MY SUNBURN hurts really bad for the 2-day family outing. Last weekend, we planned on taking my nephew Theo on his first fun-in-the-sun experience. So last Sarturday, I packed my essentials and we drove an hour to a private resort in Bauang, La Union. It felt good to kick off our shoes and step into the white sand. Some caretakers were there to take our stuff and loaded it to a large blue-striped gazebo which was near a boat. Nobody within a mile radius was there, the beach was ours even if we ran naked along the shore line. We had our house help buy fresh tilapia down the market while Yaya Remy started on heating up the grill. The liempo was soaked in reddish brown liquid which might be a mix of ketchup and soy sauce and some secret ingredients Yaya doesn’t want to reveal. My sister made sure the bottled drinks were cold as she reached for the ice chest. I was in-charge of the easiest task that day – to babysit Theo. I love how babies smell! Like baby powder and milk, he keeps tugging my hair endlessly and jumps like a frog in my lap. It was a sweet excuse not to unload anything, or prepare the table for lunch. The wind blew softly and the waves curled and crashed leaving a foamy white surface against the shore. Theo’s eyes marveled in excitement as he jumped and screamed, his eyes drooped constantly because the sound of the waves was an inviting lullaby. We took him to the shore and let him play, but as the minutes pass, the waves were getting a bit violent and the wind blew painfully. It scared him so much he cried on the second attempt as his father dipped him at waist-level. So they packed the blanket at the umbrella and headed to the gazebo while the grown-ups were left to swim while waiting for lunch to be announced. It felt a bit lonely not having a few people around to share the beach with us. I swam with my sister and a few friends til our throats hurt with all the salt taken in from the seawater and our eyes were a painful red from diving ridiculously to the ocean bed. My arms and legs were golden and my cheeks were brick red from all the heat. I forgot to re-apply my sunblock so I looked like a tomato and when a cold towel started to hit my face, I think I heard something sizzle due to the heat of my skin.
When we got to Baguio in the late afternoon, I was so tired I slept as soon as I hit the sack. When I woke up, everybody was packing for the early morning at Asin Hot springs in Riverview. We took a 10 am breakfast at my sister’s house in Camp Allen and headed to a thirty-minute drive to Asin Hot Springs. It was a crowded Sunday so I got bummed out because the all the pools seem congested but they cleared when it rained hard, haha, what a funny way to give me room to swim. The pools were really big and it overlooked mountains of wild forests, it was so amazing to just look at it. I didn’t dare to swim in the hot springs. It was freaking hot and steamy! The Lunch table was filled with liempo, tinola, adobo, inihaw na bangus, and ensalada while Theo was busy sucking on a big ripe mango and picked up a meaty liempo bone with his small hands when we weren’t looking.
After a few laps in the pool, we decided to head home early to hear Mass. We had dinner at Don Henrico’s right after and shared a big fudge brownie ala mode to cap our evenings.
This was starting to turn to a wonderful summer spending it with family. It was definitely my Christmas in April. Hope you had yours in grandiose style, too!
Showing posts with label memories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label memories. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
my lola's 92nd..
I LOVE BLOGGING about family events. I guess, in a way, I wanted to preserve the memories of my support system. When I was at the peak of my career, family reunions leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth hence, the lame excuses I give are as easy as breathing. Regretfully, I lost ten years in the making for what I realized it to be one of the most precious things in my life. It was just last Christmas that I decided to give family reunions a try and I cried a bit for not knowing my nephews and nieces have grown so much! So I vowed to be at every family event, even at the silliest ones.
