Easter Joy!

And yes, it’s Friday again and that makes me happy.

Let’s pick it up from last Friday which was Good Friday. I usually spend this day reflecting quietly but I did pick up a food rescue run to make up for the one I couldn’t do on Monday. Later that afternoon I went to church and that was pretty much it.

Nick playing defense (Photo by Vance)

Nick shooting a three-pointer (Photo by Vance)

Saturday Vance and I spent the morning into early afternoon at Nova Southeastern University cheering on Nick and his Special Olympics teammates during their basketball games. They lost the first game but were victorious in the second so we’re not sure if they’ll advance to the big competition in Orlando in May. Fingers crossed that they do.

When we got home, I got busy baking the Easter cutout cookies in cute Spring shapes for the kids to decorate on Sunday at my sister Susy’s house.

Here we are (don’t mind the fake plant that looks like it’s growing out of my head) L-R Vance, Kevin, Michelle, Adina, Rick, Phil and I at Speak-Tiki.

Saturday night, we met up with Michelle and Kevin, Adina and Rick and Phil for a night out at Pembroke Gardens Mall. We started with cocktails at Maya Speak-Tiki where we sipped drinks and shared a few delicious appetizers. Their crispy rice topped with a tender sliver of steak was phenomenal and their hummus was good too. We sat inside their cave-like booth which was a really fun experience. We then went next door for dinner at Agave Bandido where the Mexican food is on point and afterwards we enjoyed Haagen Dazs ice cream to cap off the night.

Cousins Jojo (the blondie) and Mazen, painting eggs on Easter Sunday.

Kaitlyn throwing up the peace sign and Mia at Easter Sunday.

Sunday began with a very crowded Easter mass and then me rushing home to make my pesto tortellini and caprese salad to bring to my sister Susy’s house where we all gathered for a relaxing Easter Sunday brunch in her backyard. Susy and my niece Elena always do a great job and Elena’s food was spectacular as always.

Thursday morning I hung around at Sandra DeLucca Developmental Center (Nick’s program), for the parent support group meeting.

Then last night, I went to the North Miami Public Library to listen to our Miami-Dade County Poet Laureate Caridad Moro-Gronlier during the “A Century’s Worth of Poetry” event. I met some great local writers who live in my neighborhood and was so excited to receive a copy of Moro-Gronlier’s latest book “Through the Lens: Ekphrastic Poems,” a collection of her most recent poems, several of which she recited to us. Everyone in the audience received a book before leaving, which she personally autographed in a post Q&A Meet & Greet. I was happy when Caridad remembered me from when I once interviewed her for an article. I’ve also run into her at many literary gatherings around Miami.

I also walked away from the event with a story idea that I’m thinking of pitching to The Biscayne Times.

Tonight I plan to begin a weekend full of Miami Film Festival outings starting with the documentary “An Instrumental Start - A Model for the Nation” on visionary educator Marshall L. Davis, Sr. the namesake of the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. That center produced such talent as dancer/choreographer Robert Battle who led the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Company and Tarell Alvin McCraney who wrote the Oscar-winning film “Moonlight” about his life and times in the Miami projects. It’s at the gorgeous Olympia Theater in Downtown Miami.

Tomorrow my film festival outings continue, this time at the Cosford Cinema on the University of Miami Campus for the “I’m Every Woman Shorts Block,” which features several Miami-made films, one in particular “Miami Magic,” made by a group of very talented women helping Miami filmmakers, writers, directors, producers and crew make films in their own backyard.

Then finally on Sunday, Vance and I will go together, back to the Olympia Theater for the screening of “The Mecca: Legends of Traz Powell Stadium,” a documentary chronicling the college and eventually NFL legends that played at the stadium on the Miami Dade College North Campus. Traz Powell Stadium has produced more NFL players than any other venue in the country. I’m looking forward to that one and I know Vance is.

OK I’ll stop droning on about movies and of course, I encourage you to take a look at the Miami Film Festival website where I know you’ll find something that catches your eye.

I’ll be heading to my favorite Farmer’s Market tomorrow morning and next weekend I plan to see one final Film Festival flick, but I’ll tell you about that next week.

Here are some parting shots…

My nephew Chris and his son Chase in his Lacrosse uniform.

My nephew Danny and his dog Bruce.

Cardinals in the bird feeder.

Bluejay in the bird feeder.

That’s all for now, I’ll see you next week when we’ll already be mid-April, if you can believe that!