01.07.25 - Segurar vela

Halloooo,

Hope all well. 

We are both ill again, along with everyone else in the country apparently, and overrun with work, so we spent most of the weekend resting up, although we did go on a road trip to a remote homestead in Mogi das Cruzes on Saturday to pick up an antique cabinet for our bathroom, as you do.

I've made another compilation, and my phrase of the week translates as "to hold a candle", or to be a third wheel in an otherwise romantic situation (origin: unknown). And that's about it for now - speak soon!

Before the Devil Knows You're Fred

24.06.25 - Se fazer de pão para outra linguiça

Halloooooo,

Hope all well. Thursday was a public holiday - apparently the last one we get 'til Christmas - so we headed off to Indaiatuba, by way of Aldeia da Serra for vats of feijoada with Bruna's family. 

On Saturday night we went to a giant Festa Junina in far-flung Votorantim, where against all odds we talked our way into cut-price tickets for the main attraction, a rare non-Christmas appearance by Roberto Carlos. I don't think he's that well-known in Europe, and I'm still not sure whether I enjoy his music ironically or not. But to a certain subsection of Brazilians he's basically Elvis, Cliff Richard and Rod Stewart rolled into one, so this was a major coup. 

Anyway, it was a great show - he's still going strong aged 84, played for 2 hours and spent about 15 minutes at the end of the set handing out flowers to everyone in the front row. Then it was back to São Paulo to briefly check in with Andreia & Brunno's new baby (small, cries a lot) and prepare for the week ahead. 

I've made another compilation, and my phrase of the day translates as "to make oneself bread for another sausage", or "to play dumb", basically. And that's about it for now - speak soon!

I'm A-Fred of Americans

17.06.25 - Ele está de ovo virado

Hallooooo,

Hope all well. It's been pretty busy recently as we try to keep up with the surprisingly brisk pace of the work in the flat, and the world and his wife asking Sherlock for a proposal. All while the cats complain about the cold and try to stake a claim on our laps every time we sit down. 

We did get out on Sunday and took in a traditional Festa Junina at the church down the road, with mulled wine and mad meat sandwiches, plus I've made a new compilation. And my phrase of the day - "his egg's flipped over" - refers to people who are temporarily upset over some issue or other. 

And that's about it. Speak soon!

Fred Sounds

10.06.25 - A-ți da cu tesla-n coaie

Hallooooo,

Hope all well. We've been spending most of the past week keeping on top of the building work - we've been burned before, of course, but it seems to be going well and in fact they're getting it all done so quickly that we can't keep up with supplies and such, which is a good sign. 

We also got some spare tickets from Susy & Eduardo to see "Mean Girls - the Musical" at a fancy shopping mall - it was very enjoyable, but now Gabi thinks I'm into musicals, and keeps making me watch things like "Mamma Mia" and "The Phantom of the Opera". Otherwise we caught up with friends at the weekend over a series of lunches, and otherwise flopped about with cold cats draped across our laps. 

I've made another compilation, and my phrase of the day is... well, I'll let this person explain it:

And that's about it for this week - speak soon!

Frod xx

03.06.25 - Por a mão no fogo

Hallooooo,

Hope all well, lovely to speak to you and the lads the other day! We've officially kicked off work in our new flat, with a crack team tearing down walls as we speak. 

Over the weekend we enlisted Gabi's uncles to help us dismount a bunch of kitchen cabinets and wardrobes, which will be duly carted away to make way for newer, shinier ones. And otherwise flopped around, keeping the cats warm in unusually chilly weather. 

I've made another compilation, and my phrase of the day means "to put one's hand in the fire", or to trust someone or something to the point of foolhardiness. Hopefully doesn't apply to our current situation!

Speak soon,

Frodliver Oil

27.05.25 - Bola fora

Halloooo,

Hope all well. We're gearing up to tear down large chunks of our flat next week, carting around sacks of cement and such. And Gabi has become so torn between the different tiling options available to her that she learnt how to 3D model our entire flat on pro architect software overnight, to see what each one looks like. 

We also celebrated our wedding anniversary on Saturday by heading to Cê Que Sabe (the Italian restaurant we went to when you were here!) and a rooftop bar for fancy drinks; and on Sunday we went to a food festival down the road for some Uruguayan pit barbeque.

I've made a new compilation, and my phrase of the day means "ball out of bounds", for when you miss the mark. Conversely, "bola dentro" or "ball within bounds" is for when you get something right; I'm assuming it comes from football/scoring a goal.

And that's about it - speak soon!

Fredache

20.05.25 - Quem não te conhece que te compre

Hallooooo,

Hope all well! I am just about over my lurgee, with an assist from the mound of drugs prescribed to me during the week. So we made the most of a lull in Gabi's punishing work schedule to have a picnic and snooze in the Horto Florestal on Sunday, and have also green-lit the building work in the new flat, due to start early next month. Exciting!

In other news, there's a new compilation in town, and my phrase of the day translates as "let he who doesn't know you, buy you". It's got something to do with not taking people at face value, a bit like saying "I've got your number, mate". Or so I'm told. 

That's all for this week - speak soon!

Fred & Watered