Random Snapshots From A Moving Train

The Godfather, Redux

Late entry for November 1, 2006

Despite being exhausted from a very full day yesterday, I accepted my aunt's invitation to a Halloween Night Party at Duka Bay beach resort due to the lack of entertainment options in our city. Also, I've got to admit that my curiousity got the best of me. It was quite surprising to see that Filipinos are already adopting the Halloween custom. Although I've known about this holiday from books and movies, I didn't grew up practicing it the way they do in the States or at other western countries. I didn't know what to expect but I was just glad that I went as it turned out to be one of the important events in my trip. Anyway, here is the lowdown of what transpired.

My two sisters (Emily and Sande) and my cousin Mary June tagged along. My Aunt Agnes' (and her entourage   ) arrival was greeted with some acknowledgment as she is an incumbent city official. Although I'm proud of my aunt's accomplishments, I really don't care much about people's political status and of bureaucracy in general. In my opinion, some of these people think too highly of themselves, oblivious to the reality that they are really nobody of stature in the grand scheme of things. In a small pond, they're the big fish, but in the ocean, they're just bait for the bigger fish. I suppose I'm just not that easily impressed anymore with people who flaunt their clout and wealth and who expect to be treated like they're above everyone else. But hey, that's just me.

Anyway, in the typical Filipino fashion, people started arriving almost two hours later. I also noticed that there was really no attempt to follow through with the Halloween theme and I barely saw anyone in costumes. There was a live band playing and although I appreciated the talent and entertainment, a feeling of boredom started creeping up on me. I was just about ready to call it a night when I heard the host welcomed the presence of an important guest. The name was unmistakably familiar to me and a feeling of excitement coursed through my veins. I was propelled into action and I enlisted my aunt's help to find out where that certain guest was seated. Before I knew it, I found myself led by the host to a table where I came face to face with the person I last saw more than 12 years ago. With my heart pounding loudly, I tentatively approached and introduced myself to my long lost godfather, Ducky Paredes.

Me: "Maninoy (Visayan for Godfather) Ducky, you might not remember me but I'm the daughter of your friend Loly. I just want to thank you for helping me out with my visa processing 12 years ago. I'm sorry that I never got the opportunity to write or contact you but I've been wanting to see you again to thank you personally. Thank you so very much for everything you've done for me and my family." At this point, my voice broke and I felt my tears forming, threatening to roll down my flushed cheeks.

DP: "Oh, I remember you. You're welcome. How've you been? You went to the States, right?" He flashed me a kind smile and gave me a pat on my back. He was just as zen-like as I remembered him to be.

Me: "Yes. I've been working as a nurse in Chicago and I got married four years ago. Thank you for making it possible. I don't know if you are aware that Papa had already passed away?" Trying to hold back the tears, I managed to mumble my response. I just hoped I wasn't making a spectacle of myself.

DP: "It's good to know that you're doing fine. Yes, I know about your father's death. By the way, this is your Maninay (Visayan for Godmother)." He then directed my attention to the lady seated to his left side. With my one-track mind and focus, I almost forgot that he got company at his table. Geez! What on earth happened to my manners? His wife, who was silently listening to our exchange, gave me hug. Although that was the first time that we met, I felt her warm sincerity. She stated that she was glad to know that her husband had helped me in some way. She then asked me a few questions about myself as well. I intimated that my godfather is my inspiration to pursue writing again. I told her that I dreamt of becoming a journalist just like him but I had to give up on that aspiration for practical reasons (went to Nursing school instead). She then informed me where I can find my godfather's blogs and published articles and encouraged me to submit my writings as well. Wow! Everything was just so overwhelming. Feeling like I've accomplished what I needed to do, I bid them goodbye and headed back to my table. I was still trembling from the experience but a feeling of relief washed over me.

Pardon me if I seemed to be so melodramatic about the encounter. Let me share an excerpt from a previous post of mine to enlighten you why I was reduced to a sobbing mess over this.

I'm probably one of the few kids who got the lowest number of "ninongs" and "ninangs". I only had one of each. Obviously, I didn't get many presents when I was growing up. Sadly, my godmother died from breast cancer years ago and I can count with one hand the times I had contact with my godfather.  He was a journalist and held a vital position in the Malacanang Palace when I was in college. I remembered when I visited him in Malacanang Palace  in 1992, he arranged for a special tour for me and my classmates (we were taking our board review). He also gave me a money gift based on my age (100.00 pesos for each year). It was a very unexpected gesture but much appreciated as well. The last time I saw him was in 1994 when I asked for his assistance in getting my visa processed on time. I regret that I did not keep in contact and I doubt if he's even aware that my father already passed away. Maybe someday, I'll see him again.

