Have you ever seen a decoration your parents kept, carrying it with them from another country or a previous marriage? Carmina realized that parents often hold onto items they've purchased in the past. While browsing Greenhill's shopping center, she stepped into  Mystic Gems by Bensani  and saw so many nostalgic items that reminded her of growing up.  I pointed out to Mom Violy that she had a similar crystal tree decoration at home. She said it was forty years old and already dirty. The saleslady explained it could be cleaned easily with soap and water. Carmina decided to take Mom Violy home and bring the crystal tree decoration with her. Mom Violy questioned why she was taking it, and I said I would clean it and return it.  I noticed Mom Violy had placed planting seeds inside the decoration, for reasons I didn’t understand. Before cleaning it, I checked online to see what was needed, knowing its value. I placed a towel underneath, prepared a plastic container with dishwas...
 In the Philippines people eat merienda (snack) and buy food from the street. There are vendors on the street all sorts of food to choose from. Everything is all cash basis. The common street food in the Philippines are the following:   Prito (Fried) Merienda (Snack): Turon  (banana lumpia with jack fruit)  Banana Cue  (banana cooked in brown sugar)  Kamote Cue  (sweet potato cooked in brown sugar)  Maruya  (banana fritters)  Fish Ball    Squid Ball  Kikiam  (mixed pork and shrimp wrapped in bean cured)  Probem  (chicken proventriculus)   Kwek Kwek  (duck egg)   Chicken Empanda  Beef Empanda      Inhaw (Grilled) Merienda (Snack):    Pork Barbecue  on a stick  Isaw  (chicken intestine) on a stick  Betamax  (dried pork or chicken blood) on a stick  Adidas  (chicken feet) on a stick  Helmet  (chicken head) on a stick  Pig skin  on a stick      Other Merienda are bought in a Filipino restaurant or cooked at home:     Sabaw (Soup) :    Sopas  (chicken noodle soup)  Mami  ...