Florianópolis

Spending time with my mom has been wonderful. We've laughed, cried, and gotten upset, but after cooling off, we’ve always been able to reflect and understand each other’s feelings and perspectives. Being here with her has been meaningful for both of us. We recently visited her farm for the first time since my arrival. We were able to start the early stages of the moving process that will unfold in the coming months. It was good to see the farm, but I could tell it was difficult for her for various reasons. Back in the city, I've been helping with small things around the house, and the most gratifying so far has been installing a hammock in the backyard. We’ve also visited some new places she had been wanting to see. The first was a beach about an hour away called Gamboa, where we met up with a friend of hers who had invited her to visit some time ago. We walked along the shore and had delicious fish for lunch with her friend. A week later, we visited another beach on the mainland, one she had always heard about but never made it to. It also has a small organization nearby that repurposes old items into new creations, which we were able to visit.

It’s also been really great spending time with my sister and niece, who live on the second floor of the same property. Catching up with my sister and sharing updates about our lives has been refreshing. Being in person makes it so much easier to connect. I’ve also enjoyed helping out with small chores, but my favorite has been picking up Helena from school or taking her to singing class during the week. It’s not always necessary, but with the recent heat wave, it happened more often. We’ve also spent a lot of time playing together, including tag in the front yard, hide and seek (which she doesn’t seem to love, since she quickly starts calling my name), indoor games, puzzles, and reading books in the evenings. Last weekend, we went to the beach and played in the water for a couple of hours before the sun got too strong. On our drive to the beach, we passed by Lagoa and saw some new road changes, one-way conversions, the removal of street parking, and the construction of a new bridge. What left me wondering was that between the new bridge and the sections with two one-way lanes, there’s still a stretch with only one lane in each direction and a busy intersection.

Connecting with friends and extended family continues to be incredibly important. My mom and I had lunch with my aunt and uncle, and as always, I walked away with reminders and encouraging words. I had great visits with my adopted grandma. I also had a barbecue with a group of friends. Not everyone who had planned to come made it, but for those who did, it was great catching up and hearing about all the new things happening in our lives. I have also spent a number of days with someone I met during my father’s passing. She was and continues to be a very important person in my life. It’s been especially impactful getting to spend this time together and learning from each other. A couple of days ago, I was able to reconnect with someone who worked at the first place I ever volunteered. That was the beginning of my volunteering journey, and it was wonderful to see her again after over 15 years. Most recently, I spent a morning with my oldest cousin in Brazil, sharing stories from the last couple of years and having lunch together.