September 2, 2022 - Jersey Number 01

I was chatting with a female friend at a food court in a mall in the Philippines. It was noon but we were only having a tall glass of cold lemonade.

A group of young college men wearing green jerseys with big bold black numbers at the back passed by our table. They were happily talking among each other on their way to the counter. It seemed like they just won the game.

Then, I noticed the slightly long haired guy with soft curls at the tips. He was wearing the number 01. He kept staring at me.

I just thought that he was mesmerized by my big black jeweled statement eyeglasses. I continued talking with my friend. I was so engrossed in telling her about vintage fashion and about growing your own food for security.

The group of young men passed us by once more on their way to the big table adjacent to the fountain where a big Trident concrete statue stood on top. My friend recognized one of them and waved at him. She said that was Jerry.

Then, I caught number 01 intently looking at me. Again.

He just couldn't take his eyes off me. It seemed like he knew me or probably he saw me somewhere. For sure it was not from my blogs and vlogs because I can count with my fingers the people who watch and read them.

I stared back at him. This is a stare down and I don't back out from it, I told myself.

His eyes lit up suddenly, then he smiled.

Before he could say anything, I blurted out...

((( TOKNOY! )))

It was Jay's first cousin, Toknoy. I wouldn't recognize him if he didn't dare to stare down. The last time I saw him was when he was a young school boy.

I hurriedly dragged him to meet Jay somewhere in the mall.

By the way, I hate going to malls in the Philippines. They're mostly a mile long and a half. It was already evening when we came out from the parking garage.

I told Jay of my dream last night, about meeting Toknoy by chance.

He said, "Actually, he is called Botoknoy (for long)."

Of all of Jay's cousins, I don't know why I dreamt of him.

You see, among all of the Divinagracias, I consider myself close to Mae. She became attached to me the first time I met her. I remember in 1995 to 1996 when Jay and I were newly married, she would call me in Davao City via long distance to Tagbilaran. She would let her younger cousins take their turns to talk to me too. Toknoy was one of them.

She called me countless times until she was caught one time by her Auntie Yoly. Soon after that, she moved to America with her brother, Mike.

My dream last night was in High-Definition. It was in vivid colors plus I could honestly smell the lemon in every sip of my lemonade at the food court.

We're Moving?

 I was fuming mad at the mister. It's final that we're moving to North Carolina on Sunday.

Wait.

What?

Why the urgency? Are we running away from someone?

Are we in the witness protection program that I am not given time to even say goodbye to my friends?

North Carolina?!

I don't have friends there. 

In this town, I know several sales clerks that I call friends at the thrift stores in 3 different locations-- in Willowdale, Buckeystown, and in Middletown. 

I also love the local independent businesses in town. 

Our house has the biggest lot in our hood, which is perfect for my greenhouse and several garden plots that the mister built.

Plus, my kids' friends from elementary and high school are all from here. On Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks, these kids hold their reunions at our house over Filipino dinner that I plan and prepare. 

My heart was so heavy while packing all of my money pile in the basement (read: my vintage items for sale). I couldn't grasp the thought of living somewhere other than this town---Frederick.

I hated the mister so much. He didn't even let me weigh things out with him.

I felt betrayed. This hurts a lot.

I can't believe he had the audacity to just pull us out of this house that we call home since 2002. 

Then, I suddenly woke up at the loud creak of our bedroom door. He came rushing in and said...

"Let's go! It's Thursday. It's dollar day at the thrift store!"

I sat up, and breathed a sigh of relief. The time on my watch was 11:15 AM.

 

Friday, January 11 at 8:30-ish

Still half asleep, I felt the mister got out of bed.

"Jay, let all the cats in!" They are allowed to sleep in our room on Friday and Saturday evenings only, or else we wouldn't have enough sleep.

"Why?"

He was on his way to the bathroom.

"Nooooo! Don't go in yet! I said let all the cats in first!"

"But why the urgency?"

"I had a bad dream about them. I just want to make sure they're all here and alive."

I had the most horrible dream. All the pets in the neighborhood were poisoned including our three cats. All three looked peacefully sleeping outside our front door but they were all dead already. 

It looked like we lived in Sanciangko Street in Cebu City, Philippines. Tartanilla or Horse carriages always pass by our home. 

Thank God it was just a dream.

My Reality is Better Than my Dream

I met a doctor, and we became really close as friends. His name is Doctor Mercado. He's so much older than me, and is quite famous in the Philippines. Despite our age difference, we have many common interests, including a love of travel, movies, music, and vintage fashion. I've learnt so much from him, not just about medicine, but also about life, relationships and achieving one's goals.

In one of his talks in one of the big universities in Manila, I tagged along with him with my camera. One of the famous stars was in attendance too. She's a client and a friend of the doctor, Maine Mendoza, the other half of Aldub. She shared about her own journey in the entertainment industry, inspiring many students with her story of perseverance.

