Busy

Life has become too busy at the moment. I plan to finish my Child Psych course soon so I could focus on other things in the coming months. I also plan to focus on homeschooling the boys more intensely. Last night, Ethan has shown a great deal of interest in one-on-one interactions with me so I think it's time for us to take a more serious approach in our daily lessons. At the same time, I need to research more on homeschooling resources, tips and articles to help me with our lessons. Because of all these I am going to stop writing and posting here. But that will only be temporarily. I will however, still continue to post at My Cozy Nook. So if you want to know the latest happenings in my very simple life, then you can drop by there anytime and say hello. For now (and only for a while), I will bid you adieu...

Another Trip Coming Up

I am looking forward our family vacation on the second week of March. Firstly, it will be so great to see my parents again and secondly, I think we need this bonding time because I have already decided not to go home to Zamboanga this summer. That means, this might be the only time this year that I will get to see my parents. So really, I want this vacation to push through. Part of the reason why we won't be going home this year is because it will it be too hectic for us (I want to finish my Psych course soon) but it will also mean no summer classes for Nikki and Ethan and I really really want them to experience a summer class this year. I think it will be very healthy for them to interact with other kids and to just learn a new hobby or sport. I think it will also help them in their interpersonal relationships. Anyway, according to Mommy, we will be leaving Manila by bus at 4am on the 9th, Sunday. We might be in Baguio City by noon and hopefully, everything will be okay. I have already started to pack. Yeah, I know, it's too early. Even Ruther was amused but I really am like this. I really would not want to forget anything and I want everything we need with me so I won't be stressed out when we reach Baguio. I just want to enjoy the trip and not worry about things and such. I still have to buy some stuff like my anti-motion sickness meds and snacks but other than that, I already have everything arranged. Hopefully, this will be another fun trip for all.

Somewhat Rainy Day

It rained a bit this afternoon and I thought it would be nice to take a walk under it. Unlike some people who hate the rain, I love it. Again, as I've mentioned before, this maybe because I was born on a rainy month.

Anyway, I asked Nikki if he wanted to walk with me to the bakery and he agreed. So he brought his yellow umbrella and I used my transparent one. I love my umbrella, not only because there's hardly any umbrella like that here, but because I bought it in Japan. I had to convince Ruther to allow me to bring home some because he was like: "you're bringing those? you don't suppose we have umbrellas in Manila... yada yada.." and I was like: "but we don't have umbrellas like these there." And that settled it. My husband just loves me a lot that's why he gave in. =D

Anyway, it was lovely strolling in the rain with Nikki. He complained at first that his feet were getting wet from the rain and I said but it's fun. And he conceded. We took our time going to the bakery and coming back. It's just really relaxing walking under the rain with no other people around and everything looking so bright and clean. Right now, the rain has ceased but I don't mind. The air is still pretty cool and I am enjoying the weather thoroughly.

Japan in My Dreams

I wish with all my heart that the boys and I will be able to make it to Japan this July. I am really hoping and praying like I've never hoped and prayed before. Of course, I very well know that this is all up to the Lord but I really really really want this to happen. I think that should this trip not push through (please God don't let that happen), it will be the most disappointing thing that would and could ever happen to me in my entire life. And I am not exaggerating.

I just love that country so much. I have loved it I think even before I stepped on it. It's just something that has been calling to me since waaaay back when. It just really fascinates me. And after living there for 6 months, the fascination has only increased a thousandfold. Some of my friends asked me if I was scared being in a new country, not to mention a country where I could barely speak the language! But how can you be scared of something that you absolutely love? I would gladly learn Nihongo if it means living there. I have told Ruther of my desire to stay there but we have yet to talk seriously about it. I admit, living permanently in a new country is a HUGE step, but of course, if we are together and if we just support each other as a family then I know we can make it. And it's this faith that makes me hope that living in that wonderful country is still possible. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see...

Lessons

I am actually enjoying my studies this time. The module is interesting. I'm done with dreams and now, I'm in the Conditioning and Learning topic. A few more chapters to go and I'll have to submit another exam. If I go like this everyday, I'll be done with this course hopefully by April. It will be interesting to see how I could apply all I learned to the boys and our homeschooling. I'm really glad I took this course. Not only is it very interesting but it really opens my eyes to a lot of things. Anyway, maybe in the future I could pursue a more formal education. For now, I am content with my lessons, my pace and my learning.

