TOPAZ HORIZON

Because I was sick for a week, I was stuck at home and got a really bad case of cabin fever (that's what happens when you're going crazy being indoors for an extended period). After cleaning the house and taking my girls shopping, Vince and I went to Glorietta to shop, shop, shop!

We had a list: get Mom a birthday gift, home fragrance oils, video games and rabbit food. In this country, there are only three kinds of pets: dogs, cats and fish. So while I've come to expect nothing but dog/cat/fish food in pet stores, I really really hate it when shops that claim they're fully stocked with pet supplies aren't!!! My poor bunnies have been munching on veggies and hay for the last two weeks. That's okay but they get filled up more and are happier with pellets. Calling Robinsons and Rustan's Supermarkets--please restock on rabbit pellets!

Okay, inhaling, exhaling... I'm calm now. So! Back to Glorietta. First things first: Feed Frances! I lost weight due to last week's incarceration. And now that I had my taste buds back, I was ravenous. Vince and I went to Italianni's where we had a big plate of pasta and a big slab of steak with creamy mashed potatoes and buttery vegetables on the side. Yum! (He's been feeding me a lot since, too, so now I'm back to my fighting form again and struggling to fit into my skinny jeans!)After that heavy lunch, we got Mom a nice gift, which was hard to do because what do you give a woman you love so much and already has everything? I hope she likes our surprise! Vince got me a surprise, too--he got me this lovely Liz Claiborne wallet:I've been using a plain pink wallet since my red one got stolen last year. The pink one's still okay but hubby thinks I'm ready for a grown-up wallet already. Yey! Oh, the picture does it no justice. It's very very pretty and feminine, with tons of pockets inside. Love it! (That's my old teddy bear, by the way.)

Vince was a happy camper, too, when he got two PS3 games--Bioshock and Ghostbusters. He's like a little boy now playing away in the living room while I'm here in the bedroom blogging and watching E! News. I'm also basking in the citrusy scent of my house. I stocked up on The Body Shop's fragrance oils. My favorites are the citrus and green tea scents. I tried white musk (too powdery) and lavender (too spa-y), too. Vince also persuaded me to get this new oil burner since he didn't like my plain clay pot.So we had a very happy weekend! Oh, did we find rabbit pellets? No. My poor bunnies!

My sister Jacqui and my niece Nicole came by this weekend. Jacqui is regularly at my home because her dermatologist's clinic is in my building. For this particular visit, she brought Nicole because she just turned 8 years old last Wednesday. And for her birthday gift, she asked for new school shoes.

Anyway, while Jacqui was getting some top acne treatment, I did Nicole's nails. First, a base coat, then fun glittery stickers, then a final sweep of clear polish and voila!Nicole loved her nails! What a sweet silly girl! This is such a fun thing to do. And it's inexpensive, too. Nail stickers are available at Watson's and Face Shop and you can get nail polish just about anywhere! Little girls love it and you bond over the activity. Fun, fun, fun!

When Jacqui was done with the derma, off we went shopping for Nicole's shoes, slippers and socks--all very girly of course! I'm happy I was able to take my sister and niece shopping. I know God has blessed me a lot and spreading the joy--through shopping!--blesses me yet again. Love it, love it!

While the wind continues to wail outside our high-rise windows alarmingly, I am still feeling very happy today. Why? I am finally feeling much much better! I finally got well from the respiratory infection yesterday but I am starting to feel like it's really really gone just today. Since I've been bedridden for almost a week, everything has just piled up on me. The bills need to be paid, the grocery to be done, the chores have piled up, the rabbits are dirty, the house is a mess!

Vince usually helps with the chores but since he's been busy at work and then he's had to take care of me, the house has suffered. He doesn't seem to mind it except for one thing: He wants real home-cooked meals again. Poor husband has had to eat takeout. Well, that's the sad thing when I get sick--even I'm unhappy with the food because no one cooks so I hardly eat. The good thing is I am now suddenly slim! I wore jeans today and for the first time in two years--no muffin top! Considering I just stayed in bed all day for the last 5 days, I assume that the body's attempts to heal itself is a fantastic fat burner. That, coupled with my timid eating, has led to dresses and shirts and pants sliding on me easily. I love it!

Anyway, what I'm really saying is I'll be away all weekend--to clean the house, sort the laundry, iron clothes, clear my mess, shop, cook! Ack, just thinking about it makes me tired already. I'll go back to blogging next week. Meanwhile, please do have a lovely weekend!