DISCLAIMER: In order for this post to make any sense, you might want to review my explanation of what Cubans do at midnight on New Year's Eve. We thought it was going to be a quiet New Year's Eve. Helen (my niece) invited us over to play games and eat junk and wait for midnight. The kids, Daisy (7) and Ben (2) probably were not going to ...
The Knives.
My mom makes these famously Cuban authoritarian pronouncements.When she says something, it is with an air of authority that will not tolerate any argument.Of course, the way she says it immediately makes me question its validity, but since I was raised in a superstitious Cuban home, there is a small residue of what-if-it's-really-true? somewhere in ...
Happy New Year!
It's a new year. And while I don't actually make resolutions, I always feel like the new year is a new beginning.A blank page.A do-over.I always have that thing in me that wants to do more, act nicer, learn things. I always want to be a little better.I think it every time.Every new year.Maybe it's because I'm Cuban.And we are a perpetually hopeful ...
New Year’s Mystery
December 31st, 1939. Havana, Cuba. That was the date Rodolfo Verdés made Luz Perez-Puelles his bride. I love this picture of my parents. It was probably taken a few years after their wedding and of course, it was totally posed, but seriously, he always held her in such high esteem. And she thought he looked just like Errol Flynn. (isn't ...
My Sweet Prince
Today Jonathan is twelve years old. TWELVE! Changes I've noticed recently:His stick-straight hair is now coming in uber-curly.He seems to have a bit of lingering dirt on his upper lip.His voice can't decide between alto and soprano.And his personality is fully blooming right now. For his birthday we are having a Murder Mystery Dinner ...
20 Christmases ago. . .
1987. She was four and he was one.She would get this look in her eye and say, "C'mon, Adam. Let's. . . (insert silly and crazy suggestion here)" and he would willingly follow her lead.She could talk him into doing just about anything.Now she's twenty-four and he's twenty-one.And I don't think she has quite as much influence over him . ...
El gato makes me look “estupida”
I can't say that I'm actually used to earthquakes, but having lived most of my life in Southern California I think I am pretty good at recognizing when the earth is quaking. Sometimes it's so subtle, that all you notice is a hanging lamp or a curtain that is slightly swinging and then you wait for the swift shake that's sure to follow. ...
Grueling workout schedule . . .
The majority of my time for the past few days has been spent like this: Saturday (celebrating with Eric's lovely family):Sunday (our yearly trip to Porto's to pick up tamales, croquetas and sweet stuff):Monday (celebrating Noche Buena with my big, fat Cuban family):Tuesday morning (celebrating Christmas at our house):Tuesday evening ...
Feliz Navidad
Me: Can you guys do a 30-second Noche Buena commercial spot? Them: Umm. . . Duh! Watch this . . .I want to wish all of you my very faithful blog visitors (whom I totally consider my Big, Fat, Extended Cuban-Cyberspace Family, because I'm kind of a dork like that =D) a very, very Merry Christmas. Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año ...
Why we do what we do.
We eat roast pig (lechon asado) on Christmas Eve, which we call Noche Buena. We have yuca with a garlic mojo on the side.We fight over the fried, ripe plantains.We hold hands and give thanks to God for his generous provision.We draw names for a gift exchange, but end up getting little gifts (we call those "regalos de arbol" - or ...
