Rollercoaster July

July hit me with a tremendous blow. I lost my beagle, Zippy, to a very aggressive form of cancer - Lymphoma. I was hurting like hell and terribly paralyzed, but I knew I needed to move.

I forged on and participated in two events - Meralco OFit and The Good Trade's First Anniversary - because I didn't want to let Zippy, Matenara, my followers, and the organizers down. To be honest, I was still grieving, and I just wanted to stay cocooned in my room. I felt like I wasn't going to be the best representation of my brand, but I still went.

To my surprise, the distraction was welcome. I was booth neighbors for two days at OFit with Danica of @AtoZeroWaste who was a breath of fresh air. Daily sustenance was provided by The Angry Chef, owned by my brother, Budo, and sister-in-law, Tricia.

The Friday after OFit was TGT's anniversary event. To be greeted by familiar faces and the warmest of hugs were beyond what I expected. Kira of @rinseandrepeat.ph and I went from one booth to another, making new friends and chika and getting our snack (and @dreamwideawakeph coffee) fix. Being booth neighbors with Angelique of @akkulaph was a godsend - she introduced me to her chihuahuas and Hero, her special cockatoo.

I told the story of how the Paw Balm started while I clasped Zippy's memorial pendant to as many interested people as possible.

I am still mostly quiet on Matenara's social media, but I write letters to Zippy daily and post it on My Dog Zippy. It gives me an opportunity to reminisce and celebrate what a great dog she was and what a precious relationship we had.

I am still gathering my bearings, but I have found new purpose and energy in Matenara. There have been so many awesome things happening left and right that I'm overwhelmed yet grateful. This is Zippy's legacy.