White space

There is very little white space on my calendar for like the next 3 weeks. It seems there's something to do every day and the days that there isn't I have to do something to get ready for one of the upcoming things.

This week last night was the empty night which I spent cutting up graduation pictures to hand out at the family brunch I am having. Designing and printing the invitations and addressing the graduation announcements. I also reviewed some college forms for my son for the housing and class selection that need to be mailed out and made hotel reservations for our trip up in August AND for Family Weekend in October because some of the hotels were already sold out!
I bagged some of the boys old clothes to give to SIL when I see her on Mother's Day for her boys and cleared out my emails that I hadn't read in a few days.

But in the nest 3 weeks we have: State Track Meet (of course in another city, thereby requiring travel), awards dinner, prom, graduation mass, graduation & grad lunch, family brunch, Mother's Day, MILs birthday, plus all the regular every day life stuff! Tonight it's coffee night. I can't wait to see my girlfriends, they always help recharge me.

Time out!

I gave myself a timeout this weekend. Well, at least Saturday. Hubby and 15 went to a NFL Draft Party and then tickets to the Bon Jovi concert so they left at 1:00 and wouldn't be back until the wee hours. 18 went to Orlando on Friday for Grad Bash so I expected him to sleep in and then to go watch The Draft at a friend's house. At least that was his plan.
So, at noon I had plans to learn how to make Natilla and then just hang out at home all by myself. I was going to putz around on the computer and print some picture to do some light scrapbooking, cook and freeze some meals, and watch old movies that I had recorded on the big screen TV! Ah, the best laid plans....

Natilla class went great. YUMMY! and then I went home and 18 was sprawled on the sofa half asleep with the draft on. Are you going to stay home, I asked him (to rearrange my plans)? No, I 'm just watching the draft. Well, no biggie, I had other things to do. I went to the kitchen and took out all the meats that I wanted to thaw so I could cook later. I putzed around on the computer and sent some pictures to print online because I didn't have enough ink for the printer, so there goes the light scrapbooking. No problem. I cleaned out my wallet and wrote a note to the cleaning lady for Monday about some things I wanted her to focus on since I am having people over after graduation in a few weeks. I called my SIL and we chatted a while, it was her bday. I took a shower. It's now 5:30. 18 is asleep on the sofa. I start to change the channel. He wakes up: NO! I'm watching the draft.
Me: No, you are sleeping with the draft on. Why don't you watch it in bed?
18: Because then I will fall asleep for sure. -Apparently he was asleep for maybe on the sofa.
Me: Well, I have a movie I'd like to watch, can you please watch it in the room because I want to cook while I watch it.
18: Why can't I watch TV in MY OWN HOUSE IN PEACE?! - apparently he paid the mortgage off while I was cleaning out my wallet. He's grumpy, hasn't slept. I take a deep breath
ME: Well, you had said you were going to a friends and I made plans. I already switched them around and you have had this TV for over 2 hours. Now, I think it's my turn. There are 3 other TVs in the house. You can watch on one of those.
18: harrumphs and drags his body off the sofa and goes to his room.
I begin to cook and watch Masterpiece Theater's Emma. In mid saute, 18 stomps out of the house stating he's going to Friend's house. I let it roll off and continue cooking. I made Italian meatballs and froze enough for 1 dinners, I made steak burritos, set one aside for dinner, set 3 aside for 18 for dinner and froze the rest (8), I made Sloppy Joe mixture for lunch for Sunday all while watching Emma then Miss. Austin Regrets and then the 2nd part of Sense and Sensibility.

In the middle of it all 18 did come home for dinner in a much better mood. I paused the movie and he ate the burritos while I continued in my cooking. We chatted about Grad Bash, he talked to about the Draft, and I reminded him and he called his aunt for her bday. I finished up my cooking and sat to finish watching Austin Regrets and he tossed himself on the sofa to watch some. Mumbled something about how anyone could watch this and showered to go to a party.
Alone again. I cleaned up the kitchen and watched the rest of the movies while crocheting.
SO RELAXING! It was wonderful. It was recharging. I really needed that. I didn't think, I didn't try to solve any problems, or plan anything. I just relaxed and cooked, watched movies and crocheted. PERFECT.
Then came Sunday and I had to think and do responsible stuff. But I don't' want to think about that. Reliving Saturday is much nicer.

