a Tale of Two Doggies

Boppy, looking comfy in Sparky's warm bed..:)


Sparky, holding on to his temper, counting from 1 to 10...


Boppy climbing up Sparky's bed. He does not want Sparky to use it!


Sparky as if telling me : I want my bed back!


Boppy, enjoying his son's warm couch..

When Michelle, my daughter ( Emma's Mom ) went to Quebec yesterday ( Friday ) she asked me if I could take care of her dog for a few days. I said YES. Anyway her dog, named Boppy is the daddy of my dog Sparky. But since they did not spend much time together while growing up( thus no bonding ) they have this kind of unique Father-Son relationship. Something similar to Luks Skywalker and Darth Vader from STAR WARS.

Before Sparky was born, Boppy have stayed in our house several times. He is a small dog, a Pekingese and he has such soulful eyes that one look at them and you feel so good ( or so remorseful ). If you are having your meal and he has not eaten yet, your conscience starts eating you. But otherwise, you feel so happy to have such a cute friend around. We wanted later to have our own pet something that resembles Boppy.

As I have said, one time Michelle left Boppy to a good Filipina neighbour named Emma. She has also a poodle. The dog was in heat at that time I guess. To cut to the chase, the Poodle soon had a litter of puppies, thanks to Boppy. The puppies were all so cute. Emma asked Michelle if she likes to have one or two so she could dispose of the puppies which sometimes is not an easy thing to do. Michelle said "No Problem.." Anyway, it was Michelle's dog which sired them.. Thus, she selected a pup that resembles Boppy very closely. That pup became Sparky.


This is not the first time that Sparky and Boppy stayed under one roof. As before, they started barking at each other the first time they laid eyes on each other..

Sparky seems to say "What are you doing here??..THis is MY house, my space!!!"

Boppy would snarl back as if to say: "I have stayed here long before you! So this is also my HOUSE!!"

So arf-arf, bark-bark until my ears got tired and I screamed at both of them to shut up. Both did and they would retreat to opposite corners of the kitchesn.

When we go to the yard ( I bring out Sparky inspite of the weather anyway he has a thick coat of fur ) Sparky would go out first, visit his marking spot which is a huge flower vase, smell it, then mark it.

Boppy would visit it next. That WAS HIS MARKING SPOT before. Now he smells Sparky's mark and he would go to another part of the yard raise his leg and get over with it.

Sparky loves to run around around the yard like a racing dog. He takes off like a greased lightning and he could do several laps. Then he would make a stop in front of Boppy ( who is just watching ) barks at him as if to say "Why don't you run, you old fart! Look at me!"

Then Sparky would make a couple mroe laps. When he gets tired, he sits on a snow pile and eats some of it to slake his thirst!----#

to be continued...:)

more erap jokes...:)

Erap ordered a pizza. The waiter asked him..Shall I cut it into 4 or 8?

ERAP: 4 na lang. Baka di ko maubus kung 8..( Just make it 4. I may not finish it if it is 8..

&&&&&&&&

INTERVIEWER: Sir, what can you say about the violence in the Philippines?

ERAP: I can not even play the guitar. What more about violins? ( violence )

******

While in NYC, Erap almost bumped into a black guy..The guy said: "Watch where you are going, MADA FAKAH!"

ERAP said: MADAPA KA RIN SANA!

The black guy said in a scared tone: "Be Cool, man..Be cool!"

ERAP answered: "Ay taga Bicol ka pala, OK lang yun!"

^^^^^^^^

ERAP was translating a speech:
We must strive: Dapat tayo'y magsikap!

We must help others: Tumulong tayo sa iba.

In union there is strength: SA SIBUYAS MAY TIGAS!

*****

reporter: Mr.President, What are the Pollutants in the Philippines?

ERAP:Several! Example:bopis, sisig, sitsaron, liempo, daing at mani!

*********

Manila as i remember her...

REMEMBERING THE OLD MANILA

Visiting Manila during my childhood days was just like spending a week end in Paradise. We would take a Pantranco bus from San Manuel which stopped at the PARADAAN ( BUS STOP ), a strip of stores under a towering canopy of very old Acacia trees in front of the South Central School.

For Asinganians with several luggage, the option was to take the ANGAT TRANSIT whose terminal then was stationed near the market place, northern gate of the sprawling Market. The good thing about the ANGAT BUS was it would pick up all baggage ( sacks of rice, livestock, bundles of firewood,) everything except the kitchen sink. Then upon reaching Manila it would patiently deliver you personally to your boarding house. Which was convenient but time consuming. What you save in taxi fare you would lose in the time you could have spent gallivanting in the city. The fare at that time was 2.50 pesos. I think the luggage were only 1.00 peso and it does not matter how pieces were there. ANGAT was just trying to attract many riders as possible. The bus would also pick up passengers in the barrios.

By the time the bus was already full, the clock is already about 10:00 am and that’s the time you would head for the city, sometimes via Carusucan.

