“No man is an adult while his parents are alive. Until they die he is merely a performance to either please or punish them.”
― Chuck Palahniuk, Adjustment Day

Things have been crazy for me in Brazil.

I am juggling work and the household operations at my parents. My brother helps my parents, and as they age he has to step in more and more. I came to Brazil to see my parents, but specially to give my brother a break.  He just took off on 2 weeks vacations now, and I intend to have him take some more time in August.

We have 2 ladies that come to clean and cook. One comes Mondays and Fridays and the other comes Tuesdays and Thursdays. They are fairly new to the house, so they are a bit lost, and still have to been told what to do. We used to have one person 2 days a week.  She was great, but she relocated and we haven’t been able to replace her.

I got here right at month’s end and beginning of the new month – my busiest time at work. I have an audit to do and bonuses to work on, so it will get a little crazier before it gets better.

I have been cleaning and organizing. Every time I come to Brazil, I try to leave things better than I found them.  I like to think that I often succeed. 

I have been able to start Pilates. I will be doing it at least 3 times a week. Some days it will be at 7am and other days it will at 7pm. My body needs it. My body is showing the effects of over indulging in the cruise and all the amazing Brazilian sweet desserts.

Have you ever Coffee flavored Coke?  I tried and I am not a fan.

Coca-Cola com Cafe

I want to be persistent as this flower.  They grow anywhere, even sprouting from the cement in my mom’s backyard.

Persistent Flower

Michael adores animals, specially these little monkeys that we have in a park in a neighboring town.  There are about 50 of them living there. Unfortunately, I have been told that most of them have diabetes because people feed them sweets.  They live in an area full of kiosks selling all kinds of treats,  so it is very easy for people to give them some, without realizing the harm they are doing.