My Big Black Blog

Merry Christmas 2008

2008-12-20T09:17:00.000-08:00

Here is our Family Christmas Picture for Christmas 2008. We couldn't get the cats to behave for the picture (they take after me) so we left them out. It's sweltering holiday weather here, except for the sudden unexpected showers that soaked my dry clothes that were hanging on the line this morning.

Here is the aloe plant we chose for our tree this year, mostly since it was the only foliage not completely devoured by the 4,572 species of ants that make our house their home.

We are celebrating one year of marriage on December 29, and we have had a great year, for which we are very thankful. We wish all our friends and family a great Christmas and a fantastic 2009!

Enticing product names

2008-08-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back I was talking to myself about how sometimes it would be nice to have another English-speaker to talk to. I love my husband and his family and all my other Brazilian comrades, but there are times when it would be nice to have someone around to make little jokes about daily life with.

Take, for instance, the evening when I was faced with a terrible dilemma: which on-sale item should I buy -- Vigor Potty or Batmilk? The image in my head of the bat-dairy farmer hunched over, painstakingly pinch-pumping the teats of thousands of little flying rodents, was very appealing to me. However, I couldn't entirely disregard the enticing enigma of the Vigor Potty either. Did I even want to know the meaning of it?

The choice was simply too delightful. I bought them both, and took them home to my husband, who has always been big on solidarity. After I translated the joke for him, he chortled dutifully.

White legs with Horse and Child

2008-08-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Lucas and me getting to know the horsey.

When I saw this picture, what I noticed first was not the memorable moment of taking a one-and-a-half year old for a lurchy horse ride. I noticed that after 5-and-a-half years in sunny Brazil, my legs have nothing to show for it.

Lucas's sister Bia has told me a few times that I need to go to the beach so I can "get more black". I have to keep explaining to her that I could stay out on the beach all day, but I wouldn't get more black, just red or maybe even purple and blistery.

Stuck in the middle

2008-05-29T11:55:00.001-07:00

The 6th birthday party of my 2nd-cousin-in-law(?) was a very emotional moment. Henrique (right) blew as hard as he could to extinguish the candle, and Isaías (left) couldn't resist helping him.

Their cousin Ana was overcome with warm birthday sentiments and rushed over to give Henrique a tight birthday hug. For a few moments, she didn't realize that a smaller someone was being inadvertently smothered in the gesture.

"Hey, guys! ...Guys! ...Hey, this hug is nice and all but I am trying to breathe here...!"

Meme

2008-05-29T11:47:00.000-07:00

The Dry Wash has tagged me in a meme which I am quite certain has made its way now all around my blogging family.

Unfortunately for my readers, all my books tend to have to do with violence. I have nothing cheerful to offer thee.

This is from page 123 of Covering Violence: A guide to ethical reporting about victims and trauma, by William Cote and Roger Simpson:

The loudest cries of rage and hurt come when pictures and sounds collide with viewers' and listeners' sensibilities. Visual and audio media make an instant impression on the eye and ear, in contrast to the newspaper reader's more deliberate choice to read or keep reading printed text word for word. By the time we decide we do not want to see the image or hear the details, it is too late; the real or the mental picture is in our brain for better or for worse.

Renovations

2008-05-26T17:34:00.001-07:00

If I had realized how little effort it would take to get my family to visit, I would have made these renovations the very first day. Field and Garden Dream will appreciate (I hope) the new paint job and Slowlane will be comforted by the new water faucets I have installed (hopefully she will not find it disturbing that I have water coming out of the electric pole...)

For my most recent blog visitor, "V", I am happy to report that we have no hallways so there is no need to turn sideways. We do have a narrow winding staircase that no one more rotund than Eduardo can pass through. But since the bathroom is downstairs, there is no need to go upstairs anyway. And if you really really must, you can just scale the electric pole/water pipe, jump over the roof, and go through the doorway-with-no-door on the other side (Watch out that the other faucet doesn't catch you in the crotch though! Owie!).

My New House

2008-05-25T17:34:00.001-07:00

Slowlane has been complaining about not having anything to look at, so I have decided to display my new house here for her. Perhaps she will not only be less bored, but she will decide to come visit because she will see that it is such a fantastic place even if it only has running water once every four days. That's what I'm hoping, anyway.

First, I will show you the backyard. Here I am in front of our papaya tree, holding a blender full of acerolas that we picked of our acerola tree that is not in the picture. In the picture you can see our half-finished cistern that the owner of our house is making so that someday we will have water everyday instead of once every four days.

Here's the front of our house. It is peach-colored like most of the houses I have rented, which is ironic because I don't like peach colored houses. If we buy the house someday, I will paint it green. The car in the picture is borrowed, it doesn't belong to us. It only hangs out with me when it is in the mood to get a flat tire.

We like our house a lot. Come visit!

Always Daddy's Girl

2008-04-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

I think I remember seeing, at some point, a book with the above title. I believe it postulated that women look for mates with their father's characteristics.

My husband, like my father, likes to take pictures of spiders. Never mind that he also likes to take pictures of everything else in the world and that his interest in spiders blossomed only after meeting my father. I think it still counts, because the book says so.

Anyway, how many spiders can you see in this picture of our backyard?

I think I can see 5 in the picture, but in this 2 meter by 2 meter space in our backyard, we counted 18 argiopes (or, as Du calls them, pirate spiders). We hope they are busy eating mosquitoes and thus lowering our chances of getting dengue or getting carried away at night while we sleep.