But some Asinganians are smart. If they have one or two luggage, they would take the PANTRANCO. Otherwise, it is the ANGAT. Hey they are carrying quite a load, including some live chickens or a small goat which would be hauled up to the roof of the bus for the duration of the voyage.

***

Our boarding house before was a small unit in Quirino Homesite, Project 3 just long the Aurora Blvd going to Marikina. This 2 bedroom house was sometimes crammed with about 15 people, including the servants. Most of them were College students, my cousins ( I was still in the Elementary then ). When I reach Manila ( or in this case, Quezon City ) it would already be around 5 or 6 at night. The bus deliver first the Metro Manila passengers. We will be the last ones to be delivered. At least we have a free sightseeing of Manila sights.

In our neighbourhood in Project 3, there were 2 small movie houses near our boarding house. Upon arrival, the first thing I would do was to check the movies being shown in both theatres which were just a few minutes walk from our house. I usually select the American movies preferably action or war movies.

The next day, I would first look at the Manila Times movie page for the current downtown movie exhibitions.

When I was younger I was usually accompanied by my elder brother Donato. He would bring me to a 2nd run theater which were cheaper ( 85 centavos ) and we had the choice of TIMES THEATER , or MAIN, or BOULEVARD all along the same side of Quezon Blvd. Of course there are other theaters like SOCIETY, SCALA, PALACE, MAYFAIR, ESQUIRE, PEARL, HOLLYWOOD etc.

Some burlesque houses were INDAY, ASTOR or along Ongpin in Chinatown, you have KING’S or DRAGON. I discovered these adult theaters only when I was already a College student.

I only watched the first run exhibitions when I was already older ( I was already in High School ) and I can already take the Manila bound bus by myself..By then I already know the streets of Manila. Some of these streets were already Mean Streets ( like the film by Scorcese ) where a wary provinciano would be ripped off by some crooks who seemed to be able to spot a provinciano who was fresh off the bus (FOB )…#

******************
a BIG thank you for Sammy Antonio for sending the photos to me..Sammy is one of the more successful Asinganians abroad who was able to find work along his line: ( Fine Arts ). Sammy is also a good poet..I still have 4 more photos which I could use in the sequel. Send me more!..

*******************

To Sunrise, thank you for remembering me..I feel OK..Had a good sleep last night, felt soooo good!...:)Especially when I woke up this morning...:D

****************

ONE FILIPINO JOKE BOOK..

Once in a while, I come across some books printed in the Phillipines.One is called PATAWANG PINOY( Philippine Humour ).

It is a paper back with a colored glossy cover. The book has the size of a Reader's Digest.

Most jokes are not really new anymore, for example the opening anecdote. It has gone around the world a few number of times and now it has been picked up by the editor of this pulp magazine. It tells about the story of a Filipina mother who died in the US, then the family in the US decided to send the corpse back to the Phil to be buried there.

The coffin was packed with US goods, perfume and what-nots just like a door to door box. Funny?. Maybe, to some. But I could not compare to the jokes of Jay Leno or David Letterman.

Next on the batch are the Estrada jokes..Some are old, some are new, some are funny, some are, mmm. now what could be a word that ryhmes with new and means not funny?

Here two samples of that genre. If he left a legacy, I guess the foremost would be these jokes which, even if it is repeated a gazillion times, are still funny depending on who is telling the joke and how he is telling it..There are quite a number of good story tellers in Asingan..

Okay, two ERAP jokes..

REPORTER: What do you think about sex in the movies?
PRESIDENT: I am totally against it.
REPORTER: Why?
PRESIDENT: Why in the movies?..There are so many motels in Manila!

***

Then there is this section entitled COMELEC and ERAP. I guess they are testing the his IQ or something..

COMELEC: Let us talk about Phil. History. Where was Dr. Jose Rizal shot? Starts with "B" ( Bagumbayan )

ERAP: On his Back!

COMELEC:No, no! OK, it has a new name now.Starts with an "L". ( Luneta )

ERAP: Sa Likod!

COMELEC:Wrong again..Okay, it is a nice place neat Manila Bay, with RP as initials RP..

ERAP:I know now! Rear Part!

*****

My copy has 120 pages. On the last page, the words THE END were marked with an inked stamp pad. Obviously the printer forgot to insert the two ending words, and one they have to use the stamp pad instead of setting up the document on the computer again.

This to me is the funniest joke of all..

flowers for Emma

KODUS FOR EMMA...



What a talented little angel you have... thanks for sharing!!
---Tatang Pidong from Sta. Maria

You are so cute Emma. You feel relaxed while singing and I can see you

are going to be a star in the music industry. I will wait for you to

sing in the American Idol. You can make it.

What can you say, Arsenia? May nakakuha na ng title mo bilang videoke

Queen.---:)

---Polly Bautista


-----------------------------------------------------------------------Finally,

I had the time to watch your latest you tube entry. Emma is a natural.

