I was so harriedly tired but it was worth a day. It was a good feeling to be with my families and relatives again. I was glad I did entertain my aunt and uncle and made their vacation more meaningful and memorable.
Well, actually the fun started Saturday night. And my whole weekend was been spent well, spending time with visiting relatives and immediate families around Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Reseda area.
My aunt and uncle arrived on Saturday at 9 am. They then went to my other aunt's house, from my mother's side, in the afternoon to meet the rest of my immediate family for dinner at 6 pm. It was a night of family fun and togetherness, seeing aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. A lot of casual conversations, laughters, sharing stories about life, everything you can think of. Each one brought food, desserts, and presents. It was an impromptu little reunion but it was worth it. It was definitely the best and I can still savor the closeness happened during that night.
All of our aunts and uncles were so engrossed talking at each other about family life and comparing notes about life's progress. Sometimes I can see them giggle when they reminisce their old past especially when they were little and that put a smile on my face, too.
Me and my cousins were also intently talking about work, kids, different happenings, and life struggles. We went teasing each other recalling our past happy and embarrassing experiences especially when we were little. It was very recharging to talk about memorable things with cousins and put on a laugh and a slight giggle at them. Were poking fun at each other, too.
Children were also playing loudly in the nearby living room. Some screaming to the top of their voices, and some hyperactively running all around the house. Some were seriously crying and just needs mom's immediate attention. It was total chaos but it's actually fun. It was like a big party celebration!
The night ended at 9 pm and it was very intoxicating not to stop the welcome party for the newly arrived relatives. But we have to call it quits and have to rest. We gave each other, tight hugs and wet kisses and graciously thanked each other for coming and making the little-impromptu-reunion-party possible and realized.
I went home awesomely tired because I came from a clinical class that day at Greater El Monte Community Hospital but I was so happy I saw my immediate relatives. It was a day of on-the-spot bonding with my cousins and planning for future happenings.
Aaah ..... I am still extremely imbibed with our closeness with each other.... and I feel so intoxicated by it while I was driving back home to Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the next day, Sunday morning I woke up early, picked-up my visiting aunt and uncle at Van Nuys, CA for another day of special bonding with my other family, my mom's cousin, residing in the nearby Reseda city.
A night before, I phoned my aunt living in Palmdale that her cousin from Batangas was here in Los Angeles vacationing with her husband (my uncle). So, she told me to bring them on Sunday which is the next day, at my uncle's house (her brother) at lunchtime, and they will just go meet us there together with her sister (my other aunt) from Pensacola, FL who happened to be here also in Los Angeles to visit her son and his family in Orange County. What a coincidence! I am foreseeing another huge little-impromptu-reunion on Sunday.
Sunday morning at 9 am, I picked-up my visiting relatives and brought them to St. Genevieve's Church in Panorama City to attend an early morning mass. Then after the mass, I phoned my other aunt who's supposed to meet us and we agreed to meet at my uncle's place living in Reseda, CA.
After we got out of the church we headed to Reseda, CA and located the direction of the house. When we got there all of our family were there already, including my aunts, uncle, cousins, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. Oh my God! I'm a grandpa already..... lol.
My visiting aunt was so happy seeing her first cousins and they all talked a little bit, while I strike conversations with my cousins and the kids were playing happily all together in the living room. It was good and fun to see all of my immediate relatives all around the area.
Then, we planned to eat out at Zen Buffet. We all agreed to meet there and continued our little reunion and conversation.
As I was driving the car towards the restaurant, I can see the faces of my aunt and uncle that they were so delighted to see my other aunts and uncle, their cousins, and their families. I can see that they are so happy to be here in Los Angeles even for a very short three days to bond with our family who they did not saw for thirty years.
When we got to the buffet restaurant we immediately get our seats and start hauling food to our table. While eating I was talking to my aunt who lived in Palmdale and talked about life and about my mom's wake and burial and also about my previous vacation. We were poking fun at each other together with my aunt who came from Pensacola, FL.
I can see all of my Fil-Am cousins were all grown ups now and even have their own family in tow with them. I was so happy to see all of them. The children were all engrossed in eating and playing at the same time. They look so cute and pretty.
After the lunch we took some pictures then decided to meet up at Balboa Park in the nearby city of Encino. We met there and continued our cut-off conversations.
The park was so wide with a beautiful man-made lake in the middle. There were a lot of people of all walks of life. Elderly, adults, young adults, teenagers, and children were been seen flocking the park.
Some were busy fishing in the lake, strolling around the park, even partying, children were playing either alone or with somebody, adults were intently talking at each other, lovers were seriously dating and some kissing at each other, and some were just there to merely obeserve and watch. Different actions and movements could be seen everywhere.
We settled in a shady place near the lake. The adults were still talking at each other remiscing their old pasts, laughing and giggling at them. It was so amusing looking at them.
While me and my cousins were also busy talking about life and work, kids, and all sorts of stuff. It was a fun and very memorable day. I am so elated to have this kind of togertherness. How refreshing!
We separated at 4 pm, lovingly hugging and kissing each other and sincerely thanking everyone for making this day possible. It was a delightfully fun and awe-inspiring little retreat and small reunion. How I wish it's always be like this!
After we left the park, I drove my visiting aunt and uncle around Los Angeles area, Los Feliz, LA downtown, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills.
I brought them to see the famous Griffith Planetarium in the Los Feliz district; the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Ahmanson Theatre, LA Convention Center, Staples Center, Nokia Theater, my hospital in the downtown area; and the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, Roosevelt Hotel, Madame Taussauds, Kodak Theater, El Capitan Theater in West Hollywood. Then we hungrily ate our dinner at Bossa Nova in Sunset Blvd.
After the dinner, I drove them back to Van Nuys, CA and dropped them off at my uncle's sister's house where they were staying.
I bade them a good night and wished them a good day tomorrow in Disneyland and a safe trip to New York on Tuesday.
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It was a wonderful weekend for me to spend time with my immediate family. I was glad this happened and was made possible. Despite of my busy schedule at work I can still manage to juggle my time and be with them and be a part of their little vacation.
At least I made a smile in their faces and made a good impression, which I always do. I regret to have missed them so much but hopefully when I go vacation next year, I get to see them again.
It is also a good feeling to see my aunts and uncles who lived nearby and also talked to my cousins intently about everything and saw my little nephews and nieces as well as my grandchildren. Oooh.... how I loved to have this kind of impromptu reunion again.
Hopefully there is one coming and brewing in April, and I can't wait to see all my close relatives again and bond with them.
This time it's a formal celebration, a wedding of one of my niece from my aunt in Hawaii who graciously contacted and invited all of our possible relatives all around the continental US.
Yay...... it must be fun and I just can't wait to be there. See you all there guys!
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