A Girl, are you out there? You always comment, I assume you will be eventually.

Ju's birthday has come and gone. A long story, tiring to tell. A fun time was had by all, despite "inconvenient" visitors who arrived 3 hours late, after the party ended....

In other news, a friend was assaulted in front of her home in Villas on Monday, while getting into the car to take her son to school. The man took the car, purses, etc, but amazingly enough he was caught by police a few hours later and most things were returned, I think. At least the car was.

I always wondered about her place, when ever I would go visit there. There is just a huge empty lot space next to her house, never anyone in the streets... I would not want to live out there, just for the lack of civil assitance. She says she likes it because she can forget about the city when she's there. In the States, I suppose I would be the same way, but here I have grown to rely on the doormen, the gardener, the security guys patrolling the roads, even the street kids who know our car. I can't imagine being so isolated. See what city living does to you?

Even just now, my neighbors were at my window, asking for food donations for the daughter's school food drive. The girl from house 14 stops by peroidically to chat with Ju through the window. There are always kids out, running around, sounds of life everywhere. Brasilians call it openess or friendlyness or warmness. Most Americans would call it noseyness.