Week 16 of our new life

Monday, Hot day and busy day, trying to sort out the house and then sorting out the paperwork for tomorrow.  Nothing has moved very much in the house and I have to admit to becoming very frustrated just now.  Our mobile home is good but feels very claustrophobic, the heat does not help and neither of us is sleeping very well just now, too many things to think about.  Never mind we just need to get on with things just now and see what tomorrow brings.  We are staying over at Mick and Paulines on Sunday night as they are off to Spain on Monday morning and need a lift to get their bus really early and it is too far for us where we are staying just now.

Terrace for the month

Named after me

Tuesday, early start today first meeting at the Camera Municipal for our residency, think both of us were nervous, all our paperwork was in order apart from one letter from the Mayor of Santa Barbara who forgot to put the date on it from when we came over here, they have accepted the paperwork and our lawyer needs to go back on Thursday with the correct letter, so we will have our certificates early next week. Whilst there we managed to get the car taxed as well so killed two birds with one stone, the procedure was relatively easy in spite of a slight language difficulty, but we flashed the correct papers and got there in the end.  Time for a quick coffee then up to our for a meeting with Adrian and Nuno regarding the fitting of our windows and doors.  We have a slight problem with this, as our road is still closed due to the water pipes being put in, so not sure if the lorries are going to get up the temporary dirt track with windows and doors complete, this is a bummer as if they cant it is going to be four weeks until the road is finished, so we wont know for sure until Nuno comes back to us over the next couple of days.  Fingers crossed they can and they will start fitting them on Monday.  The roof is starting to go on the extension, but there seems to be such a lot still to do it will be a big surprise if it is ready the second week of October.  Douglas is looking for other accommodation for us just now as we dont think we can do 4 weeks in the mobile home, we will both have cabin fever by then.  We are going to have a meeting with Adrian  on Friday Afternoon to get to grips with why it is going so slow.  We have started doing a duo lingo course in Portuguese and I have passed Lesson 1 and ready to start lesson 2, Douglas gave up halfway through, I am managing to get by in the shops and cafes for ordering meals and drinks and can recognise words so feel I am achieving something, Douglas has his head full of inventions so that keeps him occupied.  My goodie box has not arrived in the post yet, I am fretting for that as Douglas keeps saying I will not see my new handbag again.!!!

Financas Building, Faro

Lunch, Sausage Sandwich

Wednesday, Nail day today so another early start to get to Santa Barbara to get my nails done, Douglas got his hair cut while he waited so now has hardly got any hair as they gave him a number 1, still it will save me doing it for a while. Douglas also treated me to a new pair of Sunglasses, so I now have a pair of Ray Ban, he had bought himself a pair a few weeks ago and I had been hinting ever since, so my hints did work after all and they are originals not fake complete with A 2 year guarantee, though not sure why we would need that. Checked post office again for my goodie box, nothing yet!!  Managed to buy 2 single beds today for bedroom 3, will get them delivered 14th October, very difficult to buy anything just now as we just do not know when our house will be ready, have fixed an appointment with the builder for Friday afternoon so we can discuss where he is at and what is going on!!!  We have managed to find alternative accommodation as of Monday in one of our neighbours summer house, but we can have the use of the pool etc as he wont be living there as of Saturday until December.  Will be a slight squeeze when Katie and the kids come over but we can manage for 4 days. Have been trying to sort out what to do when she comes over, so they enjoy themselves, the weather will still be good enough for the beach and we have another couple of ideas to keep them occupied.  I feel a lot better now knowing that we are going to be living just above our house, so hopefully that will spur the builder on as things are very slow just now and becoming very frustrating.  There is a big tree outside our mobile home that is called a trumpet tree, there was nothing on it when we arrived on Friday and it is now full of trumpet blooms and it smells gorgeous at night, you get a waft of scent every now and then, must have one of them in our garden.  Sharron and Treve also gave us some pears off their pear tree, and they have a plum tree, orange tree, peach tree and apricot tree, all bear their fruit on different months so they are plentiful supplied, they have got their gardens really lovely and sometimes it is hard to believe that it is a caravan park.  Although for them it is their home and not like a static at all.

