Vivid

It was a bright morning that we were all up and left our beds. We gathered in our oval dining table covered with Mama’s printed cloth mantle and topped with plastic table runner. This is to prevent food stains and being soaked when anything spills on it. Mama’s been frustrated at it for some time now. She wanted to have a clear glass custom cut just for the table’s top. The glass counter-top will protect and preserve the varnish of the wood.

When we all had our cups of coffee I went to the fridge and got the box of day old donuts. The donuts were bought and brought by me and my brother and his girlfriend before we head hometown coming from Manila to spend Christmas with Mama and our two younger brothers.

It was a different kind of Christmas celebration that we spent together. We did not have any plans of going somewhere. Staying at home, being couch potatoes and watching bad TV and sometimes movie marathons were our plans. Close proximity. We were an arm’s away with each other. Enjoying our exchanges of old jokes, teasing our youngest brother with his big appetite, sweet banter with Mama and her sometimes less salt cooking and some household chores to do and home improvement projects. All of these made a somewhat boring yet memorable time, having our elder brother at home while on his month-long vacation. It was a cherished moment of seeing and having the company of each other. The photographer in me never cheered on them to capture our moments over sumptuous lunches and dinners cooked by our dearest Mama. There are short videos our youngest recorded while we were having breakfast on New Year’s day and it was funny. He recorded one time using Mr. Beans’ way of capturing the subject like pointing at it directly first and backs away suddenly. Repeating it to fro in that manner. Imagining it now, I find it really entertaining. No way I’m going to share that video here. Hehe! It was just a short clip because Mama was annoyed at him taking the camera over at the dining table and we were about to eat breakfast on that New Year’s day.

December, 2014

Baao, Camarines Sur