Our Carrefour Grocery Store August through December 2008

The Third stage of building

The night stage of building. They usually stopped at 10:30 at night.

The beginning stage of building.

This is the view from our apartment and all the building that is going on right now.

John moved our bed to the front of the apartment because there was an apartment being built in the back and it was so noisy. NOW we have three things being built in the front so there is NO sleeping past 7:00 in the morning. Not that I ever did anyway!

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September 11, 2008

It is football weather in Brazil. Sometimes in the day it gets pretty hot but lately it has been cooling off in the late afternoon with a nice breeze blowing making the apartment so comfortable. I remember football weather so well. Even in high school in late September and early October there would be a discussion if we needed a sweater. You only need a sweater here maybe a week out of the year here.

The sounds around our apartment are really picking up. We have birds that start singing at 6:00. Sometimes I can put my pillow over my head and go back to sleep but then I know the construction for the new Carrefour (grocery store) is going to start across the street promptly at 7:30. I can't believe I will be able to walk across the street to a grocery store.

There are three types of horn honking here in Brazil. The first honk is a courtesy tap to let you know he is coming, the second honk is a long tap telling you to get out of my way, and the third is a constant honk which means "I'm mad and I want everyone to know it!" Living in an apartment in the city we hear a lot of all three of them and the third one seems to be mostly in heavy traffic. Like I've told you before the Brazilian people are wonderful and patient UNTIL they are behind the wheel of a car.

John has been working way too much and has been late getting home. Since his Portuguese Teacher Maria is waiting downstairs for him at 6:00 he has called me many times lately to go down and talk to Maria. This means she will start teaching me. I do need it but I think John is doing it on purpose so I'll get better at my Portuguese. Pray for him. He is very tired. Pray for me I AM NOT SLEEPING. Although I do have my rugs to work on at 2:00 in the morning. = (

We had digital TV put in and it has been exciting for us because we can change the stations from Portuguese to English. I was able to watch Monday Night football in English and it was so nice.

Last weekend John and I went to the Flower Show in the Holland village called Holambra. The flower displays were just unbelievable. They also had a performance of the children dancing in their wooden shoes and many wedding displays. Here in Brazil thetop of the wedding cake is always funny and cute. I will try to put one of them on my blog.

Ben has started back to school taking one class. Meredith and Reagan will welcome John home this week. Mom has been in pain but she is still very happy in her little apartment.

Two more rugs

The first rug is John's anniversary present. We Three Kings!

The second rug I call the "Ball Rug". It is very different but I like it. I learned a lesson with the ball rug to always get the same dye lot on my rugs. You can see from the picture that there is a dye lot change in the black background.

Brazil Update-August 21, 2008

The last 2 1/2 months I have been 26,390 miles in the air on three continents.  Needless to say I am pooped but it has been such a great joy.  I got quality time with Mom, Meredith and Reagan.  I got to see lots of family and friends, beautiful places and eat wonderful meals. 

 

First of all Meredith and Reagan arrived in Atlanta and she got to see good friends from Clemson.  It was a good and refreshing time for her to see them.  I got to visit with friends in Anderson for a couple days and then we went to Chattanooga to introduce Reagan to my Mom.  They had a good time together and Mom taught Reagan to wave bye bye.  It is a special thing.  Ben got to come and while he was there Aunt Betsy & Uncle Alan and Aunt Katherine & Uncle Jim came also.  It was a great reunion but we really missed John and Jay being there.  There were even promises of a pony from Aunt Katherine.  We were grateful to see everyone.  Reagan LOVED her Uncle Ben.

 

From there we went to Brazil where Reagan wooed people everywhere she went.  She has the most wonderful personality and during all the travels gave us no problems.  The Brazilians loved her blue eyes and while she was befuddled by the language you can see kindness in any language.  She went to a pizza party at Nancy & Curt's home, visited the rug store and Romana's and got to meet all my Brazilian friends and even got to go to my ear doctor here.  Through it all with a good attitude.  Her favorite thing was crawling out on the balcony (which is very safe).  She would look back to make sure we were all watching.  Papa Wells so enjoyed having her here.  It was hard to leave him.  She also got her first haircut here.  Not a totally happy experience but her hair is surely growing now.  She was also rocked to sleep many times by the bumpy sidewalks.

 

From here we went to England.  It was a easy trip mainly because Reagan got to use her car seat.  The planes were not full.  This was a huge blessing.  We met up with Ann and Morgan Bryant in London and saw everything.  Even went to a jousting match at Warrick Castle.  They had wax figures dressed in period costumes and I did not believe they were wax and stood and starred at them waiting for them to move. We ate at pubs, walked and walked, and talked & talked.  It was a lot of fun.

 

I was supposed to return straight to Brazil but my favorite tree fell in Mom's yard.  It mostly landed in the yard but did do damage to my car and to the house.  It is now gone but I have wonderful memories of that tree.  People would stop in the fall to take pictures of it all the time.  It was a glorious mixture of color.

