Provence, France

Your home near Uzes- le Muguet

Your home near Uzes- le Muguet

Omy's New Job

Omy is experiencing a totally new occupation. I would say it is quite a career change! After nearly seven months on the unemployed rolls, and in the very week the unemployment checks were to stop coming, Omy has found work as a Family Service Counselor for the Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese of Oakland. He works at Holy Angels/Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward, CA.

Family Service Counselors are the ones who help the families sort out the burial needs and other final arrangements for themselves or for family members. He handles cemetery plot sales, cremation, niches, etc...You name it. I guess you could say he is in Real Estate. This is the last lot (for burial) or condo (niche for your cremated remains) you will ever need.

He seems very happy to be there and the staff there was very happy to have him come to work with them. I went over there to see his office and I really admired the beautiful decor of the Holy Angels Mortuary. I liked it all very much. If he is happy there, and can make a living, I suppose that is what is most important. Our parish priest was the one who referred him to the Catholic Cemeteries when he knew of the opening....thanks, Father Jose!

Because he is an employee of the diocese, we are entitled to a considerable discount on the grave or niche as the case may be. So there are benefits.....and, get this, there is a pension too! So maybe this will be it, at least for now.

Customers are dying to get in

Stephanie Ronquillo's Graduation from Moreau Catholic High School

Last Sunday, May 25th was a wonderful and emotinal day for us. Our baby, Stephanie Monique Ronquillo graduated from Moreau Catholic High School. The weather was nice, we were seated in the Mezzanine and watched it all unfold before our eyes as Stephanie crossed the stage.

Aunty Carissa Aunty Terry, Aunty Desa, Uncle George, and Michael, Uncle Johnny and Aunty Merci were all there. Some friends from Ballet and classmates from Oour Lady of the Rosary attending other high schools were also present.

We had a party later at home. The next party will be when we send her off to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Photos of My Blue Kitchen

Some time ago, Catie, Stephanie and I decided that we would re-do the kitchen. We took down the cabinet doors, removed the hardware, and repainted the doors using s 5 step process.

We replaced the doors with new hardware after we painted all the bodies of the cabinets blue and the walls yellow.

I love it. If I ever get the kitchen re-done again, I need to have another blue kitchen. Since custom colors are pricey, this is My Blue Kitchen for a while to come.

Stephanie's Photo's Again

Cent and Catie!

Omy and I are proud and very happy to announce that our daughter, Catie is engaged to a fine young man. His name is Centurion Wood (we call him Cent). Here is a photo of the couple taken the weekend he popped the question.

Celebrating Milestones!

This is a season of milestones. Stephanie is graduating from High School in May. We would like to share the announcement with all of you. Our baby is now a young lady and will soon be a college student. It is hard to believe that we now have 2 adult daughters.

At the midterm

I am halfway through the semester. Whew! So much to read, so much to write, I am learning a lot and rediscovering the discipline of keeping up with academic demands.

I have decided on a research project.

I am interested in studying undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of HIgh Fidelity Patient Simulators. The title I am considering now is:

"USING CLINICAL SIMULATION FOR TEACHING
MATERNITY NURSING SKILLS:
STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF A LEARNING EXPERIENCE"

Wondering what that is? High fidelity patient simulators (HPS) are hi-tech manikins computerized for training purposes. The Human Patient Simulator is a life size mannequin linked to a computer through a host of electro-mechanical equipment. This integration of electro-mechanics into the mannequin makes the users experience very realistic. It can be used for training in almost every area of patient care. there is a Sim Man, a Sim Woman, a Sim Baby, and my personal favorite, the Sim Pregnant Woman who actually labors and delivers.

I plan to have my research project explore the use of this technology for teaching undergraduate nursing students certain basic maternity nursing assessment skills.

I am very excited, I keep you updated on my progress

Quote of the day

The Lilas are coming Home!

