Hail, the Rosary

The Rosary. I pray it once in a blue moon now. But when I lived in Guam with Tita V and Cousins Ain and Abmel, we prayed it every single night! There was no getting away with not saying it; even if the whole family was out late, at a party or something like that, then Tita V would rouse us in the wee hours of the morning, even on a school day, to file into the hallway where the altar was. It was such a regular thing to do that I memorized all the prayers after the first week of moving in with them.

Now, we get together for special occasions like death anniversaries or the birthday of a beloved departed to pray it. "We pray this rosary for the soul of [Such And Such]..."

When I was a teenager, I was only repeating words from rote memory. Now, now that Tita V no longer reprimands us for slouching during the rosary, laughing, falling asleep, poking the person in front of you, not saying the prayers loud enough, saying them too fast, or farting, I took the liberty of just listening to the words of the prayers.

Deliver us from evil...

 

Abmel: *Hmph. I didn't make it to the gym today.*

Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death...

 Abmel: *That bbq shishkabobs smells so good! I wonder if Ain made kelaguin too.*

Save us from the fires of hell... especially those who need most of your mercy...

 Abmel: *My butt feels a little jiggly today.*

To thee do we cry, poor vanished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears... [in] our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb...

Jamesie Cat: *I wonder if Ben Tennyson likes red rice.*

That we may be worthy of the promise of Christ. 

Abmel: *Ugh, the skinny girl in me is telling me pork lumpia is bad for the handles!*

Man, that was depressing!

And now, I offer a moment of remembrance for my beloved Tito Pete, who gave us so much laughs to look forward to during the rosaries.

Let perpetual light shine upon him, may he rest in peace.

Amen!

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Certified Apprentice Beekeeper

Tonight, after five weeks of beekeeping classes that cut into Monday night dinners and TV shows, it came to a grueling finale with the test. Open book, ten questions for each of the ten lessons, totalling one hundred questions. You'd think it would be easy, what with questions like these...

Number 6 answer is wrong.

Well, it ain't that easy sister! Because some of the questions are quite tricky. Even Palomino who has read books about beekeeping, met with beekeepers, and actually has a subscription to American Bee Journal, would agree that some of the questions are more confusing than a simple "True" or "False".

Despite the trickery, John was the third to submit his test in the class. In the meantime, Alfonsina took her test up to one of the professors. Let me tell you something about Alfonsina. For someone who has been pulled over by the Police more times than I can count on two hands (ahem, I'm exaggerating with quantity, wanting my story to sound quite dramatic), she's gotten only one speeding ticket ever! That's because she will approach the ticketing officer with such absolute authority and tell him straight up "No, you cannot give me that ticket!" Perhaps it's her accent, perhaps it's her tenacity, or maybe even her fiery personality that makes the officer put away his pen and rip up the ticket.

After a whispered debate, dramatized by hand gestures and intense facial expressions, the professor said something to make Alfonsina take the eraser of her pencil to the test paper, and re-write an answer. Then she turned in her test.

And there I was, ten minutes later, still struggling to find the answer to questions like True or false: A deep hive body may be used as a super to store surplus honey. Well, a deep hive body (box) is 19 7/8" in length, 16 1/4" wide and 9 5/8" in height; and when loaded with honey at the end of summer can weigh up to sixty pounds! So I instinctively answered False, because heck if I'm going to lift a sixty-pound box from a stack as tall as me.

Another question that stumped me was True or False: You must always feed a swarm. A swarm is when the colony of bees pack up and leave the hive in search for another one. Well, how the heck do you feed a swarm of bees that has taken to the air, or convened on a branch high up in a tree? So of course I answered False.

Then Palomino started heckling me. "Hurry up!" he hissed. "I wanna get atta here already!" Then he elbowed me to look at a message he'd drawn on the cover of his lessons book. That arrow would have pointed to me, and of course the character crying for help would have been yours truly. I could hear Alfonsina chuckling behind him.

In the end, we all passed, the test scores in ascending order, irrespective of finishing order, being 92, 94, 97.


