It's Always a Good Week When You're Within Sight of the Sea

Sunday afternoon, May 29, Jong took me on a circuitous but admittedly scenic and traffic-free route, up to what he calls "The Heights". He'd been up here before with our friend Peter who'd bought this spot we were standing on, with enough space for a house, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a garden. Up on one foothill of Mt. Talinis, the weather was several degrees cooler than sweltering Dumaguete, seen here in the photo in a kind of haze you'd normally see when you're toasting fresh bread in a toaster oven.

It was quiet up there, the view both breathtaking and relaxing. And the people headed back up to their homes with roosters and plastic bags and baskets, were friendly and helpful with directions - not that we were likely to get lost when there was only that one road. Still, it was nice to be warned of parts that were more like dry creek beds and those that were more like vertical drops. It was a "quickie" trip on a motorbike, over before you could get to that part in Star Wars Episode 3 where Padme whines, " You're breaking my heart, Annie!" (Yes, I am still upset about how her part was "whiny-fied" :-)

Tuesday afternoon, May 31, and Dominique and Patrick were locked in mortal card combat again. Jong and Jufer dropped by to have a quick consultation, and Edith didn't want to be in the photo.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Louie, Jordi and Matt had built several planes all outfitted with guns and special engines, plus a fully-equipped airport. Lego blocks, when added to every birthday and Christmas and graduation and any extra special occasion, can be a lifesaver for any harassed, taking-on-too-much-work mother. It's simply something any parent worth his/her weight in platinum should invest in.

Wednesday morning, June 1, we took Dominique to the tabo at Malatapay, or more accurately he drove us there in his dad's new Honda CRV. The tabo's gotten bigger since I last came here with friends several years ago. The road's concrete now, they've put up designated parking spaces, and there were more cattle and pigs than I'd ever seen outside of cowboy and Tagalog movies.

Before we had lunch in one of several semi-outdoor carinderias, the boys had to go take photos of the tabo. And so I fried in the noonday sun at the end of what was supposed to be a fish-port but is now merely a huge groin that's stopping the flow of sand south, down the beach.

At left is Apo Island and in the distance is Northwestern Mindanao. On a clear day, you can indeed see forever.

High noon and these boys were still playing in the water, jumping off the anchored boats, splashing and swimming and racing.... Reminded me of the boys I used to see a lifetime ago, doing exactly the same things in the deeper waters of the Dumaguete Port. I'd often wondered why were there never any girls? Were they home learning how to cook, sew, clean the house, do the laundry?

Thursday afternoon, June 2, the 9 kids (2 couldn't make it that day) who took part in TVB Group's 2nd Creative Writing Workshop with Dr. Cesar Ruiz Aquino were awarded their certificates of participation. This was a good group, all innately talented. With the Dep Ed's help, here represented by English Supervisor Mrs. Paloma, we could conceivably do this again soon - with more kids from public schools.

The most heartfelt line in the renga "Wishes" - if not the entire collection of poems - was Patrick's "I wish I were somewhere else." He truly understands the perils of having a mother who organizes workshops and who has oversight powers over treats and privileges.