EASTER SUNDAY WITH THE FAMILY

Dear Auntie Patti Koh,

It was a traditional thing with the family every Easter Sunday. We come altogether with the children, to have a good meal. As ide from the food on the table that has been prepared by my sister in law Angie, we have also brought our specialty meals. Then there will be egg hunting for all the nieces and nephews, after the hearty meal, which is the apex of the whole Easter Sunday.

My two sons came to join us with my eldest son's girlfriend, Aja. My dog Bombolino was included with the crowd and was also having fun with the dog of my sister in law.

The egg hunt was fun because all the children were all running all over the backyard. We have placed some money in the eggs aside from sweets and they are all so happy.

And so Auntie Pattie Koh, another day if family gathering has ended and we have already planning for the next one. We love family gatherings.

If you could just be with us.

Sincerely yours,

INFRATERNAM MEAM

EASTER SUNDAY WITH THE FAMILY

VISIT TO HONGKONG LAST MARCH 9,2009

Concierge at the lobby of the departure area.

Police security walking towards our counter at United Airlines.

These carts are being pushed by women, like a train.

Pictorial info on what cannot be inside the carry on bags.

A full blown ads of Prada at the arrival lounge.

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Dear Auntie Pattie Koh,

Last March 1 to 15, 2009 my wife and I took our vacation to Manila and Hongkong. We need to see our parents and of course my wife's trip to Manila won't be the same if we will not pass and stay at least two days in Hongkong.

The airport really mesmerizes me. It is so clean and so huge and it is a melting pot of all nationalities. You can hear different languages spoken on both the departure and arrival area. There's lots of flights that are posted in the directory and unbelievable restaurant that I did not took the pictures.

The duty free shops are also great , but I am more interested in the activities of people who are working at the airport. Every time we come to visit Hongkong, it looks like there is always new project and development. Another wing has been added to the present terminal. They said it was not enough.

And so Auntie Patti Koh, I kept on taking pictures of the area, but some pictures did not show good because it is so bright at the airport because of the open windows. I am not a professional cameraman so I forgot about the positioning of the camera.

I hope you like it.

Sincerely yours,

INFRATERNAM MEAM

THIS CONFUSES ME

Dear Auntie Patti Koh,

I went to the produce market yesterday to buy some fruits that I like very much. Since I just returned back from my trip from the Philippines, I still have the liking and misses the Mangoes back home.

So I bought a case of Mangoes and the name of the Mangoes says "Manila Mangoes", but they came from Mexico, not Manila, Philippines.

I bought a bag of oranges that I like very much also and it says Valencia oranges, but they came California, not Valencia, Spain.

So I talked to my son about this who is study Culinary Arts. He explained to me that this is just a name that was given to the fruits that I bought because it draws people to buy them, since the varieties of these fruits are already known to be good.

And so, Auntie Patti Koh, my ignorance was saved by my youngest son.

Sincerely yours,

INFRATERNAM MEAM

PHILIPPINE MANGOES

Breakfast of Spam, Putok Pande Sal, Creme Cheese, Bangkok Guava and Mango.

Clusters of Mangoes called "Apple Mango" above my sister's swimming pool.

Close Up Picture of this mango they call "Apple Mango".

Cluster of "Apple Mango" nearly touching the swimming pool.

Cluster of "Apple Mango" already touching the pool water.

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Dear Auntie Patti Koh,

Last March 03 to 09, 2009 - - I visited Manila to check on

my parents and my sisters at home.

It was a very nice and wonderful visit, but it was so hot there. I had some good times and kept on eating and shopping. I have taken my father twice for lunch after his Physical Therapy at Asia Hospital. We had fun and so did my father who is a gourmet eater.

I stayed at my sister's house, as usual every time we come home for visit.

I was so mesmerized when I came to take a dip at the swimming pool. The mango tree and the Bangkok Santol tree is hovering over the end side of the pool. The santol has all the flowers and I was told the fruits will come out by April. The mangoes at the pool is a different variety. They call it "Apple Mango" because when it becomes mature it will look like and shape like Fuji apple. I went nuts looking at the all the clusters of mangoes by the pool. It is not yet good for picking. I was told by the caretaker that it could be harvested by end April or first of May.