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Sixteen Things About Jaida Bug

1. She's easily entertained.
2. She's easily appeased.
3. She's happy.
4. Her cheeks!
5. She loves baths.
6. She's fearless.
7. She's ambitious. She arrived into this world early, she skipped the roll-over and play-with-her-toes phase, she's too impatient to crawl, and would rather stand and walk. Next thing we know, she'll be running before she even takes her first steps!
8. She sleeps in the downward facing dog yoga position.
9. The acrobatics when she's sleeping!
10. Three cowlicks, one hidden.
11. She knows what she wants, and she takes it!
12. Her throaty cry when she doesn't get what she wants.
13. She kicks her feet when she's happy.
14. She squeals to make her happiness known.
15. She sucks on her lower lip when she's content.
16. The way she scrunches up her face when she's amused.

Grrrrrrr! Pungot, pungot, pungot!

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Play Time

On a wet and blustery day, Mayet takes out the kids for some play time at the mall. This is Sheazie Bear's playground. He knows this play area like the back of his plump little hand. In fact, this is where I was left alone with Shea for the first time, for a few minutes, while Mayet ran a short errand in the mall. Oh, how he cried and cried when he realized his mommy was not there. Try as I might, there was nothing, I repeat, NOTHING I could do to reassure him that Mommy would be right back.

This time, even as Mayet ran her hour-long errand, Shea was in heaven! If I were a betting kind, I'd wager that the thought of him being alone with me did not even enter his mind. He was just too busy to think about it!

 

Jaida Bug was also with me that first time Shea was left with me for a few minutes. She had no clue who I was, but unlike Shea, she was barely four months old, and didn't give care about who I was, so long as she was dry and full. I remember sweating bullets as I held Jaida in one arm, and held Shea's hand with the other to keep him from running out of the play area in search of his mommy. This time, the only sweat was Shea's, as he raced around the play area with his buddies.

Jaida refused to be held. She sidled along the play rocks and play fishes, squealing in delight at her new found freedom. She wasn't crying for milk every couple of hours either. Instead, she chewed on anything that she could get her plump little hands on.

My, how time flies when you're having fun! Pretty soon, it was time to go home. But on the way out, Shea spied a jazz trio from the elevator, and wanted to check them out.

How can one not want to dance to that soothing upbeat music? So he said to his mommy "Dance with me!"

It could be up for debate who had more fun.

Mayet?

Or Sheazie Bear?

There's no arguing though, what was going through Jaida's exploring mind right at that moment...

*I can't wait to be walking already!*

That, my friends, is just one of many play times the kids have with their mommy.

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James & Ethan

James has a kissing-cousin named Ethan. Ethan is younger than James, but the way they play, you'd think it was the other way around. Ethan is bolder, more sure footed, and naturally leads. So it was quite an endearing sight to see an otherwise bullheaded, overly cautious, dirt phobic Jamesie Cat, who stands a good four inches taller than Ethan, follow his little kissing-cousin around, calling after him "Like this, Ethan?", "Wait for me, Ethan!", "You first, Ethan."

And then, for a split moment the tide turned. This time Jamesie Cat called to Ethan, "Come see! I'll show you dinosaur bones!"

"Woooooah," Ethan breathed. "My dragon breaths fire, and he's bigger than that!" he closed, and ran off to climb the monkey bars, leaving James with precious little time to his moment of proud discovery.

Big kids. Little kids. Their interactions never cease to amuse me.

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Jaida's Ba-ack!

Yesterday I received an unexpected text message from Mayet. She and Jaida had arrived in Los Angeles. Which means that that night they'd be back in home sweet Washington!

Today I saw Jaida Bug and Mayet for the first in exactly fifteen days. Jaida looked different. She was tan. She looked like she was outgrowing her car seat. And when I picked her up, I knew immediately that she had definitely gained at least two pounds! She even felt bigger!

Oh, but one thing's for sure: she still has three cowlicks, one of which is hidden. Ah, how did her grandma put it? Like little hurricanes. Which directly translates to her character. Jaida's, that is.

Notice the tucked lower lip in that devious smile?

Now notice her perfectly cocked eyebrows, focused, ready to pounce...

BAM! She hit her kuya right in the chin. If she could talk she'd be telling him when I try to grab the toy out of your hand, I MEAN IT!

Of course, Sheazie Bear, the sweet, darling boy that he is, shakes off the sucker punch, kisses his sister's fast fist, and runs off to entertain himself with something else.

