CHRISTMAS at Kristi and Shelby's 2009

So, even tho it snowed we still celebrated on Dec 25th at 5pm and had a full house with lots of energetic kids and their parents!!  The white elephant exchange was enjoyable and the bags quieted the room as everyone was digging for their treasures. 

   Lots of yummy food and desserts, too.  Too, bad, Erin that I am older than you and was able to claim the Mud Slide!!  Better luck next year!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2009

MERRY CHRISTMAS

We have a dusting of snow but points west have lots more

The fire is trying to roar, but so far it is just a wimper.

Hope you are all warm and happy.

Our Christmas story today is the gathering of six herons on the shore of Sabre.  Don't know why they are huddled on the shoreline in a group, but maybe they are celebrating with a group dinner???

Sara just reported via the web cam that they had enjoyed a noon meal with those still at MTC.  The meal was held on the veranda of the cafeteria.  It was supposed to be around the gazebo, but it is raining off and on during the day.  She said it was difficult to get the "feel" of Christmas when it was HOT during the day.  The boys had received water guns for inexpensive gifts and were wetting down the dogs and each other.  They would fill the guns at the water hose and then realized that the hose was MUCH better for really getting wet and cooler, so that had become the favorite game.

Graduation MTC 2009

      This post was supposed to be a video of Lee playing tuba at last nights band concert.  NOT, as I spaced it off and forgot to go.  Carol asked me at 6:50 if I had decided not to go, but by then it was TOOOO late.  So, you get the graduation of MTC photos featuring Rosane with the purple sash, the only 4 year graduate.  The others are two or three year programs, associate degrees.
     The top photo is in the entrance of the large Presbyterian church that would hold all the family and guests, plus it has a very good sound system.  The ceremony was set for 7:30 but didn't start until 8pm with many guests arriving between 8:30 and 9!!  The ushers had to bring about 30 more chairs than were originally set up to accomodate everyone.
     The second photo is Rosane at the pulpit giving a short talk.  Sara said it took over an hour the previous week to agree on the colors of the draping on the front wall.
     The ceremony lasted about an hour and a half with lots of singing by a group and then the congregation.  They even played and sang the Brasilian national anthem, which is a very inspiring tune with an upbeat tempo.  The longest part was the sermon by a pastor at MTC who finished by singing a solo - which was great, as he has an operatic voice.
      The receiving line after the ceremony was a endless hug and picture grinning!!  We did get a chocolate treat for our reward - I had two!!

2009 Graduation Dinner

The graduation dinner was a catered event in the cafeteria at MTC.   Three of the married male students were the waiters who brought drinks and desserts and who cleaned the plates and silverware when we were done.  Wem was one of them.

The four graduates are in the top picture.  Claudia (tan dress, long black hair) and Rosane were my favorites.  Rosane's mom and sister are with her in the picture on the right.  They had arrived by bus from Recife the day before the dinner party and were staying in one of the married staff houses that was empty.  I was also occupying one of the 3 empty units and Claudia's family was in the third unit.   The units have "back yards" and look out over the pasture that goes down to the river.  A fence and a row of banana, mango and another tree gave privacy from "the cows".

Roberto and Wemerson are waiters with platters for the buffet line table.  Dinner lasted about an hour and then there was a short speech by the person chosen by the class of four.  This time it was the main secretery for MTC.  She essentially is the glue that holds the place together by making sure all the details are handled correctly.  My pictures of her were blurry as I was trying to take them from too far.

BABY TRUMAN

On Dec 17, ReStore was having their annual Christmas luncheon (alias Holiday Party) to honor volunteers, so Ron had planned a trip to attend and also to put in a different above-range microwave for the rental near KU Med.  Sis rode along to Karla and Chad's to spend some time taking photos of the newborn.  Pretty awesome!!!

The catered luncheon at ReStore, Habitat for Humanity, was attended by over 50 people.  Volunteer hours this past year were over 5000!!  About 21/2 full time employees.

The microwave was an excercise in futility.  The old oven was 29 3/4 inches and the replacement to be measured 29 7/8 inches.  No it wouldn't fit.  The renters will use it as a large table top unit until another can be found, or we will have to sand the inset walls to make the opening a little wider. 

