Our Life at Full Circle

June 13, Tuesday evening Pap and I went to the SM Supermarket to get some of Donna’s favorite snacks – various flavors of sponge cake, since she’ll be arriving around noon time June 14 Wednesday.

Wednesday, I woke up around 8:30. Pap has been waiting for me downstairs. I didn’t try to rush because the night before Ate Pie said she’ll need Pap to take her somewhere first thing in the morning. I didn’t get Jack’s text message saying she’ll drive her Mom instead till I woke up. Pap and I left for Manila a little before 10. On the way I text’d Leda and told her I’m running late and that we’ll be meeting them at the airport parking lot.

We got to the airport at 11:40. Donna’s flight was due to arrive at 11:30. Leda said she hasn’t come out yet. We met and talked for a little bit. Dad was already by the passenger waiting area by that time. I paid P30 to get inside the waiting area. After a while I saw Donna coming out accompanied by a porter with one of those tall push carts and I immediately noticed Indo’s cage on the cart. I told the guard I needed to go across to meet my wife. Indo started barking the moment he noticed me. We saw that his water bottle was empty. He was breathing rapidly with his tongue hanging out, I imagine from the heat and humidity. After hugging and greeting Donna, I went and told Leda to get her car so we don’t need to lug around all of Donna’s stuff. After loading the luggage, I took Indo out of his cage and we went back out to the parking lot. For some reason his leash was wet. We told Leda they can proceed to San Fernando and we’ll just meet at Len’s place in Baliti.

Pap opened the back door of the Innova and Indo immediately jumped right in. On the way I fed him with about 2 or 3 handsful of dog food. He seemed really hungry. Donna said dog food was not allowed in the cage per airline regulations. Before we got to the freeway, he seemed to be feeling a little better I suppose with the car’s air conditioning. I looked back when we were on the freeway and he was knocked out! Donna told me to send Eph a text message and tell him that she and Indo arrived safely. I started writing the message and here comes Eph’s text message asking if they arrived safely!

It was really hot when we got to the site but he jumped right out and I sort of introduced him to all the workers. He seemed a little shy at first but then he started sniffing and wagging his tail at everybody. I walked him around the house and in the backyard, he took a really long pee and it has deep whatever color that was. Poor thing, it didn’t look like he peed all through the flight. Then I walked him around the vacant lot next door and he did number two, twice. I felt so relieved for him. Then we took him back into the van and we proceeded to go to Baliti where we had a late lunch. After lunch we went back to the site. I had Pap drop me off at the guard house and I introduced Indo to the guards, told them he has a tendency to sneak out of the yard and to call me if ever they find him running around the neighborhood. He and I took the short walk from the guard house to the site with him sniffing everything every couple of feet or so. Kong Naring barricaded both sides of the house as well as the main front door. I took Indo inside and took his leash off. He seems to be having a hard time adjusting to the weather. But other than that he's doing OK. He’s not eating much but he’s sure drinking a lot.

This afternoon, it’s Friday night here now, Donna gave him a bath at the drive way. She said he was really warm to the touch especially around his belly. Kong Naring said when we went out to lunch, he jumped out of the barricade and tried to follow us.

Sorry still no pictures.

INDO

THE NEWEST RESIDENT OF GREENFIELDS HAS ARRIVED!!

Dang! Blogger won't let me post pictures.
I'll do it later when it's more cooperative!

Slow Going

Before we even started this construction, I’ve been warned that the finishing work would seem so slow, it’s as if nothing is being done. I was told the story of a homeowner who fired his people for working too slow, hired another team and fired them again! Right now I’m experiencing the finishing blues. I’m not about to fire anyone but it does seem slow. I didn’t want to rush things, however. I want the work done right. Monday, June 12 is a holiday here. It’s Independence Day so we’ll have a day off since we’re not allowed to work during holidays. Yup, I have a couple of days to relax and kick back. Perhaps I’ll do some shopping at the new SM in Clark or something.

Today we got our last truck of fill dirt. It’s actually the top soil which Kong Naring is going to use for our landscaping. This means, next week they could start working on the front fence. Our chief mason paved our driveway as well.

Yesterday Pap and I went to Manila to Atlas Corp. This is the company who picked up our household goods from California. It’s scheduled to arrive the week after, June 19 to be exact. I had to give them my passport (they wouldn’t accept a copy) to present to the Customs here. I won’t have to make an appearance. Once the 40 foot container comes, they’ll do their thing with customs and in a day or so it’ll be delivered. Ate Pie was skeptical about our trip thinking we’ll waste so much time and gas getting lost, looking for the place. She told us to get a map but I didn’t get one because people here aren’t really the best ones in posting street signs. And I figured, hey this is the Philippines after all, I speak their language, I can always ask around for directions. The results? We missed one turn and that was it. We found the place with very little effort.

We went to church today at the 5:30 mass in Pilar Village church just like last Saturday. They had a guest priest whom I didn’t recognize. But I met Alvin Carreon with his wife right after mass. He’s a high school classmate and I haven’t seen him in a long time. We chatted for a little bit, found out he lives in the area. He asked me a couple of questions. I told him Donna is coming this Wednesday, then he said he had to go.