Why Kids Sometimes Hate Their Parents

Annika was Reyna Esperanza at the Santacruzan in our village today, escorted by Tyrone.

I guess every Pinoy joins a Santacruzan at one point or another in his or her life. In the kids' case, it was kind of a shocker since they had just come in from their vacation in the U.S. Having to dress up in one of Tessa's heavy gowns and a barong was a mood dampener. And the heat and humidity of the afternoon did nothing to buoy their spirits.

The event itself wasn't too long nor too involved. Just a few pre-teen to college-age sagalas escorted by reluctant boys, one flower-festooned careton of the Virgin Mary and one drum-and-xylophone marching band. The little procession did a small loop of the village streets and then marched right back to the basketball court for a merienda of hotdogs and fries.

Afterwards, I took Annika to Rockwell and bought her Shrek the Third for her Nintendo DS. Then we had a steak dinner at Myron's, a new place in the basement that serves very nice, reasonably priced steaks. That got her somewhat mollified. After all, she's now the first kid on the block that will have Shrek.

In this video, you can just feel the enthusiasm of the two, as Daddy's plaintive requests to smile and wave at the camera are barely acknowledged. The band's cacophony in the background completes the ambience. For the aficionados of religious processions, I've loaded up more pictures and videos on Kodak Gallery and YouTube.