Moving experience

Check it out at inhale, exhale: just press # 6

Yep! My sister finally moved into her own room - after more than 2 decades of sharing a bed with my mom. Last week I saw a strange sight - my mom sleeping alone in her room, the TV off. I thought that my sis was having a late night out, but then it dawned on me - she's in her new room! WhhOW!

Okay so forgive me for going overboard, but for the longest time the joke in our house was that my sis's bedroom was just a storage place, so cluttered that you couldn't even sit on the bed. Heck, you couldn't even see it. Come to think of it, you still can't see it - for now. But at least her new bed in her new room really functions as one.

I used to share that room with my cousin Lina who moved in in the 70's. She came from Surigao and was in Manila to take up 7th grade, then high school. I must have been in 2nd grade at the time. I remember I was just so glad to move out of my mom's room and have a bed of my own. And I just adored Lina! I always looked up to her as my surrogate mother, because she always made me drink milk and take Clusivol syrup at night to fatten me up, to no avail.

My memories of that room were of Andy Gibb, Nancy Drew, stuffed toys, disco music, and of course Lina, who gave me a crash course in girly ways. I watched her try on dresses, tested her shampoos, assessed her red heels, observed her putting on eyeshadow. She was the one who watched out for my menarche and taught me how to use a sanitary pad. I still remember her first crush - his name was Chris Fautts - and how she couldn't sleep the night before her prom because she was so excited about her date with him.

Her mom came into town a lot, and they would take me along on their shopping sprees, buying the same shoe style in 3 different colors. And Tita Nep always treated me to 3M Pizza at Metrobank Arcade - a tradition, as it were.

Much, much later that room became my painting studio, and the balcony served as my private garden. Of course I had to pack away my easel when guests came into town. But I always enjoyed it when they admired my plants. I remember one summer in the late 90's when Lina and Tita Nep came for some business, which meant that they were going to Divisoria to buy stocks for Lina's store in Surigao - shopping again! Anyway I had an abundance of plumbago, in the plant box and in pots, and they were blooming like crazy all at the same time. The balcony was a riot of blue plumbago with touches of yellow margaritas. Tita Nep couldn't help but admire them, and I suspect she kept the balcony door open not just for the sunlight, but for the fantastic sight.

So many memories about that room. Can't help it, we've lived in this house for almost 30 years now.

Today it's my sister's room. I like the way the sunlight comes in through the windows in the early morning. The room is bright and airy, and I hope it doesn't get cluttered up so it can stay that way (attention barbiegirl!) Gueli has even parked his toys there, and enjoys playing blocks on the mat, or tic-tac-toe on the bed. We're making more memories even as I write.

Just the other day he woke up early, ran to my sis's room, clambered up the bed and said "wake up little rosebud." Then he kissed her. I know that she loved it.