19th June
When I posted the blog today I looked at the blog’s
statistics and it’s had another weird blip, on the 13th June, 198
views! What’s that all about? As I said last time I don’t think I have anywhere
near that many friends and family following the blog (more like 15!), very
perplexing ...
The council have strimmered the track to the village (it
looks like a motorway now!); consequently, at 5.30 this evening, we had an
appointment with Chris to move ‘Richie’s’ stone (the one that everyone hits, if they’re going to hit
anything), so that Will & Gill’s camper will be able to
get onto the quinta when they come to visit in October (happy, happy,
happy).
Armed with two heavy duty crowbars ‘Richie’s’ stone, along
with some other obstructive rocks, was relocated about 9-12” back into the
hedge row, opening the track up immensely.
We continued into the village to dump the rubbish and on the
way back stopped to chat to Mr Louis; he took us for a tour of his (lush,
beautifully growing) garden, giving Brett two marrows enroute, then we invited
him to the bar for a quick beer .....
C&D were there – we didn’t get home until 9.00!!!!
20th June
Happy Birthday Mel!!!!
XXX
Oh dear the temperature is climbing; it was 36° yesterday
and today it reached 37° (in the shade). I can’t cope; I’m seriously thinking
of cutting my hair short.
Brett carried on mowing the grass and moving stones under the blazing sun.
I stayed in the house (which is 6° cooler than outside) and made some lemon
curd (I make it about once a week).
Mark (and Glenn) texted to say that he’d just met a
couple on the campsite in CB from Brynaman!!!! I had this ‘friend’ request from
Jay a couple of weeks ago and had ignored it as I thought it was a mistake –
apparently they’re buying just up the road from Mark (small world).
I picked our first figs today
(thanks to a message from Andrew telling me to go and look at my trees); they
are sweet and juicy.
21st June
Happy
Summer Solstice!
It’s the longest day of the year and now the nights start drawing in! But the
heat is still with us ... 38° today (in the shade).
I was still feeling crap; so I had
an easy day while Brett continues cutting the grass in the field.
22nd June
We went to Fundao to buy onion
plugs; they were 3€ a bundle (of about 150) but as she only had three bundles
left she offered me all three for 6€ - I can never resist a bargain! This
evening we had to plant them; we’re experimenting with the Portuguese method
and planting in channels, then flooding with water.
While we were in Fundao we met up
with Nicky & Rich for a coffee – they’re going back to the UK on the 4th
July, but they’re keeping their options open by not selling here – we’ll miss
them.
Brett cut my hair this afternoon; I
wanted him to do it with his clippers (with the longest comb on), he just gave
me a short bob, which needs some shape to it as it is rather severe (he can
only do straight!). Disappointingly it’s not that much cooler!
23rd June
We did more gardening this morning;
we’re into this channel lark! Then Brett strimmered whilst I used the tractor
and scarifier to create a fire break in the big field.
This afternoon was weeding (me) and
strimming (Brett), then back to our channels and planting our next crop of
beans.
Then this evening we went boar
watching for a couple of hours (on our land as there’s been lots of digging
recently) – we saw nada!
24th June
Salad and herb seed sowing in the
‘Portuguese garden’ (me), while Brett scarified around the olive trees (just
like the Portuguese do!).
This afternoon I cooked for Pam’s
birthday picnic, tomorrow, at the barragem (Idanha a Nova) – devilled eggs and
chocolate fridge cake.
So today Brett cut himself (with help from me) a Mohican haircut! I wonder what
I’d look like with one?
25th June
I was a bit worried about the
picnic today as I remembered the site as having no shade; but we found a lovely
place under the trees, so we were quite comfortable.
Everyone brought food so we had a
buffet lunch with a variety of dishes, which was nice. The water was fabulous –
I went in fully clothed as I forgot to find a swimming costume!
We left before anyone else; as we
had left the poor old dogs for six hours and felt guilty. They were fine but
very pleased, as always, to see us.
Soddin' bastard voles ate through
the roots/stem of one of my organic yellow courgette plants, bit the whole
plant away from the roots!!!! And it was really big and healthy last night and
giving us lots of courgettes.
There were two kittens in the
vegetable garden today (obviously came from Pimenta’s), very friendly and sweet
.....
