Friday, 13 May 2011

Ha Ha

This is not a laughing matter to me and to the Thais it may not even elicit a grin. “Ha” is actually “5” in Thai, so haha is 55 or better said in Thai as ha-sib-ha. Now this is when it becomes funny to you as you realize that the matter in focus is actually my chronological existence on earth.

Hair loss or the whitening of the same may be some visible signs to prove the haha or the creases and the appearance of sunspots on my previously immaculate skin could be evidence enough. I have not resorted to any of the stuff that the market is awash with to combat this aging process, but I admit that at this point I have some serious thoughts about the “lifts” either surgical or otherwise.

This album is nothing else but to simply document the year that I celebrated this monumental moment of my life. Actually ever since I turned 50, I have been more conscious of the years that fly by. Not in a way to remind myself that I now belong to the “senior citizen” crowd, but rather to praise my God and thank him for a full life that I have already lived and continue to live because of his abundant grace and mercy.

please click on the first photo and go "slideshow."


Ominous or auspicious? my 55th birthday was a friday-the-13th but the passing of the day proved the latter and established proof that bad luck isn't all that comes out of a friday the 13th.


162 friends sent their birthday greetings... i never had a party this big on my birthday and their dropping by to post a message was really awesome and touching.



this chic never lost that lovin-feeling



the apples of my eye... my genes are obvious in these ladies. they never cease to amuse.



nok and jp still live with us, which means that my family is still intact under the same roof. a bonus indeed considering that at this stage most of my friends' kids have already left them.



my adorable granddaughter growing up real fast and every day presents something new. she's the only thing in my mind as i walk home from work.



I can bless someone in dire need of life-giving blood.



work is fun and rewarding.



after so many years i get reunited with my high school friends.



reconnecting with this bosom friend brought my youth back. he and i spent the best adolescent years i ever had trying to evade the school laws as we experimented on psychedelic highs.



the charm of this guy never ceases to bring back memories of some of the best years when our foolishness was a tolerated currency. at my present age i cant afford to be foolish :-)



diving has never been this good.



I can still run… did this adidas 8K marathon in 00:58:45. When I was half my age I placed 3rd in a 14K run in davao and in those days it was muscle-over-mind... now it's mind-over-muscle:-(



Lambda Sigma takes up new challenges. from scuba diving…



to marathon... and later this year mountain climbing.



Jesus manifested his love to me in many ways this year and i eagerly anticipate his subtle way of letting me know that he is by my side and will never leave me. Jesus, you are everything that i want or will ever need. you know my heart is only for you.

Sunday, 8 May 2011

amphawa floating market on mother's day

I have two mothers in my immediate family, one is my wife and the other my daughter. this necessitated a celebration of their status on mother's day and there was nothing better than a day trip to the floating market town of Amphawa in a province southwest of Bangkok.

JP and Nok actually planned this trip. i was just caught up in the day of departure and I said yes without thinking with only family-bonding in mind. i guess fathers of my age have less and less options as they climb the ladder of senility... yes i still had to contribute of course when it came to paying up the meals and etc and i loved this part of the game.


 "Jesus, a living hope!"

 Jo ann drinking in the message,which was really touching and so timely for us. love you Jesus!!

 breakfast at Samut Sakhon

 after church we hit the road to Amphawa with our eyes watching out for some place to eat. this was a Petronas one-stop joint.

 lunch @ Petronas jiffy resto

 lunch still

 that's my order: TomYumGoong

 Nok&Jp masterminds of the trip

 i was across the river

 sights&smells along the walkway

 I don't know how these tastes coz i found other food that were more appetizing than these naked chicken.

thai papaya salad som tum ingredients

 not much human traffic this section

 giant monitor lizard patrolling under the houses. this guy basically fed on food scraps which were purposely dropped for him.

 the usual riverside scene

 the water was low

 taking a rest with kailee

 it was a sunday and there were lots of local tourists.

 diners beside the muddy river

 people busy eating lunch

 squid and prawns

 cheap food, check out the prices

business is good

 jackfruit, taro, pumpkin, etc

 we wanted to stay until dark

 yummy thai food

 grilled squid

 seedless guavas

 fear-factor food

 bananas and mangoes

 another monitor scavenger

 that's my gorgeous wifey

 kailee doing time behind bars

 Kailee's tribute of flowers to lolo's friend in sydney

 cat-napping on the job

homeward bound. thanks family for everything. your old man loved every bit of the trip and will look forward to more of this.

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