Pre-School

These pictures are from the public pre-school that my niece Queenie attends.

This week was exam week and students were halved for easier handling.

Today students were tested if they knew the correct use of is/are, 

which pronoun to use for boy/girl, 

people's jobs and where they work.  

Students' day began with the singing of the ABCs, 

followed by short songs for each of the letter and letter sounds. 

Students also counted in English from 1  20.  

The girl in braided pigtails is Queenie.

The little tyke in the back arrived an hour after everyone else!
When the teacher questioned the father who had accompanied
his son, he said he thought class began at noon! 

Demolition after day 4

Demolition after day 3

Kamias

This tree is also within our property.  

Kamias is used in soups when one wants it to be just a little sour.  

I have seen people eat kamias with just a tad bit of salt.

I took this shot hoping that one can see the red flowers.
It's not very clear, but perhaps you can see some of it anyway. 

Langka--jackfruit

The "meat" is boiled in sugar and eaten.

Seeds are boiled and eaten.

I had some jackfruit for breakfast,
along with pandesal, a hard-crusted bread.

This langka (jackfruit) also came from the tree
in our property.

When it was picked this morning,
it fell off the tree and broke open.  I took it to an aunt to cook.

Macopa

This macopa is from the tree in the property.

Do you see the red ant?
That's the sure sign that the macopa is sweet! 

I've been told that macopa is good for those who are diabetic.

Look up the legend of the macopa. 

Demolition after day 2

Demolition after day 1

Grand Old House

Another goodbye.  

Another day much anticipated.  

Another ending.  

Sadness, certainly but looking into the future.  

Restoring.  

Always with gratefulness, 

we turn back briefly, 

but we must move onward.

Like the bodega you served the family well.  

Other families were sheltered within your walls.  

From the upstairs window we watched town folk pass by.  

We took naps 

between the window rails and the glass windows 

to catch the breeze.  

Countless guests, various parties especially in the 50s.  

Cousins had marveled at the tiled bathroom floor.  

I loved our mini swimming pool.  

Running up and down the wooden and terrazzo stairs 

much to the chagrin of the elders.

Laughing, screaming--Life!

The promise lives, 

the dream continues, 

ready for a metamorphosis.

65 years later

from the front

from the side

2nd floor from the side

from the back

Honoring the dead

La Funeraria Paz

Manila Memorial Park

Sucat, Paranaque

Mass cards and flowers

food offered to guests

The following are some of the mausoleums within the park.

simpler mausoleums

a nod to the families' Spanish heritage

a nod to the family's Chinese heritage