Missing Japan

Now that Ruther is back in Japan, I am missing that country all the more. I remember last year when we were there, it was still pretty cold at this time. I would still wear like 3 layers of clothing because it was my first taste of winter. I miss the new experience, waking up to a new day everyday, always anticipating what would happen the next few minutes and hours and wondering if I'll be learning something new that day. I miss days when I would ride the train and not worry about getting lost. I miss cooking for my family and planning menus. I miss sharing new experiences and making it on our own in a new place, in a new country. It was all so exhilarating. But most importantly, we were together and THAT is what I miss and want the most.

Today's Happenings

I haven't been updated with the news for a while now. It's not that I don't care (okay, maybe a teeny part of me doesn't) but politics does not interest me at all. I find it very disturbing, boring and utterly chaotic. Besides, I would not want bad news from the politicl arena to ruin my day so I try to stay away from the news as much as possible. I figure, if it's THAT important, I would hear about it anyway. But this morning, when I went to the bakery to buy some hot, yummy pandesal for breakfast I decided to get a paper as well. Well, the only word I could use to describe the headlines was "shocking"! I mean, what is happening to the Philippines? I know there are problems in the government but all this transparency is destroying us all. I mean, isn't there a more subtle (I'm not saying "hushed") way of fixing all these problems? Frankly, I don't even know what all the problems are. I hear things like ZTE, stocks falling, calling GMA's resignation (is this going to be a frequent thing in Philippine history?!?!?), J de Venecia and all that. It's all very disturbing, confusing and irritating. Really, who could take the Philippine government seriously with all these controversies? Really really depressing. I wish all those people would just resign on their own and fresh new people step up. Or, we could always migrate. Now that's an idea...

.....

The weather is so wonderfully cool these days. I don't know and I don't care if it matches my melancholy mood but it's just nice to sit in front of the window and look at all the gloominess around. I would curl up in bed with a good book hugging Ruther's pillow and have my coffee nearby. I would walk to the bakery with a light jacket because if I don't, I would have goosebumps when I reach home. It's just so wonderfully cool but then again, such weather just makes me miss my sweetie all the more.

Sigh. I hate this.

On With My Lessons

I guess I have no choice now but to continue on with my Child Pysch lessons. I've put it on hold for 3 months (when Ruther was here) and I really feel like I should do a review of all the previous lessons. I really really want to finish that by next month so I could fully concentrate on the boys' summer classes. Anyway, today, I'll read up on a few chapters and maybe by Friday I'll have submitted an exam. Sigh. Wish me luck.

Sad for My Friend

I got an email from a good friend of mine. I feel so sad for her. She's been having problems lately and feels really lost. First of all, her husband is not well. He needs treatment and even if he's getting it now, she's still apprehensive about the situation. I must admit that I have never liked her husband a lot when they got together. I just think that he should get his priorities straight but of course, I don't know what transpires in their lives 24/7 so I have no right to judge him. But, for the sake of my friend, I still hope that her husband overcomes his problem and gets well so he could be there for my friend and his family. Another problem she has is that she's pregnant. She really feels bad about it, not because it's another mouthful, but because she feels it's just not the right time right now. I feel really bad for her. I have known my friend since I was 5 years old and she has always been a family girl, always devoted, so sweet and kind. I don't know what to tell her or how to help her except to inform her that I'm here for here whenever she needs me. I wish I could do more, of course, but living in different (and far-away) cities just make it a lot more difficult. Anyway, I'm going to be praying for her, her baby and her husband. Hopefully, this year will still be a happy one for her.

DUH

I feel so out of it these days. I think it's because of the cold, because Ruther will be leaving in a few days, because I feel like I'm going to be sooo depressed when I come to grips with the fact that he's in Japan. To be honest, I am so freaking scared about it, I just push it out of my mind whenever it tickles my thoughts. All I can do right now is just embrace Ruther a little tighter, talk to him a little more, take care of him as best as I can. I just know I'll be a wreck (again) when he's gone.

8

1. I have a cold. It's not pretty.

2. The weather is weird. I don't know whether it'll rain or not. I'm happy either way as long as the day is cool and relaxing.

