WATERBABY'S CIRCUS

Sorry, Chicago, and everyone else. But how can you compete with this?

Too lazy to even go look for something to draw. If I lie in the hammock on the veranda, this is what I see.

Featuring my Brazilian furry baby, Nene'. She was tossed over the wall into my yard by a mean person when she was tiny and very scared. Or maybe someone who couldn't keep her and knew she'd find a happy home here. She has turned into a beautiful young lady cat. She is an excellent huntress, and doesn't permit creepy critters into the house, an added bonus.

The Second of February has come and gone, and images similar to this are, sadly, a common site along the beaches of Bahia. Gifts of flowers to Iemanja, the Queen of the Seas, were sent into the water, along with pretty trinkets, combs, mirrors, in hopes these offerings and petitions, as well as occasional thanks, would be accepted. Sadly for some, not all were. I really wanted to go to the Paciencia beach, the most popular and largest site where the religious and secular celebrations take place. Alas, not to be, I was stuck at home waiting all day for an important phone call, which didn't even come. Oh well, maybe next year.

I just learned about a fantastic promotion that American Airlines is having. For a short time only, they are offering roundtrip fares to Brazil for about half the regular price. If you had been planning, or just dreaming about, a trip to Salvador for Carnaval, this is it, but you'd better act now, at these prices seats will go fast. If you don't like trying to check and book online, call my favorite travel agency, Santours . Don't just take my word for it. Here's what Realtravel.com had to say about them. A good travel agency to book your ticket through is Santini Tours, 6575 Shattuck Ave., Oakland, CA 94609 (tel. 800/769-9669 or 510/652-8600; www.santours.com ). The owner as well as many of the travel agents are Brazilian and can give you many useful suggestions on air-pass routings and answer any questions you have about your itinerary. In addition to selling tickets and air passes, Santini can also arrange customized tours, including everything from airport transfers...

I have added Google's translation gadget to my blog. This should help my non-English speaking readers to understand my posts, I hope. I have checked the Portuguese translation for the last blog, and yes, something is lost in the translation. I expect this will be true of other languages also, since these translations are not done by humans. Computers, even very smart ones, don't have a very good sense of humor. Irony is lost on them, as well as sarcasm. But this will be an experiment. I would really like responses so I can judge how well, or not, this translator is working. Maybe I'll just mess with the computer, just for laughs.

Pfew! I'm tired. The Holiday Show & Sale was a lot of work. (Muito trabalho!) But my art cards met with raves and enough sales to encourage me, so I'll be doing more. NO MORE SHOWS! Mais nada! For a while anyway. Time to get through Christmas, then gear up for Brazil and Carnaval. One of my favorite Carnaval groups: Bonde do Maluco. With a ridiculous little tune called: 'Pisa na Barata', or, in English, 'Step on the Cockroach'! Doesn't that just make you wanna get up and boogie? By way of 4shared, my newest favorite spot for finding Brazilian (and other) music. http://www.4shared.com/file/74229397/a890822d/Bonde_Do_Maluco_-_Pisa_na_Barata.html One of last year's favorites is a remake of Akon's "Nobody Wants to See Us Together", "Nao Vale Mais Chorar por Ele".

Oi! Not only is Christmas and the New Year rapidly approaching, but even better, the biggest party in the world is gearing up. In a word: CARNAVAL! I've been remiss in including Brazilian stuff here, and I promise I'll be making up for it. One of the ways is to share info about Brazilian music. Some folks have noticed an addition on my front page about the music. Guess I caught some of you off guard. I have to admit I'm not one to rock the classics while I'm painting. A lot of people don't realize there's more to Brazilian music than samba, jazz and bossa nova. So I'll be dropping some current stuff, kind of a pre-Carnaval warmup. Now, for those of you in the Bay Area, San Francisco Bay Area that is, here's a chance to check out some great live music and for a great cause. Tomorrow, Dec. 6, in Oakland there will be a live benefit show, DANDARA and OS GAROTOS HEADLINING !!! Who you ask? Click here to find out. For details, leave a comment. Time to get ...