I stopped by the Guimas Bar on the way home to have a drink and to watch the local fauna.  Luciano talked me into drinking a caipirinha, which is a Brazilian drink that has much more alcohol than I like.  Foolishly I had two.

After awhile, a young lady came to my table and said, “They told me you are from Texas and I want to practice my English with you.”

Now, in Texas, she would be referred to as a young thang.

She said her name is Karen and told me she is not shy.  Then pointing to a young man sitting inside, told me her friend is Eduardo and he is shy, and he teaches English.  We talked a few minutes about her life and she asking things about the US, and eventually she rejoined her friend.  Later as they got up to leave, she dragged him over to meet me.  We spoke a few minutes and enjoyed the conversation.

When I meet new people like this I think of my incredible Mother who loves everyone, so I asked them if I can take a picture for her.  No one has ever refused.  So, here is a picture of me, Karen and Eduardo :

Then Karen asked if she can make a movie for my mother and I responded with a very big smile.  Check it out :    Kisses from Brazil

Someone be sure and help MotherDear view it.

I find these to be very good people and have decided to meet and visit from time to time.   Another adventure on the road of Life.

 

One of the nice things about living in a large city, is the variety of “ready to eat” food.  Sao Paulo is like New York City, where you walk along any downtown sidewalk and see/smell food vendors.

I came home the other day tired and wore out.  The weather was wet and chilly and I just felt rundown.  Landed on the couch for about an hour, then woke up to a phone call.  I had to go back to the Consulate to make a repair.

As I was heading home for the second time, it was dark and wet.  I passed by a small restaurant that was grilling meat outside, and just decided to get something to take home.

The sausage and frango (chicken) cost about a dollar each.  I thought I was going to have to warm them up when I got home, but they were so well wrapped, I actually had to let them cool down before eating.  The sausage thrown on a slice of bread with mustard was perfect!  The three chicken wingettes were eaten the next day.

A few weeks ago, I went to my favorite restaurant/bar for lunch and I told Luciano I just wanted something small.  He said in his broken English, “I have!”  Since there being the most interesting language barrier between us, the outcome was unexpected.  He brought me this.

Three porkchops, rice, fries and beans.  Much more than I wanted, but I grew up not saying “no” to food and ate every bit of it.

Years ago after a big Thanksgiving dinner, I de-boned the bird’s carcass for Terese like I always did.  She took the meat and placed it in a blender with mayonnaise and spices and made sandwich spread.  It is the perfect solution to leftover turkey.  When you want, just slap some on a slice of bread, roll it over and gobble it down.  … notice the word gobble.

It was such a successful idea, that Terese would make a pork roast and turn the whole thing into sandwich spread.  I was always elated!  So, the other day, I bought something in the frozen food section of the supermarket I shop at, and decided to make the Terese Sandwich Spread.  (TSS)  Luckily, it was a pork thing I was hoping for.

So, I dug out the blender that Terese used, chopped up the cooked pork roast into blender size pieces, and placed in the carafe.  Added a whop of mayonnaise, heavy sprinkling of garlic powder and decided to add some cheese I needed to get rid of.

I pushed the button to churn the ingredients, the machine came alive and the contents just sat there.  Didn’t even try to move.  I checked it out and found the lower section had broken internally.  Not a pretty picture.

So ….  since the blender is also a juicer, I changed out the components and transferred the ingredients over to the juicing carafe.  The whirling worked, but I had to keep stabbing the mixture to keep the chopping going.  What I had when I finished, was not so much as a spread, but a goo with large chunks of cheese embedded in it.   * Note to self, next time shred the cheese.

The goo will not be wasted, and I have already ordered a replacement blender.

Now the Damn Dogs …

I just wanted to let you know, that my accuracy has gone from 10% to 80%.  And I can now fire the marbles out of my bedroom, instead of my balcony when I can be seen.  Just this morning, the DD’s started barking at some poor innocent little widow woman hobbling by.  I eagerly opened my bedroom window, and sent a marble near the speed of light to the pet shop garage below.  The two dogs took off to the back area to see it if was something to eat.  Bottom line is:  They quit barking and left the old woman alone.