She is such a darling. Pristine, unaffected innocence. She sings with

such a sweet, crystal voice - so unlike the child performers we watch

on tv who try to modulate their voices to sound like the mature singer

they’re covering; and emote things well beyond their age. >>>> Your

Song For A Princess is hauntingly familiar. You’ve given justice to

the piece. And it transported me back to memories of consorted royal

beauties marching on a long carpet leading to the throne in the

Asingan Auditorium. They walk with such a graceful cadence under a

roof of drawn sabers from two lines of snappy and handsome cadets

amidst the zips and booms of fireworks rocketing and exploding

overhead. All these time, the orchestra incessantly plays the charming

familiar melody, drown out sporadically by the ohhs and clapping of

the adoring crowd. Enthralling.---Icarus

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Nice voice you got there, Emma! way to go!...keep practicing and soon

you will be famous.... I am sure your grandpa Vic will support you all

the way to stardom!---Sunrise

-------------------------------------------------------------

TO ALL OF EMMA'S WELL WISHERS: A BIG THANK YOU !!!
THANKS ALSO TO JULIET AND ARSENIO...:)
PRAISES GO A LONG WAY IN THE LIFE OF A YOUNG GIRL WHO IS STARTING HER WAY ON THE LONG ROAD OF LIFE...GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

An after Christmas afterthought

THE BEST GIFT OF ALL

SILENT NIGHT has lost its silence
The happy carols had stopped
The Christmas turkey turned history
All gifts had been unwrapped

The Christmas lights had all been pulled out
Only the nightsky lights are on
Christmas 2009 arrived and left
Frosty, Santa and Rudolph are gone

We should retain the best gift of all
Not the ones wrapped with Christmas paper,
What I treasure most is the gift of LOVE
For LOVE will shine forever.....

--Rain

my letter to Carolyn

Hi Carolyn,

This is a reply to your 2nd letter although I am using the e-mail address of the first letter..When I use the email addy of the 2nd one, it does not go! Sometimes technology is not that perfect..

Anyways,back to more details re: Dr. Ireneo..Maybe I told you already before hand he is a dentist, but dentists also have medical background because the teeth is still a part of the human body...So I guess he has ample knowledge of medicine to be able to help your dad..

He was also a good friend of my dad. They went to the same church, the Roman Catholic church in our town and they call each other brod because they belong to the same church society,,I think the photo that you saw several months ago in mt Blog was my birthday party and he is the one with a short hair and glasses..The priest is Fr. Ferrer, also a good friend of the family...

Dr. Tanwanco never changed his short hair cut..They lived in a house beside the Asingan market. At that time they run a drugstore in the ground floor of their residence. Being across the marketside helped in the sales of medicine and other related stuff.

They shared the house with another family, a physician named Dr. Lopez, and his wife and 2 daughters. They stayed together until Dr. Tanwanco and his wife died. Dr, Lopez and his wife also passed away so the house is now owned by the two daughters of Dr, Lopez and they still run the drugstore. The elder daughter was my former teacher when I was still in high school..

I only talked with Dr. Tanwanco a few times. But I e-mailed a nurse who was a neighbour when she was still a child. I believe Mrs. Tanwanco was also her GodMother. So think she would know a lot of stories re: the Tanwanco family since they were neighbours then. Her name ( the Godaughter ) is Vicky and she is now in Sacramento, California. When she replies, I will be able to tell you more stories re: her Godparents, Dr. & Mrs. Tanwanco.

I was born 1942..I have not heard any thing like the story you told me about the clearing of the land, but at that time, Asingan was still a small forest ( I think ) with lots of trees and bushes..

The Japanese also came to town. In fact, they established an office in our house..Weeks before the arrival of the Japs, my parents went into hiding. I was born during the first year of the Pacific War. In 1945, the Yankees arrived!..Hurray!..

I remember a camp right in front of our house ( it was an open ground ) which is a stone's throw away from the Roman Catholic church. But I heard that the soldiers were a boisterous lot and when a few of them got drunk, they would come knocking at our door.

Fortunately, there are two American GIs who boarded in our house. I seem to remember 2 cot beds in our living room. When they left, they gave my Mom several cans of GI rations and also several cans of bacon. Did they ever smell so good!

One of the 2 GIs also corresponded with my Mon for a bit. I saw a wedding photo of one of them. He married his girl friend when he went back to the US..

THis is all for now. More next time...

Thanks again,

Vic

*********************

I received a letter from a good friend, Lito Domaoan who is now in Jersey City..It is somewhat related to Carolyn's letter content..

Hi Vic: Very interesting true story. My Aunt Adriana Alberto received a letter coming from a service man from world War II who was assigned in Asingan. She received the letter when she and her husband were still living here in New Jersey with there son Ency. The letter was received in Asingan forwarded here in New Jersey: I did not read the letter. I learn about the letter thru my aunt but did not elaborate about the content of the letter.