My father and Ducky were close friends when they were in their 20s. When I was born, he was the obvious choice to be my godfather. Over the years, they kept in touch and supported each other on whatever endeavours they needed each other for. When Ducky needed some business assistance, he called on my father. In return, when he became a prominent figure in the political arena, he was able to secure a government position for my father. This job enabled my parents to provide us with quality education and a stable home life.

I seldom saw my godfather. I didn't get to see him on my birthdays and on Christmas holidays. My young mind couldn't help wishing I had more godparents and that I'd see them often. When I did get to see my godfather, I was too painfully shy to establish some kind of connection with him. I was at awe and unsure of what to make of him. All I knew was that he was a rising and promising journalist in the country. That was enough to intimidate me into silence lest I say something embarrassing and nonsensical. I became content in knowing that I did have a godfather albeit a distant one but when I graduated from college and was in Manila for my nursing licensure board review, my mother convinced me to contact him. At that time, he was the Press Undersecretary to President Corazon Aquino.

Daunted by the task, I bit the bullet and called him up. To my surprise, he invited me to come to the Malacanang Palace to meet him. Being older and having more confidence made the meeting less nerve wracking. It was one of the most impressionable moments in my young adult life. After I left the Philippines, I planned on staying connected with him. Unfortunately, stress and a fast paced life made it less of a priority. It wasn't until my father's death that I started feeling the urge to see him again. I feared that I might not ever have the opportunity to thank him. I was still feeling haunted by the feeling of regret that I never really got to spend enough time with my own father. There were still a lot of things unsaid, some deeds not done. I didn't want to make the same mistake again, even with somebody relatively unfamiliar to me as my Maninoy Ducky.

Although my godfather and I never had much of a relationship, he has somewhat influenced me in a strange way. It's like he has bestowed on me a special gift, a piece of who he is, during my baptism. It just might be my naive and wishful thinking but one I truly believed in. It is where I draw my confidence and courage from, whenever I start pounding the keyboard to express myself in my blogs. Even if I may never achieve any acclaim from my efforts, I'm just gratified to know that I'm adequately capable of sharing my thoughts and feelings to those who are willing to read them. It's also my own way of paying tribute to a brilliant man who, without his knowing, has created an impact in my life.

To those of you who are still reading this, I am thankful for your time and effort. To those who have complimented me in your comments, I am deeply appreciative and humbled by your generousity.

Old Souls, New Souls

Late Entry for October 31,2006

Despite being hectic, yesterday was very productive indeed. Everything went smoothly as planned. We completed the transaction for the car's purchase and drove it home. My mother seemed excited about it and we were teasing her that she should start learning how to drive. I'm sure she's apprehensive about the idea but she also understood that she would need to try. Anyway, it was already very late when we arrived in our hometown but everybody waited up especially the kids. As for me, I was just ready to crash. It's been a long weekend and I was just looking forward to a long night sleep and a relaxing vacation.

It was just good timing that there was a party today for my grandfather's death anniversary. It was great seeing my relatives there and I saw some new faces as well. Most of my cousins have gotten married over the years and have been busy expanding the clan. A lot of kids were introduced to me and I just hope that I'll remember their names and faces. I found out that a lot of them are doing great in school and are quite popular, I might add.

My Aunt Agnes gave a little speech and made a point of educating the young ones about the family's history and proudly attributed their achiever status to the Ubalde genes. Be it true or false, I can't fault my aunt for being proud of the family and of the next generation. It is good and truly refreshing to see that certain kind of camaraderie and sense of pride in a gathering like this. Close family ties is definitely something that I miss all these years of being away.

After the party, we went to the cemetery to pay our respects to our dear departed.  In the recent years, my family had been able to gather together everyone's remains in one gravesite. It made it easier to visit them all at one place.

Since the All Souls Day is coming up, the cemetery is abuzzed with families cleaning up the grave sites of their family members. At times like these, there are a lot of people and kids who are available to be hired for some clean-up job. Some graves were just so sadly and unscrupulously vandalized.   Such was the case for my maternal grandfather's gravesite. The railing fence was removed and probably sold by some heartless and disrespectful people. I understand that poverty drove them to do this but it's not exactly the kind of thing that reflects well on our culture and not obviously a good example to set for the kids. What were they thinking?

