May 8, 1918 - January 25, 2011
As small kids, we did not have toys to play with. Hence, we made our toys from clay, the mud we dug from the street. We made figurines of persons, animals, birds, fish, houses, and furniture. With the use of sticks, leaves, fibers, and … [Continue reading]
After I married Pat I stopped dreaming of Mother. But I had a mournful song called: GANTA TI ULILA (Orphan’s song): IDI PAYLA UBIÑGAK NI INAK INULILANAK (When I was young I became orphan) ITAN TA DOMAKELAK SAPOLEA DEYDI INAK (Now that I … [Continue reading]
Just like my father, Mother was a very strict disciplinarian. She would not spare a pinch on the siñgit (groin or inner part of the upper leg) if we did not behave. Very often it was on account of my constant fighting with Elix that we were … [Continue reading]
Mother brought to Vigan a lot of raw hides for tanning and got a sizable amount for them from relatives of Father who bought them for their slipper-making trade. She was no doubt very happy and was looking forward to a bigger business of buying and … [Continue reading]
Before our trips to Vigan by raft, Mother would prepare food for the day-long trip, consisting of rice, tapa (dried meat), eggs, tomatoes and salt, wrapped in banana leaves. At sun break we rode a cart pulled by a cow from Bangued to … [Continue reading]
Tatang was a very industrious and religious man. He avoided trouble and continuously had a smile on his face. He was humble, simple, and loving. I never saw him pick a quarrel with my mother or with anybody. His advice to me and my brother was to … [Continue reading]