Trumpet Tree

Orange Tree

Mondovilliea & Jasmine

Thursday, lazy morning caught up with washing, ironing and housework.  Took a trip to the big garden centre in Tavira, we have been trying to commission some tile art for the front of our house, we have the design so just need to try and discuss what we want to see if it is possible.  Managed to discuss and showed a photograph so yes it is possible, we have a meeting with the owner of the shop on Saturday morning to finalise requirements and it can be ready on October 5th, we will see what Saturday brings.
Friday, early start today again need to go to the bank, go and sort out a Portuguese mobile number, met with Rolf about renting the Summer house and meet with Adrian to discuss the works at the house.  Douglas decided just before we were leaving that we could pack up a couple of boxes and a big suitcase to take with us to the summer house, why could he not have told me last night, time is against us and it takes so long to do everything that I just knew it would be another long day, plus I was up early so could have had that done before he got up, ooh MEN!!!  Still got them packed up and loaded into the car and off we set, now thinking we have to try and reaarange a couple of things to fit the timing in for our meetings.  Usually it doesnt bother me but from where we are staying it takes just over an hour to get to where we live. Off we set and first stop will need to be the bank, by the time we done that we needed to go and see Rolf, the Summer House is lovely and is just above our house, we have full use of the pool completely private so we are going to take it and move in on Saturday, nice and private and we can spy on our house as well LOL.  While there the Jwow had arrived at ours to do the pool and garden, had 30 minutes to spare before meeting Adrian so went and had a chat with him, pool is looking fantastic back to normal thank goodness, and his lads planted my new plants so they are now in their new homes, doesn't mess about.  The roof is on the extension and David is starting to put the tiles on the roof.  The third bedroom floor is nearly tiled.  Had a couple of phone calls regarding the windows and doors, they will now start on Wednesday instead of Monday as Adrian needs to chop out the wall for the new doors and also lay the base marble, if he starts this on Monday then it will be dry enough for the doors to be fitted Wednesday/Thursday.  Off now to Cafe Pinto to meet Adrian and have some lunch and serious conversation regarding where we are at with the house.  This was not too bad and Adrian still thinks that he will be ready for completion by the 12th October give or take a few days.  Pleased with that result although it is not October yet!!  We have been thinking about putting a Pool table on the upstairs Sun Terrace, so had a discussion about that, we would just need to reinforce the roof which is not a big job and whilst the other work is being done it could be done now, we will go next week and have a discussion with the company that deals with Pool tables and see what comes out of that, would probably add on a few days to the work, but what is a few days after all this time.  Better to do it now then wait until next year and have to redo some work.  So a positive outcome to that meeting.  It was then off to the Voadafone shop to get a Portuguese Mobile, Douglas has given up his UK number and now has a Portuguese number, a lot handier for us over here, I will keep my number for a while yet, also topped up the dongle as from Saturday we will not have Wi Fi again so back to the Dongle, still another few weeks and we will be sorted, it means we can now make definite arrangements regarding furniture, curtains etc, HURRAH!!!  After all this the long drive back to our mobile home, strange things you see as you are driving here, a Gypsy family on their horse and cart, Mum, Dad and Children, Mum is breastfeeding while jogging along in the cart, a definite milk shake don't you think, and then a very large Pig being transported on the back of a Quad in a cage, cant imagine any of that in the UK.  Tried to take pictures but they did not come out very clear LOL.

Roof going on

Wall coming out

Back to normal

Roof tiles going on

New plants rehomed

Saturday, ultra busy day today, moving accommodation again, had a meeting first thing with Osvaldo to discuss the wall art that we want for our exterior extension wall, so off to the large garden centre in Tavira, we have the design and know what we want and yes it can be done to specification and so we placed the order and it will be ready in about 15 days, we have paid for this from most of the euros that were given to us at our retirement party so thank you to everybody who gave us euros, a picture will be taken when it is in situ.  After that it was off to do some shopping, needed to get supplies in so we can have a half day of rest tomorrow without having to do shopping.  We detoured on the way back accidentally and came across the Tavira Salt Flats and Rivers with storks wading, fascinating sight.  Then back to our mobile home to pack and clean, we always seem to be moving when the temperature is at its highest, 88 degrees today, cleaning in that heat is just debilitating, Douglas sat outside talking to Treve!!!  I did manage to get him to load up the car though.  Cleaning done, washing dried and packed, off we go to our new home for the next three weeks.  We now have a smashing summer house to live in which is right on top of our house, so we are feeling much more relaxed again and not so much travelling to do.  Sharon and Treve bought us a nice bottle of Champagne for when we finally move into our house, we will keep in touch with them as they are a very nice couple and made us feel very welcome.  Relaxation time, only downside no freezer, so no ice for my Morgans and no Wi Fi so back to a Dongle, so if anyone wonders why I am not always answering facebook or Whats App it is because I only log on once or twice a day for the next three weeks.

Tavira Salt Flats

Wading Storks

Mobile Home Living Room

Sunset 8.20pm

 Sunday, after a nice lazy morning at last! catching some sun, met up with Mick and Pauline, had a few drinks and went out for dinner to Jolibela in Loule, we are staying at theirs tonight as they are leaving early in the morning to go to Spain and Douglas is giving them a lift to catch their coach.  Had a good laugh and got rid of the cobwebs. I can log into their Wi Fi so can catch up on all the news and post the blog, also can do my ironing as mine is still in storage, think I will need to go and buy one to tide us over.  Think we are going to get some rain next week, so will be a change, it will do the garden good anyway.  Have a busy week coming up so will keep you posted.