Week 2 of our new life

Sunday has been a very busy day, House cleaning/clearing for 3 solid hours, Douglas sweated but never complained, his reward a glass of cold water, we bypassed breakfast to go out for an early lunch.  We then decided we were going to Faro to enquire about buying train tickets to Lisbon, as we have some business to do there over the next couple of weeks.  Well why not try the language, out comes the dictionary and the note book, found the right words for cost of train ticket to Lisbon, please, thank you, and timetable.  Well off we went, Douglas wouldn't even try the language he said I could do it, feeling very confident we went up to the ticket office I started my question, only got three words out the ticket man said what language do you speak, I said English he spoke to us in English, what a disappointment I did try very hard but guess the pronunciation or something was not quite right, we got all the information that we needed and I slunk away, still not to be defeated we will continue as so long as we try it will be appreciated LOL.  We also checked out the big electrical store JUMBO, Smart TV is on our list although not a priority at the moment, a Juicer is a must, we can get 5KG of Oranges for one euro, Fresh Orange on tap, happy days.
Monday not too busy a day, an appointment with the builder, poor man think he wonders who he is dealing with!! a new kitchen has been added to his ever growing list, also ours we now have to shop for it, dictionary where are you!!! Douglas has taken to drinking Red Wine, when in Portugal!!! he also has a new toy a Fly Swat only after a bottle of Red it becomes a Swy Flot and a kamikazee dance routine follows, it is a Public Holiday here today so nothing opens and nobody works so I didnt feel guilty lying in the sun all afternoon.
Tuesday off we went to sort out new windows and doors, again not so easy we have changed the plan slightly due to a new extension and kitchen so now we got to wait on a new quote coming through, on the upside we ordered our new floor and wall tiles and bought 3 new showers.  Swimming this week is 12 lengths of the pool, so far so good and have also added some water aerobics into the mix, boy I feel good, Douglas still not ready to brave it yet.  Went for a meal tonight to a restaurant called 3W in Betunes, quite nice although Douglas was not impressed his lamb bled all over the plate.
Wednesday another day out this time to sort out Solar Heating for the water and possible pool heating, another new quote for Douglas to look at, wish his eyes were better he could read quicker then, off to Faro to buy weed-killer for the masses of garden that we have, this is licensed so again takes some time to purchase what we need, I have a new toy, the dispenser that emits the weed-killer, what Douglas calls an expensive watering can, but its mine to do with as I wish, perhaps it will make him vanish also.  We also had to top up the dongle today as run out yesterday and I was lost without the internet, funny how we took Wireless for granted in Scotland.  Slight domestic in the electrical shop today, Radio Popular it is called and we were looking for Oven, Microwave and Hob for new kitchen, Douglas always likes cheapest where as me for some reason my likes are always the most expensive, we will see who comes out best LOL.  I also had a Ditzy moment today my question of the day to Douglas "when we get our Portuguese Mobiles, does it mean that everyone will speak in Portuguese, I didn't realise what I had said and had to pick Douglas up off the floor. Finally Douglas went in the pool, at last, he swam 8 lengths but had to rest in between, never mind it is a start.  Have also discovered Emparado Ghilines - small chicken pies, absolutely gorgous, worth a stop at Cafe Pinto on the way home from a hard days shopping.
Thursday hottest day so far well into the 80s, we decided we were staying home and dismantling internal doors etc ready for the builder, so hot it made work very hard, poor Douglas sweated buckets.  I took the doors off Douglas carried them out and then he had the job of taking off all hinges etc, I decided to put the weedkiller on the garden, half an hour for Douglas to assemble the kit ready for me to zap those weeds, boy there was a lot 10 litres later job done.  We took in our first delivery today of water, 4 hours for Zak to fill up the Cisterna, 20,000 litres of water for 100 euros, Cisterna filled plus we got some Figos to eat from Zaks garden, very tasty and not like the Figs you get in the UK at all.  Today was also the day of leaks, our water pump was leaking water everywhere, we called in the electrician, yes he can fix it he will come back tomorrow, the pool was also topped up and yes that had a leak too, oh bugger, buckets out as water is such a precious and expensive commodity here you cannot waste a drop. Then to cap it all no ice for my Morgans, now who decided to throw out the ice cube moulds as they were not hers!!! Achieved one good thing today managed to go to Post Office and send Laura's Birthday Card and Dads Fathers day card and....I drove there, haha Douglas was a nervous wreck and he made me a nervous wreck, kept thinking I was going to go into the ditch and kept saying, move out a bit, come in a bit keep an eye on the white line, I ask you, I let him drive back, and suggested we should get an automatic as that will do the driving for me!!! Had to try and will continue to do so, also you need to remember that where we live they are not roads, they are half roads, dirt tracks anything but a normal UK road also full of lots of bends and the Portuguese tend not to drive on their side of the road, so pretty hair raising.