After the talk, students took turns for photo ops with the two. Maine liked to have a photo taken with me and the doctor before we parted ways for the day, so I asked one student to take photos of us using my camera. 

I remembered the face of the male student vividly, but he vanished from the bunch of students who remained with the others. He simply disappeared with my camera.

Oh! The horror!

Everyone left but me. I looked for my camera all over the campus. It was getting dark already, and the place was calmly getting deserted. That's just the polar opposite of how I was feeling inside, I was frantically panicking. I can't lose my camera. Aside from it being a Leica, the memory card was close to full of memories I took on our trips to Williamsburg and Richmond, Virginia; California; and Arizona.

I was mad at myself for being too trusting. I held that camera with extreme care for eight years. It was a gift from the mister. The campus was so dark already, and I slowly walked towards the guardhouse when the light turned on in front of me.

I opened my eyes. I saw the mister opening the curtain to let the light come into the room. It's past noon, and I am still in bed. I don't know how long he spent his time on the trail, but the mister is back from biking.

Phew! It was just a dream!



"Jay, nawa akong camera sa akong damgo!" (I lost my camera in my dream.), I told him immediately.

The mister is used to hearing the weird, enjoyable, and colorful stories from my dreams. Then he asked me, "Ganahan ka ug kape?" (You want coffee?)

The mister bought a half dozen of freshly made Duck Donuts too.


The donut sprinkled with bacon bits got me excited.

*sigh! I am just glad that losing my camera was just a dream, and I am happier to wake up with coffee and donuts. I donut remember the last time I had one.

P.S. I slept so late last night watching Project Runway All Stars and Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry. Since religiously following a schedule of at least seven to nine hours of sleep every night for over three years, I guess sleeping so late was probably a result of that dream. hehehe.

By the way, I don't know a Doctor Mercado, and I don't follow Aldub, but I saw a photo of Maine in one of the Filipino news magazines online before I went to sleep. I did not read the article about her ,though.

Thrifting Adventures

The mister and I went to this huge old building that had a lot of antique and vintage vendors selling goods for a limited time only. This particular corner of the building was painted green with folding chairs lined in four rows. Beautiful formal dresses as old as from the 1930s were laid over the chairs. There was also a wooden shelf that had beautiful bags displayed on every shelf.

Jay asked me which one I'd like to get. I pointed to a blue short sleeved long dress, thin trimmed with pink satin fabric. There was a huge rhinestone flower brooch pinned on the waist of the dress. I didn't really think of wearing the dress to any occassion, but to sell it. Actually, there were more dresses that I liked, and I didn't get the chance to see the bags on the shelves. I wanted to come back, but I didn't tell the mister.

When we got home, I realized, he bought three dresses in different colors, but the design was exactly the same of the blue dress that I liked. He bought a yellow green and a pink one too. I was happy about it, and that means more inventory for the shop.

The following day, I went back. Oh my goodness! There were more beautiful dresses displayed than the previous day. All were from the Hollywood glam era. There was this dress with a mink fur collar. Another one was a wiggle dress made from embroidered fabric and beaded with Swarovski crystals in floral design. There was also this brown bustier dress with the tiniest waist I've ever seen. I even thought it's a dress for a tall Victorian baluster that's used as a floor lamp.

I didn't buy any of the dresses, but I didn't forget to check the shelves. There, I saw a beautiful brown leather train case. There was no price sticker on it, but I noticed a visible tear at the bottom of the bag. I really fell in love with the bag the moment I laid my eyes on it. Not because it was displayed on a shelf at my eye level, but because it was really gorgeous. Sad but I had to put the bag back where it belonged. I didn't want to buy it with the tear.

On the opposite side of the shelf which was near the exit of that corner of the building, I eyed another bag. The same bag that my heart went paboom-paboom but it was in black leather. It was priced for $5. I picked it up. I even hugged it so tight on my way to the counter. It was as if someone could grab it away from me.

Then, "Lian! Lian!", I heard the mister. Then he shook my right shoulder lightly, and then I woke up!

"Moadto na ko!" (I'm going now).

Ha?

It's Monday!?

"Jay, nag thrifting ko sa akong damgo ug wa ka nako pahibaw-a nga niadto ko!" (Jay, I went thrifting in my dream, and I didn't let you know that I went.)

Gaaah! It seemed so real! I felt the soft mink fur. I even touched the bustier dress with the tiniest waist. I touched the texture of the leather on those two beautiful bags, and smelled that musty smell of old leather.

Thrifting makes me happy---way, way, waaaaaay happier than shopping!

Darn! I really wanted to buy that bag!

