My Memoirs - Citizen of the World

happy when my family and friends are around. I am very thankful
for the fortunate life I have led, to be able to acquire the
friendships I share with so many marvelous people. My
grandchildren love to spend summer afternoons with us and bring
all their friends to our backyard. I tell Angela and Arthur to never
build a pool in their backyard because we would lose our
grandchildren’s company and the marvelous afternoons we share
together. Summers in New England are too short.
I must confess about one of my extravagant habits. For 40 years,
ever since we opened our Travel Agency, Deodete and I have
breakfast in bed every morning. My friends always joke about this
luxury. How lucky I am to have Deodete to do this for me. Every
once in a while, though, I surprise her. Before she wakes up, I go
to the kitchen and prepare the breakfast myself. Our breakfasts are
never complicated. It’s usually an English muffin, yogurt, coffee,
and half a banana.
Since we live in the same building as our office, we don’t have to
drive to work, so we decided that in the morning, we would relax,
have a simple breakfast, talk about our lives, our kids’ education,
etc. for a couple of hours before jumping into the “rat race” again.
Now that I am retired (for the second time), and the rat race has
finally stopped, Deodete and I can enjoy our golden years in peace
and love.
My Superstitions, Fears and Habits
There are typical superstitions of Portugal just as there are in
America. I am superstitious about the things many people believe
bring them bad luck, such as breaking a mirror, walking under a
ladder, seeing an open pair of scissors, Friday, the 13 th . I am afraid
of heights and I try not to open umbrellas in the house. I am a
hypochondriac. I have a fear of suffering, but I am not afraid to
die. I would never live next to a cemetery. I don’t believe in
ghosts. I don’t believe in card readings. I feel very uncomfortable
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