bahay ni lola bada (jose's residence)

Yes, This is 4334 Maria Dimatimbangan St. I grew up in here. My lolo was Tatay Manding who looked like he had Tourret's Syndrome because he began and ended his sentences with p-t--g i-a! But he was good to us. Always brought food specially during sweldo days. Smoked tobacco since he was six and always gave me money when i massaged his arm after he had his first stroke. He died in 1991 after his second stroke and i didn't even reach the funeral because i was stationed overseas.

My lola bada, his wife, was a typical strict grandma, but boy she can cook! She used to smoke with the fire inside her mouth and she always told me to run errands and buy the bataang matamis brand cigarettes. I hated it when she tells me to go to Ka Naty's sari-sari store and get food for credit without a credit card in those days. But she raised 8 kids, 5 girls and three boys. And all of them lived here, plus me, the first grandchild Erickson.

We were all satisfied and happy.