BFF: Best Freinds Forever

Irene and Sarah.

Irene is Cousin Honey's, and Sarah is Cousin Ian's.

They are best friends.

They laugh, play, chit chat, fight, laugh again, have snacks, take naps, take trips, fight again, play more, get in trouble, and laugh even more. All this they do together.

That's my foot at the bottom of the picture. We were on the beach at low tide, and they were hanging on to me for dear life as umangs (hermit crabs), botitis (sea slugs), and tihi-tihis (sea urchins) crawl and wriggle beneath their feet.





Sarah: Ayeen (she can't pronounce her R's), you're my best friend in the whole wide world!

Irene: and you're my best friend from infinity to beyond.

(Oh, how my heart quivers at the sight of innocence and pure love.)

Irene: Sarah, if I go to Cebu, will you come with me?

Sarah: Of course, no doubt!

Sarah: Ayeen, if I catch that umang, will catch the botiti?

Irene: Only for you.





Irene: Sarah, do you think I'm fat?

Sarah: Oh no, you're a perfect 10!






Irene: Will you have three pieces of cake with me then?


Sarah: Well... Um... e, kasi... usa nalang ko oy. My poor teeth...





Irene: Alright. I'll have just one piece then.

Sarah: You're as sweet as sugar!

Sarah: Will you promise to be my best friend?

Irene: Forever!



(Next Event...)

Si GeraRd. Aw, GeraLd. Unsa ba na?

Remember this handsome guy? Who could forget a relative that looks like Bong Revilla (Filipino actor). He is Micchel's (pronounced the regular "Michelle") husband.

Yes, Gerard.

Gerald?

Mama Tiny calls him Jerome.

Papa Val calls him Jason.

And my Ma calls him Harold.

So, which is it? Agh! No wonder Obet calls him "G". Cousin "G" it is.

He was there to greet me when I arrived in Cebu. And he came along when we all went to Bohol. He probably didn't know what he was getting himself into when he jumped on the boat with us. First of all, the sailing for which we bought passage was cancelled "due to engine problems", we were told. Really, it was for other reasons, that I will talk about at a later time.

Anyway, Cousin "G"... He doesn't understand Bisayan, and the only Bisaya he picked up in Cebu thus far is unsa ba na? He mentioned buying a Tagalog-Bisaya translation book.

"The best way to learn," Lolo Cen said to him, "is to learn directly from those speaking it." So, Cousin "G", I dedicate this entry to you. Imoha ni do'! Hala, pag to-on na ug Bisaya, aron di ka ma palit. Bantay ka ha, kay "palit" in Bisaya is not the same as "palit" in Tagalog.

For those of you who can't speak/understand Bisayan, get a dictionary. Or, oh well, just enjoy the pics.

The first thing he did with us was to go to market. "Ano ang longsod?" he asked. Town. "Ano ang merkado?" he asked. Palenke. "Ahhhh."

Karon, kay sia man ang batan-on namo, di si'ay mo da sa mga gi palit. Ajo ra pud, kay ang mga baji sa merkado mo ingon og "guapo, bo-otan sab!"

Taason pa jud ug mistiso! Ay yaaaaaaay, ga pitik ako dughan!

Hoy, Cousin G, if you ever find out what I've just written above, don't be hambog-hambog ha!

Pero, walay mga higajon mga dalaga diri, kay minjo na ni oy! Na, nag sige'g tawag sa asawa, kada oras, kada adlaw, kada lihok, mo tawag jud ni Micchel.

Then we took him to Danao Adventure Park, the new attraction in Bohol. Deep in the interior, atop mountains lush with vegetation, and cooled by the higher air. First, we get an introduction to the activities that the park offers.

The most popular - in my opinion - activity is the Plunge. The adventurer is harnessed, tethered to a Petzl bungee line, then dropped 45 meters into a rocky gorge forged by the river Wahig.

Oy, hadloka...

Bahala mo, di jud ko mo sakay bisag unsa'ng imong i-bayad nako!

'Awa si G o... oras na siguro kay nag telebabad na pod.

Papa Val: O, Jay, sakay ka na!

Cousin G: hindi po, masakit tiyan ko eh...

Oy, ang lalim o!

"I will ask Micchel first, if she'll let me ride the Plunge."

Tanaowa, ka bo-otan, ni nanghid pa jud sa misis.