As I was driven from my sister's house to my parents house, I saw trees of mangoes from different house and they are all in clusters and not yet time to be harvested. I was like a little boy wondering in awe on the site of the mango trees with its clusters of fruits. My wife and I are always being served with ripe mango with all our meals and snacks with suman.

And so Auntie Pattie Koh, I have temporarily forgotten the apple trees at my backyard and was overwhelmed with all the mangoes that I have seen during my visit to my home country.

Wish you were there to see it also.

Sincerely yours,

INFRATERNAM MEAM

MY SHORT VISIT BACK HOME AND SEEING MY FATHER'S THREE TIMES A WEEK PHYSICAL THERAPHY AT ASIA HOSPITAL

Dear Auntie Patti Koh,

Last o3 March '09, my wife and I went back home to Manila to visit our folks and family including our friends.

I went with my father at Asia Hospital where he does his Physical Therapy three times a week of Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I was so happy I did accompanied him at the hospital. I saw how he is being taken cared of by his therapist and how he was being treated. It was a very tough therapy, but my father is doing it, maybe to impress me or maybe he just want to do it for himself.

The many movements he needs to do and the machines that he needs to use was so impressive. It was very good for him...so he said to me. The therapist are very nice and friendly. I don't know if it was because of the payment or maybe because Filipinos are blessed with those kind of traits that they respect and really take care of the olds. I was very pleased and happy.

I made to understand by my eldest sister that my father looks for this therapy, and I really cannot blame him. He was in his element when he walks at the lobby of the hospital.

And so Auntie Patti Koh, it really broke my heart to leave my parents yesterday 14Mar 09. They have misty eyes when I said my goodbye, heading to the airport. I miss them too.

Sincerely yours,

INFRATERNAM MEAM

IMPROMPTU BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR MY WIFE AT MY MOTHER IN LAWS HOUSE

My wife's mother and the rest of her siblings.

My wife, her face looking so haggard, with all our grandnephews and grandnieces.

My wife' siblings.

My wife carrying our grandnephew and prepairing the cake.

My eldest son's fiance Aja wearing eyeglasses and Ailene, my youngest sister in law.

Our close and intimate friends.

My niece husband Mario in red shirt and glasses and in full beard married to my niece is Oien and my niece Joyce.

My nephew Kevin with his girlfriend Jill.

My brother in law Michael and his son Kevin.

Dear Auntie Patti Koh,

My wife's birthday is 26 Jan. the Chinese New Year. We already have plans on how we will be celebrating it. We will eat at a nice and cozy Chinese restaurant near Northwestern University with my eldest son Miki and his Fiance Aja. My youngest son cannot make it because he is in school which is 3 hrs drive away from us and his route is covered with snow. All set for the four of us. We even made reservation to this restaurant.

Then come Sunday morning, very early and I was still sleeping because Sunday is my only day off from work. My mother in law called us and said she cooked something and wanted to celebrate my wife's birthday. She even told us that she has already called the rest of the clan to come in the evening for dinner. When my mother in law says she cooked something, rest assure that something is not enough for the family and the clan. My wife asked me in a very cajoling way to give in to her mother. I told my wife, there is no cake and we still need to call at least some of our close friend in a very short notice and I still have to do some shopping. I cannot say no to my mother in law and much more so to my wife. So here we go,

I called my close friends and explained to them what is happening and they agreed to come after church. My eldest sister in law said she already bought the birthday cake and we need to supply the candles and some food. I went to the Asian store and bought some of the things I needed. We still have plenty of meat and fish at the freezer down at the basement. I was able to get back home with the groceries at 12 noon and I started cooking because the relatives and some of our friends will arrive at 6pm.

Here are the recipes that I have prepared. Menudo, since it was requested but without liver on it. I have made vegetable egg roll, fried sardines, boolgogi, baked chicken teriyaki and string beans cooked in sesame seeds with fried tofu on top and puto bumbong(another request). I was able to finish all this cooking at 6pm and everybody is already at my mother in laws house where the party was held.

And so Auntie Patti Koh, my wife's impromptu birthday did happened without any problem....... but I was so tired for the work the next day. No matter how plenty of food I cook for my wife's family, it seems like it is not enough. And of course they have to take home some they said for their lunch for tomorrow at their respective works and offices.

Sincerely yours,

INFRATERNAM MEAM

THE AFTERMATH OF THE STORM

I just finished removing the snow on one side of my car. It is so cold outside.