While looking around, I noticed some really elaborately built gravesites. Well, they looked more like houses and I was told that some even have bathrooms. I found it amusing that even in death, people are still separated by social classes and status quo was still very much alive. The cemetery looked a lot more habitable than the houses and neighborhood I saw beyond and around the cemetery area. What irony, huh?

I spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the city including the "pantalan" (wharf) . It used to be a shipping port but have not been used as such for a long time now. The tourism department found a new use for it.

Apparently, it is becoming a popular area in the city for recreation especially during the weekend nights when they have live bands playing. They call it "Pahayahay sa Pantalan". I'll have to check that out myself this weekend.

We also went to my former high school    and I was impressed at the improvements and expansion. I have to say that I've always been proud of having spent my formative years there. It was painful at times but the quality of education was quite comparable to the schools in bigger cities. I'm sure a lot of former alumni can attest to that.

As much as it has been a long day already, I accepted my Tita Agnes' invitation to a Halloween Night Party at Duka Bay Resort. It turned out to be a good decision as I was able to meet the one person that I've been wanting to see for the past 12 years. I'll write about it in my next post and I hope to be able to share the event with you guys.

Little People's Day

Late entry for October 29, 2006

As anticipated, the day was pretty hectic and eventful. Except for my mother and sis-in-law, everyone in my immediate family were in CDOC to spend the day hanging out and shopping. Since I wasn't sure how much the kids have grown since I last saw them, I played it safe and decided to do the shopping during the visit. I saw the excitement in the kids' faces and I was told that they looked forward to my arrival for weeks since they found out I was coming. I don't get to buy them stuff very often so I was happy to oblige their requests. Most opted for clothes and shoes but my nephew Lawrence wanted a watch instead so he got one. He said it will help him to be always on time for school. Gotta admire that in a kid. I sure hope it would last. I remembered my father used to have a hard time waking me up in the morning for school. But that's because I stayed up late reading my favorite novels.

Theo

Lawrence

Natasha

Rhea

Ryan

Everytime I visit them, it has become a habit of mine to take individual and group pictures of the kids and they happily and willingly posed for their aunt. My nephews and nieces are definitely taller and some of their features changed. They still fight and argue among each other but were not as rambunctious as before. My little sister Sande is not so little anymore as she's all grown up and  already fitting into my clothes. She's become a regular teenager with a crush (on a teacher, shhh...) and her own set of "barkadas" (clique of friends). She's into fashion and accessories and is clearly developing her own sense of style. I must say that now that she's a bit older, we're getting along much better. That's quite a relief as I don't look forward to another meltdown.

Sande

With her being born when I was 23, we had somewhat of a generation gap during my previous trips. I would like to elaborate on this so you know where I'm coming from. When I was my sister's age, I didn't have even half of what she has now. Back in those days, there were no cellphone, computer, color TV and cable, nice clothes and shoes, trips, restaurant meals, etc. With all those material indulgences, I just feel that she's growing up spoiled and unaware that most people don't have it easy. I worry that since things seem to come easily to her, she will not have the drive to do better in life and will not appreciate how lucky she is. In my opinion, a lot of Filipino kids nowadays are living in a fast pace and I regret that they will never have the same childhood that I (and those before me) and my peers had. How so?

Growing up in the Philippines was pretty special to me. My best childhood memories consisted of summertime activities such as going to the "Flores de Mayo" for the whole month of May, looking for flowers to offer and keeping my angel wings spotless for the altar processions. I also looked forward to the second day of May as it's my birthday and all the kids in church were treated to bowls of "binignit" courtesy of my mother. During the hot summer days, I made a lot (to me then) of money selling ice candy and fruit salad in the neighborhood. I also sold produce from my grandma's garden and she gave me half of the profit to save up in my bamboo bank. To my mother's consternation, I even dug up rusty metals and nails from people's backyard to sell by weight. Since I was my grandma's favorite, she had a small "bahay kubo" built for me in her courtyard and I had fond memories of playing house with my friends. We even cooked real cassava and camote (sweet potatoes) in my little "dirty" kitchen. We indulged our girly tendencies by getting our hair curled using cassava stems, teasing it into a knotty mess and rouging our cheeks with red Japanese paper dipped in water. What fun we had!

