CHEERS, CHIT-CHAT, CHOW AND COMARADERIE

PWU H.S. 1960 MINI - REUNION FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA -DECEMBER 1, 2013

 Chatter By Evelyne (Ebb) Dirige Resella:

"Don't be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those  who are friends." Richard Bach

After graduation from PWU h.s. 1960, we all took different paths in life, but no matter where we went to college, we took a little of each other everywhere. High school days were the happiest of all school days for many of us. That's why it's difficult to forget the names and faces of good friends we have made there.

When I attended the 50th h.s. reunion of PWU class 1960 last February 27, 2010 at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati, Philippines, it was thrilling to see many classmates that I haven't seen in 50 years. But it would have been more  thrilling if I was connected to those that were really close to me. Anyways, the reunion was not the end. Happily post-reunion, we found many more classmates.  Flor Alcantara Reyes, one of my close friends in high school came out of hibernation, from new Jersey.  She moved to Arizona and suddenly we became neighbors. We exchanged endless long e-mails. Later, I was connected to Sonia Realeza Jones from Chicago. And lately to Vicki Medina Pascual, who moved from New Jersey to Fresno, California. She is Internet savvy and by chance discovered our PWU blog "Gintong Daan."  What happened to Sari's Sherlock Holmes skill? Something was mysterious? She was not able to detect these newly found classmates before the 50th reunion.

 We are truly fortunate to be alive in the Internet generation.Those who are adaptable are able  to catch up w/ one another via e-mails. Sending photos and chatting by e-mails became the new past times.

 

This year I feel lucky to see many high school classmates. Two,  I have seen before at our 50th reunion. And four new ones, out of the blue.  Saw Evelyn Z. few times post-reunion. Last May 2013, during our short trip to Vegas, I reconnected w/ Eloi Dizon Farrales. Saw here many times post-reunion. Surprisingly, I saw Flor Alcantara Reyes after 53 years. She lives at Kingman, Arizona, I was thrilled to see her in person. We saw each other at U.P. during college days but somehow lost track of each other. I saw  Wena Noble Bayro at Tucson. How nice to see them all in flesh and alive. There is nothing like seeing someone in person.

 

Recently on December 1st, Sonia Realeza Jones flew all the way from Chicago. Her trip was a good opportunity to see her in person. So we planned this quickie mini-reunion. How exciting & thrilling to see each other again after 53 years. I was also thrilled to see Vicki Pascual. There is something nice about touching, kissing and hugging each other in person. I never expected I'll see them again. Vicky and Sonia were my gang mates in high school. We belong to the not too popular "SiniGang." Another gang known as "BaGang" was more famous.

 

Much awaited mini-reunion w/ Ebb Dirige Resella, Evelyn Nazareth Zabala, Sonia Realeza Jones and Vicki Medina Pascual. We enjoyed a delicious dim sum, at the A & W Seafood Restaurant  at Granada Hills (San Fernando Valley) , So. California on December 1st, 2013.

"Time endears but cannot fade the memories that friends have made." - Anonymous

WELCOME TO  CALIFORNIA SONIA! All smile- Sonia, Vicki, Ebb and Evelyn.

Reminiscing with old friends, a chance to share some high school memories, and replay our goodold days again when we were young. What a beautiful time together! 

Endless chit-chatting! What did we talk about? Mostly about our family, children , in-laws and grandchildren. ... about our hair styles....about the weather and more.....and more....and more. Endless smiling & posing! Endless chow....chow....! After an hour the food before us were gone. Then endless camaraderie!

 

 HAPPY PHOTO with our beloved couples (Vicki & Efren) & (Ebb & Rhod). Sonia and Evelyn are now ready for hubby#3.Let's not give up on them. Who knows, someday their Prince#3 will come along. 

Reflections From Vicki Medina Pascual:

Greetings to all!!!
Please allow me to share some photos taken during our mini reunion held last Sunday, Dec. 1. We, Evelyn Z, Sonia J. Ebb and husband Rhod and I with my husband Efren met at 1 PM for lunch at A&W Seafood Restaurant in Granada Hills. After the sumptuous dim sum and a lot of chit chats we drove and moved on to Ebb and Rhod's cozy condominium in Valencia. We had fresh Starbucks coffee and fresh fruits from the Resella's mini-cafe. And of course more ........chit...... chats.

