WALONG KUPAS

It's our 8nniversary! And for such a special occasion, we headed off to exotic...Sta. Rosa, Laguna? HELL YEAH Sta. Rosa, Laguna!!! We're a family now - we got school and work to consider - and Sta. Rosa ticked all the boxes for a fun, affordable and not-too-far off staycation. Or in LLDD-Hyphen-L Trivago search parameter terms, "find _______ within 5 minute drive of outlet shops..."

Enchanted Kingdom

I first went to EK when it had just opened and right after the last day of my bar exams, so you can imagine how perfect the place was then to blow off some steam. I'm so happy it's as fun and thrilling as before and I got to see the LLDD-Baby enjoy and experience it for the first time and the LLDD-Hyphen-L continue to be too chicken to try the Space Shuttle

o ayan, anak, hindi na natin kailangan pumunta pa ng Disneyland ha

The Fun Farm

The LLDD-Hyphen-L discovered this fun place on social media, so it seemed appropriate that when we were there a couple of hip celebrity bloggers and instagrammers also showed up. Strangely, they did not respond when I introduced myself as a contemporary.

"What do you mean you've never heard of the LLDD or my six followers?"

The Nuvali "Lake"

The area was obviously new and not yet fully mature, but it was still very pretty and relaxed and brought to light some comforting truths on this our eighth year of wedded bliss

• The LLDD-Baby's Jump Shot Rampage will continue indefinitely

• It's every parents' dream to raise their kids well and they grow up to take decent facebook photos of their mama and dada 

• And if it wasn't obvious to you yet....THE LLDD-HYPHEN-L IS HOTTER THAN EVER

#walangkupas

pizzaaAAAAAAAAAAAHH OH MY GOD!!!!

The same week a Head of State causes a major international row...

...the thing below was actually served by my staff at an office meeting, sourced from a nearby chain:

One official in attendance called it "an abomination".  Another said it was "a crime against nature."

It was eaten up in 5 minutes.

Congratulations DFA, you've ruined pizza.  And meetings.

LATER PLAYER

By my count, since I was recalled in 2015, no less than seven batchmates have left the Home Office for their second foreign postings. Yet I have been unable to blog kind parting words for any of them. Well, that ends with JOIN EVASION ‘COS NASA AJAR, simply because his departure has been the batch's most epic so far. Consider:

• He volunteered for assignment to a hardship post

• He didn't just have a despedida, he had a freakin' boodle fight

and had a suspiciously adequate supply of latex gloves

• On the day of his departure, he decides it's the right time to ask every home-based batchmate about dating apps and undergarment shopping

 "the universal rule" he's told "is 'classy over trashy' "

• Mere minutes before his trip to the airport for his outbound flight, I find him sat down in my room calling up a real estate agent and buying a condo

he got the floor price

Right after he flew out, I wanted to message him "good luck" or "take care" or something like that, but I found that he had already updated his profile pic and cover photo immediately upon arrival at post :

yeah, I think he'll be alright

BECAUSE OF COURSE SOMEONE MADE A #PASSPORTHUGOT FOR FEBRUARY 14

So I dropped this on the LLDD-Hyphen-L's facebook page...

Red.  Official.  Parang tayo sa Valentine's.

And the LLDD-Hyphen-L duly replied...

Yeah. Still got it.



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Update! Someone also just put together some judicial hugots, including the timely and profound "For many, a matrimonial union figuratively ends on the reefs of matrimonial shoals."  

Perhaps, but it can still serve as the basis for an exclusive economic friendzone!

 Pictured: Love, Philippine style