remind me to post...

Wow.  Its been since November since my last post.  You all should remind me to tell you things.  It is certainly not like nothing has happened since November.  In fact, all sorts of cool things have happened!

Probably my favorite is the surprise party for my mom.  Its not easy getting over on her but we did it!  The four sisters planned a doozy and we pulled it off.  It was a faux birthday party the day after Thanksgiving and it turned out we confused a number of people including my mom who knew it wasn't her birthday.  Sheesh.  Is there no more poetic license allowed in the world?  We surprised her with professional pictures of the family and a luncheon.   She was a tad overwhelmed at first but by the end, she was the belle of the ball.  She had a smile from ear to ear for days.  Leah created one of her cake creations for the occasions!

Thanksgiving in general was a good weekend up north.  My mom seems to have arranged for the Thanksgiving day parade to appear right outside the front door of her apartment and my sister Rachel got it to snow flurry, just for me.

 

Coming back to Miami, I was just in time for Art Basel.  This is a wonderful annual event.  Its actually the largest annual contemporary art show in the United States.  The city is literally filled with art and culture and people of every stripe and description.  There are the very rich that actually buy and sell these magnificent famous and not so famous pieces of art and then there are the rest of us.  Not quite as moneyed but still as interesting and many of whom are seriously worthy of people watching time.  My friend Larry joined me for the second year in a row and I certainly hope this becomes a regular trip for him. He makes a most excellent personal art guide.  His knowledge and witty commentary adds and extra dimension to what is already a very cool experience.  This year we did the main show and then went to the Design district to find some more fringe events.  I had seen a weird and colorful installation of some sort from the highway numerous times but could never actually find it.  Soon it become an obsession.  Larry, in his own polite but forceful way didn't believe any such thing existed but humored me none the less.  He didn't have a whole lot of choice as I was the driver of the weekend but I like to think he went along willingly.  Well, we eventually found the damn thing and like so many things in life.... the journey was far better than the reward.  See what I mean?

 

The nature here continues to rock.  I am taken by the lines and structure of the leaves and trees.  Its so very different from what I was accustomed to but very beautiful in a different way.  I still miss the Forsythia of spring and the roses of summer. The peonies and begonias and the pansies of fall.  But instead I have the beauty of Bougainvillea, the tantalizing fragrance of Gardendia right in the garden and the magic of mangoes, avocados, bananas and more RIGHT OFF THE TREES!  That still tickles me.

There are still days when I feel like an alien landed in a very different world.  And lots of different situations to make me feel that way. The other day it occurred to me that I never use my last name any more.  At work I am Hannah from the Chronic Fatigue Center.  When your doctor's office calls to confirm your appointment or to give you results, that person is always... Kathy from Dr. So and so's office.  Or Jenny from ... you don't care what their last name is they don't use it, I bet.  But it makes me kind of anonymous in a weird and not necessarily positive way.  

Then there's the language difference.  Today I stopped in a CVS in Hialeah.  I was odd girl out for sure.  They all spoke Spanish.  And fast.  Why should they have to speak English, it wasn't my neighborhood.  I was a visitor. But boy was that message clear.  And it wasn't that I can't communicate but it makes you realize how much info is gathered but listening to what is going on around you. Gaging the tenor or a place.  Oh I could do tone of voice, but its a tad hard to get the big picture without the content.  But its all part of the adventure.  Part of that part of my life when "I lived in Miami for a while."  I'm glad I made the adventure.   Its been a challenge.  There's no doubt about that.  But Miami and I have made a truce.  We're coexisting much more happily these days.  And while I've learned more than I ever could have possibly expected about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and health care in general.  I learned more about myself as well.  Not a bad cause to invest in.  

Come visit!  El tiempo es bueno. La comida es increíble y la empresa es, bueno, excelente!