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.. :)

Papa Visited Mama and Zhea!

Last August 6, Friday night, I was talking to mama over the phone when I overheard my niece exclaimed, "humot!" (smells good!). They were three in the room. Only the babysitter didn't smell the fragrant of a flower. Then it hit mama! That day was supposed to be the 1st day of the nine-day novena for the death anniversary of my father! Mama totally forgot to keep track of it.

I teased mama. She was so guilty that she promised to visit the cemetery the following day. What about me? When will papa come and visit me? Perhaps tonight? Scare me papa. hehehe

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. :)

the most important man in my life...

too bad, he is long gone. but in my heart, he still stays.  nobody could replace him. no one ever...

i would always remember papa as my hero.  his reassuring smile would be enough to tell me that everything's okay.  he was the most understanding and patient man that i had ever known.  well, maybe the adage is true, that good men die young...

papa, happy father's day.  i'm so proud of you, for you did a great job here on earth.  i'm so honored and thankful that God gave me the best father in the world, and that is YOU. :)

Our Owner-Type Jeep

Our residence in Surigao was four kilometers away from the city proper.  If you live in a place like ours where regular transportation is a problem, owning a vehicle is a necessity.  Hence, one day I saw papa driving home an owner-type jeep.  He acquired it from Cagayan de Oro City.  If I'm not yet mistaken, the brand was Toyota.

I had a lot of childhood memories with that owner-type jeep.  My siblings and I used to sing songs (and sometimes shout) to our hearts' content while papa drove us home.  Mama would sometimes scold us, but would secretly hum along.  That was the good ol' days...

My papa had the top fabric of our vehicle changed a number of times.  There were also instances when my siblings and I, being adventurous as we always are, would request papa to take out the side and rear skins of the jeep.  The air then was still not as polluted as it is now...

When papa passed away, it was as if the jeep died along with him.  We were not able to maintain it the way he care for his jeep.  It stayed in our garage for many years before mama reluctantly sold it.  It took a lot of convincing from her children that disposing that precious memento does not mean forgetting papa.  It's just that there are things in this life that we just have to let go... and move on...

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. :)