Dear Luce--
Yesterday, I took a short field trip to my home mail box with my dad. He opened the mailbox and was surprised to see a thick manila envelope in the box--we brought it back to my parents' home, and I was pleased to see the book about Filipino grandparents in America [from you].
Thanks for thinking of me--I've been reading and writing up a storm since my surgery. Keeping busy, for we all know idle hands are the devil's workshop (or Whatever).
Much love to you,
We need to figure out a good time for you to visit the 'Burgh!
Labels: BAD, dreams, email, friends, genealogy, health, home, Philippines, Pilipino culture, Pittsburgh, read, surgery, thankfulness, writing
Home again, Home again, jig-a-dee jig II
Just back from the Bay Area, with tons (more) emails in addition to the ones I answered while in California.
It was great to see some of my friends I haven't seen in a long time (some since 2002), visiting with family and friends, to tell stories with Miranda and Benny, to listen to stories by Grandma Tia and my aunts, and generally to have a great time in the sunshine.
Well, it's been a late flight, with lots of luggage. I don't know how I would have managed without Wawa's meeting me at the airport---now it's time for sleep.
Labels: California, family, genealogy, transportation, travel
Birthday Cake, Tax time, WELCOME
Today after dinner Mom, Dad, and I went over to William, Marissa, Beatrice, and her little brother's home to partake of homemade double chocolate cake iced with chocolate and raspberry icing with ice cream and tea. Over cake and tea, William introduced Solomon Clemente to us. We were all pleased by the name (like "Haim Solomon," Mom and Dad intoned, where Dad had worked in Brooklyn), and its many meanings to our family and to Pittsburgh.
We also discussed how Beatrice makes associations to family members when we mention sentences to her...anything about a van gets mention of Papa, "You have a nice personality" gets a mention of Mimi.
I had a chance to feed him 4 ounces of milk after his regular feeding (followed by two loud burps!) He loves to feed, sleep, and he has long fingers: "Like a pianist's--like Lola's fingers." Dad said, "He has a surgeon's fingers."
William also filed an extension to his taxes.
What a great way to spend a birthday!!
Labels: Birthday, children, family, genealogy, ice cream, New York, niece and nephew
Fire Alarm on a Balmy Day
Today, most of my class had finished their independent variable data collection, so I sent them to the computer lab in the adjacent building until 45 minutes later. As they were finishing cleaning the lab, gathering their books and papers, the fire alarm went off. I reminded them to unplug hot plates, take items of value with them, as they exited. I grabbed the seating chart as I exited and mentally took roll at our designated meeting place. I reminded them to meet back in our lab before class ends, that I had locked the door, and they scattered to plot data in Excel in the computer lab.
When I returned at the agreed-upon time, some were already waiting. We did last-minute cleaning, and then had a brief discussion with overheads and Powerpoint slides about the data they had just collected today.
The weather, by the way, was balmy when we exited the building through increasingly loud, screaming alarms. I enjoyed the walk to and from campus today, with my (stately) cane and tugging my backpack-on-wheels with me.
Lunch, a couple of errands, and a nap followed.
Marissa and Beatrice have invited me to join them for an ice cream run. I gladly, unhesitatingly accepted.
~~~
Serendipitously, William had left a meeting with the dean up the street, so we met up and surprised Marissa and Beatrice with both of our presences. We had ice cream at DQ's (Mint Oreo sundae for me, plenty of babies) followed by dinner at Kassab's. Delicious hummus, gyro platter with a little bit of house dressing on the side. Yum. Beatrice charmed the waitress and the people at the table next to us.
William, Beatrice, and I returned to DQ's for a turtle sundae for William. Marissa spoke genealogy with her Mom whilst we dined there. Beatrice even "taught" her daddy the word "cane" which she had learned last week. She was making an attempt to get up (to walk?) and hold the cane concurrently. She was also corrected for trying to put her feet on the table's edge.
On the way home, we worked on inside voices. I played "big toe, little toe" with Beatrice, as I used to play "Low, high" with her balloon on the drive across the Birmingham Bridge.
What a nice way to end a great day as we crossed the Birmingham bridge, reopened again after several weeks closed for repairs.
Labels: alarm, Beatrice, biology, children, dining, genealogy, languages, library, museum, niece and nephew, Pittsburgh, work
From a Distance
There was some reaching out from a distance today. First, I just completed viewing the HGTV show on Top 10 Amazing Kitchens. My distant cousin, Linda, and her husband Bill, from Morristown, NJ, were featured as #3 homeowners on the list, of the Family Room Kitchen. There are two of each major appliance (refrigerator, dishwasher), except for ovens--there are seven ovens, including a pizza oven. It is a highly functional kitchen and has a magnificent kick vacuum. Over 100 people can fit in the 1500+ sq. ft. space. We saw Uncle Bill making pizza in the pizza room, and Alexandra and Linda entertaining in this show's episode.
Also, Judy, Jonathan, Alroy and Kay, Ornella, Jess, and I dined with Anjali at Camille's (after a tour of eating establishments of N. Craig) as part of her self-dubbed "last supper." We shared warm food, cold smoothie, and company; followed by many hugs and well-wishing. She was kind enough to send me off with small friendship tokens from India.
And, during Mass, Karen handed her cell phone off to Don to transmit Palestrina's Sicut Cervus by remote link to Ned in NY state (or parts unknown). Karen is known to transmit by cell phone various singing to her mom. This being Ned's favorite hymn, she decided to send our live rendition to him.
Labels: children, Choir, cleaning, dining, family, farewell, genealogy, home, New York, singing, St. Paul Cathedral, TV
Jeudi--Playday
I spent my jeudi (literally, "play day" from the French) going to medical examinations, taking a 4-hour-long nap, snacking, and having dinner with William, Marissa, and Beatrice. After dinner we read books, played "Where's...?", danced, played with her baby from Santa, and uploaded photos from Dad's camera to my USB key. I then came back and emailed Nancy and Anjali about the photos from the concert last weekend. William shared some of the family tree with me. Marissa's family even spoke with him by phone.
Labels: Beatrice, Bell, dance, dolls, family, friends, genealogy, niece and nephew, photography, photos
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
