You've got to know when to hold 'em...

This is my mom, Luz.
The grandkids call her Luza.
We call her Mami.
My sisters and I are planning a birthday celebration for her.
She will be 93 in at the end of next week.

Of course, I made invitations. ;-)

Ever since I can remember and even before I came along, my family has played a card game called Continental. (it's a version of rummy, I think)

The game was introduced to the family by my great aunts in Havana sometime around 1890.

We play it RABIDLY.
It's a bit complicated to explain on this blog, but they do a good job of explaining the rules here.

We play it at EVERY. FAMILY. EVENT.  No, seriously. Every one.
It's kind of cut-throat, actually,  and guess who is the most merciless?

Yep. The mild-mannered grandma.
She has a sort of "take-no-prisoners, punish-at-will" attitude.
The kids LOVE playing with her because she's always full of surprises.
It's almost a blood-bath really.
These people get SUPER competitive.
At 93 you would think she would have mellowed some, but noooo.
It gets pretty violent when grandma is in the game.  I swear.
Adam and his friends LIVE for this. It's pure Cuban comedy.

I'm sending invitations out today.

She liked the whole "queen of hearts" thing and that the family would be getting together and that we'd get to play cards.

But...

What she really wants to do for her 93rd birthday is go here:

That's right. Medieval Times.
She wants to wear a crown and watch jousting!

She is still full of surprises.

Maybe she just really liked the idea of being queen for a day...

or maybe my sweet little nonagenarian mother really does enjoy blood sports. =D

Scary.