Coffee Smoothie
Today I printed out my recommendation for a student and took the bus to the closest stop to Posvar Hall, dropping off the recommendation with the secretary at the Dean of the School of Education. I walked home, then Dad and I took care of some administrative work for me (four sections of seating charts). I helped Mom and Dad with computer help, then went in to work to talk to Bud and to work at the computer lab. Maureen called, and we met at the mile mark, went for a twenty-five minute walk going diesel (clockwise), opposite to our regular direction on our course (and taking two shortcuts, as well). We ended up at the pan-Asian restaurant for smoothie and General Tso's Chicken. I enjoyed the cooooolness of the coffee smoothie.
We sat and talked in Mom and Dad's lobby. After Maureen left, I headed to Mom and Dad's to help them with computer issues, ordering stuff online, etc. We spoke with Marissa and William to make arrangements to get together tomorrow afternoon/early evening. We watched a little bit of the NBC Haiti Aid program, and talked about how the local medical society which they are heavily involved in has chosen to lend aid to the victims of the Haitian earthquakes. Mom and I spoke of our relatives, and especially Lalang, who created a family of large proportions by having eleven (yes!) of her children make it to adulthood.
Labels: biology, children, computer, dining, family, international culture, Lalang, medical mission, niece and nephew, student, walking, work
Health Check 2009
I'm up early for a big day---for a health check-up with the specialist. Mom is going to her today, as well.
I read Marissa's blog about their mini Christmas vacation fiasco. Boo Hoo Hoo (or is it "Ho Ho Ho" as Solomon would say?) I loved her recounting of their stories of Santa love.
~~~
15.45
Upon returning from our yearly health checks (and a Taco Bell run), I wrote a couplet to respond to a poem and po'card from a couple I know:
Just finished my yearly check-up[s], and yearly mammogram this week.
All is well up to now...
Hopefully a bellwether for 2010!
My two total hip replacements I had (in 2008 and 2009) will once again allow me to Nordic ski, as I was wont to do on my way to class when at Wellesley.
Many well-wishes for your 2010.
I will tuck into the confines of my apartment three pillows made by Lalang. I hope my visitors will enjoy them as much as I do.
Labels: BAD, Christmas, deltiology, dining, family, friends, health, Lalang, surgery, travel
Prince Gallitzin State Park
Today I was the lector for the early Mass, in celebration of Lalang's birthday. Fr. Breier celebrated, with Ed Sullivan as the server, and J.R. as the music ministry.
Today I drove out to Jen's parents' home and we carpooled with them, Jen & Bri, Guy, Katherine, and Jenna to Prince Gallitzin State Park. We had great fun grilling burgers and dogs, eating Joyce's baked pork 'n' beans, swimming in the water at Muskrat Beach with the kids, boating in their yet-unnamed pontoon boat, enjoying the apple-peach cider (especially Katherine!), and dining on Wendy's burgers. Katherine and I sang several versions of a song that she learned at school about your neighbor. All of Jen's siblings and their families were there, except for Kim, who had to work today.
We all had a grand time, and I'm glad and tired here at Mom and Dad's after the adventure today.
Labels: Birthday, Church, family, friends, Lalang, Mass, swim, water
Family Tree I
Later this morning William will stop by to enter data into our VERY LARGE family tree/banyan. He purchased a software program at the end of last year to do this project.
Back in the early 1980's I took a class at Marietta College in the English Department with Mr. Owen Hawley. The final project for this class was a family tree, a genealogical project. I had interviewed both Grandma and Lalang by letter, and had quite a bit of oral history as part of the project. There were photos, too, including one from 1978 of my Grandpa's funeral.
About a dozen years ago, I had lent the document to one of my relatives, who currently cannot locate it. This fact, when brought up, makes some in our family livid.
So, needless to say, William, starting last week, has recommenced to interview Dad and Mom about genealogical matters. He started with an overview of the siblings of Dad and their children last week.
Today, he and I will take a document brought by Uncle Aling from the Philippines which traces the Alba line back a few generations and enter the data into his database.
Labels: family, family-Marissa, genealogy, Grandma, Grandpa, Lalang, neighbors, Philippines, Pilipino culture
The Torrent
of water cascading down Centre Avenue yesterday was described by a merchant as similar to Niagara Falls after a water main broke.
Yesterday, various locations in the area including Oakland, the Hill, Shadyside, and Squirrel Hill were lacking water, including my and my parents' home and Wawa's workplace.
Today, this morning, dad and I were boiling water, which prompted a discussion of Lalang's desire to boil the water in the suburbs in the Philippines, away from their home, at the outset of WWII. The kids, including my dad, who was a fourth grader, watched the water and waited, as it looked like Coca Cola with the bubbles ("como agua para chocolate," as MesoAmericans would say). I think about her now on the eve of her birthday.
Labels: Birthday, family, Lalang, Philippines, water, WWII
