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.

It was a busy Sunday Nov 15, 2009

We trimmed bushes in front of the houses across the grassy divider. My helpers were excellent.
Max hits the big green ball. It has a wicked curve.
Lucas is better at hitting the white softball when it is on the ground.
Lucas will play a long time emptying the clothespins from the metal can and then filling them up again. Over and over and over. The weather has been sunny and hot with fairly cool nights after midnight. None or one sheet is a great plenty so far. My neighbors have moved to an apartment in town so it is really quiet on my end of the four plex.

My Digs & Berries

My living, dining and kitchen area are here. A small couch is behind with a large window for light and ventilation. No, two people don~t work in the kitchen.
Sorry the bed is not made. I will move it from under the window, as every noise comes in and the cool morning breeze is right on my head and ears. There are three closet doors to the right and a door leading out to the living area. The bath is behind the closet and is why the kitchen is so small.
The berry that sara described was not a blackberry or rasperry, but a mulberry. Lucas and Max love them, but they always were and still are VERY messy. The season is just about past, so no more treats for the boys. We will have to switch back to peaches and cream.

Saturday Nov 14, 2009

Grandma, Max loves his new strawberry toothpaste.
Lucas is still as photogenic as ever

The three young kids in the creche - day care center. The lady who runs this is really excellent.

We tried to pick acerola but the workers had done it yesterday afternoon, so we went to the lime trees and picked a couple dozen to share with the complex. Spent late morning shopping for things I like to have while I´m here. Sara and Wem were looking for paints for the kids room and Sara and the kids bought a Christmas present for Wem while he was at the bank. The Montes Claros Shopping Center is as upscale as anything in USA with one major difference. A grocery store anchors one end of the complex. We watched The Good Shepherd with lots of known actors. It translates here as the good pastor, but it is NOT religious in the MTC context!!

Brasil Nov 2009 Beginning

Yes, I´m surprised and happy to be here. Weather is warm to hot and I ran the fan Thurs night but not Wed night. Rainy season is winding down so hopefully things will dry out and become nicer.
This is school time with coloring with the erasable markers. Max is getting quite good at drawing and embellishing. Lucas does the page, his clothes, his face, etc. Sara stays in the lines most of the time. Ron just takes the photos.
This was the first bus which I took from the airport to the main bus terminal downtown. Quite an experience with getting 2 LARGE pieces and 2 small pieces of luggage from basement arrival area to 2nd floor restaurant and then back to basement departure area. These are two similar but different locations and make luggage handling a fiasco. Bus to Montes Claros was similar but it was air conditioned. Sara tells me I could have had an a/c bus from airport for double the price. Too late now, but it wasn~t too bad as the rain had stopped from earlier in the day. ttfn

Sunset Fall 2009

Pregnant lady on roof of new house

Pat says this photo was taken a couple of months ago. Baby is due in Dec. Dad Chad and Grampa Gary are doing the work with "expert" guidance!! There is a much longer ladder further to the right which I cropped out. No, she didn't use the step ladder.

More Halloween 2009

Kim Shannon and clan
Shelby, Kristi and crew

Pat as Madam "eye" know it all!!

Halloween 2009

John and Carol as Smores
Kristi as Ms Dracula
Ron as Turtle Man
Shelby as Vampire

Gary as Web Man

Halloween 2009

OKAY, so the photos aren't very scary!! The little leopard was passed around all evening. She even had a "glow in the dark" skeleton costume on under the leopard "skin". Check out Kim's blog for more stuff!!