lots of new birds, rain, video dinners with friends, a short caravan trip to hike around alentejo and check on our favorite coast, new succulents, lots of walking… and so much chinese studying.
a good month by all accounts, but i think this year is finally getting to me. :( slowly, tiredness settled in and it felt like my energy was barely enough to keep up with work and studying for the exam. i tried to squeeze in some walking everyday, but everything else just felt like too much.
october was a really full month, work-wise: after months of preparations we launched the world postcard day, aaaaaand a few days later opened the new postcrossing forum as well. it’s been a bit non-stop, and i could really use a break.
apart from that, there was lots of zooming, we got to see our new baby “nephew”, played a new star wars themed game, and did some painting in the house to try to remedy the landlord’s inertia. we walked a little bit everyday, tried to enjoy the last warm days. we also went north for a few days to stock pantries, take the family to the doctor and check on everyone from afar. so far, they’re all healthy — we’re keeping our fingers crossed it stays that way!
ah, my poor abandoned blog… where were we?
september was all #worldpostcardday and the new postcrossing forum all the time… though, as usual, the seconds i film tend not to focus much on that. i actually forgot to film stuff on so many days, sucked too deep into work to remember other things. :( sigh. we really need a break.
still, the seconds don’t lie — we did do other things too! friends and dogs staying over, science walkabouts, beach walks, a few nights playing wingspan, birdwatching…
an intense but good month overall.
august was probably the happiest month of the year so far.
life regained some semblance of normality, with a couple of our friends coming over to stay with us for some weeks, along with their dogs. i’d forgotten how nice it is to have guests roommates! we had long walks with them, went to the beach and birdwatched a few times, attended a couple of socially-distanced outdoor concerts (with assigned seats and masks), practiced how to solve a rubik’s cube, did picnics with more friends, and learnt more about the environment in our town through the summer activities that the local science center organizes.
i’m ok with this new normal, a careful arrangement of masks, distances and social circles that feels safeish. bring it on, september!
july was perfectly summery and nice. we spent 2 weeks of it up in braga, in my old university apartment. it felt strange to be back and i still don’t quite love the city… but some things have changed, and seeing it now as an adult also feels different. definitely an interesting experience!
this month we had lots of catching up with friends and family outside, lots of walks (trying to get some more movement in my sedentary life), tomatoes and chameleons, postcrossing’s 15th anniversary (!!!!), my brother’s new puppy…