PATRIOTS' DAY

It's 7:30 on a Tuesday night and here we are again. Honey Bun's watching the tube with our niece Eva while Kyler is busy running in and out of the room. Today's rather an interesting day for me and my favorite team of 12 wins and still going.

Pat came home around 12:00 this afternoon and found me slautch on the sofa like nobody's business. It was the last five minutes of the 4th quarter and boy, the Ravens where leading by 9 points and in possession of the football but too bad, they lost their possession to the (still) undefeated New England Patriots who made a touch down with only a few seconds left, giving the Ravens a chance of another goal but-too bad, they lost. Go Pats.

A FIRE CRACKER TALE

My grandson Devin was with us here at home last night. The power was off again in this area (earlier in the evening) around 7:30 but was illuminated by what was left from a full moon. Ai adai this Consumers Using Candles. What is next? Someone stole the generators? Anyway, my daughter and my youngest son were watching T.V. while Devin was going about doing his own business when a loud fire cracker popped somewhere around the neighborhood. He jumped from where he was, ran over to me (wide eyed) and asked "was dad" (what's that) and I said "fire cracker". He attempted to repeat back what I had said, only it came back to me with a little Ajinomoto "fire *ucker". I nearly collapse while my daughter and my son started giggling from where they sat but they seemed to enjoy what he had said as they kept repeating to him"fire cracker". Na kids hamyo!

I tried to erase that from his mind though (as if I could). The next time he heard another pop he asked again "was dad" only this time I told him "chew pow" but my son and daughter liked "fire cracker" better but I gave them both that shut up look.

I got a better idea so I went into our room (Devin following) where I still have a stash of fire crackers from last year, took out a bundle and he probably thinks it's some kind of candy. "Was dad" I told him "chew pow" as I walked him out into the backyard. Got myself an empty can, stuck in the fire cracker and lit it. He started burning-rubber into the house as the fuse started sparking and as it took into the air and popped I went inside and said "see-chew pow". He dare not go out anymore for his curiosity.

A Night Out Together

My wife and I went out one night-only this time, we didn't go far because Devin's home. Brought along our drinks from our refrigerator and we were on our merry way thinking we're going to drink away-only the two of us, in a not so well lit area where we can sit together and it's where I'll whisper sweet nothing into her ears. This is where we'll both dialogue with nothing to worry about because Devin is in good hands at home and then out of nowhere, this episode was going back to reality.

Devin wasn't even suppose to be in this picture but he was-physically! But this is suppose to be a night only for my wife and myself, all cuddly, romantic and whatever else there is that couples do together.

Wait a minute! My wife and I did go out. We didn't go far. We each had a drink from our refrigerator but hellerrr! We are sitting in our garage along with Devin who is eyeing mom's drink on the table. So much for a romantic night. REALITY CHECK!!!!

Devin-Devin drink?
Mom-No, dad get mad
Devin-No, no get mad!

Because I've been brought back to reality, I pretend not to hear what they're saying but he's there sitting next to grandma across from me-still eyeing her drink.

Devin-Devin drink?
Mom-Dad get mad
Devin-Devin hide?
Mom-Dad get mad
Devin-No, no get mad Beebin, K?

Grandma finished what remained of her drink and gave the empty can to his grandson who slowly slid down below the table out of grandpa's view. Do Your Stuff sonny.

...like Cats N Dogs

Yesterday was a day I couldn't do anything. The rain was pouring and boy-it was like a mini typhoon had landed here in Kagman. It went on for sometime that the wind was pounding hard on the sliding door in the back. I couldn't even make out what was outside the glasses as my vision was obscured by the heavy downfall against the sliding glass.

I decided against going outside but a cup of tea would have made the trick. Brewed some and poured myself a cup of steaming hot tea while the rain and wind did its stuff outside. My front door was open so there I was looking outside just watching mother nature reaping leafs while it gives its dose of pouring rain. Good thing the wind wasn't coming from the west. It would have meant disaster for me. I wonder if Gus Kaipat was out there taking photos of the weather yesterday.

