My first taste of Brazil

Today a couple of us got take out for lunch by a guy who sell seismic surveys in Brazil. I am actually going to play golf with on Monday at the Houston Geophysical Golf outing. He took us to a Brazilian restaurant up Westheimer. It was fantastic, if you were really hungry and able to sleep all afternoon, rather than go back to work! You could help yourself to the salad - which was extensive, and then at your table each person had a card - one side was green and said ' feed me meat' and other side was red and said 'don't feed me anymore'. Put it on green and waiters come around with large sewers of meat from pork, beef, lamb - from slices of meat to ribs and sausages. Well, what always happens when you have no idea what to expect is you find your plate full. I didn't last long before I turned over my card to red. The men managed quite a lot! The photo is a really bad one of me about to get another slice of their speciality cut - essentially shoulder of beef called 'picanha'. All the meat was lovely but there was no way I could eat anymore than I did!

I did somehow manage to stay awake all afternoon and it was the first day I have stayed late at work. I am certainly not making a habit of it. The office felt really empty and I tried to get through everything as quickly as possible to get out! I felt like I had to finish a report we are doing, because I am out all Monday golfing! It is done and I even managed to send some of the work to Aberdeen to get done, which is a real achievement utilising contacts!

Because I didn't leave the office until 7pm I never managed to do any of the things I planned -like practice golf or work off any of my seriously meaty lunch. Ah well I will have to make up for it tomorrow.

I popped by the new house today to see the progress they were making on the front yard. It appears they have laid the sprinkler system and they will be putting down the grass soon. I managed to organise getting gas hooked up for my first day the only problem is the gas men are the same, or possibly worse than in the UK, because they give you a time for connection between 9am and 5pm! Great when I am meant to be working - never mind I will just have to take my swimming costume and sit by the pool!!