Dear Family,

Well at last the two grandmothers will return from their travels. I am sure they had a wonderful time since I know that my family (all of you over there) is the master of hospitality. In a country famous for hospitality, you all really know how to do it better than anyone I know! I am looking forward to all the stories and all the pictures. We had already enjoyed the photos that Happy put up on her multiply site.

Thanks to Omy’s family as well who also welcomed Mama and Aunty Terry. Thanks Ayo, Mommy, Robie and Ritzi!!

I hope you are enjoying your warm weather because here it is COLD!!!! I am afraid that the Lilas are going to have a bit of a shock when they get off the plan. It has been so cold that I wear an undershirt (never done it before) and a jacket in the house all the time. Of course we have the heater on, but the temperature in some parts of the house still gets chilly. We did not burn any firewood this year since we were originally planning to replace the wood burning fireplace with a pellet stove. So we did not buy any firewood. And them Omy got unemployed so that project really got put on the back burner. Next year for sure we will put in the stove and then it will be warmer in the family room. Even the dogs will like it better!

Finally all of the Christmas decorations are taken down and in the garage. Omy just has to go up there one more time. Now all the surfaces are covered with the new textbooks of all the family who have all gone back to class. Of course, Stephanie who has her last semester of HS, then there is Omy who is in a Program Management class at Foothill College, adding to his knowledge about that. Catie is in an illustrator software class at Chabot College (our local community college), and I am starting the first semester of my Moore Fellowship at San Jose State University. The Fellowship pays my tuition and pays me a stipend of $4000 per semester. This is really coming in handy since Omy probably won’t start working until February.

Omy is interviewing at Seagate, the same company where Desa works. It would be very cool if he got a job there. They could car-pool to Scott’s Valley (at least 50 miles away). He has interviewed at other places too and we are just always waiting for the next step. I am not as anxious as I was in the beginning, but we are impatient for him to find employment. Please everyone continue to pray that he finds a job soon. He will be starting something that could be rather fun though. At the end of the month he is going to work as a Cirquador for Cirque du Soleil. Manpower went to their Promatch group to recruit; he applied, interviewed, and was hired. They only pay $10.00/hour but it should be interesting and give him something to do. He is excited to be at the Cirque, backstage and around the tents 4 days a week. It will be something fun to talk about. He can add to his resume that he worked for the circus.

We enjoyed the beginnings of Aunty Mary Anne’s Blog http://majabella.multiply.com and we continue to enjoy Kathleen’s http://www.kathleenbell.com, Mimi’s http://mimiestrada.blogspot.com , and now Merci’s blog at http://www.mercedesburkhalter.blogspot.com. What a family of bloggers!! And of course this was the year of all the Multiply sites! That has been fun too! I have a starter blog too, but I am nowhere as talented as the four I have mentioned. Mama mentioned a Joaquin Family cookbook. Who is the “go to person” for this project? I would like to participate, so I need to know where to send the recipes when I get those rare minutes when I can go get the recipes I would like to share. And do we have a time line? LET ME KNOW!!!

Last Friday, January 18^th, was Stephanie’s 18^th birthday. Two of her friends with the help of Catie, took her in a Limousine to San Francisco to eat at the Cheesecake Factory on the 8^th floor of Macy’s. Aunty Merci was kind enough to go to the restaurant and put in the table request and hold the table while Stephie, Allie, Catie and Lillian made their way through the traffic from Fremont to San Francisco. Merci had an appetizer and a drink while she waited for them and then gave them the table when they arrived. They had a fun time. The Limo was very fancy and they had a bottle of sparkling cider and some snack in the back. They even had music videos in the back too! What a fun way to celebrate! The following evening on Saturday we had a family meal at Outback Steakhouse. So Stephie had a fun birthday celebration.

The birthday season has started for us; tomorrow is Michael Zraick’s birthday, then Omy on 2/2, Carissa on 2/13, Catie on 2/23, Mama on 3/17, Merci on 3/20. I did not include the birthdays of those not in this geographical region because we won’t see them (Margot, Melody, Aunty Lou, Patrick,…….get the idea?)

