Finally, it's been more than a year since I last saw Ate Flor.  She is my friend who's been like a sister to me just like Ate Lana and Ate Rhia. From the day I step here in the United States, she has always been there for me. 
• Ate Flor prepared lunch for us that day, sinigang and baked salmon.mmmm..yummy! After we ate lunch, I took a nap to get some rest. After resting for about 2 hours, we started preparing to go to Atlantic City in New Jersey. It's about 2 hours from Ate Flor's place.
• Atlantic City is a mini Las Vegas. There are a lot of big hotel/casino buildings with each unique themes like Caesar's Palace, Taj Mahal and others. They're beautiful especially during night time, with all the lights on. My mom played on the slot machine, I did too and won 26 dollars. We had dinner in an eat all you can restaurant in Bally's. Oh the king crabs are good. Charles, my brother can't stop himself from eating even if he's already full. We went home at 10pm and got home at 12am. Everybody was so tired and sleepy... especially me.
• The next morning, we went to Hershey Park in PA. This time, Ate Flor offered to drive Esther.  Hershey town is 2 hours from Secane. We went to the factory work experience tour, and was able to see how hershey chocolates were made. It was fun.
• After hershey town, we went to downtown Philadelphia. This time it was my turn to drive again. I really can't believe I was able to drive in downtown. It's a 2 hour drive again. It was already 5:30pm when we got there. We rode the trolley to drive us around town. We were able to see the Liberty Bell and the Independence hall and most of all we found Gino's Philly Cheese Steak! It took us an hour to find the very popular philly cheese steak. They do not have branches. Their store is in the middle of small streets, and street parking only.. Even if we got lost, it was worth it, I don't eat bread, so I had their cheesy fries, and it was good too.. everybody really loves their philly cheese steak. My brother wants to go back to PA just for it. Oh well, we're all tired after that, so we went home.. it was only 20 minutes away from Ate Flor's place.
• The next day, was the 4th of July! It's my mom's 60th birthday. Ate Flor gave my mom a strawberry marnier cake which was so good, you'll forget your name. We were supposed to swim in the complex' swimming pool but unfortunately, it was closed that day.  Time to go back home... before we left, my mom treated us in Red Lobster restaurant which is just right across the complex. Yum, yum again... We all had fun..too bad holiday is almost over.. We got home at around 7pm. Tata and Joey prepared food for mom's birthday celebration. They brought the food in our house..and again we ate yummy foods!! I think I gained 5 lbs during the weekend..oh no!
• Parlor day.  Pedicure, no.1 on the list, since it's summer time and my sandals are out, I need it. Wax, I need those too..
• Went to Wrentham Premium Outlet again.
• Watched War of the Worlds even if I hate Tom Cruise, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Fantastic Four.
• Went to see Joey Albert's Benefit Concert with Tynes.
• Played mini-golf
• helped Rosann move her stuff on her new house
• Played bowling
• work...work..daydream..
• ate crispy pata every other week
• diet..diet..no rice
• went on a date?

Well, can't wait to see what blessings August will offer...

All I can say is even if there are problems around.. there are beautiful things happening too.. thanks for this blog, I remember and see them more clearly.