Enjoy Every Moment Right Now

Sophia is my friend, Sophie's grandmother (Sephardic Jews name their children after the living) who's visiting from Caracas, Venezuela. How cool is this abuela? We were at a birthday party with her Israeli-American family and I asked them to lower the music for a few minutes so we could speak (and Sophie could translate for me). The Israelis lasted two minutes before the music went back up again. What is it with Israelis needing everything - even family barbecues - to resemble a nightclub? Well, Sophia had no complaints. She enjoyed her family, the sun, and the day - and she never said a word. I thought old people are supposed to complain a lot. Why was I the only one screaming, "Does the music have to be so loud?! And, what's with all the smoke from the barbecue? And, why's the food so spicy - don't Sephardim get acid reflux, too?"

Please forgive the bad editing. I'm learning as I go and I'm having a lot of technical difficulties. My computer's getting up in years. If it could give me advice, it would probably recommend putting it in "a home" and giving it a break already. I think it's time for a younger model.

Sophia, age 85.