I fell off the edge but I'm getting back up now...

Where have I been? you ask. I know you didn't really ask but this is my blog, so there. I have been struggling. Struggling with obligation, guilt, responsibility, sacrifice all those types of words...


I won't get into details because I know it will turn into a tirade and well I'm not doing that. Suffice it to say that GM is testing every fiber of my being. Friends have commented to me that I'm quite and they can tell something's wrong. I am really trying people. They say it's a ll a matter of outlook, attitude, happiness is a decision we make when we get up in the morning. It's hard people. I'm really trying. What my gut tells me I should be doing she doesn't want me to do. I think I should be her go to person, there to help her burden, her emergency contact, her helper in all things. I am none of those things because she doesn't want me to be. I don't think it's that I am hurt by it. I am truly struggling because I think I have an obligation and responsibility to be those things and I don't know how to do it when she doesn't want it. I have also been told by more than one Dr. over the years that all this strife that I have over her is making my physically unwell. OK, I'm rambling already and I didn't want to do that. You can only lead a horse to water, you can't make him drink. And GM doesn't even want to go near the water because I filled the trough. I don't know what she wants/expects from me and I truly think I just need to let go. I have been telling myself that for 3 weeks now. It's not easy. It's one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. I'm trying. I'm really trying. I'm trying to do this and not feel like I'm failing. I have ordered some self-help books that have been recommended to me to help me through this and my next step is therapy which I am seriously considering if I feel like this much longer.
So, I am putting on a smile and focusing on my kids and on myself...things that make me happy...things that make me feel good about me....still praying for patience...taking baby steps.

Book Review

I finished reading Into Thin Air by John Krakauer. It's a true story about a Mt. Everest expedition gone bad. Obviously, he survives and writes the book but not everyone climbing that season was that lucky.
It was tough to read because well it's real. There are some very technical parts. I read more about ice climbing than I ever thought I would in this life time and yet I remember very of those details because I think that's when my eyes would glass over.
Typically I read during lunch. Someone who sees me read often actually stopped and asked me "Is it that bad?" I just looked up at him and didn't know how to respond and he went on to say "Your forehead is all scrunched up, your shoulders are tense. I've heard you laugh out loud and even seen you cry while reading but you look like this is painful." I explained what the book was about and he just thought I should read something more enjoyable. I took a deep breath, rolled out the kinks in my shoulders and plodded on slowly up the South Col of Everest.
The story itself is interesting and I guess by my physical reaction while reading, it was written well enough to put me there on the great mountain. But I can't say I enjoyed it. It just wasn't my cup of tea. If you like high adventure books, then this is for you but honestly, I probably could have been satisfied watching an interview. I will recommend this to few people because I don't think it's for just anyone.

Good-Bye

A friend's brother passed away night before last. I don't know any details but what do I need to know? She loved him and now he's no longer with us. That's all I need to know. I can't even begin to imagine what she is going through right now. I haven't been able to talk to her yet. I can't wait to see her and just give her a hug. I only met Mark once, at his father's funeral but I know about him through my friend. I know that she loved him very much and will be greatly affected by his passing. His children are young and she will be there for them to help them remember their dad. He will be missed and his memory cherished by those he leaves behind. May they take some comfort in the thought that he is in a happy place now and has a peace of mind and heart that we can only imagine. My heart and prayers go out to them all.

I'm not nosey...I just care!

OK, maybe this in nothing and it probably isn't anything but it's getting to me. I realize I don't ask about everyone all the time. I mean I would spend half an hour asking you about everyone and we wouldn't talk about anything! I just expect to be told about whatever thing is happening to whoever I need to know about because you know who I know and well let's back up a little shall we.

