Tag Archives: being in Brazil

Family, Friends, Birds and Disney

10 Tuesday Nov 2026

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message, family, Finding Me, travels

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““You cannot imagine the craving for rest that I feel—a hunger and thirst. For six long days, since my work was done, my mind has been a whirlpool, swift, unprogressive and incessant, a torrent of thoughts leading nowhere, spinning round swift and steady”
― H.G. Wells, When the Sleeper Wakes

Since my last post, I left Brazil, went to NY, then to Florida, back to NY, and now I am back in Brazil. I crave routine, but for now I have to keep moving.

While in Florida, my sister and a childhood friend came to visit.  I finally took some days off from work to spent time with them.    

Among all we did I am going to highlight a couple of things.  We went on an airboat ride, something I always wanted to do.  I was hoping to see alligators, but they didn’t cooperate.  We went early in the day because that is normally better to see creatures, but it was windy and rainy, so the gators were hiding.  I just saw the back of one.  We saw tons of birds.

The next 3 days we spent at Disney World.  We stayed at a hotel nearby.  I can’t remember the last time I have gone anywhere without my laptop.  On Tuesday we went to Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center on Wednesday and Hollywood Studios on Thursday.   

I had been to Disneyland and Disney World decades ago and I remember enjoying it more than I did now.  Don’t get me wrong, it was fun being there with my loved ones, but I think I am definitely too old for Disney.  I don’t care for the crowds and long lines.  Thanks heavens for Single Riders lines.  Only a few rides have them, but it so worth.  One ride the line was taking 50 minutes, and it took us only 5 because of the single line.

My sister and my friend wanted to take pictures with the characters, so at Hollywood Studios we had lunch at a restaurant where 4 characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto) go from table to table and pose for pictures.  There should be characters walking around, I thought I remembered that from the prior visits.

On Friday I had work to deal with, so Michael took my sister and my friend to Nasa.  They had a great time.  I am grateful Michael took them there, and being such a gracious host to them.

I will try to get back here soon to give you an update on my health, as well as mom’s.

Wishing you all a blessed week! Be happy, be grateful! ♥♥♥

“Every person needs to take one day away.  A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future.  Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence.  Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for.  Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.”

― Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now

 

 

Dealing with pain

02 Friday Oct 2026

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message, family, Finding Me, travels

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“I can bear any pain as long as it has meaning.” ― Haruki Murakami, 1Q84

It has been unbelievably hot in Brazil now.  When I arrived 3 weeks ago, it was perfect. It was in the high 60s, low 70s.

Now:

It is spring now. I can only imagine what it will be like in the summer.

I got the results of my MRIs and went back to the doctor to review them.  It turns out I have a lot issues in my neck, hip and lower back.  It is from years of overworking and lack of care, years of ignoring pain, years of prolonged sitting at the computer, etc.  

My neck is the worst.  The pain shoots down the arm and it made impossible to sit down.  The doctor gave me medication for inflammation and pain.  I also got infiltration done on the neck, shoulder and arm.  The doctor wanted to do it on the back and hip as well, but I wanted to address one area at a time.  It worked like a charm.  At least now, I am able to work, sit and sleep without pain.  The next steps would be infiltration on the hip and back, and physical therapy.

Looking out from mom’s balcony:

A blessed weekend to you all! ♥♥♥

“Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” ― C.S. Lewis

 

 

Just breathe… the air in Brazil

24 Thursday Sep 2026

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message, family, Finding Me, travels

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“If you really want to escape the things that harass you, what you’re needing is not to be in a different place but to be a different person.” ― Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Letters from a Stoic

I have been in Brazil for 2 weeks now.  Life continues to be too busy, but it gets busier in Brazil.  I am hoping for an easy routine.  I am tired of work and family pressures.  Don’t get me wrong, I feel incredibly blessed to have both: work and family. And I am sure I will find myself missing this craziness some time in the future – or maybe not!

I feel I have worked enough.  I dream of retirement and of my time being my own to do whatever my heart desires.

I haven’t been able to establish a good exercise routine since May, and because of that my body has suffered.  I have a debilitating pain that starts on the neck and travels down my arm.  And lets not forget the hip and back pain, that was kept at bay with stretching and exercise.

