PHEW, WHAT A SCORCHER!!!!

WASH DAY!!!

12th June

Ha ha, we're back to washing everything by hand; which isn't actually that arduous as we can do it outside and we hardly have to wring it out as it dries so quickly here.

We're going to build a chicken house from some of the wood we ordered the other day; we bought proper wood for our beams and decking but we also got a tonne of the trimmings; bark and bits left after trunks have been made into planks (sold as firewood) P&M have used it as railings, it's the 'pretty' bits! - if the shed works well we might even build a wooden structure for humans.

While I washed Brett strimmered a section of scrub land, for the chickens; just a perimeter so we can put up a couple of electric fences (though we are trying to find out if we're allowed to use them here, Nick thinks they're illegal because of fire risk) - it will be quite a big area. Unfortunately we can't have them completely free range because of the wolves!!!!

Oh what luxury .............. I had a proper shower at P&M's this afternoon!!!! I can have a solar shower here but I have to wear clothing, in case someone turns up, this one I had naked!

Today has been the hottest day so far, even the leather sofas were warm (did I say warm? They were HOT!!!) before you sat on them, it was like sitting on something that's alive. We brought our big pedestal fan with us, it's been a godsend. I honestly don't know how Brett trains in this heat.

Our wood was supposed to be arriving between 6 and 7 tonight; Cesar (the woodman) was going to drop off P&M's order first, as he'd been there before, then we would lead him to our quinta. So we arrived at P&M's around 5.45 ............. we had a drink ............. we had another drink ........... we stayed for dinner (thank you) .............. we had another drink ............ 9.00 he arrived!!!!!

He was a fabulous man; he spoke very good English but was willing to let us speak to him in Portuguese. It took nearly an hour to unload the wood our end as he was busy giving us a Portuguese lesson, he didn't get to leave until 10.30.

13th June

We went into Castelo Branco for supplies and stopped off at Mark (and Glenn)'s to pick up his scaffold tower, in preparation for our roofing work next week. The new ladder rack on the truck was very useful (as were the tie points Mitsubishi!!!).

On the way into town we pulled up at a junction behind this truck with it's hazard lights flashing. In the back it had, what looked like, several old oil drums; and around these bees were buzzing. The driver got out of his cab and directed us around his truck across the junction; he was dressed in full bee keeper's regalia ( but his headgear wasn't in place, or he couldn't have seen to drive!). After we had gone past he started to brushing his hands vigorously through his hair; our conclusion is that the oil drums were full of the honey, he'd been collecting from various farms and he'd stopped his truck because bees had got into his cab and were attacking him.

Today was another scorcher!!!