Category: Azorean Life

Since my infancy, Santa has relied on my family to help. Christmas photos from late 1950s show my siblings and I on Santa’s lap (his helper looked a lot like my dad) and over the years my early memories include making frosted cookies to leave for Santa; even visits to see Santa at the local National Guard Armory. Santa and I were tight.

Many years later, a more rotund version of me visited many Kalamazoo businesses to help advertise goods and services available in Southwestern Michigan. (Due to numerous production commitments, Santa had to suit up in August (yes, the hottest days of the year) and drive from business to business with Santa’s Helper Elf, Joe, shooting photos and running the air conditioner at max for days on end. As Santa’s helper, I have visited banks, pet stores, beauty salons, liquor stores, theaters, and more gift shops than anyone can count.

But without doubt, the best Santa memories are with young children down on their luck, down on their health, and down on life after storms, fires, and disasters. Santa’s helper has done it all, holding crying kids, coaxing kids of all ages to comfort their distraught parents remember the real reason for Christmas, encouraging parents and grandparents to appreciate the hugs from their children in shelters, and soliciting pledges from young hospital patients to spread Christmas joy to nurses’ kindness and honor their sacrifice so they will enjoy Christmas too.

One of the greatest traditions I have learned of here on our island is the Christmas tradition of a Cabaze (pronounced Cab-aash) of gathering food and clothing for many of the families in need here. This year, my saintly wife (she pays me to say that:)) gathered suport from many friends and relatives here and in North America to arrange a department store gift certificate for a young man who works hard while wife handles their two children with special needs. He was virtually speechless when we had coffee and presented him with the Cabaze.

Santa don’t need no BMW (wouldn’t hurt, I’ve been a good boy!) but no matter where I have been in the world during this season, I honor my family’s tradtion of helping Santa, Pere Noel, Saint Nicholas, etc.

Merry Christmas and Feliz Natal from Terceira, our little island in the Atlantic.

Living abroad.
Ex-patriot.
Resident alien.
Foreigner.
All terms which lead to a form of “identity Crisis.” But these are all names that my friends and family call me. (They do call me other things as well…but let’s stay on message!). As with most things I’m called (never “Late for Dinner”) I heed them very little. Except that they all add to the realization that I’m distant from my family and friends where I grew up… or as most of my family and friends readily acknowledge, where I got older; I’m still working on growing up:)

Case in point. On my periodic “welfare check” phone call to my sister, all calls went to voicemail. Naturally, the first couple of times I assumed she lost her phone again, so no big deal. After several tries, I called her husband’s cell phone to hear she was laying the in hospital. Disturbing. I talked to her. “Maybe a stroke, we’re not sure yet. I’ll call you back.”

She is definitely getting up in the years, unlike me. (See above, not grown up yet). So I worry. But then I also recollect lately a lot about when we were young. To this very day, I remember driving to visit Grandma Crall et al, my most secure place was napping with my head on my big sister’s lap. No matter where I have been in the world, with guns and bombs going off around me, laying in a hospital after being slashed by a knife, injured when roping from a helicopter, no matter….safest place was in that old Oldsmobile with my head in her lap. And now she’s having strokes? What up with that. She’s getting older!

So as an “ex-pat” i check my communication options. Am I too hard to get a hold of? (Yes, Vince, I know it’s not good grammar:)) For both business and convenience, I maintain a US telephone number (I recommend Ring Central, not cheap, but very very effective!) so everyone can dial me like I was in the states. I maintain it on a VPN (expressVPN) to keep things direct, secure, and give me control of when and where I can communicate for business and pleasure. So, In My Humble Opinion, it’s not an obstacle about global communication.

Lack of notification for an illness (serious or not) may be just a function of the old adage “Out of Sight, Out of Mind.” Admittedly, whenever I’ve been involved in some injury or illness emergency, notification was for immediate proximity, then later worry about distant family notifications and such. So I understand

Long time sice I wrote here, mostly because:
a) a computer crash during a massive electrical storm fried my MAC computers, and
b) No time and too many things happening…I always heard retirement was supposed to be relaxing. Not this summer. From a visit to Michigan and Virginia, several visits to hosptals and doctors (all better now) and great times with old friends. Then some time showing folks from Florida, Texas, and California around here. (Sorry Jane and John, wish the weather would have cooperated better, but you did miss last night’s 55-knot wind storm).

