yesterday we celebrated a birthday. mariluz turned 60. mariluz, my best friend paty's big sister. it seems like yesterday when we would get together in the big old victorian house with the creaky staircase and the black and white tiled bathroom, where don federico, your father, would dashingly appear with a silk handkercheif around the collar.  i still remember when you married eduardo and had eduardito and andres and drove a red camaro about town.  i still remember when you moved to spain, came back and things went wrong.  and how you picked yourself up, began anew and had little marilucita. all are grown up now, all with their solid lives and you as beautiful as ever!