not much to talk about. weeks of whimpers and whines. soft fiberless food. silences broken by the cadence of walking canes, and grass trimmers buzzing away in the distance. recovery is slow and painful, and the day is spaced out by pills, more than any sane person can keep track, let alone 80 year olds.

there’s tears and frustration, and daily mishaps brushed away with some humor. we try to focus and get things done for work, but our concentration is shot by the phone ringing and periodic calls for help. the north has its advantages though, namely proper croissants and other sweets!

also neighbors who cook nice things, bright birdsong, a friendly dog that likes to be walked and fresh eggs! the chicken here are generous with their bounty.

and because apparently real chicken are not enough for me, i’ve started playing stardew valley in the evening. it’s a fun little game, open-ended and relaxed, and just my style.

the week was going ok… until it wasn’t. the boy’s mom fell down on friday doing something stupid and broke a vertebra. she’s in quite a bit of pain, and has to wear a contraption that is hard to put on, so we drove north for a bit to help. these things are not easy at the best of times, and are especially hard when one is in their 80s.

– speaking of people in their 80s, this short interview with leslie lamport had me day-dreaming of being 80 and still that sharp. just… wow. most 80 year olds i know are frail and barely managing, so it blows my mind to see people like this.

– after meaning to do so for years and never quite getting around to it, i finally caved in and got myself an external keyboard and mouse. i only tried it for a day before we came up, but both felt quite nice and were easier to get used to than i had anticipated. i haven’t used a mouse for years, but this new vertical mouse from logitech feels so natural on the hand that adaptation was a breeze.

– parents who come by to bring us buckets of cherries and make everything better. 🧡

– this week, i tried going swimming at 8pm a couple of days, just before the pool closes, and it was great. lots of kids with their parents hovering around, but no one else swimming for fun, so i still got a lane all to myself. while the teenagers do lap after lap of freestyle next to me, i move through the water like a turtle, alternating between back and breaststroke. i guess i’ll get there, eventually.

– because of the boy’s allergies, we got ourselves an air monitor that measures chemicals and particles in the air. it’s always showing mysterious numbers and intensities of stuff, that we don’t quite fully understand yet. 😅

– finished another couple of comic books from the library: one more taniguchi and desvio (portuguese graphic novel about teenage years). i’ve also read cloudy with a chance of meatballs, which was delightful.

– took a trip to mértola, for their islamic festival. we’ve been hearing about it for years, but had never visited the town during those days. it was nice though, and i wish we had stayed for the workshops and the concerts… there will be other years.

– a postcrossing friend from finland was in the area, and decided to visit tavira. it’s amazing to see friends we’ve known for over 10 years, how they’ve grown and adapted to the curveballs life threw at them.

– garlic dipping sauce noodles are the bomb! :D

a good, quiet week.

– rode my bike twice to the pool and saw some birds on the way there. the usual waders on the salt ponds, but also bee-eaters which are back from their winter migration! their bubbly noises make us look up as by instinct, trying to locate their funny shaped wings in the sky. sometimes, i’m still amazed at how many beautiful things are hiding in plain sight.

– seems like we’re in a taniguchi roll lately, as i’ve read another one of his books this week (land of dreams). the library’s comic book section isn’t very big, but there are some interesting things lurking there. next up: the solitary gourmet.

– i did a little presentation about our volunteering group (which picks up unsold food from supermarkets and distributes it) to a senior university class, and it was ok. the seniors had lots of questions and some healthy skepticism too, but it was fun. senior universities were not something on my radar, but they seem interesting — the people there study languages, philosophy, theater or tai chi… which sounds like all best parts of university! :)

– we found a new organic farm some months ago, practically next to our house. the girl who runs it is a ball of energy, and she makes veggie baskets and delivers them around once a week, on her solar-powered electric van. i don’t think it could get any better than this.