Abi (Rosemary) Papi (Alex) Hilaruchi (Hilary) and Lauren, Alejandruchi was in Lillooet.

Every family must have, I am sure, what I call parental endearments.

Until my mother died in 1972 I called her Mami, and my father who died in 1966 it was Papi.I called my only living grandparent I ever had Abue (short  for Abuelita).

I am not sure if it in Arboledas, Estado de México, between 1970 and 1975, if we had an endearing word for Rosemary. I was Papi so Rosemary may have been Mami.

It all changed when we came to Vancouver in 1975. A year or two later we acquired a cat and we called him Gaticuchi. Cuchi is a cute addition to any name.

Gaticuchi on Vancouver Magazine cover

It was perhaps then that Rosemary became Mamuchi and I was Papuchi. Hilary (our youngest daughter was Hilaruchi and Alexandra Alejandruchi.

Since then not all our cats had cuchi attached to their names. I am back with my Niño and Niña I affectionately call them Niño Muchi and Niña Muchi. When I walk with Niño around the block, when he lingers at a garden, I call him, “Muchi!).

When we became grandparents we did not want to be called by any name that suggested that we were so. I insisted on Papi and Rosemary was Abi.

Neither of my granddaughters have uchi attached to their names so I believe that our tradition will die with my cats and me.