Saturday, January 31, 2009

The LAST Chapter

So as you know I was in Houston for three weeks and then flew to Colorado to see the "one and only" Matilda Isabella ( and her parents, of course). Oh my what fun that was - being on the floor with her and playing. Or just sitting watching her antics. I have enlarged the picture above to 8x10 and have it in my bedroom so when I wake up in the morning that is my "wakeup call". It's so great having a baby in our family again.
I love this photo of she and I with her little Christmas shirt on with the fur around the neck and cuffs. Can you tell she's got auburn hair? What a delightful surprise.
I brought the wings for Matilda - I'm hoping she uses them for Halloween costumes, dance recitals or whatever is in her future. I thought this photo was cute because of the light and the usual chaos of paper and gifts on Christmas morning.
And this last photo is the famous "crinkly nose" routine. I tried for a couple of days to capture her doing this. Then after I laughed out loud at her doing it - every time from then on when she saw me with the camera, she made this crinkly nose face. Too cute.

I took 349 photos and these are just a few of the many, I won't bore you with allllllllll of them. Hopefully I haven't bored you with all of these. It's who I am and what I love...........at least the family part of my life.
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Delayed Gratification - Chapter 3

It's so great that Hannah and Christopher are so close in age and always have so much fun together. Just in case you don't remember, Hannah is the twin of Andrew from my daughter Julie and Christopher is my daughter Jennifer's son. He's now 10 years old. Hannah is 11. So for an adventure I got the two of them together - Hannah lives north of Houston and Christopher lives in Houston and we spent the day doing all kinds of fun things. First stop, Pappasito's for lunch. It's a must on every trip to Houston cause I love Tex-Mex and so do the kids - well sort of - Christopher had hot dogs, whatever.
Christopher reminds me more and more of his Mom. He has those full cheeks and beautiful lips. He also has her great sense of humor. He is the legacy that she left to us to remind us of her all the time. Anway, I love this goofy shot of him at the restaurant.
Then we left and went to the movies. But it was a movie that you had to park in the parking garage which was very confusing. I started to park somewhere and Christopher was saying,"No, No Grammy you CAN'T park here - they'll TOW you!" I acted like I was going to anyway and he said, "Hannah YOU talk to her!" Made me laugh out loud........so we got into the movie theater and the movie didn't start for about 45 minutes and there were all kinds of video games and a photo booth. Neither of them had ever been in a photo booth. WHAT fun they had taking goofy photos - I'll share that with you at another time. It brought back memories. Haven't all of us been in one of those booths at some time in our lives? So somehow the subject of birthdays came up and they realized that my birthday had come and gone and that neither had gotten me a present (their thought not mine) and lo and behold, with the money they had brought for the video games, they bought a pink shell bracelet for me instead of using the money for themselves. Of course I treasure it more then any diamond I've ever been given. Pretty cool, huh?

We saw the movie Madagascar and left the movie singing, "Move it, Move it".........see, this is how I let my "inner child" out - by being with the kids.
This last photo of Christopher is on another day. He arrived after a birthday party where they went to the mall and MADE remote control cars. Those of you in the states know about the "Build a Bear" stores - well this is a build a car for boys. A brilliant idea in my opinion. They had cake and ice cream and made their cars. AND it runs. At the end, after finishing the cars, they got a certificate with their name on it and the greatest "car" box to keep it in. Someone is a marketing genius. Christopher was very proud of it, as well he should be, and wanted me to take a photo of him with it.

My cup runneth over with memories from this past Thanksgiving and Christmas time. I'm a very lucky lady.
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Friday, January 30, 2009

Galveston Revisited

My history and life are tied to the destiny of Galveston. Simply because I love the water and that was the closest place to go for 34 years of my life and my kid's lives. Sitting on the shore looking out over the water at the horizon, there wasn't a problem that couldn't be solved or a decision made - it was so easy, at the beach. Every chance we had, that's where we headed.

I returned there in November, mainly to see my dear friends Vandy and Sue and to see what devastation and loss they had suffered and what it was going to take to bring their lives back to what they were before - OMG, I was shocked and devastated at what I saw. No, everything looks wonderful in this shot looking out to the horizon
BUT, when you turned around, it was devastation everywhere. Debris like water heaters, car parts, street lights and whole sides of houses littered the ground, the ditches and the sides of the road. Sue and Vandy kept saying "it looked so much better" and I thought, "How can that be?"