When something is going on in my life or in the life of one close to me whether that thing is good or bad I tell certain people about it; my support group, if you will. I keep in touch with people, I believe in the power of positive thinking and in prayer. So, I spread the word. I don't rent a billboard but I tell a few choice people. Why? Because they care. At least I thought so. Because they are my friends. At least I thought so. Maybe we have different definitions of friends. But there are my "GoTo" people. I thought I was one of their "GoTo" people too. But I am finding out that more than one of these people recently had a parent hospitalized for testing or procedures and I didn't know about it. Maybe I'm not one of their GoTo people, I guess I don't have to be. Wow, I feel like I just told somebody I love them and they don't say it back -which has happened to me too. Maybe they don't realize I care. Maybe I need to ask. Maybe they just don't want me to know. Maybe I need to let this go.

Monday excitement!

We flipped my mattress. Since we were flipping it we washed the sheets off of their regular cycle. Woo Hoo! Can you feel the excitement in the air? Sometimes you need to slow down but I can't imagine it being any slower.
I figure it's got to pick up from here.

What's cookin?

This was a food weekend!

I got another box of organic fruit and veggies from my organic food co-op. This week I had 3 fresh beets in there along with lots of other goodies. But the beets were exciting because I have never made beets. There's the whole trauma with the messiness because of the staining and how exactly does one cook beets. WELL, a good friend of mine sent me some recipes and I ended up baking them like a baked potato. I wrapped them in foil and baked them at 400 for a little over an hour. Once they were done the skins came off with a paper towel. I par boiled the leaves and sliced them up in ribbons and tossed them with the sliced beets and feta cheese and toasted walnuts and olive oil and cider vinegar. It was really yummy! The mystique is over. It was really easy- who knew!

Then on Sunday we had another Cuban cooking class. We learned how to make Cuban chicken Soup. Now, I've made chicken soup. But it didn't taste like this. It was YUMMY and easy! The whole thing didn't take more than an hour and half tops - and I think I'm stretching it. If you want to learn how, check out the other blog for the recipe and step by step instructions over here. I brought some for lunch today. It's such a nice way to spend the day. We sat around and chatted with my friend's parents, you could see how much fun they were having and how much they were enjoying teaching us and talking to us. I am enjoying these 'classes' so much.
I think next month may be Natilla. I've got to work on planning that.

Tips: College

I had no idea that you could talk to the Financial Aid office and negotiate! Well, I did it. Tell everyone you know. This is the best kept secret (as far as I'm concerned) about paying for college. I got them to increase his scholarship. AMAZING!!!!
#1: Apply to anywhere you want to go even if financially is it out of your reach. If you get accepted the school will put together a package so that you can afford it.

#2: Apply to more than one school. Most applications ask you to list what other schools you are applying to. If they don't have any competition they are less likely to be in a hurry to accept you.

#3: Ask questions. I have spoken to the FinAid office of 3 very different schools and they are very nice, helpful and willing to answer questions and help educate you on the process.

#4: Fill out the FAFSA (the govt. financial aid form) which ALL the schools use early. Scholarship $ gets given away fast. It's a first come first serve type of deal.

#5: Negotiate! Call, walk thru the numbers with them. I flat out told her, look I can't afford the gap. He simply can't go because the cost is prohibitive. She worked with me and I got and additional 15% in scholarship $. My son is going to the school he wants which is waaaay out of my reach and his aid package comes out to 75% of the cost. The cost not tuition, annual cost, that includes room & board, meals, books, incidentals and a couple trips home.

I did this yesterday and I feel like I won the lottery!

Balance?

