CALIFORNIA REUNION: Home Sweet Home! Aug. 12-25, 2001

By: Danny S. Villanueva

Tired, crumpled and sluggish after that long night-owl flight from NYC-Detroit-San Francisco, we were very pleased to see at this unholy hour Kuya Noli waiting outside the airport terminal, who looked like a “gallant knight in his shining armor” ready to whisk us to freedom… as Dodje, Sabrie and me anxiously collecting our luggage. Surely, Kuya’s dependable Rodeo brought us to San Jose in a zip… to Tonino and Pearl’s home. We felt home sweet home at last as we shared an early morning breakfast of our favorite corned beef and eggs. Ang sarap talaga!

Prior to our coming, Ditseng Pearl and Kuya Noli had done their homework well to plan for our Villanueva Reunion. Definitely, the design was flexible depending on how we would come out alive on each event… pagod ba… busog ba… antok ba… at marami pa. Beside Kuya Noli and his Rodeo, to ensure that we are very mobile, Dikong Tonino and his dutiful Rav4 took leave from work during the whole duration of our stay, while Ate Ludy seized some days to be with us. Save from Ate Day, who’s not able to come because of Matthew’s condition, decided to come later in September, when summer is gone. By and large, our reunion, is once again exciting, very fruitful and memorable. Sabi ko nga kay Ditse, Kuya, Dodje and Sabrie…. It’s like a dream….

Below are some snapshots of our Villanueva reunion:

BIRTHDAY MASS: That was the first glorious order of the day that Sunday, on our arrival… celebrated by Fr. Dodje for Dikong Tonino, the birthday celebrator . The Holy Mass brought about in us the family love… lifting up one another… the Gospel and homily on the “undivided” bond of spouses, that this may truly happen in God’s beautiful grace to Dikong Tonino and Ditseng Pearl, to Kuya Rol and Ate Day, to Kuya Noli and Ate Ludy, to Sabrie and me, and specially… to Jesus and Dodje. Amen.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: “Thanks, guys! I’ts like a miracle!” my jubilant Ditse exclaimed, as Kuya Noli, Dodje and me excitedly put up a home theatre room for Ditseng Pearl and Tonino complete with a new sensurround system… in no time at all. That’s love and teamwork at play. You’d find Ate Ludy couched in the papa san, Sabrie in the red bean bag, Ditse on her new back rest that rested on the floor and we guys spread around the room in our comfy chairs with snacks at the center, while the whole room reverberated as we watched “Mission Impossible II” while Kuya gracefully aping “the hanging” Tom Cruise. Hahaha… naloko na!

“BEINTE UNO”: That’s the backyard basketball game Dikong Tonino, Kuya Noli, Jeffrey and me played when we visited Inang at Kuya Eloy’s place. Kuya Noli lived up to his old reputation as a Bugallon basketball hot shot as he displayed flawlessly his shooting skill by crushing us with his ringless shots. Well, I could see Ate Ludy awed, completely having crush on Kuya while Diktseng Pearl and Ditseng Ningning were cheering up on the side. Surely, Jeffrey would seriously think about expanding the ground so we could play a half court game next time around.

17-MILE DRIVE: … We saw ourselves peering closely on the many glasses of the Monterey aquarium… amazed about the extraordinary beauty of aquatic life God has created for all of us…. and the great need to preserve/restore them… We smelled the refreshing air of the ocean as we walked by the beach… and we traversed the hills and greens of Carmel as I imagined playing the links of Peeble Beach Golf courses…. What a beautiful place to retire…. What a place to eat sumptuous sea foods…. Gutom na si kami….. hahaha.

TODAI… YOU DIE EATING: And really we did with gusto as gourmands would always do at Todai’s Sea Food Buffet not only for one day but on 2 occasions … treat of Ditseng Pearl to satisfy our hunger for sea foods after that Monterey trip… and a birthday treat for Kuya Noli by Dodje…. Boy, we could certainly die eating at Todai. Who said that we violated our covenant of balance diet when we enjoyed balancing the intakes of our favorites: lobsters, more lobsters, crab legs, more crab legs, shrimps and more shrimps. Suprisingly, no one declared to overeat at Todai. No, Ditseng Pearl, my big belly was not due to Todai… but due to Sabrie’s cooking. You may ask the same about Dikong Tonino’s belly- that’s due to the big “vento” you always prepare for his office baon. No problem, we are both Dikong, anyway…. Dikong Belly Coy… likas na matakaw at mahiyain.

MOFFET SHOW: That of our golfing prowess… as Dikong Tonino and I tried a 16-hole game at the popular Moffet Air Base golf course one early morning. Being greenhorn in this green, Diko got a golf cart so we could have a faster pace in our game. Well, at front nine, we were kind of slow for we took long time to find our balls…. But not on the back nine were we were able to hit more straight balls that kept us at a faster pace…. as fast as the squirrels that seemed to go for our balls. Tonino was a real gentleman at the course as would follow the many courtesies of the game. Day earlier, Tonino, Kuya Noli and I did practice driving and putting at San Leandro’s Golf Country Club. Tonino would help me improve my swing… sweeping style… he should have seen me do the New York swing that I do better…. hahaha. I watched Kuya Noli practiced and he has a beautiful, natural swing attributed to his good tennis swing. Pretty soon you’ll find the 3 of us totally engrossed with golf... that at bedtime, we putter to sleep… and at meal time we would ask for the putter.. patis pala… hahaha.

LORRAINE AND KUYA: It was really great to see old family friend Lorraine during Kuya Noli’s early bday luncheon. He’s family, Kuya’s college buddy. Lorrraine and wife Edna prepared the sumptuous foods for the occasion and snack foods… siopao and hopia. Wholesome friendship really lasts as it was rekindled anew when their path crossed in California. The Sunday following, Fr. Dodje celebrated a Holy Mass for Kuya’s bday that capped the former ‘s US vacation prior to going back to Rome the next day. Reunion and birthday parties really mix well… with good foods and excellent wines.

JUST IN TIME: … goes the song of Judy Garland in a DVD… you caught me just in time… made my heart sing everytime I watched it at Ditseng Pearl’s home. It lifted my spirit… there was joy remembering Tatay and Nanay… their love… blessing our presence on this family reunion… the family love we shared… the joy of being together. Thank you Lord for keeping us together in your wonderful glory. Amen.

Our many thanks to Ditseng Pearl, Dikong Tonino, Kuya Noli, Ate Ludy and Fr. Dodje for the wonderful time we shared together… until next time… just in time… for another inspiring family reunion… we love you! #Danny and Sabrie