Journalled on Wednesday, 16 October 2024 | Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 28 degrees, hot, sunny, and clear blue sky.
It’s Wednesday, my third night and day at my new address. The flat is clean, and my belongings are tidy.
However, there is a kitchen unit in pieces on the floor in a flat pack that needs to be assembled. I considered doing it myself, but this time, no.
In the past, I assembled many wardrobes, cupboards, kitchens, racks, etc., whether for myself, when I was married, or for the school. There is not much difficulty in doing it, apart from needing the ability to read and a certain amount of common sense.
However, this time I do not feel willing to do it. I think it is partly because I don’t want to be a people pleaser for the flat owners, as it is their responsibility. I’m getting older, and I may not be as confident as I once was in doing such tasks. I wouldn’t have thought twice about it in the past, but now, I definitely do not.
What I am missing, which sounds paradoxical, is some physical work with my hands. I think one of the reasons I enjoy doing housework so much is that it is physical and I am using my hands.
Even if I stay in Brazil or return to live in England for a while, I would like to invest in a hobby that might, in the future, earn me a little money. But that hobby has to involve my hands.
I have been following YouTube channels that show you how to work with, build, and manipulate materials such as wood. One that I particularly like is run by an architect who works with various materials, including cement and concrete, which I find extremely interesting. However, it can be quite messy to work with.
I don’t know if I have mentioned this before, but for some reason over the last couple of months I have been obsessed with Pao Frances: bread rolls and selling them in England.
Pao Frances, or French rolls and baguettes in English, forms the foundation of all bakeries in Brazil. It is a simple, small rectangular bread roll. Not sophisticated, but extremely versatile and tasty. I am beginning to consider opening a small bakery in England, perhaps from home initially, then expanding and diversifying into premises and producing Brazilian salgados (Brazilian snacks).
When I was in England, I didn’t see bread rolls like those in Brazil. I also noticed that there were very few bakeries on the street, like in Brazil. Most of the time, I had to buy industrialised bread at the local supermarket.
Clearly, competition from large supermarket chains is fierce. Still, if I can create a simple business plan to produce and sell bread for a modest living, it could be a promising opportunity.
Bread in itself is quite interesting; it has been part of mankind for thousands of years and knows no borders. Although bread reflects cultural differences across countries, it remains fundamentally the same. Bread is so deeply embedded in human culture that it holds a significant role in the Bible and various religions.
We are accustomed to eating bread first thing in the morning, and when we go to a restaurant, the first thing we have before anything else is bread with the couvert. The importance of bread in our lives is very clear; nothing is more delicious than eating a good bread, especially if it is still slightly warm with some good butter.
The smell of fresh bread is one of Rio’s distinctive features; when you pass a bakery in the street or go inside, the aroma is incredible, even more than the French perfume worn by a beautiful woman.
Could I go to England in the future and start making and selling bread there? First, I have to learn how to make pao Frances on a large scale, not just for home consumption.
I contacted an ex-pupil of mine whose family owns three or four bakeries in Rio. I asked if I could get some practical contact to learn the know-how of making pao frances, but she did not get back to me.
It was clear to me that it was not of interest to her; maybe she was afraid I was lying and would try to open a bakery in Rio. I don’t know, but if I decide to take it further, I will learn and do it.
It excites me and is worth pursuing in the future. Baking bread early in the morning, running a small corner shop with a counter that sells the bread until about 2 p.m. I believe it’s a very appealing idea. After 2 p.m., only online orders and deliveries until 4 or 5 p.m.
Let’s see!
The flat is taking shape, and I am entering another stage of my life.
Be kind and stay happy, and if you can’t be happy, still be kind, but not naïve!
In bed by 10 p.m.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Richard