I laugh in the face of balance! Who needs you?! I certainly do not!
Fri...
Bought/gathered the goods to make the pañales, cut up and sewed the hems and prepped the rest for the road trip, up until midnight when 15 and his friends got picked up for his weekender (I didn't see him again until Sunday at 10:30- when I got home), forgot to make Sat's dinner. The best laid plans....
Sat...
Up at 4:15 making breakfast to fuel a long distance runner, left the house in the dark at 5:45 with hubby to Sebastian thinking I'll keep sleeping in the car. The rainstorm of the century decided to come down upon us and I was wide awake with hubs trying to make sure that we stayed in our lane and not hit anything. Everyone driving with their hazards on at 20 mph with minimal visibility. Are we having fun yet!? We did that forever (read: a good hour) and then it finally started letting up. Who can sleep now? I'm wide awake so begin crocheting in the car. WE finally make it to The Meet miraculously on time, with 15 minutes to spare. It's freezing! The wind it blowing 30 mph (read: 30 mph- seriously!) Gratefully, I find a windbreaker in the trunk of the car because I'm in short sleeves and brought a broad rimmed floppy straw hat for sun shade! We find the team and settle in the bleachers, 18 is in the first race the 4x800. He runs well but the wind made a difference in the times. The team came in 6th in that event. Well, we got points for the team. I spent the entire day sitting in the stand crocheting off and on, tossing drinks down to kids on the track, handing out snacks and food in the stands, hubby made a run to the grocery store, we all got sunburned and were cold. Lots' s of good fun. The races were awesome. We placed in everything we competed in except the discus and shotput. We were in 1st or 2nd place the entire morning. After the lunch break we were in 1st but only by a few points. It was tight all afternoon. The final race, 4x400, we are up by only 6 points. Our cross-town district rivals are in second place, this is their best event. 18 was the first leg, he ran a close 2nd, we ended up in 7th place giving us 2 more points and our rivals came in 2nd place giving them the 9 points they needed to win The Meet by one point! it was very exciting. Our boys ran their hearts out. We drove back, beat just beat! Showered while dinner got delivered, ate and to bed.
Sunday...
Slept in till 9:30. Nice. But by the time I came out of the bathroom hubby tells me its 10:40. WHAT! I was in there for 10 minutes not an hour! He gives me some crap about Spring forward. Whatever! After breakfast, I proceeded to wash, dry and fold 637 loads of laundry (precisely that many), make a grocery list for hubby, pick up for the cleaning lady that's coming on Mon., all while watching The Bridcage. I love that movie. It's hysterical! I cooked the meat for tomorrow's dinner...yeah! and left at 5:00 to go have amazing Indian food with my girlfriends. Boy was that delish!
Not exactly the balanced weekend I planned but there ya go. Life got in the way again. But it's all good; a good time was had by all.

Weekend planning

So, as you know it's off to Sebastian, FL tomorrow for the Track Meet. I bought some crochet thread in a seafoam green to crochet a border for the baby blanket. Well, it's not a blanket I think it may be called a Receiving Blanket in English. It's made of diaper cloth. Anyway they didn't have the diaper cloth at my craft store. I will try to go after work to another one that's sort of on the way home. If not then I will embroider a design on a bib. I have a yellow bib at home a gajillions of pattern and thread. So between that and the book I need to finish I am good for the trip.

Tonight I am making Carne con Papa to leave done for tomorrow's dinner. That way we have food ready to eat when we get home for dinner. Tonight I am making fish for me and dad and Shrimp Alfredo for the runner because he needs the carbs. Plus I will do a little scrapping after I get everything ready for tomorrow.

Sunday, I want to sew. I have some pillow forms and a pink fluffy material that I bought a while back to make pillows for my niece. I am also going to dinner with my girlfriends. We are going to try a vegetarian Indian restaurant. I also need to update my agenda with dates for other track meets and a few other things the kids have told me about. Plus I have some Thank you cards to send out.

If I actually do these things then I will have actually done like all my favorite things in one weekend! It sounds like an aggressive list to me. Let's see how it turns out.

On the Road...

We are driving to Sebastian, FL on Saturday. I have never been there. We are going for a track meet. It's a 2 1/2 hour drive. 18's first race is at 9:30am. Lovely, I know. You realize the race lasts less than 10 minutes. You do the math. Anyway, moving on.

I have been thinking of what to do in the car on the drive up and back and during the incredible amount of down time that there will be all day. I mean yes, I will watch and root for the other racers form our school but let's face it I am going to be there ALL day.

I'm taking a book to read and I was thinking of taking a new project (since I haven't finished any others why not start a new one?) I think I'm going to make some baby things for a couple of friends who's daughter's are pregnant. I could embroider a bib or crochet a border on a 'pañal' Cuban-style baby blanket. Either of those projects are portable and can actually get done in a day if you work on it. Hmmm... I may actually already own most of these supplies. I'll have to check tonight. Because if I don't I can hit the craft store on my lunch hour tomorrow. Exciting a new project! I'll let you know if it happens and how far I get. I need to start taking pictures of this stuff and learning how to post them. But that would be another project. ;)

Morning talk.