It has now been 3 1/2 months since Hurricane Ike hit - Sept 13th and they have yet to be able to start rebuilding their home! The insurance company hasn't settled, the permits haven't been issued and it goes on and on - a duplicate of the fiasco of New Orleans.

The house in the photo above will have to be torn down as will hundreds of homes since the tide line has moved inland about 100 to 500 ft. (I'm not sure if that is an accurate number). Let me put it this way - four rows of houses are gone on the west end of Galveston due to erosion and the storm surge, not to mention the next row or two that will be mowed down because of state law.
This shot of a cleared beach is where row upon row of houses once stood. Unbelieveable. The loss to the economy, to the psyche of the people and to the heritage of Galveston is immeasureable. Two of my favorite places on earth, New Orleans and Galveston have been changed forever.
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Thursday, January 29, 2009

Remember When?

Remember when there were big family get togethers and you, the kid, always had to sit at the "kids table". It still happens.
I still remember all the plotting and planning that I and my cousins would do when we were having feasts at my grandmother and grandfather's house. Once we hid a microphone and a tape recorder under the "big people's table" so we could find out what they talked about when we weren't around. Imagine our disappointment when all we heard was, "Pass the potatoes", "Gosh, the turkey is so moist" and "Where's the gravy?".
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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Delayed Gratification - Chapter 2

One of the many family traditions has been making a Gingerbread House for Christmas from time to time - not every year. Well this was the year and the Houston gang got started one night with all the necessary ingredients.

At the beginning everyone was happy............and clean.









It went downhill fast with sprinkles, glue, frosting and all matter of things spread out on the table and on the fingers of all participating. I was smart enough to be the "photographer"!



Andrew stepped in for about one minute to drop a few sprinkles and then disappeared.
Smart kid. Emma was having fun licking her fingers as much as making the house.














The funniest thing was that the eaves of the roof kept sliding down, so daughter, always the creative one, took two cans of tomato paste to prop up the roof til the frosting hardened.
A way better solution then I used once when I used a hot glue gun!
This is one of the family cats. I think it's Cheeto but it might be Chip - they look alike. He too, was mystified at the whole Gingerbread making process and sat watching the whole episode intently.

A fun time was had by all..........

The finished Gingerbread House will have to be in another post because for some reason it didn't come through on this one.........Arrrrgh
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Delayed Gratification - Chapter 1

It was frustrating, while in colorado and Texas, not to be able to download my digital camera photos. But, it was great when I got home to be able to do so and to enjoy reliving the whole escapade.

The very first thing that happened on the day I arrived was the birthday party for Hannah and Andrew - they turned 11.

My daughter is so talented and creative at coming up with fun themes and decorations for parties. This one was no exception. She had a pool (heated) party with "Sponge Bob Square Pants" as the theme. She made signs for all the food stations and the kids really enjoyed it all.

I remember the first time she asked me to go to Target to buy something by the name of Sponge Bob Square Pants and I felt so foolish. I just couldn't get my head around a
name like that! Little did any of us know that it would become such a success!


It was obvious to me on this visit that my "little" Hannah had somehow become a preteen since my last visit. How does that happen in a few months? She is such a sweet girl. I gave her a bicycle for Christmas and had it decorated in the front yard for her to go find. She was very very quiet when she saw it. I later asked her what she thought when I told her her Christmas presesnt was in the front yard? She said, "I thought it might be the Jonas Brothers". That absolutely cracked me up.........cause that would have cost tens of thousands of dollars! But a girl can wish can't she?





This picture of Andrew really touches my heart. You see, he is "special needs", yet the kids treat him with kindness and respect and actually no different then others. The little girl standing behind Andrew is his "mentor" at school to make sure he gets from one place to the other.













This last shot was taken before I knew how to take night shots but it does show how many kids were there! Andrew was so happy to be able to wear his favorite Sponge Bob shirt.
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Monday, January 26, 2009

Soooooooo Glad to be HOME!

I think I've mentioned it before, but I am sooooooo glad to be home! I walked down to the jardine today and was greeted like a returning celebrity or something with hugs and encouraging words. It sorta makes all the bad stuff worth it, sorta.

