August 4th, 2006 - One year ago - We miss her

Alcinda Teixeira Vespera-DeFreitas : May 13, 1939-August 4, 2005

It's hard to believe that a year has gone by since we lost someone who meant so much to us.

I say "we" and "us" because she just did not mean so much to my sister and I, but she also touched the lives and the hearts of others who loved her so much, which included her son-in-law, granddaughters, sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews and so many many more. Hundreds attended her memorial service last year.

She was an amazing woman. People have asked what I mean by that. I mean she was real. She was not perfect. Yet despite her imperfections and ours, she loved us and we loved her. She was unselfish and giving. She was not two faced. She said what she meant...and she meant what she said. She was encouraging...she helped us to be strong woman, to try harder and to not give up. She loved life. She loved her family. She adored her granddaughters...her precious granddaughters. She may have been pint size, but she was a lioness at heart especially when it came to anyone trying to hurt her family.

She was loyal to her creater and heavenly father Jehovah till her last breath. Now she rests in his memory. Now she rests without pain till the day when she will hear Jesus' voice calling her out of her deep sleep.

I miss her so much. I miss her voice, her smile, her laugh. I miss her cute little feet with the brightly coloured short toes. I miss her hair - RED - even though it was now from a bottle and not the natural shade of her youth. I miss her bacalhau and milho...my favorite. I miss watching old movies with her and laughing. I miss her singing while she ironed. I miss the time we spent together in Florida. I miss our talks. I miss her smell.

I miss everything about her. I miss her yesterday, today and tomorrow.

I wait for the day when we are all together again...this time forever!

Pictures speak a thousand words...

I just wanted to share some pictures of Team Portugal 2006. Enjoy!



A very frustrated and angry Cristiano Ronaldo after being pulled out of the game Portugal vs Angola.



I've been saying the shorts were too long....much better Cristiano...

Do the hustle...do do do ...lalalala....the Portuguese hustle...

Oh man...need I say anything...wow!!!!!!!!!!!

...airconditioning.... ;-))))
Sigh.................

I'm sure I used antipersperant this morning...at least I think so....
Paddycake paddycake bakers man...

On your mark...get set....goooooooooooooooooo warpppppppppppppp speed...............

World Cup 2006 - Portugal 1 vs Angola 0

Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Team Portugal (right)



Portugal defeated Angola 1-0. They won their first game, but can't say it was the best playing I've seen. The best part of the game came at the overtime. That's when they really played. What's with this team? They need to stop being so overconfident...after all, they LOST bigtime to Greece at the 2004 Euro Cup IN Portugal. Ai carumba and Greece didn't even make it into the World Cup.

So Portugal needs to play 'futebol' and stop goofing around.



Opening today's game with Figo (left)- Ronaldo very unhappy being pulled off the game (centre)- Pauletta celebrating his goal (right).

My new little family

I adopted two felines today from the Toronto Humane Society. Lizzie is a brown and orange tabby( officially named Ms. Elizabeth Bennett-DeFreitas [Pride&Prejudice]) who is approximately 2 years old. The second is Ellie, an 8 week old grey and white tabby kitten (officially named Ms. Elinor Dashwood-DeFreitas [Sense&Sensibility]).

Check out my MSN Space for pictures...as it takes forever to post them here.

World Cup 2006

The excitement begins in a week. I am of course voting for Portugal and my Figo. I still think he's got the best legs and chest... I mean the best soccer bod...I mean...oh whatever!! Excuse me while I wipe up the drool....



At any rate, Portugal played a friendly game today against Luxemburg attended by 19,000. Portugal 3/Luxemburg 0.

Hopefully this is a prelude to their success in the World Cup this year.

The schedule for Portugal is as follows:

June 11th (Sunday) @ 3 pm - Portugal versus Angola
June 17th (Saturday) @ 9 am - Portugal versus Iran
June 21st (Wednesday) @ 10 am - Portugal versus Mexico


GO PORTUGAL GO!!! AND DON'T BE STUPID THIS TIME EH!

Missed me?? What's new?

Yes I know its been some time since I've posted an entry...I've been busy...I know bad excuse.

Since my last posting, I've had to put my companion Shamu to sleep. She would have been 19 years old this month. I knew her health was failing and she was meowing this meow I've never heard before as if asking me to take her out of pain. I called the vet and they let me come before it was officially open. She died peacefully in my arms...I still miss both Shamu and Taby who died almost two years ago.

I'm talking about pets. Not to be confused with the tremendous emptiness I feel having lost my mother last August. There is no comparison. It's just having a pet helps when you are going through loss. I wasn't sure if I wanted any more pets...but I need them and there are a lot of kittens out there that need a home.

