PRICELESS: NANAY PONG’S TIME-WORN COIN PURSE

 by: MisS VictoriA DaviD

One late afternoon, she saw her Nanay (mother) giggling whilst comfortably sat on the hut’s bench; abutted to the compound’s twig tower fence. That is why she curiously asked her, “why are you giggling, ‘nay?”. Her mother then replied, “I won the last two!”. What she meant was, she won a sum of money through the urban betting where the winning last two numbers was based on the weekly draw of the PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office). In practical terms, this is when a small amount of money is to be paid to someone in exchange for chosen combinations from numbers 00 to 99. You will then know the winning result within 24 hours or a night after. In their conversation, her Nanay intimately added, “I won’t give you money like others, but I will buy snacks for us”. She then warmly replied to her, “no worries!”. 

When her Nanay was going to buy snacks and grabbed the purse out of her culottes’ slip pocket, she noticed the delicateness of the coin purse. Actually, it was quite scruffy and too unreliable for her remaining bills. That is why, she politely asked if they could exchange purses. She contentedly and freely handed over her purse without removing the contents. That intimate conversation she had with her Nanay years ago forever lives in her memory! 

Most wealthy parent(s) would bequeath their children either before or after they passed away. However, she is one of the many who inherited nothing but the anecdotal coin purse. It is the sole hand-me-down memorabilia given by her Nanay, which she carefully keeps for 12 years to date. Personally, she treats it as a masquerade heirloom which holds reminiscences and priceless flashbacks. 

One of the days, when she was navigating the online world for a coin purse, she ended-up with nothing. She found a few but they lacked charm and were unparalleled to her personality. A few days after, she rummaged through a drawer which consisted of trinkets and found her Nanay’s nostalgic coin purse. It made her realise that there was no urge to buy a new one as all she had to do was to allot time for an overall restoration of the coin purse and spruce up its features. 

The unexpected restoration, through a fits and starts procedure, took 7 days to complete. Actually, she presumed to be able to finish it in a few days. Unfortunately, the delicateness of the original fabric and its fiddly size caused delays. 

The personalised end result was achieved by using the excess fabric of her garments; surplus material from her handbag; the convenience of stitches using a sewing machine and the laborious needle & thimble of hand sewing. In particular, the original frayed fabric was strengthened by sticking and stitching a dissimilar fabric. It was then embellished using colourful cushions with decorative flowers, front and back, and accentuated with the original yet enhanced carbine hook. Moreover, the base has been smartened with colourful embroidered eyelets.

The lining has two joint fabric and were seamed. However, the see-through lines of the featured lining were embroidered by hand. It was carried out to emphasise the leaves and its stems. Apart from that, it was then upheld by securing interior flaps and finalised with a customised functional mini slip pocket.

Furthermore, the stiffness of the coin purse was a result of the fusible foam stabiliser. This was inserted between the outer and its lining fabric. More importantly, this is now a reliable coin purse because of its sturdier zipper in gold plated slider with a black leather puller. 

She doesn’t like dwelling in the past (a visit is more bearable) as it causes different emotional responses. However, she is very passionate about creating functional pieces from upcycled materials and more so, if each component embodies untold stories. On that account, here is another handcrafted piece of Fits and Starts sewn by Quidnunc Queen and named, “Priceless: Nanay Pong’s Time-Worn Coin Purse”.

QUEEN VICTORIA'S CHILDHOOD MEMORY

 by: MisS VictoriA DaviD

My mind has been filled with memories from the past

and thoughts in the now.

What a delicate dreg contrast!

From time to time, I could lucidly feel how protective my father was

and how loving my mother was to me, too.

Then, the mirror image of dwelling into the past flared in a leap.

I love being intimately transported to how facile

and breezy it was to be a child once again.

Don’t you think for one second?

My toys were my greatest possessions and I shared them with my friends.

When they weren’t in used, my prudent parents gathered

and kept all of them with no muttering under their breath.

It was their way of retaining my toys from the predatory eyes

and wayward hands of my childhood friends.

The unvarnished truth about being my childhood is,
that it was very carefree and delightful.

You don't have the duty on your shoulder or responsibility for others

and even taking good care of yourself is left in the hands of parents.

What a threshold for children to play!

If and when memory lane ingratiates into my mind,

it usually brings forth seventh-heaven and joyfulness.

Either picturing-out with my newfangled toys (solely playing)

or reminiscing the never-ending laughter with my friends.

Those were hilarity flashes in me
that added euphoria to the healthy hearts of my parents.

The rivet core of my childhood memory resides forever

deep in my heart and soul.

When revives, it can breath a trajectory of new life

but delving excessively can rhapsody lead to

a series of adverse comparisons; unhappiness and pain.

Childhood memory lane is a penetrating quagmire.

It separates yourself from the even-handed paths of reality

and draws you closer and abut into the spectra of fantasy.

Truth be told but I dearly love how insouciant and unsullied

being a child who is free from woes was.

On the other hand, the wishful fantasy of manipulating back the

“tick tock”clock is a chagrin diversion

which will separate you from appreciating more

the eyrie of beauty and security
of the life you have in the now! 