The insurance man came to look at the leak damage. It will be repaired sometime after the rains have stopped. It is not actively leaking now, and the newspaper covering the hole is quite charming in a third world way.

So I have to sign off now, Cross your fingers and maybe we can make a family trip over there before too long. Keep Omy’s job hunt in your prayers and for goodness sake, send me some email sometimes, even if it is only a forwarded thing. Maritess Arnaiz and Beej are good at that one. I see Rhea and Bunny on Yahoo Messenger as well as Pancho sometimes. All of you should get on Messenger for that serendipitous conversation when we see each other on line.

Love always,
Maria

Merry Christmas!!

What a difference a century makes! (Thanks to Maruja)

THE YEAR 1907

The year is 1907. One hundred years ago.

What a difference a century makes!

Here are some of the U.S. Statistics for the Year 1907:

************ ********* ********* ******

The average life expectancy in the U.S. Was 47 years old.

Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. Had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.

There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S. , and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more Heavily populated than California .

With a mere 1.4 million people, California was only the 21st Most populous state in the Union .

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!

The average wage in the U.S. Was 22 Cents per hour.

The average U.S. Worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, A dentist made $2,500 per year, A veterinarian $1,500 per year, And a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. Took place at HOME.

Ninety percent of all U.S. Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which Were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from Entering into their country for any reason.

Five leading causes of death in the U.S. Were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza

2. Tuberculosis

3. Diarrhea

4. Heart disease

5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.

The population of Las Vegas , Nevada , was only 30!!!!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 U.S. Adults couldn't read or write.

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists Said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

There were about 230 reported Murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A.!

PASS THIS ALONG!!!!!

Just Try to imagine..... What it may be like In another 100 years !!

IT STAGGERS THE MIND !!

New Virus!!

HEALTH ALERT- DANGEROUS NEW VIRUS

There is a dangerous virus being passed around
electronically, orally,
and by hand.

This virus is called
Weary-Overload-Recreational-Killer (WORK).
If you receive WORK from any of your colleagues, your
boss, or anyone
else via any means DO NOT TOUCH IT. This virus will
wipe out your
private life completely.

If you should come into contact with WORK, put your
jacket on and take
two good friends to the nearest grocery store.
Purchase the antidote known as
Work-Isolating-Neutralizer-Extract
(WINE)
or Bothersome-Employer-Elimination-Rebooter (BEER).
Take the antidote repeatedly until WORK has been
completely eliminated
from your system.

You should forward this warning to 5 friends. If you
do not have 5
friends, you have already been infected and WORK is
controlling your

Storm News!

We are having some serious winter storm action here. It is like a typhoon when we used to live in Baguio. I say that because it is too cold to be otherwise. The wind blew so hard and the rain came down so much that we developed a

 

LEAK IN THE FAMILY ROOM!!!!!!!

 

It just missed the computer table by a few inches! There was a pool of water in the family room and I was about to blame the dog when I realized that the pool was way too big to have been made by the dog.. I was coming from the ceiling. By some miracle, none of the furniture got wet. We called the neighbor, Robert, and I was IM-ing Desa and told her what happened and George appeared at the door in a few minutes with a tarp and a ladder. So Omy, George and Robert climbed up on the roof in the driving rain and put a tarp over the side of the roof where the chimney is. I believe the leak came from the wind driving the water between the two layers of roofing; the original roof and the roof of the addition. It accumulated in the attic and started leaking out through the joint in the sheet rock. Omy had already made a hole to let the water out and then they cut a hole. George brought over a blower fan to help dry it up and eventually the dripping stopped.

 

So now there is an 18x18 inch hole in the ceiling just in front of the area between the computer and the fireplace. When the rains are over we will have it repaired. There a bunch more rainy days coming. The weather reports say there are two or three storms in this batch. The good news is that California is making up for the water deficit.