February is a grand month for my clan. My grandmother celebrates her birthday lavishly in the mansions. On her 92nd birthday, preparation starts as early as October. It was just last weekend that we all made it happen. We packed lightly and headed to Pangasinan for the two-hour ride. We stopped by San Fabian to get a gallon of nipa vinegar from Daddy’s supplier, just as we were about to pull out of the curve, a few fish vendors flocked around the car to sell their catch for the day. My Dad eyed the three ten-foot cod hanging by its tail, he made the purchase easily since they were fresh catch. We stopped by Dagupan to eat at a stop and checked in at one of the hotels there. We freshened up and headed to Calasiao. As we were nearing the street heading up the mansion, several cars were lined up front. I remembered the sprawling lawn when I was a kid and only a few cars were parked then, but now, almost all my cousins own a car and every year the lawn gets smaller with all the vehicles parked. We were greeted by my nephews and nieces, a few of my cousins were setting up the sound system and installing lights. A few yayas were running around the garden trying to run after the kids. I took a round of kisses to my aunts and uncles who warmly hugged me. The foyer was big and decorated beautifully with streamers, the maids took out plates of colorful food, lechon, sweets and busily counted the silverware. Guests were coming in and there she is, my Lola Osiang, smiling happily at everybody in her wheelchair. She squeezed my hand tightly and pulled me down for a kiss. Her familiar scent of baby powder and red roses hit home. I studied her face carefully and wiped a strand of gray hair out of her face. The lines in her face were visibly creased, boasting of the 92 years she lived by everyday, it was amazing seeing her talk wildly about her experiences, laughed like a kid, with no trace of forgetfulness. She was giddy seeing my dad “My Eddie boy”, she exclaimed lovingly as she planted a kiss on my dad’s forehead, he was her favorite son.
Fireworks cracked into the sky and my lola glowed happily when she saw all of us danced and cheered. We took pictures and took turns honoring our grandmother by giving a speech in front of everybody. When everybody was done, she took the microphone: “ I dreamt of your lolo last night, he said I must see all of you dance because this may be my last birthday, I‘m so happy all of you are here,” she said wistfully. A few hours of fun passed, the party was winding down, but my grandmother was still fully awake to have coffee with her children. They laughed and traveled down memory lane. Me and my cousins stayed in one corner just talking about what we were up to, this night right here, is something worth writing about.
February is a grand month for my clan. My grandmother celebrates her birthday lavishly in the mansions. On her 92nd birthday, preparation starts as early as October. It was just last weekend that we all made it happen. We packed lightly and headed to Pangasinan for the two-hour ride. We stopped by San Fabian to get a gallon of nipa vinegar from Daddy’s supplier, just as we were about to pull out of the curve, a few fish vendors flocked around the car to sell their catch for the day. My Dad eyed the three ten-foot cod hanging by its tail, he made the purchase easily since they were fresh catch. We stopped by Dagupan to eat at a stop and checked in at one of the hotels there. We freshened up and headed to Calasiao. As we were nearing the street heading up the mansion, several cars were lined up front. I remembered the sprawling lawn when I was a kid and only a few cars were parked then, but now, almost all my cousins own a car and every year the lawn gets smaller with all the vehicles parked. We were greeted by my nephews and nieces, a few of my cousins were setting up the sound system and installing lights. A few yayas were running around the garden trying to run after the kids. I took a round of kisses to my aunts and uncles who warmly hugged me. The foyer was big and decorated beautifully with streamers, the maids took out plates of colorful food, lechon, sweets and busily counted the silverware. Guests were coming in and there she is, my Lola Osiang, smiling happily at everybody in her wheelchair. She squeezed my hand tightly and pulled me down for a kiss. Her familiar scent of baby powder and red roses hit home. I studied her face carefully and wiped a strand of gray hair out of her face. The lines in her face were visibly creased, boasting of the 92 years she lived by everyday, it was amazing seeing her talk wildly about her experiences, laughed like a kid, with no trace of forgetfulness. She was giddy seeing my dad “My Eddie boy”, she exclaimed lovingly as she planted a kiss on my dad’s forehead, he was her favorite son.