Rough summer for tecnhology here also. Electric storms crashed the UPS I had all my MAC computers plugged into. My Favorite Cannon DSLR lost some controls, my printer died, and it took nearly three months to get a new MAC Studio in, and I’m still trying to get it integrated into the network. Even Alexa seems to be “Having a little trouble.” But life goes on.

Interspersed with visitors, beach time, and bullfights, we spent hours with friends swimming, watching movies, playing games, and of course, eating lots and drinking more…it was a great summer.

Now we’re getting braced for another winter here, marked by high winds, rain storms, massive ocean waves, and of course, chilly (read 45 degrees Farhenheit) on a cool night. Laying in firewood, cleaning the wood stove, and noting the neighborhood cats’ fur growing longer. Since weather patterns around the world are so unpredictable, we’re not sure what to expect, but then again, who cares. We’re buttoned up in a wonderful place with great family and friends, games, great wine, and a fire in the stove.

We’ll keep you posted:)

June was a busy month for some of us Terseira retirees. Also extremely enlightening!

After our trip back to the states to visit family, friends, medical checkups, and, of course, the zillions of obligatory shopping adventures, we came back to Terciera. We flew through JFK instead of our usual Boston-Terceira flight (probably not our brightest adventure, appreciably more challenges going through New York instead of Boston:)) we flew in on the same plane with Lisa, a colleague I was stationed with in San Antonio and hadn’t seen in nearly 35 years. Lisa stayed with us a few days, visited Sao Miguel, and returned for some great times. I always try to maintain perspective while sitting in airports awaiting flights to Terceira; more courageous generatons spent months aboard sailing ships with great uncertainty while crossing the same ocean we’re concerned about after a one-hour plane delay:)

Just days after our return to the island with Lisa, we joined friends Molly and Jerry attending GLEX, the Explorers Club summit at Angra do Heroismo’s world-class Cutural Center for several days of presentations and networking about humanity’s future on planet Earth. Fabien Cousteau, Beatriz Flamini, and NASA Astronauts Nicole Mann and Mike Massimino, just to name a few of the dozens of contemporary leaders pushing boundaries in everything from fashion to sports to insect research.

One has to marvel at how our lives have changed, are changing, and undoubtedly will continue to change. Confusing, challenging, and downright scary sometimes, but I have often maintained that we each adapt and overcome through the strengths of our friends and family. Seeing family and friends, then being exposed to the GLEX subjects, I must be right!

Visiting family and friends back in Michigan for the first time in six years, we had a wonderful visit; my older sister’s 70th birthday surprise party. She was surprised, and we had a great time in Ludington on Lake Michigan. The beach was beautiful sand, the SS Badger ferry appeared from a fog bank, and Lake Michigan was not as cold as the Atlantic by our house in Terceira:)

We stopped by many old friends, had some great dinners and drinks, and regretfully, didn’t have time to visit many old friends. We did see whitetail deer, sand dunes, go for a couple of boat rides on “the big lake” and saw all my brothers and sisters, which was great. (Yes, I did notice they are aging…but not me!!!:) They are still wonderful, somewhat quirky, and we love all of them!

This trip was highlighted by meeting new family as well, future inlaws, wedding dress shopping, and… oh yes, drinking Michigan Cherry-flavored coffee and testing pies and cookies. I had my first experience with American Spoon Bloody Marys made with horseradish vodka. Yum!

As always, we miss home life on the island, regret not having enough time to visit so many great friends and family, and spending more time with others. But that is one price we pay for our life as ex-pats on Terceira. Make the best of whatever you’re living, and enjoy it all.

We do!

The weather has been interresting around the world this winter, adn we’ve watched it very closely. During breakfast most days we watch variously weather in French, German, English, and Portuguese. We also look out our windows, a mountain top on one side, an ocean on the other. It’s always good to see what the experts expect, good to know how to plan our day, and always with the knowledge that what we’re seeing at breakfast probably will not hold throughout the day throughout the island:)

But astrological spring is coming quickly, and we’re getting ready. The tradition in my youth in the midwest was “spring cleaning” when you KNEW you were going to be called on to help clean those hard to reach places, under the dryer, the garage, etc. “Spring Cleaning” when you’ve married an Azorean means you do just about the same things you do every week…except you do it again every week, spring or not! Until the beach weather arrives in a month or so, in which case we can relax and only clean and cook half days, and then lay on the beach for a few hours.

