Lola Alao
Laura Herrera Bailado. That's my lola, source of childhood terrors (she used to tell me that she would take my mom back to her house if I did not stop making 'pabuyag'), delicious warm breakfasts, and sweet nighttime lullabyes. She is now 94 years old, frail and weak, but she still manages to sing a song or two while clapping her hands every day. Every single day.
My lola is one strong woman. She was notorious for making my aunts and uncles climb into buri sacks as punishment. She would hang the sacks over the stove and allow the smoke to float over the sacks... pretty harsh. Today that would get someone thrown in jail. But back then, people were hanging their children over their stoves ALL THE TIME (I hope). It must have worked because today said aunts and uncles are all law-abiding citizens. And they all love her.
One of my regrets is that I don't get to see her as much as I should. I went back to her house last Christmas and she didn't recognize me. I can count the good days when things are clear for her, and she recognizes that I'm one of her grandchildren, at the least.
It is not very often that I make a post about my lola, and the two other 'older' people in my life. But its a new year, and I did not want to start the year ranting about myself, my resolutions, my wishes for the future, blah blah blah. So I'm doing a post about my lola instead, whom I love very much. Happy New Year, Lola.
My lola is one strong woman. She was notorious for making my aunts and uncles climb into buri sacks as punishment. She would hang the sacks over the stove and allow the smoke to float over the sacks... pretty harsh. Today that would get someone thrown in jail. But back then, people were hanging their children over their stoves ALL THE TIME (I hope). It must have worked because today said aunts and uncles are all law-abiding citizens. And they all love her.
One of my regrets is that I don't get to see her as much as I should. I went back to her house last Christmas and she didn't recognize me. I can count the good days when things are clear for her, and she recognizes that I'm one of her grandchildren, at the least.
It is not very often that I make a post about my lola, and the two other 'older' people in my life. But its a new year, and I did not want to start the year ranting about myself, my resolutions, my wishes for the future, blah blah blah. So I'm doing a post about my lola instead, whom I love very much. Happy New Year, Lola.