We had planned to drive to the Baltimore area today, but have postponed the trip until the weather is more settled.  The weather guessers are forecasting up to 24 inches in DC Baltimore area.  We old folks just don't need to drive in that stuff!!

Leaving Brasil Dec 3, 2009

Yes, I'm a little slow getting this one posted, as I have been home a little over a week, now.  You can't see the open air building we are in at the Confins (Belo Horizonte) Airport.  It is a two-three story structure which is wide open, but covered from rain showers in all places where people walk.  They have used overlapping "roof" techniques to keep everyone dry and yet have a wide open feel.  The ticket counter area and rooms to get to the airplanes are all enclosed with ceilings and doors, so security is not an issue.  The third floor has a very large observation area which goes the length of the building so you can get "close" to the arriving or departing planes but have to look thru massive glass windows.

The kids love the place as there are spiral walkways from 1st to 2nd floors AND more important, a place that has ICE CREAM!!

We always used to have to fly into Rio or Sao Paulo, but American Airlines now has direct flights from Miami or Dallas and maybe more into Belo.  Cuts out about 4 hours travel time and eliminates flying over Belo just to change planes and fly back.  I would even pay a little extra for this booking, but so far it has been cheaper.  Maybe it is due to the reduction in landing, takeoff, and security check point fees??

Oh, yeh, I'm glad they don't have the open air concept in Dallas, as it was below freezing when we landed on the morning of December 4!!  Houston was getting snow!!  The jetways were COLD.

Civil Wedding in Montes Claros

Emily (bride), Samara (brides sister) & Sara holding Lucas waiting outside the building which houses the civil judges chamber.  It was a very warm day, thank goodness we were in the shade!!  I think Sara said our wedding "party" was 4th or 5th in line for this afternoon session.  Wedding times are not reserved.  First party there weds first, etc.

Waiting in the corridor by the civil judges chamber.  Another civil wedding is taking place as we wait in the long corridor.  Sara (green dress) and Lucas are taking more photos.

Photo in center city park after the ceremony.  Aurea (bride's mother), Ron, Sara, Emily (bride)

Bride and groom

Usually the civil ceremony would be followed by a church wedding, but finances were not available for this young couple or their families to afford such an event, so family and friends attended the civil ceremony.  About a dozen members of MTC were at this event and the total party in the judges chambers numbered about 30.  Normally only 6 to 10 people are in attendance.

The Christmas Carol by Eldon Area Community Theatre

December 11, 2009 Shelby,Gary, Pat, Ron, Carol E, John & Carol A. attended a dinner theatre presentation in which Savanna played Fan (black dress)  and an Errand Boy while Kristi was an "elderly woman"(brown dress and hat)  and a choir member.  The above pictures were taken at curtain call at the end of the presentation. 

Kristi is almost visible behind the old man.   Gary had just gone for coffee while John and Carol were waiting for the show to start.  Lee, who is not pictured, helped as a stage hand, as the bed for Scrooge was quite heavy and was moved in and out a few times.  Way to go Kristi and Savana!!!

Dessert tables were provided by Waste Watchers (Carol E baked a pumpkin pie) , Eldon Garden Club and XI Alpha Chi Sorority.  Desserts were available by donation.

Brasil 60-100 degrees Rocky Mount 18-20 degrees Dec 9, 2009

So I leave Belo Horizonte with minimum temps of 60 degrees in the night and 100 degrees in the daytime and come home to icicles on the cathedral formation in Rocky Mount.  Not nice!!

This cooler light makes it look even worse.

So this morning it is 18 with 30-40 mph winds and the first snow fall of this winter.  We really only got a dusting, but it changes the way the world looks.  Iowa and points north got a foot or more and it is headed to the east.  Waste Watchers was closed this Wednesday morning due to the cold. 

Photos from Thanksgiving 2009

Oh, mom, all the candy has turned green!!  Ava looks good in stripes

Wow, have they changed the format for loading blogs????  This is totally different than a week ago.  However, the caption for the picture of the little guy in green, Alec, could read "Flat, I'll show you flat!" or "When the tooth hits the tire" or "They won't buy me a teething ring" or???

Lucylea, Ayden and Alec enjoying the goodies

Dec 9, 2009 TRUMAN Day??