3. Homemade Calamansi juice is really yummy! Hope it helps get rid of my cold soon.

4. Am so craving for fruits right now. Especially the ripe mangoes... Yummy!

5. Ruther's birthday is coming. I dunno what to get him still...

6. Wanna read all my books!

7. I wish Ruther were home.

8. Gotta do lessons with the boys, so... Ta-ta!

How Strong is Your Relationship with Your Guy?

Your Relationship is Strong

You've built the foundation of a great relationship, and it would take a lot to shake it. Through good communication and respect, you have a true love that can last a lifetime.

How Strong Is Your Relationship With Your Guy?

If the answer came out any other way than this, I would definitely protest. I know how I feel about Ruther and I know how he feels about me. Sometimes, I am amazed that our love is still going strong (and stronger). I thank God for always watching over us and for guiding and aiding us in our relationship. Ruther is my life and without him, I have no purpose for living.

Slow Day

Today was just a slow day for me. I suppose after all the activity and hype of yesterday's celebration (house blessing), I just wanted to recharge today. Of course I still had to do some of the chores but I napped longer than usual and tried to take it easy today. I think that I deserve that today. We even had halo-halo as dessert for dinner tonight. Great Sunday treat! Yummy!

Midway

I am midway through my book, Nighttime is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark. I was planning to read the Monk book but since I just finished with one, I thought of switching to another for the meantime. It's okay. Kind of dragging in the beginning but it's becoming suspenseful at where I am now. So yeah, am looking forward to finish this book in a day or two.

.....

I still cannot come to grips with the fact that Ruther will be leaving in 2 weeks. It's like everytime I think about it, it feels like a knife piercing through my heart. I said it before and I'll say it again: even if we have been at this for years, it never ever gets easier. Every parting is still painful, every departure another open wound. I wish that one day, in the very near future, my love and I will never have to part again.

Bohol - Saturday - Part 2

The Chocolate Hills were a sight to behold. Scattered before us, the hills just seemed to fill the horizon. Since it is still early in the year, the hills were green instead of brown, but they were still amazing. All the green before me was just very relaxing. According to Wikipedia: Estimated to be at least 1,268 individual mounds to about 1,776, these cone-shaped or dome-shaped hills are actually grass-covered limestone hills. The large and numerous perfect domes vary in sizes from 30 meters to 50 meters high with the largest being 120 meters in height. Really astounding, isn't it?

While we were there, it was quite cloudy but there were times when the sun shone brightly and made the boys a bit cranky. I suppose in future visits to this viewing area an umbrella will be necessary. I must remember that. I can only imagine how hot it was going to be in the summer. Anyway, we took a lot of photos and then made our way to the souvenir shops below. We got some cute shirts for the 4 of us and I think they were nice souvenirs for this trip. There were still a lot actually but Manong said that he would take us to a place where we could buy more souvenirs and trinkets. We left Chocolate Hills and made our way to our next stop. Manong pretty much kept us in the dark about our stops which was a bit thrilling. We just did not know what to expect next.

It was around 11 a.m. and we were all getting a bit hungry so we were relieved that Manong took us to Loboc River as our next stop. (Loboc is a 5th class municipality in the province of Bohol - Wikipedia) There are these boats there that serve a buffet meal as it cruises the length of the river. It's like a floating restaurant. The fee was P280 for adults and half of that for kids. There were several booths (around 4 or 5) there and Manong pointed to one of them (Long River Cruise). These booths are where you get your meal tickets. It's like picking a restaurant. You can actually get to see what they are serving because there are photos of the food on these large poster boards. But we were so hungry we just wanted to get into a boat and have lunch. And since we didn't know where Manong was going to have lunch, we invited him to eat with us and paid for his meal. There were already a few people on board the boat when we climbed in. We also ate almost immediately and I was glad for that. I got some grilled fish, agar salad, grilled squid, pork barbeque, vegetables, and lots of fruits and maja blanca. Ruther got almost the same. Nikki ate some noodles and Ethan was not interested in food. There were still other food served on the buffet table but I thought if I ate any more, I would look like I was pregnant. While we were eating, the boat started to move and we headed upriver. Almost everyone took photos and videos and we were serenaded by this man who played a guitar. He was a lot of fun. But most of the time, we just took photos and admired the view. It rained a bit as we cruised the river but it made the mood all the more relaxing. I also spotted this group of women washing clothes in the river. Now that is very rural to me. Many people used to do that in Zamboanga but well, times have changed. Seeing those women just brought back a lot of nostalgic feelings. Anyway, we reached the end of the river and made our way down. Before reaching our stop though, we paused before this small covered dock where people young and old were sitting. When we approached, they started singing and dancing and pretty much entertained us. Again, we did not have to pay any fees but donations were welcome. After 10-15 minutes, we were on our way again and shortly thereafter, we reached the terminal. Taking a quick stop to the wash rooms, we then proceeded to Loboc Church which was only a few meters away from the Loboc River terminal.