26th June
We went into CB this morning to buy
three things – cycling/running shoes for Brett (he’s found someone to go on
bike rides with), a connector for the scarifier (our one is too short and the
scarifier tips up at the back so all the prongs don’t go in the ground) and,
most importantly a COOKER!
We were successful on all three
counts and our cooker arrives on Tuesday; it’s a very basic calor gas cooker,
white, four rings and an OVEN (no grill, but I can live without a grill). Four
rings will be a real luxury as I’ve been coping with just two, and an oven
.....
We called in on Mark and Glenn on
the way home; Mark goes back in a week’s time, so they’re coming round on
Monday for dinner.
As we drove up the track to our
quinta there was a lamb (obviously left behind when the shepherd had been
grazing sheep); it followed the car, but we couldn’t catch it – I messaged
Andrew to tell ‘his’ shepherd.
The kittens were still up in the
vegetable garden; Lili is besotted, she has to go on a lead or we don’t get her
home!
27th June
When I went to do the sheep and
goats this morning the dogs noticed the lamb (now on our quinta!); they chased
it and it managed to wiggle its way through the fence into the sheep field –
where the rams all ganged up on it and used it as a punch bag, but it didn’t
seem to mind, it kept coming back for more. We’ll still try to find its owner
as it looks like it should still be on milk.
I’ve negotiated with Brett; as long
as the kittens stay over by the polytunnel I’m allowed to feed them – they are
asking for food constantly, so are obviously starving, and I hate to see them
suffer.
Today was bloody hot (39° on the
decking, though neighbours reckon it was 44°); however, by keeping windows and
door closed, we managed to keep the house 10 degrees cooler than the decking.
Brett spent the day outside strimmering and mowing, while I just about managed
to survive inside!
This afternoon we went in the pool, along with several wasps who have found the
water (fortunately they weren’t aggressive).
28th June N/I
So hot ..... (our max/min
thermometer, on the decking in the shade, has registered a temperature of 41°
in the last couple of days!!!!).
There was a shepherd with his flock
just outside our quinta today and ‘yes’ it was his lamb, so she’s back with her
mum (happy ending).
We have guests for the next three
days (Mark & Glenn and Chris & Di, Monday night, Nicky & Rich, Tues
night and Vince & Lola, Wednesday lunchtime) so we tidied up the decking
and put out the soft furnishing, it looks very inviting now.
This afternoon it was back to the
pool with the wasps! They aren’t acting aggressive and both Brett and I were
saving ones that looked like they were drowning.
We didn’t see the kittens at all
today, I hope they are alright; they have been around our vegetable garden
nonstop for the last few days and today no sign of them at all. Last year Chris
& Di had kittens that they think were eaten by the fox L.
29th June N/I
The kitchen was already 29° when we
got up this morning! We slept, last night, with wet towels over us and two fans
going.
The outside thermometer has been
reading 39° every day this week, even though it has been feeling progressively
hotter, so this afternoon we put the digital thermometer outside (in the shade)
43°!!!!!!
Mrs Muscovy didn’t get put away tonight; she’s been a bit tardy coming back in the evenings – she
goes into the scrub and brambles the other side of the stream, I think she has
a nest (hopefully she’ll sit quietly and not give herself away).
Chris & Di and Mark & Glenn
came round for pizza this evening; we stayed outside on the decking until
almost midnight. Mark slept in his van; poor old Glenn had an uncomfortable
night on the sofa in the kitchen – he gave up on the sleep platform as it was
way too hot.
30th June
Our cooker was supposed to be
delivered this afternoon; we had a phone call first thing to say it was on its
way and we had it by 10.00 – very efficient.
It’s weird each burner has what
looks like a spark igniter next to it, but we can’t make them spark ... the
instructions for lighting the burners starts with ‘bring a burner flame’ (what’s
that mean?), does that mean it hasn’t got automatic ignition and, if not, what
are the bits sticking up?
Still no sign of the kittens; we’re
getting a bad feeling now.
Nicky & Rich came to dinner and
to say ‘goodbye’ – they’re off to live in the UK for a while (they’re not
selling up here though so we’re hoping they’ll be back).
