Category: Personal blog

  • Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning

    my first attempt to make cheese cake
    my first attempt to bake cheese cake

    2014 – beginning of testing my baking skills again. 🙂 It’s been awhile, my sons grew up,got busy at work and travelling.

    I am challenging myself to improve in baking and photography.

    second attempt - Oreo cheese cake
    second attempt – Oreo cheese cake

    Keep on trying until (almost) perfect!

    jamilamimi

  • 2013 in review: Happy New Year to ALL!

    The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

    Here’s an excerpt:

    The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

     

  • Our Santa is made from China!

    Christmas day in Jeddah is just like an ordinary working day. As an expatriates we tried to make the best we can to celebrate the occasion. My friends and I decided to have some get together last night. Each one of us brought a gift and a dish to share with everyone.

    DSC_1641

    My first attempt to make a cheese cake was a success! (I believed so 🙂 ).

    Our little angels sang a carol for us and even did some fun dress up and posed with our very own sir chief! 🙂 My friend looks like Chinese and so the night was full of fun with our very own Santa (made in China).

    DSC_1724

    And so there goes another Christmas in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. God blessed.

    I also wish everyone to have a Prosperous New Year!!!

    Jamilamimi

  • My funny lady rocking @55..What is her secret of looking young?

    DSC_1259

    My best friend Malou just turned 55 and she is still full of energy. What is the secret?According to her, just enjoy life and let the problem take care of itself, oh well that was not exactly her words but if you are with her, positivity is electrifying.

    looking great at 55
    looking great at 55

    I guess, it is how you deal with your problem that counts. I don’t know anyone who has no problem in life but we all have different style of looking at it and perhaps a different way of taking it in.But for sure, I know the words that makes her smile often…that makes her feel young and certainly looks younger than her age.

    ” you’re beautiful ”

    ” I miss you ”

    ” I love you ”

    ” The strength of a woman is not measured by the impact that all her hardships in life have had on her; but the strength of a woman is measured by the extent of her refusal to allow those hardships to dictate and who she becomes “- unknown quote

    malou @55 and me @54 enjoying beauty beyond fifty!
    malou @55 and me @54 enjoying beauty beyond fifty!

    Alright my friend,my only wish for you is GOOD HEALTH, I heard you are resting as in ” flat on bed” because of 2 days partying 🙂

    Jamilamimi

  • I planted my Christmas tree ;-)

    This will be my 26th Christmas in Saudi Arabia, way back then, it was hard to find a Christmas tree and decor and its even a taboo to greet each other  a “Merry Christmas ” in public. But now a days and these past few years,Shops are on festive decorations, people (whatever religion) greet us “Merry Christmas” or “Happy holidays”. Shops freely sell artificial  Christmas trees and decor, gift wrapping and discount sale too.

    Hence, we couldn’t celebrate freely in public, we always  make sure we have Christmas decor at home and celebrate it with our love ones too! Obviously, not everyone is around ,so a group of friends just come together and tried to mimic the ambience of holiday season in the Philippines.

    My children are not coming home this Christmas so I was hesitant to put up my Christmas tree but I have my brothers and my friends to celebrate with so what’s the heck! bring it on….shall i say, get it out from the box!! Yes, it’s a fake Christmas tree!

    Am I excited? Sigh! I wish I can say that but as I was assembling it, the memories of my children, their excited faces asking if Santa is coming to Saudi Arabia huh! if he got an entry visa maybe! Kidding aside,having kids at home is like Christmas everyday. I really miss them so much.

    Oh well, let met continue my story, I was already on the third top to complete the Christmas tree when I  heard a sound, Crackkkk!

    Your guess is right! The stand broke down, I called my elder brother to help me fixed it but no matter what we do like, tied it…, glue it…it just doesn’t work!

    IMG_0005

    Last option? I planted it! 🙂 literally, I used to have a  plant in a big pot but it didn’t grow up,the soil was still intact..why not?

    So here you go.. Christmas tree in the pot!!

    DSC_1384

    Merry Christmas to all! :-)

    Jamilamimi

  • What we do on weekend to earn extra?

    My friends professionally speaking are all successful in their career, but what are they doing on off days? You might find this surprising but please keep on reading till the end.

    Did you think they earned a lot of extra income working at fish market? I doubt it! but I know, even if they didn’t , certainly,  they don’t mind doing it again 🙂

    You know why? Because what they earned here is… Friendship…Fun…free smile…free laugh and stress free!

    ” Friends and good manners will carry you where money won’t go “- Margaret Walker 

    We walked for an hour (4.57 miles) along the corniche, cool breezy morning, then we decided to have breakfast together continued to chat what happened for the last week, followed by more exercises, time passes by quickly, so we decided to go to fish market, cleaned the fishes, grilled and made tamarind soup, ate lunch/dinner and wallah before we knew it, it was time to go home again. Satisfied and heavy after devouring all the dish… tummy said goodbye!

