A late entry tonight at 11.30pm as I start to write this…but the clocks go back soon so imagine it’s just 10.30pm.
We awoke to a beautiful morning. The sun was streaming through the windows of Tut and we spent the first few minutes looking at the photos on our dream board which is on the roof over where we sleep. Our dream board is made up of all the things that make us happy. It includes things like ‘abundant health’, ‘feel fulfilled’, ‘positive family and friend relationships’ as well as goals like ‘a verandah with spectacular views’, ‘be confident in conversational Portuguese’ and ‘celebrate Phil’s 60th birthday in style’. Seeing it first thing in the morning and last thing at night reminds us to live our life consciously creating a life that makes us happy. It was too gorgeous a morning to stay in bed so we sat outside with a cuppa as the sun came up.
After a shower in our ‘luxury’ outdoor shower tent – best purchase ever! – Phil set about collecting rocks to put around the edge of Joey’s enclosure to stop him escaping to victory and I set about checking the measurements and positioning of windows for the house. No sooner had we started when Monelli, our Portuguese neighbour, walked down to see us. He told us he’s 90, not 89 as I wrote the other day. He’s lived and farmed here all his life so he is full of fantastic knowledge. He looked at the house, now roofless, and tapped the walls and floor telling us they were all in excellent condition. Then he walked around all 4 acres of our land pointing out different areas that were best for growing because the soil is really good and showing us where and how to prune the different cork oak and the olive trees. He was so agile and fit as he walked around – if that’s what breathing the fresh air here does for you, abundant health is here to stay! After about an hour of walking and talking, he said goodbye and as he left he said we are ‘vizinhos e amigos’ – neighbours and friends. How touching.
This afternoon we had a spectacular thunder and lightning storm with torrential rain, then the most beautiful rainbow appeared – the first one I’ve seen here. It gave us chance to sit inside and do some work on our laptops and time for an afternoon ‘shluff’ (Yiddish for nap).
As the sun came out again, we went out to finish off some outdoor work but no sooner had we started than three more neighbours came by who all stopped for a chat – Ellen who is around our age and originally from Germany, Ben who is here with his partner and 2 year old daughter, also from Germany, and Adam who is in his early 20s and from Israel. Adam had just been to help a local community project planting trees for a neighbour. There is a wonderful international community spirit here and everyone is here for the peace and simple life, working on building their home and developing a sustainable lifestyle and helping each other out.
Better post this quickly now as it’s 11.58pm…before the day changes.
