A Surprise Visit from Agnes Apeles, President of MI, Inc

Yesterday, Macrine and I had a surprise short visit from Agnes and Flo Apeles from Calabasas, California. Agnes and hubby Flo were visiting their cousins in Elk Grove about a 30 minutes drive to our residence. They were on their way to Red Hawk Casino in Placerville and decided to drop by for a short visit. Agnes is the current President of MI, Inc.

In our younger days, Macrine and I were very active with the projects of this charitable organization. Macrine was President of MI, Inc, from 2004 to 2005.

 https://hubpages.com/politics/medical-mission-of-love-to-marinduque
Medical Mission of Love, MI, Inc 2004

The following are some photos during Agnes and Flo's visit:

Agnes also took a picture of my potted pineapple plant decorating our front porch entry and welcome sign of our residence.

Agnes presenting the award Plaque for Leadership to Macrine-former President of MI, Inc (2004-2005)

My Potted Pineapple Plant and Recent Okra Harvest

This is the current status of my potted pineapple plant. The fruit is getting bigger every day.

Side View

I am also happy with my 4th and recent harvest from my potted Okra Plants. I can hardly wait to saute it in butter with shrimp paste ( bago-ong) and a little vinegar.

Happy Gardening to All! Every thing Grows with Love!

Mother Duck and Her Six Ducklings

Yesterday,I was surprise to see a mother duck and her six ducklings in my front yard. I tried to give her food scraps, but she ignored it. She is not as tamed as expected but for the last hour she and her family of six cuties were enjoying the sprinkler water in my lawn and the shade of the bushes. I hope they eat the food leftovers and stay for another day. I enjoyed watching them from my picture window inside the house.

Ditas Katague Made it to the 100 List

What an accomplishment to make the list of 100 influential people in the State of California, 2019. Congratulations are in order. Ditas is number 93!

Here's the write-up:

California wants an accurate census, and here’s just the person to make that happen – Ditas Katague. She is the director of Complete Count, the state office coordinating the census program here. She served on the U.S. Census Bureau’s National Advisory Committee (NAC) on Race, Ethnicities and Other Populations from 2012-2018, and as chair from 2015-18. Earlier, she was the Director of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Census 2010 project, and before that she was chief deputy campaign director for the 2000 census campaign. She also led a multilingual, multimedia outreach effort that resulted in a mail-in return rate that outpaced the entire nation. Ditas most recently served as chief of staff to the California Public Utilities Commissioner Catherine Sandoval. Since 1998, she has served on the Sacramento Center Advisory Board for USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy.

/https://capitolweekly.net/capitol-weeklys-top-100-ten-years-and-counting/

Three other names in the list that I recognize are:

# 1. Ann O'Leary-Gov Gauvin Newsom Chief of Staff

#17. Jennifer Siebel Newsom-the Governor First Partner instead of First Lady and

#26. Janet Napolitano- First Woman and 20th President of the University of California

In this article it was mentioned that Governor Newsom is planning to run for President in 2024.

I received several congratulations on this article but one I treasured very much is from Bobby M,"The fruit does not fall far from the tree ".

Yuka Jambalos Maeda Chilen Baby Shower

Macrine Jambalos Clan at the Katague Residence, August 17, 2019

Yesterday the Jambalos clan had a mini reunion celebrating a baby shower for Yuka-oldest daughter of Jean Jambalos Maeda here in Fair Oaks. Charo and her two children( Carlos Avila and Zehara were able to attend. Ella and son Adrian (from Washington DC), Fe's youngest daughter were also present.

Elaine Lazarte Chalfin oldest daughter of Fe and assisted by Ditas coordinated the baby shower party. Italian Food(Lanie) and Sushi and Cake(Ditas) were catered. The Italian food and sushi were very delicious. The following photos recorded this happy occasion. It will be Jean's first grandchild (boy).

The Cake

The Four Sisters- Macrine, Fe, Jean and Charro ( Angie Jambalos Aulds in the background).

The Italian Dishes and Sushi

The Celebrant (Yuka), Carenna and organizer Elaine and Alex Chalfin ( Mitch Maeda - Jean's hubby in the background)

Carenna, Ditas and Macrine and Leticia Constancio ( Macrine's caretaker for the day)

Macrine, Jean, Fe, Ditas,Carenna and Letty Constancio.

First Cousin Angie Aulds with hubby Jim and Fe

Charro and son Carlos ( the Pianist) from the East Coast

The Jambalos Clan and all the Party Goer except for Chris-Zehara's husband (Chris who was in the BR break)-first time we met Chris.

Cutting the Cake-Yuka,Yuri, Lanie, Zehara and hubby Chris( at background)

Ella and the Kids-Wesley, Samantha and Adrian( cut off)

Lanie and Mom-Fe

Angie Jambalos Aulds and Alex Chilen-Yuka husband

Ditas and Carenna

Our Four Favorite Garden Plaques

During our 62 years of marriage, Macrine and I have collected several garden plaques and statues. The following four are our favorites. Do you decorate your garden with plaques and statuaries?

To Cultivate a Garden is to Walk with God

Gardeners Rule the Earth

All Things Grow with Love

One is nearer to God's Heart in a Garden than anywhere else on Earth

Do you have a favorite?



Here's some of my favorite quotes on Gardens and Gardening


https://marinduqueonmymind.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-favorite-quotes-on-gardens-and.html

Aging in the David Balleza Household

The Bridge of Love -Chateau Du Mer Beach House ( Philippines)-reminds us of our younger years

Just recently, I received an e-mail from a long lost friend that I have not heard for almost 1O years. She asked me how Macrine and I are doing and enclosed a picture of our Medical Mission in Boac, Marinduque,Philippines in 2008. The picture triggered memories of our younger years and our humanitarian efforts helping our poor countrymen at that time.

https://hubpages.com/politics/medical-mission-of-love-to-marinduque

Most recent photo of Macrine in her wheel chair, August 11, 2019

I will be 85 years old by the end of this year. Macrine is 83 years old and suffering from the scourges of Parkinson Disease** and other ills and pains associated with aging. Our friend's e-mail reminded me that besides the physical and mental problems associated with our aging, we also feel very isolated at times( especially Macrine), since our contact with previous friends, associates and relatives are not as frequent compared to when we were still young and active.

Somehow the picture of the Medical mission alleviated a little bit of our pains of aging as it triggered pleasant memories of our younger years. It also reminded me of my favorite quote: "You have only lived if you have touched the life of others"

Macrine and I during our younger years in the front yard of our residence in Colesville, MD. 2002

The email from our long lost friend inspired me to search some facts about aging and health (published by WHO)* as follows:

Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22%. By 2020, the number of people aged 60 years and older will outnumber children younger than 5 years. In 2050, 80% of older people will be living in low- and middle-income countries.

The pace of population ageing is much faster than in the past. All countries face major challenges to ensure that their health and social systems are ready to make the most of this demographic shift.

*https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health

**https://www.myparkinsonsteam.com/resources/parkinsons-and-the-burden-of-caregiving