Had lunch with the "lunch bunch" which is like having lunch with the Keystone Cops. Especially when you have Norman, "El Diablo", around 85 there along with "Dallas" Tom who is sharp, but not always. It is just fun to sit back and listen to all of them. Everyone in the "gang" has a nickname, like "Quiet Bob", cause he never talks, hardly, and then there is "Old Joe" who is so upset because I'm not bringing Girl Scout cookies back this year - the highlight of his year.

It's all silly harmless fun. I delight in it.

Grabbed a cab up the hill cause my lungs aren't ready for that. I had the most incredible conversation with the 18 year old cab driver, Orlando. He was born in Michoacan but grew up in San Miguel. Most of his family, including his grandmother, live most of the year in the US. We talked about family and then he brought up Obama. He spoke of the hope that he and the Mexican people feel now that a "multiracial" man is President. He hopes that it will not be so difficult for Mexicans who live in the USA. And he hopes that integrity will be restored to the Presidency - his words. Wow! I got out of that cab with my heart singing and a smile on my face.

Yes, I'm sooooooooo glad to be home!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Spring and Summer Goddess

Do you remember back on August 23rd when I told you that a visionary artist had contacted me and wanted to send a sculpture to me? Well, Bill La Civita did send her to me in Houston. I unwrapped her at my friend Martha's house where we were just dumbfounded at how lovely she is and we "oohed and aahed" about her. I promptly called Bill and thanked him profusely for such an
amazing gift. He wanted me to donate the cost of the postage to a charity of my choice, about $40, and this went to the orphanage here in San Miguel for their Christmas party. What a generous man - the goddess and no costs at all. I carefully swaddled her in bubble wrap and she rode back fromTexas with me in a very, very safe place. She is in the garden downstairs outside my bedroom wall of windows where I can see her at all times. Don't you just love the way Bill used the shells to create the waves in her hair and the other shells for her eyes and cheeks? What a treasure.
If you want to see more of Bill's work go to http://rarevisionsroadtrip.com/ Then when you get to the site hit Flash Mx, then the Big Map and then Rhode Island, where Bill lives and creates. Click on Bill. If you are interested in acquiring some of Bill's visionary art, he says he has lots and would love to talk to you about it.
So, the Spring and Summer Goddess is firmly ensconced in the downstairs garden along with another concrete sculpture made for me at least 15 years ago by another well known artist, Hayes Parker from Houston who has been a dear friend forever. Aren't I a lucky lady? My garden is exquisite now...............
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Saturday, January 24, 2009

Chili Cookoff 2009

My first outing of 2009 turned out to be the Chili Cookoff
which benefits a local charity.

This is the third year of this event. The first year was held in a teeny, tiny dirt parking lot. This year there were 55 cookoff booths!
And, judging by the charros there and the amount of people sampling chili at each booth this was a huge success. It was the perfect
place for me to go today to let everyone know, all at once, that I'm home and alive. Above is my friend Deborah who is a beautiful
horse woman and delightful friend. And the photo below is me with one of the few Americans who is allowed to be a charro. It is a very exclusive thing to be a charro in Mexico..

Also, along with about 500 other people, were the "other" grandparents of Matilda. Lisa's parents. So, of course, I thought lets get a photo together.....why not? Lisa's mother rides almost daily.

And, one more fun photo of me with two charros. Glad I got out and saw everyone! It was a beautiful day - in the mid 70's.
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Friday, January 23, 2009

The "Gypsy Kids" Family Photo

I think this series of photos are hysterically funny. It's an attempt to get Baby Matilda, Mom, Dad and Dusty the Dog all to look
at the camera, smile and look perfect! It took many, many photos and these are the results. I was laughing hysterically, as I was the
incompetent photographer every time they yelled "NOW". I think the one below is the best. To me it looks like Dusty the Dog
is laughing too. Notice, of course, that Matilda is looking at Dusty and not at ME, the photographer - oh well, it was such fun!
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Forty Seven Years Ago Today

I've been trying to get the courage up all day to write this post. I went through a large basket of personal possessions of my daughter Jennifer's last night. Her Girl Scout badges, her baby book, her dolls and last but not least, the tiara she wore as homecoming queen in League City Texas in 1978.