Of course summer brings visitors, cookouts, picnics, camping, travel, suntans, and more yard and garden work. But most agree that’s when Terceira is inviting, relaxing, and beautiful. So when you come visit, don’t be too critical if the housekeeping isn’t as perfect as our normal spring cleaning, just check out our blood pressure and our tans:)

See you this summer!

Insert Foggy Wind-blown rainy photo here!

No photos lately, mostly just fog, clouds, rain, high winds (23-40 knots) and visiblity barely 30 meters (a hundred yards) from the house:)

So as winter weather sets in, I’ve returned to my youth. Very Very young. Brothers and sisters and I watched the Ed Sullivan Show every Sunday on an old Black and White Zenith with two knobs and rabbit-ears antenna covered with tin foil! Now, I’m clustered into our comfortable place on Terceira (which I could not have found on a globe then!) and watching a Carol Burnett-hosted tribute to Ed. This leads me to smiles, sing-alongs, cringes about black and white TV, and fond memories of my very young family life in Ada, Michigan. Also leads to missing my dear brother and sisters:)

Remembering the Ed Sullivan Show does indeed seem like a simpler time, which kind of equates to some solationism on Terceira. the warden and I choose to watch news, debate many questions (I love my wife dearly, but she’s often wrong:)) and we can just turn off news from Europe, the US, Israel, Gaza, Germany, France, and tune in to YouTube memories. The memories, peace, and tranquility don’t last forever (neither of us are isolationists) but it does lead to fond memories, hours in front of the wood fire, and pleasant stories of our different youths.

So life here isn’t all bad, thanks to YouTube, Ed Sullivan, and many many others. We’re getting ready for winter:)

Several weeks ago, before we started traveling to different islands for fun, we sat down to breakfast. Usual procedures, good morning kiss, feed the doggone cats, Sao Miguel cheese, toast, jam, and coffee. Then we turn on YouTube for last evening’s news. We listen to the US newscast, discuss the world’s situation, solve the problems of the world, and look out over our peaceful view of Praia Bay and the nearby Marina.

“Holy Smokes, darling. Look at this!”

About a mile in the distance, smoke rose over the Marina, blue lights and red lights flashed, and a plume of smoke drifted at least a kilometer toward the airbase and airport. The ever-present Steiner binoculars I’ve had for years came up immediately, and we determined it was a boat aflame. Naturally, like most of the folks around the bay, we jumped into the car and drove across town to the marina (about one mile), where we saw several U.S. A.F. and Bombeiros do Praia trucks putting out the flames on a huge cabin cruiser (I would estimate about 70-foot) that had been tied up for many many many years.The rumors were that it had been siezed by the Portuguese government for taxes, drugs, who knows, etc.

It now sat in the shallow marina, still tied to the dock, mostly submerged and covered in foam, ashes; basically a sunken wreck. Rumors abound. Not sure what “really” happened because part of the Portuguese culture seems to be not explaining everything.

Keep in mind that Terceira is an island of serenity, tranquility, peacefulness, and basic pleasantness. This appeals to many American and Canadian ex-pats. I, for one, have many family members in the US who are amazed that I have adapted to this serenity. But every now and again, we have excitement!!! Of course, after our cursory investigation, it was time to go home, wash dishes, and make lunch:)

Still wondering, of course, if, after all these years, the boat had insurance:)

The ‘hood grew last week in Porto Martins as our neighbor’s newborn, Amelia, was baptized and a new priest arrived to shepard the Porto Martins Catholics.

Nearly eveyone agrees life on Terceira is tranquil, relaxed, and friendly. When asked why we retired here, the first answer is usually “to be near Sofia’s family” or “because the people here are so great.” The tale of how we found an overgrown plot of land across from her sister’s new house, turned it into a wonderful home with a great view of the ocean, and grew to love our new neighbors is a major success story. We look out the window, watch news of the world, and hug each other!

How do we guage acceptance and freindliness? This year one neighbor invited us to his Esprit do Santos celebration, a week of friends, feast, drink, and meeting his friends and family. This past week, another neighbor invited us to his daughter’s baptism, a celebration and feast for the first of many sacrements for this darling little infant. Also noteworthy was this gathering at our little (tightly-packed) church built in 1901 was the arrival of a new priest, a man stretched with sheparding over Praia Da Vitoria and several other churches besides Porto Martin.