When I got to the kitchen Hubby was checking his watch and harrumphing. I asked -nicely- do I have time for breakfast or are you in a hurry? He said I had 3 minutes. Well, microing my egg only takes 60 seconds. So, I moved ahead. In that 60 seconds, I took out a slice of bread and buttered it and stuck a banana and my bottle of vitamins in my purse. At the ding I dumped the scramble into the slice of bread and folded it in half as I grabbed a paper towel to eat it in the car. I'm ready to go. While I was doing this he was sitting on the sofa watching morning news drinking his cafe con leche and 18 came out of his room and ransacked the clothes in the dryer asking me what I did with the stuff in his pockets. I didn't DO anything, I didn't do the laundry. So, what did dad do with it, he asks. So, I translate for dad. DAD! Did you do anything with the stuff in 18's pants pockets? What was in his pockets? Mind you 18 is standing less than 2 feet from me at the dryer and doesn't answer. I translate again: What was in your pockets. Money he answers. 15 is silently standing by the door just shaking his head waiting for 18 to go to school. Hubby is now standing lets say 6 feet away coffee in hand staring at me waiting for an answer. Money, I translate. Does he need some? You realize that they are closer to each other than to me now but he is still asking me. I keep playing the game. Do you need money? I dunno whatever as he slams the dryer door and proceeds to walk out of the house to the car. I don't think so, I tell hubby. Who then chases after 18 outside. I proceed to walk out and get in the truck eating my breakfast to go. Hubby comes over to my window and taps because apparently the handle won't work for him and he can't open the door. I roll (yes, roll) down the window. I need your keys, he tells me. I hand them to him. He walks over and locks the front door and comes back to the car.
As we drive to my office, Hubby keeps looking at his watch I'm going to be late because you were talking to 18 plus I forgot to take out dinner because you interrupted me. I almost choked on the last bite of my sandwich. Apparently, I interrupted his morning when I asked if he was in a hurry and then I decided to have a leisurely chat with 18 about money. Who knew!? My people don't do well in the morning with words...ya think?!

MARCH!

It's March already and I realized this weekend that I have not read one book yet. Heck, I have only read scrapbook magazines. I am in the middle of "Into Thin Air" and I've been in the middle of it since December! So, I brought it in to work today and by golly I am going to read on my lunch hour. I have to get a balance on all the things I like to do and not let any one get out of hand. Yeah right.

My good deed for today was surprising my GM at the Rehab Center for breakfast. I took her a pastelito and cafe con leche on my way in to work. I have the car today because the boys have a Track meet and go on the bus. She was surprised to see me since I didn't call first. She loved the pastelito and ate that plus the breakfast they gave her. And I took her and her neighbor a couple of books. For my GM, Mario Puzo's "The Godfather" and for her neighbor one in Spanish because she doesn't read English by Isabel Allende.

It was a nice way for me to start the day too.

Cuban cooking

Not too long ago was the inaugural Cuban cooking class. It's being documented over here.

I have been wanting to do this for years. I have talked about doing this for years with family and friends and it's finally happened. I am so happy about it. It means a lot to me. I don't know if I can put it into words but here goes. I didn't grow up here in Miami. I grew up in Northern Virgina and so my sense of "being Cuban" is VERY different from that of my friends who all grew up here.

In fact, growing up my family didn't talk a lot about Cuba and their life there, their exodus etc. I caught bits and pieces because I learned early on how to sit quietly and listen. Grown ups tend to forget that you are there and you pick up on all kinds of things. In any event, the gist is that Cuba wasn't a part of my upbringing the same way it is if you grow up here in Miami. My parents and grandparents all spoke perfect English. I didn't even study Spanish in high school. I studied French and by the time I graduated high school I spoke that better than Spanish. My Spanish was negligible and I couldn't read or write it all.

