I started writing when I was 8. My mom got me a journal where I could rant (prob so I won't be an annoying brat). I stopped writing for 8 years until the pen and then later on the keyboard called on me again. I blog because I like writing and that's just about it. Hope you get inspired though... Bite the apple!
The only I ever "saw" my Papa Lolo was when he said hello to me from a window. I was four years old and we were in Tito Mom's house in San Francisco. Kuya and I were fighting about the thermostat and I went to the window by the stairs to feel the cold glass.
Papa Lolo suddenly appeared by the window and said hello. I responded out loud and said, "Hello Papa Lolo!" After that I was suddenly snatched up by someone (probably my Mom or Dad). And they nervously asked me who I talking to. I told them Papa Lolo was outside.
I still remember that day like it was yesterday and I still remember how cold it was in the house. The same "apparition" only happened once again. This time it was Gabby who saw him in Mama Lola's room in our home. Gabby ran back to where we were in the lanai and said he saw an old man in an all white military uniform. Yup, definitely Papa Lolo.
Anyway, I discovered something about my Papa Lolo. I found letters to Mama Lola and a planner. In 1969, my Papa Lolo wrote daily on the small planner what he did and who he met. In the planner was a raffle ticket, fund computations, and a photo of his brother. His letters to Mama Lola and children were also very detailed (usually bilins and instructions).
I also found my old planners from the 90s on the same day. I got curious and looked through the planners to see what kind of person I was back then. Oh boy, I was so OC!!! Aside from daily lists of what I did, I had birthdays of practically everyone I knew written on the planner. I used colored pens to represent where I know them from.
Now I know where I got that "quirk" from. It wasn't my Mom since what she had is a gazillion address books (I filled a whole box of it!). I also write like Papa Lolo. Detailed and chronological.
*Long before I was born
How I wish I met my Papa Lolo. My Mom always told me happy stories about him. I know he wasn't perfect, but his letters and planners showed how much he cared for his family, especially his children.
This tiny bit of information about my Papa Lolo makes me happy. I never met him in person since he passed away five years before I was born. Knowing I got my OC-ness from him makes me feel less odd about my quirk. :)
Being the youngest in our clan I grew up dotted on by my Mom’s brothers and sisters. I was the cute little thing passed from one uncle and aunt to cousins during our Christmas reunions. I have many photos of this and notedly photos with my uncles carrying me.
I particularly had three very different uncles (my Mom’s brothers). Tito Tony, the noisiest one who loved doing pranks and joke around. He was the most malambing of all and I remember always hugging him because he had a big belly. He would always send pistachio from Saudi Arabia when he worked there and I remember creating a Christmas tree for him using pistachio nuts (yeah I used to be very creative!). He believed on living on the edge and still drank Coke even when his leg already got amputated due to diabetes. I learned from him that you have to live life to the fullest and always keep your family close.
Tito Mon was the uncle with the moustache. He brooded a lot but also laughed a lot. He gave me a lot of advise and was a powerhouse marketing man back in the day. He lived with us off and on for many years and he would regale us with stories during meals. He suffered a lot being away from his family for more than 2 decades, but received forgiveness and reconciliation just before he passed away. I learned from him that even though you make mistakes you have to rise up and make up for it.
The third uncle is my Tito Ben. My godfather twice over, in baptism and in our wedding. He was the quiet one and was part of the military. I was always in awe of him because he always stood tall. He looked a lot like my grandfather who I didn’t meet. He was was always concerned about my safety since I travel a lot and scolded me each every time we saw each other in the last 5 years for traveling by land in a part in the Philippines which he deemed unsafe.
My Tito Ben, my second dad passed away last week.
The last time I visited him in the hospital he was very jolly despite the pain he was probably experiencing having his lungs drained (I know I’ve been through that too). He finally explained to me why he was concerned for my safety. I didn’t know that was the last time I would see him alive. He hugged me and said he loved me.
Tito Ben went through a lot of hardships for his family, but he faced all the challenges head on. I never heard him complain, he just always found ways to make things work. He is also only the second person I know who’s remained faithful to his marriage of more than 50 years (first one is my Dad!). And oh, I also just found out that Tito Ben loves to write and is great with communication and PR. (I always thought I got my love for writing just from my Dad, it really runs pala in the family!).
My Tito Ben was given full military honours last Saturday. I believe he truly deserved it since lived an honourable life serving God, his country, and most especially, his family.
Farewell Tito Ben, now I know you’re with Dad, Tito Tony and Tito Mon. It was really strange dreaming about that a few months back. It was probably their way of warning me that you’d soon be gone too. Please watch over us from up there. Don’t worry about Tita Ming, Titay and Mom, they will be loved and cared for by the whole family.
I've always been curious about my ancestors because I only got to meet one grandparent - my Mama Lola, unless you count my Papa Lolo's surprise ghostly visit to me when I was 4 years old. He was in full white military uniform and since he was smiling at me I started chatting with him. I was just a kid, so it did not occur to me that he was visiting me from heaven in San Francisco! He's only done that to me and my nephew, Gabby.
Sometimes I feel short-changed because I did not have the opportunity to be dotted on by my other grandparents. My Mama Lola though made up for it because I was always at her side. She spoiled me and they say that I am very much like her -- loves bags, sewing (I used to when I was a kid), and eccentric. I loved spending time with her and oftentimes drove her crazy. She left us though when I was 12.
