Same Sex Marriage...

We need to remember, as Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr., a Democrat from the Bronx said, "God, not Albany, has settled the definition of marriage a long time ago."

Flowers

I just love flowers! Real flowers, I'm not into fake arrangements. I am so happy to walk into my kitchen and see the beautiful arrangements that my friend and my husband have recently showered me with.

I just had to post some pics. The only thing is that the pics are not from when the flowers were at their prime. I waited to long to take 'em, but they are still pretty!

These are the ones from my hubby.

He got them for me just because.  

Isn't that sweet?

These are from my girlfriend.  She got 

them for me when we got together last 

week for brunch at my house.  

So pretty! 

Funny Side? Really???

Notice how the author is a MAN!

Oh NO!!!!

So once the kids were gone, I decided, on a whim, to take down my Christmas decor from the porch. In my raggedy sweatshirt and pajama pants I went to the porch and began to pull things down. I was in the middle of pulling off a red ribbon when I heard, SLAM! I turned around and noticed that the wind had blown my door shut. No big deal, I never lock the door handle. I continued to work and then when my hands were full, I decided to make a run to the basement and drop some decorations into my Christmas bin. I turn the knob and it was LOCKED! My heart began to race, but I talked myself into remaining calm. I walk to my garage, punch in the code and voila my garage door opened. I smiled and thought that I was a genius. However, when I went to go into my family room, that door was locked! Dead bolted!!! Now I was starting to panic. It's only 39 degrees, I am bare footed and in my raggedy house attire. Then I remembered that my stove was on! I had put a pan with some water and soap on the burner b/c it's a neat trick to get stubborn gook off of pans. Now I was in survival mode! My house is going to burn down! I am the wife of a fire fighter, for crying out loud!!!! I can just hear the five o'clock news, "the home of a local fire fighter burned down by his wife while he is away serving our country..." The New Yorker in me kicked in. Good thing I grew up being street smart. I looked around my garage and realized that my van was unlocked. I open up the little drawer in the console, where I keep our summer pool passes, and grabbed two of them. I ran to my front door and slid it through the lock, jiggled a little, and voila. I opened my door! Now I am on my way to Home Depot. We are buying a new handle lock! The dead bolt does it's job, but the one on the handle... well, you know! So, far that has been my morning!

*Image courtesy of thelockgenie.co.uk

The Green Thing

I just remembered that when I was growing up we had this tri-fold, green, foam chair that we used for multi-purposes. We used it as an extra chair while watching TV, for friends when they slept over, for doing gymnastics tricks (Jasmine, remember this!), as a fort, a slip and slide, etc. We never knew what to call it b/c it wasn't a futon, was more than a chair, and too small to be a sofa, so we started calling it "the green thing."

"Evelyn is sleeping over she needs the green thing,"
"Mom, can I do somersaults on the green thing?"
"Ayi, the sofa is crowded, go get the green thing."

It was so normal and natural to call it "the green thing," that our friends and extended family also started to call it "the green thing." It's hilarious b/c my neighbor/ playmate also got one. Hers was black, but we still called it "the green thing." LOL! Her big brother would get annoyed. He couldn't understand why we called it "the green thing" when it was obviously black - he had no clue.

We got so many uses out of "the green thing" and 'till today when my siblings, parents, and I speak of "the green thing" there is no need to elaborate.

You Know You're Puerto Rican...

When... (Para mis Amigos Boricuas)

You've ever used your lips to point something out.

You've ever been hit with "chancletas", "la correa", or the cord
of "la plancha".

You get really scared whenever someone mentions "El Cuuuuuco!!!"

You've gone to Titi's house and passed through the "bead
curtain" in the living room.

You step into a house that has all those little figurines taking
up every inch of space on the TV and under the TV.

Your mother has a porcelain cat, dog, Buddha or elephant in her
living room.

Almost everyone you know is nicknamed "mira".

You've eaten "esporsoda" with butter.

You have a perpetually drunk neighbor.

You know your mom is sneaking up on you because you can hear the
'clack-clack' of her "chancletas".

Someone in you family is name "Maria".

You have actually met several people named "Jesus".

You treat fevers with "alcoholado".

You know "Don Francisco" from "Sabado Gigante".

You need a cup of coffee after every meal.

Your uncle owns more gold than the jewelry shop down the street.

You've sat in a two-passenger car with over seven people in it,
and there's a person shouting "Subete que caben mas!".

You put a big Puerto Rican flag on your car come June.

You've sung "Japi Beldei Two Yuuuu" more than you care to
remember.

You scrunch up your nose to ask a silent "que ?".

You've ever left grass out for the camels on the night of Jan.
6th., instead of leaving milk and cookies for Santa Claus on
Christmas.

You remember Ricky Martin as the little one from Menudo.

You were raised on Goya products (Si es Goya, tiene que ser
bueno).

You ever wished El Chapulin Colorado would come and save you.

You've dropped food on the floor, picked it up, and eaten it
after saying "lo que no mata engorda".

Your sofa or rug growing up was covered in plastic.

You start clapping when your plane hits the runway.

Your cousins have "original" names, like a blend of their
parent's names (ViMari = Victor + Maria)

Your mother, tia, or hermana's hair is black cherry, "sun in"
red, or a burgundy that would make Celia Cruz jealous.

You go to a wedding or Quinceanera party, gossip about how bad
the food is, but take a plate to go.

You can dance to merengue, cumbia, or salsa without music.

You think Christina can beat Oprah any day.

You can get to your house blindfolded because the smell of
chuletas is SO strong.

Your mother yells at the top of her lungs to call you to dinner
when you live in a one bedroom apartment.

Telenovenas have the status of holy ceremonies.

You think platanos are a whole separate food group.

You have a picture of "Cristo" in your house.

You think your name begins like this: "Ave Maria Purisima,
__________".

You walk around saying "Chacho", or "Chacha" or "Ay Bendito".

Others tell you to stop screaming when you're really talking.

You know someone who drives a "Cheby".

You call all sneakers "tenis".

All breakfast cereals are called "Con Fley".

All tissue papers are called "Klinex".

All brands of diapers are called "Pampel".

A balanced meal consists of rice and beans and some kind of meat.

You know the difference between "Carolina Rice" and everything
else.

You appreciate the difference between "Agua de Florida" and
"Superior 70".

You've put a penny on your forehead to stop a nosebleed.

Your mother has put a balled up piece of thread on your baby
cousin's forehead to stop her hiccups.

You have at least 30 cousins. At least! (Dan, in our case - at least 100)

You know how to drive an "estandar" or "estic chift" car.

You can tell the difference between "Cafe Crema" and "Bustelo".

And last, but not least:

Your grandmother thinks Vick's Vapor Rub is the miracle cure for
everything!

Your Daily LOL