Family and close friends gathered on Sunday Aug. 22 to celebrate. That’s the birthday of Mabelle (August 19), Mercy (August 20) and Katherine (August 21). It’s also a welcome for Donna, Sherwin’s wife.
With the blessings before meals by the Papal Nuncio followed by the very lively singing of the family and friends, everybody dined and enjoyed the food prepared by Ampy for daughter Kathy (actually si Gladys – ang paboritong ‘ chef’ ng marami) ; food prepared by Mar for Mercy (kase ang galing din ‘magluto’ ng Merz); pati ang oven-baked na pork ni Sherwin at ang inorder ni Lito sa clubhouse. Rose came with piniritong daing na bangus (which I promptly kept in the oven duly assisted by the very willing accomplice na si Kumadreng Sistah Otie); ang Kumadreng Sistah Maris naman to be sure na aabot sa lahat ang ‘cassava cake’ – talagang pinaghati-hati na with matching ‘stern warning’ – one-by-one lang! (And of course – ang sarap naman, so nuong di sya nakatingin – demolished agad!); Nagdala si Otie ng 3 boxes of cake of different flavors (hindi sya ang nag-bake!!! Sheraton - Wala ng time); Mabelle, a celebrant herself, came with a very beautifully-decorated cake (Oceanic) for Merz & Katz.
Laughter rang and light-hearted banters sailed through the night. Like in a barrio-fiesta with the clan helping each other out. Si Marimar (a.k.a Blessing) ang kanang-kamay ni Gladys na kanan at kaliwang kamay naman ni Ampy, washed the plates and tidied the kitchen. Medyo biglang off-duty si Islao. And as in the barrio, di pa natutunaw ang kinain, the kitchen is again prepared for cooking dinner. Even Angie who’s still reeling from a bout of colds, cooked sinigang (giwan ruwa), assisted by Islao and Benjie.
It was a very pleasant surprise to know that the new Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Amb. Nestor Padalhin has a very good sense of humour. We salute you, Sir.
We heartily thank the Papal Nuncio and of course our MCST Sisters, Con-Gen. Lamadrid and Ambassador & Mrs. Nestor Padalhin.
To: Mabelle Chen, Mercy Subibe, Katherine Ronquillo-Bugayong:
May you have the best of everything.
Posts
