And the reason is the Mighty New Old Honda has been moved from intensive care to the recovery room, visiting hours are daily between the hours of 0800-1700 and they don’t accept minders at Kuya Greg’s Clinic. Stay tuned for an update next week, MAYBE!
But something else did happen last week, on Monday 13 May, my Grandson Jayden Logan completed his first full revolution around the sun, and is now one year old. But due to the fact that that was also Election Day on the archipelagoes known as the Philippines his Mom and Dad moved the gala celebration to Friday 17 May. But of course there was a small party at the house on his actual birthday. As if he would really know?
The activity level has been at a fever pitch here on the mountain at Casa de Mayang in preparation for the momentous event planned just for him (The Little Dude). Again, as if he’ll understand or even remember it. But here in the Philippines the first and seventh birthdays are the two big ones in their life, the first because he survived, which I think dates back a few centuries when the odds were against you making it to one year old, or an indictment of todays medical care. I’m not sure. The reason for the seventh year birthday was explained to me, but I’d been consuming adult beverages that day and have since forgot.
Article continues below pictures, click on the photo for a larger view.
Pigs have died and the pre-Birthday party on the day before (Thursday night) involved food preparation and a few bottles of Emparaflu Lite (If you don’t know what that is rejoice, as it is cheap local brandy that sells for P 56 a Fifth or for you young whippier snappers 750 ML.)
I’m trying to write the lion’s share of this article today, Thursday one day prior to the party as there will be no time on Friday, and “Fearless Leader Mindanao Bob” needs me to submit it to him on Saturday. It’s an editor thing he does. Do you know what shape my head will be in on Saturday morning? If you don’t all I can say is; “Welcome to LIP and I hope you are enjoying your first visit. To try and distract everyone I plan on using a lot of pictures to describe the party. Next I’ll slip away upstairs to my hidey hole and try to nap myself back to wellness. Remember I did try to warn you, so here it is.
Saturday morning, the party ended a couple of hours ago… I’m awake but walking wounded, but I was wise enough to slide away early and take a nap. (I never pass out but I do nap in odd locations) My little Dude was so excited by it all, not by the party or food, but by all the people he loves crowds. Yes the damned- able Karaoke machine was there, the food was plentiful, and neighbors I’ve never seen before, were there in force, plus the Emparaflu flowed like water. Did you know that they mixed it with powered Ice Tea Mix? Yum…
Jayden Logan, AKA “The Jay-man or Little Dude” just like his Lolo Paul; departed the party early, the party really wasn’t for him, was it? The rest stayed until Zero Dark Thirty, and I found no one sleeping in the mango tree when I woke-up, and as per usual the departing guests cleaned up any extra food that was left, but also cleaned up the yard and policed the grounds. This I’ve found to be a thing that happens in the Philippines, which you’ll never see guests do in your home country, and I for one appreciate that small act of kindness. As I mentioned above my head is pounding, my stomach feels like I’m on a ship in a typhoon taking 45 degree rolls, I’ll go back to bed now and keep one foot on the floor to stop the room from spinning. (When I was younger I once nailed all the furniture to the floor, BTW that also works on spinning rooms.
Next week, I hope, I wish and I pray that I may finish the story on “My New Old Honda Part II” But with 20 plus years living in the Philippines, what I know for sure is; “It will happen, when it happens!” I’m going to bed!
Sounds like it was a good party Paul. As for your car. Did you ever think that maybe someday they will stop making parts for it??? Time to get a new one…
BTW – You know it is a good party when you have to attack the floor like Bro. Dan. 😛
Gary;
Sometime this month I will have a new car when it’s finished, as for no parts, we live in the Philippines, they can make the part for you here.
The Party was fun, all the neighborhood kids had a ball it was a real treat for them all.
Because not all LiP readers are on Face Book, this is what I posted about my Brother Dan that you referred to:
My Brother Dan came home from the bar a bit over served; when his girlfriend found him on the kitchen floor, Dan said; “I did not trip and fall. I attacked the floor and I believe I am winning.”
