The day began with Lola Gerlinda having been led to believe for days that nothing grand on the festive side would happen on her 68th birthday. However, some good spirits were working in the background for Jenny to make something happen after all.
That day, the group of big boys who had gone on a 2-day tour of the southern part of Negros by motorbike returned early in the afternoon.
Around 4:30 pm the ordered food should arrive and guests should start arriving at 5 pm. For this, I, Lolo Dieter, had to lure Gerlinda out of the house. Jenny sent us to buy fruit at the fruit market in the neighbouring village of Bacong. From there we drove to our good friends Hermann and Engen. There I was to delay departure until I had received an OK to return.
Back home, I had to hurry to get to the veranda before Gerlinda so that I could capture the astonished face on film. Then, when everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’, Gerlinda’s eyes got moist.
Today we are in Gerlinda’s flower garden in front of the house and organising new plants.
01) This is the side at the new entrance where it goes down to the garden and the former pigsties. There is still plenty of room there to expand the flower garden.
02) A simple flower on one of the shrubs.
03) One of the many colourful leafy plants, which come in many different patterns and colour combinations.
04) Gerlinda looking for new flowers, plants and cuttings by the roadside, where other people look for their firewood.
05) Gerlinda with her day’s haul on the way home on the mountain road near us in Malasag.