Today's a lot better though. The skies still gray but the wind had settled a bit. I've borrowed my brother-in-law's lawn mower yesterday but since it rained, who was about to operate something like that under the rain? Now, I'm thinking whether I should go pick it up or live it until the weather really is appropriate.

Our handful grandson Devin is still down in Oleai and his other grandma had called earlier saying Devin wanted to talk to me on the phone. But before handing him the phone, she tells me Devin's temperature was a bit high since last night. I got to talk to him and he sounded find on the phone and all the while was saying something like "...Devin go hopital". Anyone ask him if he's sick and he'll only respond "no". He wouldn't take any medication even if you wrestle with him. You get that stuff in his mouth and he'll just throw it back out.

I got to thinking in tricking him by mixing a little liquid children's Tylenol in his drink but the minute he puts it up his mouth to drink, he returns it back and would ask for something different, only this time, it better be in a different cup and it better be H2O or one will be mopping up from the floor. SUPER-ACTIVE na kid-o this one!!!! I also spoke with his mom and ask her to take him to the hospital as he'll not take any sort of medication to sooth his fever.

On a different note, I want to share what follows as all these goonies making faces in it are a very wild and craaaazzzy bunch.
Get yourself away from them Devils honey!!!! They NO SEE, HEAR & SPEAK...

Sharing moments

A recent photo taken during a family picnic held behind
Town House.

Eddie and the Rifle

I remember a time when my cousin Eddie and I would play around in Chalan Kanoa. We hated our older sibs as they would tell us not to do the things we wanted to do. Ed's older sister Abby had told him not to go anywhere but you know how we were when we were kids. We don't wanna listen. Our houses were not far apart from each other so Eddie can hear me playing around outside while Nana Leighamal weeds around her little garden of taro, yam and sweet potatoes.

Ed came running so we played awhile before Abby came over and started scolding him to go back home and nap. He left with Abby, screaming from the top of his lungs, not wanting to go home. No more than five minutes later, he comes walking, dragging his dad's (uncle Sim) .22 rifle behind him. He came over to me and said "we're gonna shoot Abbelina if she comes again" and that certainly was not going to happen. Abby came with a long tangangtangang stick in hand ready to give my cousin Ed a good whipping. Good thing Nana didn't know anything about the rifle. She would've lallanguu'la.

A whole bunch

I've been neglecting my blogspot by writing fewer and fewer each month but at least a month receives its article for a change.

Today's Saturday and I was just downloading some pictures taken from a family picnic last week. My wife came in and asked whether I'm ready to work. Ready or not-as if I had a choice, had to leave what I was doing to see what she had in mind for me. It was an easy tasked which took less than half an hour but the cleaning up portion of it took up most of my time.

My daughter is out working this Saturday which left me, my wife, our son Kyler and our "handful" grandson Devin at home. I'm cleaning up already from what had been tasked by my wife and every time I'd take things outside, Devin would run out after me, he calls me dad my wife mom. So, he'd run out after me and would shout "dad, wait-Devin foller" His choice of words are not that much clearer than the foul words he had picked up from others.

His parents are here to pick him up to go to Oleai as he's been with us since last Sunday. He comes in running to tell me he's going with mommy and daddy. Gives me a hug and "bye-bye" off he goes.

Our nieces and nephews are here too. Loni is here with them with her beautiful daughter Skyler or Sky-Ling as she calls her. We were suppose to get together since this morning but her brother John had asked to take them all on a Saturday stroll. They just left and now, my wife is busy with her cleaning while I am here catching up on blogging.

Rainy Day Sunshine

The sun was out yesterday and I thought it'll be a good time to go out and cut the grass that's ready to cover the front door of my house. I've borrowed a lawn mower to get the job faster only to keep me back further from achieving today's goal. I decided first on running the bush cutter where the lawn mower can't go-finished that up and cranked up the lawn mower with a big bang. The blade was eating up the underside of the lawn mowers body instead of the grass.