Good Party–Lots of Tanduay Superior 12 yr old, coke,(not pepsi), ice cubes, & food. May Little Dude have at least 80 more birthdays as good as this one.
Loren;
Thanks to you both for coming, It was a good time for sure.
Paul,
Looks like a good time was had by all and plenty of adult beverages were aflow. One b-day down and many more to look forward too. Before you know it he will be a teenager chasing girls and you will still be driving the new old honda lol. Have a nice day on the mountain.
PapaDuck,
I can’t wait for the day the Little Dude looks at me and asks; ” Hey Lolo, can I borrow the New Old Honda?”
Nice solo shot of the Little Dude. Long eyelashes and curly hair (from the humidity). I was going to say the same thing you said, Paul, about discontinued automobile parts. Pinoy mechanics there are not bothered by discontinued parts. They can create almost anything out of nothing. When here in the States, mechanics would normally discard automobile parts that no longer work and buy new ones at great expense to the vehicle owner, Filipino mechanics there will try to make old parts work, and are usually successful at it.
John;
Nothing gets thrown out, I had Kia parts reworked to use on my Mits Lancer a few years back, and it worked fine. I’ll stand any Pinoy with his box of old tools against any western mechanic with his high tech equipment any day, and the Pinoy will get the job done at half the cost. In the states they don’t fix things they just swap out the old part for a new one and send you on the way.
BTW you’re right he is a pogi little dude!
The cost of labor is what makes the cost of ” repairing ” more practical in the Philippines than here in the USA. Would you pay $110 USD per hour to have a part repaired when it could be replaced with a new part for half the cost of repairing the old one ? For many things here in the USA is is more cost effective ( cheaper ) to replace than to repair. This is why most of the repair shops of all kinds we used to have are long gone.
Bob;
So true in the land where they plan on everything to become obsolete within a year so they may sell you a new one. I had thought of one last new car until I noticed that my friends with new cars went to the same shop as me.
Paul – They really know how to party in the Philippines. It sound like you do as well. It’s the frequency of partying and celebrations that amaze me.
Brenton;
It really doesn’t take a lot to get a party started here, and reasons are not required.
Yeah it is crazy hey. The best fun is over the Christmas period though. Great vibes at that time of year.
Brenton;
Christmas here reminds me of when I lived in Puerto Rico, It starts in September and ends in; well, it doesn’t.
I was a bit confused the first time I got invited to a Filipino kid’s birthday party. Then I saw the food, & booze, and heard the music. Nice concept, everybody’s happy.
Take care,
Pete
Oete;
Me too, I first thought they were (The party) for kids, then I found that the party was for all age groups, as long as the kids have a good time.
Many Happy Returns to the Little Dude. It looks as though a good time was had by all.
David and I have celebrated our birthdays in the Phils, and although there was only a few of us there, the Karaoke tape was put on both times.
Marjorie;
Here is what I’ve gleaned while living here, in this order (1) Karaoke (2) Cooking and eating, and (3) The booze. If one is missing then it’s really not a party.
Paul,
Great post! Glad to hear “the little dude” had such a great time as well as everyone else! And you know it’s a good party when you see people there you don’t even know LOL
Todd;
Then all my parties must be good, on my daughters 16th birthday I hired a band, the bands followers numbered in the twenties I told them to knock it down to four and the rest had to go. They thought I was an odd duck.
Congrats to ” Little Dude ” for his first year while the adults party the day and night away. You and your family really know how to put on a good party Paul and even to include the whole neighborhood in it almost sounds like a Block Party ! The conclusion of the new old Honda can wait, in the mean time Party Hearty !
Bob;
Being it’s a kids party (Well some of it) I figure it would be so unfair if a kid was on the outside looking in. I even brought some kids sitting on my wall out front listening to the party, Old dogs and children and Watermelon wine, seems to sum it up.