frugality among other naughty afterthoughts

i'd rather not dwell upon this subject really. i'd rather be constipated and freezing on top of an obscure hill just beyond this bend than be condemned later on for ungraciously flipping

the tab on a close relative... specifically an aunt. but whether or not she disowns me for

this, i really couldn't care less since i know i simply made this up for laughs.

she's the wife of my father's brother. a beauty queen in her prime, she would have easily

stole the thunder off most of sampaguita stars . she was much prettier and sharper in shape

than amalia fuentes (who would have passed as her sister, had she signed with doc perez). but no, she chose the life as the better (later, bitter) half of a southern mindanao town's photographer and gigolo.

of late, news has it that she had become awesomely frugal . of course, with the

hardest of times, you would not blame her if she switched on the power to their

house at 6p, and off the next day at 6a. or that she refused a water connection from

the local district, and enjoys fetching water from an old and weary well on the side of their house (very close to their antipolo-style toilet) ... or that the phone is disabled most of the time... abled only when she 'feels' that her children (who are still TNTs in the states) are to call. or that

she cooks in her earthen stove... or that everyday ,she walks 6 kms. to the elementary school where she teaches. of course we really couldn't care because that is what makes her

perfect!

but what really bangs me to the wall (and floor!) is that whenever she watches tv (which is

basically during news hours) she fades off the colorcast and settles for the black&white screen, its not that she's colorblind but she reasons: "Para makadaginot sa kulur!" (To save on the color), apparently she vehemently thinks that tv color can be saved and perhaps and half-a-chance last longer (for whatever ungodly reason) for future utility.