7 x 7

I’ve lived in San Francisco for 21 years and in that time I have never spent my birthday in the City. I have had my birthday in Germany, in Japan, in Laos and last year I had it in Los Angeles, but usually I have celebrated it at my parents’ in Parlier as it falls between Christmas and New Year’s Day. So this year when Susan and Matt offered to celebrate it at their home and Greg offered to take me out if I was in town, I was a little out of sorts as to how to celebrate it. So I decided to have a party in my home and invite friends from school, from art school, from church and from Cal. George helped me out by engaging with the guests. I feel grateful and blessed.

Our brokenness is the wound

This is your LIFE

from http://shop.holstee.com

Happy Holidays

© Hector Lee, 2011

Family Cruise

¿Qué quieren para su aniversario?

Nada.

¿Cómo que nada? ¿Nó queiren un a misa y una fiesta?

No. Por que se invitan algunos y otros se ofenden.

¿Qué quieren pues?

Before boarding

My parents decided that they wanted to go on a cruise with their children and grandchildren for their 50^th wedding anniversary. We chose to go the week before Christmas—so Santa wouldn’t be arriving with any presents this year—a blessing.

We booked a cruise on the Carnival Splendor. For many of us it was our first time on a cruise. I must say it is a good value. The cheapest cabins were about $2400, about $600 when split between three other mates. This includes your lodging, (all you can eat) buffet, and entertainment. The service was excellent. Our rooms were cleaned twice a day. There was wait staff on the Lido deck (where the buffet was) to quickly clean up after guests. And our wait staff for the formal dining Gold Pearl was affable and attentive. The guests are charged an $11.00 gratuity per day for all the service staff, but it was very reasonable.

The rooms were small but comfortable—my brothers and one nephew shared two bunk beds. There were no windows but we didn’t spend time in the room except to sleep. The shower always had hot water. Chocolates were left in our room everyday and fresh towels were made into animals on our return.

The buffet was decent. There was a wide selection from which to choose—so no one could complain of being hungry. Some items (omelets, panini sandwiches, etc) were made to order. There was always a food station that was available when the buffet was closed. The food in the formal dining area was fine—not quite SF quality but acceptable.  The service made it more enjoyable. There was always a fixed menu (chicken, burgers, steak) and a rotating one: Aaron got to try alligator, shark, and sushi on various nights. None of us had the gumption to try escargot on the last day. The alcoholic beverages are extra—so the bill can add up. A beer could be $7.00 but you could buy a bucket for $22.00. And while I do not drink soda, they did have a “bottomless bubbles” option for those who wanted soda with their food.

The entertainment was good. They had song and dance reviews, a juggling show, comedy shows, bingo for cash and one Mardi Gras night. Yeah it was kind of cheesy, but it was fun. One comedian had the same act night after night but the other changed it around. The juggler was quite amazing as we were on a moving boat. The ship had a miniature golf course (9 holes), Ping-pong tables (which always seemed to be busy), a small track (10 laps equaled one “statutory” mile), lounge chairs and various pools.

We stopped in Cabo San Lucas for about four hours and were in Puerto Vallarta for 12 hours. Our stays in the ports of call were just too short to enjoy. In Cabo we had just enough time to get a short excursion to the famous arch and beaches. It was amazing to swim in the Pacific in December—water was clear and comfortable. Then we did some shopping and were back in line to get tendered to the ship. In Puerto Vallarta, my dad became sick so I stayed behind to make sure he was OK. While I would have like to have gone into town, I think my father wanted to go into town with his grandchildren even more.

Swimming in Cabo in December

El arco de Cabo San Lucas

On our last two days, it seemed we were hoofing it back to Long Beach, the water was choppier or we were going against the current. In any case, the boat moved a lot more and I lost my appetite—I was ready to be back on land. There were vomit bags at the elevators for those who needed them.

I don’t think I am a cruise kind of guy but I don’t regret going. The best part of the trip was just to spend time with my family and relax and enjoy the trip.

Mom, Armando & me.

Mom & Dad at the first formal dinner

Abraham & Alonso

Armando & Armida

Is that alligator fritter good?

Aaron & Anna

Armando, Armida, Alonso & Abraham

© Hector Lee, 2011

Carnival Splendor December 2011

a ti virgencita, mi guadalupana

scouting italia

Felíz cumpleaños, Alonso! un abrazo fuerte de tu tío.

at the heart

© Hector Lee, 2011

Happy Birthday, George. Love you!

Play

© Hector Lee, 2011
Happy Birthday, Armando. Much love.

grow your own

Happy Birthday, Jennifer. xoxox

Live Now

© Hector Lee, 2011
Happy birthday, Anna. Love you.

Halloween at Marshall Elementary 2011

El calaca y la catrina

Mad Hatter Khatami and her eyes!

Chocolate on the Brain

© Hector Lee, 2011


Happy Birthday Adam! Happy Halloween!

All hallow's eve party at St. Agnes

Mark, Steve & Maureen

St. Louis, Holy Fire, St. Brennan, St. Paul Miki, St. Ray Allender

San Pedro Sula

© Hector Lee, 2011


Felíz cumpleaños Dad! I love you.

We give thanks

Happy Bday, Ramaud!

Outside Land Music

Happy Birthday, Aaron!

Growing Up

© Hector Lee, 2011

Happy Bday, Lori

Film Cake?

