A Day On The Farm With Papu

A couple of weeks ago Papu and I spent the day hiking down memory lane.

Here are just a few of the photos.

See Don's emergency response house numbers?

They have to be big enough they can be seen from the street.

I don't think size is the issue.

Sometimes people are wandering around on his property.

They tell him they think it is abandoned. How rude.

Do you remember decorating this tree in the big snow one winter?

I don't think we could put a star on top now.

... childhood memory ...

Papu models the finest in walkabout attire. He swears it's tick proof.

This is Dog Fennel. When cows eat it milk tastes like $*@&!

I don't know who in dad's family did the taste test.

See the background? See that sunlight and cleared ground? Don has been ridding the back yard of privet hedge, blackberry bushes and honeysuckle vine for months.

There is a story here...and there...and over there...

Pumpkin joined us on our walkabout and stopped to listen to all the stories.

This one (older and wiser says Don) had nothing to do with us.

This was with the zoom.

Wisteria vine like Don has been eradicating.

Honeysuckle.

I like the bark.

This bit of privet hedge is next.

Grandmother's and Grandaddy's bus was flooded to the roofline.

"That spins and seed falls out."

Privet hedge losing the war.

Wouldn't be a walkabout with Papu if he didn't eat some sort of tree.

The outbuildings

Water rose here to the undercarriage of the bus. Whew!

Almost lost the overnight visitor accommodations.

"How big was that beaver?"

Bus number 3. Up by the spring.

Papu's Curfman great grandparents and great uncle.

Eunice will live forever.

Corlew Cemetary:

This is not our family. This is a family that got the flu in 1898.

This is our family. Papu's Curfman grandparents, aunts and uncles.

Notice Aunt Dell's stone. She was married. Her last name was not Curfman. Susie says Uncle Glenn didn't like her husband and he made arrangements for the marker. Uncle Glenn was definitely a Curfman.

Notice the spelling on GGmom's stone.

Can't really see the spelling here on GGdad's stone

but at least we know where they thought he was headed.

Papu's mom and dad and his Delones grandparents.

Granddaddy didn't want praying hands. Oops.

Thus ends a walk down nostalgia lane. Susie says we didn't visit all the cemeteries. One day soon we should take another trip.

A Brief Update about Crazy New York People

So I am the most conservative person in New York. This is not surprising, though I am not all that conservative. Pop quiz: do you think the government should legislate on what you feed your children? Do you think that intrinsically, by nature of not being a politician, you are incapable of making basic daily decisions for yourself? Do you secretly believe that all low-income people are, by definition, mentally handicapped? Do find reasons for offense as a woman (or knower of women) every time you view any kind of text or media, clothing, gum on the sidewalk, candied nuts cart, or carton of milk? If you answered "no" to any of these, you are more conservative than everyone I know in New York.

Let's take for example this final question of constant female offense. Yesterday in class we read a text in which a certain Ludmila Sergeevna had gone on her first ever camping trip and had met her husband because he helped her set up her tent. It was a powerful and stirring text, worthy of those "mystery" "novels" mom so enjoys (Tall, Dark, and Camping, anyone?). But this chick next to me goes off because the author of the passage made Ludmila "need help" setting up her tent. She was very upset. She has clearly never tried to set up a tent alone before, and as we all know, in Soviet Russian, Tent poles you! Plus it was Ludmila's first camping trip, plus, Ludmila was obviously about 13 years old and I think Justin Bieber helped her set up her tent as excited as she was. I made the case that perhaps, subverting feminine stereotypes, Ludmila only pretended to need help in order to manipulate Justin Bieber into talking to her so she could entice and control him. A regular Judith, that Ludmila. The chick didn't buy it; as we all know, women are too weak to be anything but victims to the text and Justin Bieber.

But this is nothing compared to what is experienced in art school. In Ross's class today, the teacher nonchalantly claimed, "Well we all know today that there is no difference between men and women," to which Ross replied, "Well except biologically, you mean."

"No, men and women are exactly the same."

"You mean they're equal, but they're not identical biologically."

"No. They are one and the same."

Silence...

Ross: But, women have a uterus. Men do not.

Other guy: You only know that from textbooks. Who wrote those textbooks? Men.

Silence...

Ross: So, men made up the uterus and the idea that women can carry children?

Other guy: Well, they wrote the textbooks.

You heard it here first, folks. Men invented the uterus and childbearing. It doesn't really exist, someone just wrote it in a textbook and by blind faith in textbooks, we are born. Like on Looney Toons where they learn about gravity and it suddenly affects them. Will we suddenly loose the ability to procreate now? Maybe I shouldn't have put this on the internet.

I would like to take this moment to reiterate: This actually happened. It is not hyperbole. Women have no uteri, its just a tall tale from a patriarchal text book. Thought you guys might want to know.

Rain, rain, rain...

On Wednesday we spent the day sightseeing like regular tourists...except there were 8 of us (some of us super-sized) who were folded into a car that carried 7...and only carried 7 in product advertising. Thankfully Annie would fit in the glove-box.

We started the day with a trip to Olinda following a side-trip to Sam's. (Yes, Josh and Amanda, a trip to Sam's, now you wish you were here, don't you?) It had been raining pretty constantly for 24 hours and so we all carried our umbrellas and other rain gear; after all, there was plenty of extra room in the car, especially after that trip to Sam's.

