Garden Patch Planted and Fenced
Chicken Makes a Mess on the Balcony
Another Jack-Fruit Harvested
Tap Water Supply Disrupted
Unhealthy Banana Tree Trimmed and Fed to
Pigs
Rain in the Afternoon
Raffia Put on Newly Fenced Area
-To deter chickens
More Rooster Mix Potted
We are Given a Black Chicken
Water Returns in the Morning
No.One Is a Bit Under the Weather -so
she gets a Bath to Cheer her up
Three Ducklings Found Abandoned By their Mother -who is still hatching more eggs
Water Disappears in the Afternoon
I've Bought A New Computer
Water Returns -but for how long?
Night Storm Damage Collected and Fed to
Pigs
Installing Linux on the New Computer
Water Disappears Again
Hatched Ducklings Killed by Predator
-While mother continues to sit
Rescued Ducklings Moved to Pen
No.One is Put in the Garden To Cheer Her
Up
No.One Has a Fever and is Given a
Bath -She is eating and drinking very little
No.One Starts Vomiting Blood and is Put
Back in Her Pen
A Strange "Lantern" Weed in Nursery Area
The Water Returns
A Sunny, Lazy, Afternoon
Protected and Nursery Areas Watered
Small Ipil-Ipil Tree Cut Down and Fed to
Pigs
Happy Happy
That's what they called it, happy happy, the alcoholic interludes
Tainted with nicotine delights, the pseudo-fiesta fares foraged from
The Gardens of Others, cooked over fires burning from sinful woods
Stolen - no - taken, from the old woman who died of a weak lung
Because they poisoned the country air with their happy happy.
They had lights that ran from the roof to the ground, like the rats
That infested the debris from their food and vomit, yet the decor
Was impressive, garish without pretense of poverty, tasteless ersatz
Of glittering plastic and foil, and wide flat screen television interior
Lighting terrifying the fireflies that hoped to find a mate in the night.
And there was music, and singing, such frightful singing that struck
The bitches to abort, microphonic singing that confused the birds
To migrate, heroic singing applauded by the explosive cough
Of tuberculosic air bags and sticky pipes, rotten teeth, swollen gums
And all the time in the world to dye their hairs down to the roots.
Why not indeed, after many years of servitude and petty pillory
Rewarded by an old age pension, why not happy happy indeed
After a trail of disposable wives and the last to keep for the laundry
Happy happy not only for oneself but also for those in great need
Of alcohol in their blood, smoke in their lungs and a dildo in their ears!
Fatima Lasay, San Roque,
February 9, 2019, Saturday
Another Banana Tree Harvested -But too
late, eaten by bats
Remains used as Compost or Fed to Pigs
Dead Eggs Removed from under Duck
-But she remains sitting
Banana Heart Harvested Yesterday Provides
a Meal for Tonight
Twisty (with deformed beak) Gets
Special Treatment -As Always
The Wall Area is Cleaned Up
...and The Remains Composted
A Few Beans Harvested from
the Southern Garden
Coffee Bush Near Pig Pen Has Many
Berries
Tilapia Are Getting Bigger
Selected Garden Areas Watered
Two More Piglets Collected -The last
two are for us
Two Types of Melon Seed Broadcast in
Protected Areas
Guyabana Tree Cut Down and Fed to Pigs
Selected Areas Watered
Fiesta Eve by the Neighbours
A Crab Crossing the Road on the Way Home
The Feast of the Inebriated
It is colonial heritage. Apolonio followed the tradition of his
ancestors. He butchered 5 native chickens. They were about a dozen
more from 3 or so clutches of eggs that hatched in the end of winter.
5 is enough to make stew and there are more for other special occasion
until December. There are some for cockfighting too. The pig was
slaughtered at 4 in the morning. It weighed 80 kilos and was bought as
a piglet three months ago from a neighbour who bred pigs. The
neighbour had an extra weanling that Apolonio bought a week ago. That
will be slaughtered and roasted tomorrow. The rice harvest was good.
There's lots of freshly harvested fragrant rice. The yam harvest was
good too. There was enough to sell and extra in storage for this
occasion. And because there was enough rain in the past month, the
bananas, taros, sweet potatoes, cassava and vegetables growing near
their house and around the rice fields were abundant. Plenty of sweet
wine from the coconut flowers. The feast would consist of everything
Apolonio and his family grew and raised. Some came from what
neighbours grew and raised. There was even extra money from the sale
of yams to buy sweet things to eat and drink. They bought the sweets
because didn't grow sugarcane. This was more than enough. Apolonio
didn't need to take out a loan. He still had enough money to put into
his old age pension for the rest of the year. Enough to fuel his
alcoholism as well.
