Week 1 of our new life

This is the first blog for Douglas and I as we start on our new life in the Algarve.  After a very emotional Saturday Night with most of our family, Richard, Lynne, Ann and Danny, April and Rab, Laura and Katie and Lesa were missing for various reasons we decided to have a get together which was meant to be just a few drinks.  These few drinks turned into a lot more drinks finally ending at 4.30am at which stage emotions were running high, and we remembered that we were leaving at 10.00am the next day, so taxis for everybody and we retired to our room for a couple of hours. Danny also stayed over as he was driving us to the Airport!!  Sunday morning bright and early, well not very bright knock at the door, Katie, Sandie, Danielle and Carly had decided to join us for breakfast, another emotional farewell.  Cases packed into the car, if anybody has seen Danny's car this was no mean feat, and on the way to the airport.  Douglas had the hangover from hell and didnt really know or care at this stage where he was going, and yet another emotional farewell at the airport.  At this stage I wasnt sure what I was doing either (for various reasons), we checked in and made the flight realising that quite a few things had been left behind at the hotel.  Oh well this is our journey a few things can be missed.
Arriving in the Algarve to a very hot day, realising that we had to pick up a few essentials at the supermarket, also knowing that our 3 boxes of essentials that had gone before us had still not arrived we shopped, priorities towels, sun loungers, food and alcohol, what more do we need apart from a desperately good nights sleep.  Our first night sitting on our terrace admiring the view, not much conversation each with our own thoughts in bed by 21.30.
Monday breakfast on the terrace, where we made our plans for the week ahead, another hot day, we had cleaning to do, builders to speak to, and to get a feel of our house, this is where it all starts.  So glad we decided to get a feel of our house for the month of June, this has resulted in Douglas deciding we are now having a new kitchen as well, well who am I to argue, I am just smiling nicely!!
This week we have made our choice of floor tiles and wall tiles for bathroom and kitchen (I think) cant possibly change my mind again!! problem is there is so much choice, I think if I keep collecting sample tiles it will save a lot of money, though not sure what the floors will look like. Bathroom kit is a different story, how many toilets, sinks, showers etc do you really need to look at, but we have and Douglas has as well, which is all rather strange as back in Scotland I dont recall him being so enthusiastic about shopping.  Kitchens well mindset is completely different, I dont need the big range cooker, the Portuguese have small ovens and microwaves built in to units, as of course this life is all about outdoor living, we can get our heads around that eventually, small oven is good for me as long as I can eventually cook and bake that will be fine.
Everyday in the early cool morning, yes Douglas has been up early everyday, another new thing for me to get used to, we have cleaned and gutted out the house bit by bit, we are left with essentials and big furniture now which we are trying to find  homes for amongst the needy in the Algarve.  Contacts have been made for this already.  Recycling here is very different, we have bagged up items on a daily basis and then we put them beside the bins that are scattered around the roads, ten minutes later they are gone to new homes, today as we were unloading the car, a family were reloading it into their car, bizarre but good as nothing goes to waste and this is the norm here.
Thursday night we went out to the local quiz night, about 41 people turned up and it was a brilliant night, it happens once a month and raises money for the bombardiers(fire service) and also other local charities, great fun and I won a box of maltesers and a lovely pink paperweight in the raffle, we came fifth in the quiz but most of that was due to the other four I think, Lesson one to brush up on our general knowledge etc.  That was light relief and has led to more invitations, a big social life is looming, but for this month we are concentrating on the preparations for the house.
I have been swimming everyday 10 lengths of the pool and will up my lengths by two on a week to week basis in the hope that I will lose a bit of weight, Douglas has only ventured in up to his knees as it is too cold just now!!! We are eating healthily too.
Have we enjoyed this busy week, yes we have, the only downside is that Scotland has been sunnier the past couple of days.  Yes we are missing friends and family, but have had a good start.  I will update this blog weekly, possibly not so long and I will try not to be too boring, pictures posted are our house as it is now, I will update the before and afters as and when they occur.