So hopefully in a month's time I will have two more additions to the family. If all works out, a friend of a friend's kittens who are currently two weeks old will be ready to go to their new home (mine) in four weeks. I've never had two kittens at once and my best friend promises that it will certainly be an experience.

Taby was 8 weeks old when we adopted her in 1983. Shamu was 3 months old when she came along to our door...Taby was already 4 years old. It was a bit of a fur flying start, but eventually they worked out their roles and Taby became the mom and Shamu her baby. Taby could be seen continously licking and grooming Shamu, who was unfortunately dripping with saliva and trying unsuccessfully to get away from Taby's grooming efforts. I remember them chasing each other around the house, the headlocks, the pounding paws, the surrender, and then cuddling up to sleep together (despite the numerous other chairs available). We were, after all, family. Now I am ready to add to my family again. I don't know if they will live as long as Taby (21) or Shamu (almost 19), but for however long we are together, I know there will never be a dull moment.

(Picture: Tabytha - brown tabby//Shamu - black and white)

I will of course keep you posted.

Whatever!

Dan Brown and The Da Vinci Code

It seems that everyone is coming out of the woodwork to try to get their 50 cents...claiming that Dan Brown had stolen the plot for the Da Vinci Code. This book based on the theory that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, that they had a child and that the blood line survives. I don't believe this to be true...but I admit I enjoyed the book tremendously. I am waiting impatiently for the movie to be released (Tom Hanks) this May...unless this is taken to court. Hopefully not.

Computers

I'll be darned if I'm going to let February go by without posting something in this blog.

First of all, let me say that a little someone is turning 8 years old today. Wow eight years have gone by since she came into the world with both her hands in a fist and red hair that forever linked her to her maternal grandmother. Ironically her name links her to both her grandmothers: Alcinda and Alice. Love you Alyssa.

Now about my topic today: computers. I'm a confessed computer geek. I drooled over my bosses new computer this week. His crashed last week and he purchased a new one for the office with the thin monitors (for his office..not mine). Nothing can make me drool as much ....except for Dr. McDreemee....no not my boss..definitely not him...no I'm talking about Patrick Dempsey on Grey's Anatomy (love that show)...or Gabriel Byrne or Pierce Brosnan....(I obviously have an obsessions with blue eyed, dark haired Irish men....reminds me of the Irish doctor who I used to work with...who just happens to now be practising in Seattle...)...oh yeah back to the topic...computers.

It's amazing what computers can do and how they've simplified my life. Does anyone remember typing and having to white out typos on documents...and then if there were too much white out you had to retype the letter...and inevitably ended up making other typos which again was remedied by white out...sheesh!

Oh yeah...computers...now one can scan photos and keep it cyberspace. I think this great. If you keep it on different (and may I add FREE) programs, it's a back up if ever your house burns down and you lose all your pictures&negatives (I was thinking of those poor people in the Katrina incident that lost all the pictures to mold etc...)..of course the computer would be dead too...but alas...you've backed up your photos in cyberspace.

What about downloading all your CDs onto your computer and using it as a player...yes you could purchase an Ipod or mp3 player...but I like having it there on my computer, and playing it on shuffle...one minute I'm listening to Mariza and the next to Michael Bolton or Robert Michael (guitar) or Nina Simone (jazz). Lovely!

Anyways, now you have my blog entry for February. March and spring here we come!!

To You From Me

To You from Me

By Keith Haring

You!

It lasted only a little while, but it was great, really great.

You changed so quick and now…I don’t know if I should listen to them.

What they say I don’t want to believe. If you never liked me, then those days are nothing…

A dull Sunday made bright. A Monday evening, having you with me.

A Tuesday afternoon, morning and night.

Every day is the day I thought of you. It was too good to last though.

I guess I really knew…there’ll never be another you!

What is love! Who knows….surely not I, I was only broken by it!

It was a real unforgettable experience…the lip tightening,

Trying to say something, something to make you come back,

Then, it’s over, for us at least!

I could ask other girls, but I guess I always knew…

There’ll never be another you!

I have often asked myself…the reason for sadness in a world

Where tears are only a lullaby, but, really, who are we?

Ours was a strange and wonderful relation, you’re wonderful and that’s strange for me!

Well I guess I always knew…there’ll never be another you!

Who are you? You are love, you are happiness, you are humor, you are neat, right-on, and everything else!

You are life, love and …just plain beautiful!

But then, who am I?

I guess I’m not good enough for you.

I mean, I guess, I always knew…there’ll never be another you!

Hey, you, you’re wonderful!!

Now all my dreams are wishes, but none come true,

Because I always knew!

There’ll never be another you!

Me

A favorite quote

"Love all, trust a few. Do wrong to none." William Shakespeare

So what's new?

Well it's definitely been a while since I've blogged...and after I harrassed the rest of you to update your blogs....thanks to Linda and Chelsea I've been kept in the loop as to what's going on the world of celebs...i mean what would a day be without knowing what's up with brad and angelina?

