Snippets from the past
June 19, 1977 (Faye is 2 years old)
We had sans rival cake with 2 red candles. Faye blew out two: first one, then the other. When we urged her to make a wish, she said: “Ayaw to [ko]”. Had fun. She ate all of her cake, too.
June 19, 1981 (6th birthday)
Ninang Tery and Tia Bib dropped by to wish Faye a happy birthday. Tia Bib brought 2 big bangus and 2 kilos of sugpo (38 pcs.)
The day ended on a happy note. Throughout it all, Avi [then just 1+ month)] slept. Of course I had been breastfeeding her since this a.m. off and on, through lunch, through a snack, until about 8:30 p.m. For more than 12 hours it was mostly Avi.
June 19, 1982 (7th birthday)
Yesterday was also an advanced celebration for Faye. But I was very disappointed that I wasn’t able to see Tatay off at the airport. We just waited at home for the sound of the airplane passing by and the kids waved excitedly when it did: “Babay, Lolo Maning!”
In the evening, we had cake, and Faye blew out the candles, all 7 of them.
June 18, 1982
It was late when we got back from Ninang Tery’s. It was 11 pm past when I finally went to bed.
‘Twas quarter to 6 pm when the kids–Bryn, Xen, Faye–and I got impatient waiting for FG and decided to just go by ourselves to Ninang Tery’s (Teachers’ Village). The time for the despedida dinner was set for 6 pm; Tatay arrived around 5, with Bien. We were the first to come, then Romy, then Fe & Tony, then Flory. It wasn’t ’til much later that Baby & Kiko came, or that FG came to fetch us. It was 8:30 when we went out to eat.
I ate very little, as usual. Tatay was very happy and kept recalling happy memories of my high school days. I wish I could do much more. Later, perhaps. I hope he can still appreciate it, by then. We walked home all the way, (the restaurant being very near Ninang’s place) Bien and I. Tatay, Fe rode part of the way with Kiko, Baby.
June 18, 1983 (8th birthday)
It’s my beloved daughter’s birthday today. We got through enrollment hassles, updated our Pacific Memorial Plan and was even able to celebrate her birthday! But the luxuries have to wait some other time.
June 19, 1984 (9th birthday)
Alas, if only Uc [4 months short of 2 years] & Avi ([3 years] didn’t fall and hit their heads on the floor, this could have been a happier day. Thankfully, there seems to be (I hope) no ill effects & the 2 kids are playing as before.
This was a rainy day. I woke up from my nap with a splitting headache which thankfully cleared up after a short time. Thankfully, too, I was also able to a lot of writing and typing of my term paper [for the previous sem] in the afternoon.
Tonight we celebrated Faye’s birthday. I don’t know what she wished, but I hope that she’ll be performing well in school this year. Avi also tried to blow out the candles and cried when she was rebuffed, so she was allowed to blow out 3 candles of her own.
June 19, 1990 (15th birthday)
It’s Faye’s birthday today. It’s been a rainy day and everyone seems difficult and abstracted. There’s also the tension from jeepney strikes and the very unstable atmosphere prevailing in the country. One really has to exercise a lot of self-control to keep from falling to pieces.
Anyway, I stayed at home for the better part of the morning because I had to have FG’s letter xeroxed, however, it was brownout, so I had to wait until the electricity came back on. (The Shopping Center where we have stuff xeroxed seems to have the same electrical connections we have.)
I got to mail the letters, ask for a copy of Atty. R’s notation on Atty. G’s letter, got a xerox copy of the BOR’s decision on P, and on to home. And all this in pouring rain. Later, saw Mr. Reynante and Ador and Ms. Guilbert at the Law Library. I really miss my Law, after all!
June 18, 1995 (one day before Faye’s 20th)
The weekend seemed extra short. Soon Xen & Faye went back to the dorm.
June 19, 1996 (21st birthday)
Faye’s 21st! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FAYE!
(7:41pm) I am killing time writing while waiting for 7:47 pm, when I should change my Nitrol. Den is cooking, and Avi & Uc are clearing the table. I don’t even want to imagine how lonely we would be without the 2 now that Faye and Xen are at the boarding house [in Manila].
I was so lonely all day that I wanted to call up Den around lunch time just to have somebody to talk to. However, I just kept on with my task of arranging our books. (8:28 a.m., June 20 — Unable to continue last night as we ate, watched Fair Game, then slept.) It was at Vey’s and Faye’s room that I saw the numerous lovely cookbooks that Vey had bought at National, and a mixture of feelings overcame me. The predominant one was loneliness: Vey is leaving us. [She was going to get married that December.]
June 19, 2008
So much has happened since Faye’s birthday last year. We have lost Den, but we have gained Nina. We’d like to think that the hardest parts are over, but Life has a way of upending all our plans, our expectations and high hopes. So, armed with the fortitude that we have gained from suffering through Life’s trials, and with memories of happy times, we look to the future, and simply enjoy the present. — EPD
June 19th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
did not realize how well documented you’ve had my birthdays over the years. most of these i no longer even remember. all i know is that i never had a birthday that you and dad let pass without doing something to help me celebrate it. even if it wasn’t the children’s party i used to dream of back then, i look back to those times with fondness and gratitude. thank you so much!
June 19th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Thanks to my old diaries, Faye, thanks to them. If I hadn’t written them, so little would be remembered by now, if at all.
It’s true that you never had the children’s party that we would also have wanted to give you. But looking back, we all had each other, and in sum, perhaps that was what was really important and memorable.