I went through all the photos last night with the intent of posting many to share, but alas, today it was just not possible yet for me to do that.

Yes, it will be five years in May since she died, but still I can't post the photos or be enthused about posting this blog. I might not even post it.

There are so many things I would like to share with you, my friends, about this remarkable first born and the woman she became, but it's not time yet.

So, suffice to say, Happy 47th Birthday Jennifer - you are missed. The world is not as gentle as it was when you were here.

Love,
MOM

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Fading Away!

Literally. I knew my pants were loose, but I had NO idea until I got on the scale yesterday that I had lost 14 pounds in 3 weeks. Geez, what a way to do it though!

I think I'll write a book and call it the "I thought I was going to die" Diet, ha. Just think, if I had let them remove my gall bladder it might have been more weight.

Out to dinner with friends last night for delicious grilled salmon and all commented on my "thin" face. I think that was intended as a compliment............

Yes, I'm doing much better! I'm almost back to my "happy-go-lucky" self. Stay tuned.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

"We The People"

In my attempt at eloquence yesterday, all I really needed to say was, "We The People".
It was manifested today.............

Monday, January 19, 2009

Seeking Eloquence

If I were Michael of the blog, Tales of Zapata Street or Steve of Same Life - New Location or Calypso at Viva Veracruz, among others, eloquence would flow. BUT, I'm not.

I'm just a woman who was born in Chicago and then grew up in the 50's and 60's in Louisiana and saw and experienced prejudice because of my feelings and attitude that "ALL people are equal". It was a tough stance as a pre-teen, teenager and even as an adult. Often I learned it was safer to keep my mouth shut, yes safer. I was taken to a KKK rally by someone who didn't know my views outside of Bogalusa, La. in 1962. It was disgusting and terrifying to see what hatred can do to adults and how they fostered that on their children. Of course the Pearl River is not far from Bogalusa where the civil rights workers' bodies were recovered after they were murdered. Yes, it was safer to keep my mouth shut.

I was so blessed that my parents raised us without prejudice. I've mentioned that before on this blog. I remember my shock the first time I saw "white" water fountains and "colored" water fountains." I could sight so many stories. It would take a book.

All this is leading up to trying to put into words my awe, joy and pride in the USA that we finally got it right. Oh my, I'm so proud. I've worked on so many campaigns where the candidate I supported never had a chance. For once, that was not the case. Oh my, I'm so full of joy.
That my grandchildren and children will see that we are ALL equal, as they were raised to believe. And I'm awed at the Obama team who continue to select, project and orchestrate the beginnings of a new era in America.

Hopefully, it will be ONE country with all "equal." Amen.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

A teeny tiny treasure

It's funny as a collector, to wonder from time to time, if I have anything worth money. So imagine my surprise yesterday when I found out I had something worth probably more then gold. You'll be so surprised when I tell you what it is.

It's a bottle of Nasal Spray called Fluticasone Proponate - 16 g net wt. The reason I know it's worth a lot is that the final bill came from the hospital. On this itemized bill was the nosedrops that the nurse told me I might as well take with me, I had been charged for them. The cost for this small bottle of nose drops - $544.20. I'm not making this up. I could go on and on about the ludicrous amounts this HCA owned hospital charged for items.

I've decided when I'm well and ready to create - I'm going to make an "assemblage" with this bottle. Maybe I'll coat it with gold leaf or something.

I mean I understand businesses need to make a profit, but this must be against the law or something, don't you think?

You can bet I'll use up every drop of this medication before I use the bottle in that assemblage.

By the way, the final bill was $36, 337.81 That equates to about $9000 a day! Geez.........

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Two green lights and "flying low"

You ALWAYS want to get two green lights when coming back into Mexico from the USA. I did yesterday morning. It's not a big hassle if you do get a red light, but it just makes it easier to keep on going down the road. I always sigh with relief.

So I "flew low", tried to stay under the clouds - sometimes succeeding, sometimes not - and got home last evening before dark. The drive was hazardous with mist, rain, fog, low clouds and five wrecks. I've never seen that many wrecks before but you mix the above ingredients and all heck breaks loose.

Lordy, it was wonderful to be in my own bed. Velcro purred so loud that it kept me awake, sorta. The sun is out today. The flowers are blooming in the garden - azaleas, lillies and those orange flowers that I never know what they are.

