Cancer

One of these days, I used as a reference the times when I has almost bald due to chemotherapy. For my surprise, P asked when it had happened. I am not sure if she no longer remembers or if she blocked the memories of those days.

P almost never asked questions about my disease and back then never seemed to be worried. But I know she talked about it with one of the nuns at school, the day I missed the school's Christmas party for being at the hospital.

B-day

A milestone birthday together together with an overseas move, and everyone is asking for me to throw a b-day party. Why is it mandatory to celebrate milestone birthdays, and not all the others, which probably meant more to me?

I strongly remember turning 35 and how happy I was, as it meant I had won the first stages of my toughest battle so far. As everyone should know by now, I hate to be on the spotlight, the biggest reason for living a quiet life.

Expat

In a couple of weeks, a new move, being an expat again. A new country and house with all it implies lay ahead of us :)

In Brussels

In Brussels for several days, including a long weekend. Besides meeting with friends and enjoying the summer time, I am free to enjoy myself... no rush to do sightseeing, as this is after all, my second home. I can move to a dozen places, but only here I feel at home...

Turin final

As I cannot predict the future, I am going by my motto.  In any case it has been a good season (can still be a great one, as there is still another final to play) and hopefully the next will be as good or even better. And these lyrics will always be true for me, in good and bad seasons.

B-day wishes

As I have a big birthday this year, all my family and friends could give the thing that would make me a very, very happy person...Guess what?

Benfica in Turin final!

Two years in a row Benfica reachs the Europa cup final!  This image says everything I feel!

25/04/2014

I remember clearly 25/04/1992 and now 40 years passed since this day.

"Esta é a madrugada que eu esperava
O dia inicial inteiro e limpo
 Onde emergimos da noite e do silêncio
E livres habitamos a substância do tempo”
Sophia e Mello Breyner Andresen

Benfica 3 - Porto 1

So sweet!

PS. I wish I have written this :)

Benfica - AZ Alkmar

Amazing. Third year in a row in the semi-finals! The final seems a hard dream to get, specially if the "vecchia signora" comes in our way. Now it is time to prepare for the worst and dream for the best!

Update: No luck at the draw. Juve has a better team and will play the return match at home :(

Eu vim de longe

How to explain to an almost 9-year old kid why this song means so much to me?

SLB

Two long months ahead of me...or less, if the team continues playing well and there is match null next week :)
After last season, I will only believe when it is mathematically impossible to lose the championship.

SLB

Do I want to believe? Yes, but after last season's black week, I will only believe when it would be granted. Almost four months is a long time and a lot of things can go wrong.

Civil servants salary cuts

A 26% reduction (12% plus 14% of extended working time) over a EUR 2,000 gross salary (with further 10% for pension scheme, 2.5% for medical care and 23% for income tax deductions) is not acceptable in a democratic country. The same country that states that agreements are to be fulfilled. But for sure only some of them.

For sure public services, such as security, education and medical care, will get worst and worst. And everyone needs them, one way or the other.

Friends & football

Nice food, good friends and a football match are awaiting for me this Sunday.

13/01: and we won! And outplayed FCP, which is always good for the team and supporters moral!

Just one pink line showing and I feel such a relief. However, a tiny part of me was expecting doctors to be proven wrong.

Storage room and car thefts in two consecutive days lead to a loss of around €4,000...the worst of it all is the authorities response...or lack of it. I know they are understaffed, but not reacting is not an option.