All Saints Day 2010

Unlike last year's All Saints Day, this year's observance didn't have the associated back-breaking exercise of chopping firewood. Last year, we loaded up the van with firewood that we took from Sto. Domingo.

I believe it took me a whole week exercising my lats, triceps and other back muscles to level the pile of firewood. And yes, I consider these kind of activities as exercise.

Any activity for me that requires physical exertion without resulting injury is exercise and with it comes health and fitness benefits.


Passing by the New NLEX Shortcut

I also looked forward to passing by the new shortcut to the NLEX (North Luzon Expressway) via the NLEX-Mindanao Avenue Link. This is the newly opened Segment 2.1 that just opened early this year.

Yes, it was a quicker route and I suppose we'll be taking that route from hereon.

After parking at the old ancestral house at Sto. Domingo, we proceeded to the cemetery to pray and light a few candles. We also brought a few flowers we bought from nearby shops.

Here's Che pointing the way out of the church.


DH fumbles with a couple of defective small candles while the kids prepare the flowers before saying our prayers.



Customs and Traditions at All Saints Day

We didn't stay long at the cemetery. There weren't many people there, and only a few flowers and lighted candles.

It was still cool early in the morning and we were lucky that it didn't rain there at the cemetery that day. We passed by a couple of areas along the expressway though where there was rain.

As in last year, we went to the clinic before going to mom's house in Pampanga. Uncle Naring and Auntie Ellen weren't in the clinic though and we were informed that they were at the church. So, we just decided to pass by the church to see them.

Fortunately, they were seated near the back inside the church, otherwise we wouldn't have approached them. Uncle mentioned that it was customary there for the town folks to bring all the candles and flowers in the church first before bringing them to the cemetery.

These will all be blessed first by the priest during the mass. No wonder we didn't see much flowers and lighted candles at the tombstones!


Few People at this Year's All Saints Day

Maybe it was the past Barangay Elections vacation, but there were a few folks traveling this All Saints Day. We didn't even encounter heavy traffic on the way out of the subdivision.

But then we left a bit earlier at around 3:30pm. On the way back, we passed by the NLEX-Mindanao Avenue link again, through North Avenue, Commonwealth, CP Garcia and finally C-5.

At All Souls Day, we'll be visiting the Garden of Memories. It will just be us 6 though, because my mother-in-law is still recuperating from her hip and wrist injury.

Maybe I could get the kids involved in a little frisbee throwing for some exercise and maybe get them running around a bit.