The St. Peter Parish Church in Loboc is the second oldest church in the country. (Wikipedia) It actually looks old so I would not doubt that at all. I really love old churches. Ruther and I were married in an old church and it was wonderful. Anyway, we did not go into the church anymore because we still had more places to visit and we were pressed for time but I told myself that the next time we drop by Loboc, I'll get inside the church and light a candle. After taking a few more photos, we boarded the car and made our way to the wonderful tarsiers.

to be continued...

Bohol - Saturday - Part 1

I woke up at 545 a.m. to get an early start to our day. I slept earlier than usual the night before so I felt refreshed and ready to go. It was raining when I awoke but by 615, it slowed to a drizzle and I told Ruther (who was half-asleep then) that I would go to the beach to take some morning photos. I was so glad I decided to do that. It is rare that I get to experience something so wonderful. Yes, I see sunrises everyday but truly, sunrises at the beach are so dramatic. It's like everything seems to be more powerful, more exciting, more moving. I just snapped away. As the minutes ticked by, the rain stopped and the beach just slowly came to life. Even a playful dog went to the water for his morning swim and dried himself in the sand. It was really all so peaceful and wonderful.

We told Manong that we would leave Alonaland at 8 a.m. and Ruther wanted to have breakfast first so by 630 I headed back to our room. The boys were awake and fortunately, we got enough rest the night before so at around 710 a.m., we were heading for the beach to get some breakfast. Since Alona Tropical was the nearest restaurant, we decided to eat there. Seeing the beach one more time, the boys were really not interested in food but instead, they wanted to walk on the sand and throw pebbles into the water. Ruther ordered some banana pancakes and brewed coffee and I just got the plain pancakes and mango juice. The food was yummy and really satisfying. When we got back to Alonaland at 805 a.m. Manong was waiting for us so we immediately left the resort. It was such a cloudy day and I prayed that it wouldn't rain soon. Once in a while, the sun would peek through the clouds and I would be hopeful. Checking my map, I saw that Chocolate Hills was going to be the farthest place we would be going to. What I did not expect were the hilly winding roads. Hurriedly, I took my motion sickness medicine just to keep myself from getting too dizzy.

The first place we passed was the Bilar Man-made Mahogany Forest. Bilar is the name of the place and it was quite hilly. We did not stop for photos anymore because Chocolate Hills was still a long way away but Ruther did take some shots of the beautiful trees. They were really tall and shady. It really looked like a forest. I wonder how long it took for those trees to reach maturity. I hope it would be preserved so people could appreciate nature more.

Our first stop was at the Hanging Bridge at Sevilla. Sevilla is an interior town located some 36 kilometers east of Tagbilaran City. I could tell that this bridge was made of bamboo and ropes. I tried to go across it but it moved too much and Ethan was too excited and was hopping a lot I was scared we would fall into the river so I told Ruther to take my photo (quickly) and then headed for solid ground. Ruther and Nikki had their turn on the bridge too. We left some money in the donation box (there was no entrance fee) and then we were on our way to Chocolate Hills.Aesthetically extensive, Chocolate Hills are scattered throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan in Bohol. (On left - Locator map of the Chocolate Hills. Dark brown indicates the greatest concentration of the Chocolate Hills in the Bohol municipalities of Sagbayan, Batuan, and Carmen. Light brown indicates a lesser concentration of the hills in Bilar, Sierra Bullones, and Valencia.)We made our way to the viewing area which was somewhere in the town of Carmen. When we reached our destination, it was around 930 a.m. We had to climb this flight of stairs to get a good view of the Chocolate Hills and we took photos as we made our way up. When we did get to the top, a sea of green met my eyes...

to be continued...

Bohol - Friday - Part 2

And there we were, stepping on the sands of Alona Beach.

