Rio Family

The best laid plans!  Today took us back to the flat renovation days here in Rio, nine years ago.    The sofa bed due for delivery at 11 am didn't arrive as the lorry broke down.  The people due to pick up the old one were also late but couldn't take it out as we had low confidence in  the promised rearranged time later in the afternoon for the new one, and didn’t want to be left without a bed for the night!   The plumber couldn't find a part for, or replacement for the whole of, the kitchen tap in the area of the city (Amoedo) dedicated to such items to which he went.  When I managed to source one locally, around the block, there was a part missing from the box.   The replacement part located in the shop was the wrong one but we did get it sorted, all before a tough negotiation on price.   The sofa bed men did not have the right size of screwdriver to take off the back to get it through the door, but did locate one in the depths of their truck after a long search.  They did, however, put on rubber gloves, like surgeons, when it came to handling the actual fabric surfaces!   In the end, it was all done in the sweltering heat and we are more than delighted with the look of the sofa bed and its new firm mattress, and the non-leaking tap!

At night, we met up with our power of attorney and her daughter, and her husband.  Gina and Priscilla are a great help on all fronts and William, Priscilla's husband, was singing at the Baixo Copacabana Bar, in Rua Aires Saldinha, 13, all night long.  He even dedicated a rendition of Girl From Ipanema to 'Alan John' which is what he always calls me, taken from the name, printed in huge letters, on the front of the file in their office. They are taking the old sofa bed off our hands - it's still fine for occasional use. A great way to end a fulfilling day.