29.06.21 - Encher a cara

Hallooooo,

Hope all well - I greatly enjoyed the Fete de la Musique footage, and we'll have to get a satellite link-up going at some point for more a capella frivolity. 

Over here we've been papering walls, drilling holes, welding hosepipes, winning PR awards over Zoom, flapping at barbecues, creating Instagram reels, herding cats, shaking cocktail shakers, confirming side-hustle translation gigs and gorging on football.

Adny and Ridaut moved house on Thursday so we had them and Zila over for the night, and Zila has since stayed on to help with weeding and other odd jobs, which is much appreciated. We also had Andreia and Bruno over on Sunday because now everyone wants to move to Indaiatuba, and who can blame them?

Et maintenant... les anglais! My phrase of the day is "encher a cara", or "to fill one's face", i.e. get absolutely bungalowed. And my mix of the day is right here. 

Speak soon!

Minor Fred 

22.06.21 - De boa na lagoa

Hallloooo,

Hope all well witchu, and your Fete de la Musique gig went well - send footage! Over here we have dealt with most of the more pressing issues and are slowly getting the hang of country life, a failed and humiliating attempt at putting up shelves notwithstanding. 

On Saturday we went to see Adny & Ridaut's new gaff in Indaiatuba before wandering around the park and the ice cream & açaí neighbourhood, and on Sunday we took the BBQ out for a test drive, which was a total success after a nervy first few minutes flapping pieces of cardboard at a dying flame. We've also let the cats outside a few times, which means they now spend every other waking hour of the day clamouring to be let out again.

Elsewhere I've made a new comp, and the cat is out of the bag - I've started a new Instagram account for my Brazilian fans, documenting life here as a gringo. So far my research has been a goldmine for new and amusing Brazilian phrases, such as "de boa na lagoa" - i.e. "all good on a lake", which is just as chilled and easy-going as it sounds.

Speak soon!

Things To Do in Denver When You're Fred

15.06.21 - Presente grego

Halloooo,

What's occurring Hermann Goering? We've been busy getting our literal house in order - no sooner had we got everything in its right place when the painters arrived first thing on Saturday, and we had to cart everything out on to the back porch (ourselves included) and lock up the cats while they went about their business. Pausing only for a homemade fondue (cheese and chocolate!) for Brazilian Valentine's Day.

We also went to our local restaurant, which is on a farm by a lake and only opens to the public for Sunday lunch, as a kind of all-you-can-eat free-for-all. Which was pretty great, especially the pineapples dangling above the open barbecue pit. I just wish I'd known what the format was before I arrived, so I could have prepared myself psychologically, expand my stomach, etc.

Elsewhere I've been gorging on live football whenever I can, with both the Euros and the Copa America getting underway; I've made another mixtape; and my phrase of the day ("presente grego" or "Greek gift") is a present which is given with ulterior motives, or ends up having an adverse effect on the recipient - like the giant horse the Greeks gifted to the Trojans.

And that's aboot it. Speak soon!

Al Fred-o

08.06.21 - O que o cu tem a ver com as calças?

Halloooo,

Hope all well witchu! We've spent a whole week moving into our five three-bedroom bastard house in Indaiatuba, and while we are still waist-deep in boxes, it's starting to take shape and we're very happy, excited and suddenly stress-free. 

On Tuesday we drove up to let some men in overalls install our internet, then back to São Paulo to oversee a small army of movers over a four-day period (taking advantage of the national holiday on Thursday to head back to the house and give it a thorough scrubbing). 

Having spent Friday night in furniture-less, fridge-less limbo, everything arrived by lorry on Saturday morning, and we've been unpacking and breaking down cardboard boxes ever since, with a valuable assist from Gabi's uncle on power tools and plumbing.

On Sunday evening we drove into town and stocked up on supplies, so the plan for this week is to knuckle down, put everything in its right place, figure out how waste disposal works, juggle our work commitments, launch an Instagram account, learn to garden, and if there's any spare time, make plans for a tea room in town. 

I've made a new compilation, and my phrase of the day is a particular favourite of mine - when someone compares two seemingly unrelated things with no further explanation, the standard response is "O que o cu tem a ver com as calças?", or "What does the arse have to do with the trousers?" Finally, if you have a spare half hour, I recommend this muso-ey video about "The Girl From Ipanema", which has been stuck in my head all week.

Will send pics soon! Ciao for now,

FRED Talk

01.06.21 - Dá teus pulos

Halloooo,

Hope all is well witchu. Now that Gabi's weekend-long course is over we're in full house-moving evasive action mode, and I write to you from an air mattress in the dust-strewn husk of our new house, which needs a bit of TLC before the movers arrive on Saturday.

Since Thursday is a public holiday (which was brought forward earlier in the year for Covid reasons, but which everyone has seemingly decided to take off again anyway), we'll probably have to do most of it ourselves - we will have to "give our jumps" ("dar nossos pulos") as they say.

Otherwise I've made a new mixtape, and we are open to suggestions as to what to do with the WILD BIT outside - we've never even had a patch of grass to call our own before, so we're at a loss.

Will give you the full tour soon!

Ciao for now,

Fred