My new amigos

I've been feeding these two cats for about 5 months. They are outdoor cats and only really see (or hear) them at night. We have a regular routine. I leave food out and they come eat it. I try to get close to them and they run away. Kind of a cat and mouse game, no pun intended. I have even named them. The one black cat is called Pretinho, which means little blacky, in Portuguese. I named him that because he's all black. The other one I named Bellazinha, which means little Bella.  My mother has several cats and one of them looks like Bellazinha. One of my mom's cats is called Bella so I named my cat little Bella. 

Well, this week I discovered I am feeding not 2 cats, but 5 or 6! They run away pretty quickly when I spot them eating. I have given them names too...there is White Boy because he is all white and an orange cat I haven't named yet. Oh and then there is the little kitten I've just seen once and then this fluffy cat. I think fluffy cat has a home, but not sure about White Boy and the others. We'll see how long they hang around. 

Anyway, I believe Bellazinha is pregnant because she's getting fat in the middle. Probably the only time I can get away with calling some female fat and it's socially acceptable! Anyway, she lets me get close to her, but she always runs away. Lately, I've gotten pretty close to her. She kind of just stares and at me and tries to pretend like I don't see her. If she doesn't move a muscle, I think she thinks I won't see her! Ha!

Well, I've caught her eating during the day lately and then caught her cat napping this morning! Here are some pics of my new amigos. At least, it's something to entertain me!

Um abraco...Mollie

Happy Moments!

I did a little happy dance today in the grocery store called Nacional, which is owned by Wal-Mart.  Yes, I really did a little happy dance. 

I have been unable to find a certain pasta I love, which are pasta shells. I'm having a dinner tonight for all the ex-pats and I wanted to make stuffed shells (a favorite dish!) for them.  A few key ingredients necessary for stuffed shells are:

1) The pasta shells

2) Ricotta Cheese

Well, first I could not find ricotta cheese...then I found it earlier this week! Whoo-hoo! It's called Queijo Tipo de Quark. I basically bought several kinds of cheese until I found the ricotta. Ingredient #2 - FOUND!

I looked at 2 different grocery stores in Horizontina for the shells. No luck. I decided to drive to Santa Rosa (about 45 minutes away) to go to Nacional. I figured it wouldn't hurt to see if they had them. I was 99% sure finding the pasta shells was only a dream. Well, I found them in the pasta aisle. I couldn't believe it!  I did a little shriek then the happy dance. People were staring, but if they only knew!!!!

Then, as an added bonus, I found Roma Tomatoes!!! I can use them to make a homemade pasta sauce tonight. So, all of my ingredients have been found and now I can make a real Italian-Brazilian recipe of stuffed shells! 

Yippee!!!!  Photos of my finds attached!

Um abraco......Mollie

Shells and a Roma Tomato

Trip to Florianopolis with Karen

Karen eating lula (calamari). Yum!

Guys selling fresh fruit juice on the beach. 

Me drinking an agua de coco...coconut water. Please no comments about my whiteness!

Little Things...

Sorry about the long hiatus from my blog! I was in the US and then had a visitor from the US. My good friend, Karen, was here doing some training and I was so happy she stayed with me in Casa da Mollie for 1 week. 

Here's what I've been up to lately:

-Trip to US for work - lots of Starbucks and coffee...never enough time with my friends!

-Weekend to the beach with Karen - Florianopolis! So pretty!

-Running...us ex-pat girls will do a 1/2 marathon at the end of April here in Brazil

I also am working on a menu for an Italian dinner for the Americans I am hosting this weekend. I am going to try to make a homemade tomato sauce, pesto (if I find pine nuts and basil) and alfredo sauce (if I find half and half). Today I found Ricotta Cheese in the supermarket! I bought this cheese called Queijo Tipo de Quark. I decided to buy it and check it out. Thank goodness it is ricotta cheese!!!!! Now, if I can only find pasta shells......

Um abraco...Mollie