Baixonho has appealed already.  Well, that window of hope did not last very long.  Damn.

So, Saturday afternoon and  am at my sister's house in Kent.  I have been staying with my Dad but he has no internet connection so I come over here to work.  I was planning to go home yesterday, but the work on the Bioeconomy Institute is going really well and I judged that it would be really useful to have another few days here.  So, more meetings with colleagues and with Shell Monday, and then home.  It will be good to be back.

Dad – been good to stay a couple of nights with my Dad.  We are clearly getting more sensible, or just older, as our wine intake was very limited.  He is in good form, agreeing with his doctor yesterday that he could come off his medication.  He is tired of taking it and doesn’t think that it will make much difference.  I have told him that I will buy a decent juicer so that he can get all his nutrients and vitamins naturally, which might help take the place of the medicines.

But he has not entirely mellowed. He complains (rightly) that cars drive far too fast through the village, Appledore, including the little stretch outside his house, where there is no pavement.  He reacted to one car doing so as he was walking the dog by cracking his walking stick down on the roof a speeding car, as it passed.  Unfortunately, it was a police car, which screatched to a halt. Copper got out and asked my dad what the hell he thought he was doing.  Dad said that he was driving dangerously fast.  Copper said he was on an emergency.  Dad said, ‘Bollox.  In that case you would have had lights and siren on’.  Copper muttered and got back in car and drove off!  One for my Dad but I hope that he doesn’t do it too often.

 

Izzy – we heard from the lawyer in Rio.  The Supreme Court have – refused Baixinho’s latest appeal!  Great news.  And very dismissively as well.  As far as we can make out, he has 10 days to appeal (working days, we think) but, as always, there is some confusion.  It seems that this period will only start once the Ministerio Publico is officially informed - which also takes about 10 days.  So 20 working days in total.  We have asked the lawyer for clarity on that.  Clearly, this is excellent news but we have been disappointed too often in the past to start counting any chickens.  Hopefully, we will know by sometime in mid-March whether this is really over, or whether Baixinho takes it to the next step.  Yes, there is another appeal, possible two!.  Vamos ver!

Joey – last Friday and Saturday were difficult, as Anne was introducing the new food regime, ie moving away completely from complex carbohydrates.  Joey’s behavior worsened and he was too hyper, sensitive and over-reacted when things did not go his way.  Both Anne and I, regrettably, lost it with him on occasion.  I was starting to think that I should not go to the UK, leaving Anne alone to manage.  But she, God bless her, encouraged me to go – I have spent the best part of a year working on this and this was an important week.  Fortunately, Joey was already better Sunday and so here I am.

Anne has kept me informed of progress – and there has now been real progress.  Monday night, Joey came downstairs after he had heard Anne talking to her sister-in-law Carole on the ‘phone about his diet.  He told Anne that he was starting to feel better and that he thought that the diet was working.  He was very positive and calmer.  This has, broadly, continued this week so that is great news.  Anne has also worked hard to avoid stress in the evening.  We know that Joey struggles sometimes when his schedule is upset, when there are surprises that appear to affect what he wants to do.  This can happen even when we have dinner a bit late and then everything is rushed, or when we aren’t clear about what is going to happen.  So – make sure dinner is on time (1700-1730 at latest), set out what will happen after dinner, make sure that Izzy gets to bed on time and then have the time to get Joey into bed without rushing.  We also have made clearer to Joey what he is and is not allowed as regards TV etc.  He is allowed 20 minutes of Minecraft, and 15 minutes of ‘rubbish’ on the computer, both early.  Then he is allowed some more time with TV but only if it is educational eg nature, science etc.  Anne has taken to watching this with him on the sofa and this seems to calm him down nicely and prepare him for bed.

So all positive steps.  Another corner turned?

This is rather an important week for the family, and I am stuck on a train from Ashford to Charing Cross.  To be fair, it is also an important week for my work with the Bioeconomy Institute, which is why I am in the UK.  It is going very well – KPMG have agreed to support us and that was entirely due to me, which is pleasing.  Their support gives us more credibility when engaging with potential funders, so that is really helpful.  But on to more important things.

Joey better today, still a bit hyper and slight over-reaction but much better than yesterday.  We have effectively started the SCD.  They start now with apple, carrot, beet, kale pineapple juice and banana fritters (no sugar, flour etc).  Lunch today was seafood bouilibase - mussels, shrimp, squid etc.  Anne does very well indeed.

Hopefully the good behaviour will continue - particularly as I am off to the UK this afternoon for 4 days business.