 

It was a little after 5 PM when we started to say our "Filipino goodbyes". Evelyn Z hit the road for San Diego and Efren and I with Sonia headed back to Fresno. It was a short but wonderful mini get together for the four of us and a great time for Efren and Rhod. We are looking forward to more mini reunions like this. It sure was a great weekend.
Recollection from Evelyne Nazareth Zabala:

It was fun to connect with all of you again yesterday, especially Sonia- after 53 yrs! It didn’t seem that we’ve been out of touch with each other for that long. Too sad that Wena, Eloi, Puri and Rose Lani can’t join us this time.

The guys were very nice to let the girls gab and recollect some “kapilyahan”. Please send your photos so we can all agree that we don’t look our age! We’re all past 65 yrs but we’re no slowing down. Go Philwomenians!

"Remember that the most valuable antiques are dear old friends." - H.Jackson Brown, Jr. 

PWU H.S. CLASS 1960 - NOVEMBER CELEBRANTS

Posted By Corazon Fausto Gatchalian

"WISHING ALL THE NOVEMBER CELEBRANTS A HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

THAT GOES FOR THE FOLLOWING BEAUTIES":"

 WENA, BEL, GIRLIE, LITA, VICKY AND SYLVIA.

For my birthday wishes to you all , let me borrow from the lyrics of an old song - one of my favorites. I wonder how many of you know the melody of this song. I just remember the words. I can't recall the title.

Here goes:

May you always walk in sunshine

Slumber warm when night wind blows

May you always live with laughter

For a smile becomes you so

 

May good fortune find your doorway

May the bluebird sing your song

May no trouble trouble your way

May no worries stay too long

May your heartaches be forgotten

May no tears be spilled

May auld acquaintance be remembered

And each cup of kindness filled

And may you always

be a dreamer

May your wildest dreams come true

May you find someone to love

As much as we live you.

These wishes are also for everyone in class 1960 -

with special mention for November celebrant.

Latest Photo Of Vicky Medina Pascual w/ husband. Taken in their home in Fresno, California.

 

An E-mail from Vicky:

Thank you to all who sent their birthday wishes to us the November Celebrants.

One of the many blessings I received this year is the opportunity to reconnect with you, my high school classmates. I get to chat, exchange emails, rekindle old friendship and make new friends to classmates who might be sitting next to me in high school but never really shared my life with.

Now its as if we are all eager to keep in touch and be updated with what is going on in our lives and to be able to say in so many words that "I am here for you".

                                                           Vicky W/ Grand daughters

Update From Ebb Resella:

Last summer, it was already late at night. But before going to bed, I opened my e-mail. What a surprise that our long lost h.s. classmate, Vicky Medina's name appeared on my inbox!  She said that she discovered our PWU blog "Gintong Ala-ala." I didn't waste time and I reconnected w/ her right away. I never saw her again after high school graduation. More than 50 years passed by but it was only recently that we exchanged e-mails. I will never forget her despite of the years of not seeing each other. What a wonderful feeling to be reconnected w/ h.s. classmates! What more she's the communicative type! Always replying to e-mails and got something to share.

News From Rosario Valenzuela:

 Vicki Medina Pascual is in New Jersey area so we the residents (Ening, Lolit and I) of NYC had a dinner outing with Vicki last night. We had dinner at the Olive Garden in Times Square. It was such a pleasant/happy get together... felt like no 50 years had passed since we last saw each other at our HS graduation.... I had no difficulty identifying Vicki. She still looks the same as I knew her in HS..... Sayang nga na my Sherlock Holmes "skills" did not work when I looked for her before our jubilarian celebration in 2010.... While exchanging stories about our adaptation to the new life in NYC, I cannot help but think of how great our adaptation skills are. I speak for all of us who decided to migrate from the Phil to another foreign land. I truly believe our "training" at PWU has much to do with developing these skills. We were given so many opportunities in the extra-curricular activities we had to plan, organize, practice and implement those projects (pa-secre-secreto pa) in those years in HS.... Kaya noong nagsipaglakihan tayo, we survived what ever ordeals were experienced.