The trip down memory lane will be a long one if I allow myself to dwell on it. I just wish my sister and my nephews and nieces can have a little taste of what it was like. Nowadays, they seem to spend more time in front of the TV and are likely influenced by the shows they watch and then ask for toys that were being marketed. Toys are important as well but I'd much rather that they spend more time honing their social skills and creativity through more interpersonal and interactive ways. I would also like for them to read more books . As much as the computer and the internet are widely used now, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of reading books. There's just something very enjoyable and exciting about turning the pages of a book and feeling accomplished when finished with it.

Maybe I'm just way old school but that's how I feel about it. As I don't have kids of my own, I can't pretend on knowing how to raise them. I can only say that what my parents did certainly worked for me. They runned a tight ship on a tight budget but I sure appreciate my childhood, in retrospect. Taking what's good along with the bad, I believe it molded me into the person I am today. I just hope that even during the very short time I spent with the kids, I was able to impart some words of wisdom. I'm not perfect but I hope that when they look at me, it will inspire them to become who they can potentially be in the future. Hopefully, as productive members of the society and responsible citizens of the world. Nuff' said.

Becoming Filipino

A few years ago, I bought a functional multicab for my family's use. It was what I can afford at that time and it served its purpose well enough until it started having problems in the last year or so. One of the main reason why I have to stay in Cagayan de Oro City (CDOC) for a few days before heading out to my hometown was because I planned on getting a better mode of transportation for my mother. Kenny had already done some prior research on affordable and reliable vehicles available in the Philippines weeks before I left. On the other hand, I was leaning towards buying a "surplus" vehicle as suggested by my sister. Apparently, it's the thing to do there if you want to avail of cars/SUVs/vans that cost less and are easier to purchase (cash). I'm not one to pass up a good bargain. Kenny wasn't in agreement with me but I assured him I'll make a wise decision once I've fully assessed my options .

We spent most of the morning making the rounds of places that sell "surplus" cars and SUVs. Some looked a lot less acceptable than I expected, pretty much different than what I thought "surplus" means. I reckoned it meant "used" or second hand vehicles that were tuned up and sold for a cheaper price. Nope. One place we saw was a "chop shop" that churned up really beat up, dirty and almost non-functional vehicles into new looking cars/SUVs. The end results looked impressive but I can't help feeling that I won't really be getting the best value for our money in the long run. I shuddered to think how much it would cost us for future repairs and parts replacement. I nicknamed them "frankenstein vehicles" as their parts inside are probably not original to its brand and model. After a long distance phone discussion with Kenny, we agreed to proceed with his plan. So as not to bore you with the details, the day was quite productive and I was excited to pick the color of the car. We just have to wait till Monday to drive it off the lot since we still have to complete the business transaction.  I look forward to seeing my mother's face once she sees the car. I hope she likes it.

The second item on my agenda for the day was to get some beauty treatments with my sisters. At the risk of sounding superficial, it's our own little way of bonding as we don't get to spend a lot of time together. It's the girly thing to do plus I got more buck for my money for getting such treatments in the Philippines. It would have cost me double or more for everything if done in the US. For instance, I only paid P 95.00 (about $2.00) for a manicure but it would have cost me at least $15.00 plus tip in a regular nail salon in  the US. Great deal, right? .

I don't know if it's just me but I noticed how the attendants or beauticians seemed to sniff out the idea that I was from "abroad". My sisters and I were not being chatty or loose-lipped but the staff managed to fish out some hints anyway. I suppose I wasn't so good at lying and evading questions and by the time we were done, the cat was out of the bag. They were extra attentive and were quick to suggest more treatments and were pushing to sell more beauty products. Suffice to say, my bill was more than I expected and I left a very generous tip. I do believe in rewarding people for good services rendered and I'm sure they could use some extra money. Correct me if I'm wrong but tipping is probably still not such a common or standard practice in the Philippines. Imagine how much better off people in the service industry there would be if they get 15-20% gratuity. I have seen service charges being included in my restaurant bill but I still leave the wait staff a little bit more. They are certainly becoming more service oriented now than how I remembered it to be years ago.

The one thing I have to get used to whenever in the Philippines is being referred to as "ma'am" or "madam". Aside from making me feel older, I'm just not used to being called that in the States. I"m also not used anymore to calling people with those same titles since first names are usually enough between me and my superiors at work. Even if people are a lot older than me, I'm not expected to say "ma'am" or "sir" unless specifically indicated. Most western people get uncomfortable being addressed that way and I've been asked at times to refrain from calling them with their titular references. I've had one doctor who practically begged me not to call him "Doctor _". For someone who was used to feeling subservient to the Filipino MDs or nursing supervisors, it's very refreshing indeed. I kinda like that. It's not meant to be disrespectful or being impolite. It just shows that people, in general, are pretty much on an even field. Seniority in age and job position doesn't give you an automatic carte blanche to be superior than anyone else. Having said that, I realize that some people do have tendencies to be egotistical and thrive on power trip but that's another discussion altogether.

