RIP Beatriz Romandía viuda de Rosas, Nov 1909-Jan 2006

My grandma died this past Tuesday. She had just turned 96. In a way, I felt she left us a few years ago when Alzheimer's completely took over her mind, and she was just never the same after that. The last couple of times I was at her house (in which we gather for most family functions, i.e. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Mother's day etc), I didn't even say hello/bye to her; I figured she wouldn't even notice. She basically just sat there, in her couch or her wheelchair, staring at nothing, ocassionally smiling and making noises when the lady who took care of her (Isabel) would talk or sing to her. She was a bit like a baby in that sense, but in reverse developmental order. She wasn't how I remembered her before, strong and firm. No, that lady on the couch was not my grandma.

Her husband, my grandpa, died in 1956, when my mom was 10 yrs old. She was left to raise 6 children, the youngest only 5, on her own. She never remarried and managed a whole household basically on her own (ok so she was of money and had help, maids and the like... still, a tough job! Especially for the times). When I was a kid, sometime in the 80s, already at 70-something, I remember she traveled around Asia, pretty much on her own (I think with some friends her age). I can only hope that I can be as active in my later years as she was, but I also hope my mind doesn't leave me like hers did.

I was looking at old pictures, and memories of her came back quite strongly... I miss her and I never realized it before. So here are some pics...

My grandma and Me, when I was a baby


Me as a baby again, with (l-r): Tía Vita, Grandma, Tía Tichi, Brita (I think, family friend), and my mom


Mother's day 04, she was already gone for the most part... =(
L-R Grandma, cousins Patty, Mónica, and Verónica, Me, Tía Vita.


RIP Mamanina.