Isang Araw ng Linggo sa Buhay ng Mangagawang Filipino sa Abuja

S M I L E….while you still have teeth…

Gotcha…I mean ‘L I V E’ …live IN the moment! That’s the ability to be FULLY present. Aware of yourself. Your surroundings right there. But this state needs full observation. And then appreciation. And then patience which most of us CAN NOT afford. AND the ability to turn off the clock and put away the calendar.

Literally speaking, my ability to turn off the clock is neither here nor there. Got 2 in the parlour, 1 in the bathroom, alarm clock by my bed-side, 3 wrist watches. Never had the same time. The wall clock displayed on the wall for 8 good years was  always 30 minutes advance until  Ampy ‘donated’ that wonderful lilac-coloured clock. She got tired of looking up at the wall and re-checking her wrist watch. The time were never synchronized. Simply put, I do not have the time to rewind, unwind and set them straight.

How do I come to work on time? My body clock. More reliable than the man-made ones.  And so do you. And yes, I have an extra talent in putting away the calendar. I cut the nice pictures of scenery and flowers and anything that catches my fancy.  Ha ha ha.

Seriously speaking, living IN the moment gives a new meaning to ‘paying attention.’ Like savouring the sounds of laughter and light bantering amongst friends especially on a Sunday as the one we just celebrated.

One’s entrance to the world is worth celebrating. However, people are conditioned to check ones age as in a log book. Coming in, going out. Never living right, living medium right, living extreme right, living extreme medium right, living non-right , living extreme non-right.

As I had known, getting older is about getting to live closer to one’s own truth. If I’d be given a chance to get a trip back to the era known as "the time of my life" I’d definitely reject. It’s incredible to be a young woman in its own unique pattern of life. But so is being here and now. Imagine all the accumulated joys and sorrows that filled and continuously filling your treasure chest. That is unique. For you and you alone.

A treasure added again last Sunday September 25.  A commemoration of the entry to the world – birth days of Donna and Vangie held at Dantata and Sawoe.

Is there a better way to celebrate than this? Surrounded by friends, the angels sans wings.

Location: sa gilid ng House No. S05 at Dantata and Sawoe Life Camp

...friends like these? super: Mercy and Tikya preparing soup; Lito fixing the table; Gilbert carrying the food...

... ang taaaagggaaaal naman...malayo pa kase ang tatakbuhin ng lechon...

si JT, si Nino at si Rex; Eric and Chie with Reese; Mercy with Donald, Vincent and Aldrin: nililibang ang mga sarili para di halatang gutom na.

Posing muna si Rex and Sr. Efling; Ampy with Pha (as in do, re, mi, fa...fa...fa); Marilyn and Mare Fely...

Product ni Teofie: the ubiquitous L E C H O N!

...si Gary at si Vincent; hhmmmmm medyo makunat ang balat pero isang taga lang tigpas 'yan. (Talas gulok lambot leeg.)

...and the allure of the lechon - ayan kinurot ni Mercy, sumunod si Emmel at sinundan ni Aldrin!

Mr. and Mrs. Anirban Som with Donna; Meals won't be served without the blessings...

Ampy and Ancing; si Maebs napahagikhik; at si Sr. Efling merong peace offering at si Tikboy nagpapaliit ng tyan...

Last minute directions from Lito; Chie; queue in progress; Tikboy: ' naku, 'wag ko nang tingnan ang lechon. Baka madale pa ako ng alta-presyon. Pero kung kakaunti laang naman pwede na siguro...'

Mr. Egner, Chef Nick, Mr. Hammann

Estan: ...asan, asan na?; si Vince, si Nino, si Gilbert at si Emmel

Jamie and Alessa for sure nakita ang ulo ng nakangiting lechon; Si Jay R; si Donald

D-O  N-O-T  D-I-S-T-U-R-B!!!

Maebs and Ampy; Boom (bagoong anyone? saka meron pang pansit...)

Just savoring the meal...

...teka, teka...ano ba ang naiiba atang pagkain ni Doods at na magnet si Renz at si Sr. Efling?

Lunch time pa rin: Si Buboy, si Eric at si Chie at si Ronnie; Lito with Mr. Max Egner and Mr. and Mrs. Hammann; Vince, Estan and Aldrin (di pa naman bumagsak ang bangko)

Posing mood: Maris,Willy; Gary, Gilbert, Emmel, Eric, Ronnie, Vince and Aldrin

...that's the good life  - ang lulusog!!!

...after meals - short session muna; at si Eric binobola si RJ; at konting pahinga: si Rex, si Tikboy, si Medel, si Benjie, si Nick at si Willy

a lecture from Donald and Gilbert?;Lito and Max and Vangie

For the album

The professionals (engineers, architects, chef): Medel, Benjie, Nick, Willy, Rex and Bernie and Donald

The young generation, ang pag-asa ng bayan: Gel, Estan, Doods at si renz (nalimutan ni Superman mag-work-out); Jay R, Gilbert katabi ang kanyang tokayo na syempre si Gilbert din,si Emmel, si Gary; John, Efren, Renz and Rami;

...and the youngest pag-asa ng bayan (syempre mahiyain pa).

The women of real substance: Sr. Efling, Sr. Aurea, Sr. Mary-Grace and Sr. Marilou - mga taga pag pa alaala ng matuwid na landas pauwi sa pamilya, hindi pwedeng mag-branch somewhere.