M.I.A.

Yep, I’m missing in action!   We have balikbayan guests staying over the house and everyday is crazy but fun!  I love having guests around; they make the house livelier than it is.   And somehow, food is always good. burp

The twelve noon lunch magically extends until four in the afternoon without you noticing the time.  Good food, good company, good conversation.

Riel treated everybody at Kanin Club.  Their Crispy Tadyang, Crispy Dinuguan and Sigarilyas Express are our staples.  Left to Right above: Papa (I’m so damn lucky to have him as my FIL, love you Pa!), and his mom, Mommy Bu (the great grand Lola Bu), Papa’s brother Tito Sonny (he is so malambing) and youngest sister, Tita Ri (the coolest aunt)  Tito Sonny left last Friday and Tita Ri will be flying out on Saturday.  Mommy Bu will be staying with us for good.

We had our desert at Cafe Breton.  SIL treated all of us there.  Thanks, Gina!
With 84-year old Mommy Bu and godson Javi.  Javi is Mommy Bu’s ninth great grandchild and the youngest.

Javi is a very pleasant boy.  I haven’t seen him cry.  Everything about him smells good.  And look at his sausage arm… and how his Mama look at him.  I miss having a baby in my arms.  Gone are the days when my children are this cuddly and lovable and quiet and helpless and dependent.  My children have a mind of their own.  They’ve become elusive.  They stink.  And they do silly stuff… together!  Like one morning after their summer football practice: 

Help me, Sister!  They watered Grammy’s plants naturally and organically.   Fortunately for me, they don’t carry my surname.  They’ve got DH’s surname screaming loudly on their shirts.  (Sorry Riel,  there’s no denying that these are your kids, aren’t you proud?) 

Back to Lola Bu. 

She is an accomplished lady.  She authored many books. 

Above are among the books she gave us years ago. 
mommybu
mommybu0001

I’m not an “apo” by blood, but I love her and I’m proud of her.  I’m glad my children carry her genes.  I look forward to spending the rest of our five weeks stay with her before we leave for Canada.  And because the past is very vivid to her, she has a lot of amazing stories to tell.

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Incidentally, I have uploaded a new set of scrapbook album here.