White hair chronicles XXVIII - Wonder Nanay @ 70

Our Nanay Eliz turned 70 last July 2. To celebrate the milestone, we invited some of her friends and classmates for lunch at the house that fried chicken built last July 3. In a short program that followed, my sister asked our mom's friends to say a few words about the birthday girl. There were several classmates and a teacher from their elementary school days in Lubang, Occidental Mindoro. Her classmates talked about the simple life back then when they graduated in 1956. One recounted that their daily allowance then was 'dalawang pera', which bought them 10 guavas and 2 slices of coconut candy that they shared among themselves. My niece cannot grasp the concept of the pera, she asked if it meant a peso. She gasped when told that it meant two cents (centavos). Throughout their reminiscing, they all had very good words about our mother.

After my mom's classmates, I was asked to speak in behalf of my siblings. I had to remind the guests I am not from their school batch for I could have passed off as one with my white hair and gait. I told them about our Nanay Eliz is truly a Wonder Mom. It is not easy being a mother of nine and a wife to our father. But our mother does it excellently with nary a complaint.

Her friends had equally good words for her as friend, mentor, and bingo buddy. Everyone of the 80 or so in attendance could have gone on all afternoon and all would have heaped praises on her. Perhaps to cap all the accolades, the senior citizen's office coordinator announced that nanay will receive an outstanding senior citizen award next month. What a fitting tribute to the finest lady one can ever know.

Happy Birthday Nanay Eliz

Today is the 69th birthday of my Nanay.

I googled July 2 birthdays and their horoscopes. It is interesting to note that the supposed characteristics of Cancer people are actually exhibited by Nanay. Consider this:

"Although July 2 natives are not likely to have a large circle of friends, those who are close to them are of paramount importance. In romance, they are never happy being involved in superficial relationships. They must be assured of a commitment, or they can never give their whole heart." - Nanay has always been a loving wife to my father, no matter what.

"July 2 individuals have strong ties to their families and may even count family members among their closest friends. They make good, but anxious, parents. They are never quite confident of their own abilities as parents and may often err on the side of caution." - Nanay is the best mother to our brood of 9.

"Because July 2 individuals tend to have a good sense of humor, they are unlikely to manifest the same problems with weight and diet that other Cancer natives may have. If they have a sedentary job, these individuals may need to get involved in a serious exercise program." - Right on again.

Other July 2 celebrants are Michelle Branch, Lindsay Lohan, Ashley Tisdale, Imelda Marcos. I bet they are or will be good mothers and they have great mothers, too, like the sources of the quotes below, but I am sure my siblings and I have the best.

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

A father may turn his back on his child, brothers and sisters may become inveterate enemies, husbands may desert their wives, wives their husbands.  But a mother's love endures through all.  ~Washington Irving

A man's work is from sun to sun, but a mother's work is never done.  ~Author Unknown

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers.  ~Jewish Proverb

A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.  ~Irish Proverb

Happy birthday, Nanay! We love you.