Happy New Year to everyone!

Livia is arriving here tomorrow and we´re going with Lenora to a four day New Year´s celebration at her brother-in-law Tiago´s fazenda.  It´s a farm, but more like a country house with swimming pool.  We´re camping because there are more people than beds in the house, but we will have indoor plumbing and two maids to take care of us.  Cassiana is buying all the food and hiring the maids, but we will all split the costs - probably about $40 per person for all 4 days.  It sounds like we will eat, sleep, and swim the whole time.  There´s a Revillion party on New Year´s Eve, and everyone will dress up in all white clothes.  That´s a Brazilian tradition, and is thought to bring luck for the new year. 

After New Year´s week, I will probably get into some kind of routine.  I´m going to Brasilia with Angela and the family next week for a Rotary exchange student gathering.  I´d like to be a chaperone on one of their trips.  Otherwise, depending on everyone´s schedule, I will either go to Minas Gerais state and visit Livia´s family and tour the historic cities there, or else Livia will stay with me in Goiania and we will travel around here with Lenora.  It all depends on whether Lenora gets a physical therapy job right away or goes away for more schooling.  Dante is leaving for Sao Paulo next week, but I´ll wait for him to get settled before I visit him there. 

In terms of volunteer work, I won´t start anything until after the first week of February.  Everyone (at least all the schools) is on vacation in January.  It´s like our July - summer vacation.  Carnaval is the first week of February, and everything closes down for that too.  Once I get into a routine, I will try to make at least one major trip per month.  Lenora and Dante helped me prepare an itinerary.  I won´t go to the heavily tourist oriented areas, but will try to go to places that are better, less crowded, and lesser known.  For example, Rio has a reputation in the US of having magnificent beaches and great shopping, but it´s a huge dirty, dangerous city.  There are much better places to go shopping or to the beach.  I want to know those places. 

I hope everyone is doing well.  I wish all of you health and happiness in the New Year!

Hi Mary! Love to read all your updates! I believe you may have stayed at the fazenda on your last trip to Brazil? Looking forward to your updates. We were able to see Andy twice while he was in town. He was excited to be off duty, and off to Minnesota for a couple of days. Charley and Juanita were unable to come to Illinois, due to a huge ice storm. They lost power from Wedneday Dec. 22 till Sunday afternoon Dec. 26th. Luckily they had a fireplace, so they kept warm, and they were safe!! Take Care! :)