When cousins are friends

Cousin Henry with his retired man's pouch lends an ear to a niece.

To keep my sanity during this season's frenzy, I try to be selective about with whom to spend my time, with whom socializing isn't a strain (that is, I can be myself, especially where LOLs are concerned--hearty and uninhibited and damn Emily Post).

Every year, that's my December resolution, and so far I've managed to apply this with, I'm proud to say, some stick-to-it-tiveness. I've junked the Aunty Social stance--life's too short and too grand to be a grouchy hermit. The friends who I've managed to keep in the autumn of my life are way too precious for me to just email a Christmas letter to. If they're around and they'd appreciate my company, of course, I will run at the first summons. The same with family members who make up my first friends in life.

When balikbayan cousin Henry Romero (his nickname is also spelled Enri) called for a luncheon clan reunion, the turnout was good, although Baguio duties kept me away. Wala bang Take 2? Well, there was one open Saturday for a hurriedly organized reunion of absentees from that earlier reunion. Unless someone offers to host everything, the reunions of the Lolarga, Romero and Valdellon families are potluck affairs with no consultation, no declaration of what pot contents we will bring.

So we welcomed Henry again with homemade spaghetti, store-bought suman and sapin-sapin, siopao and siomai, ensaymada and oranges. Henry wolfed down two siopaos and half-laughingly told of how he brought his son Dino, who's returning to LA, on a nostalgic trip to Ma Mon Luk only for the younger man to complain that the food tasted like rags. I guess it's a generation thing.

It was good to see Henry talking, listening, giving advice, hoping aloud for another reunion even if it's 10 years down the road and our generation by then will be hard of hearing and of walking. He was natural in the role of family elder.

Meanwhile, we're grateful just to be together for a few hours with a December moon hovering over the snug condo where our niece Regina May de los Reyes had just moved in.

Blogging relative, Dino and Henry Romero, Regina May de los Reyes and Yonni Habulan

Gathered 'round the kitchen-cum-dining table with cousin Eileen Lolarga (third from left) and Yonni's fiance Lady (to Regina's right)

Yesterday once more

"As long as we have memories, yesterday remains..."--this  quotation had no source at its end and came from a forwarded email a cousin sent when she shared a video of horses running free.

I found it the apt intro to this series of photos of ex-Brookside babies in various locales from Baguio to Los Baños to Malumanay street, Teachers Village, Quezon City. The last was where the yearly Christmas reunion of the Lolarga, Romero and Valdellon families used to be held, hosted by Uncle Esting and Auntie Linda (Col. Ernesto and Dr. Erlinda Lolarga).

Lola encouraged family fellowship, a tight-knit one. The closeness was forged in Baguio. So not only were our cousins cousins, we were and still are friends.

All these photos are from Lola's scrapbooks and photo albums.

Shown are Auntie Pacing (standing center), her six Romero children and an interloping niece. From row from left: Sonny, Babeth Lolarga, Tessie, Ferdie and Henry. Back Row: Toots and Rose. James Dean must've been at height of his fame, which explains Sonny and Henry's pose.

The Romeros again (from left): Ferdie, Tessie, Henry, Sonny, Toots and Rose. Behind the younger ones is Auntie Pacing.

I imagine this scene on the hill behind Lola's house. The girls are Allyn and Telly Valdellon, the boys Henry and Sonny.

The young girls are Aunties Grace and Shirley Cariño with Lola Purang behind, an unidentified woman and Apo Loly (Flora Cariño), Lola's younger sister who served for decades as a nurse at Baguio General Hospital.

Sonny was a good declaimer at Lourdes School Quezon City and was our pambato at impromptu programs at the Brookside house.

That's cousin Tess with the flowers of May behind her and what can only be a pair of Gregg shoes on her feet.

Sonny and Henry by the lake with their wooden swords

In another Baguio located in San Juan, Rizal,  a birthday party at the Valdellon residence in Little Baguio with (from left) Tess Romero, Telly, Beng and Allyn Valdellon

When her grandchildren would reach their cutie pie phase (toddler-hood), Lola would sometimes borrow them for a few weeks or months as in the case of my second of three brothers, Dennis. Here he is in Lola's garden.

A startled-looking Dennis (he must've just woken up that morning) with his yaya and older sister Babeth in cut-off shorts

Lola enjoys a dip in a hot spring with Tessie, Ferdie, Henry and Sonny.

By this time the older cousins Rose and Toots were in college but still spent their summers in Baguio. Dig those eyeglasses! That's the main door to the house. Unknown little girl there

Lola also welcomed her grand-kids' friends into her house. Here she poses with Rose (second from left) and college gang. The house was unfenced and directly faced M. Roxas street.

Christmas season was also when Lola would visit her children and their families in the big city. Here she's carrying baby Eleanor. On the wagon is Boysie, now Boise, Lolarga, surrounded by his sisters Minnie, Eileen and Louie.

The big Christmas lunch on Malumanay street was always followed by a program before the distribution of gifts. Here the Romero children sing accompanied by Henry on the guitar. From left are Tessie, Toots, Ferdie, Rose and Sonny. Eleanor Lolarga is held protectively by Ferdie.

Lola (third from right) with her children and daughters-in-law in Teachers' Village (from left): Uncle Celso, Daddy (Enrique Jr.), Mommy (Nene), Auntie Fe Valdellon, Auntie Pacing Romero and Auntie Linda Lolarga

Lola with daughter Fe and our younger cousins Nini Valdellon and Jing Lolarga