"Yes!" Micchel said. I know, because I spoke with her on the phone too.

But in the end, he said to Micchel "would you like be widowed before you turn 30?" And that ended it. No Plunge. "But only because I have stomachache!" Cousin G reiterated.

And so, he hung with the old timers, oohing and ahing as adventurers took the plunge.

Take a good look at the old timers. Bagsik o! Mora'g si Dagohoy, nang-isog.

Ah, so observing, posing, and walking was Cousin G's only adventure in Danao. It takes a lot of bravery to hang with old timers, you know. They ask you to do everything. "Will you... Could you... take this, get this, carry this..." Hay, magka poliki jud ni'ng bata-bata.

Siyodadnon man ning bata'a. So na ibog siguro kaayo sa fish pond.

Hala, G! Pagto'on na'g pina-probinsiya aron ikaw na pod mo atiman sa pispand ni Kuya Val.

'Awa si Tito Q, o. Di na mo-balik sa Manila, kay lingaw kaajo sa suba.

Ka sabot ka G?

Unsa man diay imong ngan? GeraRd ba, o GeraLd? Klarohi na ba, kay aron di na sila mo sigi'g tawag nimo'g Jerome o Harold.

Na unsa gud ka Ma, asa ka ana, ka-lagyo ra ang Harold sa GeraRd... aw, GeraLd.

(Next event...)

Dinner Crashers

Last Thursday, our neighbors crashed our house for dinner. We had measly pieces of chicken, roasted peppers, and roasted wedged potatoes. Of course they brought teriyaki seasoned burgers for everyone, which was oh so yummy!

So the next day, we reciprocated by going to their house.

Three things I love about visiting our neighbors: 1) we all get to wear zories (that's flip flop thongs for you statesiders) around the house;

2) they are such good people, down to the soul; and 3) they cook a very soulful meal, you'd think you'd died and gone to culinary heaven.

When we first arrived - and this happens all the time - their adorable little boy played bashful. Even when he'd been asking his mom over and over again "Are they coming over? I wanna show them my toys!"

But it doesn't take long until he comes out of his shell.

Next thing you know, even 5-Star Scotty got his hands on the toys.

And then our neighbors' adorable little boy tried to get me into the pool with him.

Yo, yo, yo! You gonna get wet wid me or whah?

Just kidding. This adorable little boy is too sweet for that kind of talk.

Netty? Do you want to swim with me? is more his style of talkin'. Ah, such a sweet little boy. If his mom weren't looking, I'd put him in my purse and take him home with me!

Are you sure you don't want to get in the pool with me, Netty? The water feels really good. See, put your feet in. Try it. Isn't it nice?

It took all of my will power to resist. I had just eaten 1/2 of a cheesecake all to myself two days before, and I didn't want to prove to everyone that jiggles make a very efficient flotation device.

Then our neighbors' adorable little boy discovered a bug floating in the pool.

And just like that, his attention was now on catching spiders and flies.

When the water in the pool became like glass...

And our neighbors' adorable little boy started to squint after the sun had already set...

We knew it was getting close to bedtime.

I love summer in the northwest. The sun sets after 9pm!

Ah, I love crashing our neighbors' for dinner.

Eclipse to Grown Ups

My friend H had been calling me all week about the third movie of the Twilight Saga, Eclipse. "Let's buy the tickets online, and get in [the 2-mile] line for the midnight premier on Wednesday night!" She was kidding of course.

But she wasn't kidding about watching it on Friday night, at the local Cinebarre. "It's an adults-only establishment so we won't get to see the screeching teenagers, but at least it won't be mayhem going into the theater."

WRONG!

The line to the box office stretched to the end of the building, and most of the folks in it had Fandango tickets. Sure enough, when it was our turn at the window we were turned away. The next three shows were sold out!

I was bummed. Seriously bummed. I came totally stoked for the movie. Even dressed appropriately for it.

Have I mentioned that I've read the whole Twilight Saga three times over? Oh, I just love Edward. O Edward, bite me. Please.

So, we joined the boys with Grown Ups instead.

We were actually pleasantly entertained. Although, when it came down to it, none of us rated it more than a 6 (Alfonsina gave the highest rating) in a range between 1-10, 1 being worse, 10 being best.

O Edward, can you forgive me for not making it to see you. I'll come back, I promise. Next week, on $5.00 Tuesday.