Fab Abuela Cuca Thursday, January 15, 2015

Let me tell you about my grandmother, Abuela Cuca. Abuela was born on January, 15th 1933 in Havana Cuba. Her mother was 1st generation Cuban (her parents were from Spain) and her father was Chinese. Abuela is the oldest of five children and has always lived life to its fullest. Her parents named her Olga, however she was incorrectly registered as Esther. Turns out her mother and aunt registered their daughters together and somehow accidentally mixed up their names on their appropriate birth certificates. This mistake was caught over 50 years later when my grandmother needed her passport for her first trip to the U.S. We sometimes call her Esther Olga. Her friends from Cuba know her as Olga. Her new friends from the Senior Citizen Center (where she loves to go play bingo) know her as Esther (she loves how this sounds in English), however most people call her Cuca (a nickname from her youth). I call her Abuela.

Abuela had four children and three husbands. My mother, Miriam is her oldest from her first husband (Abuelo Fernando) and she had three more children (Osvaldo, Mayra and Cary) with her second husband (Leopoldo) who she widowed with after he passed away from asthma. Years later she married and later divorced a third husband, Luis.

Abuela has always been a firecracker and although she has dealt with her share of tragedies she has always kept her head high. She is always laughing and smiling and never speaks about misfortunes. She truly loves life and is such a positive role model to anyone that knows her.

Today is my grandmother's 82nd birthday. My grandmother is an absolute riot and is adored by everyone that knows her. She is an amazing woman with an incredible spirit and appetite for life. She enjoys cocktails, music, dancing, telling/hearing inappropriate jokes, shopping, jewelry, animal prints, sequins, gossip, money, slot machines, bingo, gold, parties, good times and of course her family. She always has a smile on her face, a twinkle in her eye and a kick in her step. At 82 years young, she has more energy and passion than people half her age. She always looks on point and doesn't believe in medicine or being sick. Laughter, cocktails and music are the main ingredients in her recipe to a long, healthy life. She is always entertaining and never disappoints. I could not be more proud to be her grandson and 100% agree with all of her philosophies on life. Happy Birthday Abuela!!!!! Te Adoro (I adore you)!!! :-)