Sunshine On My Shoulder Makes Me Happy

What a glorious weekend we had here in NYC!  Tons of sunshine and warm weather.  Amelia was off of school on Friday too, so we had a loooong weekend -- just us girls!

Well...I was able to sneak away on Friday evening to have some drinks with my friend, Joey.  Had a fun time at our usual haunts in the West Village.  Besides the great drink deals in gay bars (2 for 1 until 9pm) I also love them because...and this is key...no man in the joint is looking at ME!  They don't care.  As a matter of fact, they'll tell you if your shoes are fierce...if not, they just go along their merry way (no pun intended).  I did the meat market thing in my 20's into my early 30's.  I'm not selling anything anymore.  So it's really nice to go out with an old friend and just be able to talk and not worry about the scene.

Saturday I woke up with a bit of a headache (no surprise) so Amelia and I hit the street, after Mommy had a couple cups of coffee and bagel.  We went to Bleecker Park (swings, slide & walking on the jungle gym), then to the Farmer's Market across the street, then up to Union Square, down University (I showed Amelia my dorm from NYU "Mommy's first home in New York!") around Washington Square Park (which is closed again for renovations) and back home via Bleecker Street.  And that was just before lunch!  After our afternoon nap (and I did say "our") we made our way over to the Hudson River Park.  It was magnificent!  We went to the kids park and walked all over the place and then watched the sunset.

On Sunday Amelia's BFF, Darmia, had her Birthday party at the Scholastic Bldg in Soho.  Jozette (our Superhero In-home Respite Worker) joined us.  It was so fun!  Amelia had such a good time and our gracious hosts, Auntie Donna and Uncle Shawn were wonderful!!!!  They had circle story time, limbo, freeze dancing with instruments, we made peace sign pillows and blinged up some little cardboard jewelry boxes.  A little girl we met there, Emma made Amelia a jewelry box.  I also took home some jewels and a box to do another one for her.

Somehow when I sat down to do the box today...I ended up with THIS:

That's right, Amelia is the first contestant on "Pimp My Adaptive Chair".  How'd I do?  Never leave me alone with crafty things and a hot glue gun!!!!!  I couldn't resist.  Nestor's gonna laugh me outta the house when he comes home from Miami tomorrow and sees this.

 I have blaringly opted out of writing a lot about the BIGGEST Healthcare Reform Bill of my lifetime -- and one that Amelia will benefit from GREATLY.  I am excited about what this means for all of us ...especially for  my little girl who is medically fragile and has blown thru over half of her lifetime cap in the four short years she's been on this planet -- due to hospital stays, surgeries, medical equipment and nursing care -- just to name a few.   Some are hyperventilating while others of us are breathing a great sigh of relief.  I feel like it's so fresh and fragile -- I feel like we need to digest it for a little while.

Whatever your views, this is the greatest country in the world and I am embracing this change with wide open arms.

Ready for Spring

 

2/18/10 

The view from the bathroom window at my parents' house in MD

My great-uncle, Sid passed last week.  My mother's uncle thru marriage.  He owned a somewhat infamous restaurant in Baltimore back in the 50's that was famous for their "4x4's" which was a delicious (I'm told) 4x4 hamburger, served in a basket with the most mouthwatering french fries and onion rings (I'm sure my father isn't romanticizing them;).  He adored his wife, my aunt Barbara, for ages.  When she passed several years ago, he kept on.  Enjoying his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  He was very blessed, very loved and passed away with all of them by his side.

Earlier today, Nestor and I made our way up to Lincoln Hospital to visit Nestor's aunt/godmother, Titi Luz.  She was on a respirator, being fed thru a tube and unconcious.  Her body was swollen and cool to the touch.  The doctor came to speak to us and told us that the prognosis isn't good, she's having organ failure and they don't expect Titi Luz to make it out of there.  We held her hand for awhile, said our goodbyes and came home to get Amelia off the school bus.  Nestor's sister, Evelyn just called to tell us that Titi Luz has passed.  There is sadness and relief in this for us.   She was Nestor's father's sister -- the last surviving of the siblings.  Amelia is named for her mother and I think she always felt an extra affinity towards her because of that. Titi Luz was married to uncle Angelo, who passed several years ago, for decades.  They never had any children together, but she had a stepson from uncle Angelo.  

I feel very fortunate to have gotten to spend time with this warm, loving, generous, strong woman who was a force to be reckoned with!  She was about 6 feet tall, legally blind and LOVED to talk!!! Wow, did she love to talk!!!!!!  Spanish. English. Whatever!  She lived in the Bronx and couldn't be moved.  Refused!  She lived alone and had attendants who came by daily to help her.  A couple months ago, just after the holidays, we made the trek up to Titi Luz's apartment. On a rainy Sunday, Nestor, Evelyn, Carlo (Evelyn's husband), Amelia and myself all went up there.  Evelyn and Carlo brought the divine food (as always!!!) and we brought the sugar (that would be Amelia) for a visit.  We sat around for a few hours and gabbed the afternoon away.  Titi Luz loved listening to Amelia laugh while she watched her cartoons.

 As we bid adieu to winter this weekend (don't forget to spring forward sunday -- this announcement brought to you by my inner "father" voice)  Amelia continues into her 5th week of antibiotics, per her Pulminologist.  She was worse, then better, worse and now getting better again.  They don't want to pull her off until she stops coughing up the green goo.  I agree.  No fevers tho, so that's a great thing!

Amelia has been very verbal lately and will make sound at anyone who dares to hold a conversation in or around where she is sitting -- particularly if it's me getting on the phone.  I refuse to succumb to her dictatorship...she tells me when to wake up, what cartoon is acceptable and now this????  Uh-uh...no Ma'am.

Obviously, as I mentioned above that Nestor and I went to visit his aunt, Nestor is home from LA.  After a month away -- he finally came home on Wednesday.  He always comes home eventually.  Only to get a call last night (Thursday) that he is flying out on Sunday, for a week and a half to Miami.  Oh well.  Tonight we're having a date night, tomorrow to see his mom and family in NJ and then off he goes!!!!  Ah well, that's show biz.

One Grandmother's Devotion Led to New School for Kids With Disabilities - ABC News

Grab a hankie. This woman is truly inspiring -- and knows the true meaning of "it takes a village!"


One Grandmother's Devotion Led to New School for Kids With Disabilities - ABC News