 

Today is the last Saturday before Stephanie has to go back to school, so we are going to the movies. Actually Catie and Stephie went out yesterday after the rains died down. They will watch Michael this afternoon while we oldies go out to the movies.

 

ALL of us will be in school this month. I am teaching again on Tuesdays, I am back to grad school on Wednesdays, Omy is starting a Program Management class on Tuesday nights, Catie will take the next Illustrator software class at Chabot College on Tuesday nights too, and of course Stephanie has the rest of her senior year of high school to go.

 

More later,

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

Maria, Omy, Catie and Stephanie

 

 

 

One of my favorite places

What have I been up to?

Summer has been a quiet one for me. We went to a wedding in Vancouver, BC. I had not been in British Columbia before so it was a tourist thing as well as a social thing.

Stephanie and Catie went to New Bedford, MA to visit with Kathleen and her family. Mama is there too and will be back next week.

MImi came to visit with Sal, Tina and Carmen.

Since I am not in class, I still want to maintain my reading habit, so I have read “The Monsters: Mary Shelley and the Curse of Frankenstein, which went into fascinating detail about the time of Percy Shelley and Lord Byron, Last Man Out: The Story of the Spring Hill Mine Disaster the story of the 1956 Spring Hill Mining disaster in Canada, Thunderstruck, a fascinating account of the invention of the wireless telegraph by Guglielmo Marconi and a murder mystery. I also read some fiction, The Historian, a retelling of the vampire story in the present time, and The Sparrow, a fantastic tale of an outer space adventure gone wrong. The whole thing financed by the Jesuits. Go figure! I added the hyper links just in case in any of your copious spare time you might be interested in finding out more about any of these books.

School starts for Stephanie next week, and for me the week after that.

Keeping up with the blog thing takes getting used to!

He was like a friend or a distant relative... I will miss hearing him on the radio on my way home from work.

KGO's Pete Wilson, 62

Quoted from the KGO website:

KGO Radio Talk Host Pete Wilson died Friday night from a heart attack suffered during hip replacement surgery at Stanford University Hospital. He was 62.

KGO Radio President and General Manager Mickey Luckoff said, "Pete was a rare talent who took his listeners on a fascinating daily journey through the day's important events, demanding critical and balanced analysis from all sides of an issue. He was never fully satisfied just reporting the facts of a situation. He constantly questioned and probed the logic behind the beliefs and views of those in the news."

Pete was also a highly successful television journalist, anchoring the 6PM news at KGO-TV, ABC7 Television. In a broadcast career spanning over 30 years, Pete won the prestigious Peabody award, five Emmy awards and numerous other local and national awards.

KGO Radio Operations Director Jack Swanson said, "In an industry where broadcasters' opinions are often predictable, Pete always looked at issues with fresh eyes. He was usually far less impressed with his own opinions and more interested in understanding the motivations and logic behind the opinions of others. Pete's passing is a huge loss for the KGO Radio family where he was not only respected, but genuinely loved."

Pete's broadcast career began at a radio station in Milwaukee. He was a journalism graduate from the University of Wisconsin and a Vietnam veteran. Pete joined KGO Radio as host of his daily 2:00-4:00PM program in 2000. He had also been a long-time television news anchor with KRON -TV, and KXTL-TV in Sacramento.

Pete, who resided in Marin County, is survived by his wife Sandra, and his son Brendan, a college student.

Make yourself feel good!

If you are feeling low, click here!

http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~geoffo/humour/flattery.html

Funny Pinoy signs, Thanks to my cousin, Marijo

PINOY SIGNS

Posted outside a house in Jaro, Iloilo :
HOURSE FOR RENT, FULLY FURNACED
(Boy, it must really be hot in there.)

On a glass window of a photography shop in Cabanatuan :
WE SHOOT YOU WHILE YOU WAIT

Posted at a construction site in Mandaluyong:
BAWAL OMEHI DITO, ANG MAHULI, BOG-BOG!