1st July
Today was a little cooler, it felt
lovely!
No kittens L.
Vince & Lola came for lunch and
Vince cleared up the query about the cooker, they’re thermocouples; built in
safety valves that switch off the gas, if the flame goes out.
2nd July
THE KITTENS ARE BACK!!!! JJJ
Brett was worried that I thought that he might have done something sinister
with them; I didn’t – I thought Pimenta might have done something sinister to
them! But they are fine and just as demanding as usual.
We decided to go to the market in
Spain, about 40 minutes away; however by the time we had done the animals,
watered the garden, petted the kittens and driven there it was 11.50 – the
market shuts at 12.00, everyone was packing up! But it wasn’t a completely
wasted journey as we went to the supermarket and bought lots of interesting
food that we can’t get in Portugal – even though it’s the same supermarket
chain as we have in Penamacor. AND the lager we pay 96 cents a litre for is
only 72 cents in Spain (54p for a litre of lager!).
3rd July
Brett left home for a bike ride
with Matt (he has a cherry farm in Alpedrinha).
Yesterday I read an article that
suggested honey and cinnamon would help with arthritis; so I thought I’d give
it a go – mix it in with my morning Greek yoghurt (what could possibly go
wrong?). This morning I took the honey and ‘cinnamon’ out of the cupboard only
to realise yesterday I had eaten ground coriander and honey!!!! They’re
labelled in Portuguese; cinnamon is canela moida, coriander is cilantro molido;
and ‘no’ I couldn’t taste the difference as I still have no sense of smell (it
did feel a bit gritty though!).
Then Looby threw up her breakfast
all over the rug .......
On a happier note; the kittens came
to greet us (me and the dogs) when we went to feed the sheep and let out the
goats. The dogs (mainly Lili) were a real pain as the kittens don’t like being
run at by excited panting monsters; but they stand their ground, fluff out
their tails and give them a good swipe, or run up a tree!
I decided I really had to spend
some time altering Lola’s dress (she bartered an 11€ jar of artichoke hearts
for the work), though I wish I’d never agreed to do it; it’s lined (sewn into
the bodice and free under the skirt) and the material is really slippery and
stretchy (not the type of fabric I’m used to working with at all). I’ve been
putting it off for ages and I’m not pleased with the results now I need someone
to try it on so I can see what it looks like before I go any further.
We had three days of socialising at
the beginning of the week (Mon, Tues & Weds), we have Marc & Mieke
coming tomorrow (Sat) and then this afternoon we had a text from Chris & Di
inviting us round for curry tonight (Fri) – hey ho it’s a hard life!
We had a couple of hours by the
pool; the kittens came and made themselves comfortable sleeping on top of us –
they’re so friendly.
Then off to C&D for bacalhau curry and cuddles with their, highly
excitable, puppy.
4th July
RIP
Molly (4 years has gone very fast!)
The kittens are hilarious, apart
from a bit of hissing and puffed up tail, they ignore the dogs who are jumping
around them, trying to encourage them to play. They really are confident little
souls.
Marc & Mieke came to dinner; they
brought us a crate of lemons which we bartered for boxes of eggs (they’ve had
‘fox’ strikes recently). We had guinea fowl (very tasty) braised with
caramelised figs. We sat outside on the decking until the mosquitoes drove us
inside.
5th July
We didn’t see the kittens after
lunch yesterday and not today either – just like last week ... I refuse to
worry (I hope nothing has happened to them!).
The vegetable garden is not very
productive this year .... although there are masses of flowers on the beans
hardly any are setting (last year I was picking buckets full, giving the excess
away and making chutney with them), initially I had a few cucumbers from the
polytunnel but they’ve dried up now, the potatoes have soft rot and are rotting
in storage, the carrots had very spasmodic germination but haven’t gone beyond
seedling stage, the peas podded and dried before I got around to picking them,
the beetroot bolted, the parsnip didn’t germinate, the lettuce didn’t take off
(a couple of pathetic plants) and the onions hardly grew before they either
went to seed or the tops died down, meantime the weeds grew (despite constant
weeding) and all look lush and healthy – so very disheartening! But I do have
masses of courgettes (from the plants that the voles haven’t yet destroyed) and
the tomatoes are ripening rapidly.