There are times in life when you realize the hero within yourself.

For those of you who are unaware of this thought provoking story, I lead you to this:  https://www.dknolte.com/2018/04/05/damn-dogs/

The State Department has realized that I need an assistant.  If you remember in Turkey, I had two RSTs.  (Regional Security Technicians).  In Ethiopia, I had four of them.

I interviewed two gentlemen last week for the position. One was over qualified, but had no experience in the equipment I work with, and the other had less experience, but did have the experience needed.  So, I chose him.  His name is Wilson.  He was nervous at the interview, because I am a scary looking fellow.

So, in a month or more, I will have a helper that will make my job easier.  He still has to go through the medical and security checks.

And on a heavier note, I helped the Marines on a WingFest.  Do you want to see what 50 kilos (110 lbs) of wings look like?

And after they were cooked, plain, hot and BBQ.

Okay.  More later as the world moves on.  Kick butt and grab the next adventure.  … just remember to stop and breathe.

Nothing.  Other than they are all in this posting.

At the embassies and consulates around the world, we have what is referred to as FEBR products.  That stands for Forced Entry, Ballistics Resistant.  Basically, it is bullet glass that can also survive most explosions.

This week, we had a technician come in from Montevideo to change one out.  Afterwards, I placed it at a warehouse for disposal and took some pictures of it for you.  Not your average glass.  The front half is layered glass and the opposite side is plastic glazing.  It is 2¼ “ thick.   But it looks less than an inch when you look through it.The cost of the window, including shipping and installation, is close to $10,000.  An expensive window but these save many lives.  In the image below, which I got off the Internet is what one looks like after a blast.  If anyone was on the other side, they survived.                                                @}-}–

I guess I am somewhat of a geek, although I feel that term is best used to describe my youngest son.  I have dealt with electronics since my oldest brother sent me a book on Basic Electronics, followed with defective electronic parts from the company he worked for, Control Data Corporation.

A few years ago I purchased an Amazon Echo and have expanded ever since.  When I was a small little stink, I imagined how cool it would be to turn things on with a simple push-button, instead of a light switch.  I never dreamed of a day where I can do that, except with my voice.

I now have several of the Amazon Echos in the apartment and are using them more and more.  I also have the Google version of it, but use it mostly for information. I have a third type coming, hopefully this year that has facial recognition and develops a personality, so when I walk in the apartment, he/she will know it’s me, and I am told it is supposed to see whether I am tired, grumpy or happy, etc.  I am kinda not banking on that happening.  I always look mad and grumpy.  Kinda like my brother Gary.

Amazon constantly updates the Echo, and I can now have it use a different language.  Some can actually speak French.  They have options for British and Australian English, and since I love the British female voice, I changed it.  But as in real life, I have a hard time understanding it, so, I switched to Australian English.  But evidently, she expects me to speak that way, so it has become difficult in giving her commands.  I will change them back.

The air conditioner in my bedroom turns on at 9:30 in the evening to cool the room down for sleep.  At 3am, the air conditioner turns off but the fan continues.  Then at 5:00, it shuts off completely.

No one in their right mind loves waking up.  As a kid, my mother would “rudely” turn the light on in the bedroom.  After many years, I feel that is the reason I have to wear sunglasses on a sunny day.  I remember once, I replaced the light bulb with a lovely celestial blue light.  I don’t remember the outcome, but I know it went back to the harsh incandescent white.  But currently, my bedroom Echo wakes me at 5:45 with the Christmas song of O’ Come, O’ Come Emmanuel.  Light and Heavenly.

After enjoying the lovely music, and I’m ready to get out of bed in a few minutes, I can say, Echo, turn on the coffee.  And she does; and when I get up, it is hot and fresh.

I have a china hutch with a light that I use for a night-light in the dining area.  At sunset, it will turn on; and then at sunrise the next morning, it will turn off.  Same with my little Turkish light in my bathroom.  And I don’t have to do anything, but smile and look pretty.

