Thursday Thirteen – #9

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I’m supposed to be at work already, but my boss let me come in half day (totally last minute) so I could go to my nephew’s Moving Up (graduation) ceremonies. He’s moving up from Pre-school to 1st grade next year. Wow!

Wow, how time really flies. Seems like just the other day I was whining about not having posted a TT, and here it is time for another one

My grandpa came home yesterday and we were all having lunch just awhile ago (my youngest cousin Jomar graduated from gradeschool this morning) and he was complaining that my cousin Ton has been regulating his food intake. He said he wanted to eat more. I just told him he can have a little snack in another few hours…

Anyhoo, I started this TT for last week’s post – All about my grandfather. [to check out my previous TTs through the Category link on the left sidebar, for older ones, go here]


Thirteen Things about my Papa

  1. His full name is Bonifacio Somebang Sr. He is also called Mayngan.
  2. He is 81 years old. We threw him a surprise birthday party for his 80th and there were about 200-300 people in attendance. I emceed the event. His great grandkids sang a song for him (one I picked). At home after the party, he told me it was the happiest day of his life. I love that so many people came to celebrate with us and they showed him their love and appreciation for him. The preparation which took months was kept secret – secret family meetings where someone had to distract Papa, and everyone invited was asked not to talk about it around him. The food was prepared in another relative’s house. We got him to wear a barong to mass. He was surprise to see so many of his friends and relatives attending the afternoon mass at Church.
  3. He was the first Barangay Captain of Barangay Kalusugan and held the post for over 20 years. He was the father of the entire community.
  4. He worked for the American Anglican priests and is part of the history of our Church – specially the history of the Seminary.
  5. He is the patriarch not only of his immediate family but of the clan – see he’s the only one surviving among his siblings.
  6. He mostly stays at home now except hwen he has errands for his Golden Agers Club for senior citizens or he has a doctor’s appointment. He recently went on a trip to Davao to attend a wedding and someone also hosted him at a nearby city – Cagayan de Oro – for a much needed vacation. Last year, he went to Boracay. And I’ve never been there!
  7. He has 6 children, 14 grandkids and about 10 great grandkids.
  8. He went on a trip around the world – twice I think, and for free.
  9. He has written his memoirs. Part I is being edited by my Ma and Part II by my aunt. It’s very interesting. He was inspired to finish it after reading the book published by his sister. He started it a long time ago but floods and rats destroyed a chunk of it and he had to copy/rewrite chapters of it – by hand.
  10. He has a pacemaker.
  11. About 15 years ago, he suffered from 3rd degree burns in an accident.
  12. He’s a boxing and basketball fan.
  13. He used to take the whole family out to swim every summer. He loved driving us all around and teaching all his grandkids how to swim. 4 of us could hang around his shoulders at one time!