The most recent CPU High School Class mini-reunion was in Houston, Texas last weekend, hosted by Becky Clemente-Pascual, hubby Ruben Pascual and sons Ivan and Alec. Classmates attending included Emily Galia and her "special friend", Ted Trino and family (wife Mayette and two daughters), Sammy Tolentino and myself. Gatsby Gaton had an excused absence, having had to urgently travel to Iloilo City to help care for her brother who had surgery.
Our mini-reunions are indeed therapeutic - we had many hours of loud diaphragmatic laughter over supper Friday evening. Becky's younger sister Miriam and her "Miracle Baby" husband Victor joined us at suppertime - Victor who has Seinfeldian talents, regaled us with his very funny real life experiences and kept us all in stitches. Many of us had to run to the restroom to empty our bladders -- we were laughing so hard there was high risk of incontinence with a full bladder....We were certainly glad we were in a private home - had we been in a hotel, several security guards would already have been sent to silence us!
Becky's culinary expertise was once more showcased with a superb Thai noodle dish as well as several other delicious chicken and beef entrees. Supper was capped with an award winning blueberry pie that Becky had made from scratch. There was so much eating, talking and laughter we did not get to bed until early morning Saturday January 27th. We were all exhausted but it was a positive kind of exhaustion!
Miriam Clemente herself is a "miracle baby", having survived brain aneurysm surgery recently. The story behind her husband Victor's being a miracle baby would take hours and is an essay topic in and by itself -- therefore it will not be included here. We will be sure to invite them again to the next Houston mini-reunion. They are a delightful couple and Victor is guaranteed to entertain.
Emily Galia was not able to join us until Saturday morning. She had worked (in San Antonio,Texas) the previous day and had to stroll with her special friend afterwards. She made the three and a half hour drive to Houston and met us for lunch Saturday January 27 at Thai Spice, a Thai restaurant that offered an excellent lunch buffet. Of course she brought her special friend along. Ted Trino was in attendance, as were Becky, Ruben and Alec, Sammy T and myself. We had more food and stories, memories and laughter. We were also all able to talk to Donna Padilla over the phone.
Time just flew - we were all having FUN. Soon it was time to say goodbye - Emily had to go to her sister's house in Houston, and Sammy T and myself were driving to Dallas to visit my cousins. Ted had a family activity to get to. It was time to say goodbye to our superb hosts - Becky and Ruben. Alec, their 7 year old, was a very capable assistant host -- in fact he found my leather jacket hanging in the bathroom, and if not for his quick thinking, I would be without a leather jacket in Alabama (it was cold when I got back - 18 degrees - I would have been sick without my jacket!).
Reunion quiz: who is Emily's special friend? HINT: His name is CARLOS! (Call Emily to find out!)
To our hosts, Becky, Ruben and family - Thank you for sharing your home with us!