I was just thinking of how great the email and msn messenger is...i've received an email from a cousin i have never met as he has lived most of his life in Brasil, and I've never been there. He is now in London- UK with his wife. I've also today chatted with an friend who I've not chatted with in a long time (albeit 10 minutes in September at the Mariza concert) and who is now back in Madeira. Yeah for MSN.

I've also chatted with Linda who was obviously taking a break from celeb watching and who lives in TO...and Sarah who is only physically 7 minute drive.

So what's new in 2006? Well not a heck of a lot right at this second. Okay so my sister and the family are leaving for DR in a few days for a week's vacation for the first winter vacation they've ever had and everyone is soooooo excited....and I am thrilled for them...I know they will love it.

So what's new? Whatever...I want it to be.

Abandoned in Bloggersville

Alas, it seems I have been abandoned in Bloggersville...not to be confused with Boogersville, a place I've never been. My co-bloggers are nowhere to be found...although one has claimed that she and her groomed schnoodle have been rendered literarily impotent due to some computer problems. It's possible...even believeable. But where the heck are the rest of you. Now don't tell me just because the temperature has dropped that your desire to blog has too?? Is that medically possible? Hmmm....I wonder. When we last left Helder...his foot had been stitched...did the foot heal? Did it fall off? Did he ever walk again? And what about Nadia? Is she still in her new job? Does she still know people? Egads...does she still enjoy her job?? And Dill...is she going on this trip?? Has she packed? These questions and many others are still unanswered. Enquiring minds want to know. Stay tuned..perhaps they will return to Bloggersville...you never know....

Whatever!

Where did November go?

As we quickly progress towards December, I've noticed that I haven't written anything for November....egads!! Where is everybody anyways. Nadia, Linda, Helder, Dill and even Chelsea has obviously gone into hibernation. Thankfully I've been awaken, albeit briefly, to write this totally useless entry into my blog. It reveals nothing...it simply exists. Hopefully soon my fellow bloggers will awaken from the drunken stupor of highly laced hot cocoa...I mean hibernation, flex their stiff fingers (it stiffens while holding alcoholic drinks...so I'm told) and get typing.

Until then, all I have to say is "WHATEVER!!"

National Women's Show

I attended the National Women's Show. I've always wanted to go, but never could get anyone to join me. So this time I decided to go anyways. I loved it. I took a coupon off the internet for "buy one admission, get the 2nd one 1/2 price". I approach a woman who seemed to be going to the show by herself, explained that I had the coupon and that we could save $3 each...introduced ourselves...got the discount and then wished each other fun (She incidentally was attending the show for the 2nd year in a row by herself as friends were unable to attend!) You go girl! So I wasn't the only one by myself...

Freebie.......oh my goodness. You walk in and you get a bag full of free samples. You walk around and they give you more samples. Free food, the alcohol you had to buy tickets for, which didn't interest me anyways. Clothing, cleaning products, make up companies, health care products, you name it and it was there. So too was Charlie O'Connell of the Bachelor. (I have to admit....I was too busy going around getting samples to care..even when they announced it).

I purchased some products and by the end of 3 1/2 hours, I felt that I was tired, but happy, my feet ached...my shoulders and arms were killing me but I had a smile on my face and three heavy bags full of samples and products purchased at great prices.

So...needless to say, I'm there next year! Your welcome to come too...but I'll go anyways!

Whatever!

As we grow up...

This is from an email someone sent to me (I don't know who wrote it). I've forwarded to family and friends because it struck a cord with me and probably will with you.


"As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will.You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken.You'll fight with your best friend.You'll blame a new love for things an old one did.You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love.So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back."

Poetry

When I was in my teens, I used to write not only in my journal, but also poems. I've kept these poems over the years and occasionally read them. It's been a while since I've looked at them. Today I pulled them out and read some of my writings. One poem hit me. Written over 25 years ago, but so much more meaning now. I'm not sure who I was writing this about then, but I know who it's talking about now. I want to share some of them with you.

Once More:
Sing once more
Oh please try
I know that you can't see
Your eyes are tired.

Laugh once more
Please, for me
I know your voice is going
Your getting older.

Live once more
Try, for me
I know that you are dying
But I love you.
=====================

My Greatest Fear (written September 12 , 1979..yeah I dated it..what can I say..I'm weird)
Why am I so afraid
Maybe I'll never know
I know why I'm so afraid
I'm afraid of you letting go

I'm afraid of letting you go
Because I care so much
You'll probably never know
Just how much

I'm afriad of never being
with you again
Having you to talk to
and just being my friend

I'm afriad of riding a rollercoaster
But more afraid to lose you
I'm afraid of being a failure
I can never use you.

