The Blues

“Maybe I should have saved
Those leftover dreams
Funny but here's that rainy day”
Sammy Davis Jr.


I am blaming it on the weather. The oppressive humidity is surely putting a damper on my spirit. It’s difficult to be happy when I am all sweaty. The smallest things can set me off to the deeper end of depression. Ants on the kitchen counter; my favorite t-shirt still in the laundry basket; ice trays without ice…. Grrrrr. How do you deal with such negative vibes?

Some go shopping— an expensive cure;



some go back to bed— I did that already but it was almost noon;



some have cheese with their whine… I mean wine (this will make me hotter still);



Well, in my case, I decided to clean. Yup! Putting things in order seems to distract me from destructive thoughts.

First stop, my closet.



An eye-opener! I did not realize I had stuff I haven’t worn in three years. I remember reading somewhere that if you haven’t worn it for one year, then it’s definitely not a keeper.

There was so much to give away—high waist denim pants, corporate sports jackets, very corporate looking blouses, bags, shoes, and belts.



Just paring down my closet sure took a load of my mind.



I felt lighter and cooler.

Next on the attack list were my little trinket boxes: earrings, pins and the like.



Again, many of which I have not put on for a long while. I could not part with them—just yet.



I had a smile on my face as I remember how sassy I felt when I wore them. At last there is order in the boxes and this set my mood still a notch higher.

I was on a roll now. Opening up and cleaning out more drawers was like letting the sunshine through. Into the thrush heap went the orange lipstick; the expired mascara; and the too sweet smelling lotion. It was so liberating to see my drawers freed of these dust gatherers.

So why was I blue about again? I can’t remember. All I know is I have so much to be grateful for that it’s ridiculous to be blue. And that lunch was on the table and I had worked up a huge appetite.

★ ☆ ☺ ☻ ★ ☆ ☺ ☻ ★ ☆ ☺ ☻ ★ ☆ ☺ ☻ ★ ☆ ☺ ☻

Did I mention that before I started on my closet, I went through my pantry? I was searching for a fix of the sweet kind. I needed to get the skip back in my stride again. Alas, no chocolate bars or caramel candies. No cream cookies or even a stick of gum. But there was a can of fruit cocktail, a box of cream, a bottle of green kaong and another bottle of red nata de coco. All left overs from Christmas. What could be better than chilled fruit salad for dessert after lunch to remember Christmas on a humid day in June!



You will need:
1 can fruit cocktail ( or about 3 cups of chopped fresh fruits: apples, pears, pineapple, grapes and maybe a banana— add a tablespoon of lemon so as to keep the fruits from turning brown)
1 box or can of cream
1 can of condensed milk (or add sugar to your desired level of sweetness)
A bottle each of kaong (sugar palm fruit) and nata de coco (coconut gel)
Chopped nuts (optional)

Drain the kaong and the nata de coco in a colander. Add the fruit cocktail in the colander as well. When well drained, transfer to a bowl. Add the cream and about half the can of condensed milk (or sugar). Carefully stir to mix well together. Transfer to a container and top with chopped nuts. Chill in the freezer until firm. Serve and feel your blues fly away.