May 20, 2012
by Johnny
0 comments
Chelsea beat some Barbarians, sorry, Bavarians yesterday to become European champions for the first time. Drogba was – is – a god. I calmed my nerves and celebrated the penalty driven victory with a reasonable 10th year old Jura. Now I am sitting at the airport flying to Serbia and I wish I had celebrated with something less alcoholic. 
May 12, 2012
by Johnny
1 Comment
Summer is coming. Brilliant sunshine a very blue sky and 24° are helping to make lunch ar Bigosse great. Today is Mr P’s birthday. Might have a bottle or two to help…
Coke only of course as I’ve given up drink…
May 9, 2012
by Johnny
1 Comment
Today is so weird. There is a glowing yellow disk in the sky, which appears to be radiating warmth and bright light. I have had a chat with a few oldies and they tell me it is called “the sum” and used to quite a common sight. I am a little scared, it seems very close to the earth. It is nice though.
May 6, 2012
by Johnny
3 Comments
Some people don’t believe I cook. Well I do. And it’s not as easy as it looks. Especially after a day of my cough cure medicine. I almost had a disaster this evening when the oven chip bag melted to the pre-heated (of course, I’m a cook) oven tray.
May 6, 2012
by Johnny
0 comments
The best cure for a sore throat:
It doesn’t work. But who cares?
May 6, 2012
by Johnny
0 comments
Ah, Phil, you are right. I have been lazy. Not like me at all 
Quick update then.
Weather. It has been p1ssing down for 1 month now. Warmer than England but only a little less wet.
Football. Chelsea beat Liverpool. I spent €29 on a month’s sub to sport TV so I could watch the match live. Why didn’t I go to Bigosses to watch it, especially when Robin & Laura are here visiting?
Health. I am busy recovering from Ebola. Lost my voice now. Been locked in the house for 3 days. Villagers have painted white crosses on my doors and keep asking me to bring out my dead.
House. Think I have found someone to deal with the pealing paint. Small hint for house owners here – don’t paint concrete. Concrete is waterproof and paint will just bubble off if water gets behind it. Grrr.
Visitors. next visitors are Mark and his family. Hopefully Des is back in September. However there are plenty of slots left for dog lovers.
Travel. Off to sunny Serbia in a couple of weeks.
Love the new tobacco kiosks in England.
April 20, 2012
by Johnny
3 Comments
Des and Julie have kittens. Wonder who the father was?
April 8, 2012
by Johnny
1 Comment
Des has been, and gone. We had many good weather sunny days, winning an Englishman’s tan, we ate too much, we drank too much. We did the usual touristic trips – Ponte de Lima, Guimaraes, Geres, Ofir, Bigosses. Alas, I lost the Galactic Cribbage Championship 11-9. We watched each episode of Game of Thrones. We bought some pots and planted some flowers. It was a lovely week, ending on Easter Sunday with an early morning visit to Porto airport.
March 31, 2012
by Johnny
1 Comment
I have a weeks holiday. Hurrah. And Des is here for the week. Double hurrah ! Just arrived at airport to meet him. Thank heavens I remembered he was arriving today and not tomorrow…. Ahem
March 24, 2012
by Johnny
2 Comments
March 16, 2012
by Johnny
1 Comment
March 15, 2012
by Johnny
1 Comment
So. Everytime I tried to run two appliances at once my fuses blew. I asked for a bigger package… Nope. I had 45 amp hours, the max. But – 3 phase. Doh. Engineer booked, electrician booked. 4 visit bookings later its done. 30 amp hours of domestic electricity.
How did I finally get the engineers to turn up? Lady at work, her husband works at leccy board. Engineers didn’t turn up in the end, he did. An admin manager. How safe and well run is the electricity company here? Answers on a burning postcard please.
March 12, 2012
by Johnny
0 comments
I think Ze is getting carried away. One bottle Chimay = €2 more than a bottle of Quinta de Lixa. Crickey!
March 10, 2012
by Johnny
1 Comment
The wind has gone, and as the night has drawn on the air has dropped. The valley is full of smoke and the moon is red. I couldn’t get a better photo than this. In real life it looked much more dramatic.
And the inside of my house is covered in pollen from leaving the doors open on an early spring day. Ehhh, living in the countryside…
March 10, 2012
by Johnny
3 Comments
The weather has been very dry. Only a couple of rainy days. Everywhere is dry. I bet we see a lot of fires this year. For instance:
YouTube video uploading as I type…
