– after 40 years of washing my face with soap, i talked to a dermatologist about my intermittent acne and now i have a skincare routine of sorts. i don’t have high hopes, but it feels fun to be trying something new!

– we had a fun game night late last week, and our friends brought over an unexpected gift of locally grown mangoes. they were amazingly delicious, and i hope our tiny mango tree will one day grow into something that produces mangoes as delicious as these. :D

– this week was the mediterranean diet fair, the biggest event in the town’s calendar. it’s really nice to see people out and about again, watching some outdoor concerts (mariza, moçoilas and a bit of jorge palma), stocking on gifts for friends, and to enjoy this end of summer buzz, the mixed joy and sorrow of the last days wearing shorts and sandals.

– we’re packing for 7 weeks away, give or take — weeks that will include both formal events in berlin, and hiking in the alps. we might have been a bit optimistic when we thought we could pack it all in a 20kg suitcase…