Spa day

© Joselito Briones

When every wash day is a spa day, courtesy of Charles.

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Riding on a feeling

© Joselito Briones

In the summer of 1974, the preschool kids in my neighborhood learned riding a bicycle together.  There were 5 or 6 of us.  My brother Uwel took it upon himself to teach us.  The school, the designated training spot about ten houses from our house, adjacent to open rice fields, was still closed for the summer season.

I was late to learn about what was going on. Everybody was  already in the school grounds when I got there.  Jojo and Toto had their turns. Then everybody else.  I was jealous.  By the time my turn came, it was getting dark. We did one quick round of me riding poorly then we went home. 

We never got to finish the training.

  

A few days on, I discovered that as long as I could keep my self vertical on the bike with my feet on standby by my sides, still barely on the ground’s sloping  driveway I can just let go and let the bike roll by itself.  Doing it several times, i saw t could just rest my feet on the pedal, then the pedal was just a matter of going through the motions.

The next day, full of confidence, I proudly mounted the bike in the middle of the street. Perfect balance.

Only it won’t go. Tried and tried but, no.

Out of nowhere, Uwel yelled, “RELEASE THE BREAK!“ 

I did, and lo and behold. 

(Soundtrack: Hallelujah!)

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Mystery flowers

© Charles George

We couldn’t figure out what these are.  From our local bodega/deli. Any idea?

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The cutest ever on halloween

When you were two.

Who’d have thought?

At fifty-two and you three years more, I’ll be watching you as you sleep, tired from chasing away my boogeyman.

 

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Beef Pie

© Joselito Briones

Homemade by my lovely husband.

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setting uprIght knocked down school chairs

High school competitive Quiz open season. 1982 or thereabouts.  Anybody with the guts for it could enter.  Having the guts didn’t cost anything, so off to the quizzes I went.

I didn’t do particularly well that year, a fifth place in science and third place in English (I think).

My brother Uwel, three years my senior, and his friends were there cheering for me through the windows and grates of the school library where it was held. The talk was that I can finally put upright the chairs he knocked down while we were  in high school.  I was sure he was proud of me.

I remember the buzz and tension after every question. I’m usually indifferent about things like this, but that time they managed to get me excited. Excited enough to look forward to the following year.

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thanks eric cyntch and carina for the photo.

Tiny boots as vase

© Joselito Briones

Another round of chemo drugs today.

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