In this last picture, I like the way the spider looks like she has a silver butt.

Most Creative Wedding Gifts, part 1

2008-03-31T05:53:00.001-07:00

This is our new set of sheets. We got them as a present for our wedding. Since Brazilians generally do not put their names on the presents they give, we may never know who gave us this gift.

I gather though, from the barbed-wire and spray-paint (or blood?) Life-Life-Life motif, that the giver wanted to emphasize not the romantic view of marriage (which would substitute, perhaps, doves or hearts in the place of the aforementioned design), but the nitty-gritty aspect. One cannot avoid being reminded of a "life term" or perhaps of the Berlin Wall. The tree-like objects seem to be mustard plants or maybe anis-seed. Perhaps the readers can help me with the symbolism there, as I am uncertain of its meaning.

Time to Eat Ants!!!

2008-03-31T05:31:00.001-07:00

Here it has started to rain. "Summer" has ended. What I mean is, when I step outside to take my laundry off the line, instead of getting drenched with sweat I get drenched by torrential downpours.

After the first rain, the skies begin to swarm with... food! It is called tanajura, which is Portuguese for "flying-ants-with-big-butts-that-you-fry-up-and-eat-with-cous-cuz". Yum.

Some people take off the legs, but some people are too lazy to do that, or the legs just don't really bother them that much (as pictured here). One does have to floss afterward in this case.

Du's Meme Response

2008-03-29T18:28:00.000-07:00

Du was tagged recently by a meme from the famous Carroll of "Capers with Carroll".

It was a little hard to explain to him how he should respond to this. I don't even know how to say "meme" in Portuguese! But I think he has now understood the rules:

THE RULES:
Look up from the computer, look around the room where you're sitting and pick up the closest book. Open the book, turn to page 123, count down to the fifth sentence on that page, and then post the next three sentences.

And here is what he has submitted, from Jeremias, J. Teologia do Novo Testamento:

"Quarenta é um número simbólico corrente, que significa o tempo da angústia e da fuga. Durante esse tempo, Jesus é tentado por Satan; Jesus 'estava com as feras selvagens' (here the phrase is written in Greek characters which are not apparently available on Blogger). Com isso não quer descrever, p.ex., a agrestia da paisagem e nem o perigo em que Jesus se encontrava, mas trata-se de um motivo contido na concepção do paraíso..."

Du hopes that all the readers have been duly edified.

Three Weddings and No Funeral

2008-02-20T14:45:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for the "no funerals" part, of course.

Our weddings began on September 5, 2007, with a fairly cut-and-dry affair at the courthouse where we shared our romantic 5 seconds with roughly 12 other couples we had never met. Eighty percent of those present at our reception (who numbered 5 total) were happy to be there. We celebrated by eating beans and spaghetti. And for the honeymoon, I left my husbandish living at his parents house and took off to the beach with my sister.

December 29 scored much higher on the romance-o-meter. It was by far the most organized event out of all our ceremonies, right down to our meticulously precise march down the aisle and to our seats. We recognized everyone at our reception. And for the honeymoon, we spent 3 days at a hotel in a beach town. And it had a hot tub and everything. Yay!

On February 16th, 2008, roughly 5 months after our first event, we enjoyed our final celebration, which was by far the wild card event out of all three. The ceremony showed little recognizeable similarity to the rehearsal which had taken place the day before, and one quickly noted the reason that the more control-freaky North Americans invented the "wedding coordinator". The service was noisy and fun, and we were joined by family, friends, and several dozen complete strangers who materialized on the scene from only God knows where. (The individual who shows up most often in our photographs of the occasion is someone we have never seen, before or since, but who apparently liked getting into pictures).

And the honeymoon? We went to our house (pictured here) and opened our presents and ate cake.

Then (not pictured here) I got very sick and spent the next 48 hours making frequent trips to my lovely bathroom, where the plumbing happened to be backed up. Hmmm... not very high on the romance-o-meter.

Overall, we found our ceremonies to have been very satisfactory and have decided to not hold any more for the time being.

Brownie points to my sister, my aunt and uncle, and my cousin for making it to two out of three! And to us, for making it to all of them!

Welcome, Simon!

2007-11-19T16:41:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago we, the residents of my happy holey-roofed abode, welcomed our latest visitor, Simon.

Simon is a big favorite amongst all the residents, most notably Pinky, who is pictured with him here. (Pinky, in fact, was so ecstatic to have someone paying attention to her in a non-spray-bottle way that she celebrated by rushing out and getting pregnant by one of the many yowling male strays that, as Simon says, "want her hot bod." Since I will be leaving shortly for an extended period of time, I congratulated Simon on his probable new privilege as cat mid-husband.)

When Simon is not beating on things around the house (mostly a stool that he plays instead of a drum), he is busy blessing us with Bahian cooking, which he has picked up quite a knack for.

Pictured below are "the boys" enjoying my gourmet cooking on a night when we must have been out of Bahian beans and egg-on-bread.

Slowlane's Mosquito Bites

2007-09-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

Since the last video was for Mom, this one is for Dad. For those who are eagerly anticipating a view ow the famed 68 mosquito bites, you will have to watch for 12 minutes (or fast-forward, of course) to get there. Happy Viewing.

Our vacation

2007-09-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

This one is for you, Mom!

My Exciting Civil Ceremony

2007-09-11T16:03:00.001-07:00

Well, here it is, folks.

