Ed

PR Day 2: Mami's Finca

Mom's finca is in beautiful shape. Oranges, lemons, papayas, plantains, bananas, breadfruit, gandules, eggplant, there's so much growth.

It has taken decades to happen, but Mom's dream is starting to take shape. The lot is cleared and marked, plans are drawn up, things are happening. It's exciting, and how much more so for Mom! Like everything in Puerto Rico it will take longer than expected, and progress will be stop and go... but nevertheless it's moving along and I think she'll get her house. Not by Mother's Day like she hopes, but possibly by the end of the year?

Andrés gave me a tour of the area, rattling off plant names and stages of growth and when he planted them and how he trimmed them until I was almost dizzy. He knows every inch of the place because he's planted or groomed or in some way worked it. We went down to the creek where there were ñames below and pomarrosas above. He fished out some tilapias. We took our time and got some good talking done.

Tío Jose came over with Lourdes. Jose is thinking of getting a computer. He mentioned the same thing last time we talked, but this time I wonder if he might not really mean it? He recently had an alumni reunion and he's the only one not in touch electronically. That might give him the incentive he needs.

Mom's car overheated on the way home. The radiator fans weren't coming on. Some quick looking under the hood the next day revealed a rat's nest of spliced wires in the fuse box. Pretty bad; definitely something for a professional to look at.