Monday, both of us still have flu although at least my eyes are starting to look better. Headed out to Tavira today as wanted to get some Rose bushes and a Portguese Salt Pot from the garden centre. Didnt manage to get either so will have to go on the search again tomorrow. Did buy a couple of electrical items though, Richard and Katie gave us euros for Christmas so we got a Juicer and a Blender/Chopper/Whisk for the kitchen, used the chopper tonight and will use the juicer in the morning for our fresh orange juice again, so thank you Richard and Katie these items will be used daily.
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| Electrical Presents |
Tuesday, flu is still hanging around. Headed out to see if I could get any of the items on my list, did get my salt pot but nothing else. Have signed up for my Zumba lessons so start them next week, hopefully by then I will have found my sports bras etc LOL. Preparing for Jim and Jans visit tomorrow, got the double room sorted out and bed made up, prepped dinner, am doing 3 courses all homemade so everything all ready to be put together and cooked. Douglas has spent the last 2 and a half hours putting his telescope together, there has been a lot of muttering under the breath, so I have just left him to it. We have also managed to get all the plant pots sorted out and into place, although at the moment nothing in them is growing so think I might have to buy new plants for them all. Pity rain is forecast for tomorrow was hoping for a lovely sunny day for Jim and Jans visit as when it rains it is like we are living in a cloud, not to worry fire and heating will be on and there will be wine flowing.
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| Big Yellow Salt Pot |
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| Telescope assembly progress |
Wednesday, first thing this morning was nail day, nails were looking pretty messy so felt better once they were back to normal. Back home to finish preparations for our meal tonight, Tomato and Basil soup, Bacelhau Com Natas and Pudim de Pao, hopefully Jim and Jan will enjoy. We picked them up from Albufeira at 3.00 the sun was shining although there was a chilly wind. Think they thought they was going to the back of beyond, settled them in showed them round the house and then it was on to the terrace with a bottle of Red and some Beers, managed to catch a pretty sunset and then in to eat and enjoy the log fire. Meal went well be interesting to see who gets up in the morning!! Jim and Jan kept us going with their funny stories, we all had a good night plenty of laughs rounded the night off with a couple of whiskies and vodka. A very good night had by all, It has been a good month, being able to go out with them once a week to different places and also to have them as our first visitors rounded off the month well. They also bought us a lovely pair of tea towels which are really far too pretty to be wiping dishes with, but are very much appreciated.
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| Too good for Dishes |
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| On the Terrace |
Thursday, I was first up and everybody else missed the beautiful sunrise, thats what holidays are for though no need to get up with the birds, and they did get up so at least I didnt poison anybody. Another Warm morning we had breakfast on the terrace, think the boiled eggs could have done with a wee bit longer cooking time poor Jan and Jim insisted they liked them soft!!! also the bread here when it is toasted is rather hard so crunching was the order of the day all washed down with a good cup of tea LOL, by the time we decided to move it was near 12 and we took a run into Loule just for a wander, another nice little town with plenty to see, although it was a cold wind, then sadly we dropped Jan and Jim back in Albufeira, they are on their last couple of days before heading back to Scotland so they can have a chill now and relax, I look forward to keeping up with their antics on FB and to hearing about their next set of travel plans. By the time we got back it was getting quite cold again, Douglas was going to the 5 0 clock club and I was waiting for the house alarm engineer to come out to sort out our alarm. He ended up being at the house for an hour and a half as everything needed to be changed/adjusted/checked at least it is now working properly and the sensors are all in the correct positions. Plus we now have another job added to the list as the alarm had to be taken off the outside of the house so it has left us with a patch on the wall which will now need cemented and repainted, funny I thought the list was meant to get shorter!!
Friday, Douglas has found the ideal person to do the odd jobs that we need, Michael who works locally and can do all the jobs that we need done, he came to the house today and talked everything through so will come up and do bits and pieces as and when he can, he charges by the hour so it will save Douglas trying DIY. Hopefully next week we will get the pictures on the wall and shelves done. Shopping day and lunch out and then back to sit on the terrace and enjoy the afternoon sun. Pictures from Miss Madison cheered me up as well.
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| Granny I need a Hug |
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| Am I Gorgous or what |
Saturday, Thought I would catch up on a few things in the house today. Borrowed a Steam Cleaner for the floors from Pauline, so cleaned all the floors, to be honest I think a mop and bucket does just as well, I have cleaned the tiles that well that a steamer does not make much difference LOL. Douglas put up all the outside ornaments on the terrace so that is looking a bit brighter. Thank you to all who contributed to the Terrace you should recognise your gifts. We had to haul down all the boxes and suitcases from our wardrobe again as I was looking for my sports bras and T Shirts for Zumba on Tuesday and also looking for my other handbags, eventually found them all and have now labelled the boxes and cases so that we know what is in them, getting a bit fed up with having to get them in and out of the top wardrobes, should not need to go into them again for a while yet. Cooked a whole plate of prawns in Beer and Lemon for tea, yummy.
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| Butterflies have landed |
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| Portuguese Scene |
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| Ladybird to go |
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| Spider in the Web |
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| What can I say! |
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| Something to Say |
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| Prawns for Supper |
Sunday, Douglas put up a few of the smaller pictures around the house, again some will recognise their gifts others are old time favourites, there are plenty more to go up but they will need drilling and screwing to the walls, not a job Douglas is going to tackle, as the amount of times he hit his thumb with the hammer I am not sure why he bothered doing the wee ones. I sorted the boxes in the wardrobe of the double bedroom, have managed to empty another box still have not found Douglas's other pair of golf shoes or his darts yet. There are more packages scattered around so I guess now I will need to unwrap all the packages as well. Another job for another day. Slowly getting there and things are looking good, weather has been quite changeable some rain but still plenty of sun and still managing to get the washing out and dried so cant be bad. Have had a Baby Pork leg in the oven all afternoon slow roasting and the smell is scrumptious so hope it tastes as good as it smells.
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| Retirement pleasure |
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| Odds and Ends in the Kitchen |
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| Double Room Decor |
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| Double Room Decor |
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| Double Room Decor |
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| Hallway Light |
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| Grans pieces in the Hall |
