Have A Safe Flight Back To Tulsa

Saying goodbye is not without its tears. Gonna miss you brother dear, until we meet again.

They came over for a short visit, my niece, her husband and their son.

And with my sis-in-law too.

Have a safe flight back to Tulsa.

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Busy, Busy

Aside of course from being hit by the lazy bug to make a blog post, I was busy.

Finally, we got to meet again after several years. What a lovely time with the family. We had a mini reunion last November 1 when Noel and Lanette were here. A late celebration for my birthday. I just ordered food online so we had enough time to exchange news. We invited my oldest brother Kuya Roy and my sis-in-law, Nissa’s family too. They brought with them lots of goodies for the family. Nissa and Noel took a lot of photos. I am compiling them in an album at Facebook.

At first mom could not recognize Noel but when he embraced and kissed her, she smiled and shouted “Oweng”, Noel’s nickname.

A family pic but the others were busy with lunch. (Josef, Noel, Nissa, Nate and me).

Ang maglolo.

With Noel and Lanette

Look at how old my mom is now. She’ll be turning 94 by April next year.

Nate’s legs are so heavy😘

They spent four days in Mindoro with Lanette’s family, then yesterday, they were off to Pangasinan to visit Alden at the cemetery and a quick visit to my niece and sis-in-law and some cousins. Good thing one of Lanette’s brothers was free to drive them around. They’re coming back today and on Saturday, Nissa and Obet will bring them to Tagaytay to enjoy another tourist attraction.

Mae is Alden’s only child. She said she looks more like his tito than her Papa.

Just a hectic two-week visit.

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Our New Doggies

Three days or four days ago, Josef and Jovy found Noki at the pound. That was the second day that we were looking for him. They approached the police and they helped them to secure Noki back since he was not at the pound. Those in charge of it know healthy and nice breed dog so they didn’t bring him there. I guess he was also traumatized. My kids would have to buy him back.

The other day, they decided to adopt a dog, a Jack Russell. I was amazed that he is a good dog. He was wagging his tail when we fed him. Noki was jealous of course, he kept on barking but when Jovy finished bathing the dog, they were already friends. We decided to call her Niki.

Yesterday, I was surprised when the small truck of the pound arrived at our gate. As soon as Niki saw it, she readily hid herself under our dining table and she was shaking. She was afraid of those men she saw at the gate. Even dogs know who cares for them and who does not. They brought with them two more dogs. Jovy paid 1k for both. I guess they are Aspin (native dogs). A female and a male. She said the male would be given to her brother. One stayed in the rain yesterday. He won’t budge. They are now in the garden but they haven’t adapted yet to their environment.

I pity the poor dogs, those in-charge of the pound euthanize them after three or four days when nobody claims them. I bet they eat them too. They sell those which other dog lovers like. Josef and Jovy took pity on the two dogs. We cannot pet them yet because they are still afraid of us. They need baths too. It may take sometime before we could even play with them. The male one destroyed my Cosmos seedlings which I planted at one corner of the garden. He slept there last night.

So now we have five dogs in all, Cookie, Oreo, Noki, Niki and the new one. Dogs are family members too. The last three are our guard dogs.

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Something New For New Year

A lovely start of 2021 for Nissa and 0bet. They got their new car yesterday, their third since they got married. They sold the first one, a Honda Civic a few months ago.

Officers at the bank are allowed to change cars every five years. 40% of the total cost is shouldered by the bank and 60% by the employee depending on the rank of the employee. Obet is a Senior Manager at Bank of PI. Junior officers are given 20% by the bank and they shoulder the rest.

Nissa wanted a more roomy and comfy car so they purchased a 2021 Ford Territory and got it yesterday. I asked Nissa if they would also sell their Hyundai car but she told me it would be their spare.

The regulatory pose with all car dealers here. They removed their face masks for the photo op.

Ah, happy faces. They took it for a spin yesterday. I told them that if they would have it blessed at Antipolo Cathedral soon, they could leave Nate here since Antipolo is very near our place. It is where the image of the patron saint for travellers is located that is why most car blessings are done there. Would love to see that sunroof.