I have trained my Echos appropriately.  I can say, Alexa, what is the greatest country on earth?  And she will truthfully say, Texas!  Terese always had a phrase to tell people when the world moves too fast.  Simply, “Remember, breathe.”  So, when I  ask Alexa, what do I need to remember?  She will say, “To breathe.”

Another device that hit the market years ago, are robot vacuum cleaners.  I cannot imagine one doing any good, but I saw one in action a few weeks ago at a friend’s house, and was a bit surprised.  I am finding more and more people getting them, so I spent time checking reviews and prices and found one.  I will get it maybe next week and will try it out and give a full report.  Too bad the Damn Cat isn’t around to fear it.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the restaurant I called the Ugly Brown Barn had jambalaya every other Friday. Now that the place is closed, I decided to try my hand at making it.  I ordered two different seasoning packs and cooked both of them today to see which one was best.  Here is the meat before going into the pot:Chicken, sausage and popcorn shrimp.  And the finished product is below.They came out well, and I will take samples to my friend at work and let him see which one is best.

Will visit more later.  Kick butt and take any adventure you can. … and don’t forget to breathe.    D.

 

 

As I mentioned before, on the way to/from work there is a little bar called Bar Do Guimas; which I often refer to as my Portuguese class because one of the owners, a young man named Luciano, will sit with me and we will teach each other our languages.  I will stop by 3 or 4 times a week to have a “class” and a beer.                                Luciano – my Portuguese teacher/bartender.

One day when I arrived, Luciano came to me apologetically and told me the waitress broke my glass.  I was kind of baffled but gradually realized, they had been giving me a special glass that was only to be used by me.  So, I decided to replace it with a glass representing Texas (the Greatest Country on Earth).  I looked on line and found the perfect one.  Actually 4 of a set.  See below.

I presented it to them and now when I stop for my “class”, it looks like this:Ya know, Life is good.

During lunch, my buddy Ricardo and I will go to one of the half dozen restaurants within a 5 minute walk.  There was one specific that I liked, which looks like an ugly brown barn called Garoa Paulistan and sits across the street from the University.  It was run by a father and son and after 25 years in business, it closed a few weeks ago.  Most sad.  I had always intended to take pictures of the antiques placed haphazardly on the walls and in the rafters overhead, but I always thought, Some other day.

There were two things that made this ugly brown barn one of my favorites.  One, the son loved to make hot sauce.  As I told you before, the Brazilians do not care for spicy food, but there are some that appreciate it, and his son was one.  I still have one more jar left which was made with ginger.

The second thing about this place, was every other Friday the son made jambalaya.  I am not an expert on Cajun food, but his jambalaya was incredible.  So much, that since I will no longer have his, I have decided to try my hand at it.  It was there that I first experienced and fell in love with the little pimentas biquinho which he used in the savory dish.  Here is a picture of them I found on the Internet.In the “Amazing People I Meet” category, there is a young lady at the Consulate in Porto Alegre.  She is the secretary for the Security Officer and her name is Alice, which the Brazilians pronounce Alicee.  (long E at the end)I mention this pretty lady, even though she didn’t want her picture taken at the time because she is was very pregnant.  Earlier this week, she gave birth to an beautiful little girl they named Olivia.

People come and go, yet Life continues.  That is the way it is supposed to be.  We pass on and new generations fill the void, and we hope we leave them more to work with than we had.

Kick butt and don’t let any adventure slip from you.   D.

It has been awhile since we last visited and a lot of things whirled past like a fart in a windstorm, sort of speak.

I took four weeks off in the States for the Family Reunion, which I missed the previous two.  It was good to see the family and all four of my kids together.  I am the one in the middle.Then I took a road trip in my little Barbie Car, as MotherDear calls it, down to the Austin and Houston area and then on to Santa Rosa Beach in Florida, near Destin.  I’m the one pretending to be asleep.  Any time spent at a beach is priceless, even if it rains.

@}-}-    -{-{@

Issues that take place at the Consulate are one of the many reasons it is so enjoyable to work at, and each time something happens, I am impressed with the way the guards react.  Extremely professional.