Fireworks cracked into the sky and my lola glowed happily when she saw all of us danced and cheered. We took pictures and took turns honoring our grandmother by giving a speech in front of everybody. When everybody was done, she took the microphone: “ I dreamt of your lolo last night, he said I must see all of you dance because this may be my last birthday, I‘m so happy all of you are here,” she said wistfully. A few hours of fun passed, the party was winding down, but my grandmother was still fully awake to have coffee with her children. They laughed and traveled down memory lane. Me and my cousins stayed in one corner just talking about what we were up to, this night right here, is something worth writing about.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Orange-brick House
I grew up in a noisy household in a brood of six kids, my parents, four yayas, two househelp, two dogs, and an Orange-brick house. Oh.. I forgot to mention my seven cousins who lived next door :)
As far as I can remember, our mornings would start really early when almost all our cousins are out doing their chores and they'd knock to wake us up. We would run around the house and play all the games we could think of. I'd remember we had a vast piece of land in the backyard called Alog (pronounced Ah-log) where mango trees and nearly hundreds of plants grew and we ran and climb trees til our arms and knees had scrapes. We would chase after dragonflies, and other things we find amusing that crawl or fly or run around the Alog and we would poke their butts thinking these poor creatures were getting tickled.
My Yaya Merlie would stick her tongue out whenever I begged for food out of the high cupboard. I keep begging her to reach for a bag of cookies for me but she would not, I got even with her by calling the funeral home and ordering a coffin for her to be delivered at home with her name across the silk sash on the coffee brown casket. Yaya Merlie cried to Mama that day when she saw a hearse pulling up on the driveway. I was four years old.
During those days, my Lolo Andring (who was the second cousin of my Lola Juana) would come to visit and check on us. I stirred up a conversation with him while he waited for Mama to come home. I told him his hair was growing long and he needed a haircut real bad. His barbero was out of town and I offered to cut his hair, without any hesitation, he told me to get my scissors. I happily sat him on my little chair, and prepared what I knew was meant for cutting hair: shears, a makeshift bib and a sprayer that I got from the garden. I nervously placed an aluminum bowl upside down on the top of his head, I sprayed and snipped until my lolo looked like a coconut husk! My mom was furious with me but my lolo said there was no need to punish me because he liked the haircut so much, he came back twice and gave me all his coins.
My dad came home one day announcing we were moving to Baguio in two weeks. My brothers and sisters were both happy and a bit sad at that time. New place, new friends to make, new life. It was difficult at first because there was so much history and I did not readily embrace change. What do I know? I was just a kid, living by the moment.
Looking back now, I am thankful of the childhood I had, I was one of the blessed people to have experience such joy and overwhelming love by the people around me. I am always praying that children right now will experience a similar happy childhood to preserve the remarkable years of innocence and learning in their youth as I have. I believe that every memory, belief and lesson learned shape the very essence of a person, dear readers. It gently reminds us that life can be so simple after all.
As far as I can remember, our mornings would start really early when almost all our cousins are out doing their chores and they'd knock to wake us up. We would run around the house and play all the games we could think of. I'd remember we had a vast piece of land in the backyard called Alog (pronounced Ah-log) where mango trees and nearly hundreds of plants grew and we ran and climb trees til our arms and knees had scrapes. We would chase after dragonflies, and other things we find amusing that crawl or fly or run around the Alog and we would poke their butts thinking these poor creatures were getting tickled.
My Yaya Merlie would stick her tongue out whenever I begged for food out of the high cupboard. I keep begging her to reach for a bag of cookies for me but she would not, I got even with her by calling the funeral home and ordering a coffin for her to be delivered at home with her name across the silk sash on the coffee brown casket. Yaya Merlie cried to Mama that day when she saw a hearse pulling up on the driveway. I was four years old.
During those days, my Lolo Andring (who was the second cousin of my Lola Juana) would come to visit and check on us. I stirred up a conversation with him while he waited for Mama to come home. I told him his hair was growing long and he needed a haircut real bad. His barbero was out of town and I offered to cut his hair, without any hesitation, he told me to get my scissors. I happily sat him on my little chair, and prepared what I knew was meant for cutting hair: shears, a makeshift bib and a sprayer that I got from the garden. I nervously placed an aluminum bowl upside down on the top of his head, I sprayed and snipped until my lolo looked like a coconut husk! My mom was furious with me but my lolo said there was no need to punish me because he liked the haircut so much, he came back twice and gave me all his coins.
My dad came home one day announcing we were moving to Baguio in two weeks. My brothers and sisters were both happy and a bit sad at that time. New place, new friends to make, new life. It was difficult at first because there was so much history and I did not readily embrace change. What do I know? I was just a kid, living by the moment.
