June 30, 2008
Because I stayed up late helping Mack with his project and feeding him and puttering around on my own, I didn’t go to bed anywhere near midnight. And when I awoke, my right shoulder and my knees hurt so much I was disinclined to arise and go to work rebuilding the chapel in Baguio Gold. I hadn’t told anyone that I’d be there, anyway. So tomorrow I should begin working there (if they permit me).
June 30, 2008
Last night Mack and I worked on three posters for him to use in today’s oral report on cell membrane structures and functions in City High. I don’t know what type of cells. Mack said more than once, “That’s the cholesterol,” and I saw a “glycoprotein” label, so I surmised that they’re cells of a type in animals. But I never asked Mack what we were drawing. I just helped. Mack did research on the internet, using my computer, to learn all the functions and processes of the components of cell membranes, including glycoproteins, glycolipids and phospholipids.
June 29, 2008
I pray that John and Kim and their sons accomplish all that they desire in their visit to the U.S. that they return safely to the Philippines.
Today Mack came to the house around 3:15 to do the homework that he didn’t come here yesterday to do. Unfortunately he didn’t have poster board, so he and Dominic went to Baguio City to get groceries and cartolina (paper) while I walked to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Turning Point.
June 28, 2008
Today we’ve had rain since I awoke. Perhaps this is the first day of the rainy season -June 28. Although Nikko is here, we won’t walk up the street in the downpour to get a jeepney ride to Pacdal Circle to go to Mass in Saint Joseph Catholic Church. I don’t understand much of what’s said in English and Tagalog in the "English" Holy Mass, and I can’t sing the hymns in Tagalog. We’ll go to Mass tomorrow. Dominic has been in the city most of the day; unusual for him. †
June 27, 2008
This afternoon I walked down to Baguio Gold Elementary School to ask the new principal, Mr. Nestor Asiong, if he’d like me or Dominic to tutor kids in fourth, fifth or sixth grades. Mr. Asiong took-over the school on Monday. Unfortunately, he wasn’t at the school when I arrived, as was so often the case when I tried to reach his predecessor. The previous principal spent so much of her last week at the district office two miles away, preparing for the change of command.
June 25, 2008
This afternoon, after the rain had abated, I gathered all the recyclables in our flat into a bag, picked up a camera and a package from my mother then hiked up to street level to coast down to Baguio Gold to deliver recyclables and gifts from my mom for my friends down in the valley. more →
June 25, 2008
June 23, 2008
I’m sorry that I haven’t kept up writing on the weblog. After Saturday evening Mass and dinner with Nikko, I came home, checked news on the internet and learned of the ferry capsizing after noon, seven hundred people feared dead and tremendous rainfall, flooding and mudslides in southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. We hadn’t had any rain yet here on Saturday.
June 21, 2008
Typhoon Fengshen crossed central Philippines on Saturday. Here in Benguet Province we didn’t have horrible weather to suggest that a hurricane was lashing the Philippines with rain and causing tremendous flooding. But I read on the internet RSS feeds of the storm and the calamities that it’s causing. I was saddened. The world has so much suffering, and this nation has seen so much suffering.
June 19, 2008
Sorry that I didn’t write yesterday. I received a nice birthday card from Shannon and Miranda. Thanks! It was mailed on June 9 and arrived in Baguio City on June 18. No package has arrived yet, but tomorrow I will go to the city for groceries and supplies, and I’ll look in my mail box again. Thanks again to Joyce and Quin in Lynn Haven for your support for the family in Baguio Gold neighborhood that we’re trying to help.
June 18, 2008
This morning Audrey knocked on my door much earlier than I expected, earlier than the time I’d set on my alarm clock. Yesterday we’d agreed to go with Nanay into the city to see a physician in a free clinic. I should have gone to bed earlier! Bleary-eyed, I pulled on a white t-shirt, tan trousers, shoes, slipped my wallet in a pocket, poured some coins in a front pocket, picked up my keys and sunglasses, and headed out without breakfast or caffeine.
Brian writes of
misadventures in
the Philippines