Jaida Bug is ba-ack!

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I Confess: Saving Daylight

5-Star and I planned to attend the seven-thirty Mass this morning. Yes, an early start to end the weekend.

"The power must have gone out last night," said 5-Star. The digital clocks downstairs were blinking. It was, after all, a stormy night as well. Just to be sure of the time, he turned on his cell phone. And lo! We were already thirty minutes late for the early service, as the time was now eight o'clock. Daylight Savings kicked in this morning at two o'clock!

The whole day seemed off after that. But at the end of the day, when my cell phone clock read "6:20PM", I was very excited to see that the sun was well above the horizon yet!

There is only one meaning to this: SUMMER IS COMING! Longer days means lots and lots of fun things to do well past a babe's bed time.

Wahoo!

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Dear Shea, Chocolate Hills

Jaida continues with her letter...



Dear Kuya,

We visited the famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol. If there could be a ninth wonder of the world, it would be these hills. Folks from all ends of the Philippines flock here to witness this wonder of nature.

I, myself, began to wonder as we looked over the land dotted with this perfect mounds, why this place looked so familiar. Then it hit me! I've seen this place before, in pictures at Auntie Netty's house! I realized, as our trip progressed, that very little in Bohol has changed.

Four days ago...

Fourteen years ago...

Aunties from far away places still tag along for the tour.

Four days ago... with Auntie  Kat  Fyn.

  Fourteen years ago... with Auntie Netty and Tita Marilyn.

First class travel is still an option. You can't get any more first class than having the fresh, clean, sometimes-laced-with-burning-rice-grass Bohol air flowing through your hair!

Four days ago...

 

Fourteen years ago...

It was deja vu. 'Cept, fourteen years ago Uncle John was the baby... 

And this time I was the baby...

Jaida Bug

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Dear Kuya Shea

Last week Jaida Bug accompanied her mom to Cebu. It was an unplanned trip for a rather unideal purpose. Mayet's grandma passed away. But it's turning out to be a wonderful experience.

If Jaida Bug could write a letter, I imagine this is how it would go...




Dear Kuya, 

The last thing I remember about home was the cold and snow.

It was quite early, but I felt a certain excitement in the air. Instead of dressing me up, Mommy kept me in my warmest pajamas, even as we marched through brightly lit hallways buzzing with the crackle of the intercom announcing flight and gate numbers.

Then we got on an airplane, much like the one we took to visit Auntie Raneeza, Uncle Paul, and Uncle Raffy in San Diego. My ears hurt for a little bit, but Mommy hushed me to sleep with a bottle and my binky. And I appreciated the warm pajamas that kept me cozy.  

When I woke up, I knew we weren't on the Mainland anymore.

What, with all the swaying coconut trees on the tarmac, the thick humid air, the colorful leis, and folks greeting "Aloha!" to each other, there was no doubt we were in the island state of Hawaii!

The most dramatic tell tale sign that I wasn't anywhere near Washington State anymore was this, the tricycle taxi. They're everywhere! They're loud! And they're relatively comfortable. Unless it rains.

It's hot here! And humid. It's like a sauna. Mommy says it's good for her skin. And she wears shorts and tank tops everyday.  

This place is even warmer than Preacher and Sonya's house!  I've never sweat so much as I have in this oven, which makes showers rather necessary. Taking a shower here is an experience of communing with nature. Of course, there's a nice bathroom in the house. But why take a bath the same-o same-o way, when I could take a shower island style! I wouldn't mind the water being warmer though.

There are many things here that are just like home. Like oral hygiene. Here, our cousin brushes her teeth with an electric toothbrush. Kuya, are you remembering to brush your teeth every night?

Another familiar sight here is Uncle Paul! All the way from San Diego! And I've got him wrapped tight around my pinky finger. 

Yet another familiar sight is Uncle John, all the way from Saipan! And you know, he is as much a comic here as he was when he visited last summer. Here he is, doing his Daniel Craig impersonation from the James Bond movie.

Oh Kuya, you'd love it here! We have cousins, lot's of them! And they're all loud, and boisterous, and happy, and caring, and doting. I wish you had come along because this might be the last gathering in a loooooong time to come for a reunion to happen again.