I think Carol E  took this on Thanksgiving Day while I was in Brasil ignoring the day.  If my memory is correct, this should be the day that Truman (hiding under the light blue blouse) should be entering the cold and windy world of Warrensburg!!  We hope to have Dec 9 pictures in the near future.  I'm sure Grandma Pat will be there with her trusty camera.  In this picture we have Karla holding Korbyn (Sam and Ali's) and Lucylea helping.

My dentist and assistant in Brasil

The office was very small and the waiting area would probably hold 4 people, but the service was timely and soft.  He numbed my mouth with a very slow and no pain injection.  If he hadn't had his hands in my mouth I wouldn't have known he gave the shot!  Got my teeth cleaned, a front tooth repaired with UV composite and rear tooth with mercury amalgam and an X-ray of a sensitive crown for about $60 US.  The dentist is the youngest in a family of 17, is 40 years old and will be married for the first time in 2010.  His office is in the front of the home his mom has lived in for over 80 years. 

Darn, I can't remember the word for "spit".

Before we left for Belo to take me back to the airport and to visit with Wem's family, the school required that the 2 bedroom house be deep cleaned. Wem was trying to sell the small covered trailer because it needed repairs quoted at R$200. I strongly suggested that the trailer was too important to sell so he went to another repair shop and got 7 spots welded and one wheel fixed for $R43!! He also got a tire fixed, balanced and the car aligned for $R50 so he was very pleased. In this photo we are taking the unused clothes, toys, tools, etc and storing them in the trailer so the shelves in the bedroom closets can be cleaned and organized. Notice the vertical couch. It was moved to the unit I was staying in and Sara wants to replace it with a twin bed type "couch" with storage underneath and much better for naps and keeping the kids off of the floor.
All the windows needed to be cleaned, inside and outside, so we got lots of "help". Never to young to instill the work ethic. Just wait til they are teenagers, they will probably need to be bribed, beaten, or threatened, just to pick up their rooms!! Wem and the kids had cleaned the stove and the refrigerator the day before. Sara spent an hour bleaching all surfaces in the bathroom while the kids were at the creche (daycare center). All the walls were damp mopped and the floors were scrubbed and rewaxed/treated.
Before we started the cleaning on this rainy day, we took an ambling walk to the front gate to see a large snail. He or she had "hustled" away into the foilage and was not visible. I like the way they have used cross sections of logs to make stepping blocks in the stone covered drive. This is between the cafeteria (up to the right) and the main building (down to the left) with the classrooms, library and offices.

No explanation needed.

Grandma Lena's in Belo

Peaches for dessert. This photo is for sentimental reasons. Lena had just served peaches for dessert. It made me think of mom and dad who always had some peaches around for dessert. Sara said that she didn't recall any cans with bits and pieces or slices -- these which Max has wolfed down were peach halves and were very tasty.
Lucas was trying to make friends with the small dog. Sara is sitting in the "doorway" that separates the patio dining area from the external kitchen/cooking area which is all outside the main house. The staghorn fern in the next picture would be on the wall to the right and up high.
The patio is actually about 3 stories high, but at this point in the hill is only 2 levels up. Yep, the hill is pretty steep. The staghorn fern back on the wall was left by Sara when they moved to Montes. It loves this new location and has 2 babies poking out of the compost rings.
Lena is folding a sheet that had been used on the mattress on the floor for midday naps. The living room is large with some very heavy wood and glass dining room furniture to my left. The TV and couch are on the "street" side of the room. 4 Bedrooms are off to the right but one is being used as an office. A bathroom and kitchen are also behind me. The patio is outside the wall to the left.

Wem and Sara still own the light blue green housing units and the income from them pays for some of their tuition. They have hired Wem's sister, Christiani, as the leasing agent and caretaker. She can do minor maintenance, but Wem will be attempting to do some more major stuff in the next few days.

Subway Sandwiches in Brasil

The family was enjoying three different Subway sandwiches which were carbon copies of those sold in the US. A sign said that there are 300 stores in Brasil. Sara and Wem are familiar with one in Belo Horizonte as well as this one in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais. There are several Montes Claros in several states in Brasil, much like several Springfields in several US states. If you don't state the state you are in a bad state!!

Sara is standing in line behind the rest of the group that packed into the combi (VW bus) and had an outing to the Subway Sandwich Store. If the signs weren't in Portuguese you wouldn't know which country in which it was located. The gal in the purple blue is from England, the couple in white blouse and blue shirt are from Venezuela. They were having a difficult time getting travel documents to return home during the Dec-Feb summer break. Evidently the new government is as crazy as their leader!!

