My story with him.
By Reine25
@Lucky15 (37346)
Philippines
June 19, 2016 2:50am CST
This is what we have for today, but with this amount and i will help you.cook it.
Frugality and cooking.
Two things.that i learned from him.
He has a monthly pension and he is.operating two tricycles. We should be fine and we won't be on a very tight budget, but no.
In a day, i have to go to the market and buy this, with just a certain amount. Like, how on earth will i have this dish.with just this?
Magic! Lol.
My first cooking lesson with him was when i was 14 years old. A local vegetable dish that we call, "burudibud"(moringga.fruit, with sweet potato, fried fish, tomatoes and shallot).
Sounds easy right?
The catch was, i have to cook it on earthern pot, firewood and in the "dalikan"(an earthen stove).
So, i have to make a fire first before cooking the dish.
Our cooking lesson continued after our mom died.
He was a great teacher. That even on his.wheelchair, he would just be at my back, watching me cook.
When i met an accident, he didn't get worried about my hospital bills. He took his savings and paid it.
Being with him for.more.than three years, and looking after him when he was.in and out of the hospital, never had that moment i regret and complained, well, it was just him complains a.lot with food and being sick.
He was stubborn too, surely inherited that one.
He was advised.to have undergo.dialysis if he wanted to live longer but he doesn't want to, his reason?
He can feel his life.won't last anymore.
His last request was for me to cook another vegetable.dish we call "pinakbet", with lots of okra.
His last lunch, for just 3 hours.after, on the 18th day of October 2006, he died, and me and my younger.brother saw.that last breath.
I may have few regrets, but looking after him instead of in an office is not. Rather, i made the best choice. I have learned a lot.from him, not just in the kitchen or money, but also with life.
Best advice i got..."know your rights, but know theirs too".
Happy father's day tatang! We are surely miss.
And to all fathers out there, happy father's day!
**insert, looking through my father's eyes my eric clapton
36 people like this
35 responses
@koopharper (7523)
• Canada
19 Jun 16
Good memories of your father. I will be calling mine later today when I get off from work. He'll be happy but tired. He turns 90 later this year. We're glad we still have him. Taught us all a lot too.
2 people like this
@koopharper (7523)
• Canada
19 Jun 16
@Lucky15 I know I'm lucky. Sadly we live quite far away and can rarely visit.
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7523)
• Canada
19 Jun 16
@Lucky15 He lives with one of my older sisters and spends ocassional time at a nursing home on some kind of day program.
1 person likes this
@Lucky15 (37346)
• Philippines
19 Jun 16
@koopharper happy father's day to you.. and to your dad ;)
Is he on a nursing home or ...
1 person likes this
@acelawrites (19273)
• Philippines
19 Jun 16
Am so sad reading your story and how you missed your father; he taught you a lot of things specially cooking the specialty dish in your region. Sure, you will always remember him while cooking the dish till now. BTW, I like that "burudibud" vegetable dish.
2 people like this
@MGjhaud (23251)
• Philippines
19 Jun 16
I remember one day when i was learning how to cook, my dad was at the balcony. He asked me to prepare all the ingredients and so i did. I ran back and forth several times from the kitchen to the balcony just to ask him if it's time to pour in this and that ingredient.
I love my papa very much. It broke his heart when my accident happened. There wasnt a single day that he didnt prepare my toothbrush for me in the hospital even after they brought me home.
I miss him. 
1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
20 Jun 16
You had a great and supporting father
and fathers are always considered closer to their daughters so it is understandable that you miss him, when he is not around you.
and fathers are always considered closer to their daughters so it is understandable that you miss him, when he is not around you.1 person likes this
@psanasangma (6098)
• India
20 Jun 16
I ve many cooking skill from my father too
1 person likes this
@psanasangma (6098)
• India
20 Jun 16
@Lucky15,
Indeed they are!! but they don't get time he he !
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29367)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Jun 16
What a touching piece this is in memory of your father. Thanks for the good wishes on Father's day.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
21 Jun 16
good recall of your beloved father. happy father's day to him and who knows, they (he and my Papang) are already buddies up there in heaven?
1 person likes this
@brokenbee (11090)
• Philippines
19 Jun 16
Hmmm I felt sad while reading your post.
I greeted my father this morning through text and he replied in the afternoon. My brother brought them out.
I remember when he had undergone operation and I had to accompany my mother in the hospital. We were just three in the hospital and there were times he was irritable, even when it comes to our food. He didn't want the smell of our food. That made my mother get angry and so I had to be the one to take care of him like feeding him.
1 person likes this
@Lucky15 (37346)
• Philippines
20 Jun 16
@brokenbee don't like hospital smell.too. like it is too clean. Lol
1 person likes this
@brokenbee (11090)
• Philippines
20 Jun 16
@Lucky15 yup... but the food there should be delicious but they usually add herbs/green onions on top and that ruins my fathers appetite during that time...
My mother is so patient but when my father becomes irritable, my mother loses her patience. Awww! It was as if he doesn't want us to eat that time. Well, we understand because he didn't like the smell of the foods in an enclosed room.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
19 Jun 16
Your story about your father makes my eyes moist. I see you learned a lot from him and he must be very proud of your resilience in life now. I'm sure he's having a very wide grin on this Fathers' Day.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
19 Jun 16
@Lucky15 I did not expect you to be writing such an emotional piece as I always see you here being jolly and joking around. Nice piece, my friend. I'm sure your father is proud of you.
1 person likes this
@Lucky15 (37346)
• Philippines
19 Jun 16
@sunrisefan by the way..i get that funny side from him too. Lol
Yeah...i am also human..haha
1 person likes this
@thelme55 (76524)
• Germany
19 Jun 16
What a beautiful tribute to your good father. Reading this makes my eyes wet. I will see my father personally again in a few weeks time. Since 2011 I tried to come home in Pinas as often as I can and stayed there for a few months to take care of him. Though we sometimes have misunderstanding, we are trying our best to enjoy our company. 
1 person likes this
@Stefanygray (127)
• Tempe, Arizona
20 Jun 16
Beautiful...He sounded like a great man.
1 person likes this
@carpetshome (18)
• Melbourne, Australia
20 Jun 16
beautiful and lovely tribute.
1 person likes this