This is the view of my driveway from the street. I just finished plowing the driveway.

This is the garbage bin. I have to dig the whole thing at the front house because it was covered with snow.

The view of the house from the backyard.

My car with the snow blower/plow that I am using to remove the snow.

This small plow helps me a lot in removing the snow. It is run by gasoline with special oil.

My son's Angelo's car completely covered with snow.

Dear Auntie Patti Koh,

Last Monday, we were hit by a snow storm. It was so brutal and made lots of school closed and plenty of people has to stay in the warming stations. It is so bitterly cold outside. Right now it is 13 degrees below and the wind is brutally cold. I was at work early this morning and I was bundled up completely, including wearing an insulated gloves.

I just filled up my gas tank awhile ago because I don't want my gas line to freeze. I have already checked my anti freeze and the windshield wiper. I have also placed a blanket inside the car and some crackers. I have placed the cable jumper in the trunk in case there will be problems or in case I need to help some stranded motorists.

My wife and I went grocery shopping this afternoon and bought some basic necessities for the house, even it is only the two of us. We have plenty of can goods in the house and the freezer upstairs and down at the basement is fully stocked anyway. I have placed some two packages of chicken and steak inside the car so that it could freeze inside the van. I have no more place to put it inside the freezer in the house.

And so Aunti Patti Koh.....this is the life during winter in the States. I cannot complain about it because this is the place where I decided to live and stay.

Sincerely yours,

INFRATERNAM MEAM

MY HOUSE REVISITED

EAST WALL OF MY SMALL LIBRARY AT THE FRONT ROOM

THE WEST WALL OF MY SMALL LIBRARY

THE FRONT AREA OF MY SMALL LIBRARY

PART OF MY LIVING ROOM. THE TWO CHINESE CHAIRS I BOUGHT FROM HONGKONG AND THE CABINET FROM PILA, LAGUNA

THE HANGING CHINESE FRAMED WALL DECOR CAME FROM THE MUSLIM STORE AT BF HOMES, P.I.

PART OF THE MAIN DINING ROOM. THE CREDENZA CAME FROM PILA, LAGUNA

PART OF THE LIVING ROOM WITH XMAS DECOR IN THE HANDRAIL OF THE STAIRS GOING TO THE BEDROOMS.

PART OF THE LIVING ROOM SHOWING THE JARS THAT I BOUGHT FROM FARMERS MARKET IN Q.C.




Dear Auntie Patti Koh,

I did not go to work last Friday and Saturday and I was off today Sunday. The snow is so bad, I cannot even move my car from the garage. The driveway alone has at least 12 inches of snow and all of our cars at the back garage are buried in snow also.

Since there is nothing else to do at home, and with this bad weather outside, my wife went to work and took the train, I decided to clean the house for the holiday and decorate some sections of it. I moved some furniture and tried to pull the sofa, but I cannot because it is so heavy. I still can't move and pick up heavy things because I had hip replacement surgery just last summer and my surgeon is telling me to be very careful of what I do and how I walk, especially in snow.

My house has plenty of things that I have bought from the Philippines and I was able to ship it to the States. I love the things that I have bought back home. It reminds me of home . Even my bed frame came from back home and it has been with me for the past 32 years. My dining room set is also an old piece from home. The credenza is old piece that I have bought from Pila, Laguna and the mirrored cabinet in the living room, I bought it in Pila, Laguna. I was passing by and saw this upright cabinet with now mirror, made of Narra with a small pig tied up to it. I immediately stepped on my brake and asked the old lady to sell it to me. She was asking why I want to buy such a thing when it has been under her house for a long time and she likes to tie her piglet there. With the prize that I have offered her, she immediately gave it me and I took it to a cabinet maker in Paranaque and asked him to clean it and put a mirror into it. Now lots of my friends who visits my house always ask me where I bought it, I don't want to tell them the history of it.

The dining room set and the credenza, I bought it from an old family in Pila, Laguna who was migrating to the U.S. and said they cannot bring their "Muebles" to where they are going. They are wrong, I know how to ship it to the States. I work for a shipping firm back home for 10 years.

And so Auntie Patti Koh, I was able to clean the house, and tried to arranged some of my furniture in the living room and dining room and my small library during this winter time. I was able to put up Christmas decor also.

You should come and see it.

SINCERELY YOURS,

INFRATERNAM MEAM