Sunday, May 13, 2012

Nanay Day Musings

I still remember the time when we didn't celebrate Mothers' Day as a 'national remembrance' affair. Growing up, we had none of this nor Fathers' Day or even Halloween. There was only Christmas and Valentine's Day and of course, birthdays when gift-giving was expected. Then National Bookstore and Hallmark started running the promotions, methinks, to sell greeting cards.

Suddenly, everyone is greeting everyone Happy Mothers' Day! And that's on top of Easter, Fathers' Day, Grandparents' Day, etc. etc. And what a monster you are if you don't even bother to greet your own mom on this day! PRESSURE!

Hihihi. Well, I ain't complaining. Pagan holidays (LOL) like these remind me to remember people I may have forgotten or have taken for granted. So I have tried to do something special to my Mom during this special day.

With the really hot summer days we have been having, I decided to give them an a/c for the living/dining area. I figure that it is a practical gift. And something they would appreciate since they do love entertaining. And those poor geriatric guests of theirs just might have a heat stroke during one of those lunches or dinners!



Looking at this a/c reminds me of our family's very humble beginnings. (And how much cooler it was then). As young kids, we all got by with just electric fans. Even cars didn't have a/c as a standard component then. We managed.

The first a/c or aircon we ever had was for our youngest. A menopausal baby, my brother was pretty frail. So it was best to maintain him in cool surroundings. Our lolo gave us the a/c, installed in the master's bedroom for the baby. This was in the mid-70's.

Once he became a toddler, the use of the a/c dwindled. It was just too much of a burden on electricity. So Nanay would turn on that a/c sparingly. At the rate of maybe once a week or even less. Only when the heat was unbearable. And when we would all be around to enjoy the cool air.

Turning on that a/c was a reason to celebrate! Nanay would turn it on at 6pm, during weekends, when we would be just idling in the masters bedroom (fortunately big enough to accommodate all six kids). Those were special bonding moments, too. We didn't have the TV inside so all we could really do was just talk. And sometimes play Monopoly. hahaha. Then just before dinner, 8pm-ish, Nanay would turn it off. And the experience with cool air would be over.

A naughty memory: I remember once, I was left inside the room. I told Nanay that I was going to be the one to turn the a/c off. I was lying on a mat really close to the vent. And the cold breeze was turning me off. Sure that there was nobody there, I jerked off frantically, trying to feel the orgasm inside a cold room! I was nuts.

Nanay, a housewife, was left to her own devices to manage a household and six growing kids. With very meager resources, she managed to have all of us graduate. And that meant making sacrifices. Including hot summer days and nights with no a/c. She never complained. Not to us, anyway. And I can only shake my head at sheer amazement at how she managed all these years.

A final note. I got some greetings asking me to greet my mom for them. I was touched. And by instinct, I would text "and to your Mom, too" However, for some of them, they have lost their mothers along the way. Does one greet a friend Happy Mothers' Day knowing that the mother they knew is no longer around? Do you? Would you?



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

2 comments:

Ronnie said...

Oh, Aircon reminds me of my Ina too. Nung maliliit pa kami, bubuksan niya ng 10AM tas papatayin niya kapag 5PM na then buksan ulit pagdating ng 7PM or 9PM hehe. Ngayon kanya-kanyang trip na lol.

That is so sweet of you, CC. Ikaw na ang ulirang anak.

Happy Mother's Day! :)

Shenanigans said...

Happy Mother's day to your mom :)