It was such an exciting moment that my camera-lady and I even added a few extra scenes to spice it up (for example, the cat using the litter box).

For the (hopefully) much more interesting day, please attend my ceremony in Santa Barbara on December 29.

My Pet Fancy Final Paper

2007-08-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

The Occasional Visitor informs me that August is Pet Month.

Since my two pets won't sit still for the camera (they are too busy shredding my curtains and blankets and dragging a variety of household objects for burial in the litter box), here is my final paper for my Pastoral Counseling class, all fancy and ready to go.

I sent it in the way I would send in any other paper, but it was sent back to me because it was not hard bound with gold lettering. So here it is, hard bound with gold lettering. I will send it away tomorrow and hopefully I will never see it again, since now it is all schmancied up.

New Cat

2007-07-28T18:08:00.000-07:00

This is my new cat, Pinky. Her full name is Pinky White-Yellow, a name suggested by my fiancé, pleased with himself for inventing a name in English. (First he suggested Pinky White-Yellow-Green-Black, but I pointed out that it seemed a little too long for such a small cat).

Pinky is the successor of two previous cats -- Fermix, who mysteriously disappeared a few weeks ago, and Wendell, who I owned for approximately 3 days before he ran away while I was out. Wendell was a lot cuter and more photogenic than Pinky White-Yellow, but I have to give credit to Pinky because she is much more consistent and neat about using the sandbox. So while she may be less appealing visually, perhaps she makes up for it in the olfactory category.

Sirikiki (my surviving snooty siamese-and-mutt mix cat) finds Pinky's name difficult to pronounce, and so far calls her "Re-OOOOOOOOW FFFFFFTTTTTTTTTT!!!!" But with time I am sure she will get the hang of it.

Hey guess what!? I'm Engaged!

2007-06-30T18:22:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our special engagement day. I'm sorry you all could not share it with us in person, but I will note here a few of the highlights, along with some pictures.

First, the three top romantic highlights of our special day:

1. Getting lost in a favela on the way home from picking up our rings.

2. Buying a brand-spankin'-new toilet seat.

3. Paying a drunk man to take our engagement picture.

Here are some romantic pictures (sorry, I was going to take one of the toilet seat but my camera ran out of batteries):

Eduardo and I trying to take our own engagement picture.

The engagement picture that the drunk man took of us (he did a very good job, we are thinking of hiring him for our wedding).

Me with my shiny new ring.

A Law-abiding Blogger

2007-06-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

In accordance with the International Lazy-bloggers' Honey Law publicized on The Occasional Visitor, I am posting here a picture of Du with his niece.

Since I am a proponent of good Honey treatment, I do not keep him in a squeeze-bottle in the refrigerator.

And more family

2007-03-07T08:21:00.000-08:00

Here is a more distant relative, who seems to have forgotten to trim his ear hairs. He is very cute, but can be feisty. When he gets grouchy, it is good to give him some mango or papaya -- that calms him down.

More Family Reunions

2007-03-07T08:10:00.000-08:00

Here are some uncles and cousins. Please note that it is about 4,000 degrees out and that I was roasting in a tank-top and shorts.

The Good Life

2007-01-25T16:45:00.000-08:00

Recently I attended a family reunion. It was not MY family's reunion, so when I had no one to talk to I busied myself touring the site were the festivities were taking place, to see what I could see.

I was inspired by two of the residents who seemed to have discovered the best that life had to offer them -- comfort, rest, leisure and companionship.

This is a picture I took of my new friends before some poorly-behaved children began to throw rocks at them.

My Own Monkey Trap

2007-01-25T16:34:00.000-08:00

I remember hearing a story, when I was a kid, about a sort of trap for monkeys. When one wanted to catch a monkey, one could put candy or some other tasty treat inside some sort of jar. The monkey would grab the candy and his hand would remain stuck in the jar because he would not let go of the treat, even for one second. The person who set the trap could then come and get the monkey because the monkey could not get away. His greed would be his downfall.

It occurred to me as I tried to leave the United States last week that I was caught in my own type of monkey trap. Pictured here are my regulation-sized already-stuffed suitcases, and all the other loot that I could not bring myself to let go of. My eyes, I discovered, had been bigger than my suitcases.

It took a little self-discipline and lots of support from my sister for me to break free from my monkey trap so I could board the plane...

My New House

2006-12-26T22:37:00.000-08:00

My sister Slowlane says I have to do a blog-post before I can go to bed, since I confessed to her that I will not be able to finish writing my paper tonight. (I think she is trying to convince me that blogging accomplishes sort of an atoning or compensating effect for one's shortcomings). So I thought I would let you all see what I've been so busy with for the last few months. I've been building a new house for myself. Since many of my peers have bought houses I thought it was about time for me to look responsible and well-established and get my own as well. So here it is:

I thought it turned out rather nicely, and speaking of compensating, I figure the pretty garden makes up for how dorky I look in the picture.

Business in Greensborough

2006-11-23T22:38:00.000-08:00

Here are some unique businesses and marketing techniques that I observed while in Alabama.

In the first picture you will note a remarkable business, which, unlike the Dreamland Drive-in Barbeque, evidently offers a variety of products and services.

Mike's Hair Plus & Auto Detailing is your one-stop shop for all coiffure and automotive needs.

In the photograph below, we note a clever option for someone simply not satisfied with the newspaper as their only advertizing venue.

