HEADLINE: The Cardinals ended a 24-year World Series title drought with a 4-2 win over Detroit in Game 5. That's baseball speak for "the World Series is over and the St. Louis Cardinals won." I like baseball. I'm Cuban. I'm pretty sure it's a federal mandate of some sort - "if you're Cuban, you must like ...
Lifestyle
Posts about everything going on in my life. Enjoy!
Las Hermanitas Verdés
Because some of you were curious. Here is our "recently arrived from Cuba" picture. I can see that we obligingly smiled for the camera, but I can also see past the smiles to the pain and confusion we were experiencing. My sisters, from left to right: Miriam, Ofelia, Alina and Helen. That's me with the mop of curls clutching my ...
Easily entertained…
I know this is going to sound shallow, but I went to Disneyland last night to have dinner and see the decorations.... WITHOUT MY KIDS. I know. I know. I was raised Catholic and I don't know who did it, but I know someone declared this to be a Mortal Sin. (I can see myself writing: "I will not feel guilty" - 100 times on the ...
“If you teach a man to fish…”
We're often asked about our decision to homeschool our children. It's a complex answer. And it's not completely about education. It's more about our relationship with them. "It's a lifestyle of learning," is what we usually answer. Although explaining that would take volumes, too. I was sorting pictures ...
Because we can…
It's fall in Southern California and of course, you know what that means... Right. Wetsuits! While I'm thinking October and pumpkins and planning Halloween costumes, the weather here is in the 90's and Eric is taking the kids surfing. (notice his shirt says, Cuba Libre! =D) It's like living in some kind of parallel universe. Right now all the ...
“Are you making arroz con pollo?”
I'm picking up my mom for the weekend. Her presence here changes our routines in a variety of ways. For Jonathan, it means giving up his downstairs bedroom, because she has trouble getting up stairs (he's ok with that). For Eric, it means sharing my attention and practicing his college Spanish (which is really pretty great). Her visits ...
“Ju got some ‘splaining to do..”
Lucy's piano teacher is trying to keep her challenged. He has started her on Beethoven and I love to listen to her trying new things each Wednesday when he comes over for her lesson. Imagine my surprise when, after playing "Fur Elise," about 20 times, I hear the familiar opening notes of... THE CUBAN NATIONAL ANTHEM!! "What? How? ...
The Enabler.
Hello, my name is Marta, and I'm an Enabler. ("Hi, Marta.") I would have denied it, but the proof is overwhelming. Oh, I come by it honestly. My family is quite extensive and full of enablers. I am surrounded by people who do things because of my personal influence. And possibly they resent it, but I'm not ...
Smart Cubans
This was on my desk this morning. Eric found it last night. (It used to reside on the back of my old Toyota Corolla. ) Last night Amy, Adam and I went to see a play called 'Sonia Flew' at the Laguna Playhouse. It was a complex story of a young man wanting to go to war shortly after 9/11. His mother, Sonia had been sent to America after the ...
Embracing imperfection
I consider myself a pretty contented person. I love my family, our home, our lifestyle. Eric and I have a strong marriage. I think I have a good eye for decorating. I think we did well when we painted and hung pictures. I am pleased with our red leather sofa & chairs. The outer trappings of my life look ok. The ...