Looking back now, I am thankful of the childhood I had, I was one of the blessed people to have experience such joy and overwhelming love by the people around me. I am always praying that children right now will experience a similar happy childhood to preserve the remarkable years of innocence and learning in their youth as I have. I believe that every memory, belief and lesson learned shape the very essence of a person, dear readers. It gently reminds us that life can be so simple after all.
Monday, November 17, 2008
my sweetest chapters
My sweetest chapters
In my life, I look back at certain chapters where I am at my happiest. When I remember these things, I feel that, at one time in my life, I've been the star of my own show..
Chapter 1 - meeting R
R was a cadet, I met him one sunny morning in Camp John Hay where cadets and foster families get together for a Sunday picnic. He was peeling a banana and I giggled. R smiled at me and we started to talk. He didn't know who I was with and we didn't exchange numbers at that time because my family and I had to leave immediately.
There was a ball at the Convention Center the week after that, and from where I was sitting, I could see him trying to find me. After everybody had gone home, he took my hand and we talked for a bit. He looked at me and we knew this was gonna last. He sent me flowers on Valentines day, 10 days after we met, and he said that he liked me. Months after pursuing me, I decided to take a chance at love and said "Yes" on..
Chapter 2: My Eighteenth Birthday
Everybody who I knew was there. My mom and dad knew this was the gift I wanted, to have all my friends gather in one place and savor the moment that it was my day and to celebrate my existence. I looked at R at the end of the room and he was anxious to see what this day will turn out to be for the both of us. As a cadet, he had a serial number, R knew that his serial number coincides with the date I said yes to being a couple. He hugged me so tight and never wanted to let me go, the feeling was amazing on loving someone and being loved.
Chapter 3: "She's pregnant.."
I pulled my hand away when he said those words quietly. After years of having him, it was time to let go, I know there were bigger things meant for me, and R was not part of it anymore. It became clear to me, that I can cry inspite of the happiness I thought my life laid out for me. I started to learn that this chapter was just one of the many trials I had to go through and it shook my relationship with the Lord. There was a point in my life where he couldn't let go even if I shut the door in his face. He realized in the end that I was the one who he wished he had fought for all these years. But I realize that there is no one in my life who is constant except my faith in God.
Chapter 4: My promotion
I deserved to be here. To be at the level where I have worked so hard for. My co-workers have been so happy for me and taking the stage to acknowledge me in a higher position with the most defeaning roar of claps made my achievement even more victorious.
Chapter 5: When I met Ben
This is my most favorite chapter of all. I will not share all the details in this as I'm still going through alot with him as of this writing. But this I will write...We were enemies at the office then we started being friends and we have evolved to be the best of friends.I came to learn to let go and give him wings to fly. I know he's happy with all the things he is blessed with. I just finally decided I did not want to be part of the world he choose to dream in. For I had my own world to think about and in mine, I have yet to find my happy ending.
Although the "me" part was not that established yet, I am hopeful that my decisions will prove to be promising in the next days and even for the rest of my life. I know there will be more chapters in my life that I can truly pick up the pieces and learn from and I also know I have a strong support system to pull me gently to the ground once I try to fly away and escape from everything else. In my life, I am the lead actor and I tell the actors their cue. I have grown so much to realize that the time has come to continue the process of moving up and moving forward. And that time is now...
In my life, I look back at certain chapters where I am at my happiest. When I remember these things, I feel that, at one time in my life, I've been the star of my own show..
Chapter 1 - meeting R
R was a cadet, I met him one sunny morning in Camp John Hay where cadets and foster families get together for a Sunday picnic. He was peeling a banana and I giggled. R smiled at me and we started to talk. He didn't know who I was with and we didn't exchange numbers at that time because my family and I had to leave immediately.
There was a ball at the Convention Center the week after that, and from where I was sitting, I could see him trying to find me. After everybody had gone home, he took my hand and we talked for a bit. He looked at me and we knew this was gonna last. He sent me flowers on Valentines day, 10 days after we met, and he said that he liked me. Months after pursuing me, I decided to take a chance at love and said "Yes" on..
