Multiply in action: Tagaytay version (album)

Thanks to the Multiply site, I've crashed into a lot of wonderful people..becoming part of their lives, and their thoughts and happenings becoming part of mine too.

On October 7, 2007 (Sunday) I was the last one to arrive in Boboy and Guia Yonzon's cozy home...but the good folks still waited for me, inspite of their ravenous hunger, no doubt tripled by the tempting aromas of a very special paella (thanks to Chito, Cecil and Chicha for not eating it during the ride to Tagaytay), pinaputok na tilapia, Ms G's pork binangoongan tempatation, bulala (or pochero) and lots of other dishes which I will not continue to write about or else I may get hungry again in the midst of my own bare cupboards.

Sir B had picked me up near Olivarez, where the bus conductor was probably glad to see the back of me..since I was like a kid, asking him at least twice (like a petulant child on a trip) - "are we there yet?" How was he to know the significance of the event? He could only shake his head at me....

Bursting thru the door (kc gutom na!) I exchanged warm hugs, kisses and pats on the back with MeAnn, Pearl, Choie, Faith, Chito, Ms G and got introduced to Jack's sister Chicha..and Chito's wife Cecil...as well the tres charmante French family (Peter and Victor were the little frenchmen's names, Mariel was the rambutan especialista)...

Clicking away for posterity's sake....we finally settled down to eat, and amidst general ribbing about how Jack and the otheres were going to be a tad envious of how we were all gathered togehter...I am sure Nona, Jack, Oselle, Chiara, Helene, Lucy as well as the others know that they were in our thoughts as we gorged on the food and stimulating conversation (well, parang multiply posts din..kung saan-saan napunta ang usapan)...

Later that afternoon, after meandering around the house and having a merienda of turon with vanille ice cream, EllaFitz arrived, another multiplier. I have not been in very active contact with her but I know I've come across her posts once in a while.

With more funny conversation (highlight was the Yonzon dogs' antics....esp Max and his chicken-chasing, and panty-stealing ways) and videos from Pearl....we gathered ourselves outside the door.

I was hoping to see the gorgeous sunset for myself from Faith's location-prize of a house ever since I had seen her pics. Since MeAnn and ze French famille left earlier...the rest of us proceeded to Faith's house where we met her family and settled down for a hilarious tete-a-tete.

*sigh* If only my equipment could have managed it...it would have been wonderful to videotape how that conversation among the group went. Chito and Choie kept up the funny repartee and topics included bringing up parents..ehem..I mean children, grandparents, jailbirds, wrong ankle-scratching, politics, croc shoes, multiplitis symptoms, talk about other multipliers, subgroups like the Kitchen Goddesses (hmm...food to..bat di ko to namalayan at di ko nakita?) etc.

Chito and his family left thereafter and dropped off Pearl who had Rico and Ein waiting for her at home. So for dinner the remaining people again converged on the Yonzon's dinner table,where the fun continued... and of course where the talk continued.

I was moved by Ms G's tales of how our fellow countrymen have fared and have upheld the Filipinos good name during their work abroad. The Yonzons had met with some OFWs abroad...and while I am not ecstatically happy at how we are forced to export our people...I cannot help but also feel very proud of fellow Filipinos...even if they have become Italian or French citizens...their roots and values and behaviour in their adopted country inspires me...

There were also sad truths in how Sir B and Ms G described how its going in the situation of agrarian reform, farmers and the chaos that is Philippine politics...but I didn't analyze it too much at that time. Its enough of a downer during the daily grind we face.

Ella left afterwards to catch the bus to go to Fairview (Farview?) then Faith, her mom and Choie left also. The normal thing would have been for me to go catch some zees..but after taking a shower, I thought of keeping my gracious hosts company while Sir B dealt with his multiply (ha! ....thats why we saw how MeAnn and Pearl were so quick to share their photos and videos hehehe) and went thru his pictures...and while Ms G unpacked their pasalubongs and luggage.

It was a perfect end to the early morning, listening to the couple talk about not only the knickknacks and objects they picked during their trip (plus shake my head at how much work cataloguing and thinking of what pasalubong and who to give it to and worry about how it suits the person to which it is given)....

but also listen a little bit more about their family...their sons and daughter, and how their offspring have been living their lives with their better halves...the couple's history and values/behaviour from another era...about how Ms G and Sir B's relationship has progressed. I was probably half-asleep..but I was clutching my camera in my hands the whole time..and I didn't take one picture of how energetic we all were during that early morning talk...

Sadly at 4 am we had to pause and stop...we were aware we had to be leaving by 5:30 am for life's continuous grind and obligations...so I fell like a log on my bed (it was really my fault..I should not have stayed up until 5 am on Sunday morning watching anime)...and woke up later to join them and Faith for a quick but filling breakfast. With Caloy (their driver), Sir B, Faith and Leon ...I took catnaps on the way back to Makati. I was amused at how Ms G told her youngest son to lean to the right and not drool on me while sleeping on the trip ...hehehe...a great and funny mom was she! Nipped in the bud tuloy ang plano ni F8 na mag snore sa gilid ko....hehehe

With hurried goodbyes they dropped me off at my unit,and then I texted Pearl saying I was alive and sleepy...and went off to sleep. These are my candid shots...so..you guys can see the unabashed and naked expressions on our faces..este..their faces..*grin*

- Oct 8, '07 5:39 PM

Note: Missing Multiply site photos means incomplete set