Happy Advent!

Wishing you a very Holy and Blessed Advent Season – this is the happiest season of the year while we await the new re-creation of the world. For me, the coming of Christ is the coming of the Kingdom of God – the union of humanity and divinity in the Incarnation of the Word of God in Jesus and Mary, to be shared by all of us children of God by virtue of our Baptism. I am truly thankful that we share this beautiful new world of God here on earth as it is in Heaven.
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An Advent message from Tess M.

Celebration!

MARINDUQUE CHRISTMAS PARTY

Thank you for you favorable response to my invitation to the Marinduque Christmas party on Sunday, December 13. The party is at Radisson Hotel in Piscataway and will start at 4pm, not 3pm as printed on the invitation. You may pay at the door the donation of $40 per person. Wear holiday attire or Sunday dress.

The direction to the hotel is as follows:

Radisson Hotel
21 Kingsbridge Rd (off Centennial Ave.), Piscataway, NJ 08854

From 287S to 287N, exit 8 and turn right onto Possumtown R.
Rurn right onto Centennial Ave., Travel 1 mile and turn right to Kingsbridge Rd.

From 287N, exit 9, turn left onto River Rd. and left to Centennial Ave.
At a short distance, turn left to Kingsbridge Rd.

We'll leave the party at 8pm and proceed to Ron's & Litz' home for coffee & cake and maybe cordial. Ron will give us the direction from the hotel to their house.

The following will be in attendance:
Rudy & Olive
Connie & Nestor
Tess & Roland
Babie & Jun
Litz & Ron
Lulu & Felix
Zoray & Mau
Chit & Bobby and 2 grandsons
Sylvia & Rolly

Thanks again. Call if you have any questions.
Regards,
Rolly

Manila Streets in the 60's

While there are so many ways to get everyone participate in contributing their comments to our blog, receiving some compensatory incentive will likely get you involved.

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So here we go! . . . 'Name the Streets of Manila' from the photos above and get a prize for correctly naming all the streets posted above. There are six of them; and you must correctly identify 'all' of them to qualify for the prize. (Note: there may be multiple winners).

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You must submit your entry by posting it in the 'comments' to this blog; or email your entry by replying to the message you just received. One entry per couple; so work with your loving spouse (without arguing) for correct answers. Submission deadline will be midnight of December 18, 2009; and you must be present (if you were invited) at the Potlock Christmas Party (at Connie and Nestor's home) on December 19, 2009. All winners will be awarded their prize at that event.

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You will have one full month to submit your 'unhurried' entry. Good luck!

Holy Face Monastery

To kick-off our holiday celebrations, we attended the Holy Face Monastery's annual fundraiser held at The Chandelier in Belleville, NJ.

.... A message from our hosts: . . . ."Friendship is a Blessing."

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We always praise and thank our Lord for wonderful friends like you!

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You are a blessing to us and to our monastery - God bless you, all the days of your life!

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Love, Roland and Tess

Christmas Party - 2009

Dear all:
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Let me update you of the barkada's Christmas party:
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When: Saturday, December 19 at 3pm
Where: Nestor and Connie's home

Attendees: Connie & Nestor, Olive & Rudy, Tess & Roland, Babie & Jun, Lulu & Felix, Chit & Bobby, Litz & Ronnie, and Sylvia & Rolly. Zoray & Mau and Baby & Ross will comfirm attendance later. Lisa & Jim will come but will leave early to attend a "simbang gabi" where they are members of the choir. Ampy & Chris can not come as they are also attending a "simbang gabi".
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As usual, the party is potlock. To avoid duplication, I would request the attendees to e-mail me the favorite dish(es) they are bringing. So far, the following have committed to bring:
Tess/Roland: ukoy, complete with suka & sili
Sylvia/Rolly: palabok, tapioca or mochiko dessert and red wine

I have created committees and appointed the chairpersons:
Overall co-chairs: Connie & Rolly
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Dinner invocation: Tess
Toast: Nestor
Games: Babie, Chit, Rolly
Bingo: Bobby
Prizes: Olive & Sylvia (collect all prizes and coordinate with games chairs on prizes to award winners)
Gift Exchange: Lulu & Baby
Music: Roland and Ross (please select songs and bring or assign someone to bring song lyrics)
Dinner buffet set-up: Connie & Litz
Cocktail/drinks: Nestor & Rudy
Cleanup: Kitchen/dishes: Co-chairs: Zoray & Tess, Crew: all the ladies
Dining/living/family rooms: Ronnie and the guys
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Regarding the gift exchange, we are looking into a program in the internet called Elfster which provides group-generated gift exchanges. Joey & Patrick and their cousins have been using this program for their Christmas gift exchanges. Elfster helps with the logistics of determining who wants to participate, drawing names, and communicating the names that were drawn while maintaining the secrecy of who drew whom. The participants will be asked for a wish list to give their Secret Santa ideas of what might be good gifts. This is just my suggestion - please give me yours.
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All attendees are also requested to bring inexpensive prizes to be given to the game winners. Please let me know how many gifts you are bringing so the game chairs can prepare enough games.
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If you have any questions and suggestions, please let me know.
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Rolly
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PS: I will send a separate e-mail to those attending the Marinduque Christmas party.
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cc: Chit/Bobby, by phone

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Most of You. . . .

. have visited this place. Name where it can be found. No clues are provided; but the first correct entry will be awarded a yet to be determined gift , the next time we get together.