Surprises of the season
Over the holiday season I experienced a lot of surprises. Very early, we received a very big Christmas gift addressed to me. Who would be sending me a gift this early? I opened it and the first thing I saw was two really soft pillows — one showed a picture of a pig, thinner than Miss Piggy. When I turned it around it read “La Filipina” and showed four cans of luncheon meat, one plain, one longganisa flavor, one barbecue flavor and a small can of ham. Suddenly I knew it was a gift from my writing student Jo Uygonco.
Jo was one of my first writing students. I think I started teaching in 2002, so we have been friends for 17 years. I saw her develop from a shy young girl to an independent, confident young lady. Her father is a wonderful watercolorist who had a recent exhibit; I was so tempted to buy a painting of his — two people walking through trees — that I fell in love with immediately but I had no more wall space on which to hang paintings, including mine.
Jo was also the girl who taught me where to have my hair colored when I wanted it dyed blue-green. Then she had her own watercolor exhibit; I missed the opening because we were in Bohol.
Now she sends me all her products as a Christmas gift. Actually I’d already purchased La Filipina luncheon meat before I even knew it was connected to Jo; at the supermarket, I was attracted by the purple packaging. It is very good, more flavorful than SPAM. They also have tomato sauce, which I must try one day when I cook spaghetti sauce. But when will I ever cook spaghetti sauce? I don’t cook anymore.
But that gift was a huge surprise! It was followed by another sweet surprise. About a week later, closer to Christmas, my husband Loy received a wonderful gift from Tess Aurelio Alba. She sent a case of Sola apple drink together with a big bagful of a pastry called Mariposa from Blue Kitchen; these pieces were smaller and homemade and more delicious. So Loy and I immediately pigged out on that one.
Then there was the surprise presents from my daughter Panjee. The big heavy box was addressed to me and the light long box was addressed to Pattorney — that’s what my children call Loy, who is an attorney and now their stepfather. When I opened my box I saw three different kinds of safe sugar for diabetics. How did she know that sometimes my sugar was high? When Loy opened his gift it was a fan with Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios written on it. I laughed. She must’ve switched the cards. The fan is mine and all this wonderful “sugar” is for Loy, who is seriously diabetic.
Last New Year’s Eve we went to Anilao to spend it with some of Loy’s children. Paton, his oldest son, and his wife April did the hosting and the cooking and the marketing. We went along for the marketing. It brought me back to my little girl days when my Lola brought me with her to market every time. I bought those round candies made from shelled peanuts and panutsa. I love the taste of panutsa. It is really the first run of making white sugar. It is brown and has a taste like light molasses. Now in these organic days I think someone told me they grind it and it becomes muscovado, which is my preferred sugar these days. Anyway, I am tasting once again the flavors of my childhood. That’s a wonderful surprise for me.
On our drive to Anilao we took the Star Toll, a fairly new expressway in Batangas. It was totally new to me. That was the first time I had taken it. In the distance both going there and coming home, I saw a big red and white barn with a windmill beside it. I kept trying to read what it was but could not find a sign. Maybe it’s a restaurant? An art gallery? The home of an artist? Will someone out there who knows please tell me? I am full of curiosity and admiration for it. It was quite a surprise seeing it!
All these new things received and experienced this holiday season tells me that 2019 will be a turning point in our lives. I only hope the things it will bring are Fabulous and will make us Prosperous in 2019!
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