Today is also the Feast Day of Señor Sto. Ñino, the child Jesus, it is only observed in the Philippines. It is a special privilege given to the country for so many years now. Nissa and the family have their fiesta today.

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Seeing Nate Again

Yes, we haven’t seen each other for ten months except through Messenger video chats until today. Another milestone in our lives seeing each other again.

No kisses except tights hugs and “I love you Nate” and “I love you Nonna” in between. He has grown so tall for an eight-year old.

Through the short time that they were here, we had lunch together  and Nate enjoyed playing with my revolving computer chair and he said that he liked it.  Nissa didn’t buy him one at home because she knew he would play  with it.

I gave him a set of pajama and Word Factory. I told him to enjoy playing with her mom and dad. It is a good educational game from seven to adult.

Nissa  and I took lots of pictures of course (for prosperity and remembrance).  We will choose which one to upload later.

I guess I won’t need to cook later for Noche Buena, we still have untouched food inside the ref and I ordered two roasted chicken for later.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL.

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It’s Nate’s Seventh Birthday

The very first time I blogged about you, I wrote this

 “I’m just so proud of you baby. You make my heart swell with love. So what they say is true, having a grandson is one of the best things that can ever happen in one’s life. The joys of seeing you at last – unconditional love, immeasurable happiness”

On your first birthday, I wrote this letter to you:

“HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY darling baby Nate. Yeay, and you are counting 🙂 How time flies, now you can walk on your own even if they’re just baby steps. It’s time to see the world from a higher place and discover many, many things dear to your heart.

I can’t believe it, was it only a year ago when your Dad and I patiently waited for you to see the world and hear your first cry? Was it only a year ago when your mom excitedly showed us your pictures while she was in the delivery room even if she was groggy from anesthesia? And I promised myself I would write about your growing up years. You’re one year old now and we’ll have more days, months and years to discover the world through your eyes. And may you grow to be strong, smart, healthy and loving and may you continue to possess that innocence so endearing to see in a lovable child that you are. And I wish you all the precious things that a loving Nonna could wish for”.

I love you baby, you are God’s greatest gift to us. We are indeed blessed having you in our lives. Again, happy birthday!

In between, we celebrated your birthdays  in different settings. You have your first airplane ride when you were two. It’s now your seventh year and you have made us proud being a smart, kind, warm, loving and lovable kid,

 

I remember you telling me when we went out during my birthday last month that you won’t have a party since your trip to Singapore and Legoland Malaysia was your gift from your mom and dad. You even said that you have no more money since you bought Lego toys there.  Did you enjoy the trip? It was a big “yes” shout from you.

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When They Get It Right

So proud of my  nephew.

I talked to my youngest brother a while ago and we talked of the kids. They live in Tulsa. My nephew is graduating in Architecture at the end of December. It took him only four and a half years to complete a five-year course. He usually take summer jobs and two of them offered him a job right after graduation.  Two job offers…wow!

I am so proud of him. He was offered a salary even higher than what my brother is getting.  Wow! When he qualifies after his training and apprenticeship, that might even be doubled.  Right now, he is doing some rendering and teaching autocad at the university where he is studying.

Ah, the pleasure one gets when you see your kids finish their schooling and be successful.  My niece, the oldest of the three kids is a full-pledged nurse and the youngest is studying Astronomy. According to my brother, he wants to become a scientist.

“You’re blessed and lucky“, I said. His kids are really doing well. My niece together with some of her friends in the medical field visit Haiti regularly.  She finds it fulfilling to do those missions and render help to the kids there.

My brother and I were joking. He was asking about my birthday. I told him in jest, “Don’t send me  a gift, send dollars instead”. He laughed and we were laughing over the phone like crazy. He wants to go home and take a vacation here.  I hope he does. We haven’t seen each other since Dad died.

The joys of getting in touch with family…..priceless 🙂

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This Calls For A Celebration

I can’t contain my joy. Nissa messaged me  a while ago and said she has been promoted to being a Manager at Bank of the Phil. Islands effective July 01, 2019.  She’s been waiting for this for quite a while since she’s been an Asst. Manager for a number of years.

