The King's Speech: a note from a reader

I got a note from a dear Canadian blog reader today:

I know you are a movie aficionado, Ana. Last night, my family watched The King's Speech at our local theatre. It was such a lovely movie, that I just had to write. The King's Speech is a truly great movie that is made even better by the fact that it is a true story. It is set in England, with WWII on the doorstep, and a young and morally confused new king (Edward VIII) has resigned after only a few months on the throne. The new king, George VII, is a good choice for the throne, but has a very debilitating stammer. The age of radio is dawning, and the new king is expected to give all sorts of radio broadcasts....Go and watch it, Ana. Lots of history. Good cinematography. Well edited. Great acting. You will LOVE it.
Guaranteed!
K.

PS the only disclaimer is that there are two instances of swearing the movie. The king's speech therapist uses the "swear words" technique in the king's therapy.

My Trip VIII: In the kitchen

I was cooking chuchu one day, and thought of taking photos of a Brazilian common food--in a Brazilian kitchen. On the wall there is a verse Mother asked me to copy and frame once--I always wanted to redo it for her, and never got around to it. She loved that simple poem, written by a poet-friend of hers, and here is a rough translation of mine. Enjoy.




I wish, I so wish I could write verses
Like the ones who make fruit preserves
So that, when you read them,
You could savor them as well.

To make verses in a copper pot,
Well-scrubbed, shiny,
Thin sugar syrup simmering on a wood stove,
In the heat and aroma of burning embers.

To bring for a couple of days, or a few hours,
The fruit of the Word, slowly cooking themselves in the sweetness of sugar,
Losing their bitterness, the roughness of the fruit,
Having its flavor enhanced
By the sugar of the sauce,
By the warmth of the fire.

How does one make verses like this,
like the one who makes fruit preserves?
There is a recipe, not written in books,
It is a hidden recipe, carefully hidden,
Hidden in God.

Yet I know I bring it,
If still lost
Here inside me.

My trip VII: fresh-squeezed sugar-cane

While we are at it, why not have a pastel and a caldo-de-cana? Pastel (a Brazilian fried empanada) fillings are displayed on the wall, and the sugar canes go into the huge squeezer producing a most delicious, sweet and cold drink!

My trip VI: Running errands

A stop at the Butcher's, and then a coffee at the lanchonette... accompanied by any variety of sweet or savory pastries, while I wait for my sister. The beautiful, centuries-old architecture to be enjoyed on the streets--and then the alternative way home via the interstate highway, truly breathtaking.

Pausing for an important announcement

One post-pause from my trip-family report to announce Number Sevens' decision to have her ears pierced! I have had them wait until they are 13 in the past, but she caught me in a weak I-missed-you-so-much moment... doesn't she look grown-up! (We edited the photo on piknic, a new online editor in Picasa.)

My Trip V: My Dad

He is quiet and lonely without our dear mother, whose presence he misses painfully. Theirs was an adventurous, inspiring 57 year marriage. As an old man, he walks slowly with the help of a sturdy wooden cane, and spends much of the day in a very quiet way. While I was there I went through his office, preserved by my sister much as it was in my growing up years. A framed picture of him with Tio Gustavo, the Brazilian thinker and author about whom my sister wrote her book, has always been there. In the same way, I cannot remember life at home without his large, framed National Geographic World Map, under a crucifix, where we all would go to find a location subject of a conversation. The books and items on the shelves reflect his love for the Church, for literature and for religious thought, and his career as a steel engineer. The small iron figure of Churchill has always been there in my mind, in front of his famous WWII oeuvre. And a copy of the Gettysburg address--dad has always been a great admirer of Lincoln. Dad traveled the whole world, taking Mother with him many times, and brought home, to us, much of its history and culture. He was constantly fascinated by beauty, by art, by goodness and by Love.

Dad is a great man, and I was an adoring daughter. I used to love his company and as a teenager and college student I had, with him, some of the most memorable conversations of my life. To him I am deeply indebted, as much of who I am today was formed under his loving guidance. He is calmly resting now from a very busy life, in his golden years, loved and respected by his children, and cared lovingly. May God reward him one day for the great good he brought into so many people's lives, be it through education, charity, friendship or example.

