Tim, the girls and I are in an apartment about two doors down from where my aunties and my mom are staying. The building we are in is owned by my cousins and we are staying in their own apartment. It's a four story building, so we are on the top floor with a magnificent view of the city.
Climb down four beautifully tiled stairs: seven steps, then eight, a landing, then seven steps, eight, a landing -- I still count my stairs. :)...go down a hall, through a gate into the alleyway, walk approximately 20 steps, go into another gate and "ta-da", I'm at my Autie Cely's place, where most of my relatives live. This is where the commune hangs out: food, tv, discussions. There is constant motion: someone is always cooking, prepping to cook, cleaning, washing clothes, etc. Last night, when I went back to hang out before bedtime was the first time I saw everyone sit down.
Why did we choose to come to the Philippines now? Mainly because my Auntie Cely is battling cancer for the second time. In fact, she was supposed to have her last, sixth, chemo Friday but they managed to postpone the treatment so that she can enjoy our visit, instead of feeling weak and sick. She overcame the first battle -- although there was fear that she wouldn't make it. She was cancer-free for a while and unfortunately, it has come back. My mom pretty much stated: you need to see her soon.
It's hard to believe she is weak or sick. Although when we first arrived, she had come down without a hat or wig - which shocked me to the core - she is still my same Auntie Cely. She looks and acts the same to me. Maybe nicer since I am older and tamer, so she doesn't have to knock me off my pedestal. :) My Auntie Cely was pretty much my mom - she raised me while I lived here. My mom and dad - sure, we hung out - but they were socializers and I was left with my auntie to take me to the barrio, to visit my grandpa, or to travel to other friends and family.
As I told this story yesterday, I remember my first memory of meeting my Auntie Cely. I had been here in the Philippines before 1976 but I was much younger and those memories are torn pieces of paper - I can't put it into a straight flow. But when we left Myrtle Beach AFB, SC in 1976, I was in second grade. I don't recall where we were (I'm told we were in a hotel) but my Auntie Cely took my hand and led me out into the city. I had no idea who she was but I felt only trust. She bought me food, toys, what have you and from there on, the bond was made and she became my security blanket. Leaving the Philippines in 1982 was, as I have mentioned before, one of the most traumatic things that had ever happened to me. I was resentful for a time - to have a mom and dad marry from two ends of the world, where I am always cheated out of seeing family I love. Stay in the Philippines - I miss my grandparents and relatives from Illinois; leave and I never get to see the people here.
So as you read this, you can see the emotion I have filling me up since I can't seem to write about what we are actually *doing*.
Back to the real world: I pretty much hung out with my Auntie Cely. Before I went to see them, my Uncle Bong brought my cousin Jay-Jay, who is a grown man with an almost 12 year old daughter of his own. But when I lived here, he was my living doll. I took him everywhere. So it was wonderful to see him after all these years.
There is no lack of food. My auntie Neng brought me puto, which is a sweet cake that I loved eating when I was here. They had another cousin make me hot dog fried rice, which Tim and I enjoyed immensely. MiMi had shrimp with broccoli, which we also enjoyed. CJ had egg and rice.
I am NEVER hungry. In fact, whatever the opposite of hungry times 1000 is what I feel. I don't even have the appetite to DRINK, which, to me, says a lot.
My auntie's managed to line up mani/pedis for all of us - home service. We all enjoyed getting our nails done, including Tim.
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MiMi's flower design |
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CJ's flower design |
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Tim's pedicure |
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