Christmas and New Year 2014 Day 8

Dec. 26, 2014

THE DAY AFTER

Got up at about 6:30AM to get ready and join Uli and sons for an early tennis game at the courts where I learned the game. It is always exciting for me to return to this venue since it has so much meaning and history for me.

At this point, the last time I played was about 5 years ago. Here! I keep telling myself that I should take up the game again but it gets too hot in Texas for me to play. Anyway, I still looked forward to this time especially now that I have nephews who are playing very well. I later found out that there are but as many as a dozen members left playing here. Probably not as much competition for the boys so Uli takes them out somewhere for tournaments. That's good so they can and need that to gain experience.

Got to visit my grandparents today. Uli and Lysia kindly took me there after realizing we had an opening in our schedules. There were flowers everywhere in the cemetery which I can only assume is because families and relatives came to visit their dearly departed ones in the last day or so. My emotions always get to me when I visit them flashing back to the last time I saw my grandmother who distinctly requested I wake her up the day of my departure to go back Stateside. 

I informed her that I will be leaving at around 4AM to go to the airport so we should say our goodbyes that evening. She insisted I wake her up anyway so she can properly see me off. The next morning, I felt bad about waking her up so I left without saying goodbye. That was the last time I'll ever see her.

Later that evening, we had dinner with Mom and Dad, Ate Cris, Kuya Ruffy, Ate Lourdes, and our gang at Omakase Japanese Restaurant. I didn't think I would be hungry given I ate so much two days ago from the feast Ate Lourdes prepared but I did. Tomorrow, Ate Cris will be taking most of the adults to a bar for some tequila shots. Not sure what to expect but am looking forward to this place. I hear it is one of the most popular places if you are a tequila junkie.

My nephew Luigi who recently lost his two front teeth. He got a dollar for the second one.

For another dollar, he'd set you kiss the back of his neck.

Mom opening the Hong Kong special wrapping from the Duty Free shoppe.

My niece Isabella was trying on a very small Disney crown. We couldn't properly fit it on her head hence the scrooge face.

My lovely mom!