I Dreamt of Chuvaness

Mich Dulce's parents moved to the island of Bohol from the big city. They moved to this old log cabin type of house that sat on a very huge lot besides my parents' home in the island. From what I learned they're just renting the place. They simply wanted to find out if the laid-back island life is for them. Mich partially lives in Europe and the rest of it in Manila. She called me that she's in town to visit her folks. I asked if Adam Ant came with her. If he did, I'd introduce my friend Julie W. to him because I knew that she's a huge fan of the singer. Unfortunately, she said he's on tour with his band. But Cecile came! Yay! She's one of my best friends.

That early evening, I went to Mich's parents' home for dinner. Mich and Cecile were excited to see me. We've been friends for so long, and we haven't seen each other for years already. My big brother dropped me off. I don't know why he had to since it's just next door. The property next door has a very long driveway without light posts, and it's lined with big old fruit trees --- kaimito, santol, and jackfruit trees. I introduced my brother to the ladies and to Mich's parents too. Oh! By the way, Grace Velasco and Tina Tagle came too.

Dinner was great. We had a lot of fun. Our boisterous laughter resonated to the whole island. I came home at 3 am. My brother was still awake when I came in.

Him: Kinsa man to sila? (Who were they?)
Me: Wa ka kaila ni Mich ug Cecile!? (You don't know Mich and Cecile?!)

I was really surprised that he had no clue!

Him: Wa! (No!)
Me: Si Mich Dulce, sikat na nga milliner! Amigo silang Adam Ant! Si Cecile van Straten kay si Chuvaness! Di ba giingnan ka nako sa una nga I wanted a hat by Mich but di ko kaafford? (Mich is a famous milliner. She'a friend of Adam Ant! Cecile is Chuvaness! Didn't I told you that I wanted to have a hat by Mich but I can't afford it?)
Him: HA! Nganong wa man ka niingon? Wa ko kapapicture nila! (WHAT! Why didn't you tell me? I wasn't able to have a picture taken with them.)

Hehehe.

Early the next day, I went to the next house again to bring a huge pot of piping hot boiled bananas. I promised Mich's folks the previous night to bring them some. My parents has a large number of banana plants in their property, and the previous day, they had a bountiful harvest.

After breakfast, Cecile and I chatted in the dining room while the rest of the ladies were in the living room. I can hear Tina telling jokes and her funny experiences. I noticed that Cecile looked unhappy.

Me: Boring sa probinsya no? (It's boring in the province, right?)

It was her first time in the island.

Cecile: Yes. I want to go home.
Me: I know. Di nga kami maka-OOTD here like in Manila or Japan. Ordinary lang dito. It's the provincial life. (I know. We can't even have our OOTD a.k.a Outfit of the day here like in Manila or Japan. It's ordinary here. It's the provincial life.)

Then she answered, "But, Lili! ...there must be more to this provincial life!"

Then I woke up. I heard the mister said it's almost 10 in the morning.

It's true! Mich is a milliner, fashion designer and corsetiere. She also sings really really well. Cecile is the lady behind the famous blog, Chuvaness. But, it isn't true that we're tight! Only in my dreams!

The Creamer Ruined It

It was morning, and I could tell it was a beautiful day outside from our dining room window. I didn't know what day it was though. I saw my breakfast on top of the dining table. I presumed the mister prepared it just before he left to the office for the day.

It was something like this---Oatmeal with fresh milk, freshly sliced bananas and strawberries, but minus the adobo flakes. It had bacon bits.

This is love -- #oatmeal, #banana, #strawberry & #porkadobo flakes

A photo posted by Lili (@missnalupa) on Feb 17, 2014 at 5:51am PST

Oatmeal is love for me. I have it even if sometimes it isn't breakfast. This is because it doesn't make me feel heavy. I always love to add a little creamer in it too. I do not have a preference of what flavor of creamer it is, but  a bottle of Coffee Mate Hazelnut flavor is at all times in my grocery list. Like this.

I was admiring the breakfast in front of me. It was still warm, and the coffee beside it? It was black, and was still steaming hot. Obviously, it was missing the creamer. I never like coffee without it.

"Ay! Nakalimut si Jay ug butang ug creamer sa akong kape?" (Oh! Jay forgot to put creamer in my coffee?), I asked out loud.

So, I went to the kitchen, and grabbed the Hazelnut flavored creamer in the refrigerator. I was logging in to my laptop to check my emails for the day, and while doing that, I poured the creamer to my oatmeal. I was multitasking, as usual. I poured some in my coffee too, then I realized my coffee was still black!

Ha?

*&%$#*&!

It wasn't creamer at all, but chicken broth inside the Coffee Mate bottle. It was a beautiful day, and I just ruined my perfect breakfast combo prepared by the mister!

Then, I woke up! I saw the mister standing at the foot of our bed calling my name.

It was Tuesday!