Great Weekends

Great Weekends
22 August 2006

Making the most of a weekend on a budget:

1. Take the RORO home to Bacolod. (See Related Story.)

2. Enjoy bonding with family. We slept in Sum-ag Friday night to spend more quality time with our Dubai folks. Tito Em was going back to work already and we figured it would be nice if he could sample my siomai and Miki’s chopsuey one more time.

Come Saturday morning, we languidly drank our morning beverage and talked over the coffee table. Tito was busy packing his things, doing a last minute visit to the cemetery, turning over investment papers to Tita Nonette. It was only a matter of time before Lola appeared at the door reminding everyone that if we do not hustle, Tito might miss his flight (his plane leaves at 11am). So everybody was up to their toes taking a bath and eating a hurried breakfast.

Then we sprinted to the airport, Tito Em riding with us in our car so we get to the airport fast. Boznik was hyper, pointing at everything he saw. He even pointed at this truck in front of us and called out to Tito Em, “Papa Em, Big, big, big truck! Dako dako dako truck!” Surprised me there.

Turned out we missed the airport entrance and we had to go straight to nearest curve to make a U-turn. The pick-up got to the airport first. But that’s okay, PAL is always late and that day was no exception.

So we had more bonding time at the airport. Boz entertained everyone. As they say, children remember all sorts of things and they have this eye for minute details. He pointed out that there was an airplane at the control tower, actually referring to the wind vane which had an airplane design. When Papa Bert asked him to look for Batman, he pointed to his cap which was even beyond his line of sight (he was wearing it with the Batman print facing backwards). He clearly remembered that we went to the airport to fetch them some time in the past. Some little guy I got there.

We did pictorials with everyone for keepsake.

Tito Em’s plane took some time to arrive and we got a little tired from standing under a tree so I sat myself beside a waste bin (good thing it was not smelly) where two stones were stacked to form a good solid seat for me. Boz saw me all comfy and he asked me to vacate my seat. Hay naku, if only you were not my child, I wouldn’t give in hmp! So he took my seat and I managed to sit under a signpost (my butt was rather big so I had to sit uncomfortably, but what can I do?)

Lola bought some barbecue from a vendor offered us some but we declined. Then a lady vendor (who I thought the whole time was male) offered Boz a chicken sandwich. When I asked him if he wanted to eat, he didn’t have any objections at all so I bought him one. The sandwich was rather tasty, well it was not really a sandwich, more of a siopao-like filled bun. The texture of the bun was soft (like the Bunwich bun of Dunkin Donuts) and the chicken adobo filling was not too strong for kids. I think Boz liked it a lot that he didn’t even stop to give me some.

Nanay and I interrogated Nancy (that’s the name of the vendor who was also half-Chinese and she understood when I asked Boz if he wanted to chia and later remarked to Boz who was busy eating, ho chia no? (taste good, right?). We were then joined by all my other aunts. They all got interested in her sandwiches that they passed around Boz’s sandwich for taste test. Irene called Boz attention saying, “Boz o, they are eating your sandwich!” And the little boy’s eyes moves from one Tita to another watching them while they take big bites on his sandwich. The horror of it all sent him to tears and that’s when everybody became aware of what they were actually doing. As peace offering, Tita Nonette bought him a new sandwich. It was the first time that they saw him cry like that.

Finally, it was time to board the plane and Tito said his goodbyes, take cares and see you next years. Tita Nonette told Allil and Irene to go to the departure area to wave their final goodbyes to Tito. Turned out the guard was strict and didn’t let them in. But Boz made it through. Thanks to Nancy’s connections, they were let through and he was able to see how things were inside the departure area.

Alas, it was time to go home to Mommy’s house.

3. See Eizen for the first time. After the longest time, Zeny’s baby was already out. We went to Joy’s old house (that’s where they are staying). The house looked forlorn. I’ve seen it during its better days when we spend our weekends there, just sitting around, playing board games and making prank calls to who ever catches our fancy. Oooops! I digress.

Boz was really amazed to see Eizen. She was longer than Boz and much heavier (9 lbs!) and she was all so white and quiet. Some bonding moment they got there.

4. Playtime at Jollibee! Boznik enjoyed himself, but if there is anyone who enjoyed more, it would be Miki, taking pictures of me (the big elephant) while I crawled down and climbed over those obstacle tubes. Whew! Some exercise!

5. Pictorials. Papa Digol’s motorbike, Papa Em’s pick-up, blue tractor, big 6x6 truck, the wheelbarrow, king of the hill, grasshopper and praying mantis. We missed the carabao (mental note: number one priority next time).

6. Bum around mommy’s house.

7. First episode, hopefully the last! Went home Tuesday morning. Boz’s tummy wasn’t okay so we had to deal with the yucky stuff that comes out of the butt. Eeeew! It was all over Boz and so we had to monopolize the wash room for almost 20 minutes, apologies to everyone who had to wait in line. It was the first time that I wasn’t able to bring him extra clothes and so we had to be extra resourceful – just jacket, diaper and sandals all the way to Iloilo. Please, please, please, don’t judge me. I promise it won’t happen again.

Then we go back to reality. Great weekends are worth remembering, ergo this account.