    We are all in the middle-aged, soon we will be senior citizens and retired, I wonder if “home for the aged” is a good business to think about, hmm what do you think?

    jamilamimi

  • Age 39…43…54…60 and more… who’s counting?

    Year is ending so as our age is increasing, so far we celebrated 4 birthdays in a row and two more are coming. Who’s counting anyway? Does it matter if you are 30’s…40’s…60’s?

    First celebration…to feel young and look young, we decided to change the colour of our hair and get some new hairstyle.

    What else to do after pampering yourself? of course, celebrate with the family and friends.

    nothing is more enjoyable than to eat rice and fish 🙂

    2nd celebration

    3rd celebration

    brunch surprise!
    brunch surprise!

    4th celebration

    barbecue at the poolside
    barbecue at the poolside

    and more are coming next week end…age are only numbers, we continue to count and enjoy the blessings.

    God bless,

    Jamilamimi

  • Roar and thoughts at 54

    hello 54
    hello 54

    Back from hiatus of self-imposed seclusion! Wondering what’s happening around? The crackdown of illegal immigrants in Saudi Arabia,new rules in medical licensing and most of all, the super typhoon in Philippines in particular, having dreaded thoughts…what about if it was our island in the province of Catanduanes? Probably, the island with the entire population will disappear completely, Oh my! 😦

    My heart goes out with the victims of Typhoon ” Yolanda”. The aftermath was disastrous and yet I saw in pictures the smiling faces of children, playing amidst the background of destructions and the adult as well, having good time watching the fight between Pacquiao and Rios. Their life goes on, surely the recovery will be slow and hard but as the saying goes… When there’s life, there’s hope and when there’s hope, coupled with will and determination, the journey is as gratifying as fulfilling when you get to your destination.

    And with this thought, I have asked myself what are the things I learned after four years beyond fifty?

    Beauty…

    Well, beautybeyondfifty continues to roar, no matter how my belly button goes out of my pants, I will continue my gym work out every day. Though I gained weight, who cares? as long as I can move,dance and flex my muscles (muscles? do I have one? maybe fats!) 🙂

    Wrinkles? yes! It’s becoming more noticeable but I am not bothered…keep on smiling at least I can say, that’s my “smile line” as opposed to say “my age line”, makes sense?

    To reiterate once more, when you’re fifty and beyond it doesn’t mean you have to look like one, by all means look modestly younger than your age, believe me…it adds to your graceful exit in this world of ours!

    Career…

    My passion in Dentistry is still soaring high! I learned when you have the job you are passionate about, even when you are fifty and beyond, enthusiasm doesn’t goes away. I continued to push myself into a higher level if not into perfection.

    Adult children…

    I must admit, I miss the good old days when the children was preschoolers, when everything I say, they mimic my words, and actions, I remember their smile, their giggles and yet talking to them as an adult is fulfilling, I am proud to say I have raised two boys every parents would like to have!

    I have learned to go with their dreams, with their passion and I love every minute of it.

    Love and marriage…

    I have learned the hard way… I have given so much love to the point there was nothing more to give! Marriage is not a barometer of true love, I knew there are couples who stayed together beyond 25th wedding anniversary or even more but secretly annoyed each other’s company. They profess their love in public or even post their happy family pictures in social media but they don’t even sleep in the same bedroom. However, it’s not my business! It takes two to tango and if you ask me which one to put in the marriage box? I would definitely say “respect”.

    of being alone…

    I have learned being alone is not sadness, it is “me time” I have time to pursue my other passion “photography”. I have more choices whether to stay in bed or see my friends, clean or read books, cook or buy food outside and many more!

    Health…

    Health is wealth: I agreed completely, without good health, the learning process for 54 yrs is nothing!

    Knowing what I have been through, celebrating my 54th birthday is a privilege; this is the time of excitement; of looking forward of what will happen next, of moving forward, learning new things, meeting new people and who knows,what it might bring… a new beginning… a  new adventure to discover and explore life!

    So ladies be happy..make some roar and keep smiling! 😉

    Jamilamimi

    ©Copyrights protected

  • Weekly Photo Challenge : HABIT

    When passion becomes your profession..making people smile becomes your habit! here’s my recent case of cosmetic dentistry:

    © Copyrights protected

  • Thank you!!!

    Superluwi Sarangaya Netro — The Philippines is beyond grateful. #TulongPH#YolandaPH

    1452096_598834466820511_1663887470_n

    Amazing artwork and thank you to all wonderful people who offered their help…May the suffering of all those affected by typhoon ” Yolanda” ends shortly.

    jamilamimi