The lowlanders were busy too. Lupito took out a large loan from his
old age pension. At the same time, his mistress Perlita took advantage
of the generous loans being given out by newcomers in the village. The
newcomers ran a money-lending scheme. So even if Lupito and Perlita
grew or raised nothing, it will be an extravagant feast. Even if they
are still paying the loans taken out two years ago. Even if they
couldn't afford such a feast. Besides, they run a business. They have
a shop in their house. The shop has salty and sweet processed foods
packed in foil, plastic and tins. Perlita ate them most of the time.
The shop had cigarettes and alcohol too. Perlita earned money from
those. She was a chain-smoker so she took some of the cigarettes in
the shop. That was very convenient. Perlita doesn't drink so at least
she gets profit from sales of alcohol. If they had coconuts they could
have coconut wine everyday. But it's not easy collecting the wine from
the coconut flowers. Anyway, a good number of men in the village are
alcoholics and prefer Tanduay Light.
In the meantime, Marceline is having a hard time thinking about what
to serve at the feast. Most of their money was already spent on
alcohol. Her husband is crazy drunk now. Six months ago she had plenty
of work. Now she doesn't have any. Her employers were generous and
kind. But Marceline couldn't stop stealing from them. She stole
clothes and shoes from the shop where she worked as a cleaner. She
stole money and vegetables from the public market where she worked as
the vendor's helper. She stole money and detergent powder from the
couple she worked for as a laundrywoman. She has four children. Her
neighbour started playing loud music. It was Eva Eugenio. Her husband
started shouting and breaking things in the house. Their neighbour
turned down the music so the whole village could hear her husband
shouting. Everyone is used to it. But they all wanted to know what he
was angry about.
Fatima Lasay, San Roque
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Fiesta with the Neighbours
A Discarded Snake Skin On A
Jack-Fruit Tree Branch
Marinated Pork Cuts
More Trees Trimmed -Providing stakes
for beans and forage for pigs
Garden Drying Out
Nursery Area Watered
Another Tree Trimmed and Fed to Pigs
Another Papaya Tree Chopped Down
Fatima Does Some Cooking Under the House -and
fumigates it....
Although Some Cooking is Electric
I have Skin Problems Again
MingMing Drops in Once More -but
leaves when ignored
My Chair Gets A Thorough Sanding Down
The Garden is Drying Out
Fatima Captures a Rooster
Scratching Pen Cleared of Plants and Used
for Rooster
Rain at Last!
Rain in the Night
Fallen Papaya Tree Top Cleared Away
Garden Patch Weeded,
Planted, Seeded and Fenced
No.Three is still Unwell
So A Technician Gives Her An Injection
of Anti-biotic
I Too Go to Hospital for a Check-Up
-After a 12 hour fast....
We Hope No.Three is Improving
Rain in the Night
No.Three is Lethargic and Not Eating of
Drinking Much
Another Small Shower in the Afternoon
Raffia Added to Newly Fenced
Garden Patch
A Quiet End to A Sad Day
Time Passes
...and Life Goes On
My Sores are Healing
An Overcast Morning -There was a
powerful smell of burning rubber in the night
When Man Discovered Fire
It was nighttime. The darkness would hide what Denela was about to do.
She brought the bucket outside and dumped its contents into a corner
of the yard. There were several plastic containers from softdrinks,
empty foil and plastic sachets from shampoo, vinegar and soy sauce,
sardine and corned beef tins, plastic bags and paper. She squatted in
the dark and in a few seconds, a small burst of light. There was no
wind, so the light was unwavering and it grew bigger and bigger. The
contents of the bucket burned. Black smoke billowed out of it. She
quickly walked away, back into the house and placed the bucket back
into its place just outside the kitchen for refilling.
A banana and cassava grove lay between her house and the automotive
shop. Someone turned off the lights. It was after dinner. In the empty
space behind the shop there was a scuffle. Then a small burst of light
that grew bigger and bigger. It was bigger than what Danela had in her
yard. The smoke billowed not because of the wind but because of it's
own intensity. There was no wind, not even a light breeze. The fire
consumed rubber, brake fluid containers, disposable paint cups,
fluorescent lamps, rags, clothing, and pieces of electronics.
50 years ago, Victor discovered a great way of catching chickens in
the night. They are perched high up in the trees. What Victor did was
take an old vinyl record. He went into the woods. Under a tree where
there were chickens perched, he squatted. There was a small burst of
light that quickly became bigger. He walked a short distance away and
watched the black smoke climb into the trees. In a few minutes, 5
chickens fell to the ground.
Fatima Lasay, San Roque
August 26, 2019
Rain in the Night
Rain in the Afternoon -Reserves
filling up again
Hospital Check Up
Continues
Fallen Coconut Branches Cleaned Up
Harvest Not Yet Home
Protection for Some Plants is Improved
...Then I Cut my Finger -and have to stop work
A Relaxing Day
...and A Few Chickens Less to
Worry About
I Try Acupuncture Again
Rain
...and More Rain
2019
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
