November 5, 1909.  That was 100 years ago.   On this day, the US Air Force lost its only airplane in service leaving them with no planes, 1 pilot, and 9 enlisted people.  On this day, in New Orleans, passengers arriving from Belize reported that the entire Navy of Honduras had been sunk.   On this day, a Harvard University Astromoner announced that the Earth would pass through the tail of Haley’s Comet in May 2010.  On this day, Federal Judge Hatton ruled that Arabs and other Middle Easterners were of the White race.  On this day, the first Woolworth’s opened in London.  On this day, my Lola was born.

In the last 100 years, my lola has seen an amazing number of things…from the invention of the television, to Ford cars on sale for $360, to World Wars I and II, to watching a man walk on the moon.  And while she never got a chance to become literate and worked to the bone as far back as she could remember, she gave her 2 boys and her 15 grandchildren every chance she never had.   And now even her grandchildren have children, and she’s still doin what she does best…  Cooking the best filipino food on the block, doing the laundry, pruning the roses in the front yard, and takin a shot of hennessey with dinner with me.    And she STILL the only person in my immediate family who knows how to swim.  Yep, thats my Lola. 

Today, I’d like to honor the woman who raised me and my brother.  The woman who turned me on to avocado and milk for merienda.  The woman who taught us how to speak Tagalog while we taught her English.  (we failed.  she didn’t).   Today, I’d like to honor my Lola because today, she turns 100. 

Shots up!

p.s. thats my daddy, my lola, and my mommy. 
p.p.s. my daddy is 17 years older than my mom.  whats the opposite of a cougar?  
p.p.p.s. isnt my mama pretty?