JONES SUNRISE ON ANOTHER TORRID DAYThis has been both an unusually hot and sociable week. Daily, Jones and I compare heat bumps and dab each other's more inaccessible eruptions - if you get my drift. (At least, we think they're heat bumps and not favours from our furry friends.
No such problems for Mello, who dives into her private pool after our morning walk.
MIDWAY VIEWPOINT ON THE MORNING WALKThis week's blog is an unashamed photo-fest. Any snippets of news are accidental.
Friday: We were pleased to be able to return a little hospitality to our neighbours, Idalecio and Natalya. The pair have moved into a delightful cottage, just below our property, adjacent to the accommodation that Idalecio rents to holiday makers. He has spent the last two years restoring his new home from its former ruined and roofless state. Natalia, who works for an estate agency, is as happy to converse in Portuguese or English as in her native Russian.
Saturday: Slavic got on with several jobs including the building of this minor rockery to house Barbara's overflowing succulents on the fringes of the car port. Note the motion-triggered solar lamps that light our way back to the house at night.
Sunday: We sponsored a visit to Zoomarine - a great local attraction - by Slavic, his brother Roslan (centre), and Roslan's visiting family from the Ukraine. Roslan followed Slavic to Portugal to seek a living a few years back (The work Ukrainians previously found in Russia has long since dried up). The visits to Portugal of Roslan's wife and children have been greatly facilitated by the recent removal of EU visitors' visa requirements for Ukrainians.
Monday: We had an evening visit from Lisa (left, daughter of commuting Irish neighbours) and her friend, Arlene. I leave you to work out which of the ladies is an airline pilot and which a scientist with a special interest in "Liquid Phase Exfoliation of Two Dimensional Crystals". (Private Eye readers should turn to Page 94 for an explanation of this process.)
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On such occasions guests are taken on a brief guided tour of the property along the pedestrian circuit through the park, in the company of the hounds. Treats at the top.
Refreshments followed. With them our visitors had brought a splendiferous cake to celebrate Barbara's birthday (the following day). Jonesy had several attempts at lighting the candles before we opted just to eat it.
As always, the dogs gave our guests a clamorous welcome. Mini, who likes "up close and personal" made herself at home on Lisa's lap -
with the same easy nonchalance as she shared Arlene's.
Afterwards, I was pleased to entertain the ladies to a demonstration of advanced dog training techniques. At last, a chance to display a little natural male authority. (Unless you little buggers sit down, you won't get a chewie!)
For the first time we are reaping an abundant harvest of fruits from the many almond trees that our kindly neighbour, Armenio, has grafted. (Almond stock is hardy and drought resistant, ideal as a platform for grafting fruit). Some trees bear both early- and late-fruiting varieties. There is something special about eating one's very own peaches and plums.
Those we can't consume fresh, Jones stews gently for future consumption. I find they go down best mixed with Lidl's low-fat yoghurt and muesli, along with a sprinkling of linseeds and a sliced banana. I should happily consume such a lunch every day. Jones prefers her home-made yoghurt.
Behold the steps that I have constructed at Jones's bidding to assist the ingress and egress of our regular car travellers, Ono and Prickles. For years Ono has leapt directly on to the back seat. But for some months he has required my supporting hand under his butt or he falls back.
COME ON!Now into his 18th year, the old fellow is growing understandably stiffer and deafer as well as vaguer (a description that might be applied in other quarters). Even so, he still enjoys his walks and an excellent appetite, as well as a prime position on the bed at night. In truth the two dogs are taking a while to get used to the steps. Both regard them with the greatest suspicion and do their best to jump over them.
Tuesday: This is the official birthday picture (you know, like the queen issues of herself and her brood). We marked the occasion by joining neighbours for a sandwich and wine lunch at the Primeiro de Maio snack bar in Funchais (which makes the best sandwiches in the world).
And in the evening we took ourselves to dinner at Monte de Eira - a special occasions venue in the hills above Loule. Well, it's not every day that one of us turns....what was it now?
On the way home we stopped at the Hamburgo in Benafim, where Lisa, Arlene and their aviator companions had been dining under the stars. The group had earlier mooted walking back to Espargal (an hour's trek along a narrow, unlit agricultural road) and we thought they might need rescuing, especially as the moon had not yet risen and the valley was pitch dark. (The orb was glorious when it did rise, glimmering huge and gold just above the trees!) In the event, no rescue proved necessary.
Mid afternoon. A truck arrived with two tons of firewood, intended to warm the house next winter - assuming that global warming doesn't do it for us. We provided the crew with cold water (and later beers) as they laboured for two hours in 33 degrees of heat to unload and stack the consignment in the shed. Our supplier likes to deliver to his regulars in the summer and to reserve pricier winter deliveries for those customers who fail to make early provision.
THE FIGS ARE RIPENING FAST - AND SO ARE THE CAROBSWednesday: The car thermometer read C*40 on the way home from my workout with Jodi. It's the first time I've seen it climb into the 40s, and I'd be happy if it were the last. Helicopters are clattering ominously overhead. The next two days look just as evil. Roll on autumn! I can't wait.
Thursday: It's been another stinker. I've dripped and drizzled from every pore. We kept our walk short and sharp. The bigger dogs, panting their discomfort, kept pausing to rest in the shade. I took the clippers to Russ and Barri on our return to give them a little relief. Thank heaven for the air conditioner we installed in the study.
Time to let the sun go down on a scorching week.
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