Dogs and Chickens And Some

Why not dogs and cats? Because we don't have cats, and dogs and chickens are the ones I used to have fun with when I was 7 to 10 years old. ^-^'

This story is when we used to live near a river in the province of Oriental Mindoro. We lived in a house made of bamboo and kugon grass. Back then, we only listen to radio programs and used gasira (gas lamp) as source of light, my mom calls it kingke or kinke (I'm not even sure how it spells.)

We raised chickens and we have 2 to 3 dogs. Dad and mom also grow vegetables like tomatoes, eggplants, long beans and bitter melon. Dad has also planted pineapples alongside the house. They loved and enjoyed growing veges and then sell it in the nearby marketplace.

I would wake up every morning on the flickering light of the gas lamp, seeing mom and dad preparing hamburgers as mom sells it on the grade school I'm attending. Dogs wagging their tails. I would get down the stairs made of bamboo and go straight outside under the house where the hen is. I would reach my hand in its soft feathers and grab those now awakened chicks. I just enjoy rubbing those cute little chirping chicks in my face while others peek from under their mama hen ^-^'

And if the dog has puppies, I would pick up those puppies and cuddle them. I could always hear either my mom or my dad, " Don't play too much with the puppies, or the chicks, or the dogs. You might get an asthma attack."

We used to cook on kalan as they call it. Usually made and shaped off from hardened ashes. There was a time when my grandma had stayed with us and cooked with it while mom and dad went off that night catching frogs on the rice field.

Night time is always quite. Just the rattling sounds of maybe rats climbing on the banana trees, the dogs, and the crickets on the rice field. The radio would be on, and just before the horror program "Isang Gabi Ng Lagim" ( One Night Of Terror) play on the radio, we would then be getting ready to sleep on the banig (mat..) I enjoy listening to that though I was scared as hell. Wrapping myself under the blanket together with the gas  lamp hanging on the ceiling gives me comfort. (-_-')

Memories Of Grandma

My grandma had already passed away but I still remember her as what she looks like and used to be when I was young as we used to visit her occasionally on her home, an almost or more than a 30 minutes walk from ours.

She would always dropped by to our house every time she and her bestfriend go on fishing on a nearby river. I would run and meet her on the gate as I saw her. Her fishing rod on one hand and the pail with fishes on the other. I would mano first and would excitedly glance at her pail. We would add more water to the pail and I would start playing with the fishes trying to catch one. She would even left one fish for me to play with before she leaves with her bestfriend.

At her house, she lives with some of my cousins and an uncle nearby, and grandma never fails of, as we call it "roll calling" each one of us before each meal... *really sweet of her* And I remember there was this cat back then that's always under the table when anyone eat. And yeah, I would secretly feed the cat of anything I don't like or can't finish on my plate. ^-^'

I mean, you know when your a child your mom would always, and if not always, in most cases, would put the rice or food on your plate and that you need to finish it. So I know I'm not the only one who feed cats and dogs under the table, right? :)

Grandma also had been my "saver" when mom or dad gets mad at me. She had lived with us in the province of Oriental Mindoro (oh, there's gonna be another story for this) and I remember there was this one time that she said to dad and mom, "She's a child! You guyz also did the same thing when you both her age." Any guess?!.......... That would be bed wetting. >.<' (Oh come on you guyz.. don't say ewww....... we all did it back then!)

Mano = Done by reaching for an elder's right hand and touching the back of the hand of the elder to your forehead; shows and sign of respect.

Being Sick: Asthma Experienced

As a child I run around and play with our dogs. And if you have asthma too, you know that you have to avoid getting tired as it could start the attack. I always get sick as a child. My mom once told me "you're a hospital baby," as I had spent lots and lots of times in the hospital every time I'm sick.

I didn't realized that every time I get sick, mom and dad has to deal with where to get the money to rush me to the hospital, or where to get the money to buy me medicine.When you're poor, you still have to worry on how to pay for the "hilot."

One memory of my asthma attack I wouldn't forget:

I just had a recent attack, and as a child, no matter how many times my parents told me to "don't play too hard, " I don't care. (Maybe if only I was aware that money was that tight and I'm causing more financial trouble every time I'm sick, I would have just sit, grab a paper and pen and draw.. that's my hobby, instead of running around with dogs.) Ok, back to the story, I was just getting well, and now here's another attack as I was so hard headed. My mom got mad and it was my dad who accompanied me to the "manghihilot." I was scared that mom got mad but I was also relieved that my dad is talking to me in a reassuring tune that we two would go to the hilot for me to get better. I was happy that my dad wasn't mad at me. :)

My Memories As A 5 Year-old

It is really fun to reminisce! :) One of the time I love remembering is when I was a 5 year old child.

Mom, dad, and I lived in Zambales (this is before my brother was born and the Mount Pinatubo eruption. And yeah, I remember that as well, so I will post my memory of that too.) My mom's "kinakapatid" (opps, sorry, don't know the English term for that) I call him Tito B had let us on their land. We live in a typical Filipino house which was made of "kugon grass" and "bamboo tree." We used "gasira" or gas lamp at that time. There's lots of coconut trees there and mango trees too.

Mom and dad loves growing vegetables and that's how we make our living. My dad is really good in growing vegetables. I remember they used to grow squash and raise ducks. There's also a fish pond nearby and every time my mom goes there to rinse pans or dishes the fishes would approach us. I just enjoy that. ^-^' 

Dad would then gather duck eggs and sell it in the market along with the squash. I remember there's was this one time that my mom got mad at me because I can't finish my food (breakfast) and she insisted for me to finish my rice and egg. I almost have eggs everyday for breakfast.

Oh yeah.. and we have a moringa tree near the gate and the macopa tree alongside the house that I used to climb with my playmate.Mom and dad also loves growing mushrooms! Anyway, seems like mushrooms there appear everywhere after rainy days along old big trees, and fields.