Christmas in the Islands

Francis Altares Canosa does not live up to images of the wimpy character his name may conjure. I met him and his super-special wife over seven years ago and a better brother-in-law and friend one could not ask for.
I know little of Frank, except his love for his family, photography and enjoying life to the fullest. But what else could be important about any of us?
Frank and Cindy are spending Christmas / New Year, 2010/2011 with us and it has been a wonderful time for all of us.

Cindy, more affectionately, referred to as 'Cutie Pie' is a truly special and outspoken person. I always got the feeling that Dad had two favorite in-laws, the 'weird foreigner' and the 'loud little Filipina'. I love to tease Cutie Pie about her size. When I met her, I guess she could have fit into a teacup! God blessed them and fulfilled their dream of moving to Canada. She has gotten a bit bigger, but only on Facebook, in person the same wonderful little sister.
Here is Cutie Pie in the islands.

Luvs of my life:   Hunny Frankie and family.	Missing Link?  Magellan bring mi ancestors here!	Lunch! You eat it, it wont eat you!
Bubbling with JOY!!  Thhis is Living...	Today I will be brave and  GET LUNCH!!!!	MALAMIG!!!!!  More like Canada than Caribbean
Every Filipina Needs...  A good loving man and...  SPONSORS!	kuya Frank, the sign of a good woman..  She knows what's important...  TOOLS!!!!	40 years ago... This looks familiar...

Happy Holidays to ALL!! As we continue to lean westward, may our eyes be focused on the EAST... And realize what is truly important: FAMILY, FAITH and good FOOD. Resolve in 2011 to embrace these values of the eastern cultures...

My Son, is home!

The song says "On March Sixteen Fifteen Hundred Twenty One,When Philippines was discovered by Magellam. They were sailing day and night,Across the big ocean,Until they saw a small Limasawa island. ..." It seems good to me that on March 16th 2003 I was in the Philippines with my newly discovered family.

I met my son for the first time in 2003.

Returning in to Baguio in 2005 with our daughter, Jessa, she meets her brother for the first time at St Joseph's. The boy I met 2 years earlier is becoming a man, taller than I.

In 2006 with serious plan for the future...

In 2007 he traveled to the other side of the world to spend time with us in Cayman. Quite an exciting time for all of us.

The next time we saw him was in 2008, back in Philippines. A man that makes the ladies heart melt. Ready to meet any challenge.

Now 'D Man' coming to us stops to visit Tita Grace in New York.We can see he is not a boy anymore.

Joy of joys, Nov 14 2010, my son has arrived in the Cayman Islands officially as my son. Randal Joseph Powell is here... Thank you Lord. We had a special party for him. There was much, much food and many friends.

There were pretty ladies there too, but dont worry there is only ONE Filipina beauty for kuya.

The one who makes kuya's heart sing, the love of his life... R O M A!

Merry Christmas to Everyone. God Richest Blessings Be Yours Each Day!

What we did this summer

A certain TV show's theme song states, "There are 104 days of summer vacation and school comes along to end it...". Now that school has started it seemed like a good time to post about what happened during those 104 days.

Took the SFW, our little lady, SFW's sister and her little lady to see Mickey. I planned the impossible. Florida, 4 parks, 4days! magic Kingdom day 1, Epicot Day2, Planet Hollywood day 3 and Animal Kingdom day #4. Amazing all went smoothly and I only had 3 tantrums. The girls had none, just over enjoyed themselves!Here's a few pictures of what they enjoyed. Click for larger picture...

Seven Years

On June 28, 2003 there was a joyous event. I was one of the stars, but I spent too much time worrying about the details and not enough time showing my happiness. We look back at the past seven years and wish we had SEVENTY SEVEN more years of the same.

Like all journeys, there are good times and bad times, but through it all there has been love and wonderful friends. Thanks be to God.

Now is time of celebration and praise. A time to look for forward to what adventures lie ahead. At our tenth anniversary, we plan to renew our vows and a have a joyous celebration, a proper Filipino wedding.

The weather was not that nice today so we stayed home and had a wonderful meal of palabok and baked chicken.

I married to be a part of a family and I thank the Lord for each one. I pause to thank God for my family, not just my wonderful wife and daughter, but the whole family pictured below at Dad's 50th anniversary, and all others. Thanks be to God.

Father's Day

Today is Father's Day, a day set apart to honor fathers. Greetings to ALL FATHERS, may
your wife cook you a great meal, and your kids bless you. What else is important other
than food and family? Faith? Ok, gather the family at your favorite place of worship and give God thanks for His love, mercies and blessings..
There is one other thing of importance, especially important to males, but I wont go there.

Father's day began with a nice breakfast of Tinapa. This is smoked milkfish and sarap ng sarap. Amazed that it isnt more bony.

Both my daughter and wife had handmade father's day cards for this big bundle of trouble. Our daughter is 7 and computer literate and internet savvy. I wonder where she googled the words for her card.

The precious Filipina wife said not to post hers, but she wrote on facebook, "To my ever dearest hubby. Thank you for everything. I could not let this day go by without saying how much you mean to me.You are the greatest husband in the whole world. My soul mate. I hope and pray that we can be together forever..." My skin shade has changed dramatically since reading that. Blush, blush, mo.

And then came lunch: The BBQ sticks, the Tilapia, pancit and mango salad... Then she produced the cheese cake, WOW!

Everything is self explanatory, except that mango salad. Filipinos love mangoes, even we "self declared Filipinos". The green mango sow-sow in that shrimp paste (alaman) and this salad. The salad is semi-ripe mangoes with cebuyas (onion), and kamatis (tomatoes) and off course alaman. SARAP!

And Mr. CHEESECAKE, not homemade, not super fancy, but super delicious. What more could I ask for? A plan to escape to relocate to Baguio? As dem sey, inna Jamaica, "Soon com mon"!