Wednesday Musings

The other day I stayed at the garden for about three hours. It was a breezy afternoon, perfect time to uproot weeds and prune some of my plants. It rained the whole day though yesterday. I was supposed to attend the caucus of our running candidate for mayor, Atty. Nieto but it was cold outside so I didn’t. VP LENI’s rally though here in Rizal was a success. Despite the rain, around 43 thousand gathered in Antipolo City. Cainta is part of Rizal.

Going back to gardening, I found three snails in different parts of the garden. I was in a quandary whether to crush them or just remove them in the garden. Are snails good for the garden? I don’t know but I just threw them at the vacant lot behind the house. One is an empty shell.

This brought me back to another question, is everything alive needs to be protected? Maybe even such insignificant creatures have their use too. I think of life and all its angst. I think of the family and how we are surviving despite every curveball that happens to us. I am still hopeful that God would prolong our lives so I could again see my brothers and other family members well and happy. I haven’t seen my youngest brother whose family lives in Tulsa since dad died. We just communicate through Viber and Messenger. The last time I saw my niece and two nephews were during their teenage years. My niece, the oldest is now a nurse, the second one who finished Architecture belongs to the Hall of Fame in their university. The youngest is taking up Astronomy.

I started collecting Henri Nouwen’s quotes lately. He is one of my favorite authors, a Dutch Catholic priest, writer and theologian. I have some of his books that I read now and then. I do send inspirational quotes and mass links to Alden almost every day.

Here is something worth-sharing from Henri Nouwen.

Profound questions aren’t they?

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They’re Going Home

Obet and Nate are going home this afternoon. Sad.

Nissa is going home tomorrow. She is now negative based on rapid antigen test. She still coughs once in a while but it is now manageable.For the past days, I’ve grown used to Nate waking up early so he could attend his online classes. Nissa sometimes supervises his assignments. It is nice having him around here.Yesterday, he asked me about taking his pictures everyday. I told him I am taking advantage of his presence. Here’s one where he was showing that signature smile.

After dinner last night he showed me how he whistles. There is a cartoon in his tab where he imitates the song.

We’ve been having a spike of people positive of Covid-19. It is scary.

I wish our LGUs would start rolling out the vaccines, they say that senior citizens are next in line. Here in our town, they are almost done vaccinating the frontliners.

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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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Nate And I

Nate and I had a nice video chat a while ago. He showed me their Christmas decor focusing on the Christmas tree.

“I didn’t put up ours” I said and he asked why.

“Can you tag along when your mom and dad come over?”

“They won’t let me go out”, he answered. I told him there’s the car.

“I have some gifts for you”, I said.

“Thank you Nonna, I would not miss that. I’ll ask Mom”

.It is always nice talking to Nate even just through video chat. I miss the little guy. Oh but he is growing taller everyday and a little chubby too 🙂

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Hello From Oreo

He can’t contain his mirth

He romps, he jumps

he spins and barks his way

to the door.

He seems to say,

“Pick me up please, they’re here”.

(That was while the car was slowly entering the garage).  He was excited. If he could speak instead of bark, he’ll say, “I’m happy”.

 

 

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Living Life

There comes a point in one’s life when it all goes down to reminiscing, remembering the past and some golden dreams.

Those times when your kids were just babies and you were learning how to change diapers and make “hele-hele”  while singing out of tune and discovering to your delight that you could compose  a particular tune right there, waiting for them to close their eyes and sleep.

Those times when you went up the stage every end of the school year to accompany your kids to receive recognition awards and medals.  You were so proud that they were so responsible in their studies.

That one particular afternoon when one of your daughter’s professors called you up over the phone just to say that deliberation was over and that your daughter will be graduating Magna Cum Laude.   You cried and jumped in joyful thanksgiving that she made it to that much coveted Latin honors.

The first time they shared their paychecks with you and said “let’s go out and celebrate Ma”.  Music to your ears.  And the following days when they would just say,  “let us do the grocery shopping Ma, just make a list of the things you need”.  Those days when you would watch movies together or just stay at  home doing a marathon of Prison Break until 3am. Those times playing couch potato with your daughter while waiting for her  final interview for  a new job, watching Korean movies on DVD.  Can’t forget the laughter and the crying sessions we had together.

The day that your daughter got married and you were happy and at the same time sad that she’ll be residing in another place and you won’t get to see her every day. Her excited voice  saying “are you ready to be a grandma?” a few months later and you were so excited you can’t wait. You were just as excited seeing a sonogram a few months after.

