As if Estelle Cuadra Hontanosas’ birthday celebration was like no other when she turned all of 94. All her doting children were in dancing attendance – Dr. Jedu, lawyers Rampi and Camel, Lydia and Juris – the three coming from the U.S. and Canada.
Garbed in red and so slim, Estelle looked like she just came from her graduation in Silliman University. But as Rampi said: “We had to come now instead of next year because Mommy told us that this might be her last birthday!” Oh no, retorted her barkadas who are always with her in their thrice-weekly mahjong session at Casino Español. This group call themselves Friends of the Poor and whatever income they get from their games go to the coffers of the Friends.
Before Estelle blew the candles on her birthday cake, youngest daughter Juris, gave her Mom a beautiful bouquet and an album with pictures of the family with their late Dad, lawyer Castor Hontanosas. A short program was emceed by Flor Paxon and Menchie Ybud who played the Marimba, so beautifully executed. Cely Chiongbian dedicated to the festejada two dance numbers…the Foxtrot and a Hawaiian number. We, on the other hand, breathed deeply as son Rampi took his Mom to the floor and danced the waltz, and everyone followed suit. While we made our exit, the young ones stayed till midnight!