Still not well but, I'm on the mend. Javier, the gardener showed up today and unloaded everything out of the car. What a big help that was - he usually comes on Friday so it was fortuitous that he came today.

So, that's about it from South of the Border - nothing exciting - just that I'm alive and home!
YEE HA.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Community Coffee

I grew up drinking Community Coffee which is made in Lousiana. Two cups of that in the morning and I'm buzzing around at low level. It's amazing how much I get done after that second cup.

So, I asked my sister-in-law to pick some up at the store for me. They are non-coffee drinkers but have a two cup pot for die hards like me.

I've made Community now for a week and NO buzz. Not even a lift off like Buzz Lightyears. A slight movement is more like it. THAT'S how I know I'm not well. Geez when Community can't get me moving, I'm in trouble.

In fact today, after two cups, I went back to bed. Oy vey. WHAT will it take to get me buzzing again?

Saturday, January 10, 2009

It's Been 46 Years!

It's been 46 years since my "little brother" and I had this much time together. It's been a delightful revelation. He and his wife are now without grown kids living at home so both are in the "golden" time also.

Although I had two brothers and a sister, there was ten years between my age and my older brother and eleven between my older sister and I. Bill, my little brother, is 5 1/2 years younger, so, we essentially grew up as two kids in a family. We went through all the quirky, crazy times with our parents as they trooped around the USA trying to figure out where or what they wanted to do - in my case I went to 17 schools in 12 years. It was not a happy time. My parents divorced after 32 years when Bill was about 14. I came home from college to take care of him since my Dad traveled a lot and my Mom moved somewhere else. He lived with me when I first got married. SO, until now, I was the caregiver.

What a turn of the tables. He's very low-key, a patent attorney with a long illustrious career in engineering. I, on the other hand, have always been the flashy, creative one in the family. He likes to laugh at me. BUT he has ALWAYS been there whenever I needed him along with his beautiful and kind wife. For that I am eternally grateful.

It feels strange to have the tables turned, but I'm not complaining.
Thanks Bill and Annette.

Friday, January 09, 2009

Four Days - $26,000.00 US Dollars

No, I wasn't at some high-fallutin' resort, I wish. I was at Kingwood Hospital and that's what the tab for their attempt to heal me cost - they didn't succeed in healing me, but, they sure made some bucks. AND this was without surgery! Amazing isn't it?

Luckily, I have all kinds of health insurance for just this kind of unexpected thing so besides worrying about losing my gall bladder, or who knew what, I didn't have to worry about the cost.

I can assure you when I get back to San Miguel I intend to get the private health insurance that costs $1500US a year. It will be worth the piece of mind.

I was going to tell ya'll all about the "one flew over the cuckoo's nest" atmosphere of the hospital, but I've decided to just say, "Don't ever go there". The Drs. were ok, but the support staff, with the exception of two nurses were SCARY. I say this with a level of knowledge, having spent 5 1/2 years of caring and observation at MDAnderson with my daughter. If possible, DON'T go to a regional hospital.

After all, they were determined to remove my gall bladder even though the tests didn't show that was the cause! It didn't happen cause I wouldn't sign the surgical release til they showed me a purpose for the removal.............

So, with all that said, this is the first day I've had the energy to write. It is pretty amazing when you're sick that you have no creative cell in your body.

Yes, I'm still in Houston and have stopped worrying about "when" I'm leaving and just concentrating on resting and getting rid of this COUGH. Wow, this has been an experience.

No beach this time around - but that's pretty irrelevant right now. I just want to get home safe and sound and healthy. Two weeks ago I would have been devastated if someone told me I wasn't going to get to the beach - now it doesn't matter.

Lots of people have written about having a bad cough - take care of yourselves!
That's all for now folks............

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Houston Landing

I have "landed" at my brother's home where I am recuperating from a pretty scary four days in the hospital. I still have my gall bladder, which was not the cause of the whole mess. Long gory story.

What matters is that I'm sleeping, walking, sleeping more and just had to take a second to let all of you know how much your comments mean to me.

I doubt I'll be heading home before the end of this coming week. I had hoped to leave tomorrow but, no way. I'm as weak as a newborn kitten.

So, "hold down the fort" wherever you are and I'll be back among the living soon.