 

SONIA REALEZA JONES 70th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

CELEBRATING SONIA'S 70TH BIRTHDAY AT HER HOUSE IN CHICAGO W/ PWU GUESTS.

SONIA SMILING AND STANDING 2ND FROM RIGHT. PHOTO WAS SENT BY TESSIE M. STANDING 4TH FROM RIGHT.

 

 

SONIA W/ LINA ARREZA

 

SONIA CUTTING HER BEAUTIFUL 3 THIERRED BIRTHDAY CAKE. LIKE AN ELEGANT  WEDDING CAKE. WHY NOT? HER BIRTHDAY WISH WAS TO HAVE  PRINCE CHARMING #3 ALONG. "SOMEDAY , I KNOW HE'LL COME." 

 

                                         SONIA AT 70! WOW! WHAT A BEAUTY!

REMEMBERING 2nd BATCH OF OCTOBER CELEBRANTS

"If you look over the years, the styles have changed - the clothes, the hair, the production, the approach to the songs. The icing to the cake has changed flavors. But if you really look at the cake itself, itis really the same."-John Oates

 

"HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY TO SONIA!"

SONIA REALEZA JONES AT 2013
From Sonia!
To all my good friends and classmates,

Thanks for all wonderful wishes for us Oct. celebrants. I think we are the most in the group celebrating in the same month. Correction please. I was born in the year 1943. Thanks for making me a year younger sana a little bit more younger. I will be celebrating my big "7" on Oct 19 in my place. It will start at 4pm with Our Lady of Fatima novena will be followed by a Holy mass complete with a pianist and vocalist. Then whatever goes dancing and singing and to complete the celebration I will have a whole lechon and blowing of cake. Biyuda na nga ako so happy happy na lang

SONIA AS PRES OF PWUAAA CHICAGO

 

                                               SONIA DURING HIGH SCHOOL -1960

******************************************************************

                                          CHARITO SILVA AT HIGH SCHOOL-1960

         "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CHERRY McSORLEY!!!

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FOR “ATE” GIRLIE

By Naty Ocampo Cristi

We celebrated Girlie's birthday on November 29, 2012. The aroma of good food led us to a fine restaurant in Brampton, Ontario named WOK OF FAME. The place is famous for its Chinese and Japanese cuisine, complete with Tepanyaki where people line up for tender, juicy steaks, crisp Tilapia and veggies. So, who is this grand dame, this gregarious lady who treated us to this fine place? Why, it's our very own "Ate" Girlie of course! When it comes to fine dining, she is our version of the "Pied Piper of Hamelin", the only one who could lead us to excellent eating places at the snap of her fingers! I've known Girlie since our JASMS school days, practically grew up with her and literally "floated" with her in the swimming pool of PWU (come to think of it, did we ever learn to swim, Girlie?). Apart from her striking, big dark eyes perhaps she was best known for her height. Oh, yes. She was the tallest in the class then, and still the tallest in our group now. To formally introduce you to this fine lady that we all know as "Ate" Girlie: First, she is someone who knows how to treat a friend. She is close but not clingy; direct but not cruel; chic and yet simple. She treats people equally the same - no bragging, no need to outshine anybody. She can laugh at herself and doesn't hesitate to laugh the loudest and roll with gusto at your jokes. She gives good advice whenever her friends need it. She is "Miss Manners" and "Ann Landers" personified. You can't go wrong with a friend like her. Girlie comes from a loving, close knit family. She and her older brother took over when their parents died. What I've seen in their relationship as a family is quite enviable. All siblings living in one happy, rollicking house. All brothers and sisters adore her. I can just imagine the laughter that emanate from their house, what with Girlie and her siblings possessing a gift, the gift of humor. It is also this gift that draws all of us to her. She is the friend with a little girl's name who has the heart of a gentle giant. We're so fortunate to share this part of the globe with her, and it is comforting to know that we shall endure once more our long winter months, because we have a friend whose love and laughter never fail to warm us. Happy Birthday, dear friend, please --- don't ever change. Naty