CROSSROADS: WHEN HE BECAME SHE

 by: MisS VictoriA DaviD

He was the heir to the throne and ultimately became the successor on his father's name... 

The mother was nourishing in her womb an ascertain baby who could be a boy or a girl. However, the loving parents already prepared seemly analogous names for their baby. It was an excitable task despite the fact they didn't have any single indication of the baby's sex yet. 

Back in the days, the diagnostic invention of ultrasound which predicts the sex of an unborn baby wasn’t well known and available yet for one main reason. The fetal anatomy prediction of a baby was mesmerising but it wasn’t' reasonably affordable for working class couples. Only the rich couples could afford to pay the highway rubbery fees charged by the ivory tower sonographers. However, the grindstone eeriness of 'not knowing the sex' contributed an immeasurable excitement to those wage-earner couples who were preciously and tirelessly waiting for their unborn angel. 

His parents already decided... 

The unknown sex of their baby was neither a great issue nor a concern as they were more excited to hear the first wail. Like most parents, what they only desired was for the mother to deliver safely a healthy baby and with no complications. An angel they would cradle warmly in their arms and protect as he/she grows-up.

The time had come and the mother delivered a wee version of themselves. The nurse came out and told the father, it's a.... 

The father was mostly  looking forward to spoiling the baby. Oh no, I have already given you a cloudless inkling about the baby's sex, which was delivered safely and naturally by his feisty mother into this world. Yes, she was feisty with very firm ideas about nurturing a child. He also inherited the robust yet soft personality of hers. On the other hand, the light-heartedness and flexibility of his father was also enrooted in him. Whilst the boy was growing up, the generosity of his father spoilt him. Particularly, when his wishes and requests were granted which made him love the father more as a boy. Useful stuff and handy ideas were also taught to him and a more self-reliant boy was moulded. Consequently, the father certainly maturated the analytic and critique sides in him. 

Years passed by and the boy's sexuality was getting clearer and evident. His parents made no big fuss about it but instead, they were in full support while the boy was developing. At the end, they shaped the best person in him and who he would become in the future. 

Unavoidably, the father inoffensively tried to make their son a boy/man and he didn’t fail! Yes, the father accomplished having a son but not because he turned him as a boy/man. The boy remained who he was and even still loved playing his little guy toys. Besides, he was also gradually embracing the life of being a girl with the foothold of his mother. That is why to have his supportive father and caring mother beside him while developing, he grew up well-balanced and overcame most of his frailties in life. Essentially speaking, not all of the times the boy became victoriously balanced as there were times his firmness was tested and overshadowed by others. 

He was challenged but was never overpowered by others... 

He was thought to be robust and flexible when dealing with everyday circumstances in life. Which is why, he became competent when solving issues and also sensitive enough to be in the other's shoes. 

His life as a boy was full of nourishing and delightful memories...His life as a teenager was brimming with teachings and stimulating discoveries... More so, his life as a young professional was impregnated with eye-opening responsibilities and excitements...

Undeniably speaking, the boy who gradually became a girl/woman was very spirited in possessing her father's name. She felt the self-importance of the father's name in which she had used and valued it for 27 years. In the latter years, there were times she didn’t want to hear the sound of her birth name as it structurally contradicted her physical appearance as a woman. Considerately, after she turned 27 and while settling down in the United Kingdom she officially changed her title and name by virtue of Deed Poll. Although, she didn’t fully renounced the father's name and just added a few vowels. 

In the last months of year 2012, she ultimately applied for Deed of change of name and title officiated by Deed Poll. It was the right time for her after she successfully applied for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the United Kingdom. It was a breather for her alas when the Deed Poll Certificate arrived with the changes she's been longing for in life. She whispered to herself and in front of the mirror, I have now papers to prove that I am she and that I a woman! 

For the past years, she has been using the name of how it should be if her loving mother delivered a baby girl. 

The memory of her late supportive father when she was growing-up and transitioning has been a warmth and priceless. That is why, the thought of eliminating fully her father's name in papers didn't make her please and overjoyed. Her father was a great man who taught objective and dynamic lessons in life. In the end, she still renounced legally her birth name and title but didn't erase the priceless representation of the father's name in her.

HYACINTHUS

 by: MisS VictoriA DaviD

Act now to save our Mother Earth!

There are manufactured chemical-based products that are produced on the market and sold for people's household needs.

As the new season is coming (in 4 weeks time), Spring, and rain drops are replacing snow flakes, I thought of an idea to alter the chemical products I have been using. Nowadays, I am growing plants that give a good benefit for my health either flowering or non-flowering varieties. The non-flowering plants are very good in absorbing the radiation coming from the techno-gadgets apart from adding an extra tone at home. I am eager to grow flowering plants which produce scent that neutralizes unpleasant smell and produces a fragrance for the living areas especially in the toilet (This is particularly relevant if one of your family members ate rubbish foods... just a joke!). One of my favourites is the Hyancithus which flowers from a bulb in early Spring and has a pleasant sweet fragrance.

Saving our Earth is not just by recycling or separating the biodegradable to non-biodegradable waste at home. As gardening is one, too, which can be done even inside your place.

*Photo courtesy of www.pinterest.com