It was already lunch time and I decided to take a peek under the piece of machinery. Raised it up high with a rope dangling from my erected tent right out the garage and boy, to my surprise, the blade was in much worst condition as I thought. It probably had its share of whacking up 2 inches of tangangtangang and rocks as it was really out of shape. That wasn't the only problem, it was attached backwards like clearing brush with the back of your machete. No wonder it wouldn't eat up the grass as previously tested.

Anyhow, I manage to take off the blade, got an old one that's just laying around in my storage and started to replace the one just taken off before I ran into another problem. The piece of metal that hold the blade together to the shaft had no holes for nuts and bolts which will hold it in place. I decided on drilling two holes on this piece of metal and boy, that was hard work already in itself.

I first used my battery operated drill which took a good 15 minutes off my cleaning time with only about 1/8th of a hole drilled. I have an electric drill but decided against driving to get it but left me with no choice. I finally managed to get it, started drilling again and finally got it done after an hour. It's 3:00 p.m. already and it's starting to rain again. I looked outside and said to myself "please, not now. Come back some other day but not today" The miracle of prayers. It stopped raining and by the time I'd finish up work on attaching the blade and ready, set to run the lawn mower, the pulley quit on me. I couldn't even pull start the dang machine.

I was about to give up and call it a day but again decided against it. By the time I had put it back together and finally started the lawn mower, it was already after 5:00 p.m. I was joined by my youngest son Kyler and my wife Pat who both raked, trimmed flowers and swept the porch.

This labor was well rewarded when Ton and Jue stopped by with a chest full of "mil-maaras" na kind to drink. Chesa anyone?

Da 3 Stoogers

I was at the finakpo tonight where I met with my sister Agatha. To my surprise, she asked if I had updated my blog. "Embilikera hao na gurl adai". Anyhow, I'm glad she had looked up or browsed around on the web to find this "area" out. And if you really are interested that I blog about what we had touched base on tonight gurly, then here it is.

As Lito SkyRise

Some long, long time ago, (not b.c. or a.d.) lived three stoogers named John, Carl & Frank. This nay-guys used to bunk out-up in As Lito where Nana used to live. Remember Nana Leighemaal in previous blog? These three managed to built their own shack. First by erecting four poles, about 20 feet high, 15 feet apart and covered with tin roofing. The sides were all open and that's how they liked it to be-breezy. The shack flooring was about 10 feet high or so from the ground and no other non authorized persons were allowed up on the floor of their shack. Anyone wants to make conversation with them, they either sit at the bottom of the flooring and say their piece or sit on the grass right below and catch some rays while talking up to them. No Slack!

The three were like the look-out for As Lito as they had the high ground overlooking the Tangangtangang (local boonie area for those non Carolingual) and had a great view of the now paved road leading south to Koblerville from Shell Dandan. There weren't so many cars in those days and the three can easily tell whose car is running on the road, coming or going, whose dragging their car flaps in the pod holes or even if anyone is on the road walking. Man, the 3 had 50/50 vision (forget 20/20) in those days. C.U.C. was not a problem. They had their kerosene follud lit but even any would be enemy wouldn't be able to see it as it is always turned down low. So that's the As Lito SkyRise.

After Hours

One day these three decided to walk down to Chalan Kanoa Elementary School basket court and shoot some hoops. The daylight quickly turned into darkness and so the boys decided to continue with the game. Before midnight, the 3 finally decided to start trotting back to Red Dirt via what is now Tun Doi Road but first, three things had to be taken into consideration. The road was not paved, no lights and no kuruma-and before I forget, cell phones were still long before they were even invented let alone, nobody up in Red Dirt had any land line-NO HOUSE PHONE.

