I have no pictures to show because my PC has been reconfigured and reformatted and all the shots I took before are now in my hard drive. For the longest time, our browser, Mozilla Firefox has acted up like crazy so Josef has to reinstall everything. At least for now, I have my 2010 to 2012 albums on another drive.
It’s been a very busy weekend for Josef and me despite that Saturday and Sunday were official holidays. I hope it is not too late to wish you all Happy Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day as well. In between attending masses over the weekend, we finished gardening at our outside perimeter wall facing the side street on our property. It was a backbreaking job digging the soil for planting but it was also an opportunity to bond with our neighbors while gardening. One of our neighbors gifted me with a pot of Zamia (commonly known as cardboard plant) and I had it re-potted into three. I love its dark green and shiny leaves, another addition to my plant collections. When they have rooted properly, I’ll use one of the pots for indoor decor.
Do you celebrate All Saints’ Day? How about All Souls’ Day? The feast of all saints is solemnly celebrated in the Catholic calendar on which we celebrate all saints, known and unknown especially those who suffered martyrdom for Christ. Most Filipinos visit their dead relatives in cemeteries, offer masses, light candles and pray for them during these days. Actually, the celebration has become a sort of reunion for families and relatives. I haven’t gone home to the province for several years now but every time I do, the first place we visit is the cemetery. One doesn’t have to wait for these two holidays to visit, in fact I prefer the quiet times I spend there and reminisce while praying for them. Lovell texted as early as Saturday morning and requested for a list of our relatives to be included in his masses.
I miss Dad most of all. The pain of losing him lingers still somehow but all the lovely memories are deeply treasured and cherished. We have this lovely tradition (growing up in the province) that hasn’t been broken until now because every year, we do it as a family aside from offering masses especially for our dead relatives and friends. I remember those days when Mom used to invite neighbors, relatives mostly to pray together in our old house in the province. We pray the rosary together then after praying, we share the food which has been prepared earlier. Most of the time, it would be pancit (Chinese noodles) with drinks or that Spanish biscuit recipe we call galletas. These are crunchy small biscuits which our old folks in the province dip in their hot cup of coffee. Maybe that was where people learned to dip their hot pan de sal in a hot cup of coffee. Until now, my Mom still does it and I smile when she does because I remember the days of old. They also prepare these rice cakes called inlubi (made from glutinous rice which we call pinipig). The first week of November is usually harvest season in our place. I wonder though if they still do it now because last time I heard, they had pasta. Learning from them, I do it here every year. The difference is instead of offering sweets at the altar when we pray the rosary, we offer one or two recipes which are favorites too of our dead kins. It wouldn’t be complete if we don’t light candles near our front door and let them burn throughout the night. The following morning, we bury the food we offered at the altar. We also pray for all souls in purgatory and offer a prayer too for those who had lived earlier where we are.
After attending mass this morning, we went to National Bookstore and took note of their Christmas decor on display. Gives you an idea to just recycle, add a few touches here and there. We usually put our Christmas decoration on the last week of November. Oh, I am counting now. The days are going too fast. It’s 53 days to go before Christmas and I haven’t bought any gift yet.
Hello again! How have you been?
Dreams And Escapes 