This chap cruises up and down the road with his pitbull strapped on the back of his truck, displaying the very progenitor of his AKC puppies and all the information necessary to contact him for a sale.

What to Eat in Alabama

2006-11-23T22:27:00.000-08:00

There are many options for dining out in and around Greensborough. One example is the "Mustang Oil" gas station, where you can eat pizza, barbeque, hamburgers or gumbo. ("What has your gumbo got in it?", I asked the waitress. "Evruh-thang,"she said.)

Another very tasy option is a restaurant called Dreamland. They serve rib sandwiches, a plate of ribs, or a platter of ribs. As the sign boasts, "Ain't nothin' like 'em nowhere".

The appetizer at Dreamland is rather unique. Each customer receives a plate of what appears to be (and tastes like) white Wonderbread, with barbeque sauce for dipping. The dessert offered is banana pudding.

The Sights in Alabama

2006-11-23T22:09:00.000-08:00

Recently, I made a trip to Greensborough, Alabama. It is not a well-known place as far as must-see tourist spots in the USA, but as I will illustrate here, it has several points of interest for those who may visit.

The first spot, pictured here, is a nice little swampy-type place that is called Something-or-other Park. I don't remember what the first part, but it has the name "park" in it. It has interesting trees growing out of it, which, you can see in the photograph below, have some funny boogery sort of stalagmite things growing up beside them, coming out of the water. The residents of the area who accompanied me were unable to explain the presence of these little growths, conjecturing that perhaps they were once trees that beavers bit apart, or maybe a funny type of root-growth.

It seems like it could be a bit of a spooky place at night, but during the day it was quite nice.

Visitors to the Something-or-other Park are duly warned, as can be noted in the picture below, that swimming and boating are engaged in at one's own risk.

The helpful signage points out that not one person, but "too persons" have drowned in the "lake".

The packing service every world traveler needs!

2006-10-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

Tired of struggling to try to fit your all bulky clothes into your suit-case for that international trip? Call our 1-800 number and we will show you how simple it can be! For a small fee, let us provide you our patented vacuum-packing system, which utilizes “appropriate technology” and requires no harmful chemicals or fancy machinery! You provide only the ziplock bags and our trained professionals will use their bulk to take the awkward bulk out of your suitcases! Accept no cheap substitutes! You will know you have been treated to the quality service that only we provide when you notice the “butt-print of authenticity”on each and every tidy package. Call now!

A new post. Sort of.

2006-10-13T22:30:00.000-07:00

Okay... You will probably all think I'm cheating. But how can I try to say something new when someone else has already said it all? I was profoudly moved by this presentation and for anyone who has rebelliously neglected to view it on Pancho's blog, I must insist that you watch it here. You will be edified.

Coming Up!!! An Amazing Event!!!

2006-10-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, folks, the event of the year is nearly upon us. I am going to (drumroll....) update my blog. Not today. That would be too cold-turkey, and I don't have any interesting pictures available yet. My lame computer is not working so I can't upload my pictures yet.

But a day is coming when there will be a new post here, for all the masses who have been awaiting.

One More São João Picture

2006-08-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

Here I am with my favorite cowboy on the night of his
São João dance performance. Geez, I look old in this picture! Look at the eye wrinkles!

My Lungs are Black (or, I survived another São João)

2006-06-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

It seems like only a few weeks ago that I posted about last year's São João... all the corn food and smoke and dancing.

Well, it came and went again, and my lungs are not unhappy to see it go.

I had fun, of course. We walked around looking at everyone's bonfires and trying to see if we could recognize any faces through the ashy billows...

Then we danced (pictured here is my enthusiastic dance partner) and ate corn food. Luckily, I did not eat as much corn food as last year so I did not spend all day today in the bathroom.

My egg is old

2006-06-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

I have been informed by a faithful reader that my egg post has expired and that "yea, it stinketh". So I am doing my blogly duties.

This is a picture of my vacation. Here I am, wearing my "family bathingsuit", running a special kind of race invented by my godson. In this type of race, the judge/animator of the race makes two long squiggly, swirly, twirly lines on the ground (not necessarily of equal length). He then appoints two people to run along the contours of the lines. The person who gets to end of his/her line first wins. We found that, interestingly enough, the winner frequently was the contestant appointed to run along the shorter line.

This picture was taken before the fateful dinner at the pricey restaurant whereupon I acquired a case of food-poisoning and shortly there-after puked up all the expensive food.

Restaurants should have some sort of a return policy, seriously. Like, "Guaranteed to Stay Down! Or Your Money Back!" I guess in a way, though, it was really my fault. I think there is a sort of common-sense rule that fancy Italian restaurants that serve large cubes of bologna as appetizers should be avoided without a second thought. I ignored this common-sense rule and paid the consequences.

The Case of the Missing Egg

2006-04-17T07:15:00.000-07:00

Our egg hunt was a smashing success. So much so, in fact, that my godson called about 8 or 9 "rematches". That is, he hid the eggs again and again so that we could find them -- again... and again... and again...

Luckily, we were smart enough to count the eggs before the rematches began, so we would know if we had indeed found them all or not. This was good, because eventually our little easter bunny turned cranky and (FINALLY, much to our relief) fell asleep in the arm chair. We took a final count of the eggs we had found, and came up with 19. What?!? Only 19?!? There should have been 20!!!

We looked and looked. Then we gave up and forgot about it.