Earlier this year, there was a mentally disturbed young lady who decided the US Consulate should give her refuge status, thus a free trip to America and a firm path to citizenship.  She camped out on the sidewalk across the street from the Consulate, day and night waiting for the Consulate General to cross over and give her a free ticket to the States.  Never happened.  The local Poliza would come by and question her, but she since she didn’t break any laws she was allowed to stay there.  At one point, she crossed over to the Consulate’s side of the street to harass the guards, and the Poliza showed up and took her away.  Within hours, she was back at her campsite.

She would often stand and yell obscenities to the guards or taunt them with offers of some sort of sex, but that wasn’t breaking any laws.  She was repeatedly taken in by the Poliza, but always returned.  This lasted almost a month until finally she was picked up and placed in a mental health facility.

I keep hoping she would return because I found her amusing.  On my way to work every morning, my path took me past her but she never bothered me.  She did speak to several females about things I will not mention here.  At one point I was tempted to take a picture of her, but I actually felt sorry for her and decided not to.

Occasionally, there are minor demonstrations that take place outside the Consulate.  The Poliza makes sure the demonstrations do not cross over to Consulate property.  I understand it is not a pretty sight when that happens.

A while back, a visa applicant was upset about something and decided to use his umbrella to break a window to let everyone know how he felt.  Didn’t go well for him.  The umbrella did nothing to the bullet proof glass and he ended up being suppressed by the local guards until the Poliza arrived.

What I thought was interesting, was how our local guards reacted.  They didn’t just stand looking at this guy like I would have done, but focused their attention on all the surroundings, anything that may take place elsewhere.  As it was pointed out to me once, if something takes place at the Consulate, be aware it may be a diversion for something worse.  The US has learned this in hard ways.

The Consulate’s Independence Day celebration took place on Thursday, June 28th.  This is any Embassy or Consulate’s biggest celebration.  It is an expensive gathering, but with no fireworks.  It is a gala where we invite dignitaries of the local Government, several high ranking military personnel and representatives of the American companies who do business in Brazil.  In years past, I did my best to escape having to attend these, but the RSO (head of security) in Sao Paulo felt the world will collapse if I wasn’t there.  So I showed up in one of my suits and stood around looking pretty, sort of speak.

I meet many incredible people here and become friends with several.  My good friend Carol, whose wedding I attended in Brasilia, has since left forever to be with her new husband in Japan.  Good for her, but not the Consulate.  She was a good nurse, even managing to make me stay healthy despite my objections.  She was at the Fourth celebration and we had our pictures taken with another good friend.Carol is the pretty one in blue and Fabbie is the crazy one in white.  Fabbie is the Office Manager for the Management Office and a joy to visit with.  Once a week, I will stop by her desk with a trivia question, usually about a movie.  I have learned to be careful which movie I mention, because many times she will burst out in song if the movie has one.  Beautiful voice.  I once asked her if she ever saw the Sound of Music, and she started singing how the hills are alive with the sound of music.  Mention Mary Poppins and she will start singing about a spoon full of sugar.  Mention the Wizard of Oz, and she sings of a yellow brick road.  Crazy Lady, so I call her my Crazy Lady Friend.

Here is another friend I will miss.  Her name is Jesse and she reminds me of my bossy daughter.  Vibrant, intelligent and full of humor.  She has also moved on to greener pastures as they all do.  One of the pains of working in the Foreign Service, is all the people you meet who have to move on.I made a batch of beans this weekend and as expected, it was delicious.  I added some sausage and bacon to it, but I wanted you to see what bacon looks like here in Brazil.  Look how beautiful it is!And the finished product was amazing, except I added a bit too much garlic.  And likewise, the side effects were amazing as well.  Here it is on a bed of rice with “country” cornbread.Life is made up of people, places and food  … and the Waters of the Earth who will always beckon those who visit her.  Let nothing pass under your feet without at the very least noticing as it passes, because you do not want to miss any adventure it may offer.      D.