Shopping for Supplies

Public schools opened on June 3 while private schools started classes on June 10. With the kids going to Queen of Peace school, a small private school managed by the same nuns running the home, their classes start on June 10. Conferring with Gwen, we decided on Sunday, June 9, as the gift-giving day. However, some personal and family things came up that conflicted with the initial schedule, and so I called up Gwen again and moved the gift-giving to Friday, June 7. Unfortunately, Gwen will not be at the home that day as she was scheduled to be on duty at the provincial hospital. Nevertheless, we decided to push through with Friday, June 7. 

With my failed attempts to visit the home prior to the gift-giving, I only had Wednesday and Thursday to complete the purchase of all the supplies needed. Wearing rubber shoes (less stress on the feet plus protection from rain water on the streets) and armed with two large empty shopping bags, I made my way downtown!

Wednesday, First stop: Portia's Store on the corner of Gatuslao and San Sebastian Streets. It sells school supplies, toys, shoes, slippers, umbrellas, candies, housewares, gardenwares - practically anything and everything at very low low prices. The downside: poor ventilation that it felt like I was in the sauna the entire time I was there browsing the school supplies room. Add the fact that it was very humid that day, my shirt was plastered to my back with sweat.

My loot from Portia: reams of writing pads, intermediate papers, long and short bond papers, long and short brown envelopes, ballpens,pencils and crayons. They must have weighed about 10 kilograms. Good thing I  bought tote bags with me; it helped and made my purchases easier to carry than if they were placed on plastic bags. Just imagine me, walking through a drizzle down San Sebastian street, with my purse on my left shoulder, a big red tote bag filled with supplies on my right shoulder, while holding another bag in my left hand. I must have looked a sight with my many bags, shirt plastered on my back, and getting wet from the rain. 

I dropped by LBC San Sebastian, hoping that a cousin who works there would agree to watch the bags while I go to yet another store to purchase the other things on my list. Unfortunately, she was assigned to another branch that day and so I had no choice but to carry them with me to my next destination: Uni Top. 

Wednesday, Second stop: Uni Top, on the right of Araneta Street facing the public plaza, across from BPI main and the old city hall. It's like a department store / warehouse store selling clothes on the second floor, and school supplies, housewares, electrical and garden supplies, and everything else on the ground floor. The place was packed that day but good thing the school supplies were front and center, near the cash registers. 

My loot from Uni Top: writing and composition notebooks, watercolors and compasses, and pocket dictionaries. The notebooks alone must have weighed nearly 10 kilograms and since my two shopping bags were all used up already, I had no choice but to use plastic bags. 

Before going home, I dropped by a stall selling buko shake for some refreshment. Gathering my strength, I claimed my bags from the package counter and with my purse on my left shoulder, that big red tote on my right shoulder, another bag on my left hand, and the plastic bag-full of notebooks on my right hand, I crossed the street to Po's Marketing to ride the jeep home. Loaded with all my purchases, I miscalculated my seat that I must have pulled a muscle setting down those bags and sitting down at the same time. 

I must have been so thirsty I almost finished a liter of buko shake before the jeep even reached SM, lol. Overall, I felt like a weight lifter that day my legs turned to jelly. Good thing my sister-in-law was on hand to meet me when I alighted from the jeep at home, to lend a hand in bringing all those supplies into the house. 

My loot for the day: 

With my funds running low and not enough to prepare snacks for 30 kids plus about 12 support staff, I decided to use it to buy more notebooks instead. But because of all my lifting and carrying the day before, my arms still felt like jelly and I didn't feel like going downtown on Thursday. Good thing my sister-in-law was going anyway. I asked her to buy 75 more composition notebooks, which she did, at Uni City. Good thing as well, her father was downtown with the pick up, she asked him to bring the notebooks home. Good for her; she did not have to carry kilograms of notebooks, lol. What she got are below: 

Supplies complete, we are now ready to start preparing the care packages!