Happy Cumples, BB! — 64 and Wanting More

 

Babushka had taken a little breakesito during the hot summer months. Meaning September wasn't hot here Up North in The South?  JU SO FONII!! Of course it was, pero it was also BB's Bday mes, so palabras and parties were in order. Aqui, the article written for Conexion Florida, a previous hardcopy, now online publication.  Moviendo con los times...

Hola,Hola,Hola Beautifuls!

Another birthday is here.. What was the win this year?

The answer came surprisingly fast.

Babushka made it to another year.

That's the win.

Sí, Beautifuls, some years are like that.

Sweetie has been gone three years. Then Pedro passed — Sweetie's cat, the last living piece of her husband BB still had. One Adios inside another.

Casa BB hasn't cooperated: a leaking techo, mold, electrical problems, and a crumbling trailer — all maintained on about $900 a month from a widow's pension.

Then Roxy needed a transmission. The warranty? Did Nada. The actress had one gig. Type 2 diabetes joined the cast, too. Gracias a Dios, it's controlled.

So where's the fabulous?

Finding the Fabulous in the Familiar does NOT mean pretending everything is fabuloso.  Loss hurts. Money worries are real. Roofs leak. Carros break.

It means viendo valor in the diario: café, music, laughter, a timely call, y familia.

BB's two girls live with her now. Sometimes Mama is the caretaker; sometimes she is cared for. Accepting care es parte de  family, too.

None of that repara the roof, brings Pedro back, or fixes Roxy. 

Pero it helps make some dias lighter. Perhaps that's enough.

At 63, BB loved, lost, worried, laughed, cared, was cared for, found the Fabulous inside the Familiar — and kept dancing.

Another year. Estás aquí.

Beautifuls... Still Here. 

ESO!!!

Happy Cumples BB.. 

And mucho, many, más.

CUIDENSE

BB2U

And the Flow continues: Further with Ford- 2013 Trend Conference

My thanks to the Ford Motor Company for providing my flight,lodging and meals during this event. There was no request to write about my experience, nor was BB given monetary compensation. The post is Babushka's thoughts of the adventure.

As I mentioned in my last post, apparently the S Sisters wanted me to see the Universal Flow we're all part of, how each of us can make a difference, because they kept sending me to events that emphasized just that. Next, BB was sent to Detroit to go "Further with Ford". Queeee?? JU SO FONII!!!  Ok si, when we think of Ford we think cars and not anything else, but they're so much more. It has been said that with great power comes great responsibility and Babushka was pleasantly surprised by what was talked about during the conference. To give you an idea of what the mindset was behind the event, before it even started Ford asked its' attendees to complete a Myers-Briggs personality test to see what our preferences would be. Oh si My Beautifuls, this was not to be a regular car show event.

The colored dots represented the different panels/discussions- chosen by the results of our test,

 pero let's follow the steps of my prior Ford trip and begin with the trip itself.

Cachita guardando & one overhead suitcase.  BB's getting used to this airplane travel.

Another thing Babushka can get used to-

The hotel right inside the airport.

The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport Hotel,

i like, i like.

Once we checked in we were given our badges, our room keys, and told to board the bus for dinner at the Henry Ford Museum.  Now, you know BB loves an adventure, but seriously, a museum? Ford Museum?? Carros and all that??  Y'all can imagine the jetlag, but being Cubana the thought of dinner won out. In all honesty, I'm glad my growling tripas led me, because again my assumption was all wrong; the museum wasn't all about Ford and their cars.    

The beautiful decor and architectural details of the original Ford era.

So much to see, and they promised we could explore later, but first, our welcome.

Alan Mulally 

President & CEO Ford Motor Company

Our first speaker of the conference, who in Babushka's opinion set a tone that was hard to surpass. Obviously an educated man, but his speech was easy to follow- even when he touched on some of the technical aspects Ford is working on, and he genuinely seemed impressed and content to be working for and heading the Ford team.  Management who is down to earth and actually enjoys his job and the promise of all it entails. Who'd of thunk it? But then again, not much about "Further with Ford" matched the preconceptions of esta vieja.  BB for one found him fascinating and was sorry we didn't see him again during the rest of the conference.

Now what we did see lots of during the rest of the conference-

A celebration of 150 years and excelente comida, with details Ford is known for.

After the wonderful meal, we were invited to continue visiting the museum. 

In truth, a full day is needed to just visit this part of the complex, but from my mini visita some of BB's Favs- 

Hot wax souvenir maker,old style McDonald's, working diner,Baby Boomers, and a fellow re-enactor portraying Henry Ford.

