Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 9 degrees, sunny, cool, with blue skies and the possibility of rain. Today is the first day my mother has left home after her surgery, apart from when she went to the doctors to have the surgical staples removed, and for physiotherapy at the hospital. My mother had booked a minibus service with ‘Ring and Ride’ that […]
Thursday the 15th of February 2024: “New Beginnings, A Transformative Day”!!!
Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 14 degrees, coolish, sunny and bright with blue skies. What a day, one of the best days of my life, in terms of surprises and money! The inheritance from my uncle Mick came through. It was what I had expected; I would have liked to have received more, of course, but this small amount will help me […]
Wednesday the 14th of February 2024: “Again on Brazil and England”!!!
Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 11 degrees, grey and damp, and with the possibility of rain. It’s shitty, cold, and dampness that reaches the bones, and you feel it on and off the whole day. People in Brazil are gradually returning to work today. The rule is that they have to return by midday on the Wednesday after Carnival. Some will only […]
Monday the 12th of February 2024: “A Gringo’s Look at Brazil’s Perversity”!!!
Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 2 degrees, very cold, but sunny. It is Monday, and Carnival is going at full swing in Brazil. I have talked to Nalva and Yamin, and they are staying quiet at home. Public safety is a significant issue in Brazil at present and has worsened significantly under Lula’s administration. This morning, I got up later than usual, […]
Sunday the 11th of February 2024: “A Reflective Balance”!!!
Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 6 degrees, cold, grey, damp and with the threat of rain. My feelings are a little mixed at the moment. I’m sensing that my time in England is coming to an end. My mother is giving me all the wrong signs that I am beginning to overstay my welcome. I have been trying to please her by […]
Saturday the 10th of February 2024: “Choices and Emotions”!!!
Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 6 degrees, cold, damp and slightly overcast. I was supposed to go to Merry Hill shopping centre today, but as I hate shopping centres and it is carnival in Brazil, I want to do very little! Instead, some shopping in the local village precinct, a coffee, and some work on the computer – nothing too much. My […]
Friday the 9th of February 2024: “Empathy, Kindness and Understanding”!!!
Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 9 degrees, cold, grey, damp and a lot of rain. In Brazil, it is the eve of Carnival. What I’ve heard from my pupils is that it is very hot and stuffy in Rio. Here in the middle of England, it is reasonably cold, wet, and damp but bearable. There was supposed to be snow, but it […]
Thursday the 8th of February 2024: “Reflecting on Change and Gratitude”!!!
Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 3 degrees, grey, dull, damp and a lot of rain. A day of rain, rain and more rain. Snow was expected, but it didn’t come. I was going to go out, but because of the rain, I decided to stay in. I’m feeling a bit on edge at the moment. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve […]
Wednesday the 7th of February 2024: “Winter Whispers and Unexpected Chemistry with the Most Beautiful Woman in the Village”!!!
Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 2 degrees, very cold, sunny and slightly overcast with the possibility of snow. The forecast is for snow for the next couple of days. Still, I’m not so sure it is not uncommon to have snow in either February or March in England. My mother said that there was snow in England in April last year, but […]
Tuesday the 6th of February 2024: “Bureaucracy, Clutter and Simplification”!!!
Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 13 degrees, chilly, wet, rainy and damp. What a crazy morning running back and forth from the building society for my mother. My mother had a knee replacement operation at the beginning of January, and until now she’s not unable to go out or drive. I can’t drive in England, or at least shouldn’t; it is something […]