She is 102 years young. My father's sister is the only one left of the six Texidor siblings. Her name was an "apodo" or nickname that originated with my father. As a little boy who could hardly speak, he mispronounced the word for girl in Spanish which is niña. He kept pointing to his younger sister saying, "Girl, girl!" But he put the accent on the last syllable and the name stuck. Her real name is Alejandrina, after her mother.
Niñá is an extremely intelligent person who is still sharp as a tack. I often think her memory is better than mine. She does not take any medications and jokes about her walker which she says is only for carrying her purse. In her youth, she was an excellent tennis player. She studied law at the University of Havana, but dedicated herself to raising a family all her life. She has always been very easy-going. Perhaps that (and the Texidor genes) is the reason for her longevity.
It was very gracious of her and her daughter Ada and son-in-law Fernando to give me a place to stay overnight so that I could catch my flight from Miami to Cuba the next day. Amazingly, Niñá waited up for me until 2:00 am when my flight from Milwaukee was delayed. We chatted a while longer while I ate cookies and milk. It was not very much time, but precious nonetheless.
I will be heading south again in late spring or early summer to spend more time in Miami. This time, I will not be rushed and I can enjoy my time with my dear aunt. God bless you Niñá!
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