Dinner at Matet & Vic Simon’s House

I couldn’t go to their mom’s “pa-syam”.
Matet —- “di bale sa 40th na lang ni mommy”.
Matet sent me a message on facebook when I was in China.
She sent another message when I was in HK inviting me over for her mom’s 40th on Saturday, Aprl 21, 2012.

I was really tired from the Canton Fair trip. Edmund and I arrived home on thursday at almost midnight and I slept at 4:50 am friday. Friday was tiring too because we went to the Annual Mazda Dealers Convention. It was good that the event was a lot simpler and shorter this time.

It crossed my mind to visit my Kuya Ben’s grave and take a look at the newly renovated Pila-pila church on saturday but a combination of tiredness and the summer heat prevented me from leaving the house till 7 pm.
I almost forgot that Matet’s expecting me.

She did say that there’s a padasal at 5 pm but I left our house at 7 pm to go to the Maycacayan’s place in Layunan, Binangonan, Rizal. It’s not so far away but you can’t really drive fast.

There was still a handful of people left at the Maycacayan’s when I arrived at 8:30 pm which was really a good thing. Ayleen’s friends were there, and I was surprised to see our Ford Edsa employee Loreta Sumalde and Saudi-based Maret Aran.

Del Arevalo, Dra. Rose Callanta-Ynares, Servie

Maret worked for me for many years. she’s one of Matet and Aileen’s barkada and is now based in Saudi Arabia. She is visiting her mother who’s still living in Binangonan.

Loreta Sumalde, Maret, Gina Cepidoza

Their house is one of the biggest and nicest in our town during those days. Now it’s kind’a old na but you can still see and feel it’s old grandeur.

Their lola’s antique plates are intact and securely locked inside a cabinet. Their lola is my mom’s second cousin.

A big oil painting of The Last Supper hangs in their comedor which according to Matet is more than 60 years old.

Buhay pa kaya ito? Ipagtanong ko nga.

Fr. Dave Onilongo was the last to arrive. We all looked sticky kasi it was very humid. Buti na lang konti na lang ang tao.

Atty. Vic Simon Maycacayan, Serive, Del Arevalo and Rose Ynares

Rose has mastered the art of posing. Her advise is to turn your body a little to the side so that you would look thinner. Also, do not smile too much or laugh. Just smile a litle bit so that wrinkles would not show.

When I was getting dressed, Julienne saw me and said “mom, you can’t wear pants its too hot. Wear shorts”.
I wore the cotton blouse I recently bought from H&M in HK. It’s so presko.

They are cousins of my sister in law Linda Cerda- Tan

Siblings/ Dentists, Dra. Beth Carasco and Dr. Eric Cenidoza, arrived just as I was about to eat. perfect timing, meron akong kasabay pag-kain.

My mom taught me how to make this but the last time I cooked pork hamonado was (with my mom) about 35 years ago, nalimutan ko na yata kung paano.

Dinuguan

of course with matching puto

Is this majablanca?

I brought home several slices of bibingka or biko.

Matet told me that more than five hundred people came and ate. It was good I came late or else I would’nt be able to stand the chaos and heat. Edmund was with me at the burol but this time he didn’t like to accompany me kasi ang init daw.