If there's one thing I learned about time, it will be the ebb and flow of life. Although winter was not as hard this year, my spring is momentarily greeted again by bouts of summer souvenirs. Some posts ago, I was being pensive about finding home but these days, it almost feels like one. A premature summer lunch at Cathy's terrace.It is so amazing how a simple detail of our everyday routine can actually make us fly back to a certain memory, or more to a particular feeling. And being transplanted literally means to temporarily put aside habits along that isolated part of your past life. To form new ones & embrace change. But somehow we inertly revert to old habits, only in a new environement, assuring us of that somewhat sense of belongingness.
I still sometimes wake up in awe, asking myself if I am really here in France. But there are moments before going to sleep, when the music from our room's clock-radio brings me back to my childhood room. The soft rain these days remind me of bed-weathers. Scooters of our barrio's kids roaring like tricycles. The car's open windows in the highway like those many roadtrips back home. Summer will always be my favorite season.
And who would have thought that our little barrio will have a total of
four Filipinas? Two here in Carry & the other two in our neighboring barrio, Ensues la Redonne. Even if Cathy was already living in Carry for 3 years & 6 for me, we only met last year, doing different paths & meeting through Malou. As early as March, we have been speaking about barbeques & picnics at the beach. Having them around is such a comfort. Great grocery shopping at the Asian store, great meals & even after a hefty Filipino meal, we always end up speaking about food. There's really something about Filipinos & food, and the conversation that goes around with it. With Malou, Cathy & Lani at Malou's.So it also means tennis. Cathy & I played for 40 minutes, 20 minutes each under a scorching hot 2pm sun. It felt so good & I could have sworn that if there weren't so many pine trees around the tennis court, I could be back home in our village. But after 6 years of not playing, a year of hyperthyroid medications & yes, of getting old, I ended up on the couch all pale, chilling cold for a damn 40 minutes of tennis. But did it feel good & I already bought a tennis racquet finally. That was important for me.
The ebb & flow of life. Time is an absolute everything. In time, the time I have here will slowly become like the time I had back home, reforming habits of summers so familiar.
masaya mag girls out, and shop with girls, puro giggles,then luto kain, sa terrase, ba thats really life!
ReplyDeletelalo na la asawa at anak, who needs them when friends are around eh? Dalaga ba naman ambiance, lol
Hmm I think you start to feel at home! Having friends around is also a big contibution to get adapted and to be integrated in a foreign land! It is also important to date with our GF's from time to time co'z we can discuss anything & everything without even getting bored di ba! Daming kasing topics na puedeng pag-usapan.
ReplyDeleteSo tennis is in ! So when can we play together Makis ? I would be happy to play with you and Cathy, but I am not a good player ha ! Pagtiyagaan nyo ako :) !
What a great summery picture!!! I dig the bangs. Summer really makes a difference, and having good company makes it even better. Glad to know you're playing tennis again, am sure your endurance will return, especially now that you aren't smoking anymore, hehehe. Sniff, sana ako rin kasama sa mga picnic! Basta kita kita sa June!
ReplyDeleteKala
sarap naman.. kakainggit.
ReplyDeleteI have to say: Ang ganda niyo!
ReplyDeleteMasaya talaga, Francesca! Kakatanggal ng home sickness, nilalabas nalang sa kain :)
ReplyDeleteNaku, you said it, Hazel! If it weren't for you guys being around, I'd go crazy no!
Thanks for liking my bangs, Kala! I look like 18, diba??? But you know summers won't be the same without you around ;-)
Still no pinoys in your side of France, Ana?
Chikaboom, Apol!!! Wala pa rin tatalo sa iyong sultry, mala-diwata head shot :D
Gaga!!!!!!!!!!! Isa pa ha, papalitan ko na siya!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteoh.. I would love to play tennis. Even though I am not that good. I'd probably collapse in the couch later like you did. But yes, its all worth it.
ReplyDeleteGreat times...great times..