Better Late than Never-Games of Thrones

Last week, I posted my addiction for the TV drama, Outlander which is in its 2nd season currently. Last week, I started watching Game of Thrones which premiered in 2011 and now in its 6th season. For the last couple of years I have read and heard that Games of Thrones is one of the most entertaining, widely acclaimed and awarded TV drama series that had been created, but sadly I never had the time to watch it.

Last week I started watching Season 1 and for the last 7 days I had been watching the series. Today, I am now in Season 5. I am now hooked to the series and I am not disappointed. I would agree with the critics acclaims of this HBO TV drama regarding the story scope, acting, complex characters, production and entertaining values. If you have not heard or read about Games of Thrones, here's a summary from Wikipedia.

"Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series created by show runners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin's series of fantasy novels, the first of which is titled A Game of Thrones. It is filmed in a Belfast studio and on location elsewhere in Croatia, Iceland, Malta, Morocco, Northern Ireland, Spain, Scotland, and the United States, and premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17, 2011. The sixth season of the series premiered on April 24, 2016, and the series has also been renewed for a seventh season to air in 2017.

The series is set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos and interweaves several plot lines with a large ensemble cast. The first narrative arc follows a civil war among several noble houses for the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms; the second covers the attempts to reclaim the throne by the exiled last scion of the realm's deposed ruling dynasty; the third chronicles the rising threat of the impending winter and the legendary creatures and fierce peoples of the North.

Game of Thrones has attracted record numbers of viewers on HBO and attained an exceptionally broad and active international fan base. It has received widespread acclaim by critics, particularly for its acting, complex characters, story, scope, and production values, although its frequent use of nudity, violence, and sexual violence has attracted criticism. The series has won 26 Prime time Emmy Awards, including the Prime time Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2015—when it set a record for most wins for a series in a single year—and numerous other awards and nominations, including three Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, a Peabody Award, and three Golden Globe Award nominations. From among the ensemble cast, Peter Dinklage won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for his performance as Tyrion Lannister.

I am Hooked to the TV Drama-Outlander

I watched TV for only about 3 hours per day. I rarely watched TV soap operas or drama series except for The Tyrant last year and My Husband's Lover( A Pinoy Soap Opera)about two years ago. This year I got addicted to a British-American drama, Outlander. It is now in its Season 2, Episode 5. I missed Season 1 but I was able to watch the whole 16 episodes in My PC for three days in between my duties as a primary care giver of a Parkinson Disease affected loved one.

Season 2 will have 13 episodes that I am looking forward to enjoy. Each episode is only about 1 hour without a commercial.

Outlander is a British-American television drama series based on the historical time travel Outlander series of novels by Diana Gabaldon. Developed by Ronald D. Moore and produced by Sony Pictures Television and Left Bank Pictures for Starz, the show premiered on August 9, 2014. It stars Caitriona Balfe as Claire Randall, a married World War II nurse in 1945 who finds herself transported back to Scotland in 1743, where she encounters the dashing Highland warrior Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and becomes embroiled in the Jacobite risings. As of April 30, 2016, 20 episodes of Outlander have aired.

My Favorite Acrostic Poem on Mothers Day

Mother's Day is the second most popular holiday as far as gift giving( flowers and chocolates) here in the US, Christmas being the number one. This day is dedicated to MUMs, MOMs,or MAMAs all over the world. My own mother died 27 years ago, but every year, I dedicate this acrostic poem to her. I also dedicate this poem to all mothers of the World.

There are hundreds of poems in the web about Mothers and Motherhood. But the following acrostic poem is my favorite. I will always remember all the things she had taught me such as being frugal and be responsible for my actions. To all my readers, Happy Mothers' Day and enjoy the following poem.

M - O - T - H - E - R

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,

Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"

A word that means the world to me. Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

For more mother's day poem, visit www.mothersdaycelebration.com

Today, I like also to remember my Mother by revisiting and posting an excerpt from an article Tribute to My Parents, in my autobiography, http://davidbkatague.blogspot.com

"My mother, Paz Barrido Balleza and family are big landowners in Barotac Viejo and the neighboring towns of Banate and Ajuy. The Balleza family were considered rich at that time. She was born on January 14, 1909 and is the youngest of three children, the only girl with two older brothers, Modesto, Jr (lawyer) and Jose who are much older than her. My mother’s parents both died, when she was only in high school. So, she was under the care of her oldest brother, Modesto. At that time, Modesto Balleza family had a big house in Iloilo City, just across the street from St. Paul Hospital and one block from Assumption College-an exclusive and private school for girls.