My grandparents and parents actually went to school here in the states and therefore acclimated very easily to American life. They had homes in the states, in Cuba, Madrid, Miami and Tampa since the early 30's and travelled back and forth with ease. My parents were very American and brought us up that way. I didn't grow up on the Cuban-American hyphen. My mother was adamant that we were American. I know that was a sore spot between my parents. My grandparents and father were very active in politics (that was why they relocated to Northern Va.) and therefore made many friends and enemies Cubans, Cuban-Americans and Americans alike. My father always put me and my brother in the forefront of any march or protest. I don't remember all the causes but I remember all the arguments. My mother always won only allowing us to participate if we carried American flags not Cuban flags because we are American not Cuban. Period. And so with that as a background, you can understand that meals at my home were meatloaf and mashed potatoes not palomilla and frijoles. My grandmother never cooked anything, it's just not her style. My paternal grandmother was the cook and although she ended up in Elizabeth NJ, working in a factory after her jet-set life, I always thought of her as my only proof of 'being Cuban'. Since she lived so far away, I never shared those things with her but I am always told that I am a lot like her.
I didn't grow up with the Cuban smells, sounds and tastes. I only experienced that in the summers when I would come to visit in Miami. It was a whole other world. Honestly, I never thought I'd live here. I always associated Miami with vacation not life, work and real world stuff. Nevertheless, here I am. For years, I talked about learning to cook the recipes that my husband's grandmothers made for us by heart, with a pinch of this and a little of that. Sadly, it never happened and we have since said good-bye to both of those ladies. And as I am now watching his parents, aunts and uncles get older and a little more tired I am determined to learn these things because I want to be able to pass them on to my grandkids and not have these meals just be a memory that my kids talk about to them but I want to pass them on to them.
I know there are a million restaurants that we can go to and buy the food already made but it's not the same. (I'm the one who makes Thanksgiving completely from scratch-just because.) When one of my kids ends up in Timbuktu and I can make Arroz con Pollo or Carne Asada and Flan, it will bring back a flood of memories and help create new ones for others. I love when 18 walks in the house when I am making Ropa Vieja and says "It smells like abuela's house when I was little." It makes me smile.

The kitchen is the heart of the home and I don't want to loose the Cuban beats. That's why I was so excited about the lesson a few weekends ago and look forward to those to come. We were taught to make ham croquettes. When my husband bit into a freshly fried one he said "I remember these." I later fried a few to take to my GM at the rehab center and when she took the first bit she said they were just like when she was little. It brought tears to my eyes. It took her to such a happy place and that meant so much to me to be able to do that. Memories...more and more I am convinced that's what it's all about...memories. Que siga la tradicion...
Mom, I know I'm American but I think I am much more than that and I embrace it all.

A Raisin in the Sun

I read this play last summer. Why? Because I never had but I knew about it. As I read it I recalled the story I still couldn't remember from where or if I had read it in school. No matter. It was worth a reread.

A remake of the movie was on TV last night. It was excellent. Phylicia Rashad, Sean Combs, Audra McDonald and Sanaa Lathan were all perfectly cast. The story is 1959 but it's today too. Unfortunately, you still see the racism - at least I do. The story is about family, family bonds, family ties, family dreams. Each member of the family has their dreams, everyone supports one another at the same time pushing and pulling and dreams get broken and sacrificed for the family. 1959 and it covers everything from poverty, race discrimination, civil rights, women's rights, protest, social assimilation, abortion, religion. So many heavy topics in such a short glimpse of the family - the story only covers a few days.

This group of actors is the same one that performed the revival of the play on Broadway. I would love to see them live. It was 3 hours last night with all the commercials and I probably cried for 2 of them as I watched them all stumble and fall and get up again. It was excellent....everyone should see/read this story. Kudos Ms. Lorraine Hansbery. I can't imagine writing this and publishing it in 1959. Now I want to see the original movie with Sydney Poitier.

Lights, Camera, Action!

Last night we watched the Oscars. I remember back when hubby and I were dating we went to the movies EVERY weekend and we knew all the movies that were nominated at the Oscars in all the main categories and watching the Oscars was an interactive experience. It was fun. We would bet who was going to win what, we'd talk to the TV and argue with the Academy when the wrong person/movie won. Last night I just sat there and watched commenting on clothes not movies.
So, I went to my Netflix and proceeded to add ALL of the movies that have won Best Picture in Oscar's 80 years. Lower your eyebrows! I've seen half! I added 40 movies to my Netflix including last night's winner. Let's see if I can get hubby to watch some of those old ones!