Bueno, si, there were cars and motorized vehicles,

but not your average everyday variety.

Model T,Presidential limos,Wienermobile

The actual bus Rosa Parks rode when she decided to seek justice for all.

Now My Beautifuls, after that last exhibit BB couldn't imagine anything could top it, so con barriga llena y corazon contenta- my belly and heart full, it was time to return to the hotel.  Day 2 had a full schedule y escapades of enlightenment for Babushka- and some thrills and chills too.  

Until the proxima My Beautifuls,

Babushka Besos a todos. Cuidensen.

p.s. BB was flown in, fed, and given a place to snore,

 the rest- like her post & opinion, was all Babushka's. 

La Tata & the UHF America’s Health Rankings Senior Report

*This is part of a sponsored campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and United Health Foundation, pero como siempre- as always, the story and expressed opinions are BB's.  

HolaHolaHola My Beautifuls!

Do you remember my post about the S Sisters? Bueno, they've once again danced into BB's life joining my grandmother, La Tata and my Hispanicize friends United Health Care .  Thankfully she's back home and for being 90 or 92 she's doing remarkably well, however the scare did prompt me to read the UHF America's Health Rankings Senior Report more diligently than I would have otherwise and I found many points in it valid and part of our daily lives with La Tata. Go ahead and click on the link- excellent information in there.

English PDF Files

In the report they mention tobacco use, inactivity, alcohol consumption, and poor diet, as some of the contributing factors in bad health in seniors.  Here we are lucky, La Tata rarely smoked, and though she does like her wine from time to time and I have to challenge her to walk a little more, as I mentioned, she's remarkably well for her age, and as far as poor diet... please, she's Cubana.  So on those counts we're doing well. There is one area however where Babushka must battle daily with her, and it's one topic Latinos don't speak of too often and I think that may be part of the problem.

Having been one of 12 children, an entrepreneur, a world traveler, La Tata was not ready to live a slower and more isolated life.  As in most modern households, everyone has work or studies outside the home and La Tata would find herself alone for more hours as the years went by; she fell into a heavy depression.  To say BB was scared and saddened when I saw her like this a year ago is an understatement.  It's not age that makes the old act old, it's the frustration of not being able to do what they used to do, which then turns to feelings of helplessness and being unneeded.  They lose social contact because of embarassment - in La Tata's case she doesn't like to go to parties because she wouldn't want to show up in "old lady shoes" which are the only ones that she's comfortable in.  How do we combat this?

As a family we make sure to call her daily, visit at least weekly, and make sure she knows she's still a very valued and special part of our lives.  Of course having the great,great grandchildren give her giant hugs and kisses over the phone lights up her disposition instantly.

Taking her out works wonders too.  

Nobody likes to be cooped up in the house all the time and in La Tata's case, the louder and more festive the place, the better it is.  

For some unexplicable reason she's always in better spirits and health when she's "de Farandula". 

Cuba Nostalgia- she ♥♥♥ this! 

Special Occasions

Memorial Day & with her son going out to eat for her birthday

Let them Lead and be who they used to be.

La Tata leading the way to do some grocery shopping,

getting a perm and then her nails done.

Make sure they laugh at least one good belly laugh a day.

How'd you think I came up with JU SO FONII !!!??

Show them they're needed, vital and still useful.

La Tata will show me how to play Spanish Cards and help me w/my Spanish whilst I read outloud.

Note: To counteract all the news, programas escandalosas, y novelas, I pick a book with positive affirmations/messages.

But most of all, show them they are loved and not alone.

Rinquincaya "loaning" his best friend to La Tata so she wouldn't have to be alone and afraid in the hospital. 

 From the report:  "Older Hispanics (28.2%) were less likely to rate their health as excellent or very good than were older Whites (42.8%) or Older Asians (35.3%) 

Hispanic older adults are expected to become the largest/ethnic minority of those aged 65 or older by 2019.

Now is a critical time to study senior health at the population level because we know that America's senior population will grow by more than 50% in the next 15 years and that Americans are living longer but sicker lives."

Bueno, I don't know about the stats, or the other Older Hispanics, but if La Tata lives to 2019 we will be blessed, and if she lives another 15 years- 

Babushka's bottling up her DNA!!

; )

Enjoy your elders now, help them and you live longer, more productive and enjoyable lives.

The memories & love never grow old.

Babushka Besos a todos.  Cuidensen.

*This is part of a sponsored campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and United Health Foundation, pero expressed opinions are BB's.