Meet The Thordies

With swine flu topics everywhere in the newspaper and in almost all radio and TV reports, I wonder why pork still demands a high price in the market. There is less traffic in the pork section of our market than the fresh fish and dressed chicken sections. Is it because buyers are afraid to eat pork or is it because of the high price they tag per kilo?

Our buyers are more educated nowadays. They, and I am one of them, want to be sure the food they buy is safe. Even if there are announcements from the department of health that the flu is viral and therefore not in the meat, still buyers don't take the risk.

It is not also expected that the vendors will keep the high price of their pork. In the past, whenever there are news similar to what we have at present, you can expect a bargain price. This is a sign of maturity and intelligent options of both our sellers and the buyers. But who are the end lossers.

It's been three years now since I retired (early retirement option) from my office position in an international organization based in Manila. I thought I will enjoy the rest of my life because there is no more traffic in the morning, no more difficult boss, and no more credit card collectors. I was wrong. I miss the morning traffic and the difficult boss. I miss wearing blazers for an office wardrobe. While I did not escape the credit card collectors. For my existing cards, collectors call me at home. Some representatives of credit card companies call to offer credit cards. I learned to ignore them.

I wish I could work again in an office. I am tired of being an interim caregiver. I am not a typical retiree who is satisfied doing nothing. I feel I will die early without a gainful job. Can someone else help me please.

Last Sunday, I felt so heavy for any activity at home. So after lunch, we watch the old movie, "The Terminal" which has Tom Hunks as the main character.

I missed the airport. It has been more than 2 years since my last travel. In the movie, the airport became Tom Hunk's world when his visa was cancelled. A civil war broke out in his country the moment his flight touched the airport so it was considered non-existent. Tom Hunks cannot go out of the airport because he has no visa. He was told by the immigration officers to wait until the war is over. He waited for more or less on year when finally peace was restored in his country.

US Visa was granted to him and the first thing he did was to go to New York and had his father's favorite sax autograph. His father waited for this autograph until he died without seeing his favorite sax' signature.

The lesson I learned from the movie was patience and obedience. Tom Hunk's love for his father made him travel from his country to America just to keep his father's death wish. He had patience in waiting to find ways to eat, find a contractual job, and find a girl for his love interest. You have to learn how to wait because if it is not due, you will not get it no matter how hard to try.

In meal management, the author of the book, A Guide to Meal Management and Table Services, gave the following wine rules:

1. White wines should be served chilled, while red wines at room temperature.
2. White wines should be served with seafoods and chicken, red wines with meat.
3. Rose wine would be fine with Chinese dishes; if the meal is served family style a choice of red and white wines would be okay.
4. The sweeter rich-flavored wines would go with dessert, should be at room temperature; sweet champagne should be chilled
5. Wine should usually be served in clear glasses; they show off the beautiful color.

As part of the Lenten season's activities of the CWL unit in our village, we participated in a vista iglesia last April 4, 2009. We assembled at our meeting place as early as 5:00 a.m. and by 6 o'clock we were on our first scheduled church. We visited 7 churches where five belongs to the Vicariate of Our Lady of Light, and two belongs to the Vicariate of St. John the Baptist, our former vicariate. Last of the seven was the Christ the King Parish located on top of a mountain in Muzon (Taytay, Rizal - Philippines). It was known in the vicinity as the "Church in the Sky".

The church was not so big but it was really built as a tourist attraction. Inside and out you can see the work of art. In front of the church was a huge man-made mountain. It was not finished yet so we did not scrutinize it. On the right side area was a structure which will house the priest and the other part maybe a formation center. It was a breathtaking sight that when you look around while there you can only say, thank you Lord for making me a part of your creation.