The 3 nay, started their journey into the darkness of nowhere land for home and before long, Carl pulled out a stick and lit it. The passing started, from Carl to John and from John to Frank and around the stick kept going. Umm umm good and before they knew it, their cerebellum started playing tricks on them in the dark. One of them saw a branch dangling in the dark along the way and started freaking out the others that the branch was actually a long snake in a tree. Every noise the tree branches made from the movement of the wind is oddly strange to their ears and as they approached the darkest area, John could have sworn Carl screaming out his lungs (he could have punctured them), SANAIPAZ!!!! and all took off like a pack of screaming rats running up the hill. By the time they got to Red Dirt, their earlier workout from shooting hoops was nothing compared to their high tailing like some scared Dingos.

That workout quickly changed though. They got to Nana's shack in Red Dirt, decided to find some grub and get a quick bite. One found a whole pot of rice, another a warm pot of soup and not wanting to wake anyone at the odd hour, one by one got a plateful of anything and everything. The soup had a very simple ingrediment: Chicken and fish bones, some meat here and there-one just had to fish them out, a bit of salt & pepper for taste and some water or else it wasn't soup. Each got their plate of grub, munched it down and aaaah-forget about showering. Climbed the look-out stairs and each to their respective sleeping quarters. One by one again, they lit their candles and each armed with a leather bonded Cowboy reading for the rest of the night (it's after midnight) so I should say morning reading until they passed out.

Bitoria & her Dawgs

They were awaken that very morning by Nana calling on their aunty Vicky. "Bitoria, Bitoria. Schimweta' bwe illulumasch nge ghulloogh aara angila allal silo" The three looked lazily at each other and smiled thinking, Blacky, Whity and Spot but they weren't about to wake up. It's still 5:30 in the morning. Thirty more minutes and Tata Linko's roosters will stop their cock-a-doodle-doing. That's their alarm cocks. IT'S WAKE UP TIME BOYS! As Tata Linko would always shout when it's time for meals. He's the cook and he doesn't ring bells or anything of that sort to get attention. He'd simply shout it out for everyone to hear meal is ready. HUnnnNGRY!!!!

Look-2-C

http://www.myspace.com/ileisch

Little Rascals

Grandson's calling "bitch"

My wife came from work last week exhausted so she decided just to lay back on the couch and relax for awhile. Our grandson Devin (who just turned 2 last July) came creeping up to her and bam goes a right hand blow on grandma's head. Just as she turned to see what had struck her, Devin was up and already climbing the two steps leading to his parents' bedroom. My wife kept staring into that direction when our grandson emerges from behind the wall only to be called libopa (stinky behind). I was sitting at the dining table and because I had scolded him from previous foul mouth, he used his open right hand to cover the right side of his mouth (as if I couldn't see his lips moving) and slowly whispered "bits". He had to repeat this three times because grandma couldn't make out what he was whispering until it finally came out quite clearly "BITS" that my wife almost fell out of the couch but Devin is fast, he was up and gone into his parents' room.

DA BOMB

A couple of years ago during a Liberation's carnival held at the Memorial Park, our baby boy Kyker and his cousin Leiwi were both in the back sit exchanging non-sense with each other. My wife sat passenger on the front seat while I drove. It was a weeknight and we just decided that we'd just drive by and see how things were on the carnival ground. The rides were all up and going and just as I turned the vehicle into the direction of the carnival ground, we overheard these two geniuses behind us:

Leiwi Kyler, I think we're going to the carnival

Kyler Yeah nay but if we don't get down, it sucks but if we get down, it's gonna be DA BOMB

Hence, the personalized license plate now attached to my other Lamborghini-oh! Wait, I think that's the other vehicle which was never reported stolen.