Early this morning, Priscilla sat down in the arm chair to use the phone. She felt something cold and funny underneath her...

Easter in the Land of No Egg Kits

2006-04-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

So, we decided to have an egg hunt tomorrow (for my godson -- the rest of us will all be adults, playing along, or pretending to only be playing along).

Immediately we realized our challenge -- we live in a Land of No Egg-Dyeing Kits. And, we looked around at the stores and did not find any food coloring (yes, we do not live in the United States).

Luckily I remembered that some all-natural types use various plant and food items to color eggs naturally. Can you guess (without looking it up on the internet) which natural "dyes" were used for each of these eggs?

A mother's love...

2006-04-15T18:50:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my babies. I have planted, watered, fertilized, and managed to keep Malú from uprooting, and now finally I may see the fruits of my efforts...

Me at the Vigil

2006-04-09T19:38:00.000-07:00

I was famous again, but this time I didn't even get to see myself. I got home from the Vigil to End Violence Against Women, and my house-mates said, "We saw you on TV". I talked to my cousin, and we agreed that if you are going to have your 2 seconds of fame, they should warn you first so you can atleast watch yourself on TV or buy the newspaper that day (later, some people told me my picture was in the newspaper as well.

So this isn't the picture that got in the paper, my friend took this one on my camera. This appears to be a particularly meaningful moment, when in actuality it was about the 50th time I had to re-light my candle off of someone else's (it was very windy, not good weather for a candle-light vigil).

Funky Building at Christmas

2006-03-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

This is an old picture but I like it. And I don't have any new interesting pictures, but I just wanted to be a responsible blogger and put something on my site so it doesn't get too rusty.

P.S.

2006-03-03T04:23:00.000-08:00

Here is a place in Poção with no trash. Thus, there were also no interesting animals to see. (There are two children, though, if you squint. I took them out for a walk with their pink umbrella, to see if we could find any goats). (Sorry, these blog entries would be better read from last to first, since that is the order I posted them).

My Carnaval Trip to Poção

2006-03-03T04:10:00.000-08:00

Well, friends, I know I promised you some goat pictures, but when I had my camera out the goats were notably absent from Poção! I think they went carnavalling in some nearby city and left the cows, pigs and dogs to hold down the fort.

To be fair to Poção, I have to say that it had other interesting things besides animals eating trash. I just found animals eating trash to be the most interesting subject matter for my photo journalism. It is really a cute little town with no more or less trash than any other town of its size in this region.

By the time the goats came back from Carnaval, I was suffering from an acute intestinal infection of some sort, so I was unable to document their activities. I hope my friendly readers will be willing to take a rain-check on this one.

Church in Poção

2006-03-03T04:06:00.000-08:00

This is a church in Poção. I think maybe there is a hunchback in the tower. He is looking out over the town to make sure the trash has been distributed equally.

Cows in Poção

2006-03-03T04:01:00.000-08:00

Today is a good day for these cows. It is Serapio's birthday. And also, they scored some good eats in the trash.

Pigs in Poção

2006-03-03T03:58:00.000-08:00

These pigs are happy because it is Serapio's birthday. They are celebrating by eating some delicious trash. Then they will go roll in the mud.

Don't Cry My Little Sweet Potatoes

2006-02-24T19:15:00.000-08:00

My Dear Readers,

I regret to inform you that I have decided to flee Carnaval and am heading for the Interior for a few days. So, that means that I will be absent from cyberspace until atleast Wednesday.

But, I promise that when I get back I will bring some pictures of goats so you will all feel better!

My New Pets

2006-02-21T05:04:00.000-08:00

Well, folks, I am happy to announce that I have acquired some more little beasts to keep me company around the house. No, these ones do not like to pee or vomit on my bed like the ones I had already owned. (Atleast not that I am aware of).

These ones bite me on the head. Yes friends, I have head-lice. When I was little I always wanted lice, because I knew if I played my cards right I could miss a day of school. However, in post-childhood life, head-lice do not get you out of anything, except a little sleep and the privilege of using other people's pillows and combs. Luckily, my friend Dora was willing to spend the morning picking them out of my head (like those pictures of monkeys that groom each other). She says that since my hair is straight and slippery, making it difficult for lice to get a good grip, she does not believe I will have a continuing problem. Still, everytime I think about the incident, I feel the urge to go into a scratching-head frenzy.

...And then I spotted her --

2006-02-16T19:24:00.000-08:00

hiding behind some foliage...

Who IS that handsome stranger?!

2006-02-16T18:45:00.000-08:00

Oooh Lah-LAHHHHHH! Not only is he good-looking, but he's apparently very patriotic, and he's getting in touch with his feminine side! Incidently, ladies, those sun-glasses are available in downtown Recife for 3 reais.

Hopes for the Next Life

2006-01-22T11:54:00.000-08:00

You know life is tough when you're only 4 years old and you are already looking forward to reincarnation.

My godson, pictured here, had the grave misfortune of being born into a wholesome Mennonite family which does not believe in playing with guns, pretending to shoot or stab people, or renting violent cartoons.

Contrary to his mother's suspicions, I, as godmother, have not been stimulating his interest in exploring other religions. However, he has spontaneously begun to dream of the possibility of other lives, and has recently taken to declaring to me, to his family, and to complete strangers: �When I go to the 'Nited States, after I die, I will live again. And I will be Batman. And I will have a sword, and a knife and a gun.�

He is hoping that if he suffers through his current tedious, non-violent life with patience and fore-bearance, he will earn his way to a loftier existence filled with aggression and bloodshed.