 

I am back in Brazil.  I've missed the cold weather here and returned to heat.  Lots of changes in the family.  Meredith, John and Reagan will be moving to North Carolina in November and Ben is going to his TEN year reunion this weekend in Anderson.  Hard to believe.  Isn't it?  Time flies by.

Brazil update - May 24, 2008

 

One of John's fun jobs, when the kids were little and sleeping in the same room, was he would tell them bedtime stories and sing them to sleep.  Many of you have sat near John at church and can testify Ben and Meredith must love their Dad very much to listen to him sing every single night.  John sang many songs every night and one of them was We Three Kings (all five verses).  For our 31st Wedding Anniversary I had the rug store paint me a beautiful wall hanging the We Three Kings to make for John bringing back wonderful memories of him falling asleep between Ben and Meredith while singing to them.  I have finished it and I'll put the picture on the blog when it is finished being made.

 

I walked with John to get his hair cut last weekend.  This is a very different experience from the states.  In this wonderful place the men are upstairs and the women are downstairs.  There are 12 barber chairs and on this day 8 were busy.  There were many overdue haircuts being done and manicures.  Yes, Manicures!  There was someone constantly sweeping up the hair on the floor, someone always offering everyone coffee or water,  and someone always greeting you.  It is a most pleasant experience.  Probably why I go with him. 

 

There are many beautiful names here in Brazil especially for women.  Fernanda, Fabiana, Cassia, Ana Clara and my favorite Camila.  The reaction on people's faces when I tell them my name and the name of my daughter and grand-daughter is always amusing.  Cynthia Kathleen & Meredith all have TH in them.  They do not have that sound in the Portuguese language and it is so difficult for them to say.  I am called Catchie here.  Meredith is called Mereditch.  Then when I tell them Reagan's name they really give me this blank look.

 

The follow are things I have learned in Brazil after three years:

*I have learned to watch my every step when walking the sidewalks of Cambui.  All are uneven, different and can break an ankle in a second.  I have turned my ankle many times.  I'm sure orthopedic doctors here are very wealthy people.

*I have learned to just close my eyes in heavy traffic.  John does a great job but it scares me so bad especially the motorcycles that really do not have any restrictions.  Also, Brazilians are laid back, easy going, patient people BUT put them behind the wheel of a car and they become crazy.  I have also learned to watch with awe as Brazilians parallel park.  They can whip that car in the tiniest space without blinking.

*I have learned to hold my breath when walking through the fish section of the grocery store or the Saturday Market.  The smell is a killer.

*I have learned not to expect to see the doctor on time.  For doctors here in Brazil it is quality of time instead of being on time. 

*I have learned to not talk about politics here in Brazil.

*I have learned apartment living is just heavenly.  Secure & safe with guarded entrance, no yard, and no pool to worry about.  Everything is taken care of.

*I have learned that the three things I will miss most from here will probably be Bob's Ovaltine Milkshake (Bob's is a Brazilian Burger King), the sweet popcorn at the movie theater and the delicious coffee at Romana's (Starbucks can't touch their coffee).  Plus, you add the service you get and it is an extra bonus.

*I've learned the hardest word to say here in Brazil is hair dresser - ca be lei rei ro.  I just can't wrap my tongue around it.

*I learned that the nicest people are the chauffeur's (drivers) that are waiting for the children at school, ballet or English Class.  They always help me with directions and have pity on my poor Portuguese.

May 17, 2008 New pictures

These are some special pictures I've taken this month.

Thought you would enjoy.

April 2008 in Brazil

Every single time I go out here in Brazil I should take the camera.  We have been here three years and every day there is something that fascinates me enough to want a picture.  It seems one of the sentences I say to John more than anything is:  "I wish I had the camera!"  It may be a blooming tree, a fence covered in a fragrant flowering bush, a bird, something crazy or something sweet but it is always a memory that I want to capture.  Yesterday it was this beautiful palm tree at the mall and they had planted orchids in the grooves of the tree and the orchids were blooming.  Maybe I just need a smaller, lighter camera that would be easier.

 

It has been gloriously cool the last 5 weeks.  We have only used the air conditioner 3 times since I've been home.  You all know how hot natured I am so this is good.  The past couple days have been very cold.  The Brazilians have brought out their boots, scarves, and heavy coats and think I am a lunatic in my regular clothes.  To me this is just heavenly football weather.  I did wear a sweatshirt one day but had to take it off while walking.

 

The dear Rodgers Family (serving The Navigators here in Campinas) will be moving the end of the month back to the States.  All of you know how important they have been to us here and how both John and I will miss them.  We have watched their children grow up before our very eyes into amazing young people. They have sowed many seeds here in Brazil along with Harry and Robin with their time, football games & other sports, Bible Studies and meals in their home.  They probably won't know their impact until they reach heaven but I know there are many Brazilians that will greatly miss them and I know many have been truly changed through their love.