Dusk over São Conrado beach

More wiring horrors uncovered today – this time in the kitchen, where we thought they had all been sorted when we revamped it five years ago. We’re almost inured to the shocks by now (financial, not electrical).
 
I set off for a distant suburb this afternoon to check out floor tiles. The traffic was quite light (an unexpected boon), and I took the beach road on the way home, stopping to get this shot of São Conrado beach. The square-topped mountain is one I climbed (scrambled up) last year.
 
Buying the tiles took forever, as I applied for a store card in order to pay on the never-never. WHAT bureaucracy (I should be used to that after so many years here). I only got back home after 7 pm, by which time a party was starting in the next district over to celebrate a friend’s birthday. She’s one of two close friends who have been through the mill this year, treating breast cancer, which made the occasion even more special. It was in full swing by the time we got there and she was looking and feeling great, surrounded by friends and family. She’s thrown away the wigs and scarves now and stopped dying her hair (hadn’t realised, but she has apparently been doing that for years) and the new look really suits her. See the extra photos, of her with HH (her family were among his first friends in Brazil, when he came down as a bachelor). We stayed away from the tequila and vodka, but I think there will be a few sore heads tomorrow.