FAMILY + FEAST + FUN = Sundays never get better than this!
Yesterday, January 24, just before the clock strikes 12 noon, my wife, Tina with our son Gabby and I were already at the venue to attend my paternal Lola Tentay’s 90th birthday celebration with almost all of our relatives from my dad’s side.
Yes, there was the queen of the Pinoy feasts ~ lechon (roasted pork), courtesy of my cousin, Dr. CSM from New Jersey and a simple lunch buffet to everyone’s delight. Check out my glutton’s plate, lol 
(click photos to drool more enlarge)
My dad got the lechon plate for us to share Nevermind the cholesterol content; a reunion like this doesn’t happen on a daily basis!
Our Tita/Ninang Glo with her husband, Tito George who both came home from LA, Ca sponsored and provided us color-coded T-shirts with embroidered logo for the occasion. Yellow for all apo (grandchildren) and mga apo sa tuhod (great-grandchildren) and red shirts for all of Inang Tentay’s children. The venue : Calumpang Gymnasium in Marikina City.
Who would have thought that this gym was deluged few months ago by the unforgettable Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana)? The Calumpang gymnasium is located literally along the Marikina River…
The simple spread was provided by a relative-caterer, Martha’s Plate. The feast was unpretentious; nothing fancy but deliciously satisfying!
There were Chicken-Shrimp Sotanghon, Fresh Lumpia, Fish Fillet, Chicken Pastel, Beef Morcon, and of course, a cake! Everyone had Buco-Pandan for dessert (which I forgot to capture).
After lunch, our balikbayan-uncle hosted the program with more than greetings and well wishes for our Lola but fun parlor games too! There were games for everyone! Even the guests participated and all had nothing but cheers and widest smiles! BTW, Gabby had his share on stage with his 5-stanza poem that garnered applause. Tina and I are so proud of him!
The reunion-birthday party could have been happier if all our love ones abroad could come home especially my mom in UAE; and our relatives whom we visited in NZ before but now all living more comfortably in Melbourne. Nevertheless, it was indeed another family gathering to remember.
We all went home with similar wishes for our good Lord to bless our Lola Tentay with more years to be with us.
Aren’t you proud as a Filipino that we value family and family-ties?
Till our next family-bonding moments!
OPINION COUNTS…