It is very nice having someone come to the apartment once a week to do the things I don’t want to do, but the young lady that does, seems to have a mind of her own.  I don’t know if she is into energy conservation, or just wants to pester me.

I have little green dots on the washer and dryer to show her which settings to use, but she insist on using what she wants to use.  I want my clothes double-rinsed and she does not.

When I come home, the settings are thus:I have a small Turkish lamp in my bathroom that stays on 24/7.  It never gets shut off, except my her.  I even removed the switch so she wouldn’t shut it off, but then she just unplugs it.  Below is what the lamp looks like in the evening:And this is what it looks like before Camila:And this is what it looks like after Camila:And my bath mats get re-arranged.  Below is what they look like before Camila:… and after Camila:Same with the pillow things I don’t want on the couch.  Here is before Camila:… and after Camila:I could translate a note to her telling her to cut that crap out, but then it wouldn’t be fun putting things back.  Some people would get upset and chastise her, but I have learned to see Life through Terese’s eyes; though minor, it’s just another interesting adventure.  But I do need to tell her not to move the settings on the washer/dryer.  Sometimes she uses hot water, and I learned that destroys many of my shirts.

– additional minor things to share.  Remember the pickles?  They came out well, except for being too salty.  Still eatable, but I will have to locate a recipe for pickle juice that I can modify.

Visit more next year.  Happy New Year, etc. etc.        Kick butt, D.

The professional pictures from the Marine Ball have been posted for all to see, so I picked off a few to show you the decor.Many people had their picture taken with the Marines, and I was one as seen below.  The guy with the white pants is the “Gunny”, or Det. Commander.  Good guy.  The joker with the blue tie is me.Speaking of Marines, several joined me and a friend at the Irish pub we like to go to.  Here is a pic of us.  The pretty girl is engaged to the Marine next to her.Last Friday, I got myself invited to a BBQ put on by the good guys in the Facilities Dept.  The Carpenters, Electricians, HVAC guys, etc.  I found this to be most interesting, because it showed me the Brazilian way of BBQ, much unlike ours in the States.  They place meat on the grill, cook it and place it on the table and slice it.  People come around and eat some of it.  Several pieces of meat are on the grill continuously and the preparations, cooking and serving is a slow process with everyone mingling around.Each piece of meat, when done is placed on the white cutting board on the counter and sliced for all to come by and get a piece.  The dark bags on the white table in front has bread in them.  So, the BBQ lasts several hours as the cooking takes place.  During all this, several of the guys brought out their drums.  The first movie below is a short one a little over a minute, and the second one is about two and a half.  Click on them to bring them up.  Someone will have to download these for MotherDear to view, since the resolution on her computer is so low.

Drums #1

Drums #2

As I sat there being a part of this, I realized I was the only American there.  I had essentially invited myself, and yet they welcomed me completely.

Another incredible adventure of Life.

A few years ago I wrote an entry in the blog, how one person can change the world.  It is in the One Sided Conversations with the Damn Cat section, titled, Never under-estimate what your actions can do.  This is a story where the Tunisian fruit vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, immolated himself touching off the Arab Spring, changing the face of several Muslim countries.  It still chills my back thinking about his actions.  It is the same with each of us, only on a much lessor scale.  We can say things to people which affects them and never realize it.

A very minor incident took place today that has me thinking.  I added it to the : One Sided Conversations with the Damn Cat.

Click here to read it.  Very short.