Dad And Mama Julian

Last week I received this sad news that our neighbor and friend in Kamuning before passed on. The family live in Australia. Mama Julian was 98.

I remember those days with fondness when we were living in the same place and the same compound. Almost every night, Mama Julian would bring his ukulele to our place and dad his guitar. They would play music together and I would just listen. They could pick chords of several songs without even looking at anything. During lazy days, the four of them – my mom, Nana Mina, Mama Julian and Dad would play cards called Entre Siete in our place. Mama Julian and dad would partner together and they had this what they call dentoy, movement of their heads, sway of their hands and other such nuances which they do together to let each other know what cards he had. Nana Mina and mom could not defeat them. Mama Julian was the godfather of my youngest brother.

His youngest daughter told me this: Arlene, I felt warmed when I hear these very precious moments in the life of your dad and mine. I remember these too.

She said further that truth be told, your Dad was the only true and loyal friend to tatay. He’ll have his memorial service on Sunday via Zoom and that happens to be Dad’s 100th birthday.

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Sad

A friend who used to be an officemate also used to visit my wall at Facebook and occasionally comment on my posts here although she is not a blogger.

These last few days, I missed her words and the inspiring comments that she usually write. I had a sudden inkling to visit her wall, there was nothing there for the last four months. I tried some friends of hers who have the same surname as she has. Probably her kids? We have some common friends at Bank of PI on Facebook but I’ve never read nor heard about Minnah.

What a sad ending when I read that she passed on last July 19. We used to talk about her having dialysis twice a week before. I told her about my dad’s plight having dialysis before he died. In our hospitals here, it is not free. I wonder if that has changed now. My dad died fourteen years ago after six months of treatment. Minnah said, it was hard to put up money for her dialysis twice a week.

When Dad died, I promised myself that I would never submit to that treatment if (God forbids)I would be in that same predicament. Imagine, they drain out your blood and put it back clean, same procedure after two or three days. All the nutrients your body absorbed in those days in between come to naught.

My dad passed away because of end stage renal disease. I have chronic UTI since I gave birth to Nissa. I haven’t been to my doctor since this pandemic started.

They always say health is wealth and I agree.

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Crazy Cancer

Gosh, I lost another friend.

This is a sad day. Early this morning I learned of the devastating news that another friend is gone. I met her online through Multiply seven years ago. It was one of those online meetings through common friends. She wrote poetry and migrated to the US more than three years ago. In between exchanging news and comments later at Facebook, we finally met personally together with her two grandchildren. It was a lovely  meeting, talking about  family, friends, social media and books.  Met her again when she was completing her requirements for an interview at the US Embassy about six or five years ago. I gave her a rosary and she gave me a set of Hallmark stationery and several gardening mags.  She found out she had cancer  when she was already in the US.

Time is a thief.

I thought she was doing okay already but she died last night. We planned of meeting again  when she comes home but death claimed her. She published a book of poems and she said she will give me a copy. So sad really that I won’t be able to see her again. She lives on through her words. She had a WordPress blog but never updated it after a few entries.

Rest in peace Ding. Keeping you in my prayers.

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