28 and feeling white

2005-11-15T17:09:00.000-08:00

I always forget what I look like until I see a picture of myself. I go merrily about my life, feeling perfectly normal, until one day I download the pictures from some occasion (say, for instance, my birthday party), and I am taken aback to see a tall pale chick in the middle of all my friends. Sometimes I think to myself, I should get some more sun, I am looking a bit wan.

So far, however, despite some rather painful burns I still generally look like someone who hasn't been out much... And everywhere I go people still say to me, you aren't from around here, are you?

Ps. Don't worry about the little girl who looks upset over my blowing out the candle. She always gets emotional when people sing "Happy Birthday".

Before...

2005-10-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

Here we set about Whitewashing the Church. I used to think whitewashing was somewhat like painting, but I found out there is a big difference. Or many differences, actually -- one of which is, whitewash contains lime which deteriorates your skin and leaves you feeling rather exfoliated. Cheaper but not as cosmetically friendly as Alpha-Hydroxy.

...After

2005-10-23T15:33:00.000-07:00

After about 10 coats of whitewash, it was still debateable whether the shade of the walls had changed at all. However, we could tell that our hard work was not completely in vain, because we sensed the difference in ourselves...

And that is what it is all about.

Will the circle be unbroken?

2005-10-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

Here are my pets, feelin' the love.

Before Having Children...

2005-09-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

It is important to consider whether or not you are up for a lot of "Let's Pretend" games.

Pictured here are the 3 space-meninas fighting intergalactic crime and sadness, with help from our space dog, our freedom-duster, and our stuffed galaxy-frog. (He's hard to see because he's small and the resolution isn't very good). Our special hats help us to hear voices of other-worldly beings in need.

I am starting to wonder if it's not easier to have 2 children instead of one, thus hopefully being discarded as a necessary "Let's Pretend" partner. Luckily, my faithful side-kick Priscilla (in the red cellophane dress) shares the burden with me.

A little extra-biblical partying

2005-07-24T11:09:00.000-07:00

For those of you who've read about John the Baptist lately, this party might not seem like his sort of thing. Indeed, many people do not think of John the Baptist as much of a partier. However, here in the Brazilian Northeast, we are all partiers whether we like it or not! Here is a short photo-documentary of the proper way to celebrate the birth of St. John.

Come on, everybody now!

2005-07-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

No, drinking is not included in the festivities (at least not for us). Just a lot of food made out of corn. Corn paste, corn cake, corn soup, etc. Just when you think you can't stomach one more thought of anything corn, another neighbor knocks on the door delivering another pan-full of corn cuisine. What do you do about it? Dance a lot.

Dancing away the corn-calories

2005-07-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

Another important tradition is the bonfire. The bonfire is important because, according to tradition, Elizabeth lit a bonfire to signal to the Virgin Mary that John the Baptist had been born. While there is no verse in the Bible about that, it is fun.

Another part of the tradition (most likely not initiated by Elizabeth or the Virgin Mary) is setting off very loud fireworks. Really, anything that burns is free game, sanctioned as part of the traditional festivities -- sparklers, floating paper lanterns (though the government has tried to discourage them due to the danger posed to far-away buildings), pipes that go BOOM when you explode them.

And when you get tired of the ringing in your ears and the smoke in your eyes, you eat more corn cake and dance and dance and dance some more...

This is...

2005-06-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

Malu.

And...

2005-06-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

this is a close-up of Malu's chin.

What is it?!?!?

2005-06-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

Malu appears to be our new mosquito. Or perhaps our newest stray rat. However, when she was given to us, we were told that she is, in fact, a little doggy. The cats are not sure what to think of her. She is small, but not very docile.

My Decisive Nose

2005-06-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

Someone suggested to me that the picture of myself on my blog made my nose look a bit big. In an attempt to portray myself more acurately, I am searching for another picture. Is this one better?

Sights and sounds of Recife

2005-05-13T19:25:00.000-07:00

This field is good for lighting off fireworks (but trash is not allowed).

More sights and sounds

2005-05-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

Here is a big parade for St. George. It passed in front of my house. I was unable to grasp what exactly about St. George was being celebrated, but it included a lot of loud fireworks in the middle of the night (as nearly every celebration does).

The Students of Creche Gente Nova

2005-04-22T04:48:00.000-07:00

Here we all are, uniformed and full of school spirit. (Some of us apparently are not old enough to need the bottom half of the uniform, you will note).

My little Friends

2005-04-14T05:28:00.000-07:00

This looks like a jail but it is really a school. Here, my friends took a short break from fighting and mischief to pose for a picture. Aren't they cute?

Another Nice Picture

2005-04-14T05:22:00.000-07:00

Janga Mennonite Church

2005-03-26T05:51:00.000-08:00

Some pretty flowers for everyone I love.

2005-03-22T16:50:00.000-08:00

Okay, this is the picture that goes with the naughty blog entry below that was not working right before.

(One of) My (Many) New Cat(s)

2005-03-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here is my new cat, Vitamina, waving at you. She is a very good cat. She likes to attack larger cats, poop in all my potted plants, and meow hysterically at ungodly hours.

2005-03-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

This is also Vitamina. My front porch is in the background.

UFO SITING!!! ALIENS HAVE CONTACTED EARTH!!!