I'm so afraid, it burns in my heart
the fear of losing you because you still don't know
how much I need you.
I'm afraid you'll never know
Just how much I love you.
============================

Help Me
It makes me sad
and I'm so weary
of being told what I am
and what I should be.

I know I have faults
and I'm not the best
but I wish you'd let
me just be me.

Can't you accept me
the way I am
and help me instead
of criticize.

I need your help
and I need your love
so that I may be
the best I can.

Please listen to my plead
It's all I ask,
I hope it's not too much,
and in return,
I will give the best of what I can.
==========================

Just so you don't think I was absolutely pathetic and depressed a lot in my teens, I wrote a few others.

This one is for Drina. We've been best friends and sisters since we were children.


My Friend
Why is she my friend? You ask.
I don't know.
She's nuts like me and I like her so.

I can confide in her as she can with me
We've gone through many things together
She's like the sea.

To me she's my friend and sister
and that's the way it should be.

=======================================================
Okay...so I'll never win a Pulitzer prize for my writing...but that's okay by me.

Age Before Beauty

In this week's TV Guide, there is an article on Age Before Beauty. It talks about how celebrities over 40 are now considered sexy and beautiful (men and women). It's and interesting article particularly in this career where beauty and youth are very important. It's nice so see this new attitude.

I remember that when I was in my teens, I never thought about life after 40. It seemed so old to me...so very far away.

When I turned 30, I was very depressed. I felt my youth was gone and there wasn't much to look forward to. My life at that time wasn't particular going well...especially my marriage.

When I turned 40, I didn't feel that way. My 30's, although not any easier, had many good memories. I was happier. I had already resigned myself to the fact that I would not have children. I have not resigned myself to not ever fall in love again.

Now, in my 45th year of life, I'm learning something new everyday. Life has it's ups and downs. I haven't figured out life or myself. I don't feel sexy...but that's just the way I feel right now. It's not how others feel in their 40s and I'm glad for that. It means that there is hope still for me.

My bestfriend just got her driver's license and purchased her first car at the age of 45. Now's she's zooming around in her Honda...You go girl!!!

So life doesn't end in your 40s. For some it's only the beginning....

My Favorite Shows

We've done my 'favorite things'..so I decided to do my Favorite Shows on tv....

CSI
CSI Miami
CSI New York
NCSI (could there be a theme here...hmmm)
ER
Grey's Anatomy (I'm really suspecting a theme here...)
Invasion (new show..quite good...okay so there are weird light aliens in the water..'don't go near the water'...)
Lost (what more can I say...yummy guys too)
Coronation Street (I got hooked when I didn't have cable and it was the only show I could receive with rabbit ears)
The OC (if I ever lived in California, was rich and had enough money to starve myself to death and have plastic surgery).
Desparate Housewives (just started watching it...again same comments as the OC)
Will and Grace (still love it)
Nanny 911 (I have to take an antianxiety pill after the show)
Alias
Oh...and recently hooked on America's Top Model (same comments as OC and DH)....


These are my favorite shows. What's yours???

(Hey it's been miserable weather for the past few days and I couldn't come up with anything better!!)

Whatever!

Fall hath cometh!!

Just when I thought it was never going to happen...Fall snuck in...the leaves turned colours and the air is damp and colder. Fall is here my friends! I admit that Fall is not my FAVORITE season, but it's 2nd on my list. Spring, fall, summer and winter. Spring because it's fresh, everything feels new, flowers coming up and the anticipating of warmer weather. Summer is third because it unfortunately gets so humid and unless I'm floating in a pool...well it's just to darn hot!! Winter..no I don't hate winter...I just don't like it that much. It's cold. It's damp and it's cold!! Fall...well we've had a very hot and humid summer. It was great (with AC). Now it's cooler. I can open my window and feel cool fresh air coming in and sometimes smell the fireplace from houses down the street (love that). I can turn on my oven and not worry about it making my place so hot. I sleep better when it's colder. I bury myself under my comforter..which is comforting.

Enjoy the season...enjoy the leaves! Enjoy Fall!!

Decluttering - Part 2

Well the decluttering project is coming along very well. Last night I purchased those plastic drawers from Walmart...reasonably priced I may say and have put it in my bathroom. Looks very nice and everything is handy. Moved a few other things around and as I left for work this morning, looked at my apartment and smiled. It looked very nice if I do say so myself. I like when it's neat and clean...(now if I can only get the dumb cat to put ALL of her bum in the cat litter and to stop peeing on the bathroom floor. My tiles are going to start disintegrating from all the bleach I've put on the floor and litter box...trying to clean it up. Granted she is 18 years old and obviously getting demented but I'm getting tired of this!)

Anyways, back to the decluttering...it's a nice feeling to get organized...I still have a lot more to do..my storage room and the kitchen...but it will definitely get done.

:-))))