The Lemon Meringue Room Is Buzzing With Creativity Again Today

The Lemon Meringue Room is buzzing with creativity again today! 

After the careful layout planning earlier this week, 

the team continued working on the accent wall design -- 

adding precision, tape by tape, square by square. 

With each line perfectly aligned by the green laser guide, 

the cheerful yellow wall slowly transformed into a geometric canvas.

The next layer brought in that charming contrast of creamy white squares, creating a subtle checkerboard effect that feels both playful and refined -- 

perfectly matching the sunny, airy vibe we envisioned for this pastel haven. 

Watching these clean lines and soft tones come together is a sweet reminder that even small details, when done with heart, can make a room feel alive.

Today's Progress From My Architect

Today’s progress photo from my architect -- 

a quick snapshot showing the installation of the bathroom zócalo 

in the downstairs powder room.

That small strip of cement might look simple, 

but it’s such an important step -- 

defining the shower area’s edge and keeping water 

neatly contained where it should be. 

Bit by bit, the powder room is taking shape. 

With its clean lines and soft walls 

soon to be enveloped in pastel lavender, 

even this modest detail feels like part 

of something beautiful in the making.

It’s these quiet, practical stages that remind me 

that beauty often begins in structure -- 

one careful layer at a time.

🌸 Today is My Birthday 🌸

Today, I turn another year older. As I sit quietly with my thoughts, I glance back at this blog and realize -- my last major update about myself here was dated December 27, 2018. 

That was our 22nd Wedding Anniversary... and also the day my Mom and sister flew in from the U.S. to visit the Philippines.

But behind the scenes of that seemingly joyful day, life was quietly shifting. By then, my husband and I had already gone our separate ways.

In July 2018, we had made the painful decision to separate. I even began looking for a lawyer to file for annulment. I still remember how wounded I felt just months before that, on Mother’s Day -- he hadn’t even greeted me. Yes, we ate out, but only for the sake of the children, to show that we still marked the occasion. Beyond that, nothing. No words of appreciation, no tenderness, no recognition of the role I poured my soul into. I admit, I tend to be sensitive when my being a mother is overlooked or ignored. Call me shallow, perhaps, but that is who I am.

It’s been seven years since.
Seven years of change.
Seven years of letting go, surviving, growing.

Time has a way of transforming everything -- even in the garden of life.
Leaves dry and fall.
Flowers bloom, then fade.
Some things die quietly, while others burst forth in color again when you least expect it.

Today, as I write this, I can’t help but reminisce about those “hungry years.” That old Neil Sedaka song -- especially the version by Rita Coolidge -- still pierces my heart every time I hear it. It carries me back to those days when we had so little, yet felt so rich in love. Finances were tight, but life wasn’t too hard. We had each other. We had laughter. We had a sense of home.

I miss those days.
They were golden -- not because they were perfect, but because they were real.
We may not have had steady income, but we somehow managed to put life in quiet order.
There was peace in simplicity.
There was strength in togetherness.

I would often tell my friends and family: you only truly get to know a person’s character in two seasons -- when he has nothing, and when he has everything. My ex-husband changed when he finally found his niche and his business began to blossom. Success revealed another side of him, and I was left behind, struggling quietly in my own teaching career.

I had poured my whole life into raising and caring for our two children, and in doing so, my own dreams and career took a back seat. I have no regrets about the love and time I gave them. But as the years passed, it became clear that the winds had shifted, carrying our sails in different directions -- away from one another.

And so the wind blew us in different directions...
We drifted, as people sometimes do.
And now, I sit here in a different chapter of my life... older, wiser, still healing.

Some days the memories cut like glass. I wonder if I could have held on tighter, fought harder, or seen the cracks before they shattered. Other days, I accept that the story had to break the way it did -- that what we once had was never meant to last.

Still hoping.
Still blooming.

No matter how slow and difficult it is.

Every time I hear “The Hungry Years,” I ache for that once-upon-a-time -- those days when we didn’t have enough money, but we had everything that mattered.

