The Three Little Nuggets

Mornings from my balcony. <3

When the storm ended last week, three little nuggets invaded my cabin.

The storm was heavy and it flooded the cities. Here in the mountains, it was clammy and freezing for a week. The sun was absent, and there was only the perpetual wind and cold. It seeped into my cabin wetting my bedsheets and blankets.

Meanwhile, my family drove through knee-deep of flood water in Manila. My sisters said they were going to visit me here and spend the holidays.

Foggy days in the mountains.

I was looking forward to bringing them to my favorite places. The blue mountains and pine forests, the bonfire sites and sweet little villages, the cultural areas and the old hanging coffins.

But they failed to keep their promise and I was a bit heart-broken.

These three eight-year-olds invaded my cabin. I taught them headstand.

Until then, the three eight-year-olds just walked into my cabin and decided to make it their homebase. They took over one of the three double beds. They asked for food and we prepared their favorite meals. The ramens with seaweeds, the stir-fry broccoli and shrimps, and the cheesy spiral spaghettis.

I missed my nephews and nieces that I poured my love for them towards these three little nuggets.

And when the sun came out, we made the most of the outdoors as we could. I sneaked them to backtrails and wallclimbing sites. I showed them caves where the bones of the dead used to be kept. I brought them to scrambling sites and rivers and waterfalls.

The century-old hanging coffins in the mountains.

They had so much fun that they pleaded to stay and sleep in my cabin. I said yes, of course, you can stay here. But their parents came over one by one to pull them by the ear and take them home.

And when their classes ended at school, they would go straight to my place to play and hangout. Sometimes they would even bring their pets such as kittens, baby crabs, and hamsters.

Towering trees and baby animals are some of my favorite beings.

They remind me so much of my own childhood and my many animal friends. Every bit of pleasure they had gave me so much enjoyment. And I gave them the freedom to experience nature in return.

“My mother wouldn’t let me do this,” one would say.

“My dad said we can’t go to the waterfalls anymore. It’s dangerous,” another would say.

“I don’t like you anymore, you have so many rules. It’s not fun,” the third would say.

Brought the kids to this quirky cafe for some breakfast.

The more time we spent together, I realized we had to work through so much of the bickering and the foul jokes. We made rules such as no shouting, no punching, and no stealing. Follow your parents, don’t talk back to your parents, and no lying to your parents. Etc.

Pancakes and hot chocolate. <3

Every unacceptable behavior was met with a 10-second tickling by the rest of us. It was pure torture. They didn’t make a single mistake after that.

I attract a lot of children for some reason. :)

I remember my four older siblings would kill me from tickling all my sides and feet when I was little. Looking back, it was the worst experience, being ganged on and tortured and bullied physically until I ran out of breath.

It’s payback time now. We have to pass on our dark memories somehow, constructively, to the next generation.

Summer was crazy hot so I relocated in the highlands for a few months. <3

My long hair got frizzy from spending three months on a tiny tropical island, so I had a haircut. I also cut my own bangs. Cos I’m eight. :3

// 08 Aug 2024