Mom's Long Weekend

It was a long weekend. Supposedly to celebrate the martyrdom of Benigno Aquino. It is sometimes hard to accept a celebration which actually not celebrated on the day it happened. But celebration or not, hardworking men and women would gladly take any holiday. And this long weekend, mom, Violet, Miguel, Chief and I went out to Angeles City, Pampanga to visit Tita Celia.

I only pushed Shaq up to around 120 kph. Couldn’t push him more as family was riding with me and there had been slight drizzle.

We arrived in Angeles City around 11am and Tita Celia was waiting out in the porch. We were all surprised to see her, as she had been bed-ridden for the past months. She had recovered very well. Praises to God!

Tita Celia’s eldest daughter, Baby, had prepared lunch. Shrimps and fried chicken and sinigang. Nothing fancy but hot and filling for everyone at the dining table.

Two of mom’s cousins had joined us for this trip. It was sort of a homecoming for the two senior ladies. All through the drive, we could hear “kapangpangan” words and I know that my mom felt extra good using her native dialect. Nobody at home really picked up to learn “kapangpangan.” And I knew she had been looking forward to this long weekend with Chief and myself.

One of them really reminds us of Love Abergas, Olwen’s mom, who at her age, looks and acts and speaks like a young teenage lady. This year she is turning a milestone. 70.

Will Chief and I get lucky to make a U.S. trip in December? Maybe?

The Biggest Laughs

Tonight, we shared the biggest laughs at Granwood Villas as friends got together to celebrate friendship and family. Cesar and Amvic Pareja. Jeanette and Resty Reyes. Matess Salviejo. Jeff Enriquez. Rommel and Madelaine Cecilio. Alain Carag. Bob Novales (minus Monch who is currently in New Jersey) Bong Lopez. And Chief and myself... plus the guest of honor, Olwen Abergas, shared laughs and cup cakes!


Photo shows Matess, Marivic and Olwen (and what is left of callos and Coke) laughing as Cesar "talks to a house" in Puerto Galera. Many years ago, we all went to Puerto Galera for a weekend. Years before the Parejas were parents.

Photo shows Jeanette and Alain laughing as they review pictures taken from Olwen's Sony digital camera.

47

Just turned 47. Wow... nearing the 50th milestone. But for this weekend, am just enjoying the fluffy linen and pillows at Makati Shnagrila Hotel, Room 1519 with Chief.