6^th June CASTELO BRANCO

I’m utterly shattered; I could hardly climb up the steps into the van when we got back from the farm this afternoon!!

We arrived at the village about 8.30 and met Gary leaving; so we stopped for a chat. I asked him if he knew anything about the village WIFI (as he speaks Portuguese) and he said he didn't know as he doesn’t have anything to do with microwaves or satellite signals.

First off Brett took down a fence (it was very slack and no good for stock), he wanted to reuse the re-bar (that had been used instead of fence posts) and I transplanted about twenty plants from in front of the ‘donkey shed’ to the potato patch (the dug up one). I don’t know what they are, some type of squash/cucumber/melon (I hope they’re melon) – they have obviously germinated from seeds dropped from something that was fed to the animals last year; it will be interesting to see what grows. I’m not going to buy anything to plant yet as we will be travelling back to the UK soon (well perhaps some herbs).

We built a large compost bin using the corrugated asbestos (I’m sure it’s just stuff that looks like asbestos) sheets and the re-bars and then proceeded to demolish the ‘donkey shed’; all the components had to be carried to their separate piles it took absolutely ages which is why I’m so tired; but it was a job well done and it helps with the general appearance of the place.

Tidying up

Mr Luis didn’t come today! Yesterday he made Brett show him that he understood how to use the water pump (he likes Brett and he’s always showing him stuff); then he showed us how to fill another smaller water tank which is used to water a lower part of the vegetable garden (where he has onions, beans, cabbages, and courgettes growing). He showed us how to water the citrus trees (and his salad and onions); apparently we don’t have to water the vines, peaches, figs or olives. He then told us that if we needed anything to visit him at the ‘grand maison’, he said that he would keep an eye on the place when we weren’t there (most of this was sign language and mime). We think that maybe that was him actually handing over to us (now that he’s got his potatoes out). What we don’t know is whether the rest of the vegetables are now ours, or if we’re watering them for him! We do know that there’re still potatoes growing for him to pick; but we don’t know if he’s coming back for the other vegetables too – it’s all very perplexing.

Just before we left I watered Mr Luis vegetables! Then I went to look at my squash plants – they didn’t look good, maybe they’ll pick up overnight?

On the way back to the campsite we bought some more cherries; these are the black ones and they are very fresh and delicious.

Nick came back tonight minus his dog; but the awful thing is he lost him, literally, the day before he was due to take him to the vet. He was staying at a festival site (no festival was taking place so I assume it was like a hippy camp) and the dog wandered off, Nick and about sixty volunteers searched for him for three days to no avail. So the poor bloke is bereft, as he said, he didn’t even get to say “Goodbye”.