2005-02-18T20:38:00.000-08:00

I have always been skeptical of folks who claim to see spaceships and beings from other planets, but no more!

I managed to capture here on film a life-changing event that occured to me a few weeks ago. I am still reeling and trying to make sense of it.

Here you can actually make out the beings, who seem to be signaling a greeting of some sort. Funny, they looked down at me and seemed strangely... parental, almost. Then they floated off into the galaxy aboard their bath-tub like craft... What can it mean?

Another Enigmatic Photograph

2005-02-12T00:52:00.000-08:00

Okay guessers: Here's your chance to win exactly nothing!!!!!!!!! Guess what this picture is. Hint: "A marble going down a drain" has already been guessed. It was a wrong guess. Try to be smarter than that guesser.

What Happened to Pink Week?

2005-02-12T00:50:00.000-08:00

Well, this year's Pink Week Celebration ended rather disappointingly, to be honest with you.

This photo documents the anti-climactic culmination of Pink Week. A caravan of us Pink Week celebrators made the pilgrimage to the Pink Ladies Thrift Shop in Exeter on the High Saturday of Pink Week, to visit this exciting tribute to Pink. Though our hopes were high, the festive spirit dwindled rapidly when the first pilgrim (pictured here) approached the door and read the sign aloud: Open Mondays and Thursdays Only. We grieved this error but we feel certain that the owners of "Pink Ladies" will not make this mistake again next year.

2005-01-29T15:25:00.000-08:00

here it is again

Anabaptist Thought for the Day

2005-01-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 1:15-17

When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide my eyes from you.
Even if you offer many prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood.
Wash and make yourselves clean;
Take your deeds out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong;
Learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.

Walking On Water

2005-01-28T19:07:00.000-08:00

These ducks remind me a little of myself. Uncertain of what to do with winter, they stand on top of the water, waiting for the weather to be warm so they can swim again.

Thank Goodness It’s Almost Over

2005-01-28T18:55:00.000-08:00

Pink week will not be officially over until tomorrow afternoon, but I could not bear the sight of so much pink anymore, so I was forced to change to a pinkish blog skin. I don’t know how Barbie does it.

Pink Reading List

2005-01-26T20:51:00.000-08:00

I have received a great many emails from my readers, requesting the booklist for Pink Week. My apologies for not getting it out sooner. As you can see, we will be enjoying a little L'Engle, Willa Cather, and Democracy in America (Only Volume II, since the first volume is blue). We'll go on to take in the Intermediate Dictionary and Creeds of the Churches, and much more. Feel free to write in your thoughts as you pour through these selections, so we can all share together what we learn.

Our Traditional Pink Foods

2005-01-25T22:19:00.000-08:00

What should we eat to celebrate Pink Week?, you ask. Well, I thought you might ask, so I gathered some suggestions from here in my own house. Sweet potatoes, pink gumballs, and Almond Roca are all strong in pinkness. May I also suggest dining at Kow Loon Chinese Restaurant. (The candle is not for eating, just for decoration). Kids at home, feel free to write in with the pink foods you can find around your home, although we encourage our friend The Omen to go easy, especially before Carnival rides.

Eyes Wide Open Exhibit

2005-01-23T21:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry, this has nothing to do with pink, but I saw this site about an exhibit by the American Friends' Society and I wanted you all to be able to read about it too. I am dissappointed to not be able to go. Here's the link: http://www.afsc.org/eyes/about-the-exhibit.htm

Pink Week

2005-01-23T20:19:00.000-08:00

Just as a special treat, I have decided to temporarily change to a Barbie blog.

When one lives in Visalia, it is important to occasionally do something to break from the bleakness of the predictable.

This week my theme will be "PINK", in honor of the newness of life, the Barbie Girl Song, Valentine's Day, and Diaper Rash. Don't forget to check back later for some pinkness of different sorts.

Pretty In Pink

2005-01-23T13:22:00.000-08:00

Every little girl's dream is to become a ballerina. And apparently, at least one little boy's dream is the same. Here my handsome godson gets in touch with his feminine side.

And Now a Word from Our Non-sponsor...

2004-12-28T15:40:00.000-08:00

This is a commercial for Thrift Stores.

I am writing a commercial for thrift stores because they don't spend much on marketing. Very rarely, for instance, does one see a Super-Bowl commercial for a thrift store. So, the thrift stores of the world will be happy to know that this is a free commercial. And my blog, of course, is better than the super-bowl.

Thrift Stores Rock! Why does anyone bother buying clothes new, I want to know? Sure, the clothes there are a bit smelly and have rings-around-the-collar, but after a bit of cleaning up they are perfectly fine. I bought a huge bag full of good clothing today, for $26, the price of one item new.

So go to a thrift store today, take your old junk, and buy some junk that's new-to-you.

A Birthday Story (You can't please everyone...)

2004-12-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

These are my friends at my birthday party in early November. No, it was not snowing, there was something wrong with my camera.

In the background you can see my special guest of honor, Manuel. This is how we met Manuel, while he was walking around begging at the beach:

Manuel: Good evening, I see you have some cake there. Could you get me some?

Me: We haven't cut it yet. But come back later.

(7 seconds later...)

Manuel: Can I have some cake?

Me: We haven't sung happy birthday or cut the cake yet. Come back a bit later.

(10 seconds later...)

Manuel: Boy am I hungry. Hey, that cake looks pretty good, any chance I could have some?

Me: Not time yet... Don't worry, we'll call you.