Cisterna Filling.

Friday, a slower pace today as so hot, high 80s again. Hugo came and fixed our water pump this morning, the pressure valve had gone, now it is working perfectly and no noise  and no lost water, we also managed to get all the outside lights working apart from 2, its amazing what you can do with new light bulbs, but we now have lights on the front gates, front drive and beside the pool.  I dismantled the Pergola as it was just rotting wood so bye bye Pergola, and we unrolled the swimming pool cover ready for the rubbish as it had gone rotten, but downside is we need to buy a new one.  Another meeting with our builder to discuss the kitchen, all going to plan.  Now we just need a plan of attack for the Mossies, driving us both mad and being bitten to hell, Douglas is just no good with his Swy Flot.
Saturday brings us another really hot day so off we go to buy a portable air conditioning unit, looking forward to a good nights sleep tonight.  Out with Mick and Pauline tonight to a restaurant called Ysconderijo in Sao Bras, Mick came to pick us up, we have one of those addresses which is very difficult to find as we have no address, so we have to meet everyone at Cafe Pinto and then they follow us in the car, how good is that, god help us when our deliveries start arriving. Fish cakes for starters, Pork with Shrimps and a chocolate fondue dessert ooh yummy, Douglas had a Mondarhilo Liqueur to finish off, comes from a Strawberry Tree, of which we happen to have a very large one growing in our garden, me thinks this could be a wee money spinner.  We then had to direct them back to ours which is quite difficult as we don't know how to get there yet, but we made it, now sitting on the terrace having a night cap.
Sunday today was going to be our do nothing day, hahaha, up early cleaned the house again, got rid of more rubbish and finished taking off the internal doors, fathers day Douglas was fair chuffed with all his texts from the family, the cards have not arrived yet never mind should be here tomorrow or Tuesday.  Takes about four days from the UK for post but my dad received his and Laura received her birthday card after only three days.  Glass of water for breakfast.  After cleaning, doing the washing and getting rid of rubbish it was 2.30pm, time for a spot of lunch then relaxation.  Swim for me and water aerobics been a good week for 12 lengths every day, Douglas managed 4 and then in the pool with the lilos, oh bliss Douglas fell asleep and snored for Scotland, I just chilled with the heat, floating round the pool with a Morgans in my hand, what a life. Planting time two passion flowers needing planted, 8.00pm Douglas digging away, more rocks than earth but he managed, didnt need to water them as Douglas sweated that much, time for fathers day tea, 9.00pm, Morgans and Beer, Nuts, Crisps, Chocolate, Biscuits, strange we don't have to bother about cooking and eating if we dont want to, what an end to Week 2, have achieved a lot this week and all is taking shape, missing everybody back in Scotland and further South but not regretting a minute.  Hope you enjoy this weeks edition, until next week all stay safe, happy and healthy, thinking of you all.xx

Weed killing

Water Delivery

Douglas Digging

Passion Flower No 1

Passion Flower No 2