Portia’s Island

Its another Sunday in the house without Orrin. It feels very quiet now without the little guy running around and keeping me busy. We had to leave him in Silay with his Lola so that I can focus on conducting my fieldwork. Nanay was quite happy to have him there, because Orrin came with his yaya, a month’s supply of milk, diapers and cerelac. He really made the house come alive. Nanay’s original baby on four legs (a dog named Frodo) rarely gets attention now that Orrin is there. Orrin likes all the attention he gets from everybody, and he makes sure he gets it most of the time, the little entertainer.

As for me, since I got sick with the flu, I am taking it easy for today. But tomorrow, we are going to Apo Island, and staying there for until Thursday, diving and snorkelling and doing my thing, observing parrotfish behavior. Behavioral ecology is fun, I like it. (But a my husband would say, only a geek like me can say that). In the tradition of Jane Goddall and Diane Fossey, I am doing my best to learn something from the parrotfishes. hahaha! And of course, get closer to finally completing the degree that is taking me 7 years to complete…

I wish though that Orrin is here. I really miss having him around. If only he were big enough to go with us to Apo Island without having to lug around all the milk and diapers….. I am so looking forward to the time when he can be weaned from diapers and milk and a bit more independent, and we can finally take him with us in diving trips around Negros Island. And when he is big enough to wear the smallest snorkel and fins we can find, then he is ready to start exploring the reefs with me and his Papi. And the day he can go diving with us would be just as important as the day he took his first steps in the world…..