For my cousin Pili with lots of L.O.V.E.!
During my visit to Spain last September my cousin, Pili, invited Pepe and I to lunch at her
place in Madrid. We weren't the only ones that would be sharing delicious food, pleasant
conversation, and lots of laughter with her that day.
We were going to be a large group of Aragons...
But that is how it is in my family. No way
around it. Even when all invited can't make it,
we are a large group.
Or should I say, a very... umm.. large group
of...umm..crazy people? But, regardless
of our mental status...there is lots
of L.O.V.E. when we gather. Even if
we haven't seen each other in a very long time
due to even longer distances.
Amongst the family members I hadn't seen since my last trip to Spain, would be Pili's
parents; my dearest uncles, Miliki and Rita. Now, from here on out I will refer to them as
Tio Miliki and Tia Rita. That is how I have always called them. You see in Spain you always...
always...(well, at least in my family anyways), add "tio" or "tia" before your uncle's or
aunt's names.
Having said all that- before lunch... before the rest of the family arrived... as I was conversing
with Pili in her living room, my eyes set upon a large black book on her coffee table. On the
cover of that book was my Tio Miliki. My cousin immediately said to feel free to browse
through it. And so I did. By doing so, I fell in love with the book... and asked Pili if there
could be any possibility of a copy for myself. She said she would try to get me one, and
the subject drifted to other directions as more family arrived, and we engaged on catching
up with each others lives...
Five months have gone by since that memorable lunch at Pili's. Five months I had been
yearning for that book about my Tio Miliki. And then... just a couple of week's before
Pepe's trip, my cousin informed my husband that unfortunately there were no more
copies available.
But...guess what my husband just brought me from Spain?
He brought me a most precious gift...a wonderful surprise
my cousin, Pili, had just for me...
And not only did I get the book I desired about my Tio Miliki....
He sweetly dedicate it to me...
Which makes it even more special. This will be a family heirloom to pass
down through generations.
This book honors my uncle's career and achievements ...and is filled with family history.
Just take a good look at my great-grandmother, Virginia Foureaux, daughter of the owner
of El Grand Cirque Foureaux. What a magnificent photograph! And what a magnificent
woman- As the circus's ÉCUYÈRE, she had an intrepid acrobatic act while bare horseback
riding! More amazingly she had 15 children... one of them was my grandfather Emilio.
If my father was born in 1920... I am wondering... what year is this photo from?
And here I am looking at a photo of
Tio Miliki when he was 11 years old. That
was around the time my mother met him...
These are photos of my dad and my uncles
(Gaby, Fofo, and Miliki) from the time they
were working in U.S.A.
Thank you, Pili, my dear cousin for this wonderful surprise, for taking the time and showing
what family love is all about...even when we don't see each other very often, even
when distance is between us.
Muchos besos
Tu prima Juani
