Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: March Musings.....

Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: March Musings.....: If you live in the northeast you know the madness (talking about March madness) we just endured these last couple of days. The nor'east...

March Musings.....

If you live in the northeast you know the madness (talking about March madness) we just endured these last couple of days. The nor'easter started Thursday evening with drizzle, then hail, then sleet, snow and vice-versa. It was beautiful to watch from inside our warm and cozy family room, as was the near-blizzard of only a week and a half ago. I must admit though we've been very lucky, compared to other states where the news reported seven people died as a result of the treacherous weather. Yes, there were lots of fallen trees, fallen electrical lines and damages to home and businesses. But again, we were blessed to not have endured any damages whatsoever.

  

I remember one March storm several years ago when two huge trees came down in our backyard, damaging fences on two sides of the property, but again no damage to ourselves or to our house. Well we all know that March comes in like a lion, sometimes (or in this part of the country, oftentimes).

I went to Mass Friday morning before the real action kicked in. By then it was a challenge to step outside the front steps--all was as slippery as a skating rink, but with the added subtle crush of the icy slush. I love to kill several birds with one stone. After Mass and catching up with a special friend from South Africa whom another friend and I have been helping to seek citizenship status, we bid each other goodbye and I went to meet my tai chi class. They were just starting when I walked into the gathering space so I was good to go.

So far, March has been somewhat productive? I'm still chugging along with not one but five writing projects I'm currently working on. I'm also trying to figure out how to transfer old videos and video cassettes into CD's with this gizmo I bought online, to no avail. The only good thing that's happened with that project is that I've had a chance to replay one cassette on my video camera, and in the process have been reminiscing a lot, laughing a lot but also drinking my tears--sometimes sad, sometimes joyful.

And even though the critter of a ground hog saw his shadow, which for the life of me never fails to frustrate as much as to confuse me, I'm feeling positive about Spring being just around the corner. 

Here's to better days to come!

What I took away from 2017

2017! What can we say about the year? For starters, we can all agree that it was a year unlike anything we've witnessed in a long, long time. Then we had the usual breakups, and a number of celebrities left us as it happens every year. But by far the biggest news was Hurricanes Harvey and Maria and the devastation they caused both here and in the Caribbean. We were all touched in one way or another by its effects. We all found out that life can change in the blink of an eye, in this case the eye of a hurricane that roared through the center of Puerto Rico obliterating everything in its path.

On a personal level, I was blessed in many ways. I wrote one book which is on the way to the publisher, and I'm working on two more books, one of which came to me as a result of my last trip to France. I am extremely grateful to God that I got to celebrate another year in the company of my three beautiful girls and I got the gift of a lifetime--a ten-day river cruise up and down the Gargonne in the wine country of Bordeaux. This will definitely go down in my book as the most enjoyable vacation/trip  I have ever received.

Below are some pictures of Cristina's and my trip through Bordeaux.

strolling thru cellars

Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: Who do you think of most often at Christmastime?

Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: Who do you think of most often at Christmastime?: Five years ago today, Elba and I flew to Puerto Rico to help Kimi take care of our sick Mom. I remember landing at San Juan airport, getting...

Who do you think of most often at Christmastime?

Five years ago today, Elba and I flew to Puerto Rico to help Kimi take care of our sick Mom. I remember landing at San Juan airport, getting picked up by our wonderful brother-in-law and heading straight to the hospital where I was to relieve Kimi who'd been keeping watch over Mom for two days. I wholeheartedly embraced the opportunity to spend some much needed quality time with Mom, while giving Kimi a long overdue break.

Bittersweet moment: Just two weeks before Mom's passing. Me, Kimi, Elba and Mom

From there, all went downhill fast. Mom's health deteriorated at a very rapid pace. It was very bittersweet, because while we three sisters would be sharing precious time with Mom on the sunny island, it was to be our last Christmas with her.

Thanksgiving Day with three generations of Santiago's: Elba, Iris and Yuselin

There's no need to explain the heart-wrenching pain of having to bury one's mother, but to witness those last excruciatingly painful moments was beyond words. Five years later I still can't fully enjoy a glass of water without visions of Mom's unfathomable pain, from taking just one sip of the life-saving liquid. They were forever etched in my mind.

Kimi, Mom, Moi, Christian and his wife Karen 2012

Christmas is a time of joy, yet it's hard to be joyful when dealing with impending death. Yes I know that Mami is no longer in pain, but resting in peace. And yes I have God's promise of seeing her again when I leave this life. But hardly a day goes by when I don't think of the fine specimen of a human being she was and the lessons she taught us by example. Lately, however, memories of Mami are of happier times than of the suffering she endured during her last days.

Mami with four of her children, moi, Ruben, Elba and Kimi Ca. 1986

Mami came from humble beginnings. Her parents, the illegitimate son of a Spanish officer, raised by his young single mother then later adopted by his stepfather, and a village girl with a set of loving parents and good family values, both cherished and loved Mami and her siblings alike.

Mami on the right with her sister Tomi and brother Anibal in NYC Ca. 1963

Her father nicknamed her Gandulito she said, because her eyes were the color of the peas her mother shelled. She was blessed to have lived in a household of happy children. While their father worked as administrator of roads, their stay-at-home mother taught the children to be caring, responsible and self-sufficient. Like her siblings Mom took her mother's teachings to heart and always tried to do good by others. As was expected of most children of the old school, she visited and cared for the sick, attended church, and was almost always among the first to show up when help was needed. She always made sure to share with her neighbors--pasteles, arroz con dulce, turkey on Thanksgiving Day, and other foods would be delivered before the family sat down to eat.

Mami and Papi at Freddy (their eldest son) and Hidy's wedding.

I will be forever grateful to God for allowing me those special times with Mom.

Cristina and her Abuelita on her 88th Birthday Celebration.

Mami, on your upcoming anniversary of going home to the Lord, thank you for giving birth to me and for the values you taught me. I may fall short at times, but God knows I strive to follow the example you set for us children and grandchildren. You would have been so proud of how we all rallied around one another when Hurricane Maria hit.

Mami and me Christmas 2010?

Merry Christmas and Happy Fifth Anniversary in heaven!

Christmas is here!

Christmas is a time to reflect on the positives....

Christmas is here and in spite of all the fuzzy feelings we experience at this wonderful time of Jesus's birth, there's still a certain amount of frustration that comes with it. We just have to learn to get past the negativity and focus on all the positives. Here are some pictures that make me happy: Crissy in Jerusalem, Ash and me in Paris, and the four of us in Galway, Ireland.

Snap Krackle 'n Pop!: Reflections of an Aging Woman: Pain and Beauty in ...

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