The morning light made everything look so bright and vibrant. The sky was an electric blue and the wonderful coconut trees along the shore made everything look so lush. The water was calm and the boats and bancas adorned the sea. It was exhilarating having to inhale the sea air. I could tell that mornings are slow on this beach. On Alona Beach, you did not have to bring a watch. All you needed to do was to let go and live.

The boys were suddenly alive, running to and fro, checking the sand, the water, the shells, the pebbles. They just wanted to take everything in. They waded in the cool water, checked out hermit crabs (who scampered away as fast as they could), and basked in the sun. While they frolicked, Ruther and I breakfasted nearby in the restaurant of Alona Tropical. I loved the ambiance. It was just all so relaxing, to eat and look out into the sea. After breakfast, Ruther and I changed and then pretty soon, all of us were in the water. While wading into deeper water (knee-high) I found some sea cucumbers and they were gently swaying with the water current. At first I thought they were trash but when I looked more closely, I realized they were sea cucumbers. I told Nikki and Ethan to tread carefully but of course, they were too busy swimming in their floaties to care. We also found lots of shells (but we put them back into the water) and also saw some fish in the water but they were sand-colored that they were perfectly camouflaged and unless they would swim fast, the boys had a bit of difficulty seeing them. The water was a bit cold so we headed for shore and while I made our names on the sand, Ruther took photos and the boys played with their beach toys. At around 1030 a.m. Nikki got sleepy and since it was still some time before we could get our room (it was occupied), we told him to just stay in a shade for a few more minutes. At 1130, we headed back and thank goodness, our room was ready. We brought all our stuff into the room and then I bathed the boys and in an instant, they were asleep. I loved our room. We ended up with Room number 15A and our neighbor in Room 15B was a foreign couple. Actually, I noticed that most of the vacationers at Alonaland were foreigners. Anyway, we have 2 twin beds, cable tv, air conditioning, refrigerator, a kitchen, and hot shower. Not bad for P1500 per night, right? Some resorts charge per person per night and I find their prices ludicrous. I mean, we're not all born millionaires! So anyway, after having a quick bath ourselves, Ruther and I headed for the canteen to get some water (the big gallon costs P60) and other necessary things. After unpacking some of our things, we were tired out so we drifted off to slumberland.

We woke up at around 4pm and Ruther and I were so hungry because we missed lunch. So we went to the canteen and they only served sausages there. We therefore had no choice but to order that. Ruther got bratwurst and I picked veal sausage. A plate cost P120 which includes the huge sausage, a piece of wheat bread and some mustard. I was skeptical about the price and the serving but when I tried the sausages, they were yummy so I didn't complain anymore. =D
At 730 p.m. we decided to take a family stroll along the beach. While strolling, we also tried to check out the restaurants that looked okay so we could pick where to have our dinner. We decided against eating at Alona Tropical restaurant again just so we could try something new so we walked along the shore to see which restaurants had customers and which had none. We decided to sup at Pyramid Grill (which has good reviews) and we ordered the chicken fingers and calamares with garlic rice. I wanted to get the grilled squid but I was afraid I could not finish it and it would simply go to waste. I didn't want that. When the food arrived, we tried it and it was yummy. After supper, we headed back home, rested a bit and then slept to recharge ourselves for our second day in Bohol.

Bohol - Friday - Part 1

I woke up at 245 a.m. last Friday (January 18) ready to begin our Bohol adventure. I woke Ruther up, got ready, checked the bags and then woke the boys up. At around 315 a.m. we were ready to leave. Russell (Ruther's younger brother) drove us to the airport and we were grateful that we did not have to get a taxi.

You would think that since it was a Friday, there would only be a few passengers/travellers. But when we got there, there was a queue leading to the entrance and then another queue towards the x-ray machines. Fortunately, there was a short line in the check-in lane so I felt that we were making good time. We paid the terminal fee (P200 each) which I personally thought was kind of too much, then passed through the final check-in. The waiting area was filled with people that there were many of them standing. This kind of worried me because I knew that the boys would want to sit down eventually. So we first bought some breakfast and then looked for a place to sit. We found a nice out-of-the-way place which was okay. The mood in the waiting area was kind of sleepy yet busy. Some passengers were so bored, some were busy chatting with family or friends, some were tinkering with their gadgets, some were eating and some were fast asleep. Occasionally, the paging system would break the restless mood urging the last few passengers to please board the aircraft now or requesting someone to come to the customer service counter or announcing the boarding calls. Shortly after we sat down, we saw this kiddie lounge and thought that maybe the kids would want to play in there while waiting for 515 a.m. to arrive. They did but only for a bit.

