archive of July, 2008
Nick* came to the flat with his sister Rose* in tow, and knocked on the door. I asked why he wasn’t in school, and he replied that his stomach hurt. I asked if he wanted to go to a pharmacy or herbal remedy store or a physician’s office. He wouldn’t express a preference. The quickest and cheapest thing to do is to go to a pharmacy and buy Pepto-Bismol or Maalox or Tums. These can’t be had in grocery stores and convenience stores in the Philippines. »→
Nick came to the apartment yesterday to do homework. As he and Mack have done previously, he asked to go downtown to buy specific educational posters for images and captions to use in his homework. I don’t know why they can’t rely on their textbooks and schools’ library books and municipal library books. I offered the use of my computer, asking, “Can we find that on the internet?” Nick replied, “I don’t know.” Maybe he doesn’t know that almost everything is on the internet (try Wikipedia and GoodSearch). »→
Today Nick came uphill to visit because public schools in Benguet Province (and ten others) aren’t in-session today, following days of deluge. He asked if we could buy student supplies for his classwork and homework and rice for his family. So I took him, downtown, we checked my mailbox as we have done innumerable times to look for his birth certificate from National Statistics office. It hasn’t arrived yet, 21 days after requesting it; 20 days after paying for it. »→
Tropical Storm Fung-wong has been sending alot of rain here for days, so I’ve no news to report. I’ve been hunkered-down at home. I watched the Edmonton, Alberta Indycar race on TV. This wouldn’t have been a good day to travel from Baguio City to Sagada by bus as we had thought of doing. »→
Not much to report now. Working on getting electricity to the A/V/C/A family’s home and buying birthday gifts for kids (August 1, 2 and 3). Dominic and I found a modern, 24-lane 10-pin bowling alley with computerized scoring on the fourth floor of Baguio City’s Center mall, so we bowled 10 frames. »→
When Dominic and I returned from Baguio City, Nick and Rose were waiting in the garden for us. Nick wanted to do research on the internet into nutrition and make a poster for his grade six class. Dominic is using his PC to write articles for his weekly job, so I helped Nick use my Mac and Firefox browser to search for required information. And I got out watercolor pens and paper that I’d bought for such poster projects. »→
Andy didn’t come from Aurora Hill to visit this weekend. But Nick and Mack came uphill from Baguio Gold to go to 4:30 Mass and to get the weekly allowance for jeepney fare, lunches and snacks. Dominic and I took the boys by jeepney to Session Road and we treated them to dinner in Pizza Volante. Dominic and I like pizza. The boys wouldn’t state a preference for Filipino cuisine in Solibao, Sizzling Plate, Andok’s, Jack’s or a turo-turo dive. »→
Unlike last Saturday, Nick came to the apartment before 8:00, and he brought his little sister, Rose. I had advised him yesterday to come any time between 7:30 and 8:00 so that we could depart no later than 8:00. I said that I’d arise at 7:30 and if they were to come early enough they could eat breakfast here, and perhaps look at Saturday morning cartoons, while I prepared to go. Last night I set my alarm clock for 7:20. Wouldn’t you know it; Nick rapped on my bedroom window at 7:18. »→
Today the kids didn’t have to go to school in Baguio Gold, so Nick and Rose came to visit. They were dressed nicely, so I asked if they’d like to accompany me to Baguio City to check my mail box for their birth certificate copies and have lunch. Of course they were more than willing. »→