Last Apong Standing

Up until October of 2010, I still had three of my four grandparents. Then within a month, my mom's dad died and my dad's mom died. As sad as it was, I am so grateful that the boys were able not just to meet but to spend significant time with their great-grandparents, apongs in Ilocano. Since the same word is used for both genders, Dylan used to call my dad's parents: "the girl apong and the boy apong."

Though he is 91-years-old, I still couldn't bring myself to eat at his choice of restaurant for Fathers' Day brunch. I'm a snot, I know. So, we stopped by on our way to Jake's Fathers' Day celebration, a hike through Palo Corona, and wished the boy apong a Happy Fathers' Day.