Niño on my bed - 14 August 2025

Hogar is Spanish for home. The word comes from the Latin:

Del b. lat. hisp. focaris, y este der. del lat. focus 'hoguera', 'hogar'.Focaris is Latin for hearth fire.

el b. lat. hisp. focaris, y este der. del lat. focus 'hoguera', 'hogar'. En latín, "focaris" se deriva de "focus" y se refiere al hogar, o más específicamente, al lugar donde se enciende el fuego en la casa, el centro de la vida doméstica y familiar. En la antigua Roma, el "focaris" tenía una gran importancia simbólica y religiosa, representando el espíritu y la protección divina.

In English the word comes from focus or home, and more specifically, the place where the home fire is lit, which is the centre of domestic and family life. In ancient Romse, focaris was important both symbolically and religiously as it represented the spirit and divine protection.

For 52 years I lived a warm family life with my wife, daughters and granddaughters. Both Rosemary and I came from a warm and caring family. I was particularly fond of my maternal grandmother.

All that ceased on December 9, 2020 when Rosemary died. Since then my family (two daughters and two granddaughters) have faded away with their own personal problems. To my granddaughters I am not their grandfather. I am an inconsequential old man.

Four years ago when my granddaughters would visit me in the winter they would ask me to light a fire in the wood fireplace in my living room. I did the same when Rosemary was around. My hearth has not had a fire since. 

My days, in which my primary obligations are to feed my cats and walk the male cat Niño around the block, are the only ones I have beyond the mundane ones of feeding myself and keeping my home clean and my garden tidy.

If  have not fallen into complete despair, living in a home, a nice home, filled with memories of a past life, it is because my two cats, Niño and Niña provide me with undivided attention and cuddly warmth.

I thank them for keeping me in a warm family.