Hi Ho Hi Ho It's Off to Brazil We Go!

(Translation of title into Portuguese: "Eu vou, eu vou, pro Brasil agora eu vou!" - this song in Brazil begins "I go, I go...")

So... yesterday was another productive day, I guess Thursdays are mean to be productive around here, at least one day every week! :) Of course I'm kidding, since Fridays are generally productive too. In order to continue being productive today, though, I have to write this post quickly, so it's not going to be a very good one, sorry!

Activities from yesterday (boring old list, skip if you want!):
Got out of the house early (9 a.m. -- early for me), bought flowers for my garden (photos in another post), planted them. Cooked lunch (brown rice and lentils). Did two loads of laundry and changed my bedsheets in the process. Unloaded dishwasher with son's help, loaded it again. Weeded garden and lawns while sons rode their bikes outside (I've been doing that everyday, weeding is very very therapeutic). Started sorting through old clothes in boxes in the basement while sons played with trainset there and clothes were in the washer/dryer. Selected many clothes that don't fit anymore to give away. At night, while we finished watching The Queen (I really liked it) I folded laundry, sorted through the box of the boys' summer clothes taking out those that didn't fit and emptied their drawers of winter clothes while sorting those too. Now the "spare bedroom/ playroom" floor is piled with clothes that I need to put away in the drawers and I have several boxes of clothes to bring up to the attic.

Today I already: mulched my flowers, vacuumed the car and its rugs (which I removed and sprayed with carpet cleaner), washed the mats with a hose, washed the car with Kelvin (Linton just hates to be sprayed with water and only looked from the porch) and I'm getting ready to put away those clothes. I also have to practice piano and the flute extra hard for Sunday (ai ai ai...).

One of yesterday's greatest "accomplishments" was the purchase of our (mine and the boys') air tickets to Brazil -- my husband did it, though, calling me every five minutes while I was trying to plant the flowers and had to take of my muddy gloves (useless detail, right? I warned you it wasn't going to be a good post :) to get the phone. I've been just dying to go to Brazil for a few months now. It's always like that -- I get to a point where I just can't take it anymore, I miss my country too much and I want to go back. Good thing it'll be a "useful" trip as well since I had papers accepted for presentation at two conferences (you already knew that). However, after the tickets were bought I immediately started stressing out a bit over several things. Some "silly," other more serious.

Silly reason to be apprehensive:
- scheduling trip so I could attend a wedding that I don't know if I'll be invited to. What if I'm not invited? That's an easy one -- I will be disappointed, but I just won't go ;).

Medium reason:
- Getting sick again either on the flight there, on the flight back or both like last time. (I don't think it'll happen, at least I hope so).

Serious reason:
- Not having my appointment at the American Consulate scheduled yet -- I can't do it because I need my passport number in order to fill the forms and schedule it online (something that needs to be done 3 months ahead of time and I'm traveling just a month and a half from now). However, my passport is going to expire in 6 months and I renewed it last Thursday (it'll take a month to be mailed back). I'm going to have to try to schedule an "emergency" kind of appointment and those are never guaranteed and they're the greatest hassle in the world to schedule. More stress added to what's always very stressful -- getting my visa every time I go back to Brazil. :(

I know I should be just thrilled that we'll be going, but I can't help but worry...

Let's hope I'll get sometime this weekend for the "Dangerous" post and other things. If not, you'll know I'm busy because of that wedding I'm helping with.

Have a Great Weekend Everyone!!