Today has been a good day.

I got to sleep in.…the sun is out…..there’s a cool breeze….and the girls are at their other grandmothers house. I spent the morning doing a few things around the house, but it seems that ever since I’ve gotten it in my head that my time here is limited, nothing really seems to bother me. After one more month here, I’ll be traveling. And in three/four months, I’ll be back with my family!..........Home, probably traveling around to visit some friends….and of course, looking for a job. That part isn’t too enticing, and makes me wish I could stay longer actually. But, maybe I’ll be onto that next 6 month adventure interval. Who knows where that will be. But for now, I have a lot of planning to do for the weeks starting Sept. 21st…when I’m off to Rio de Janeiro with Allison!

So, an update on the situation with Helena…..She is apparently done hating me and has decided to be infatuated with me. I think the first nice thing she said to me was if I wanted to share her McDonald’s McFlurry with her. Wide eyed, but in hopes of this being her finally reaching out to me…. I hesitantly took a bite. I gave into my NO McDonalds rule for a yummy bite of delicious chocolate-ly cookie crumble. I know……I’m so easy. Yeah………I’m not sure if kids can be bipolar, but she’s got me thinking.


Today, I taught Laura how to ride a bike! She was pretty good at it too! I held the seat from behind and occasionally grabbed her arm a time or two to balance her out a little bit, but otherwise she was moving! It reminded me a little of how ski lessons went actually. : ) I love seeing a kids’ proud little smile when they do something new for the first time. And I felt lucky enough to be the person to teach her too. It was an experience for us both: Laura riding a bike for the first time without training wheels (sem rodinhas) and then me teaching a four year old how to ride a bike in Portuguese. : ) Haha.

I bargained a few hours off today to go ‘passear’ in this small international hip and happening market not too far away. They have little stores of nearly everything: clothes, zuco (juices), chopp (beer), Japanese condiments, Mexican condiments!!!, sushi….and all sorts of nuts and dried fruits too. They play live traditional brasilian music daily from 2-7. So, I wandered around tonight, picked up various liquor filled chocolate balls and a California roll (made with mango…I might add) and enjoyed the show for a bit. I was torn between a coffee and a kiwi caiparinha for my beverage. To sleep or not to sleep. I chose sleep. : ) Let me add, cachaça soaked kiwis are oh so tasty. 




So….a good day it was….but it seems it may be the first of many in the weeks to come. I think the girls are going to miss me, as I will miss them too.