Airport Parking

I took my whole family to see off our kompairi Lloyd who was going back to the mainland U.S. after the 9/11 incident. I had dropped all my excess baggage's at the airport terminal and proceeded down to the parking area to park DA BOMB. The Airport Police were all manning every parking entrance and when it came my turn for the car search for anything that might go boom, one of the smart-allecky officers asked his fellow officers "you guys are searching the underside and you can't even find any explosive devices-can't you read the license plates"

The KOMPAIRIS

The COVERING DAD

He is my kompairi, my brother-in-law (married to my wife's sister) and my drinking buddy, a father of six girls who all lived together at one point before 3 of them started moving on their merry separate ways. He's an artist (give him a pain brush and he'll pain the world all over, a Uke and he'll dance you till you drop) a fisher-dad, a chef (for any occasion), an occasional "honey do", a scapegoat and a humble man for his family.

We were at his house together on one of our drinking sessions when he started talking about his experience with his wife and children. Julie (his loving wife of 69 years) was at work one day and so Tony decided to do some home cleaning as he was alone at home. He cut the grass in the yard, cleaned up the mess left in their kitchen and cooked up something for his family when they all come back home from school and work before he sludged back on his favorite couch for a flick session.

His daughters came from school, went into the kitchen and got some grub to eat before doing whatever else they wanted to do. The house had been cleaned by Tony so there was nothing left for them to do except maybe do their homework or watch some D.V.D. with him.

Julie came from work later and found dishes piled up in the sink and started yelling "whose dishes are this" but no reply came "do you people think I'm your house-worker here". That of course was all in Carolinian. Because none of their daughters dare claim prize to the mess in the kitchen sink, the reply came from their father "I'm sorry honey, I left them in there to soak"

If that wasn't enough covering for his daughters, came another day when Tony's wife went to use the bathroom and found a used sanitary napkin (KOTEX, TAMPAX-kompairi didn't elaborate) and here we go again-mom yelling whose it was to no reply from her daughters. I nearly drowned myself on beer to kompairin Ton's defense for his daughters (again all in Carolinian) "I'm sorry honey-that's mine. It's that time of the month for me and I totally forgot to dispose of that". Ai adai na famagu'on. Who is to be blamed?

The D.V.D.

He came home for a visit one time and before going back to their house I asked "so what's your agenda" he replied "...go back watch the D.V.D. again". "Which one are you going to watch now" I asked and he replied again "I don't know. I've seen them all but I'll just watch whatever" I asked again "have you seen THE MARINE" only to be replied "lania, seen it 3 times already today and if you haven't seen it, you can just give me 7 bucks and I'll gladly tell you a great plot on it" (Heller!!!!! THE MARINE flick had just been taken off The Movie House's list and my kompairi is already watching it on D.V.D.)

The PAPER

This is about the same thing that happened while my other kompairi and I were heading down to Rota. We were still at the commuter terminal that morning when pairi'n Paul got the mornings paper from a stand at the terminal. He was reading the paper while we waited for our boarding. During our flight to Rota I asked him "par can I see the paper" and he responded "just give me 50 cents and I'll tell you what's in it"

The CAVE

We finally arrived on Rota and on our way down to Songsong Village I asked my pairi'n Paul, "Par, have you been into that cave" he replied "yeah". I asked again "so what's in it" to his reply "give me 5 bucks and I'll tell you"

Man-that's a total deficit on my part had I paid both my kompairi's the tallied amount of $12.50. Do some people really do business this way. I'd like to apply for a business license.

Police Blue-Pers

Larry is such a fun guy to work with. I wouldn't brand him as a workaholic but a work-a-maniac. Our office was situated away from the main office in Susupe so there was only us and hardly visited by the bosses. We can play our music loud so long as you monitor your assigned Police radio for any calls that may come your way. Larry loves working night shifts and that's because there were less hassle to deal-less boss.

I have my own issued Police radio too, one in the vehicle I take home and one portable that I take with me everywhere I go. I was down at the Police Front Desk one night when he was dispatched to a crime scene. Knowing he was out of the office, I headed there and planned to scare him somehow when he returns. An hour passed and he never came back so I called the front desk by phone and asked if he had departed from the crime scene but he was still there processing. It wasn't anything major but Larry is one thorough crime scene processor who takes his time.

