The morning after

No, I did not see any bleary-eyed people Saturday, the day after the opening rites of the London Olympic Games that started at 4 a.m., Philippine time and lasted until about 7:30 a.m. And yes, I did stay up for the entire program, and woke up at 5 p.m., when some people were already having their afternoon snacks! Not that the ceremonies were all that exciting, but it was so much fun looking out for famous British celebrities being drawn into the affair.

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Who could resist looking when such characters as Mr. Bean, Beatle Paul McCartney, James Bond, and Kobe Bryant, Lebron James marching with the U.S. team, Paul Gasol looking so handsome as he carried the flag for his native land, Spain? Who would not be charmed upon seeing good Queen Elizabeth trying to stay awake after declaring the games open? I don’t want to sound unpatriotic, but, frankly, I was dismayed to see the Philippine delegation, a very tiny group that, as earlier noted, was padded with old fogies, I mean old sports officials who have been there for so long, but have not done much to improve it, Alas.

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Anyway, let’s cross our fingers and keep hoping that we will not come home with another big fat ZERO this time. If that happens, indeed, it should be time to do a complete overhaul of the country’s sports bodies, and let new blood take over. Meanwhile, China had the “buena mano (the good start)” in the games with its female shooter grabbing the first gold medal of the event. Host London does not seem to be trying as hard as the previous host, China, is doing. For them maybe, it’s the show, and not the winning.

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Meanwhile, yesterday, a very enjoyable, reunion was held by the Espada-Cañet clans of Talisay when one of their members, Nonelona, now Mrs. Custodio, together with her children, came home from Guam to sponsor the event. The function room of the Palmas del Mar resort was full of the big family, with Nonie and her children, Mildred, Nelson, Roel and Willie organizing everything. Only their brother Noel, was missing, being a soldier, he had just been assigned to Afghanistan.

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The affair also marked the birthdays of Roel, who came with his wife Barbara and young Kit Arevalo, son of Mildred. Oh what fun the family had as they gamely joined the “mass” dancing of the Wobble, the Electric Line, and the like. Later, all those who had joined the dances were awarded cash prizes. My sister Perla and I, who were the only non-relatives present, I think, were very happy to meet old friends from LCC days, like Nonie’s sister Angeles, now Mrs. Catadman and based in Dumaguete, her brother Alipio Jr., and the Cañet brothers and sisters especially Rosemarie, now Allic, and Vivien, now Malaga, at whose home in Talisay, we used to visit during fiestas. By the way, Nonie’s son Nelson, who is now a senior engineer at Boeing in California, is my ahijado (godson), and I am very proud of him.

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Last night was also the birthday celebration held for Msgr. Felix Pasquin, the very well-loved and popular Vicar Forane of the Bacolod San Sebastian Cathedral. Despite the heavy downp