Micchel, Pronounced Like the Regular "Michelle"

There was a time when I used to visit the Philippines quite often. This time, trips are far and few between. It's the dog-gone economy! Ugh, and don't get me started with that!

On this last trip I met my niece, Micchel. (Pronounced the regular "michelle". Pinoys are notorious for fancifying names. At one time, they called me NeTHy. For a while there I thought my cousins all had lithpth - er, lisps - and that I was a genetic anomaly. But alas, I'm just plain. It's them with the fancy spelled names that are special.

Micchel. The last time I saw her, she was barely out of highschool. She was this dainty little thing who looked like a medium gust of wind could blow her over. Well, she's still dainty now, but it will take a storm to blow her over. She's a wife and mom now. There's something about motherhood that makes a woman stronger than a man.

Micchel, pronounced the regular "michelle".

With Gavin. He is a spitting image of his mom. Yes, I've known Micchel since she was a wee wittle baby.

Now with her husband, Gerard. He's cute. As in handome, cute.

Oh, how they adore Gavin.

Already teaching Gavin how to drive. (You're asking for trouble, Gerard. Do you know what I put my parents through when I could drive on my own? Suffice it to say that they were not bored.)

Gerard is a sales rep for the Royale Business Club. He sells health and fitness supplements like this one. And I thought the U.S. was the only place where people are obsessed about their figure. I bought a bottle. But I can't tell you if it worked on me because I forgot to take it with me when I left. Now I remain flabby.

Here he is, doing his job. How could Tia Fel resist his charm and good looks? She took a dozen boxes of several Royale products for Truk Trading Philippines, Inc.

Now all of Truk will be fair complected, skinny, and jittering with caffeine.

Micchel, prounounced like the regular "michelle".