Chapter 2: My Eighteenth Birthday
Everybody who I knew was there. My mom and dad knew this was the gift I wanted, to have all my friends gather in one place and savor the moment that it was my day and to celebrate my existence. I looked at R at the end of the room and he was anxious to see what this day will turn out to be for the both of us. As a cadet, he had a serial number, R knew that his serial number coincides with the date I said yes to being a couple. He hugged me so tight and never wanted to let me go, the feeling was amazing on loving someone and being loved.
Chapter 3: "She's pregnant.."
I pulled my hand away when he said those words quietly. After years of having him, it was time to let go, I know there were bigger things meant for me, and R was not part of it anymore. It became clear to me, that I can cry inspite of the happiness I thought my life laid out for me. I started to learn that this chapter was just one of the many trials I had to go through and it shook my relationship with the Lord. There was a point in my life where he couldn't let go even if I shut the door in his face. He realized in the end that I was the one who he wished he had fought for all these years. But I realize that there is no one in my life who is constant except my faith in God.
Chapter 4: My promotion
I deserved to be here. To be at the level where I have worked so hard for. My co-workers have been so happy for me and taking the stage to acknowledge me in a higher position with the most defeaning roar of claps made my achievement even more victorious.
Chapter 5: When I met Ben
This is my most favorite chapter of all. I will not share all the details in this as I'm still going through alot with him as of this writing. But this I will write...We were enemies at the office then we started being friends and we have evolved to be the best of friends.I came to learn to let go and give him wings to fly. I know he's happy with all the things he is blessed with. I just finally decided I did not want to be part of the world he choose to dream in. For I had my own world to think about and in mine, I have yet to find my happy ending.
Although the "me" part was not that established yet, I am hopeful that my decisions will prove to be promising in the next days and even for the rest of my life. I know there will be more chapters in my life that I can truly pick up the pieces and learn from and I also know I have a strong support system to pull me gently to the ground once I try to fly away and escape from everything else. In my life, I am the lead actor and I tell the actors their cue. I have grown so much to realize that the time has come to continue the process of moving up and moving forward. And that time is now...
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
June in December...
Two days before Christmas, I busily packed my things at the office, and hurriedly stuffed my big paper bag with gifts my agents gave me. I checked my watch and my bus was scheduled to leave three hours from now. I will be spending a week-long Christmas vacation in Baguio.
As I began to log off my computer, one of my co-workers V approached me and said: "June died.." her voice trailed off. Instantly, my world fell apart, I sat there for hours contacting friends telling the news that he have been on a motorbike accident that early morning and he did not survive the crash, I stared at the carpet shaking. I remembered June inviting me the day before with his teammates on a drinking spree but I declined the offer because I was needed someplace.
June was always the agent who came in late, often giving me an apologetic look as he logs in for calls. He was always sweet like a little brother asking me anything specially about his job. He would make me laugh and he'd always get my little stuffed toy off my computer so that he could play with it.
I called my mom telling her that I couldn't make it for Christmas. I mourned deeply for June's loss and I was depressed for days. It was the worst Christmas I had spending it with a block of ham and looking at the colorful parols hanging on the outside the streets in Manila.
After a few days, I went to his wake and June's mother held my hand tight as tears streamed down her face. June had that impact on me. He gave me strength and meaning to my leadership and I treated him as a friend. My team was my second family and looking after them was my pride and joy.
I have learned to grieve for a loved one in the worst way I know. I forgot how it was to exist in this world and that days would not stop if I had let my own life to rot. Slowly, I noticed that the sun seemed brighter than the usual and I started coming out of my shell, I will always love my June and I know he would have been happier if I let his memory go and enjoy life everyday. After his death, I came to know the good in everybody, that no matter how bad they can be, there is that genuine part of them that they will share to their closest circles. I learned that everyday is different than the rest and what I have done will be part of what I have become - I may not be able to go back to the past, but I still have a chance to make up for it. Chances are endless and treat one as if it is your last. That's why I am here - to make a difference.
Thank you, June. For coming to my life and for making it matter. You gave me reason to think that there is so much love to give as I have for you...
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