Children Christmas Party at Chateau Du Mer in Amoingon

Party Helpers and Organizer with Sister Guia-The Boss of the Party

From Sister's Guia FB page:These pictures will give you an idea of how the Day of Hope went along.. I was busy coordinating and could not take the photos myself. Thanks to my niece Chiqui for capturing the Big Day of the Children. It started from our prayer room where Benedict carried the Baby Jesus to the function Hall where all the children were waiting for Jesus in their hearts. A big warm applause from them welcome Jesus when Benedict arrived. Then James started the celebration by reading the Gospel of Luke to share with them a little bit of what they were about to celebrate. The Big Bang fun and singing, dancing followed... till the ending of lighting the Tea Candles they were holding in their hands, giving Jesus each their birthday kiss and singing Happy Birthday and Joy to the World and blew the candles singing Ang Pasko ay Sumapit. We thank You and a song is dedicated to all you who supported this Day of Hope that made Christmas meaningful for them this year.

Of course, there was food and gifts for all the children in attendance(closed to 100).

A Simple Christmas Dinner This Year

I forgot to take the picture of this roasted duck before I tasted it. It was yummy. It was a Christmas gift from our Italian-American neighbor. The duck and pasta was our lunch.

For our dinner menu:

Honey baked Ham, Pancit, Eggrolls ( both Pinoy and Chinese), Cheese and macaroni casserole, puto ( both white and Brown( kutsinta), German chocolate cake, Fruit Tart, Goat cheese and Crackers and Hawaiian sweet rolls. For drinks we have Champagne, apple cider, wine and beer. No letson or Dinuguan or calderetta this year.

What was left of the German Chocolate Cake, Fruit Tart, Puto and Goat Cheese Appetizer

The highlights of the day: Playing Katague-Jambalos Family Jeopardy and Mahjong( David III prepared the Questions). It was fun and Informative.

Alix received as her Christmas gift this year an expensive Mahjong set from her DAD and Mom. Alix was inspired to learn how to play the game after she saw the movie- Crazy Rich Asians.

After dinner, David III, Macrine and I watched the movie ( Crazy Rich Asians) in Comcast Infinity TV for free. It is an entertaining movie and it reminds me about Filipinos vs Filipino-Americans also. I highly recommend the movie if you are an Asian-American.

For more information about mahjong read my posting on the subject:https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/search?q=mahjong

Events at the Chateau Du Mer Hall and Grounds Last Week

Congressman Allan Velasco Christmas Party was held at the Chateau Du Mer Hall and Grounds last week. The following photos were taken from the FB page of Fe Jambalos and Cel Monterey.The other event was Sister Guia's Children Christmas Party( more pictures will follow).

Christmas Belen in Amoingon, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

https://www.facebook.com/fe.jambalos/videos/2453545384661458/
https://www.facebook.com/marylyn.villavicencio/videos/2027699610609894/

The above photos were taken from the FaceBook page of Fe Jambalos and Cel Monterey. Congressman Velasco Christmas Party held at the Chateau Du Mer Conference Hall to his constituents. Macrine and I felt a lot of nostalgia just looking at the photos above.

For the latest news on Velasco read the following: https://www.rappler.com/nation/politics/elections/2019/215934-dutertes-call-lord-allan-velasco-next-house-speaker

Thank You All for Your Birthday Greetings

To all my Face Book friends and relatives who send their birthday greetings today on my 84th birthday, thanks a million! Today reminded me of the above ( Friends are Irreplaceable) send to Macrine and myself from a friend in the East Coast- our former neighbor in Silver Spring ( Colesville), Maryland in the 1990's. The above photo is hard to read, so allow me to quote four of my favorites.


After 84 (60) years of my life, here is what I(he) learned:

1. Children cease to be children and become independent
2. Jobs come and go
3. Illusions, desires, attraction, sex... weaken
4. But true friends are always there, no matter long or how many miles away they are

Wild Turkeys in My Yard this Year

This is the time of the year when wild turkeys roam in residential neighborhoods here in Northern California. We have six of them the other day. They are almost tame and not wild. The six of them were eating my pyrancatha berries in my side yard. In some neighborhoods they could be a nuisance or trouble since they can become very aggressive and territorial.

I will be 84 Years Old in Four Days

Kona, Hawaii Vacation, 1979

In four days, December 20, I will be 84 years old. I thank the Lord that He made this day Possible. Yesterday, Ditas and Carenna treated me with delicious lunch at Zocalo here in Roseville. I ordered the Chille Relleneo with Pork and had a Mango Margarita. Afterwards we went shopping in COSTCO. It was a FUN afternon with my two Panggas. Thanks again Ditas and Carenna for my birthday treat. On the 20th, David, Macrine and I will just order three lobster dinner from Red Lobster via Postmates-a food delivery service.

On my birthdays, I usually reminisce about my life. This year, I will just repost five ( out of 17) Chapters of my autobiography as follows:

Chapter 1: https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2011/12/chapter-1-childhood-memories-of.html

Chapter 4: https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2011/12/chapter-4-my-college-years-1951-1955.html

Chapter 8: https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2011/12/chapter-8-social-life-in-kansas-city.html

Chapter 11: https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2011/12/fda-years-and-maryland-1990-2002.html

Chapter 17: https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2011/12/trail-blazer-in-chemistry.html

If you are reading this post, I thank you. I hope you continue reading my blogs. Again Merry Christmas ( 2018) and a Safe New Year (2019).

