Flowers in My Garden-Have a Safe Memorial Day Weekend

The 3-day Memorial Day weekend is coming. A few of our neighbors are driving out of town. However, Macrine and I are homebound and will enjoy the flowers in my garden. Have A Safe Memorial DAY Weekend to All!

My Miniature Rose Bush in Full Bloom-Source of My Flower Arrangement All Summer

Strawberry-Guava Shrub in Full Bloom

Drought Resistant Ice-Plants in Bloom in the Front Entrance-welcoming Visitors

My Pineapple Plant survive the winter season- Front Entrance Décor

Happy Birthday Carenna and Greetings to All Mothers on Planet Earth

Today Is Mother's Day and also the 14th Birthday of my youngest grand daughter, Carenna Katague Thompson. Happy Birthday, My Pangga!

Carenna 14th Birthday Cake-Row, Row your Boat-Down the Stream. Merrily, Merrily etc...

Also Sending you Mothers of the World, flowers from my Garden at Chateau Du Mer, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines. Have a Great Day!

Front Landscaping of Chateau Du Mer

Mothers Day remind me of an article I wrote five years ago as follows: http://whyretireinthephilippines.blogspot.com/2012/05/happy-mothers-day.html

Mangoes and Roses for Our Breakfast/Dining Table

Two Simple but Beautiful Center Pieces for Our Breakfast/Dining Table

Two activities that Both Macrine and I enjoy are eating Philippines mangoes and making flower arrangement with flowers growing in our garden.

Today, we are lucky to be able to purchase 14 mangoes for only $16.99 at our local Pinoy Grocery store. The mangoes are tagged Sunny mangoes, # 4961. Visually ( see photo above) they look like Guimaras Mangoes. However the taste is not comparable to the luscious and sweet world famous Mangoes from Guimaras Island. It did suffice our hunger for Philippine mangoes, however. Speaking about mangoes, reminded me of my recent post on this King of the Fruits as follows:

http://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/search?q=mangoes

Two Examples of a Simple and More Complex Flower Arrangement with Roses

With regards to the Roses Flower arrangement above: I have only 3 rose bushes in my backyard. However, they bloom three times a year, early spring, summer and late Fall. The three tea hybrids I have are Mr. Lincoln, American Beauty and Peace. The trick is to prune them after it flowers and fertilize immediately with Rose Fertilizer(10-60-10) with Insecticides for Aphids. For more information on tea roses read the following:

http://www.rose.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/History-of-Roses-Tea-Roses.pdf

Racial Profiling at the Doctor's Office Last Week

Last Thursday last week, my day started with a shouting match between myself and the receptionist/Secretary Clerk who answered my call when I confirmed my wife appointment for the afternoon. The clerk responder complained that she could barely hear me and If possible spell my wife's name. I did as follows: M as in Mother Macrine, A as in Appalachian Mountains, C as in California, R as in Robert, I as in Ignoramus, N as in Nothing or Nada and E as in Edward.

For our surname ( that most people mispronounced) here's what I told her: K as in Kentucky, A as in Apple, T as in Tom or Tomboy, A as in Apple, G as in Georgia, U as in Uncle and E as in Election. (Cat tag gay, not cat tag or cataque)

In the afternoon at the orthopedic surgeon's office, Macrine and I heard our second racial profiling comment. The first one happened in Gladstone Missouri way back in the late 1960 (http://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2011/12/chapter-7-life-in-chicago-illinois-and.html).

I was shocked by the question ask by a stranger( that is if I speak English) and so my answer was brief. I regretted that I did not answer the question truthfully.

At this second post-operation visit, Macrine's hip operation need to be X'ray to insure that everything is healing well and the metal replacement is in order. Attached are 2 copies of the X'ray of Macrine's Hip showing the Chromium ball joint and Titanium steel support that I requested for my personal file.

Our appointment at the orthopedic surgeon's office was at 3:20PM. Macrine and I were there 5 minutes early. At 3:30PM an assistant clerk escorted us to small office and ask questions about Macrine's health status and ask her if she is feeling any pain. He later informed us that an X'ray will have to be taken and after that a Physician Assistant will see us. In this Office( Summit) there are six MD and 3 PA's. Two of the MD are Japanese-Americans. It is one of the biggest orthopedic office in the Sacramento area.

At about 4PM, a Caucasian man possibly in his late 50's came to the office where we are waiting and informed us he has to take an X'ray of Macrine's hip in the next room. Out of nowhere he asked us if we speak English. I was so shocked by the question, that I could only whimper the phrase, A little! He did not say anything, but I believe he really believe that Macrine and I speak only a little English!

Macrine and I looked at each other. I did not say anything but I was upset, so that when the Physician Assistant came in to check Macrine, I told her that the X'ray technician is a racist and told her exactly what happened. She apologized and I did not acknowledge her apology. She gave me the phone number of their Office Administrator if I wanted to discuss the incident in more detail.

I guess to the eyes of the X'ray technician, Macrine and I looked like first generation Asians who immigrated to the US in the 1930's so our English knowledge must be limited. Macrine is using a walker and I limped a little bit because of my arthritis, so we really look our age as members of the octogenarian generation. In retrospect, I feel sorry for this X'ray technician for his narrow-mindedness and pre-judgement of us because of how we look.

Or I am just over reacting to the question? What would your reaction be if some stranger ask you the same question?