On the other hand, I miss being called "Ate" or "Tita Tata". I'm sure I'm going to hear more of that tomorrow as my younger brother and my nephews and nieces are coming to join us. I also have to consciously remember to reach for my grandmother's hand for the "mano po" or "amen" (in Bisaya). I know I'll be doing a lot of that in the next few days. Well, bring it on. I just wish people would stop calling me "madam". Oh, well! When in Rome... (or rather, Philippines)...

Dead Tired On Arrival

And so I arrived in the NAIA, went through the Immigration lane without a hitch and proceeded to pick up my baggage. As usual, there was a flurry of people trying to get to their luggage first. The familiar sight of balikbayan boxes was the most telling sign that I traveled with Filipinos. A lot of happy relatives and friends are waiting for those boxes to be opened. The porters were on hand to assist dragging them off from the carousel.  I’m just glad I didn’t have to avail of their services. After going through Customs, I decided to exchange a few dollars to pesos. I was greeted by the overwhelming sensation of being under a big hair dryer when I exited the airport. Although I’ve been through the same thing before, it still doesn’t prepare you enough for what’s coming. I hurriedly crossed over to the taxi service across the airport which charged P150.00 to get to the domestic airport a few minutes away to catch my flight to Cagayan de Oro City via Cebu Pacific Airlines.

I was already briefed by my coworker that I would have to go to the said airlines’ office to secure my tickets before checking in at the counter. Their office was located a few steps away from the airport entrance but I was aghast to find that I would have to leave my luggage with the security personnel outside the door. A feeling of frustration started creeping up on me and it wasn’t diminished once I got inside. It was a tight space with so many people waiting. I was given a number and realized there were at least 20 people ahead of me. Swallowing my irritation, I prepared myself for a long wait but when I noticed that a few people managed to breeze through their transaction ahead of everybody else, I felt like my insides were boiling. It took every ounce of my patience to bite my tongue at this point. It didn’t help that I was sweating like a pig. When I got to the counter, I was informed that I had to check in immediately as the flight will depart an hour earlier than what was on the online reservation (their error). Why am I not surprised anymore?

After what seemed like an eternity, I hustled over to the airport only to be met with an obstacle race-like system of checking in. Once I found the lane I was supposed to be at and got my baggage weighed, I was told to pay for the excess at the cashier’s booth then back again to the counter to be handed my boarding pass. A few steps away, I had to pay P 300.00 for the boarding fee then on to the security system. I finally found my way to the waiting area with barely 30 minutes to spare only to wait for almost an hour since the flight was delayed. Exhausted and aggravated, I fished out my Ipod from my carry on and tuned out the madness. My Philippines vacation has definitely begun.

We safely landed and I was met by my two sisters ( Emily and Sande), brother-in-law (Noel), cousin (Al) and grandmother (Lola Dayan). My mother had some pressing errand to attend to and wasn't able to come to meet me. I was just glad to see my family and be done with traveling for now. We checked into a new hotel called Mallberry Suites which is located within close vicinity of the Limketkai Mall. We freshened up and chose Café Laguna for dinner. We ordered kare-kare, sizzling bangus, adobong kangkong and lumpia shanghai. My first real Filipino meal in what seemed like a long time. The kare-kare just tasted different, authentic and better compared to what I usually get from the Pinoy restos in Chicago.

We walked around the mall for about an hour till it was closing time. I had the will to stay up longer but my body was begging for me to slow down and get some sleep. I’ve been up for more than 24 hours. We headed back to the hotel but as soon as my sister and I got on bed, we just started talking about all sorts of topic we can think of. There’s just so much to catch up on and we did just that through the wee hours of the night.

Time Traveler

The last few days leading to the trip were pure chaos and frenzy. Unlike the previous trips, I didn’t start packing early (two months early was my personal record). I didn’t want to overthink things through as I had a habit of packing excessively. During the last trip to the Phils, I didn’t even get to wear a third of my clothes and shoes. I was really determined to pack lightly this time around. I think I did good considering that I only have one luggage and didn’t go over the weight limit (70 lbs) for international flight. Kenny made sure I got all my toys /gadgets to keep me entertained during the long flight.

