This is for you, mom.  Nery is the sweetest little lady you’ve ever met.  She did my mom’s nails for years, back when my mom lived in Miami.  Now that mom’s in Maine, she hasn’t seen Nery for several years.  They adore each other.  I was in Miami for Christmas this year, visiting with Drew’s family, so I went over to bring some holiday cheer to Nery.  She is stuck in her house these days, which is just awful, so the world needs to come to her.  (Nery has a benign brain tumor -inoperable- and it gives her terrible vertigo so she can’t be out walking around for fear of falling and seriously hurting herself.)

Nery was a delight to visit with -she told me all about growing up in Cuba before the revolution and her brave escape in ’63 when Castro took control.  She was a flight attendant and “jumped ship” when the plane did a layover in Newfoundland on it’s way to Prague.  From there, she made her way to Miami and applied for political assylum.  She loves animals, adventures, and her clients, who have become her family.

Happy New Year, Nery.  xoxo