This Schedule's Way Too Tight!!

Holy Week's over finally! Whew...

We ended up working Saturday as you may have read from my previous blog and was able to accomplish quite a bit.

Sunday afternoon Pap and I picked up Mike from Villa Victoria to watch Arti Sta Rita perform in Magalang by PAC (Pampanga Agricultural College) at the foot of Mt Arayat with Mon David as their guest. I planned to take Tonette with me but she ended up with severe viral infection which kept her in bed per doctor's orders for 5 days.

The show was scheduled to start at 5:30 but we got there at around 4 while they were still arranging the chairs. There were some tables set up of people selling various food stuff, from authentic Sta Rita cuisine (asado and arroz con valenciana?), the famous (or should it be infamous?) Guagua chicharon to several kakanin like tamales, bibingka, puto bungbong, and cookies (San Nicolas and Otap). Mike ordered asado and rice and I got me a bag each of San Nicolas and Otap.

At around 5, people started coming in. Most of them were elderly couples dressed Filipiniana style. I saw Andy Alviz (he directs the show) running around and didn't even bother greeting him, he looked way too busy. After a little bit Mon and Ann came. Ann came and greeted us while Mon was busy talking with people congratulating him on his recent accomplishment - winning the London International Jazz Competition. When Mon started walking towards us, Ann left to get our tickets.

At around 5:45 the National Anthem was sung in Kapampangan by Arti Sta Rita along with Hymnong Kapampangan (sung on tape by Mon). Father Bustos parish priest of Guagua did the invocation. Then after a couple of speakers (Mayor of Magalang and the PAC rep who helped organize the event) the show started.

What can I tell you, this show is a MUST SEE for every Kapampangan. It's just great. The song 'Pamanuli' felt like they were singing it specifically for me. Mon sang a couple of songs in the 2nd act. He was the icing in the cake so to speak. He also sang 'Pinatubo' (during this song, a family of Aeta came out - that was a very touching moment for me as well) and Hymnong Kapampangan backed up each time by Arti Sta Rita. Before Hymno, all behind the scenes people were introduced. Towards the end of the song, right before they took their final bow, it started drizzling. It was absolutely the perfect timing. Everyone's saying it was a blessing from above!

Monday after lunch, I got dropped off by Pap by the RW-FM in Dolores to join Class '70 in the motorcade. Most of them were already there waiting. After Mon's interview, the motorcade started at around 2:30 going towards downtown San Fernando, to the rotunda. By PLDT, it turned back by Essel going towards San Fernando city hall. This is where most of the people are concentrated. The section going to Bundalian and Apung Gari was really packed, then back again to the rotunda and on to the capitol where the Holy Angel choir, rondalla and dancers were already waiting. When Mon came out, they started performing. Then he walked towards the grand staircase and the landing where the stairs met was fashioned into a stage where he was given all kinds of plaques of recognition. We gave him a lei of flowers and Mrs Macaspac representing PHS, as well as Ate Claire for the Inocencio Magtoto Foundation presented him with bouquets of flowers. The mayors of Sto Tomas and San Fernando as well as Gov Mark Lapid all gave speeches and finally Mon was allowed to talk. After all the thank you's, he sang Nature Boy a cappella, one of his winning pieces. He also sang the jazzy Ating Ku Pung Singsing, and Hymno with Arti. There was a light meal served at the conference room.

That was the good news. The bad news? I must have taken at least a hundred pictures. When I tried to download them, it's as if I never had a camera! NOTHING CAME OUT!! I have no idea what happened. I'm pretty disgusted every time I think about it.

Anyway...

Yesterday they started paving the right exterior wall of the house. Today, they paved the rear wall and the garage walls. Ronnie and his guys also brought up some of the trusses and started piecing them together. I imagine he'll start welding them up tomorrow. Rommel and his men also has been digging into the concrete walls installing electrical boxes for switches and outlets.

Tomorrow, Kong Naring and I are going to Manila to check out windows.

See you next blog.