On Monday I had 3 MRIs done: neck, lower back and hip.  The results will be ready later today.  

My doctor asked: “You don’t smoke, do you?”  I said: I don’t.  He said: “If you smoked you wouldn’t have this pain that you have.  Smokers take breaks often to smoke.  Clearly you sit at the computer too many hours straight.”  He added: “If you smoked, you would be at risk for lung cancer among other things, but you wouldn’t have this pain.” He likes to joke, but he is right.  I don’t take enough breaks during my word day.

In the meantime, while Michael went to Florianopolis with my brother,  I was left home to take care of mom, work and herd cats.  Herding cats literally!

Florianopolis is a city with tons of gorgeous beaches.  Michael wanted to surf, but all he got was rain and cold.  It is off season.  But he saw another area of Brazil and fell in love with it.  Every time he goes to a new place, he says:  we should live here!

Now, back to the cats.  We have 3 cats that we inherited from a neighbor that moved. They sleep the whole day, and at night they go out and it is a nightmare to try to coax them back in.  When I finally get them inside they fight with each other and cry to go out.  This is throughout the night.  I would just put them out, but mom is afraid they will get hurt.  I am not sure what happens when my brother is here.  Perhaps they are just missing him.  It has been a nightmare.

BUT, I do realize that I am in control of my emotions and responses and nothing else. Life is not perfect.  If life is not fun and games, then it is a lesson.  I thought I was done learning, but we are never done.

I am now trying to make peace with the it all, good and bad.  I am working on being less critical of others and myself.  I am an Aries, and everything that comes to mind I say it.  I am learning that not everything needs to be said.  Not everyone wants to hear my thoughts on how to improve something. Who do I think I am? 

Sending blessings and my love to all, and leaving you with some pictures of the adorable creatures that are driving me crazy (Nala, Luke and Ze Jorge) … a neighbor’s dog (Chico) for good measure.

“I promise you nothing is as chaotic as it seems. Nothing is worth diminishing your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety, and fear.” ― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience

 

 

Alive in Brazil

12 Monday Jun 2023

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message, Dating, Finding Me

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Dia dos Namorados

“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” ― Albert Camus

Hi Friends,

This is just to say I am alive 😊

I haven’t had a chance to go check your blogs and see what you all have been up to. For that I am sorry, and I hope everyone has been well.  I will be back to the US next week and hope to have more time to get back to my cherished friends here.

Life in Brazil has been incredibly busy.  Not only I had tons of things that I wanted to get done around the house, but I am also working remotely – my functions plus some of my co-worker that remains out being treated for breast cancer.

Here is a summary of what I have been up to since I arrived here on May 26:

  • I bought a car for my brother. Dealing with the dealership, insurance, Detran (Brazilian DMV), details about paying, etc, it all involved several days.
  • Painted my mom’s second kitchen and eat-in area. Some workers that worked on some water damage made a complete mess of the walls and floor. Not to mention the fact that they didn’t cover anything.  In April, when I saw that mess, I mentioned that I was going to clean it and paint it, when I returned – many doubted, but I did.  I am very proud of that.
  • I painted my brother’s room as well. This room is adjacent to that kitchen and it needed some refreshing. It was also a chance to re-organize and clean it.
  • Organized my brother’s room. My brother is not an organized person, so every time I come to Brazil, I make improvements.
  • Put contact paper on all the kitchen cabinets. Detailed job. I had a friend that is unemployed at the moment come and help.  She has been priceless in helping me with the cleaning and organizing.
  • I cleaned a small little house I have for rent. Again, I had my friend help. Actually, she did most of cleaning. I also had to have the yard, cleared of overgrown grass and trees. I contracted that work for a small fortune – everyone here things I overpaid.
  • M and I go to Pilates every week day from 1 to 2pm. Even though he works out hard at the gym every day while in the States, he is finding out that Pilates can be challenging.  The instructor has been targeting some dormant muscles. I should be in Pilates right now, but I am catching up on work, and I am stealing a few minutes to do this Update.
  • Speaking of M, he is fitting right in. He has been helping me with everything. From cleaning, painting, decisions about the car, to doing the dishes and cleaning. He is a keeper. Everyone here adores him, even though there is still the language barrier.  He has been working hard at trying to learn Portuguese.
  • There is always a stream of visitors at my house. Friends, old and new, that come to have coffee with my parents. Most come every week, other now come more often because I am here. That has always been the routine with my family. We never go to people’s house, they come to us.  Which, now that I think of, is the opposite for me in the US.  I hardly have anyone over; I often go to people’s house.
  • Today is “Dia dos Namorados” in Brazil, somewhat similar to Valentine’s Day in the US, but not that similar. This holiday is all about boyfriends and girlfriends.  went out and got me that beautiful sunflower.  Here in my town is hard to find cut flowers, we find mostly the actual plant to be replanted.  He also bought all kinds of chocolates for the rest of the family. 
  • I was able to have a couple of outings with friends, twice for dinner and twice for a day trip to the country.  I hope to share pictures and stories when I return.

