a long day's reward

I love Ormoc - for the laid back life that it offers; for places to go to that are technically just a five-ten minute drive (banks, restaurants, movie theater, etc.); for having so much family around (trust me, this can become such a non-perk too!)... All in all, it's the feel of the city, of the warm people around - you meet people and can smile at anyone on the road. 

I'm not saying it's all perfect, too. It has its own share of idiosyncrasies, too - what with nosy people (aka relatives) always watching your every (wrong) move and making a fuss about anything and everything; crazy tricycle/multicab/jeepney drivers who don't move to the right side to let passengers up or down, they stop at the MIDDLE of the road (beat that!)...

But it still all boils down to one important factor in every person's life - family. Ormoc is about family. Ormoc is about home. Being at home with family.

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At the end of one long work day - after having such a heavy headache that lasted all day, after being "sapot" with people or instances during the course of the day, when, after working from 9 till past 5 and still feels you've not done much; simply put, after having such a rough time in the office - it is such a treat to just have a relaxing evening ahead - and am not talking about going straight to bed relaxing. I mean, the de-stressing that cousins/friends provide - through conversations and laughter over lots and lots of food (sisig, chicken skin, lotsa rice!!!). Such is life. 

Such was today - one long, HOT Wednesday!

But meeting up with the "berks" at the end of the day made today seem not too long a day anymore.

Presenting the amazing berks:

Angela aka Hely, Tsiler, Tshily - such a happy soul, makes me laugh just when I need it. Uber talented, she just opened her boutique TSHILYS and I'm just sooo proud of her!

Monica aka Boodik, Boodak, Berkydude, Kaikai - such a calm, patient, contented, loving soul; she's a happy listener and one of the best friends one can ever wish to have; she's such a hard worker, I admire her financial management ways (aka TIHIK to the nth level)

Ida Mae aka Iderns, Idernsmae, Mae-mae, Tiki, Tikling, Dada - the spicy, cool, collected soul; the life of the group; the hungry-all-the-time-but-still-remains-skinny berky in the group; love her for her spunky, crazy, zany ways

Julina aka Juni, Nilar, Nini - definitely the emotional soul; she's funny, charming, accommodating, uber thoughtful! she's happily married now, and we're all expecting her to have a baby soon!

They make Ormoc harder to leave. (Of course it's enough that it's crazy difficult to leave my parents, Bieni, Mayong's, and Lingkod already!!!)

Ida, in her no nonsense way, today said without a blink, without even looking at me (just concentrating on her food - what else is new?), "I don't want you to leave, Maics." To that, of course, I had to throw back: "Look who's talking, miss-i'm-leaving-for-scotland-soon."

There. We got what we both needed to hear.

More food, more laughter, more conversations. More. We finally called it a night, but not before we planned on our next berky de-stressing activity: Tagalog movie marathon on Saturday - now that's what I call total weeklong-destressing!