it's not "goodbye", only "see you soon"

i start this post knowing that i'll probably be in tears at concluding it. but here goes...
thursday, nov. 4, was my last day at summit (also dennis's). it was also a terribly busy day. sunshine, my replacement (unlike LL who's irreplaceable. haha!) came in for the first time, and the poor girl had to absorb so much info all at once. i hope she understood at least half of my bombardments. but i rest assured that she can always ask bubbles or sonee when she's in doubt.
we had planned to have a despedida dinner at JT's manukan grille, owned by mr. joel torre, along ortigas ext. at 6:30pm. but by 6, i still had so many things to fix up, clear, and organize into my already burgeoning backpack. many thanks to mems who lent me her bag--which she will reclaim in baguio by month's end. (di ba?)
finally, at the prodding of my officemates, i decided to abandon the mammoth task for later, and have the "despedida festivities" commence. i was so touched that some of them bought me going-away gifts! i had to open them right at the office!
mems and cindy were commenting throughout the day that they would make me cry. that remained to be seen.
first up, mems gave me a book by jessica zafra (her favorite author, i must add) and a cute keychain. next, in a unique nao-covered wrapper (just for me!), was cindy's gift, a cute chinese figurine (?) on a spring. and her "back-up" gift (daw) na korean cup. jenny gave me a small korean teacup with (wowee!) cute dangling earrings that she made herself. since i was wearing a pink skirt, they matched my outfit, so i wore the earrings. my boss gave me a cutesy photo frame.

i stopped by koko's desk to say goodbye and whisk her off to introduce sunshine. and she gave me some of these snacks from childhood.

kat and regie and aby and lui, gave me some "going-away" mags. they and some other people from advertising also tried to talk me out of leaving. umm...much too late!
sadly, jac and joel couldn't make it. sonee had urgent business she and jason had to attend to, so we had our pic taken together at the office.

we proceeded to manukan in batches. first to arrive was moi with miel, bubbles, and cleone. but as soon as we got there, cleone had to go because her mom fetched her to go to a family dinner. we said our "see you soon"s. we ordered for everyone while waiting. and good thing! because it was a busy night and the tables were filling up fast! eventually, the rest of the people came and the laugh- and glutton-fest started.

kat came straight from shangri-la, and gave me this--she made it especially for me!

my pretty pals who inevitably "kidnap" me from work.

jenny came to office just to come to the despedida! (and don't you just love the earrings she gave me?)

with my "pasaway proteges"

the wicked bitches (witches) pass on the torch/throne/broom

i spent 10-hour days, 5 days a week with these people (more or less), and in the 1 1/2 years (shy of a few days) that i've been at summit, they are the most valuable "acquisitions".
and yes, i'll be in baguio! see you guys in december...