Then it was time to board the plane and we hurriedly made our way to the line. We were seated on rows 20 and 21. Nikki and I sat in front and Ethan and Ruther sat on the back. I SMS'd my mom and sister that we were in the plane and that I had to shut off my phone. The flight was uneventful maybe because I slept almost the whole time. During that time, the sun slowly came out and it turned the sky into different shades of blue. Nikki and Ethan were quite behaved and I was glad for that. The flight took only an hour and fifteen minutes so pretty soon, we landed at Tagbilaran Airport. It was quite small. When we disembarked, I turned on my cellphone and SMS'd my mom that we made it safely. We quickly took some photos of our arrival. It was a bit funny because many of us were snapping away and the guard was busily trying to shoo us to the arrival area but no one seemed to heed him. We just wanted to take as much photos as we could. So anyway, after that, we went to the terminal and then got our bags. I hired a pick-up service and I just had to look for my name and then we found our driver. Respectfully, we called him Manong (which roughly means "older brother" and a hierarchal marker, it is to be used to refer to anyone who is older than you within an individual's family, but could also be used for non-family -Wikipedia). We were pleased to see our service was quite new, air-conditioned and not old and battered down.

We made our way through the city and then as we left Tagbilaran, the scenery slowly transformed itself. Gone were the small buildings and houses and the busy streets. Along the way were fields of green, coconut trees, banana trees, lush hills, nipa houses, cows and carabaos here and there. It was very rural. And I loved it. It reminded me so much of Zamboanga. Anyway, it was quite a long ride. It took us about 30 minutes and Manong was driving quite fast. We got to Alonaland okay but check-in time was at 12 noon and it was only 8am. Since they did not have a restaurant (only a canteen), we decided to go to the beach, have a meal and spend the morning there while waiting for noontime. We walked down a path leading to the beach. I did not know what to expect and as we got nearer, palm trees shielded the beach from view. When we stepped out into the clearing, it was breathtaking...




to be continued...

So Close

Only 3 more days to go! I am so excited! I am more than halfway done with the packing. All I have to do is pack our slippers, cellphone and camera battery chargers, some snacks, the boys' bottles, the camera and some other last-minute stuff. I am so psyched! I really really hope that everything will proceed as planned when we get there. Ruther and I agreed that we will indeed, spend the first day at the beach so everyone could soak up the sun, sea and surf immediately. Then Saturday, we'll have the tour. Hopefully that won't last the whole day so the boys could have another swim. Then Sunday, we'll see if we could hear mass in one of the churches there. I think it will be quite an experience for all of us.

Here's hoping that everything goes wonderfully on this vacation...

The Phone

I don't know why but for some strange reason, I suddenly thought about those old phones the other day. You know, the black ones with the rotating dial. I realized that I miss those kind of phones. Sure, the push-button one is highly convenient but I think the old phone was more fun. Sure, it was irritating to use the old one especially when you dialled the 4th number wrong and had to hang up to do the whole dialling process again. But I find the rotating disc so cool (I used to wonder how, upon dialling, it would get the phone number right in the end). And, I love the click-clickety sound of the dial as it makes the turn everytime. My favorite thing was whenever I had to dial zero because it was like winding it up fully and whenever I would use the end of a pencil to turn the dial.

I guess that old phone was okay to use years back because I remember that telephone numbers only had 4 figures before. Also, it really seemed like there was just so much time to spare in the past. I mean, it's not like today, when we get so frazzled if we can't call through in 5 minutes. Auto-redialling was not even possible with the old phone and yet, I survived. I suppose it was also because my friends' phones were hardly busy 24/7. Today, is another matter entirely. You can't NOT have auto-redialling. The tip of your finger would chafe calling customer service or making airline reservations (just experienced that the other day when I had to book our tickets to Bohol). Things have just changed a lot and I guess that old phone can still survive in a peaceful laidback village or a quaint bed and breakfast or a quiet little city. But for the metropolis, I guess the push-button phone (and cellular phones) is here to stay.