Beanless beans!!!
Kale (Black & Red)
We designed the cupboards for
either side of the cooker, the sink unit and the island – tomorrow we will go
to Cesar (the woodman) to get the wood for the worktops and the doors, Tuesday
we’ll go to CB to get the wood for the carcasses.
6th July
Still no sign of the kittens L.
Our trip to Cesar was disappointing
– we only came away with wood for the four legs of the island!
And now the voles have started on
my tomatillo plants .....
It reached 42° (in the shade) this
afternoon; it makes it very hard to find any enthusiasm to do any work! We have
been experimenting with fans, bowls of water and wet muslin to try to make a
rudimentary air conditioning unit (but we can’t keep the material wet). If we
keep all doors and windows shut we can keep the house 10° cooler than the
decking (so it feels quite cool when you come in from outside).
7th July
Happy
Birthday Lesley! XXX
Another hot day, with no sign of
the kittens.
We had to rethink our design for
the kitchen cupboards as the wood we were originally going to use was
exorbitant; we think it might be a better design anyway.
Looby was chewing something this
evening; I took it off of her – it was a duck’s foot, so now we know there’s no
more Mrs Muscovy! Everyone is losing poultry atm – blaming foxes, mongoose,
lynx (truly) and wolves (I’m not making this up!).
8th July
Happy
Birthday Lauren! XXX
It was far too hot (for me) to work outside; so I cooked, and still got
exceedingly hot!!!!
Lemon Curd, Iced Tea, Labneh (Yoghurt cheese balls in olive
oil), Lemon Spoom (an old fashioned lemon ice cream) and Carrot Chutney (one of
my favourites), and I squeezed a bucket of oranges for juice.
Brett can take the heat better than
me so he spent the day on the decking making the kitchen cupboards; they are
going to be fabulous.
Rebecca & Paul are coming
tomorrow; I’m so excited ...
Our friends Dee & Josh have
just given birth to a baby girl, Audrey – Congratulations and lots of love XXX.
Hoorah, THE KITTENS CAME BACK this
evening – I think Pimenta must lock them in his shed then go home for a few
days, they were very hungry!
Jasmine (female)
Jasmine has the palest blue eyes (China blue).
Juniper (male)
Juniper's eyes are pale green (gooseberry).
9th July N/I typical as I NEED to keep in touch with Rebecca
while she’s travelling!
Happy
Birthday Rebecca and Happy Holidays ... XXX
L the kittens weren’t around this morning ...
More cooking – this time using the
oven, bloody hell it got hot in the kitchen!
Brett was on the decking most of
the day making the cupboards – they’re looking fantastic, now I’ve got to
decide what colour to paint them ... I’m so tempted to go back to green (I do
like a green room).
... J but they were back this evening! Haha, Lili was
being a pain around the kittens, when we were playing with them on the pool
decking, then she fell in the pool!!!!
R & P’s plane was late arriving
so they didn’t get to the village until 1.00 a.m. and then we didn’t get to bed
until 2.30!
10th July
We took a picnic to Idanha Nova
barragem; lovely and quiet (until R&P hired a jet ski!!!). We watched a
couple of planes flying backwards and forwards picking up water to control a
nearby wildfire.
Came home via Intermarche (Idanha
Nova);huge selection of health food there (probably prompted by the Boom
Festival crowds).
11th July
Took R&P to Monsanto in the
morning and then on to Penha Garcia barragem for a picnic and swim. The water
was lovely but .... the leeches were still there (tiny, tiny leeches but still
leeches!).
12th July
HOT 40+
We stayed at home and lazed by the pool. We didn’t see the kittens at all today
L.
Then this evening we went to
Penamacor; we walked up to the tower and then we were treated to dinner at O
Jardim – Brett, Paul and I had Polvo (Octopus) .and Rebecca had the biggest
piece of Bacalhau; it was very good though a bit more expensive than our usual
restaurant.
13th July
Lili found the kittens for us (I
think she went next door!).
C&D have deserted the sinking
ship ... they’ve gone to Peniche (the coast) for a week or so, they said they
were too hot in their camper.
R&P left after lunch; we had a
lovely time with them and I’m sure they’ll be back.