I wasn't about to spend another hour at the office waiting for him that night so I thought of how best to scare him even after I've left. I looked around inside the office and got our empty fingerprint powder plastic containers. These containers are round and about the same size as a powdered curry container except it has a twist off lid. I cut off a strip of paper, stapled one end right above the entrance door, rounded the strip of paper around the container which I turned upside down and voila, an instant trap. The lid of the container rested on the top of the door and when one opens it, it drops either to the floor or in this case, on Larry's head. I came back the next morning and there was no Larry in the office but found a note from him together with the container and strip of paper. His note read "Sarge, I think someone is trying to scare us out of this office".

20 for Tars

It was a weekend and not payday so Tars and I decided to go out and just do regular Patrol. The traffic light between the DFS and Hafa Dai Shopping Center along Beach Road Garapan was newly erected. There weren't much vehicle traffic but tourist were all over Garapan. We were heading south when the light turned red on the newly erected traffic light. He brought the vehicle to a stop and kept talking but I had my hundred-hundred vision on something that was on the roadside near the curb to our right. As the light turned green and Tars started to accelerate on the vehicle, the "something" turned out to be a $20. bill.

As soon as I told Tars of what I had just seen on the roadside, he didn't hesitate to flick on the emergency lights, made a U-turn and back on the southbound lane we were again. I was like "Tars, are you crazy. People are going to see and talk about us with your abrupt maneuver". He only laughed with the twenty in his hand and said "we can now go buy us chew".

Bikini inspector

Before any upgrades were made at the Marine Beach, there was nothing there but poor road conditions and the area mostly covered with shrub. We were making a periodic check down there only this time I was driving and Tars riding Shotgun. As we headed down towards the beach area, we observed a male Caucasian walking in the shallow water. Just a bit further down the beach area, the Police Cherokee abruptly sped up with Tars' excitement as he forcefully pushed my right knee forward causing my right foot to push on the accelerator pedal and at the same time "akkay bwe e addeka".

I wasn't aware at first of what he was so excited about until I managed to bring the vehicle to a stop with my left foot on the break. I looked to my left and saw what his excitement was all about. She just up and slowly wrapped herself with a towel. We both were laughing on our way out for both his stupid sudden move and my sudden fear of running the vehicle into the big rocks in front of us from his forceful acceleration. Worse off, we could have made the headlines.

Morgue Duty
Crime Scene Processing wasn't the most interesting job for me but sometimes funny. At one time, Security was heightened at the Governor's House including some Officials and the hospital. Larry had picked me up that night from my house as he needed assistance at the morgue. You know Larry, the scary type. We arrived sometime around 3:00 a.m. and met with the Police Officer posted there at the hospital.

The officer was somewhat a little ambilikeru so he asked if he could tag along with us. We went down to the morgue, found the name of the body tagged on the door to the chiller, pulled it out and prepared it for processing. We didn't take the tray containing the body out of the chiller, instead, we just worked from there.

We weren't there long but the whole time we were there, the chillers would make a knocking noise every five minutes probably when it kicks back in to cool mode or something. The first few times this knocks came, this bugga officer would always jump from one point to another with an occasional "mwaasemwaas" but finally left us when someone knocked on the door and he almost flew into the open chiller with the dead body.

Great Time

I'm not an avid golfer (never was and never will) but there was this tournament once held for the local Law Enforcement on island, I had no golf clubs, no bag, know nothing about golfing but I was put on the list to join. The tournament was two weeks away and that gave me enough time to find (even second hand) clubs for the game. I collected a whole set of irons and drivers. Others had sets of brand name golfing equipment while I had my collection of what I called "Continental" brand. Anyhow, we ended up playing at Coral Ocean in pairs (four altogether) with two others. Tee off time was something like 6:00 a.m. and boy-was I one nervous golfer-to-be.

