TrulyGrace

Edwin's Birthday

Yesterday Mom, Dad, and I stopped by to pick up William and Marissa at their house to go to Edwin's birthday party. Charles was there, and we caught up with him, as well as admired W+M's new furniture purchase and latest printed photos. We bid Charles adieu, and then headed out to Edwin and Malou's.

Before the party, William asked how we knew Edwin and Malou--they were the first Filipinos whom we had met when we first arrived in Pittsburgh, and we had met them at Church/the Cathedral. We arrived at their house in the suburbs with cars and trucks parked up and down the street, kids running around the yard, and the dining room full to the brim with well-wishing friends. We stood around one of the tables groaning under the weight of food in the dining room, replete with two fish dishes (escabeche and fish w/ soy), two types of pancit, lasagna, bola bola, crunchy raw veggies, barbequed chicken, rice, sweet and sour dishes, embutido/morkon (meat roll), lumpia, et al., all surrounding the lechon centerpiece. There were two more tables of food loaded with desserts (leche plan, suman, cassava bibinka, watermelon, coconut pastries), and a cake with his photograph reproduced in the icing. Before making the rounds of the tables we all sang a couple of rousing rounds of "Happy Birthday" while videocams panned the rooms.

We all enjoyed dining, and the company. William and Marissa had a chance to meet some of our friends from around Pittsburgh, including Fanny and John, Cherry, and Leila. As we ate, more and more people arrived, and we had a chance to chat and visit with a few more people before "musical chairs" became evident. Finally, we wished Edwin a happy birthday once more, and commented on the t-shirt he was wearing after coming indoors after a round of basketball. It translated to, "How not to be a hen-pecked husband..." and we all appreciated the words of sage advice before taking leave of the party.

posted by Grace @ 5/07/2006 06:45:00 AM