My mother went to high school at Assumption College until she was a junior. In her senior year, she met my father, fell in love with him, stopped school and got married. My mother with tears in her eyes told me that the reason she married without finishing high school was to get away from the control of her oldest brother. When their parents died, there was no will. Thus, the Balleza properties (rice and corn lands, coconut plantations, fish ponds) were all under the control of her two brothers.

The division of property according to my mother was very unfair. The brothers claimed the best rice lands to themselves. What was left for her to inherit were the properties in the distant barrios, rice land with no irrigation, except for one parcel of rice land (20 hectares) near the town. Of course, she did not receive one-third share of their parents' properties. When she married, control of her properties was given to her. My Dad then helped her manage the rice lands and other properties.

My mother was very frugal. She would not leave a morsel of rice on her plate. I remember her saying, “If you do not finish your food, God will punish you”. So even today, I always have a clean plate after lunch or dinner. My mother had a strict budget and allocated 10% of the farm income into her savings. By the time, I was in college, they had enough savings to purchase a commercial property in Iloilo City. With the back pay that my father received having served as a Dental Officer in the Philippine-American Army from 1941-1945, they were able to build a commercial building at Iznart street, just across the YMCA building, etc...". For the whole article, you are welcome to read my blog dated 12/15/11 as indicated above.
The David Jamili Katague Family, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines, 1956 My Mother Front Row on the Right. I am in the Back Row, First from the Left.

How about you? Do you have pleasant memories of your Mother? I will be delighted to hear from you!

Mother's Day and Our 59th Wedding Anniversary

Our Wedding Photo, May 8, 1957, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

Macrine's photo at our Golden Wedding Anniversary

This Sunday, May 8 is Mother's Day. It will also be is our 59th Wedding Anniversary and the 55th birthday of our oldest daughter Dinah. There will be no big celebration, but a quiet dinner of lobster with White Reisling wine. Macrine and I thanked the Lord for attaining another milestone in our married life. To celebrate this day, I am reposting an article I wrote two years ago titled Some Photos Down Memory Lane as follows:

Katague and Thompson Wedding, Shingle Springs, California, 2002

The following photos are old but it always remind us of our younger and happy days, now that we are in the twilight stage of our life. The photos remind us when we were still young, healthy and strong and were active with community involvement and try to touch the lives of others. The other photos were part of our personal life and activities. I hope that looking at these pictures will tell you, that we tried our best to be good citizens of the world and not a burden to humanity.

Our Golden Wedding Anniversary, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

Thanksgiving Photo of the David B Katague Clan, Walnut Creek, California 2008

Macrine and I with Bishop Evangelista, Retired General Recaredo Sarminento and Thelma Santos, in Mogpog after distribution of Food and Goods as Relief to the The victims of Typhoon Reming in Mogpog, Marinduque, 2008

Macrine at Victoria Harbor, British Columbia, Canada after our high tea at the Empress Hotel-one of the many treasured vacations that we have taken since 1960.

Photo of siblings and in-laws during my niece wedding, Dr D'Wanie Katague Gregorio-Conlu, Iloilo City. Not in the photo are sisters Agnes and Myrla and brother Dolce Ruben.

Macrine and I with Lito and Olga Quiazon at Los Angeles, California during one of the many reunions of members of Marinduque International,Inc- a humanitarian non-profit organization with goals to help the needy in our second home-the beautiful island of Marinduque. Marinduque as of today has no air transportation services and its transportation infra structure( air, sea and land) should be the number one priority of its politicians, I truly believe.

I have more than 900 hundred photos of the various events in our life but I will end this photo tour not to bore you. Needless to say, Macrine and I had fruitful and productive personal and professional careers. We have traveled to more than sixty cities and countries all over the world and have resided in all regions of the US except the South. Currently we are enjoying the last stage of our lives. We certainly have touched the lives of others. As the saying goes, "You only lived if you have touched the lives of others".

Again, thank you Lord for this day. To all our friends and relatives, our million thanks for your love and support during all these years.

Replacing My Grass Lawn with Drought Resistant Plants

My front lawn after the removable of a 30-year old dying maple tree

I am doing some research on drought resistant plants to replace the grass in my front yard. I have called for estimates from two landscaping design companies in our area. As of today, I have not seen the design that will highlight drought resistant plants.

I saw four photos of drought resistant plants in the web and from the website of American Landscape Design of Sacramento as follows:









What is your favorite design and plants? Any ideas and suggestions will be appreciated. I am leaning towards photo #2.