Olinda is a beautiful city built up a hillside overlooking the ocean. It's about 450 years old and is one of those cities you see painted in a lot of souvenir art from Brazil. (I have one such painting on my dresser.) There is excellent shopping in Olinda...Amy and Nancy are excellent shoppers...we were excited about a "productive" day.

When we got to Olinda our first stop was at the oldest cathedral in Olinda (there are several) and we enjoyed a tour. After that we drove to the highest point in the city and got out just as the bottom dropped out and the rain begain in earnest. (It had been drizzling in fits and starts to that point). So we shopped in the downpour. We ate lunch at a place called "The Pumpkin House" were meals were served in a cooked, hollowed out pumpkin. Cute, but pumpkin. I much prefer a sourdough bread bowl. (Perhaps this helps explain my "super-size.) While we were eating the rain stopped and the sun came out so Nancy and Amy hurried to get back to the shops. Just as we got to the door of the restaurant the flood gates opened again with no relief in sight.

After Randy decided we had shopped enough (he was in the car blowing the horn at us) we left Olinda and headed to a Museum in Recife. It was built by one of the wealthiest families in Recife and they retain control of every piece of art housed there. It will be left to the city upon their deaths. It is primarily a historical museum of Brazilian culture. However, someone obviously loves sculpture because there are dozens of sculptures there of all types. Some original works and many copies of famous works. (Salome and Bacchus reigned side-by-side over the food court and various sculptures of Buddah sat at the feed of Greek goddesses in the garden.) Some of the other works of art were also copies while some were originals. It seemed that the idea was to showcase the Brazilian influence and from that prespective it was very interesting.

One building at the museum showcased weapons and had an amazing display of knives. I didn't see that exhibit but the men thought it was the best part. It continued to rain, rain, rain and by the time we got back to the Pousada we were drenched...literally. My jeans had absorbed water all they way up to my knees and could be wrung out. My advise to other travelers? Do NOT travel with people from Bellevue until they get over this obsession of theirs with floods.

Note to my family...

Several people not related to us are now viewing this blog. You will probably note that I have revised some of my previous posts and you will notice the tone of new posts will be more restrained. : )

I am having a great time but will be happy to be home to my own bed and some privacy.

River Cruise

One night we went on a river cruise to see the city. It was the eve of Brazil's "Boyfriend/Girlfriend Day" which is similar to our Valentines Day only it is just for lovers since Hallmark hasn't marketed it. We got some odd looks since we were a group of 7.

Recife skyline.

The old city.

This is Amy and Nancy making the most of an akward situation. LOL! They were not the only duo-female couple on board.

Our real couple. Josh will have a lot to live up to since he celebrated 2 Valentine's Days the first year he was married.

Monday, June 14

Today I updated previous posts because I can't stand it if things aren't chronological. So I added the South Beach tour and some photos on other posts. Today Susie and I finished up our sewing and the others went out to Villa Palmareo (spelling?) to work.

Tomorrow the city shuts down at noon for the World Cup so we will work at the Boa Viagem building in the morning and then watch the game with everyone else in Brazil.

Sunday in Brazil (not to be confused with the train)

Today we spent the day going from church to church having worship services with different small groups. We started with the congregation in Boa Viagem this morning. We held a nightly meeting the last time we were here so we knew most of these folks. It was good to see everyone again and "catch-up" thru a mix of English, Italian, Latin, Spanish, Portugese and LOTS of hand gestures. At one point I found myself listening to German. This congregation is 12 years old and needs to appoint elders. Rick preached on the subject and then we divided men and ladies and had classes. There was lots of discussion (with an excellent interpreter in the ladies class, Priscilla, who attended York College in the States.)

Ladies class

Old friends: Gilmar is engaged.

New friends: Annie really wants this to be a romance.

After worship at Boa Viagem we went to lunch at a "meat on a stick" place. A Brazilian steakhouse. It was much better than Pizza Hut. (One night we were supposed to go to a steakhouse and the rest of our group decided they'd rather go to Pizza Hut.)

Next we went to a small town about 1 hour from Recife. There is only one family of Christians there and they are new Christians. The oldest son moved to the south and was converted. When he came to visit last year he converted his mom and then this year his aunts and dad. Some of the preaching students and Boa Viagem members go out and worship with them in their home every week. The Silly Bandz were a hit even though they had no idea what they were.


The ladies of the house.

Up on the housetop...usually they meet here but it was too rainy so we met in their home..also on the roof.

Tonight we went to a service where several (I think 5) congregations are meeting together. They meet in a central place on Sunday night about 30 minutes to an hour from their towns in all different directions. Not every week but fairly often. There were probably 30 people there and 12 of them were our group. They had a reception type meal afterwards with cake, small savory treats and coke. We left the Pousada this morning at 8:45 and got home at 10:30 tonight and all the time in-between (except for an hour for lunch) was in the car or worshipping.
I am tired and also appalled at Justin Bleber (spelling) fans. : )

This is the before. There were about 30 people here for worship.

This is the after.

This one knew exactly what the Silly Bandz were and asked for more.


We met this parade as we were leaving. They wanted money for this picture.