It's Monday....

I found out Sunday that my abuelo (Papa Manuel) passed away early this morning.  It wasn't unexpected - the man was 106 years old and had been married for 83 years.  He had recently had a stroke, and his last days were spent in and out of lucidity.  I have only met him twice since he lives -lived - in Panama.  But he's one of those people that you don't forget.  Full of spirit and mischief, up until recently he would sneak a beer with one or two of the great grandchildren.  At their 75th wedding celebration, it was joked that between Mama Chela and Papa Manuel, they fathered a village.  They had 9 children and over 200 grandchildren and great grandchildren.  I am one of the grandchildren, and my four kids are the great grandchildren, and now my grandchildren were their great great grandchildren.  I'm sad for him in a way, though I realize the man led a long, long...very long life.  And until his stroke he was completely lucid.

His long life included a machete knife fight for his wife - who had developed a love for another man, but apparently they two men had it out with machetes by a river....my abuelo lost a finger in the fight, but won his wife back....and they had a few more children and ended up married for 83 years.  

I'm more sad for my mom, who loved him very much .  She was visiting the U.S. when he had his stroke so she cut her visit short to go back and help take care of him.  She's 75 years old herself, though to watch her and see her you would think she's my older sister and not my mom.

The man was no angel - as evidenced by the machete fight (hey, sometimes you gotta fight for your woman!)  - but I know there are many family members who are mourning his passing.

So I don't really feel like listing books that I've read.  I kind of want to - --- but then again.

On top of that news, I'm experiencing my first visit from "Aunt Flow" in over a year - complete with the worst cramps - probably feel worse because it's been so long.  I thought I was done with all this crap - but no.  The uterus has other ideas...

between the abuelo and the uterus - not feeling up to doing much.

See y'all later