Fill in my blanks

"You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page." - Jodi Picoult

You know how I get around the "write every day" discipline? I post pictures! I have hundreds of them in my hard drive that need to be backed up soon. The four-year-old laptop is showing signs of wear and tear.

I reviewed some pics and found myself acutely missing Kai, the Curly Tops of our lives. She left to catch the last day of "Disney on Ice" at the Araneta Coliseum (decades ago, it was my Dad who set the annual tradition of taking us children to "Holiday on Ice"). After this last full show, Kai returns to her Baguio home. She left wearing an aquamarine Elsa (from the movie Frozen) dress, a Mickey Mouse hairband complete with Mouseketeer ears and her trusty Nike sandals. I wasn't prepared with my point and shoot so I ended up looking for past pictures of her.

The first photo shows her boarding the back of the neck and shoulders of her Papay (her term for her father) so she can be taller than anyone at the Manila International Book Fair and easily spot the head of white of her Grumpa Tats. In the second photo I think she's holding a box of puzzles that her Mamay got for her.

I may not be writing well today, Kai, sweet granddaughter of mine, but you are filling up my mind and easing the blank space in my arms where I held you during your afternoon nap today and yesterday.

Photos by Babeth Lolarga

'Staycation' is the way to go

Her list of summer activities outshines mine (I can timidly claim reading a couple of books, getting hooked on the TV series Sherlock Holmes and Game of Thrones, occasional handwritten letters, increasingly rare walks, flower appreciation, snacking at odd hours).

Kai has learned to cut and prefers to do it alone, plays catch ball with her elders, swims with abandon in a small sea of balls, gives her water toys a full bath and squeeze until sneezing point from exposure to the cold, snaps "dragons" in the garden, indulges in pretend play with her stuffed toys, joins the doggy walk morning and afternoon, sings "Letting Go" from Frozen full throttle, watches four Hoopla Kids videos on YouTube (strictly rationed, same for TV hours unlike her Booboo). Daily summer phonics class is now part of her routine.

I can add to my list the photo documentation of her summer. I still dream of going to the beach, of feeling sand under my feet or even swimming in a warm pool before monsoon season arrives. My travel is limited to Pinterest sites of dream getaways and the TLC channel.

Meanwhile, our "staycation" is going splendidly, and we feel blessed each time the sun is out. I've grown to accept that this is as good as it gets.

Enjoying each moment Photos by Babeth Lolarga