My Trip IV: the parish church

The parish church has the beautiful name of Nossa Senhora do Amor Divino (Our Lady of the Divine Love), which is the same name of the major seminary where my sister teaches. The "Divino" refers to the Holy Spirit which she is holding with her hands. The altar is wooden and beautiful, it has a tabernacleveil and a communion rail, and her statue was brought from Portugal in the 1600s by Father Corrreas, after whom the whole area is called. See past bog postings about this here and here. The church has a gorgeous crucifix on the side wall where there is always someone praying as well. The last picture is from the first page of the Rio newspaper: the daily social/political cartoon shows the famous statue reflecting the news of the day: here He is, wearing a mourning band for the mudslide many victims. The art is accurate: if you were to visit the immense, breathtaking touristic attraction in Rio, you would see that He has the heart as pictured in the cartoon.

My Trip III: My sister Margot's visit

She and I grew up together, as we are less than 2 years apart and always shared a bedroom. It was so nice to be with her. She is still gorgeous and yet growing up she was always kind to me and because of that I was never envious of her beauty. She has an inspiring and profound faith, and she is one of these people who, despite her own suffering, is able to spread joy all around her! Our dear father was recovering quite well and we four sisters were able to talk and swim, work and talk, laugh together and just enjoy sisterly company! Our dearest auntie was, as shown, quite amused at our antics.

My Trip II: More on Volunteer work

Before I go on with posting pictures of the next few days, I want to share this video I took. We spent many hours throughout several days volunteering at a nearby donations distribution center. Both Army and Air Force were present in the area helping the rescue and distribution effort. The video shows my brother being part of an unloading line--truck after truck arrived with donations from the region and they unloaded like that. My brother is the one in the red shirt on the foreground. What was beautiful was to see everyone working together for a common goal, independent of where we came from. We met people there who decided to come spend their vacation volunteering. I have never seen so much common effort, so much donated goods, so much food in one place.

Here is one article on the disaster.

This next picture shows the pile of "cestas basicas" (basic baskets)--we grouped the incoming food into family basics for a week: 5 kg of rice, 2 kg of beans and sugar each, flour, cornmeal, salt, pasta, cookies, etc. There were also other grouped "kits": personal hygiene kits, baby kits (diapers, wipes etc), cleaning supplies kits. Each day we went we worked at a different kit-grouping effort made from incoming donations. Along with these these donated kits, every parish was providing fresh daily meals, cooked at church and trucked to shelters. The local TV was there daily and the whole effort was truly well-organized. Army trucks would load the goods and take them to the disasters' shelters. I loved seeing the city and Church working together.

Blogging from the iPad

Later Update: Well, I tried again. I can post a title, but I still cannot add text.

My Trip I: first days

1. My sister-in-law Camila was my high school friend in senior year, and it was wonderful to spend time with her. (My brother, and astrophysicist, is in the background). We worked on a puzzle together and chatted for hours. 2. My dear auntie has rediscovered the pleasure of artistic work and has been happily coloring religious and Dover coloring books I took down for her.
3. My brother checking out my iPad at a local eatery with Wifi.
4. They spent a few days and left a void when they left. My niece Elisa has a superb lyrical singing voice and has recorded a new DVD, we are eagerly awaiting a copy! At 18, she already sings in weddings and other events. With them, in the picture, is my little sister Marta, doctor in History and Major Seminary professor.

There and back again

The bitter-sweetness of life... while I am so, so happy to be home with dear Husband and wonderful children, my heart can't help wishing I could be by my aging father and dear sisters and aunt longer. I took many pictures but have misplaced the cord to transfer the images into the computer, so I only have a couple of pictures from my Blackberry at the Rio airport yesterday. (When I am able to retrieve the photos I will post more on Brazil!) It was a gorgeous day, and we finished our farewells over a glass of Brazilian beer Skol, a guarana' and a basket of fresh pao-de-queijo!

Living with limited internet

My sister´s computer is having problems, and the iPad I brought has two major problems: it doesn´t connect with the available internet, and I still have not found a way to blog from it.

My father is recovering nicely and we continue to do volunteer work when we can. My sister Margot is here these days... we were closest in age and shared a room all of our lives. She is a wonderful person and we are having a wonderful time! We have been going to daily mass and we say a family daily rosary. I am so, so thankful to God for this trip.

