Travel Day

Instagram.  Thank goodness I am retired have some spare time on my hands.  For those of you unfamiliar with this addicting iphone app… it allows you to snap pictures and easily adjust the filter.  This has led to me spending my undesired free time taking and sharing  needless pictures.  You have been warned.

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Okay, I lied to you.  I traveled yesterday instead of Tuesday.  (It’s surprisingly easy to confuse the days of the week when you are not in the habit of showering.)  Also, Guarulhos is an international airport, not domestic.  Please forgive me. 

This photo was taken while I bussed it to the plane.  Unlike my husband earlier in the week… I made the trip without incident. 

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Remember my husband’s neon saran wrapped bag?  This machine is legit.  I still cannot fathom how he was talked into doing this. 

I heard the story again last night while we had dinner on the beach.  We laughed.  A lot.  In his defense, it was 6am in the morning when it occurred.  Still. Funny.

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Current read.  Focuses on the natural history of dogs, explaining behaviors and developing the understanding of a dog’s umwelt (self-world).   Sort of a social psychology book about our canine friends… mainly research based with some personal observation by the author.  So far, so good.

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Photo strip bookmark circa mid-80’s.  Seeing how genuinely happy my parents look makes my heart swell.  How lovely is my mother?!

And yes.  I chose the ‘least sad’ shot of Lisa.

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A little PwC advertising for your in-flight viewing pleasure.

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Café de manha.  Topical fruits, granola, milk & honey.  Fresh squeezed orange juice.  Plus some very strong coffee with a good deal of steamed milk.

On a side note.  There is an old server’s trick for over-filled beverages: fix your eyes on the destination (not the drink) and you are less likely to spill it.

It did NOT work this morning.

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The view from our hotel.  The always sunny and never rainy Fortaleza, is pretty darn wet today.  Hence the blog post you are currently reading.

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The other view from our hotel.  Now.  You are probably thinking, “How irritating that there is a construction site blocking your view of the ocean?”

Oddly enough, it doesn’t bother me.  I am fascinated by the building process.  I grew up going to work sites on Saturdays with my father.  Back in Minnesota, I would make my husband drive down 35W on a weekly basis so I could marvel at the (painfully slow) development of the new highway. 

Call me my father’s daughter… I appreciate a good build (and I always notice the ceilings).

Monday’s Highlights

Every Monday morning when my husband arrives at the office, he is questioned about our previous weekend’s activities.  Regardless of the answer, his boss has deemed them unacceptable.  Why?  Because they were NOT THE BEACH.

It appears that ‘the lack of beach’ in our lives has been a growing concern with the boss.  The same boss who apologized for the sixty degree winter weather the week we arrived.  (The man has clearly never been to Minnesota.)

Long story short.  A job came up in sunny Fortaleza, Brazil.  The boss communicated down the ranks that my husband was assigned, the ‘wife’ should attend, and we should plan on staying the weekend.

Fortaleza

Fortaleza is located on the North Eastern coast of Brazil near the equator.  It is known for lovely weather year round and is a vacation destination for Brazilians & foreign tourists alike.

My husband left at the crack of dawn this morning, and I intend to navigate the domestic airport by my lonesome self tomorrow. 

Highlight #1: early morning email from my husband.

Don’t let the guy at the door touch your bag.  When I walked in, some security guy shrink wrapped my backpack with neon green reynolds wrap, and then charged me R$30.  I figured everyone had to do it, but I am the ONLY person in this airport with a shrink wrapped bag.

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I am not sure how you started off your Monday morning, but imagining these things just made my week:

  • The look on my husband’s face as he discovered NO ONE else had this done.
  • His coworkers reactions as he arrived at the gate with a shiny neon backpack.
  • My husband spending twenty minutes ripping off plastic wrap in the airport bathroom.

Highlight #2:  message from my cousin Tina.

I don’t know if you have read this blogger’s post yet… it is kind of old, but I could see you doing it.

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Please note the phrase in bold and read the crazy chicken lady story.  I am beyond flattered.