This frog was about the size of my fist and was on the main steps to the cafeteria one morning as I was preparing to water and weed the flower beds. I missed a good picture at Sara's one morning as I reached to remove a "rock" with 2 slugs on it from a potted chive plant. WHOA!! It was a FROG that was using the greenery as a hiding place. Other than a little twitch as I reached to about 2 inches from his "face" he never moved!! I don't have a picture of a snail that is also bigger than a large fist that was often by the front gate. We saw it about 4am on the morning we were leaving to go to Belo for my return trip home. It was drizzling and we were in a hurry to get started, so no photo. Don't know if I could have found the camera, anyhow.
The trip to Belo was not much fun for the first two hours, as it was misting, raining, and foggy. That was bad enough as on coming lights blinded everyone and to make matters worse, the road had just been repaved and there was no center line or white line for the edges. Yes, we did travel quite slowly for the beginning of the trip. As day break arrived the conditions got better and we were able to make up some time.
I'm sure this hummer has an official name, but I call it the split tail. He was so skittish by the feeder that the only shot worth keeping was this siloette on the power line. He is about twice the size of the typical hummer. Sara did not have her feeders up, as they attract ants and she didn't want the boys playing in the sugar and ant stuff on her patio/veranda. These shots were at a neighbors house.

These "blues" were among the most common and three to six would be around a feeder much like at Grandma Joy's. I have a picture of the "greens" but can't find it in my mass of photos.

Concrete in Montes Claros, Nov 2009

OKAY, so you get to see the finished job first. I am too lazy to go back and upload the photos for the THIRD time in the right order and right photos. This is now the finished concrete work to the west side of Wem and Sara's two bedroom home in Montes Claros, Brasil. It is under the clothes line and was always getting weedy, dirty and allowing water to stand along the west wall. Wem did all the leveling and I did some of the shoveling to get the concrete distributed. He did get some shin splints that evening!!
This is the cement mixer!! You got it, two guys with shovels and big work hoe. In this shot, we are moving some sand to behind the wall so if it rains the water running off the houses and into the rain trough won't wash the sand away. We started by filling and dumping 4 wheel barrows of sand for the two piles on the existing concrete slab. The slab is actually the top of the septic holding tank for the four housing units in this row of 3 two bedroom units and 2 one bedroom units. Wemerson had one cubic meter of sand delivered and it was mainly piled on this side of the wall, but we only needed half. He then added one large bag of cement to each sand pile and mixed thoroughly with the large hoe. Then we scrounged around the complex to rake, clean and transport 4 more wheel barrows of black stone and dumped 2 each on top of each sand/cement pile. Yep, you got it, add water and mix thoroughly again. There are cement trucks in the area, but our job was way too small to involve them and Wem says they more than double the cost of materials.

Of course we did have some expert help during this process, but only had to repair one small hand print!! Cleanup was the most exciting for some of us?? Lucas is at the age where he HAS to mimic whatever is being done, at least if it is the first time or if you don't want him to!! I had "bet" wem that we would need more bags of cement and more sand to do this job, BUT we actually used half the sand AND still had enough to do some work on the east side of the next unit (behind me)!! Shows you how little concrete work I have done lately!!

I will be posting some events on a daily basis to catch up my blog. The computers at MTC went down about 6 days after I arrived and were not working when we left for Belo on Dec 3.

Wed, Nov 25 2009

Sara and I are playing a game of Rummikub which is a dice form of rummy. The lady at the end is Joanne from mecca ohio and the other lady is the english teacher, katherine, from England.
oh yes, the reason this hasnt been updated, is that the internet at MTC got a bad virus and they may or may not fix it. Wem thinks he can do it but no one will ask him, so we tried to set up our own system, but can~t get a good enough signal from the sites around us. i was going to update earlier but the other lan house system was slow and we were in a hurry.
family photo we are between the gazebo and the fountain. if you need family names please call carol, my wife, and she will gladly provide them.

First year students around a fountain that is the focal point of a cross design in the lawn. WEC international does not emphasise a cross but inserts them quietly. Sara thinks it is because of the over use of the cross by the Catholic church which is the biggest church in Brasil.