The joys of finally seeing your grandson and discovering that you like the sound of being a Nonna. The days in between, the happy days of discovery while your grandson  is growing up to be a smart, intelligent and a loving young boy.  The phone calls when you can’t see each other, the hi and hello, the how are you, the I miss you, the shouts of joy saying “I love you Nonna” and you shouting back saying “I love you too baby”.  The excitement in your daughter’s voice while sharing a copy of your grandson’s report card in Nursery school. He is doing pretty well with very good and excellent grades.

The simple joys of family life sharing meals together, eating out together, sharing stories,  fun moments playing with the grandson. They are priceless moments indeed.

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Life With Mom (Part 10)

Yesterday, Mom got busy fixing her things, arranging and rearranging her clothes, her medicines, some groceries that she has to bring home and as usual reading those medicine prescriptions (she does it almost every day) that she has accumulated while arranging them with the newest one on top.

She came to my room with a copy of a passport size print and said “keep this in your wallet so you won’t forget my face when I die”.

I wonder where that came from, I mean her statement on dying. So in jest I answered, “Mas mauna pa ako sa inyo” meaning  I’ll die earlier than she will.  We both laughed. True, while she visits her doctor regularly complaining about the normal wear and tear of growing old, she looks hale and hearty at 87.  I’ve visited the hospital and been confined for a number of illnesses  more than I can count. I had a phobia of going back there, just the smell of antiseptics reminds me of those days when I was struggling with my health.

She is going home tomorrow and she said that there are lots of things to do there.  I will surely miss her and her appreciation of anything that I put on the table. She said, “parating special ang ulam natin”.  Those are ordinary fare I serve every day but in her eyes, they taste even better.

Life with mom, there is never a dull moment when she is around.

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Life With Mom (Part 9)

Feeling amused 🙂

This is funny. My mom has been hard of hearing for several years now. She didn’t get used to the hearing aid we bought for her years ago. I told her that she has several birthday greetings on my wall. She just smiled. A while ago, she came back to me and asked:

“Saan kamo yung maraming bulate, sa Pangasinan?” (Where are those worms that you are talking about, in Pangasinan?)

I laughed, she smiled.

Then I whispered to her ear (her right ear can still pick up sounds), “maraming bumati sa birthday niyo”.  (Several friends wished you happy birthday.)

She understood then she smiled. Nagkaintindihan din kami sa wakas.
(We understood each other finally).

 

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Celebrating With The Family

Yesterday was Sto. Nino’s Feast Day. It’s a very important celebration for all Catholics in our country. Josef and I went to Tondo, Manila to visit Nissa’s family and her in-laws. I am amazed of my daughter’s familiarity with the place since  she got married more than four years ago. Whereas before I only heard of Tondo, slowly I am getting to know the place now. We met Nissa in front of the Tutuban Center. She  takes jogging to heart and regularly frequents the place on Sunday mornings  to take Zumba class and jog. It was quite lovely to see joggers with their pets in tow. I also discovered that going via that route is easier than taking a connecting train ride.  We had a hearty breakfast at Jollibee before proceeding to their place.

The Feast of Sto. Nino is almost a week-long celebration in most areas where the image of the child Jesus is their patron. Dawn processions, masses held in His honor,  lots of food, programs and dancing at the town plaza and having so many balikbayans from all over the world add to the festive spirit of celebrating.  Yesterday was also our town fiesta where I was born.

In Tondo, almost all streets were filled with people and it was quite hard to take a commute going back to Tutuban  Center  to take another LRT ride home to our place. Josef and I walked from Tutuban To Recto, my first long exercise since the start of the year.

I finally got my two copies of Richard Paul Evan’s books left by a friend with Nissa before going back to the USA after a two-week vacation.  Got two more key rings , with the  Statue of Liberty depicted beautifully in them. It is my first time to have key rings from New York.

Seeing Nate again was the  highlight of our visit. He was afraid of the dragon dancers on  the streets but he was so happy showing off that he is a werewolf with matching sounds to boot.

Such a happy occasion for the family. How was your Sunday?

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Family Life

Our big boy Nate….

Nissa calls this role reversal. I laughed out loud imagining a smiling Nate having this conversation with his dad.

Role Reversal
Nate: “Daddy, what color is this?”
Obet: “Yellow!”
Nate: “Very good!”

Hahaha. Smart boy.

Sometimes, I am amazed at the quick  way kids learn things.  He is two and a half-year old going on twenty.

 

 

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