Popo's 100th

Today is not just Andres Bonifacio's birthday.  Today would have marked the 100th birthday of my paternal grandfather also named Andres, whom we, the grandchildren, fondly called him as our "popo".

When I googled popo's name just to try to check out his year of birth, I was surprised to find it online, considering that, when popo passed away more than a decade ago already, internet was still not popular then.  If my memory serves me right, I was still in college then.  Internet was something that was foreign to me that I was trying hard to explore when I already started working.  So, you just can imagine..

Popo lived with us during my childhood years.  I remember him as soft-spoken, silent, and good-natured person.  When he died, it was the first time that I saw my father cried.. :(

To popo, happy birthday!  Please take care of papa.. :)

Finally, My Summer Vacation Officially Starts... Today!

I just had my last but definitely not my least final examination this afternoon.  Actually, I thought I would finish it all last week yet.  But it turned out, my examination for my last subject was actually scheduled, March 26, thus, prolonging my agony.  Nevertheless, it's now over!  Hence,  by virtue of the power vested in me, I now declare my summer vacation... open for chuva and everything!

I am so excited!  Tomorrow, my mama and I will head to Baclaran church, have some shopping somewhere thereafter, and in the late afternoon, I will be attending a classmate's birthday celebration.  That's just a few of the things that will keep me busy right before this month ends.

But not so fast, guia!  Yeah right... I still have some audit observation memoranda to finish for my special audit engagement. Huhuhu :(

Belated Birthday Greetings

The most important man in my life would have celebrated his 71st year in this world two days ago, July 14.  Nevertheless, to my papa, happy birthday!  Knowing that you are smiling up there while lovingly gazing at your children and mama is already enough to make me feel that you are still here with us. :)

I Had Fun (Run) On My Birthday!

Weeks before my 33rd birthday (yes, i'm already old but i'm proud of it!), I was already planning on how to make it memorable.  Then I got an e-invitation for the Kerygma Fun Run at SM Mall of Asia which date coincided on MY DAY.  Hmmm, not a bad idea right?  The last time I joined a fun run was four years ago, which was part of the activities in celebration of the COA Week.  Mind you, I placed 1st then (err, 1st runner up. jejehe).  No, I'm not a runner.  I don't even jog regularly.  It was just that, in my category, only a few participated.  Hence, I was the second best (jejeje, again).


Back to the K Fam Run, there were three categories, namely:  1-km (1k), 3-km (3k), and 5-km (5k).  I decided to join the 3k category although I was almost tempted to take the 1k as I don't want to be breathless on my birthday.  But nevertheless, I took the challenge...

Shown below are the pictures I took (except photos of me, of course) during the K Run:

at 5 o'clock in the morning

d' birthday gurl!

bro. mike (?) at the makeshift stage. don't remember his exact name but in fernez, he is really good at hosting.  was he a somebody from a comedy bar?

the sunrise!

some 5k runners were already on their way back to the station. good for them!

i'm already tired!  i envy the runners ahead of me...

hey!  that's my exit!  but isn't that lady in there guarding that area?

here's another guard!

i can already see the landmark of SM Mall of Asia!

the ambulance! rescue me! rescue me!

runners were lining up at the water station.  unfortunately, when it was already my turn they ran out of water...huhuhu

the st. peter's church beside SM Mall of Asia.  would i go there afterwards?  i don't have to go far... hmm..
(i decided to attend a mass at Redemptorist Church in Baclaran instead since that was what I promised myself long before)

others were already turning right.  yipee!  i'm already near the finish line!

but others were still turning left.  why?  i don't want to go there anymore.  that's already too much for me!

i think this is now my cue for a short cut.   there were already others who went ahead of me.  it won't be embarrassing anymore to take that path since i just followed suit.

i made it!  i deserve a rest...zzzzz...

me again, still at rest. with my socked feet off my my rubber shoes.  arghh!!! my feet hurts!

ben...

today would have marked the 69th birthday of my father, ben, short for buenaventura. i would like to believe that i was also papa's girl, next to my only sister. hehehe

please don't get me wrong. i was never jealous of my sister or any of my siblings. my papa had his special ways of letting me know that I was also his favorite child. i remember during my early childhood days when he would sit me on his lap. he would fondly call me, "bhalah", which he mimicked from me every time i was asked about my nickname. of course, i could not correctly pronounce "guia" then. (yeah, i know. i could not see the connection. hehehe)

to my papa, happy birthday. i love you very much. you will always be the best father in the world.

i hope to see you again, in God's time. :)