The first leg of the flight was 14 hours and I’m presently typing up this blog entry during a long (5 hrs) layover at Seoul, Korea. The flight to Manila will be shorter at 3 and half hours. But my journey won’t end there. The plane accommodation was better than I expected. I managed to secure an isle seat with spacious leg room. Although I would have normally preferred a window seat, I needed a much easier access to the lavatories due to my feminine needs. Yep, my monthly guest decided to show up on the very day of my departure. Talk about an unwanted guest showing up when the house isn’t ready, geez!

Most of the passengers were either Koreans or Filipinos. There’s a sprinkling of westerners as well. The food was passable. I opted for the Korean menu option and crossed my fingers that it wouldn’t be too bad. I think it turned out a better choice as I noticed that some passengers were not too thrilled over the alternative entree. The breakfast wasn’t too bad either. Hey! For the price I paid for the air fare, I’ll put up eating airplane food. After all, I’ll be feasting on homemade Filipino cuisine soon.

My trip doesn’t end in Manila. I still have to catch the last domestic flight to Cagayan de Oro City where my family will be waiting to pick me up. We then plan on staying in the city over the weekend to attend to some business and shopping. The rest of the family will be meeting us up on Sunday before finally heading to my hometown later that day. Shucks! I’m already feeling rushed and I’m not even there yet.

Expected Time of Departure

When I scheduled the trip to visit my family, I intended to be there during a stretch of time when the kids (nephews and nieces) will be on a school break. The semestral break was the most convenient and earliest time possible. In addition, I also wanted to be there during the Old Souls’ Day so I can pay my respects to my dead relatives in pure Filipino tradition. When I booked the flight with Asiana Airlines, I didn’t realize I’ll have to leave on the night of our wedding anniversary since the actual departure time was at 1 am on the 26^th. Although Kenny was a bit disappointed we won’t be able to spend the whole day together, he understood the situation. We just agreed to celebrate it earlier over the weekend. We originally planned having dinner at Carmichael’s last Saturday night but my friend Mating also issued a last minute invitation for dinner at Santorini’s, a Greek restaurant downtown, to celebrate her boyfriend Mike’s birthday. Kenny and I decided it would be nice to hang out with our friends instead. It was fun, just like on our wedding day four years ago.

Despite the short notice, there were at least 10 people who showed up. The place was packed in a typical Greek  resto fashion. We also can’t help but notice that there were so many birthday celebrants as every 30 minutes or so, groups of people would break out into singing “Happy Birthday to you”. We were tempted to do the same with Mike but we reckoned he might not like the attention.

The last 2 nights at work was more like in a haze for me. I was there physically but my mind was already someplace else. I still got a lot of packing to do and there’s the issue of getting an anniversary present for Kenny without him noticing it. As what had been happening in the past, he wasn’t able to contain himself and he gave me his card and present earlier. As much as I wanted to exchange presents on the anniversary day itself, I couldn’t possibly decline opening a jewelry box, right? I like jewelries just like any girl but I don’t  buy them for myself. Fortunately, Kenny likes buying the bling stuff for me so my collection has been steadily growing over the years. Hey, I’m no JLo but I sure appreciate whatever my guy gives me.

For Kenny’s present, let’s just say he was a happy camper after he opened the big box in my car. I might as well not have wrapped it since he just excitedly ripped the paper off it like a boy opening his present on Christmas morning. The look on his face was priceless and I’m sure he felt it was worth waiting for. For a hint of what it was, I researched for suggestions on gifts symbolical of the 4^th year anniversary. A contemporary gift was supposed to be an appliance. Great! Kenny is not a jewelry or watch kind of a guy so the suggestion helped me come up with a lot of ideas. In the end, one stood out for me as it was something that he can definitely use in the basement, his main domain/man cave.

Despite being excited to see my family again, I was feeling strangely forlorn about leaving. Of course I’ll be missing Kenny and wished he was able to make the trip with me. I will also be missing the puppies, Sidney and Lara. I was already feeling the pang of regret that I won’t be around for their first Halloween. It would have been so much fun dressing them up and taking hundreds of photos like an obsessed mama. Dang! I should have told Kenny to dress them up with costumes and send me the photos. Note to self: text Kenny to buy the costumes pronto. Okay, gotta split as we have to start boarding. See you on the other side.