(This repeats several more times. Finally, it is time to sing and cut the cake so we invite Manuel. As our newly acquainted guest of honor, he receives the first slice of cake).

Us: Yum, yum. This is great cake!

Manuel: Is this the only kind of cake you have?

Me: Yes.

Manuel: Just chocolate?

Me: Yes.

Manuel: I don't like it. Too bad you don't have coconut cake. I like coconut cake.

(Leaves cake uneaten on the table and leaves).

2004-11-29T17:32:00.000-08:00

My two little friends wishing you peace and love.

Here's My Legs

2004-11-15T13:51:00.000-08:00

This is one of the ugliest pictures of myself I have ever seen.

This is me, as seen through the eyes of my small 5-year-old friend who has been a little trigger-happy with the camera these days. I did not alter this picture at all so I do not know how it achieved this incredible level of un-flattering-ness. She has talent.

It's always interesting, if not encouraging, to realize how one looks through the eyes of someone else.

Hey Come Visit Me!!!!!!!!!!!!

2004-11-15T13:43:00.000-08:00

The water is warm... The fish are friendly... And you can bring your bathingsuit from home if you want.

2004-11-08T16:52:00.000-08:00

Well, fans, I am off to the beach for a week, where I will try to forget about machista men and beauracracy (how the heck do you spell that?) and other stresses of life. I will catch a little sun for all of you up North, where it is probably not the right weather for donning Brazilian-style swim-wear. Some of you (like my mother and slowlane, for instance) are thinking, is it ever the right weather for donning Brazilian-style swimwear? Well, I can tell you it is pretty durn toasty. Maybe Slowlane can FedEx me her 5-piece bathing suit?

Fast Friends

2004-11-02T18:15:00.000-08:00

Tonight 1968 and Fermix met one another for the first time. I had been hoping they would like each other and keep each other company. Needless to say, they were unconvinced, and in fact were so thrilled to become acquainted that they refused to appear in the same photograph of their own free will. So I had to persuade them with brute force.

The beginning of a beautiful friendship

2004-11-02T18:13:00.000-08:00

My puppy senses that his new housemate has some doubts about welcoming him in. Perhaps it was in the sound she makes whenever she sees him, that sort of throaty consonant that I make when I am trying to say a German word and I can't do it right. Or maybe it's in the gutteral growl she directs at him whenever she's not hissing/speaking German.

So much for the idyllic scenes like you find on those cheesy animal calendars.

Fermix: What is that ugly beast you've brought in with you?
1968: I think I will just hide under this chair.

Hey, It's That Time Again!

2004-10-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

Todays guessing theme is, Name These Products! I chose these particular food items (yes, they are all food items) because I liked the brand names, mostly. Whoever can identify each of these items (in English), will win the right to name my new cat when I get one. (Since I seem to have some critics in the naming department).

Anabaptist thought for the day...

2004-10-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

An MCC poster that I like...

Obituary and Adoption Announcement

2004-10-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, I must make the unfortunate announcement that Chule has passed on from this life, courtesy of my neighbor's evil dog. Chule, we trust that you have gone on to greener pastures and we shall miss you.

Hence we welcome your replacement, 1968, offspring of Pipoca. We are proud that 1968 has begun to look more canine and less like a rodent. We hope that he likes catfood, since that's what's for dinner around here since Chule's untimely departure.

Water..... Wah...ter...

2004-10-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

Are any of you feeling chilly? Experiencing inclement weather? Well I am sending this picture to balance your yang with some yin. Or the other way around, I forget which is which. The little specks in this picture (in case you cannot tell) are some boys coming to get their family's water for the day. They get it here, from this 'barragem', which means basically a largish mud puddle that gets smaller and smaller, in the middle of a dessert. This place is hotter than Hades.
See, my Northern Hemispherian Friends? Aren't you feeling more balanced now? If not, let me know and I can send you another goat, which always helps.

A goat a day...

2004-10-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

More Goats. Because they're good for you!

A Child's Theological Points to Ponder

2004-10-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

At lunchtime, Rebeca picked at her food. ''Eat more," we said, "so you can grow big and strong."

Later, while she was drawing, she said, "When I die I will go up to heaven."

"Do you want to go to heaven?'' I asked.

"Yes," She said.

"What do you think there is up there in heaven?" I asked her.

"Fruits."

"You're probably right," I said. "Do you think God likes fruit?"

"Yes. But God doesn't eat," She said.

"No?"

"No! He can't eat!"

"Why not? What if God wanted to eat?"

"No, He can't eat. Because God is already very big and very very strong. If He eats, He can't get bigger and stronger, because He's already bigger than anything. So if He ate, He would start to get smaller and smaller instead. So that's why God doesn't eat."

2004-10-21T18:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Goat Picture for the Day

Hah Hah Someone Left My Cell Unlocked

2004-10-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

This is my cage, I mean house (It is a Shabby Chic House). Come visit me!

The Patriarch of Algodoes

2004-10-18T15:28:00.000-07:00

Here is Seu Peter, me, and all his saints. I look like I have to pee, but that is not actually the case. I was trying to look about the same size as Seu Peter, and not block the saints from the picture. Actually, come to think of it, I did have to pee, but that is not why I look that way.

A helium balloon corral?

2004-10-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

Okay Guessers, Put on your thinking caps. Tell me what this structure is and you will win a wise saying, which I will invent myself upon receiving the winning answer.