Come together, High School Class of '73

At the end of these rare reunions, a class picture is SOP beginning with the usual restrained shot followed by a wacky one. I've noticed, too, that as the years go by, no one wants to sit on the front row because of soft round bellies that, vanity dictates, have to be hidden from the viewing world. But I don't mind showing mine--it's well-earned after a day of eating, eating, eating. *Sigh*

I tend not to forget anyone's name if I still use their maiden surnames (for the marrieds) and their nicknames from childhood. Mind you, these are women who're either 59 or 60 years young. Seated (from left): Hayni Estrada, Jill Racela, Eugene Mesina and Babeth. Standing are: Ana Marie Earnshaw, Maan Martin, Vickie Narciso, Concept Zamora, Pam Bañez, Marissa Ileto, Baby Tecson, Bibit Esteva and Lyn Sanchez.

Host Baby Tecson-Mangahas left this tarp of images from our generation to keep the sun out. Later, baby photos of some members of the class were put over the tarp for a guessing game. Baby says she hasn't taken down the tarp. It's a nostalgic trip for any group that comes over to her home. BTW, Baby also uses Babette as her nickname--she chose it when she entered college because she thought Baby was too, uhh, infantile for a tall woman like her.

A child of the '60s and '70s caught between Janis Joplin and Audrey Hepburn. Thanks, Marissa, for taking this pic. She took it when she saw me struggling to do a selfie that always came out baluktot!

While catching up on one another's life, they nibbled on watermelon seeds, something I couldn't anymore impose on my fragile teeth. No wonder I was the hungriest when lunch was served. I had a box of Rodic's famed tapsilog for appetizers before I went on to the bangus and pork sinigang. Baby's family is behind Rodic's. You can't be a true State U alumna if you haven't tried Rodic's at UP Shopping Center.

Pancho Llamas, Bibit's big half, served as game master. He went high-tech, using a flat screen with a laptop attached for the quizzes.

This game revolved around the number One and its variations and sound-alikes: first, Juan, uno, isa.

Baby approaches the stool to ring the bell, confident that she has the correct answer. Since the party was set in the garden, we came in flower power clothes.

Jumping for joy for each correct answer

While having our dessert of Calea cheesecake and Nathaniel's buko pandan ice cream, we played Pinoy Genyo that still had a Christmas theme. It was fun watching Concept guess what was written on her head. When the bell rang and she saw the word "magi," she quipped, "How will I be able to guess that? It's not something I associate with Christmas. Magi we use in the kitchen!"

Hearty congratulations to Bibit for being our class' tireless organizer of reunions. We promise to do our bit in assisting her at the next happy occasion where we all revert to the sweetness and lightness of girlhood.