Our Night Time Christmas Decor-Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Our Capiz Christmas Parol at Night Time with our Marble Table Lamp from Romblon, Philippines

Two days ago, I posted our simple day Christmas décor featuring a Parol ( made in the Philippines) and two artificial trees with nativity scenes( Belen). Today I am posting five pictures taken at night time featuring my new electric fireplace log set insert, a Christmas present to myself and Macrine. I purchased the fire log insert décor from Pleasant Heart on line. I am very satisfied with this purchase.

During the last four decades we had fireplaces that use burning wood in several of our previous residences in Kansas City, Colesville, Maryland and Pinole, California. Our current residence has also a nice fireplace, but we used it only once with real firewood. Real burning firewood fireplace is great, but messy and takes a lot of time and patience in cleaning the ashes afterwards. So currently I am very delighted with my newly purchased electric fire log with crackling sound of burning firewood but no heat. There is a version of the above electric fire log with heat but is more expensive and an energy wasting decoration.

Closed Up of electric Fire Log( from Pleasant Hearth)

The following two photos were taken outside the front of our house the other night.

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year (2018-2019) to All My Relatives and Friends All Over the World. I hope you continue reading and following my blogs!

Another Simple Christmas Decor for Our House this Year

Our Capiz Parol in our Living Room Picture Window-The Focus of our simple Season Decor

Every year for the last three decades when all the kids were gone, Macrine and I decided to have the Christmas decorations in and out of the house be simple and easy to install and remove and would not require more than 3 hours to install. WE USED TO buy real Christmas trees( from 10ft to 15ft) when the 4 D's were still residing with us. The tree was for them, but now that they have their own families, Macrine and I are happy with our 6-foot pre-lit artificial tree with just our White House Ornaments collection and other small photo ornaments. We have also a small Christmas tree made of candies ( see photo).

Tree with Lanzones Wood Carving of Belen from the Philippines

Close-Up of tree with White House Ornaments and Children Photo Decor

Candy tree with Porcelain Nativity Scene from Germany

Close Up of Carved Lanzones Wood of the Nativity Scene

Christmas Toys Collection (1960's)

Hello Santa Claus, and my two Chihuahuas( Squeezed them hard-and they will say, I love You)

Christmas Wreath in our Front Porch

The Christmas season always reminds me of the following article in my Hubpages.com account:
https://hubpages.com/travel/the-philippines-nation-of-fiestas-and-festivals

Recent and Old Photographs from My Album

My apple I-pod finally got updated, so I can take pictures and have it uploaded in my PC. Here are two photos that I took recently.

My pineapple plant in the Planter still green, but will probably die soon when the winter chills arrive. It is just too big to put it inside the house

Still have some summer blooms in the front entrance of our house.

Christmas Lights of Ditas House, 2018

Here are some old but memorable photos from my album:

Macrine and I dancing the Tango, 1999

Macrine on her BS Nursing Graduation, 1981, Pinole, California

Clouds over Amoingon Bay, Boac, Marinduque, 2013

Chateau Du Mer-Our Second Home, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines, 2015

The Katague Clan during our 60th Wedding Anniversary, 2017

Burning Hell in Paradise

Paradise is a town in Butte County, California, United States in the Sierra Nevada foothills above the northeastern Sacramento Valley.

As of the 2010 census, the town population was 26,218. On November 8, 2018, a major wildfire, the Camp Fire, destroyed most of Paradise and the adjacent Concow communities.

Macrine first cousin and husband resides in Paradise, California. Luckily their home was spared from the latest fire, the worst in the history of Wildfires in California. In case you have been sleeping and not watching television, here's a brief summary from the news( videos) as well as comments from the FaceBook page of Macrine's first cousin. Macrine's first cousin grow up in Laylay, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines.

November 8, 2018 Posting: Family and Friends❤️ Thank you for all your phone calls, text, messages and concern. We made it safely to Sacramento despite of the heavy traffic and staying with our good friend. We hope and pray that our home is still standing and for everyone’s safety 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

November 25, 2018 Posting: Just read from a friend’s posting in FB ... she STATED.... “our neighborhood of 54 houses in the lower part of Paradise is the ONLY COMMUNITY that survived the CAMP FIRE completely intact. She learned from local TV station. Our neighborhood has its own water and sewage system.. all our services up now. Defensible space around the entire neighborhood is what saved our houses”..

AGAIN.... Jim and I, as well as Tom and Jerry appreciate all your prayers and concern ❤️❤️❤️. NO WORDS CAN EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO ALL FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS.... PLEASE, LET’S CONTINUE OUR PRAYERS FOR ALL THE VICTIMS WHO LOST EVERYTHING and THEIR LOVED ONES AND STILL MISSING.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 PARADISE WILL RISE AGAIN! GOD BLESS US ALL❤️.

November 26, 2018 Posting: CAMP FIRE 100% contained 🙏🏻 FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEART ..THANK YOU FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS..
Sharing our green lawn with God’s Creature ❤️so happy to see them back in the neighborhood and know they made it❤️time not to be selfish because they lost their foods in the fire😪