 __________ 

 THE HUNGRY YEARS

 Rita Coolidge 

Babe, we made it to the top

We went so high we couldn't stop
We climbed the ladder leading us nowhere
Two of us together building castles in the air
We spun so fast we couldn't tell
The gold ring from the carousel
How could we know the right would turn out bad
Everything we wanted, was everything we had
I miss the hungry years
The once upon a time
The lovely long ago
We didn't have a dime
Those days of me and you
We lost along the way
How could I be so blind
Not to see the door
Closing on the world
That I now hunger for
Looking through my tears
I miss the hungry years
We shared our day dreams one by one
Making plans was so much fun
We set our goals and reached the highest star
Things that we were after were much better from a far
And here we stand just me and you
With everything and nothing too
It wasn't worth the price we had to pay
Honey, take me home
Let's go back to yesterday
I miss the hungry years
The once upon a time
The lovely long ago
We didn't have a dime
Those days of me and you
We lost along the way
How could I be so blind
Not to see the door
Closing on the world
That I now hunger for
Looking through my tears
I miss the hungry years

Today's Progress Focused on Detailing and Design

Today’s progress focused on detailing and design -- 

one of those calm yet exciting moments 

where creativity starts to meet precision.

In the Lemon Meringue Room, the painters began laying out 

the guide lines for the accent wall design using painter’s tape -- 

marking each stripe with care and symmetry. 

Those neat blue lines against the soft yellow wall 

already hint at how playful and elegant the finished pattern will be.

Meanwhile, the Mint Meadow Room was brought to life 

through a short video pan -- 

capturing how the pastel green paint glows in the light 

and fills the space with serenity.

Little by little, Casa Arcoiris is transforming 

from a construction site into a pastel daydream -- 

each wall whispering its own story of calm, color, and charm.

Today's Update From My Architect

Today’s update from my architect -- 

snapshots sent by our workers straight from their low-res camera, 

but still filled with pastel promise! 

Each room is now finally showing its true colors:

 The Blush Rose Room – soft and romantic, 

a gentle pink glow that feels like a quiet sunset.

 The Lemon Meringue Room – sunny and happy, 

now perfected into that light buttery yellow we envisioned.

 The Mint Meadow Room – crisp and refreshing, 

like morning light over new leaves.

Even through the grainy photos, 

I can feel the warmth and life radiating from these pastel hues. 

These colors aren’t just paint -- 

they’re emotions taking form on the walls of Casa Arcoiris.

Today Was All About Color

Today was all about color -- 

the heart of Casa Arcoiris itself. 

The painters tested the wall shade for the Lemon Meringue Room, 

and after so many adjustments, we finally saw it -- 

that soft, sunny pastel yellow that feels both happy and gentle at the same time. 

My architect and I agreed -- 

the color has at last been achieved. 

The room now glows with warmth and optimism, 

like the first light of morning pouring through sheer curtains.

Each wall, once plain and pale, now hums quietly with life. 

This shade of yellow feels like joy settling in -- 

the perfect reflection of the sunshine I imagined for this space all along.

This Day Felt Exra Special

This day felt extra special -- 

my dream of having a home library café finally began to take shape.

The carpenters carefully assembled and installed the floor-to-ceiling bookshelf 

in the living and dining area, piece by piece -- 

transforming the once plain Powder Sky Room 

into something that already feels warm, lived-in, and inspired.

Seeing those white shelves stand proudly 

against the powder blue wall was pure joy --

a gentle reminder that dreams really do build themselves 

one plank, one nail, and one idea at a time.

Soon, this space will be filled with stories, flowers, and soft light -- 

a corner of calm and creativity in Casa Arcoiris.

This Week Focused On The Service Area

This week focused on the service area -- 

also known as my little sun room and pantry space. 

The team measured and planned the roof covering 

that will soon shelter this bright, open spot -- 

a space meant for both sunlight and calm. 

Tiles were also installed on the rough flooring, 

finally smoothing out what used to be bare cement. 

Each piece laid felt like a promise of warmth and order -- 

small steps toward turning a utility corner 

into a cozy nook of purpose and light. 

Even the smallest corners of Casa Arcoiris 

are slowly finding their place.

More Small But Satisfying Changes This Week

More small but satisfying changes this week -- 

little details that make the house safer and brighter. 

The front door screen door finally arrived and was installed -- 

strong, clean, and airy, keeping the bugs out while letting the wind and light in. 

Then came the bathroom window screens -- 

designed to lift upward to open the awning glass outside. 

Such a small thing, yet it made me smile -- 

simple, clever, and neat. 

Every piece fitted, every screw tightened, 

every sound of drilling echoing a step closer to home.

Little by little, Casa Arcoiris begins to breathe.

Painted, But Not Yet Right

Painted, but not yet right. 

Every wall finally has color, yet my heart knows -- 

it’s not quite the pastel dream I pictured.

The hues turned heavier than I hoped, so my architect and I agreed: we’ll start over.

Repainting soon begins, to capture the soft, gentle tones that truly feel like me. 

Because Casa Arcoiris isn’t just about color -- 

it’s about peace, light, and the kind of calm that feels like home.