hello everyone! i was off for a week. i was in Tagaytay city. the home of the smallest volcano in the Philippines - the Taal volcano which is located in Taal lake.
these pix are not the latest. this was taken last june 2007. that time it wasn't foggy like last week. promise, i'll post them as soon as it will be downloaded from our cameras.
although, we were all shivering from cold ,we still had a wonderful time going around Tagaytay. we visited other places which we haven't visited last june 2007. we went to their mini zoo. the pink sisters convent. and the parish of the Mother of Perpetual Help.till next blog!

while i'm busy having fun with my family and relatives, our country was again in the world news due another shocking event - the bombing of the august halls of congress! imagine! just last month it was the ayala mall. in fact, up to now, the cause of that blast was not yet resolved. here comes another one - and the lawmakers were the ones targetted. really! one congressman died and 3 congressional staff, too! other lawmakers were hurt, too!
speculations, accusations, opinions, flew from all sectors. the public was bombarded with ideas and opinions of powers-that-be. the television stations has a field day of "exclusives" videos and interviews of all-the-people-that-matters. "experts" gave their-two-cents-worth on the incident, ad infinitum! at the latest, the suspects had been nabbed.in fact, others were killed. evidences were recovered on the crime scene. and the authorities declared the crime - solved!!!
i was awed. the case was solved with-the-wink-of-an-eye! in a matter of days. days! while the previous bombings were not yet resolved up to this time. isn't that great? one crongresswoman who was hurt and had to spend her birthday at the hospital said - it was convenient!
me? i don't know. i'm still in dazed and processing all what is happening. it seems like i'm watching a neverending drama in front of our television. and the ending is far from coming!

what is in weddings that made me teary eyed?
after remembering the dead, the family were focused on attending the wedding of one of my numerous nephews. the clan was busy attending to the details - food, invitations, church decorations, dresses of the entourage, money and more money to pay for the expenses. i was caught between enrolling my kids for the second semester, arranging our schedules to coincide, and looking for what-to-wear-for-the-ocassion. my husband was caught between monitoring and covering the arrival of the President, making news and what-to-wear-for-the-dinner-with-the-President. on the day of the wedding, the husband stay behind while me & the two kids went to attend. everybody were into last minute jitters since it was brown-out and clothes still to be ironed, the socks that were bought were small. candles were still to be bought. four male members of the entourage (including the groom) still to be made up. not to outdone, the weather was acting up. it looked like it will rain like cats-and-dogs! finally, everything was good and ready and whammm! the rain poured just when we reached the church. we waited till the rain stopped and the wedding was on.
i could not helped but feel teary eyed when the bridal entourage marched, the set of parents on their places and the ceremonies began. i was looking at my nephew and remembered him as a little boy not so long ago. i looked at my sister, she was wiping her tears, i feel-what-she-was-feeling-at-the-moment. as a mother, a feeling of relief and losing were tugging at my emotions. relief- that a son was finally making his own life. a feeling of loss - losing a son since he will be staying away and learn to deal with life. maybe this is what is in weddings that made me teary eyed. its acycle of life - leaving and starting anew!

November 1 and 2, was an annual journey of my family. we went to our province to observed the "All Souls Day." We went to two different cemeteries. Last November 1, we went to Paranas cemetery to visit,brought flowers, pray and light candles for my dead brother and grandparents and relatives. Although, we find the cemetery flooded in some areas and wet and muddy,due to heavy rains for the last two days, my siblings together with our own kids could not dampen our spirits to continue our annual trip. Each sibling bring his/her own food for our lunch and partook the food with much fun and ribbing. Because of the dirt that we've encountered, we find an excuse to do went for a dip at Quinabut-an, a cool spring resort 6 kilometers ahead.
On November 2, we went to visit Catbalogan cemetery. Here lies the remains of my husband's father and relatives. We were thankful that at least the portion where their dead were located was not flooded and muddy. The same routine - visit.pray.light candles.ate.and ate some more.
The occasion also served as get-together with families. Acquaintances were renewed and latest gossips between families were exchanged, in between praying for our dead. This is one occasion, where we always looked forward to. Just like annual fiestas, birthdays, Christmas Days, New Years Day, death, baptisms, weddings and other excuses to be together as family.