We managed to have an outdoors, family only, gathering, #socialdistancing from each other. Even serving food was by turns, with masks on. We adjusted to the new requirements of keeping healthy and we celebrated Enrique’s 77th birthday, candles forming the figure 77.
My favorite beautiful daughter made her mango royale tart, oh so delicious, while my son in law ordered the steaks from a superior quality source, Amboy, then, grilled them. Our simple get together was renewing to our souls and spirits. I prepared pancit and Japanese potato salad. Thank you to my adult children for leading and preparing well.
Back then, we could just eat indoors at any restaurant of our choice to celebrate milestones, preferably Bestia or Bavel.
Today is our pader de familia’s birthday, Enrique de la Cruz, who is 77 years old, looking younger and more energetic than his peers. He lifts weights, bikes, walks up trails and summits mountains, and even backpacks. His biggest achievement was completing 36 days of Camino de Santiago, 480 miles in France and Spain, without injuries, blisters, or illness in 2019.
When he was 75yo, we celebrated it amidst the fireworks on Bastille Day in Paris, France and the crazy soccer match that got all Parisians honking their horns and filling up bars in Paris where we were.
This 2020 pandemic, he even got better, as his gardening yielded lettuce which became dinners for us for almost a month. He helps with babysitting and this summer, he is the primary summer camp teacher of our #princess2015la, whom he teaches math, science, music and the arts, while I take care of her biological and nutritional needs.
Oh, he writes OP-eds for Asian Journal which were widely shared and read by his academic peers, our community and Facebook friends. Yes, he can be and is our inspiration. But, he can also be a prick and can make you his project, lol.
Happy happy birthday to my hubby @enriquedlz of 41 solid years, with just 2 months of separation when he became a Fullbright scholar/researcher/professor at Leyte Normal University. We love you foreever and appreciate your adventurous spirit.