Dolce far niente again

P.S. Wouldn't you just know it - I wasn't expecting any more blip opportunities, but when we came out of the cinema (awful film, gratuitous violence, ridiculous car chases and a wasted of Liam Neeson's talent), we came across this beautiful girl, crouched against a hording, selling chocolates. She has such a wide-eyed, innocent face and smile, I'd have liked to tuck her under my arm and take her home with us. Afterwards we had a quick meal on a terrace high above Botafogo, and I got some great shots from there, but this girl is too lovely to miss, so she trumps the bougainvillea and the bay.

I'm starting to take this retirement business seriously. I did make it to gym, and did some minimal shopping on the way home, but then sat outside having breakfast and reading the paper for a disgracefully long time. This could become habit-forming. Apart from that, I've finally cut back a straggly creeper that escaped control yonks ago, spent an hour flat on my back reading Peter May's The Lewis Man, and not done much else.

Five days ago, this bougainvillea was showing nothing but yellowing leaves, not a flower in sight. Two days ago, I looked out of the window and spotted the buds, today they are four times the size and growing.

After poring over the paper for ages, we've finally picked a film to go to. It doesn't sound too inspiring, certainly not intellectually challenging, but it has action for HH and Liam Neeson for me. Can't remember when we last went to the cinema.