16.06.15 - Este é minha geleia

Word up from S-to-the-P,

Hope you're all well despite the sub-zero temperatures and lack of curtains. 

Househunting is all systems go again, after our original landlady-to-be faffed around too long with contracts etc. and we ended up finding a much nicer place down the road yesterday - if all goes well we can move in next week (and wander the bare halls, whimpering softly as we wait for our furniture to arrive, presumably). Will give you a full briefing/Skype tour if and when the broker goes through, but suffice to say it's rather nice. Having crunched the numbers we've decided to hold off on buying for a year or so, so we can do things like go to Alabama in October instead.

We ventured into the gaping maw of the Policia Federal building on Friday to drop off my visa application paperwork, although we forgot to ask when or how to get it back, so watch this space I suppose. Having made two trips to the centre of town to have my UK police certificate translated by a sworn linguist of the realm, they didn't even bother looking at it and instead had me write by hand on a piece of paper that I'm not a criminal, honest.

Friday was Brazilian Valentine's Day, but having just got the UK leg out of the way, we just had the extended family round for takeaway pizza, which was a relief. Then on Saturday we went to Gaby's aunt and uncle's for a traditional slap-up BBQ, where I ate nothing but grilled meat for about six hours, made everyone caipirinhas, sung "Kiss" and promptly fell asleep in an armchair, before heading for home around 6am. Spectacular stuff. Sunday was a bit of a blur, but we roused ourselves to visit the infamous Bar do Luiz for more meat-based snacks, before heading back again to flop.

What else? I've joined the gym, and am about to go for a swim ("Garth, that was a haiku..."); discovered an awesome, enormous café down the road where you're issued with an electronic card at the turnstile, go nuts eating anything and everything in sight, then pay and receive complimentary gym vouchers on the way out; and have been watching the Copa America, which has been pretty drab so far (Brazil have mercilessly replaced their entire World Cup team, including a new Fred).

The breaking news is that I'm going to have to fly back to London at some point in the very near future (possibly next week) to open a bank account for work, so I'll keep you posted on that; should be a couple of days max., but could I possibly stay at yours? Meanwhile preparations for ViennaFest 2015 continue apace; I could get you on the VIP list if you like...

No compilation this time, as I always like to leave my public wanting more; instead I merely bid you adieu, and look forward to our chinwag tomorrow.

Ciaaooooo,

Frêd