Wild Pirate Fun and Cobbing Heights!

A fun day was had by quite a few folk, including our family, building rafts and going upstream with the tide on the river Mira. My daughter built her raft and she took four kids. It floated well!

The mud walls have risen to roof height. We will put the roof on this week. Then there's the plastering and rendering on the outside. Soon there will be a beautiful bedroom where once it was brambles and fig suckers and morning glory.
 

It's been a not too hot summer but now we are getting scorched by the lower sun reaching in with a fierceness. There are big fires further north of the country.

The girls have started back to school. I have cabbage seedlings in pots. The ground is like rock still but hopefully it will ease soon, maybe some rain?

Back in the Van!

 Yes, well I gave it a go, living in a 'proper house, but it just didn't feel right. If I'm not living in my cob house (and I'm not, for the moment) then the van suits me very well. It's minimal living and comfy and I enjoy the little garden and the cob bathroom. Unfortunately, some wasps have decided to build a nest under the bonnet of the van so I daren't drive anywhere in case I get attacked by them. I've decided to wait until they die off. It's too hot to travel anyway.

It's August and there have been a few very hot days, but most of the time there has been a delightful breeze which has kept us all cool.

I got a pool for all of us to enjoy. When the school holidays are 12 weeks long, we need things to do and water to play in.

We began the new building project. In fact we are well into getting the walls finished. It will be a bedroom for my daughter. The walls are made from the earth from lower down in the garden. We have a volunteer helping us and as a three person team it's going well.

The local saint's day celebrations went on over the weekend. 

So life is sweet and I feel blessed.

End of June 2024

 Well, the brain is still being mangled by internet, but I have to admit I'm an addict and then do something about it.

I moved out of my van into a studio apartment. It's so weird having hard tile floor, running hot water and a flush loo. But I am next door to the family so I can help out and hang out with them, especially as the long summer holidays have begun. 

Also, my daughter and I are going to do a wee building project...

I made a little garden next to the parked van and have sunflowers over 2m tall. They bring me joy. The bees love them too.

This is a lovely place to dive into when the days start warming up.

I went to Wales to visit my elder son. We went to an Iron Age Village and loved the way the roofs had been built, and the thatching. 

 It's a magical country and I hope to explore more of it soon.

I also intend to write here more.

2024

 We have rain. It's raining like it used to way back when I first came to Alentejo.

I am living my minimalist life in the van, with my dear Bonnie and sometimes the cats are allowed to join us.

I fear that the internet is rotting my brain. In the old days I would spend a lot of time writing and thinking. Now, if I have a 'spare' moment I am drawn to the videos and posts of other people's lives. Days go by. I miss having a garden and a house, but am not ready for that yet. 

I will try and squeeze back into blogging.