I am feeling so exhausted mentally and physically – there has been many frustrating and angering moments. But I am also so so blessed to be able to be here with my parents, to be able to better their lives in little ways, and to have M. next to me. I believe he is the person I have been waiting for.

Wishing everyone many blessings, small and large. I hope you have many reasons to smile, but even if you don’t, smile anyway.  The reasons will come!

ps. sorry for typos and errors, no time to edit.

“…feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we’re stuck. This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are.” ― Pema Chödrön

Being in Brazil

26 Thursday May 2022

Posted by in Daily Life, Finding Me

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“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” ― G.K. Chesterton

I have been in Brazil now since May 11th.  I am returning to NY this Saturday, May 28.  I love being in Brazil with my parents, but I miss my routine in the US. 

I came back to Brazil to bring my mother back after her stay in NY, and also to give my brother a vacation from taking care of my parents.  He went to Porto Seguro, Bahia, where it is always sunny and hot. 

In our area, in the Southeast of Brazil, it has been chilly. There is no indoor heating.  I have been trying to talk my parents into getting a heater but it has been tough for them to accept it.  Anything new to my parents, it is a waste of money.  It doesn’t matter if I am the one paying for.

“It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?” ― Henry David Thoreau

While here I am spending most of my time:

  • Preparing lunch.  Lunch is a big deal here.  Right at breakfast we talk about what will be on the menu for lunch. There is always rice, beans and a salad.  Then a protein, mostly beef or chicken, and vegetables, anything from zucchini to okra.
  • Fixing stuff around the house/buying stuff. I bought new hampers and other accessories for the home, I cemented some loose stones around the the balcony and garage, cleaned closets, etc.
  • Having friends over for afternoon coffee.  Not all of them tell us they are coming.  Some just show up.  There is always country cheese, and a combination of breads, cookies, cheese bread, etc on the table.  
  • Working remotely.  I have been doing office work a few hours a day.  It is not as productive as when I am in the office, and often frustrating to work on a tiny laptop, but I have been getting stuff done.
  • Pilates.  I started on the day arrived and have been going every day for one hour.  The studio is around the corner from my house.  It has been amazing!!  I wish I could do Pilates every day forever.  
  • Answering the door.  There are all kinds of people selling all kinds of stuff.    We are customers of some of them for years. We buy everything from produce to water.  There is always some new face selling something.  My parents buy something from everyone to help them out.

I do a lot here, and still doesn’t feel I am doing enough or as much as I should. I arrive full of plans, and want to go home feeling I have accomplished a lot.

Lately when I am in Brazil I mostly stay with my parents.  I want to spend as much time with them as I can while I have them.  But the other evening I decided to meet some girlfriends for a drink.  We had pizza and wine, and it was a lot fun.

Since getting Covid in December I haven’t been myself mentally.  I forget things, I mess up things.  My family noticed and they are urging me to see a doctor.   Just today I went to another town one hour away to deliver some documents.  When I got there, I realized that I had taken the wrong envelope.  This type of situation has been a constant for me, daily. 

I hope this mental fogginess gets better.  The heartburn and anxiety are gone, so I have faith it is a matter of time.   It is just tough right now to be second guessing myself and see myself becoming insecure and unsure.

See you back in NY! 🙂

https://www.instagram.com/blessedwithastar/?hl=en

“One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche