DURING the Holy Week, a friend was on vacation from her work in Manila.
She has gathered some of our high school friends for coffee dates, lunches, dinners.
It’s mostly KKB—kanya-kanyang bayad, which is to say, we each pay for the things we ordered.
***
We went to Ina’s Farm in Barotac Nuevo with all the flower gardens.
The heat has killed most of the flowers, but hey, I take good photos. Haha.
There were lavenders, or what I thought were lavenders, but they didn’t look like luscious lavender fields in France, nor were they lavender fragrant.
But the most important thing was, we were there because a friend wanted to see it.
***
Another day, we crossed the sea and went to Guimaras.
First stop: San Lorenzo Windmills Farm.
Although we probably have all been there once before (with other people, different cohorts), we still had fun doing jump shots, and all.
***
We also visited a former teacher’s new camp grounds, Casitas de Palma in Jordan.
It is ready with its air conditioned rooms and outdoor tents, but it’s not fully done yet.
They were building the swimming pool, and two hobbit houses, when we got there.
***
We dropped by the Trappist Monastery on the way home.
It’s been years since I had a retreat with the Trappists.
But I had fond memories of the small cottages in the monastery.
I remember spending one Christmas and New Year’s there in the 1990s.
***
Obviously, I didn’t come for a retreat at this time, but I had to check on Brother Peter Patiño, who’s also a Facebook friend.
His account was hacked, and I got requests to send funds.
***
Brother Peter likes giving blessings.
I think that he’s the most social (and talkative) of the Trappist monks in Guimaras.
On our visit, we chanced upon a group of yuppies who asked for his prayers and blessings in 2019.
They passed the licensure or board exam or something, and then Covid happened.
They came to thank Brother Peter this time.
***
At the Trappist gift shop, I wanted some bignay/bugnay wine.
There was mango wine that also sounded okay.
But I was thinking, I still got several bottles of pineapple wine from Negros and Passi.
These were gifts to me.
Old gifts of wine or new purchase?
Of course, gift first. Haha!
***
Because the gift shop didn’t accept GCash, I let go of the wines.
And the idea of mango jams.
And mango tarts.
I didn’t really want to splurge and spend all cash on a Holy Week.
My ideas: Sacrifice, austerity, remembering the passion and death of our Lord. Haha.
***
On Good Friday, I made sure that my favorite coffee shop was open.
It was. The owner is a Baptist. Haha.
So I treated my high school classmates to coffee.
I figured, if I paid for coffee, they can pay for lunch. Haha.
But on Good Friday, I decided to fast.
***
Easter Sunday was goodbye coffee for my friend.
We decided to visit Maleia Cafe in Barotac Nuevo.
If people are driving, I’m in.
So we went.
The girls like to have me along because I take good photos.
And of course, I have a good phone camera.
***
I got an iPhone 13 Pro Max.
And when my friends spell out the name of my phone, I provide the punchline:
“Fully paid!”
It may sound arrogant, but it always cracks up my friends.
So yeah, I don’t care if you are offended.
Because obviously, you are not my friend.
***
I loved that I was with different people most of the Holy Week.
That’s what Jesus would have done.
Comfort the women of Jerusalem, dinner with friends, postprandial coffee, last suppers, et cetera.
I call that my ministry of accompaniment.
My Father in Heaven cannot demand anything more of me./PN
