Category: Family & Friends

My mom is sick. She is, in fact, dying of cancer. Mel and I have known for a while, but we didn’t want to tell her because, well, it’s hard to tell someone, especially your mother, that they are dying of cancer.

She learned, a few days ago that not only does she have liver cancer, but that it has spread to her lungs.

I hated for her to know this. You see a long time ago, back in 1977 my brother became ill, and a year and a day later he died from cancer. (Lymphoma)

Mom took care of him all that year. Through chemotherapy and radiation. Back then, treatments were brutal and Mom watched her son suffer and then pass away.

I think this is why I really didn’t want her to know. I didn’t want her scared. I did not want her to recall those last days with my brother and then fear for herself.

But in the end, she had to be told. And maybe in some ways it is kinder. She understands the pain, and no longer allows people to put her off about getting pain relief.

(She actually had a nurse tell her that she needed to “learn to get along” with the pain pills she had! Yes, I would like to pop that woman in the nose!)

My relationship with my Mom has always been “different”. I’ve spent a large part of my life arguing with her about really stupid stuff. And now…I just don’t want the anger, I want her to be pain free.

We don’t think it will be long. She is back in the hospital right now and I am thinking she may have to go into hospice care.

It stinks.

She is the last of her generation. When she is gone, well, then we will be the elders of the family.

If there is one wish that I have for her, it would be this…I pray that she does not suffer, and that when she passes, all the family will be there to greet her!

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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The wedding of my niece and her fiance consumed the entire weekend. In only good ways, really, but exhausting. On Sunday Hubby slept until ten o’clock in the morning and I lay down at 2:30 and slept until 5:30.

Yes exhaustion from our drive down in a raging ice storm on Friday, the wedding itself on Saturday morning and the reception Saturday afternoon, and the drive hone after. Yes, Sunday was the day that Hubby and I collapsed!

I have to say that my niece’s wedding was the nicest wedding I have ever been to. It was the gentle and loving union of two beautiful souls.

Ethereal. Yes, that is a good description of the day. Jinny was like a fairy Princess and Ian her handsome and loving Prince.

As they took their vows, he held her with such tenderness, and as they came by us after they were pronounced man and wife, the smiles on their faces was indescribable.

The other wonderful part of our day at the wedding, was spending the afternoon with our other family members.

Here we are, me, my sister Mel, cousin, Larry, cousin Janet and my mother.

So different in so many ways, and yet, so alike too. A shared history of love and laughter.

Saturday was the wedding of my niece Jinny and her fiance, now husband, Ian. It was a beautiful wedding due to a significant amount of planning, but also because here were two young people who are very much in love and are soul mates.

God bless hubby, for driving down on Friday in a bad ice storm. I was a wreck until we got got far enough south for the ice to turn to rain!

We drove to the hotel, and stayed at the Hilton Homewood Suites for the night. What a great hotel, and we both slept like babies.

The next day was the wedding. It was just perfect and so was the reception. Here are a few pictures for now and I will write more about the wedding tomorrow.

My sister Melodie

Many years ago our family was blessed when a little girl named Jinny arrived from Korea. She was 4 years old and the most adorable child.

We all fell in love with her and as she grew our love grew with her.

Jinny met a wonderful man a few years ago and today we are attending her wedding to Ian. She is wearing a traditional wedding Hanbok gown, something like this.

I am so happy for my niece and God-daughter, Jinny and her new husband, Ian.

God’s Blessings on you both!

Many years ago now, I had a really bad day. I’d gone to get my hair done and ended up with the worst cut, and color job in the history of cosmetology.

I came home crying and feeling just plain ugly. I planned to put a bag over my head until it all grew out!

Then I looked in our local phone-book and saw an ad for a Board Certified Colorist! So, with nothing to lose, I called and got an appointment, pronto.

That person was Margarita. I did not know that day what a good friend she would become and how much I relied on her. She was never farther away than a phone call, and I always planned my appointments around lunch so we could sit and chat.

Over the years, our friendship grew and grew, and I can freely admit that I loved this beautiful, kind woman.

In October she became ill and was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Her family came up and brought her back to Miami, where she had grown up. I spent the afternoon with her, somehow knowing that day, it would be the last time I would see her.

I left feeling deep sadness, praying for a miracle, but knowing the cruelty of this form of Cancer that had already claimed two of my friends.

Saturday, Margarita passed from this life to the next. I will never hear her voice, or share jokes and laughter. A bright light is gone from my life.

Yet, I celebrate the fact that I knew this wonderful woman. Rest in peace my dear friend. You will be greatly missed and never forgotten.