I'm meeting aunties that Mommy grew up with...

Aunties that Mommy keeps in close contact with...

You would really like 'em. Besides being so full of love and kindred spirit, they are all beautiful! See?

Every night was a joyful gathering. It's sad that great-grandmother passed away, but you wouldn't think there was a funeral with all the laughter going around. I guess, in a way, it's a celebration of great-grandmother's long, long life, and her legacy. And this wasn't even all of the cousins!

The funeral was quite a spectacle. There was a marching band! And I even got to play with one of the xylophones in the band.

And what more, the other side of the family came all way from the big city to pay their respects. I met Mama K and Papa B, Auntie Netty's parents. (And we thought Auntie was old!)

After the funeral, we all went back to the big city to visit Mommy's mom's mom. Would you believe Mama Dadie is our great-grandma?! We are her sungay. It literally means "horn", like on a bull. But I don't know what horns have to do with great-grandchildren... Well, horns or not, I love our Mama Dadie. She sings old folk songs, and bounces me on her knees. I was told she was quite the singer in her younger days, and a comedian. (Hmmm, maybe that's where Uncle John gets his funny bone...)

Mama Dadie has a furry little dog, which I don't know what to think of. Dogs are supposed to look like Preacher and Sonya, not a mop like this squirmy little thing...

These are Grandpa Ray's brothers and sister. They came along to visit the other side of the family. I was told that this house is where Grandma Riza lived when Grandpa Ray courted her. In fact, this house is where Uncle Paul and Mommy grew up for the first few years of their lives!

This is Grandma Riza's brother. He's quite a comedian too. Hmmm, now I am almost positive that Uncle John gets his comics from this side of the family...

As if the tricycle rides weren't adventurous enough... We all went to Bohol, the island where Mama Dadie and her late husband, our great-grandpa, were from.

While waiting for our boat, Grandpa Ray and his brother played a game of "close-open" with me. Sometimes I wonder if adults know anything... he kept doing to hand signal for MILK, but never gave me the bottle. Oh well, that's okay because I'd rather have sweet, ripe mangoes anyway.

The fast craft whisked us from Cebu to Bohol in less than an hour. The popular snack on board was banana-Q's. They're called banana-Q because they were grilled, like "barbie-Q". Leave it up to the Filipinos to come up with original words!

Papa B was at the pier to pick us up when we arrived. I helped him drive his car. He said he taught Auntie Netty how to drive by letting her shift the gear stick to start. I'm only up to "neutral" gear. And I'm sure that as soon as I can see over the dashboard, he'll let me drive! 

Papa B brought a whole entourage of twenty-two relatives to see the "chocolate hills" at Sagbayan Peak. Oh Kuya, it's beautiful here! It's quiet. It's clean. It's fresh. It's Bohol!

But well, if you don't care for these naturally occuring mounds of perfect cones that look like chocolate kisses during the dry season, when the grasses die to a rich brown color, then there's the dinosaur exhibit at the entrance of the park. I also got to meet the Tarsier monkey, the world's smallest primate, reared in a small conservatory at the same park. But you might not like their big, soft staring eyes and miniature fangs... So, yeah, dinosaurs!

We all spent the night at Papa B's and Mama K's house. I made friends with Dalmacio [pronounced dal-ma'-shoh], "Sho" for short. He's much more well behaved than Preacher and Sonya (but shhhh! don't tell them I said that, I don't want to hurt their feelings). 

Ah, I'm just so happy to be here! There's so much to see, so much to do, so many people to meet, and so much seafood to eat. Well, YOU could eat it, not me. And we've only been here a week!
Time for my nap. Please take good care of Daddy, Grandma, and Grandpa. If only I could talk, I'd tell them myself what a swell time I'm having in such a wonderful place where everyone dotes on their guests, meaning me. Hah!

Your Sister,


Jaida Bug


P.s. You might be wondering why you didn't see much of Auntie Raneeza in the pictures. That's because she was the one behind the camera most of the time. I'll have you know that she was such wonderful company; she played with me, fed me, and changed me when Mommy had her hands full with other things. I would call her to thank her for all her help, but I can't use my words yet. So when I get home, you're going to have tell her "thanks" for me.


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