© Hector Lee, 2011

Happy Bday, Brian!

My Nina

My grandmother, my mother and I

Here is a nicer picture of my grandmother.

Reedley High Reunion

Gloria and Lily

Doug and his wife Susan

Gloria and me

It was because Gloria let me know of the Reedley High School Reunion that I attended. It has been 30 years! I can't believe it. It was good to see some old class mates but mostly I keep in touch with a couple of friends.  It was a needed a break from grad school homework. 

My lovely grandmother

While there are many grammatical errors and inaccuracies in the article. It is a nice tribute to my grandmother. I didn't know she wanted to be a teacher.

Former mayor's mother shares her passion for education

Although Guadalupe Viveros was unable to complete her education, she found joy in teaching her husband to read and teaching her six children. Valerie Nevens/The Post

By Rogue Morales
Parlier Post Correspondent

Published: Wednesday, October 5, 2011 3:21 PM PDT

Guadalupe Viveros loved school and valued education.

However, the Parlier woman’s experience with education ended before it barely began. When she was in the fourth grade at a school in Mexico, her father yanked her from her classes, wanting no part in her desire to become a teacher.

Although Guadalupe, 92, never formally became a teacher, her dream was realized when she was able to teach her husband how to read and write. Her children also looked to her for guidance, support and as an example to learn from.

“She said her responsibility was to give me good morals to be a good person,” said her son, George Viveros. “She said to have respect but to also have courage, to have goals and to fulfill them. She always set a good example.”

Guadalupe was a strict mother, yet supportive. She emphasized self-discipline to her children and explained that without discipline, one could never accomplish their goals. This she also taught by example.

“Thick and thin, she was there for us,” said Arcardio Viveros, another of Guadalupe’s other sons. “She carried the household, that’s what I remember. She was very strong.”

George Viveros said both his father and mother encouraged him and his siblings to go to school, but his mother was the one who really pushed for it. Even while other families were pulling their children from high school to work, Guadalupe was adamant that they stay in school.

“When we accomplished something, she looked like the happiest woman in the world,” George Viveros said. “We were so proud and she would be so happy for us.”

Besides George and Arcardio, Guadalupe had four other children: Teresa, Mario, Raul and Faviola.

Mario went on to UC Davis where he received his bachelor’s and master’s in agriculture. Raul went to UC Santa Cruz where he received his bachelor’s and later went on to San Francisco State University where he earned a master’s degree. Arcardio went on to graduate from Fresno State and later became the first elected mayor of Parlier in 1982 and served for 13 years.

Viveros was born in the city of Panindicuaro in Michoacan, Mexico to Ignacio Aguenega and Maria Hernandez. She was the third born and had six siblings total.

“She said she was always hungry to learn,” George Viveros said. “School was the only place able to give that.”

At age 18, Guadalupe met her husband in the town she grew up in. When the couple was young they decided to elope, her son Arcardio Viveros said. The custom of the time was for the young woman to stay with a friend or family member until the time of the wedding. Instead of waiting, the two left the city and got married one town over.

“She told us she was so scared of her father,” Arcardio said. Jesus Viveros used to joke with Guadalupe that she was the one who stole him since the night the two of them planned to elope, in her fear she ran faster than he did from the house.

Jesus Viveros came to the United States looking for work with the braceros, a program created by the United States government to enlist labor from Mexico to assist Americans in the West. With her husband gone, Guadalupe was left to raise her family alone.

“When my father was a bracero she became our mother and our father,” George said. “She did this for 10 years. She was always taking care of everybody.”

Throughout her time in Mexico with her children, Guadalupe tried to keep her children enrolled in schools. Even when the family moved to Mexico City and later to Sonora, she tried to keep her children involved with education.

Keeping the family going was no easy task and in the months when her husband could not send money due to lack of work, Guadalupe showed her skills as an entrepreneur.

Guadalupe was a very talented seamstress, Arcardio said. She would use clothing catalogs for ideas and mimicthe patterns just from looking at the picture. Her customers sometimes selected dresses and shirts they wanted from the catalogs and she would make them as a means of extra income. She also raised pigs and grew produce to sell at the market.

“She was always thinking of ways to make extra money,” Arcardio said.

Not all of her plans worked out, however. While living in Mexico City, Guadalupe tried making the sweet dish gelatin. She bought all the equipment and ingredients and once she completed her desserts, her sons would try to sell them. However, they looked so bad that no one wanted to buy them.

“I felt so bad,” George said, “They were so ugly and tasted so bad!” He laughed at the memory along with his mother who merely scrunched up her face at the mention of the failed desserts.

After many years of struggling, the family was able to immigrate to the United States. Jesus Viveros gained citizenship with the help of an employer he met through the bracero program. After he became a citizen, he was able to bring his family over in 1962. Eventually the Viveros family found their way to Parlier, where they settled down.

Nowadays Guadalupe spends her time taking it easy watering her plants or going to the senior center. She still regularly attends Mass and reads. Even though her husband passed away five years ago, she still prefers to live independently. When she goes to visit her children or her 26 grandchildren, she finds herself eager to get home. When asked to stay, she declines.

“You’re father left me in that house and I want to be there,” she would answer them. “Maybe your father is waiting there for me.”

la mano

© Hector Lee, 2011

Happy Birthday, Eddie!