CONGRATULATIONS NISSA!

Today is also the 168th anniversary of Bank of the Philippine Islands. I remember the early morning masses every year that BPI celebrates during its anniversary, the free key chains…haha (have lots of those). I miss your portals.

Bank of PI was founded in 1851, hence we used to have the 1851 Club. They are in the process of building a new head office at the same site where we used to have the old building.  It is the fourth largest bank in terms of assets, the second largest bank in terms of market capitalization, It is the fourth largest bank in terms of assets, the second largest bank in terms of market capitalization. The bank has a network of over 900 branches in the Philippines, Hong Kong and Europe, and more than 3,000 ATMs and CDMs (cash deposit machines).

Proud to be a unibanker here. I worked at the bank for more than twenty one years. Nissa’s hubby Obet also works as Senior Manager at the bank. Unibankers all 🙂

Going back to Nissa’s promotion, it’s so timely. Maybe in due time, they could now transfer to their new home in another area. There are so many things to do yet but the house is well-built and have a lovely facade. They still need divisions for bedrooms and another additional room.

I am proud of my kids. Josef has been recently promoted to a managerial position too. Their achievements are also mine.

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A Week With My Brother

Hello friends. I’m back….finally. Seems like I’ve forgotten how to blog. Everything seems new to my eyes.

I spent a week with my brother who is still at the hospital until now. He is scheduled for a CT scan procedure tomorrow morning. I read the result of of his ultrasound but the lingo is foreign to my ears. They found cysts in his liver. Hoping and praying everything would be okay and the nodules are not malignant. It is still a long journey for him getting well and all. He has become too thin for my liking and he looks older than his real age. Besides,  his blood sugar is a bit not on the normal level. So glad though that he has a little appetite now compared to the first two weeks of his illness.

To think that I am older than him by almost five years. I gave him a brown scapular. He was teary-eyed when I placed it on his neck.

With a niece, Josef, Nissa, another niece and a cousin. Taken when we arrived at the hospital. Nissa, Josef and I went straight there when we arrived. They stayed overnight.

I remember my own ordeal ten years ago. IVs has been non-stop, his arms are full of needle marks, antibiotics and other medications are injected into the IV.

Once again I want to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for my brother.  May you all be blessed.

 

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Tupig And Other Stories

I was boiling water for afternoon tea, contemplating on what life is all about and looking at the robust orange bulb plants I planted in pots outside  our grill door. when two airplanes passed by. One was going north and the other one was going south to where our airports are located. Our place is on the east side of  Metro Manila so their path is always this way. It made me think of those people inside those two planes. The one going north made me ask myself, “where are they going? Are they leaving their families behind seeking greener pastures abroad? Are they tourists out to discover new places?” And  I can’t help thinking too, the family of those going to the airport must be so happy that they’ll be seeing their kins again or maybe they come from other places and would love to visit the Philippines.

I was busy this morning catching up with my two brothers and sis-in-law online and through calls and texts. My brother next to me has been sick for almost two weeks now, on and off fever, acute UTI and raised blood sugar. I was alarmed.  They’ve been to the doctor thrice with labs and medications. My youngest brother whose family lives in Tulsa called me up through Viber and we had a long chat about life, our family, my other brother’s illness and life here in the Philippines compared to the US where they have been living for more than twenty years now.

He bragged about making Tupig, our favorite kakanin  (sweet delicacies) back in the province.  He said he hasn’t tasted one for so many years now so he made his own. I borrowed the photos he posted earlier.

We call this tupig in our dialect.

It’s made of sticky rice powder, coconut cream, fresh grated young coconut or what we call buko locally, a little sugar and margarine to wipe the banana leaves before wrapping the mixture so it won’t stick when it’s cooked.

Then you have to grill them until they are cooked.

 

There, it is nicely done and he said it tasted better than the commercial ones we used to buy when we go back home to the province. I have never attempted preparing this but I will try it one of these days.

My brother is a great cook. He also experiments on other desserts native to our country. Maybe he misses  his land of birth. It’s another afternoon of reminiscing.

 

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