Weekend Update

It was a calm weekend; no breeze, no stars, no birds - too calm, like the eery still that settles in before a storm. Um, just kidding - just had to let the dramatic flair out to play for a little bit. It was a calm weekend, but not in a creepy, your-house-is-going-to-be-gone-tomorrow kind of way. Rather it was calm in a good, restful, much needed kind of way. On friday us ladies went to get our nails done. FYI the trend here is to pain really neutral, natural-looking pinks. I picked out a light, metallicy pink and Zaira tried to stop me. Luckily I don't understand much of what she says, so she gave up on me fairly fast and let me use this color, and I love it!

I think I frustrate Zaira sometimes, although I can't be sure. I went to the grocery store on Friday to test my limits (I made it there and back, you'll be happy to know) and to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Among other things, I bought what I thought looked like green snap beans. I brought them home, washed them, and then Zaira saw them. By her expression I might as well have scooped up Toby's sidewalk presents and fried them up for dinner. Zaira spent the next 10 minutes discussing with Cida, the maid on Fridays, if they were edible and how you might go about preparing them. She ultimately concluded that you chop them up and fry them in butter (are we surprised, anyone?). When I went about eating them raw she just about tied

me to the chair to stop me, but when she wasn't looking I ate one and low and behold - they are green snap beans!! Apparently she has given up on trying to convince me to cook them in butter now, but every time she sees me eating them she gives me this little "ehh my two-year old is eating flowers again but they haven't killed her yet so I guess I'll let her do it" half-smile with scrunched eyebrows look.

On Sunday Kelson took me for a ride on his motorcycle, and it was so fun! We drove up and down the beach. The city closes part of the strip along the beach every sunday for pedestrians, kids on bikes, bands, two person pedal bikes, kids games, etc. We stopped at one point to listen to a band and watch some people dancing. The crowd was older and so cute, and there were all kinds of people out on the dance floor: young couples, old couples, ladies who couldn't find a partner dancing with friends, people dancing with babies... and then there was this old, wrinkled, woman with a big belly, and I couldn't stop watching her! If you've ever been fortunate enough to see Catherine and I interpretive dance, you know what this lady looked like. And then add to that periodic pauses to wink at the crowd and wave like you know

someone across the stage who was trying to get your attention. She was fascinating! What I would have done to have a video camera at that point in time...

Sunday night Kelson, Zaira, and I went to a restaurant, Alagoana, that had a live band who was amazing. They were shocked to figure out that I didn't understand the lyrics, but I assure you, one doesn't have to hear the lyrics to feel the rhythm and experience the melody in the open air among a light Brazilian breeze.

Other than that, the weekend provided much time for resting, trying to learn some portuguese vocabulary, watching movies, Bible study, and re-learning the vocabulary again.