On the fence of a makeshift parking lot in Pasay :
PARKING PEE: P10

Printed on a streamer in front of a gym in Lucena City :
We Almost Have Complete Set of Gym Equipments
(Now, how's that for truth in advertising?)

In a supermarket in Baguio :
FRESH FROZEN CHICKEN SOLD HERE

Outside a flower shop along Avenida Rizal:
WE SELL ARTIFICIAL FRESH FLOWERS


In a bowling center in Congressional:
PARKING FOR COSTUMERS ONLY

In a restaurant in Cebu :
WE HAB SOP-DRINK IN CAN AN IN BATOL

On the glass wall of an eatery in Panay Avenue near National Bookstore (but this was a long time ago):
WANTED: WAITER, CASHIER, WASHIER

In San Andres, Manila :
NO URINATION ON THE OVER WALLS

In a classified ads section:
WANTED SALESLADY, 20-25 YEARS OLD, PROBABLY SINGLE

Outside a sari-sari store in front of Green Valley in Baguio :
NO CRIDET

In a building in Cubao:
NONE ID, NOTHING ENTRY

Outside a videoke bar in Pampanga:
WE MAKE MODERN ANTIQUE FURNITURE

The name of a laundry shop in Bo. Kapitolyo in Pasig :
CINNAVON

On the gate of a house in Tarlac:
COLD ICED BUKO 4 SALE

Posted outside a beauty shop in Laguna:
WE ALSO DO FULL BODY MESSAGE

In Tiaong, Quezon:
ROAN'S CONTRACTION SUPPLIES

Outside a shoe store in Pangasinan:
WE SELL IMPORTED ROBBER SHOES

In a restaurant in Baguio :
WANTED: BOY WAITRESS

Names of Philippine business establishments
If you still speak some Filipinos, you might enjoy the humor; otherwise, pass it on to your Filipino-speaking friends. The humor gets lost in the translation…

Bread Pitt is a a bakery.
Maruya Carey is a a fast-food place selling turonand maruya in Greenbelt , Makati
Caintacky Fried Chicken is a an eatery in Cainta, Rizal.
Mang Donald's is a a burger joint at the Naga City plaza.
Candies Be Love? Can anything be sweeter than this?
Doris Day and Night is a a 24-hour eatery.
Babalik Karinderia is obvious.
Holland Hopia is owned by Mr. Ho.
and next-door neighbor Poland Hopia is owned by Mr. Po. in Chinatown
Miki Mao is a a noodle house.
Tapsi Turbi is a a tapa house.
Cleopata's is a a manukan and bakahan.
Goto Heaven is obvious.
The Fried of Marikina is a a fried chicken house.
Wrap and Roll is a a lumpia outlet at the Quad, Makati
Pansit ng taga-Malaboni is a a panciteria on Boni Avenue , Mandaluyong.
Side-saki is a a side street eatery beside Mandarin Oriental in Makati .
Let's Goat-Together is a kambingan-cum-beer garden.
Meating Place is a a meat shop.
Meatropolis is a another meat shop.
Isda best, Pusit to the limit, and Hipon coming back
are entrees on the menu of a seafood restaurant.
Cinna Von is a laundromat.
Pier Carding is a a tailoring shop in Pier, Manila
The Way We Wear is a boutique.
Curl Up and Dye is a a beauty salon.
Goldilooks is a barber shop.
Bote Nga Sa 'Yo is a used bottle shop.
Goldirocks is a gravel and sand shop.
Fernando Pe's Box Office Hits is a video rental shop in Palawan .
Leon King is a Video Rental in Las Piñas.
Memory Drug is a clone of Mercury Drug.
Petal Attraction is a flower shop near UP Diliman.
Susan's Roses is a flower shop, but of course!
Maid to Order is a maid-placement agency.
Singalong Sing-along is a karaoke bar in Singalong (where else?).

Signs seen on jeepneys:
A commuter is a jeepsetter
Pull string to stop driver.
God knows Hudas not pay.