Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 6 degrees, stormy, rainy and very miserable.
It’s Sunday, and Kathleen, the storm that has hit England.
In the West Midlands, where my mother lives, it is incredibly windy, with some wooden fences being blown down in the back garden, and there is a lot of rain and cold.
I exercised in the morning and spoke to Julie on the phone for about an hour. We both enjoy talking a lot. She appreciates my dry, ironic, and sometimes sarcastic sense of humour. However, despite the joking and provocations, we also discuss our young relationship, as well as the problems we are both currently facing.
I need to settle down and find a place to rent so I can have my own space to build a life in England. My stay in England has been a pleasant surprise, and it’s even more so with Julie. However, with the ongoing political and economic turmoil in Brazil, it is better to remain in England for the time being.
Now, with the STF, the Brazilian Supreme Court, particularly Alexandre Moraes, waging war against Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, Tesla, etc., this clash between major power players is only going to worsen and delay Brazil’s progress for quite some time.
I have often said that nothing flourishes and thrives in an environment of conflict or war. I know this from my nearly 35 years living in Brazil, a country that has been in constant turmoil, which has led to Brazil being in a worse state now than it was three and a half decades ago when I first arrived.
I have also considered many times that the only way to resolve Brazil’s political issues would be through external influence rather than through voluntary internal change. Now, with this conflict between Alexandre Moraes and Elon Musk, it might be the turning point for Brazil’s future. What is certain is that conditions will worsen in Brazil before they improve, so I do not expect any improvement in the near future.
To also pick a fight with Elon Musk, the wealthiest and probably one of the most influential men in the world, and with his track record of always thinking outside the box, you have to be very inconsequent and probably stupid.
As I have just said, this external clash of titans could change Brazil’s path for the better.
If the STF — the Brazilian Supreme Court — is controlling and manipulating everything internally, then perhaps the only option is to seek help from outside Brazil.
As for Julie, my beautiful, little, perfect woman, she is going through her divorce. She has to do it all alone, including providing financial, economic, and moral support to herself, with only her parents’ help; it hasn’t been easy for her.
We have discussed this thoroughly. I try not to pry, but when she asks for my opinion, I offer it with straightforward, common-sense pragmatism. Since she moved out of her comfortable marital home, she has had to return to live with her parents, which is challenging at any age, especially when she’s in her early 50s and her parents are in their late 70s and 80s.
Transitioning from being a housewife to working full-time as a barista—and a good one at that—has probably been a significant change in her life, but I think a good one.
I have told her that she did herself a favour by making the difficult decision to separate. She wasn’t happy in the past and lacked a clear profession; now, she is more content and fulfilled with her newly found profession, which offers the opportunity to develop herself further.
I admire her, as I do all people who face life’s challenges, because deep down we are all warriors to some degree.
Julie truly impressed me today, as I had mentioned the possibility of my mother wanting to adopt a rescue dog. I had also told her how much I like greyhounds, as I think they are quite impressive and elegant dogs.
Julie had connected the dots, went online, and found a dog shelter, a trust for abandoned greyhounds, not far from us. She sent me a link to the site, and later, she spoke with someone working there on a Sunday. I also rang the guy at the shelter and arranged for us to visit next Saturday. Julie’s kindness and thoughtfulness struck me as she tried to do something to make me happy.
I was so impressed that I kept thanking her to show my appreciation.
We also examined the dogs on the site, along with their photos, characteristics, and brief descriptions. I was at my mother’s house, and Julie was at her parents’ place. We spoke on the phone, reviewing the photos of the various dogs, with the intention of visiting them this coming Saturday.
Once again, Julie’s thoughtfulness greatly impressed me.
We spoke on and off throughout the day, and one conversation, which took place before we went to bed, lasted more than two hours. I helped my mother prepare the Sunday lunch, which included a pork chop for me and a lamb chop for her, both served with new potatoes, peas, carrots, and cauliflower cheese. I tried to watch a film in the afternoon, but Julie, Yasmin, and Nalva were calling me.
Obviously, Julie called me much more than anyone else.
In bed by 10:00 p.m.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Richard