As some of us stood there watching those who were hitting first, I knew some of them (me included) felt some sort of tension. Lawrence's turn came, he positioned this tiny golf ball on the tee, made his body adjustments, gently brought the head of his wooden club behind his back and swung with all his might. He immediately looked forward toward the fairway to spot the golf ball he'd just hit but everyone of us standing near the mount started running away while Lawrence stood there looking down the fairway when the golf ball he had just hit, came straight down and landed from where he had just hit it off from. A crack of laughter came from everyone and that-I think was the first boo boo that got him "skinned" by his betting opponents.

Knowing I had no previous experience in golfing, I had some on-site coaching from the others. "Take your time, don't let your eyes off the ball, concentrate" and things like that. I took my (long) time, placed the ball on the tee, positioned myself, looked down at the ball, down the fairway, down the ball and down the fairway again thinking to myself "if only I can hit this damn golf ball straight down the fairway, I'll be good to go" but that didn't happen. As I finally swung and looked down the fairway, I saw that white round golf ball flying for the tangangtangang covered area. I was rest assured everything will be okay. I ended up with a triple Bogey.

We were at #7 already and I'm always last to hit for I was not making any pars or anything better than that. This area is somewhat tricky (for me) as everyone had to shoot off over water. Manny made his shot and landed it on the green but the ball won't stop rolling until it got off the other side of the green. Tars made his shot and was about the same as Manny's. Again, Lawrence's turn. I think he used a 7 iron but when he hit the golf ball, it flew forward, hit the rocks in front and came flying back towards where we had parked our golf carts. I think this really pissed him off for he took his club and tossed it into the ocean. My turn came and I just think to myself "it's alright, if I don't make it there, I'll just have to drop". That's just what happened as I landed the ball in the water.

By the time we got to #10, I was feeling a little comfortable because the fairway was a bit wider for my slices. Even my playing partners were telling me to "compensate" for my slices meaning I'll have to position myself facing more to the left in order to place my golf ball in the fairway. This didn't happen on #10 for I positioned myself as everyone else did, hit the golf ball and landed it on the opposite fairway (#18) on the right. While others were hitting westward, I was busy hitting the other direction to get to green #10. I was like going the wrong way on a one way street like I did one time while driving in San Francisco but that's another story.

We all attended the banquet and the talk of the night was all about golf. Golf this, golf that, golf everything. I sat with my golf partners and Lawrence was not one bit happy of his game results. I wasn't either but at least I played in the tournament and now at the banquet to have a great time with my friends and see who gets the most prize(s). I think Tars won a set of irons and Manny with a brand new Driver. I think Lawrence won a new golf club bag. I didn't think of winning anything but I did-for the worse score. Twenty dollars was more than enough to buy chew.

I played on a couple of times after that until I started going with my wife on her Friday night bowling leagues and eventually got recruited to play in their team. Some of those whom we've played a game of golf together would ask "are you still golfing" and I would only respond "I think I like bowling better because I don't have to go looking for the ball, it comes back to me".

BLOG SPOTTING

Today's Friday and I found out some things on blogging. Like for instance, I got a hit on Northern Mariana Islands and came across a list of bloggers. Gus Kaipat with his interesting articles on Beautify CNMI and the occassional laughing style in writing. He's cool. Found out CNN-Saipan Style there on the same list. Too bad this (CNN) network doesn't feed us updates on matters pertaining our day to day activities. Come on Carol's New Network. Give us something new. I'd play tag with you if and only if Gus will give me the green light. And there's those cool pictures posted too by Tony Peters on his blog site. Keep them coming.

Okay now, gotta go. The laundry is screaming for a little detergent or (maybe) some Clorox. I don't know. Just gotta go check because man-this is tumble dry, I think.

The Days

Born, raised and probably get much younger every passing day on this Island called Seipel (that's Saipan for those who don't really know much Carolingual). I was not hatched yesterday but I can tell a few things about the other day and the days before that.



