The Year that was 2012

So what happened in 2012? The world did not end, the skies did not fall, and life went on as usual. It was a good year. It was a year of many small blessings, simple joys. It still brought its share of frustration and sleep deprivation, but 2012 was also a year of achievements, fun, and adventure. God is good... all the time.

The year started as usual, but it was probably the most lethargic New Year's Eve celebration we ever had- we had a hearty family dinner with extended family members, then we each found our places on the couch, went to sleep, and woke up as the fireworks were about to start. We joined in by lighting our Dragon fountains, sparklers, and fireworks with a prayer for another round of blessings in 2012.

Gianne Graduates from Elementary School
This was the year our daughter, Gianne, finished primary school and went to high school. She was aiming to qualify for two science high schools- Makati Science High School (MakSci) and Manila Science High School (MaSci). During the school year, Gianne had been busy with school work making sure she had the required minimum grade to qualify for the entrance exams, and at the same time she had to make time to review for the tests.

Exam results came out during the first quarter of the year. I was ecstatic to find that she qualified for both schools! Since she was the first in her school to qualify for these Science high schools, her school made a congratulatory poster of her and displayed it during graduation:

Proud parent moment

Wearing her two medals: Honorable Mention and Writer of the Year

Summer
Summer was spent mostly at home doing chores and working on my struggling "business venture." Since I did not have househelp, life revolved around chores, occasional outdoor trips, my favorite halo-halo bought from the corner store, errands, and more chores, and more errands. As has been the trend, the temperature seemed to get higher every year. There were days when I was just completely unproductive as I refused to leave the comfort of a soft couch and a fan on full blast.

Mt Batulao: A Dayhike in the Rain

I consider myself lucky for having been able to climb Mt Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas both in rainy and sunny weather. Mt Batulao's rolling trail is mostly open and exposed. Closer to the summit are grasslands on its flowing slopes, while in the lower hills are farmlands tilled by the local farmers. 

On beautiful sunny weather, the trail can be hot and scorching. The cool Tagaytay wind makes up for the heat but it's enough to give anyone a nice tan. On rainy days, the trail gets terribly muddy because the same lower part of the trail is used by farmers in transporting their produce on horseback. While the higher parts of the trail are not frequented by livestock, certain parts are steep and can be very slippery.

For this hiking destination, I decided to make two blog entries- one for the rainy hike, and another for the sunny day. Rain or shine, Mt Batulao is always worth the trip.

The Rainy Dayhike

On a holiday in August 2012, we scheduled a dayhike to Mt Batulao with our then 12-year-old daughter, Gianne. She's been on a few hiking trips with us but this was going to be her first dayhike. She was on her first year in a Science high school and we figured it would be a good way for her to forget her academic load and free her mind from the pressures of school. It was also an excellent bonding opportunity for us as a family.

This trip was our first time to drive to the jump-off because we usually take public transportation. We drove from Manila to the jumpoff right outside Evercrest Golf Club in Nasugbu, Batangas but we planned to spend the night at hubby's parents' house in nearby Silang, Cavite and this meant hubby would not have to drive all the way back to Manila after a potentially tiring 6-7 hour hike.

A Good Week

The week that started on Sunday, April 3, was among the rare times wherein I felt I accomplished so much in a span of 7 days.

It started with the Ateneo Aquathlon on Sunday, April 3. Naldy, Gianne, and I went to the Ateneo campus where I joined my first ever aquathlon event. I was, almost literally, testing the waters so I joined the Aquathlon Lite category which meant a 400-meter swim, then a 3-kilometer run. My goal only was to finish, as I have not had enough time to train. But I felt so proud of just being able to do it.



 

419 was my "lucky number"

I felt so strong as I swam past another participant.

On Monday, April 4, Gianne and I flew to Cagayan De Oro where she was to spend the first half of the summer with my side of the family. The plan was for her to enjoy hanging out with her cousins while in a different environment from what we have in Makati. I had to take her there myself to see what her activities were going to be and give safety instructions to the adults who were going to look after her. I also had to make sure her diet was well endorsed because she has food allergies. Besides, it was also time for me to survey the scene since I would be spending a lot of time down there the rest of the year. 

Gianne kept herself busy with word-find puzzles while waiting for our flight.

Gianne was taking the flight safety instructions really seriously.

 

And we arrive at the City of Golden Friendship- Cagayan De Oro City.

But the day did not end there. We grabbed lunch, then made a quick stop at SM for some food supplies, then proceeded to a meeting that my mom has arranged go discuss a potential "project" that she and I would be doing together.

I didn't take photos on Tuesday, April 5, but it was made up of catching up with family and just hanging out at my parents' house in Initao, Misamis Oriental.

In the morning of Wednesday, April 6, we trooped to the nearby river, and I say nearby because it's only a 5-minute walk away. We enjoyed the sound of the flowing water as the kids took a quick dip. Gianne's regular playmates were four of her cousins who were spending the summer also in our side of the family as they live in nearby cities during school months. 

The water is ankle-deep at most parts during this time of the year.

More water fun in the afternoon- we headed to the beach. It's not as close to our house as the river, but it was an easy drive at only 5 kilometers away.

 And while Gianne and her cousins enjoyed the sun and sand, I went for a quick run at the beach. It was a perfect- I felt relaxed by the gentle sea breeze and the sound of the sea was very calming.



Thursday, April 7, rolled in and it was time for me to leave and go back to Makati. I felt confident that Gianne would be okay there without me since I have endorsed her well and I have given her instructions on her routine.

I was back to work on Friday, April 8. Had to finish turnovers to my replacement; I had only 1 week left with my employer by then.

On April 9, Saturday, was my comeback climb after my seven-month hiatus from climbing as Naldy and I joined a MakTrav (Makiling Traverse) climb. It was also a chance for me to settle the score with Mt. Makiling because when I first did the MakTrav in June 2010, I had an upset stomach and was nearly dehydrated by the time the climb was completed. It was also going to be the first climb for my "new" Columbia trek shoes.

Thanks to Sir Rics Cabusao of PALMC for this photo.

Thanks to our EL, Mayan of PALMC, for this photo.

One of the "fun" parts of the climb. Thanks again to Mayan for this pic.

I always like taking a photo at the summit, especially with Naldy, because Makiling is where we both started climbing, though separately, as he climbed it in 1991 and I in 1993.

It was a week of travel, adventure, fun, bonding, and exploring. After this week, I felt excited and optimistic about the future, and ready to embrace the possibilities that it can bring. I feel I can push myself to the limit a bit more and still find myself enjoying life.