I am knitting again but too tired to do anything else. The weekend after the funeral, I caught a bad cold (sore throat, coughing, fever, the works). I was getting worried about the swine flu. Went and saw the doctor, of course. Not swine flu, not strep, just the common cold. Plenty of rest, liquids, yada, yada, yada.

Here are some token pictures to make this post a little less boring:

Windmill dishcloth

Some tawashis I've been crocheting



Picture of me and some of my cousins from all over. Our kids are here too. My uncle brought us closer together more now that he's gone than when he was alive. We took lots of things for granted. Not anymore. I hug and kiss my mom and dad more now. I'm not shy to say I Love You anymore. And I think I might have lost my stage fright.

Romeo Bautista DeCastro

Visitation for my uncle was last night and again today. I'm totally amazed at the number of people who were there last night, some family whom I haven't seen in a long long time and hundreds of friends. The place/chapel was overflowing.

I'm also bothered at how superstitious beliefs can rule one's life. One of the long removed aunts refused to let Christian music be played during viewing even after my cousins and aunt requested it. It had to be one of those sad wailing Catholic music that only depressed everybody. We explained to her that we wanted to celebrate Uncle Romy's life and that he would not have wanted us to grieve so much.

She's also the one who won't let the family bring home some of the leftover food that was brought to the chapel. She also can't explain why. Most of the food had to be thrown out.

I was once a Catholic before I became a Christian. I prayed the Rosary before and attended Catholic church. But my relationship with my Savior now is more personal. Last night, they prayed the rosary not once but twice. The second time, they changed the words. It appeared to be more of chanting, more of repeating one kind of prayer over and over, prayed by people who probably did not even know my uncle.

When it was the Christian chaplain's turn to pray, I noticed the total disrespect of the Catholic ladies present. They started talking and laughing amongst each other while the chaplain was speaking and reading from the Bible. Unbelievable.

Tonight, I will have a chance to speak my eulogy. Hopefully, people will listen. We'll see.

My favorite uncle in the whole world, Uncle Romy De Castro, passed away yesterday morning at 6:34 am. I know he's with the Lord now, body whole, no more pain, no more suffering. But we will miss him sooo much. I won't say goodbye. I know it's a temporary separation. We will see him again, someday, in heaven.



You are home now, Tito Romy! Welcome home.