A Wedding (Affair) to Remember

On the beautiful 3rd Saturday of June 2012 (16th day of the month), guests savored the sound of music played from a harp while they await at the church of St. Mary’s
of Winfield in Woodside, NY. At about 2:45 pm, the wedding entourage march begun…featured Mom (Azucena Valenzuela-Poblete) and daughter (Raquel Margarita) who walked hand in hand down the aisle…By the altar, the groom (Daniel Lewis Maltz) awaited to “claim” his bride…calmly Mom “surrendered” her daughter to begin the wedding rites.

At past 4 pm, Raquel & Daniel were wed and recessed to the front entrance of the church. Former high school classmates, Lolit Agustin Sison, Carmen Exconde Altman along with hubby Michael Altman and Sari Valenzuela were among the 200 plus guests who blew bubbles to cheer and welcome the newlyweds..

Reception followed at 7 pm at the Roosevelt Hotel grand ballroom….This hotel located in Manhattan is favored by many visiting Filipinos. There was a open-bar and hors d’oeuvres galore before dinner….

The newlyweds joined their guests via a grand entrance from the mezzanine balcony to the main grand ballroom floor.…

Opening dance…Mom and Daughter danced with the Valenzuela brothers of Ening……

Joined later by guests….it was a “swinging” evening…young & old…male & female, female & female dancing freely to the music of a live band…Raquel, a Julliard graduate specializing in flute, surprised her guests, played the flute with a piano accompaniment by a fellow Julliard graduate…it was a day filled with memories of a beautifully planned and executed wedding….the evening past midnight was capped with personalized wedding favors in the form of capiz-made picture frames featuring the newlyweds…..it was indeed a wedding to remember.

"A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION WITH TWICE THE SURPRISE"


Yesterday, July 1, 2012, should go down in the birthday history of a certain lucky celebrant -- Aurora Villanueva Agellon (Rory).

At around noon hour, each of Rory's guests arrived, in two's and three's, each one admiring her beautiful, well-tended garden. A little touch here and a little pinch there -- the poor plants and flowers must have uttered some complaints without being heard by us. Oh, well let them complain. We were having fun under the warm sun and blue sky, taking some pictures amid some giggling. And so it went until the sun became too hot for us "senior citizens", so we decided to take shelter under the canopy provided by Rory's loving husband, Noli.

We didn't waste time in catching up with lost time. The "how are you's" and "what's new with your life" and the funny jokes seemed to have no end until the birthday celebrant opened her gated garden to a guest. Suddenly, oh suddenly --- I heard loud shrieks and somebody fell off her seat (wait a minute, that was me!). For a moment I thought I was watching a concert of Lady Gaga or Madonna, not that I'm a fan of these two.

Everything came to a halt. All I remember was everybody's jaw dropping and everybody's mouth agape as in very slow motion --- in walked the surprise guest! With a trail of flaxen hair being blown as she walked by, the "Oh, my God, it's her, it's her!" remarks were all that could be heard.

Can you guess who just walked in? Why, it's the greatest sleuth of all times, the Sherlock Holmes of PWU class 1960! It's -- it's Sari Valenzuela herself! Which brings me to the question: where is Watson, her sidekick?

And from here on, the party really begun. WE HAD FUN, FUN, FUN! It goes without saying, last night must have been Rory's happiest get together and birthday celebration yet. We dined and talked and played a game similar to Jeopardy till it was time to go at last.

Oh, but wait, we didn't leave empty-hand. All of us won the game and were given a gift by the celebrant herself. The gifts (bracelets) were hand carried by Rory's sister, Lita, from Manila. I shall bring mine to Sweden and proudly wear it, because I know by doing so, I'll be in the company of my dear sister and classmates like last night, and I'll smile. Endlessly.

Happy Birthday again, Rory. May you have more fun-filled birthdays to come. And next time, we hope to see Sari's Dr. Watson, her partner in this wonderful surprise.


Naty