New Year 2015

Jan. 1, 2015

ON MY WAY OUT.

At around 7AM I peeked in my parents' room to see if they were up. They were already out of bed and preparing to go out to the dining room and said they didn't want to miss my departure. I told them I wasn't going to leave without saying goodbye. Mom pulled me aside and whispered that dad had a difficult time sleeping; not because of the uncomfortable feeling he's been getting when his leg gets hot but because he knew I was flying out today. I approach him, kiss him good morning and he looked at me with sad eyes and said, “Are you leaving today? Is there a way you can work it out and stay?” He then hung on to me really tight and started crying and asked me again to try and work it out. By now I was bawling myself and can only apologize and hug him back. I've never seen my dad cry and I hope I never do again. It is the most hearth-wrenching thing I've experienced in my life. Here is a man who has been our protector, strong and unwavering all of our lives and to see him like this knowing it is something I'm causing was breaking my heart. The hardest part was it is I who was breaking his heart. We hug for a bit more. I told him I loved him very much and promised to come back for another visit. I promised to take Katharine with me too. Though I hated thinking that dad might be thinking he'll never see me again, I wanted him to know that I was confident with returning and also with the hope his pain would be lessened. I started to walk towards Uli's car and before getting in, I turned only to see him look at me as if he couldn't. He was straining to look at my direction and waiting for me to acknowledge him. I wave and though everybody waved back, it was his that I only wanted to see. Uli sent me the picture of him later that day after I left to show how sad he looked. 

The airport ride was uneventful and quiet. The roads were practically empty as if there was a storm about to hit. It took us no less than 20 minutes to get there this time but if it weren't a holiday, it very well could taken us 1.5 hours. Upon arrival at the airport, I go to the ticket counter of Cathay Pacific, check in, blah blah blah, and done in 5 minutes. Wow! I text Uli and to his surprise asked me if I was having problems. I said no and complimented the efficiency of the counter staff. He then stated that since I was flying Business Class that I had a separate line and likely all to myself. For some reason, I head over to the convenient pasalubongs kiosk and stock up on more snack items. Mind you I have three bags of nuts and candy I surely didn't need to get more. Is that a problem? Boarding starts, I sit down, plane flies, and lands in Hong Kong. S'all good. The Business Class Lounge in HK is huge and has showers. I took advantage of the service and after filling up on siomai and fried noodles, I go in and take a shower. Surely didn't need one but thought if it comes with the program, why not use it?

Very impressed with the new Ninoy Aquino International Airport 3 in Manila.

Started to rain as soon as I entered the airport

Boarding starts, I sit down, plane flies. Next stop – Chicago! 

Christmas and New Year 2014 Day 12-13

Dec. 30, 2014

WAKE UP!

I have now fully adjusted to the time zone but I leave back to the states in a couple of days. I was thinking, should I try to wean myself out of this now and be ready for the time zone change? Of course that was just a thought. I will attempt the change during my 24 hours combined flights. Somewhere there I should be sleeping and waking at the correct time(s). The mild December temperature (mid 70's) had been real nice that dad, Uli and I would sit out back just enjoying the breeze. We also watch the kids play there often.

Nothing much to report today. Its the last day of work for most people before the New Year holiday. A small preparation for more friends coming tonight is underway. Nothing spectacular, just grocery shopping for snacks and booze. Pretty late into the evening as this one ends sometime around 4AM. 

Eline was able to bring home one of my favorite desserts, sweet custard with sago.

Here's what a wrong-side driving looks like. Before it happened, I asked Melvin why he was attempting to turn onto on-coming traffic. He said "the right lane is a zoo and besides, we're turning left in about a 1/4 mile." I suppose he's justified with his decision – and I thought it was a slow day.

Dec. 31, 2014

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

Whoopee! Today is mom's, lolay's birthday! She's a healthy 50'-something. Just like me she stopped counting as soon as she hit 50. Ate Cris and company are coming for lunch and bringing crab cakes and clam chowder soup. All prepared by our family chef, Ate Lourdes. Yup, she brought me more leche flan.

Timmy and I were showing off our mango trimming techniques.. I was not able to hold off for the picture. Just had to devour it.

We picked up a cake from the french coffee shop next to Cafe Mary Grace (can't remember its name) and was a triple chocolate torte cake.  Unfortunately, I cannot find the picture in my file) It was good. We will be getting mom a spa day somewhere (we haven't decided where she goes for this) or we can have a home service. With dad's limited range, should we decide to drive somewhere it can only be to go to the mall or a short sightseeing trip. We'll figure it out. Hope you had a fun day mom!!

After the lunch party left, Uli and I ventured out to purchase stuff for the evening's highlight and much awaited event, fireworks at midnight! We went to two places and picked up about $50 worth of stuff. Mostly sparklers (the big kind), about 30 rockets, two large fountain shows and a box of little fountains. Wow! This is something you have to experience when you're in the Philippines. Its one thing to see organized fireworks during the Fourth of July celebration but to be in the middle of it all for about 15 minutes is an experience to remember. Every has and lights their fireworks right at midnight so you can imagine the sight, sounds, not to mention the smoke of all of it happening in a short amount of time. Even dad was up to the task and be wheeled outside and join us in the festivity. I love it! That is way too cool! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Waiting for the midnight before heading out to do fireworks

Isabella and Luigi 

Eline and nephew Karl

Christmas and New Year 2014 Day 10-11

Dec. 28, 2014

MISTIMING

Mild weather and nice start to the morning. Though mom and dad looked like they decided to sleep in this morning, I (as usual) am enjoying sitting outside watching the morning sun come up. I did have to go around the front of the house to get to the back porch because I couldn't find the key that unlocks the back grill gate. Uli from across the lawn asked me if I wanted to go play tennis but I declined. I kept thinking that I had errands to run but really couldn't figure what.