You will be hearing more about this.

Good-Bye

One of a kind....classy...those are the first two words that pop into my head about Beba, my best friend's mom. We said good-bye to her today. Yes, it was sad and we cried but it was beautiful to see the gathering of friends and family that came to support my friend and help her say see you later to her mom. From down the street to Boca Raton to Cape Coral to New York and even the Brother who performed the service at her parents wedding anniversary was passing through from a visit to Cuba attended the service. I know Beba loved that.

I met Beba when her husband passed away and she was already suffering from the short term memory loss and the beginning of Alzheimer but she was a wonderful lady. From the stories she told, the way she carried herself and the stories I have heard from her daughter I can tell you she was someone I would have loved to know 20 years ago. Her strength of character, her love of life was all very apparent.

The service was nice... a few hours at the funeral parlor and then a mass. It was a weekday and so some people went to one thing or the other only a few to both. I think Beba would have liked that too. I don't think she would have wanted a big fuss- that wasn't her style- she wouldn't want to disrupt everyone's day completely but different people comig and going visiting and catching up, looking at pictures, saying good-bye, going to mass - I think that was her style. The mass was in Spanish as it should have been for Beba. The presided priest, clearly a Spaniard, said some lovely things not all of which were understood because of his stong Spanish accent. And ya know I think Beba was chuckling because ya know there had to be little something to stand out and make the event memorable. It just fit.

After the service we went to Versailles for lunch. As hubby calls it 'Ground Zero for the Cuban Exiles', we took the friends from the West Coast to eat traditional Cuban Food. I don't think it was by accident that we were 5 but they sat us at a table for 6. The extra spot ws for Beba encouraging us to entertain the out of town friends and introduce them to something new.

So, I had a Mojito for Beba and ate too much and spent the rest of the day hanging with my friends because I think that's was Beba would have wanted. I see her hand in hand with her husband, who I know she missed terribly because she always talked about him when I saw her and they lovingly watched us enjoying each other's company. So, bye Beba, say hi to my mom she's the one on the dance floor laughing.

Lovely

What a nice weekend I had.....Semi-prodictive, VERY relaxing and lots of reconnecting....just lovely!

Saturday, after running errands early and doing house chores, I had lunch at home with hubby. Nothing special, just reheated leftovers from the crappy week but it was just the 2 of us and we sat and talked and it was nice.

We then went and picked up 18 at the airport from his week in DC. Heard a bunch of stories, he had a great time. We had an early dinner and all 4 four of us just sat around after dinner and 18 told us stories and we updated him on things from our week. It was nice. It all seemed so "grown-up". Hubby and I commented later that it was a little surreal that those were our children seeming like adult friends. Again, it was nice. Saturday night hubby and I hung out together and watched Tivo and folded clothes and sorted some pictures that I will be scrapping.

Sunday, I didn't have time to make the usual waffle breakfast for the boys because they slept in and I had the first cooking class that day but I left them the batter ready to go and was happy to hear later that they made their own waffles when they each got up. Of course, hubby commented that he hopes they ate more than they spilled all over the counter.

The cooking class... I am organizing cuban cooking classes to pass down home recipies to this generation. This was our inaugural class. it was at one of my best friends' mom's house. We learned to make ham croquettes. It was fabulous. Such a wonderful time. During the downtime form the actual cooking we sat aroudn and she showed us on old photo album and we talked about all sorts of things: Cuba, our kids, comparing the raising of kids from their times to our times to our kids, music etc.. It was soooooo nice!

When I got home 18 had me fry up some croquettes right away and loved them. We had another easy nice dinner and then the boys went out. I did some scrapping and hubby watched TV and we called it an early night around 11.

Such an easy, pleasant weekend. I wish everyday could be that way....

not a good week

As you know I had 2 teeth pulled unexpectedly. My GM is in the hospital with gall stones arguing and fighting with everyone. My best friends mom passed away. I found out that my EFC (Expected Family Contribution) for 18s college is $17,846 according to Uncle Sam. Do they think I am hiding it in my matress? WTF?! andmy mouth still hurts. Just a bad week. Is it over yet?