Volunteering for the mudslide victims

My sister, brother, niece and sister-in-law spent several hours today volunteering at the the distribution center for the victims of the horrific mudslide of this region. We sorted clothes, bagged and labeled them, and unloaded incoming trucks. They never stopped, for the entire time we were there; one after the other, coming from everywhere around, from little cars bringing a few bottles of water and two bags of clothes to rented buses and old trucks bringing huge amounts of everything needed. I don´t think there is a person here who hasn't donated something yet. The army is all around helping at every level and they were loading all terrain trucks to take the goods to the victims. Please continue praying as is is truly a tearful time here.

Mudslides in Brazil

While my father was in the hospital, my sister and I went to the blood bank as they are asking for blood donations for the mudslides victims. Long before we could spot the entrance to the blood bank, we were impressed by the number of people in line to donate blood: rich and poor alike, young and old, they were all eager to help. We met many of her major seminary students who had come from their retreat out of town.

The amount of solidarity is moving, as is the widespread manner in which the mudslides have affected life here: it seems that every single person knows someone who has died or has lost a relative or materials things in the mudslides. The saddest story is of a young woman of the parish, recently married and expecting a baby, whose husband died from falling debris as he tried to save his little godson.

And then there is our friend Father Renato, returned recently from Rome, who is now the pastor of a remote village church which is still unreachable. He spoke in tears with our nephew today saying his church building has become a survivors' shelter but he had no food to give them. We all purchased goods they are needing for donations, and driving towards to the drop point we saw huge trucks coming back filled with dripping, brown mud, and countless civil police volunteers riding back in truckbeds, covered in mud, exhausted.

May God have mercy on us! Please pray for the victims, for the survivors, for the ones still missing, and for the rescue workers.

Post from Brazil

Dear ones,

My dad is resting and I am able to send a quick update. Surgery went well and I was able to see in the recovery room as I had the driver bring me directly from the airport to the hotel. It was a long trip: the weather seemed to plague every flight and I missed the International connection. On top of it all, my luggage was lost and has not yet been found. I will not tell you what I have been wearing as it may make you cry.

It is such a privilege to be here to help him with all of the little things and to help cheer him up. The hospital is beautiful: marble stairs, granite counters everywhere including in his spacious room. The service from nurses and doctors alike has all of the sweet Brazilian affection I grew up with... they are so sweet not only to him but to us family members as well. They bring teatime snacks (cafezinho and hot milk) and nighttime tea and biscoitinhos after dinner. It is a Catholic hospital, St. Therese, and it has a beautiful chapel.

When I am at home I spend time with my auntie. She has gotten back to doing a little bit of artwork, as she did decades ago. She is able to color and Geoff sent her some excellent quality Dover coloring books which she loved.

Please keep my dad and my family in your prayers!
With Brazilian love,

Ana

in the plane, Brazil-bound

My three artistic daughters!

The cold January weather does it again, bringing them inside and inciting a streak of colorful creativity from our three youngest: Number Six has been designing elegant fashions, Number Seven creates her adorable people by the pound, and Number Five is enjoying the examples from a Botanic Portraits color pencil techniques book I picked up at the library. There are markers and pencils everywhere!

Update: perhaps I should have said by the Kilogram, as there are many more adorable people now on the table, and yes, Number Five did the eggplant. Gorgeous!

Sneak Preview

I have been working on finishing the workbook for the first volume of Catholic Textbook Project's "Light of the Nations". Chapter 13, on the greatest of centuries, is awesome!

Winter beauty

It is stark, harrowing. But a drive home at the end of the day, the sun low and doing its winter exquisite sky art, a gorgeous Ave Maria by Cantus on NPR... it brings the longing of Love into the depths of the heart. The windblown snow across the country road adds the almost heavenly, majestic effect. There is beauty in this world, everywhere you want to see it. Thank you, Lord of Beauty.

Three Kings statue in Natal, Brazil

This was built in 1999 in the northeast capital city of Natal ("Christmas") in Brazil. I found it accidentally while looking for a kings' cake recipe n Portuguese. Happy Kings' Day!

Comments Blues

I do get a number of spam comments--but I realized today that there were many good comments in my spam box! I will check more often so please don't be discouraged to send them!

Christmas 2010

Another peek into our cathedral... it is undergoing restoration but it opened for Christmas. Number Four was a Pontifical sever for midnight Mass and we were able to take pictures. The work they are doing is phenomenal. Husband thinks people will come from near and far to see the completed work when it reopens--and I think everyone who went to midnight mass would agree!