Found me two of my long time snacks or desserts. The first one is called a banana-Que which is basically a plantain banana (best ripe), optionally dipped in a batter then rolled on a sugar bed. The second one is called Halo-Halo which practically translates to 'a mix'. Fruits and sweets are mixed in with milk and topped with crushed ice and an ice cream scoop on top. The preferred ice cream is Ube (purple yam) This are definitely two of my all-time favorites.

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We went to the 4PM mass only to find out that the bishop of Manila will be coming to hold mass at our parish church because of the town fiesta. We attended the early mass because we thought we had some preparation to do for our friends who are coming to the house for a get-together. They weren't scheduled to arrive till 7PM so we could have gone to the 5:30 and still had time to get ready for the guys. As usual, we had a great time seeing and talking. Other that Uli and myself, Demy and Ellyn, Manny, Bob, Mel and Michael, Desiree, Dindo and Raine, Gisbert, and Jojo showed. We stayed up till 2AM chatting away. I felt guilty having the party out on the porch as it is in close proximity to my old room where the girls are now camped in. Oh well. Its only for a night.

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Uli got me magnetic readers. Kinda cool! Btw, the 'baby' reference was for my daughter as the video was meant to be a text message I had difficulty sending via iMessage.

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Dec. 29, 2014

SHOP, SHOP, SHOP!

We make it to Green Hills and I got to pick up sussies for Katharine, Kelly, and Suzanne. Hope they like it! Had Chinese lunch and Luk Yuen and I have to say the dishes were pretty tasty. After shopping most of the day, we head home only to find traffic slow us down. What normally takes 30 minutes had stretched to 1 hour and 25 minutes. Hope mom and dad aren't waiting for us to come home and not have dinner till we arrive. I look at my watch and notice 7:30PM as I entered the house. They haven't even come down from their room. All is well!

T-shirts captions at Green Hills

Great! Stuck in traffic on our way home.. Grrr!

Tomorrow we venture out to purchase fireworks. I'm excited to see the New Year celebration here. Similar to the Fourth of July in the U.S.

Christmas and New Year 2014 Day 9

Dec. 27, 2014

SCARY

At 7AM, the day started with mom calling me into their bedroom to help dad because he couldn't get up from his chair. He had transitioned from the bed to his TV chair but was experiencing some kind of numbness on his left leg. I helped him get up but he wanted to go back to bed. He said he thinks his leg is cramping so we had him lay back down and start massage the offending limb and curling his toes. He complained that the left side of his left thigh is also very tight alternating with his entire left leg being numb and increasingly getting hot. He started to complain more about the heat and was visibly uncomfortable to the point of tears. We start applying a wet towel onto the leg and simultaneously fan it because he continuously would say “It is hot, the leg is burning hot!” The weird thing is that his leg was really cold to the touch. Anyway, mom texted their longtime doctor for advice and he instructed us to elevate the leg and give him pain medicine while continuing massage to stimulate blood flow. Took us till 10AM for him to get comfortable and was able to sleep. He was exhausted. His team of helpers who fanned, massaged and applied the wet towel were all relieved of this ordeal. It was the first time they've encountered this with him so they were equally scared. Needless to say they were just as happy to help him through it. It happened a second time after lunch but not as intense as this morning. I think it was because he expected and adapted to the pain and may have mentally calmed himself to get through it. My aunt Ining who apparently had been his 'quack therapist' as they all call her, was the main person who painstakingly had her hands on his leg for both events. Whew!

The day went on just staying in until mom needed to go the the grocery to get stuff for her pasta sauces. It is amazing to watch this woman buzz through the isles picking up her ingredients and other items on her list, fill up the cart, and finish within 15 minutes. The amount of stuff she collected would have taken me at least thrice that time as I would have dilly-dallied my way around the store. She was in such a hurry to come back home that she was getting impatient with whoever would slow us down: the cashier, the bagger, the traffic enforcer at the parking lot, even Melvin our driver who was organizing the bags of groceries in the trunk. I bit my tongue to refrain teaching her about proper employer-employee communications but understood her desire to return to dad's side. The lesson will have to wait another day.

Dad come out to join us in the dining room and we chat a little. He is way behind schedule in reading his morning paper so he dove right into it. At one point I could hear a marching band in the distance and thought there must be a procession taking place.

True enough the sound was becoming louder and I asked him if he wanted to see it with me but he declined. I open the gate to see the procession about to pass with about 150 attendees accompanying figurines of Mother Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus on a well decorated trailer. Aside from the marching band heading the procession, the people in the back are praying loudly and saying the rosary.

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In the evening, we meet up with Ate Cris, Kuya Ruffy, Ate Lourdes for a Mexican dinner and margarita. A Toda Madre is this super quaint bar in the heart of Makati. The area is quite bohemian even for Makati as foreigners and seedy individuals ply the streets. Don't get me wrong, the street and alleys were surprisingly clean but you cannot avoid noticing the number of people 'working' their trade. Most of them transvestites. Anyway, the food was exceptional and comparable to the best Mexican food I've had in Dallas. The presentation was well done as well. I find out that the owner actually has a house in Texas and flies back and forth quite often.

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!