The Return of Gamba...

NOTE: I sincerely apologize to all those out there who have been anxiously awaiting the next post. My intention was to complete it two weeks ago, but due to our week of children’s meetings, extensive renovations to my bedroom and preparation for my sisters wedding I was unable to post either of the reports that I had received from Aunt Lori since my last blog article.


Although I had established connection with Aunt Lori, this accomplishment was short lived due to the internet connection on Lobster Road going dark. The dozens of people who were sending Lori E-mails anxiously waited for a reply that would never come. After returning from California I called Aunt Lori to see how things were going. Suffering from migraine at the time she relayed to me the events of the previous few weeks.

Uncle Mark had been working hard on the hall with the help of Luciano and the young men from the hall. During his 10 hour workdays he would have no other language to listen to other than Portuguese. Combining the hours he spent listening to others speak in their native tongue with the lessons that he was picking up on during Lori and Caroline’s English classes, resulted in Uncle Mark accomplishing what many would have believed to be un-doable only weeks earlier. He was speaking Portuguese.

Caroline was working hard with her English lessons and was picking up the majority of Portuguese that was being spoken around her. William also was learning the language, due mainly to the days he would spend playing with his “gang” in the Planalto. Like Spanky leading the group of young misfits in “Our Gang” these Natal residents would follow their fearless leader up the dusty streets and likely heading toward some sort of mischief.

It was one sunny day in the Planalto where Prince William was given the simple task of watching some chickens. Uncle Mark needed to take down part of the wall that separated the hall’s property from a neighbor in order to work on some foundation issues. William was told to watch the neighbor’s chickens and make sure that they did not wander into the road. William, as he usually does, began his task seriously, but soon discovered the fun he could have if he just strayed beyond the boundary lines…literally. Chasing chickens is not a game I have ever played; although I will admit that it sounds like the Midwestern version of chasing seagulls which is always fun when you are in the right mood. Feathers were flying when Uncle Mark caught William being himself. Likely with a face that resembled Donald Trump’s bitter expressions in the show The Apprentice, Uncle Mark informed William that his brief tenure as Chicken Constable had come to a close and he was in fact “fired”.

While birds of a feather may flock together, the entire Procopio family is grateful that Gambas ,at least the one that had taken up residence in their home, stand alone. The possum like creature would still make an occasional appearance and take a stroll across the beam above the dining room, usually when they were seated for dinner. What they thought would be a one time visit from the ugly beast would become a common ritual.

Speaking of common rituals…the many days Caroline had girted her loins with the “bathing suit of faith” had paid off and the pool was fully functional. Junior, the pool guy who treats pool cleanliness the same as the government takes handling weapons of mass destruction, had the thing spotless. The palm branches that had been overhanging the pool and daily filing it with bugs, dirt and leaves had been pruned by Inacia and Dona Lucia and the new filtration system was working better than anyone could have ever imagined. To celebrate this fine occasion, as well as Caroline’s 12th birthday, an all day churrasco was held at the house on Lobster Road on July 26th. Almost everyone from the hall attended as Luis grilled beef, cheese, and an assortment of other smoked delicacies.

Lori had been spending much time working with Lillia unpacking the many boxes that had been shipped down from the states. As progress was made in this department, a ship was about to enter the port of Natal that would make this process both easier and more entertaining…