RSO stands for Regional Security Office.  It is the office in charge of all things relating to security at an Embassy/Consulate.  It is also the office that I work under.

Yesterday, the RSO had a BBQ for all its people and I, of course attended.  As with any Brazilian BBQ, the meat just keeps on coming.  There is only one other place on Earth that I have eaten more meat in one day, and that is the backyard of a good man know as Ron Luke.  (my brother-in-law)

I took several pictures of the meat before, during and after cooking.  See below: I added some of Terese’s chicken wings and they disappeared before I could get a picture of them, except in the image above, in the shiny bowl.

I cannot express to you the amount of meat that was cooked.  As I stated before, the Brazilians cook meat in such a way, that it is shared by all as the meat is cooked.  When any is ready, they will place it on the counter and cut it into strips.  People will come around and grab a strip or two to enjoy.  The process of cooking is part of the social aspect of the BBQ.

And the people …What you see is just a small fraction who attended.  The local guard force (LGF) is under RSO so many of them came with their families.  Below is a picture of me with two couples.  The two men I work with often and I have great respect for them.  The two lovely ladies are their spouses.Now the next picture I am posting is one of my favorite families:The tall husband with the thin face is Tommy Hale.  He is the Office Manager for the RSO.  I call him Professor Hale and he calls me Dr. Nolte.  Of all the people I work with, he helps me more than I can express.  He has a very dry sense of humor, and is ornery at the core, where you don’t see it.  He is an American.  He told me where he lived, California being one state among several others.  He said he drove through Amarillo Texas one day and got a ticket; that’s all he remembers.  Since he speaks Portuguese, I get him to do translating for me.  When Camila leaves me a note I will take it to him to decipher.  After he paraphrases what she says, I will detect a very slight smile on his face which tells me the next words out of his mouth will be … if you pardon the expression, BS.  Usually, it is something like:  … and she says you are a sexy hunk of a man.

I can honestly say that my respect for Professor Hale is enormous.  I will always find an excuse to drop by the office just to visit with him.

… and then at the BBQ yesterday, I met his wife, Lucy and daughter, Lula.  I fell in love with both of them.  The discussion I had with Lucy was both serious and comical.  She has it in her mind that I will find a lovely Brazilian woman and marry her.  Much was discussed yesterday with her, but the last words to me before she departed, was, “I will be at your wedding.”

I am planning for a wingfest in the next few weeks and will definitely invite them.

In other news, I have a batch of beans cooking away and have added several super-secret ingredients.  I will let you know how they came out.

MotherDear, I received your pickling recipes and find them tickling.  Especially the watermelon pickles.  Perhaps I can conjure up some in time to bring them to you for the reunion.  We will let Marsha judge them.

As I stood in my kitchen cutting up chicken wings to pre-cook, along with ribs brought home from the BBQ, and chopping up onions, peppers and garlic for the super-secret ingredient beans, I realized I have never in the past spent so much time in the kitchen as I do now.  Perhaps someday, I will become a world renown chef!

… it would be another adventure of Life.

Kick butt, D.