I learn a little about my ancestors during (maternal) family gatherings. My cousin, Kuya Koko, presented during one Christmas reunion our family crest and showed our family tree which was traced from Spain. Recently, during my Tito Mon's funeral I learned that his namesake went back to Europe during war time and never came back. I have little knowledge on my paternal ancestors. I only know that my grandparents eloped and had 9 children, my Dad being the youngest. I also know that both my Lolos were hunks!
And that's probably why I've always been fascinated with the movie "Back to the Future" and originally wanted to take up archeology in college. I've always wanted to learn more about my ancestors. Their quirks, favorite food, what they did for a living and if I'm like them in any way. I don't want to learn about it though through ghostly appearances! I do appreciate though that my Papa Lola visited me, my nephew said he looked exactly the same when I saw him (he just recognized him when he saw a photo by accident). Too bad I don't think anyone of time liked writing because we haven't found any old diary lying around!
Anyway, I'm writing this for the sake of Miguel and my nephews and nieces in case they become curious to find out more about their ancestry. Hopefully when my cousin comes back from the US I can get a copy of our family tree from him. Well, someday I'll meet them when it's time for me to party up there.
And if, by chance, this gets read by my future grandchildren or great-grandchildren. Hello! You're lucky I like writing hehehe.
*First photo - Francisco and Merced Enrile (Papa Lolo and Mama Lola)
**Second photo - Ramon T. Enrile Sr. (June 24, 1863 - January 15, 1924) and Paulina Soler de Enrile (April 29, 1866 - August 19, 1937)
I did not realize it's been 4 days since I last made a post. I did not go on vacation, I was actually just home but was very busy working and taking care of other stuff during the holidays (what holiday? meron ba? LOL).
I attended two reunions though over the weekend (oh and another one last Tuesday night) and it's really funny how the same topics seem to be discussed in any type of reunion -
Topic #1 - "Uy antaba mo ngayon ah!" Yeah, weight is ALWAYS the first ice breaker in any reunion. Good thing my college friends did not realize that I actually gained 25 lbs. since I graduated.
Last time I saw most of these guys was ten years ago, most were at least 20 lbs. lighter then.
Topic #2 - "Bakit di ka pa kasal? Ano nangyari?" my Tita asked in a her malumanay voice. Arggghhh! And then my Dad quipped, "Napag-iwanan na yan ng panahon!" And for that my Dad got a huge kurot from me. I am the youngest in both sides of our clan and one of the two who are unmarried. My cousin though is in her late 30s and they've designated her to be the generation's spinster (we always have one).
On the other hand, among my college buddies, those who got married already are those who we never expected to marry and these were the guys who did not even have girlfriends back in college! At least there were no questions on, "Bakit di ka pa kasal?"
Instant family reunion after visiting the cemetery.
Topic #3 - The latest apo. The "elders" couldn't stop bragging about their grandchildren. My favorite tito won the payabangan contest this time because my cousin Tina just gave birth two months ago. I think my Dad was quite scared to quip about having a new grandchild, baka kasi umayon ako at last eh. LOL.
My Dad making pa-cute!
My college friends are starting to have kids as well. Ako naman ang pwede na gumimik ngayon! Ha-ha! The disadvantage though of having friends with kids is a longer Christmas list, but that's okay, basta girl because I love shopping for baby dresses.
Topic #4 - Trip down on memory lane. Funny antics from way back. Who's changed their sexual orientation. Who broke up with who. Scandalous old tsismis. And one thing that you should bring during reunions are old photos. My gawd! I couldn't imagine myself 25 lbs. lighter with an 18-inch waist line. Funny though how the most un-sentimental person was the one who actually had an album.
I almost fainted when Sweetie saw my old college photos! I had braces then!
OMG... me in braces! And really, really short hair!
Topic #5 - The SO interrogation. Good thing my relatives and friends are nice during first meetings. Patay si Sweetie sa sunod na meet-up. (Don't worry I won't tell you're from the other side of the fence. LOL. Lagot ako sa reunion niyo!). My cousin though was already starting to ask questions, "One year na ba kayo niyan?" I had ammunition though and asked her about her SO and where he was. Hihihi.
Ang serious naman ni Sweetie.
Ayan happy na siya... natawa sa itsura ko kasi noon... LOL.
Oh well, I guess that's how reunions usually go. Do you normally experience the same thing when attending reunions?
Oh, and don't laugh... both reunions were held at Max's Restaurant on different locations.
I've been listening to Christmas songs the past few weeks and here's my supposedly Sunday video (I got buried under clothes last night so I wasn't able to post it).
Translations: meron ba? - was there one? Uy antaba mo ngayon ah - Hey! You've grown fat! Bakit di ka pa kasal? Ano nangyari? - Why aren't you married yet? What happened? malumanay - soft voice kurot - pinch apo - grandchild payabangan - bragging tsismis - gossip baka kasi umayon ako at last eh - I might give a positive answer at last Ako naman ang pwede na gumimik ngayon! - I can go to gimmicks now! Patay si Sweetie sa sunod na meet-up. - Sweetie will be creamed in the next meet-up. Lagot ako sa reunion niyo! - I'll be creamed in your reunion! One year na ba kayo niyan? - Have you been together for a year already?
Photo Credits College friends by Brian Vallesteros and Kiko Enrile clan by Sweetie