I'm originally from Chalan Kanoa (C.K.) 4 where I grew to love the "ration" days. The more population in a single family, the more truck load of goods you'll get-sometimes two. That was no problem for any of us within the area because we were all family and boy-when those days come, my cousins and I hit them hard like ration junkies.



My late grandma Leighamaal loves fishing. She would go with others (rest their souls) like nana Ketta, Ellen Muscle, nana Delores Tanga and nana Kamin-just to name a few. Their favorite fishing spot is located at the northern Sea Plane ramp in Lower Base situated behind the present power plant. Armed with a slim 15-20 feet Japanese bamboo pole, tabi and a homemade fish box (made out of a mesh screen) and kept afloat by empty plastic Clorox bottles, one on each of the four sides, the fish are kept alive until they return to the beach where the fire would proudly be blazing for some good bar-b-qued fresh fish. My uncle Ray's "Tiger" favorite part. There's always pa-lenty fish for the family.

And if they're not out fishing with their bamboo fishing poles, Nana would always call on me and my older cousin Patricio (Pat) to be her "two-not so mean paddling machine" for her wooden boat. Both Pat and my paddling output don't even come close to equal an 8 horse power outboard motor but my late uncle Saturnino's boat was equipped with a 20 HP Johnson motor. His boat was much bigger and he'd team up with his loving wife (aunt Innes), his late cousin (uncle Tito) and his loving wife too (nana Merr Wa-ke). They'd sometimes toll us in nana's boat to Garapan before they go their separate ways, we'll fish the whole night (Friday) until the next morning when we'll finally get back to the beach in C.K. 4. We didn't have coolers back then so we just kept our catches under the wooden floor boards in the boat where water always seemed to find it's way to settle. By the time we reach the beach and had the boats along side each other, the flopping of our catch from underneath the boards would always get my two uncles attention followed by their shouts of "diabang, diabang" thinking they had the best catch but upon approaching Nana's boat, the agony of defeat settles in them. Not only did we had more catch, we had bigger fish than they did. Their excuse for not having a better catch is always followed by another excuse. Sorry Pops and thank you Nana for the fishing lessons and the few tricks I now have up my sleeves.

A couple of years later, I'm paddling up my Stingray bike to Oleai almost every weekend via Texas Road. My cousin's John and Stanley is all the reason (not) why I always landed in Oleai. We'd go shoot some hoops at the San Jose Church basket court (that's if the Ol' Aces are not practicing) or we would be gathering fire wood as our homes were not equipped with either electric or gas stoves in those days. Uncle Pete "M-Boat" is a BIG and I mean B-I-G, not only big as in tall but also big all around ways. It is from him that we learned a little about cars and it's mechanisim. He would wake John and I early in the morning to check the car battery fluid, radiator and brake fluid, all the basic hands on and this is something routine for John. If uncle Pete's truck had other problems that he thinks it can be fixed, John and I are it but he coaches us in what to do to fix the problem. Thank you Tata Peteru for taking me on my very first trip to the Northern Islands. It was quite an experience.

Saipan is my home. I've traveled to other places and whenever I do, I'm always homesick and thinking what friends and families would be doing. The longest I've been away from home was three years. That may not be long for some but it was for me. A month away from home is long enough that anticipation starts setting in on me and the sight of home is always a relief. Having arrived home from one of these short trips, I was admiring my wife's collection of flowers. Although I had been away only for a couple of weeks, I thought the flowers had grown much, heck, I thought our puppy "Judge" had grown too-I just had to pet it. No wonder why everybody's saying "there's no place like home".

Saipan:

A dot on the globe surrounded by water where it's always summer and populated by a mixture of different but friendly nationalities. An island mostly covered by green with an array of brilliant speckles here and there. Speckles of hand waves and different tongues that greet you daily with a warm Hafa Dai, Olomwaay, Obo-saiyo, Ni-hao and others I still need to master. Diba?