Many who know me know I’m not Catholic, not practicing very much, etc. (One friend, a pastor in Michigan, always quips “the church wasn’t hit by lightning when you walked in?”) So I maintain it’s not the practice of faith as much as the tremendous community feeling here. As neighbors drive by, they wave, invite us to family events, and ask how we’re doing. To a guy who lived in apartments where we never saw our neighbors, that feeling is very inspiring. Kind of refreshes our view of humanity.

Not a big deal in the balance of the world today, but reinforces our continual happiness of retiring into a little Portuguese village!

Maybe I’m a slow learner, maybe I just needed the ‘right’ incentive, or maybe I’m getting more acclimated to life on Terceira, but this year the annual Praia Festival has been so enjoyable. Sofia and I venture out many evenings (some we just listen from our veranda) to enjoy the people, planned events, captivating array of foods and drinks, and enjoy music and dancing. (All right, in all honesty, you who know me know I don’t dance, but i sway with familiar music😎)

For nearly 30 years, we have returned from our stateside lives to visit family and celebrate our anniversary in August. I have never totally embraced the crowds, loud music, and the efforts to meet folks who remember us but I don’t always remember them; and then share a drink or beer and try to discuss life over the crowd noise and music. I’m just not good at it.

I’m improving with age. My magnificent wife and translator has worked out signals and introductions to help me remember who is greeting us, how they know us, and sometimes I even get a quick intel breif on their family; if they knew me when I was stationed here, were they at our wedding, did they help us design or build the house, or do we hike with them on many of the islands trails through volcanos and fields. I’m getting better at shaking hands, smiling, and greeting women with the familiar Portguese greeting of kissing both cheeks. I’m improving. Slowly, but improving.

My analysis is predicated on the fun I’m having. Spending time with the warden, walking, talking, reminiscening — ah, forget it, the spell checker isn’t helping, let’s go with “remembering” — is very relaxing, comforting, and falls into the category of enjoying my reitrment years! When in the Azores, enjoy the festivals!

Cousin Mike, my oldest cousin, came for a visit, the first family we’ve hosted from stateside. We all felt the visit was a great success, gave us a chance to visit after many years apart, and see how they were doing and show how our retirement life is on Terceira.

Growing up, Mike was a strong influence on my education; cars, guns, mechanical innovation, attitude, etc. So it was facinating to see how were similar and disimilar as we’ve aged, learned about family we’ve not seen in years, and compare memories of youth, aunts and uncles, grandmothers, and days of misspent youth (his was misspent….I was a perfect angel! :))

As we’ve distanced ourselves from my family in retirement, it’s refreshing and rewarding to get these visits for several reasons. Reminiscing and catching up is a laugh riot! It forces us shift slightly out of our comfort zone; months of the same lifestyle makes for some stagnant habits, which are useful to break on occasion. Even different breakfast schedules, new broadcast preferences, even lanugage preferences … flexibility is necessary to enjoy, adjust, and evolve. We are loving such things more and more.

Some things are not easy. Changing habits and lifestyle take some effort, and all efforts require some balance. Fortunately, with family and close freinds, the effort always pays off, and the end result is a tighter group, and I beleive family and good friends deserve such effort. Like most things which require effort, the end result is worth it.

Thanks for visiting, Mike and Cindy. I know it’s not easy to travel from Texas to Terceira and back, and we know it was worth it for us. Hopefully it was also worth it to you guys:)

Traveling around the globe has always had joys and challenges. I’m a firm believer that everything in life is a two-edged sword; some good, some bad. When you’re traveling, you make choices, some turn out great, some turn out ok (better memories than moments:)) and some things are unbelievably excellent.

So I invited a distant friend to our place to recuperate from surgeries. She accepted, suggested brining her family from the US and then we all go visit his homeland in Romania. My wife and I had never met her husband, daughter, and I really knew very little beyond a tremendous like and respect from working together on a project. A little nervous, but her husband, an ace project manager by profession, promised to show us Romania like we’d never seen it. So we booked the tickets, planned a few days for them to visit our island, some sightseeing in Lisbon, and then accepted Gino’s itinerary to his beautiful place in Romania. Gino did all the planning, scheduling, reservations, and driving. Which was significant, including the Transfagarasan Highway, more than 130 kilometers of motorcycle heaven.

My bottom line is simple…travel again with these great friends, return to Romania with more time, and most importantly…get a BMW motorcycle and ride the Transfagarasan Highway again!

In the meantime, the greatest lesson was not a new one, it was a reinforcment of one of our primary rules of thumb; meet new folks, try new things, and take pictures and memories. You’ll never regret it!