HOT, HOT, HOT and we have no pool ...........

8th June
Today was forecast to be the hottest day of the year so far (it had reached 35.5C, in the shade, by midday); I'm seriously contemplating cutting off ALL my hair, to an inch or two all over - unfortunately I don't think Brett will do it for me (maybe Pam?).
OMG Brett was attacked by the horned ram; he charged up behind him, whacking him behind both knees, Brett's feet were whipped up off the ground and he landed onto his back and hip. The ram was setting up for another attack, but Brett forestalled him - so he's got to go; Brett says I'm not allowed in the field with him.
We went to pick up our tractor from P&M; they have done masses of grass cutting and are going to take us out for a meal to say 'thank you'.
Now we have the tractor back I have to cut the grass in the BIG field .......
By 3.00 p.m. it was over 36C on the deck, so we took our Kindles and cold beer, and spent the afternoon by the pool - it was only filled from the well yesterday so it was a trifle cold!
I was perplexed this afternoon, I was finding eucalyptus leaves all around the house (we don't have eucalyptus on the quinta), Brett explained it - there was a dust devil/whirlwind earlier which deposited debris as it passed.
Our ram (not the horned one) is still suffering; he spends a lot of time lying down. We've wormed him, but that's as much as we can do - so we might be dispatching two sheep next week!

9th June
HOT,HOT, HOT ....
And we think that's what's wrong with the ram; he's a huge beast and he can't take the heat. We moved the sheep back to Lavender paddock and he kept up with the flock easily enough, but then flopped down in the shade.
Brett had a horrible job today; the blocks on the side and central walls all had to be cut (with an angle grinder)to make a straight edge, to mount the roof beams on.

From this to ......

....... this

Added this because my windows look good!

I started mowing the big field this morning; after an hour I had done three passes around the boundary (it is a big field) and I was so hot ...... the temperature on the deck was 37.5C (out in the sun it was 45C). I parked the tractor in the shade of a tree and retired to the relative cool of the house; which I then proceeded to heat up by cooking Spanish omelette and making Halloumi and ricotta cheeses!
We wait until it's cooled down a bit (7.00ish), then do an hour or twos gardening each evening; me the perpetual weeding, Brett rotorvating and both of us watering.
The ram seemed a bit better this evening.
Beer out of the freezer, with ice crystals just forming, is so GOOD ......
We had some of the Halloumi as part of a tapas meal this evening; it was squeaky and tasty - I think I've cracked it!

Though, if I do have to criticise anything, it's the cost (I've had people ask to buy it but there's no way they could afford it); five litres of milk made twice the amount cooked this evening and it took me about four hours to make it - so I've worked out that tonight's serving would need to sell for a minimum of 25€ to make it worth my while selling it!!!! Though when we eat it or serve it to friends I think of it as 'free' food.

10th June
Portugal Day, another Public Holiday .........
I actually got up early (before 7.00 am.) to start on the grass cutting, before it got to hot but the grass was wet (dew), so I had to wait for it to dry off; however it's forecast to be cooler today (only 25C).
What a horrible start to the day; the ram was dead! We had to manouvre him into the back of the truck - he must weigh 20-30 stones (i.e. bloody heavy). His skin was purple, so we think heart attack - due to his weight and the heat. Of course we can't eat him as, (1) we don't know for sure why he died (2) he wasn't bled (3) we wormed him recently - what a waste ........
Brett cut the final wall and finished the block work (yay!). I spent several hours on the tractor - I estimate that I have a good third of the field done (well at least a quarter). It's dirty work and I can't stop sneezing.
Hmmmm, Brett says I've done about a fifth (pooh)!!!!!!!
P&M treated us to a meal at the 'skewer' restaurant; we had a lovely relaxed evening.

11th June
This evening we went to the bar (with more friends) to watch football, England v Russia (1,1) - it was a very boring game!

12th June
I spent most of the day weeding.
Brett fixed the doors to the studio/workshop.
Then I cooked and prepared for entertaining more friends (Nicky & Rich); another lovely relaxed evening.
And now we're socialised out ........

13th June
I have so many water kefir grains; everytime I start a fresh batch (every 48 hours) they have multiplied, I'm practically begging friends to take some - I might even offer them on Facebook. Karina took some today and Diane is having some tomorrow (and my grains will have easily reproduced by this amount during this time, so I'll still have a surplus!).

I started with 2 tablespoons! !!

Cesar might be bringing our joists tomorrow - the roof could be on by the end of the week ......
I weeded (six rows of onions nearly completed).

14th June
Well my hope that the pool would stay clear if we kept topping it up with fresh water didn't happen; it's green with clumps of algae floating on it - so we're going to have to buy a paddling pool (to use until next year when we'll get a proper swimming pool).
And I continued weeding.
Brett continued studio work whilst waiting for Cesar.

15th May
Rather dull today, with a bit of rain.
1.5L of milk this morning (most ever in one milking and I didn't milk them dry) this gave me a total of 7L of fresh milk = cheese making day; Halloumi and Ricotta, as they're the only ones I'm confident with - I can't wait for Debbie's visit next week when she can advise me!
I also made 3L of Kefir lemonade but only 2L of water kefir as I'm running out of bottles, and space; Brett is starting to complain (I have rather taken over the brown cupboard!).
Diane took some kefir grains but, as predicted, the grains are multiplying faster than I can give them away - Brett says I can always throw them away (doesn't he know me at all????)!.
We wanted to flavor the ricotta, so far we've just added salt, so we 'googled' suggestions, and liked the idea of 'maple syrup with walnuts'; our version is 'honey and pecan nuts', it tastes delicious!

The Halloumi was 'spot on'😀.
Still waiting for our joists ........ they arrived at 9.00 p.m.

16th June
Up at 6.30 (me), 8.00 (Brett), as we wanted to get an early start and go in to CB. It's awfully cold this early, in fact it was a cold night - we had to have an extra duvet.
Bought lots (11) of solar lights for the deck, and other bits and pieces.
This afternoon I finished weeding the onions (at long last).

17th June
We had to go into Penamacor for animal and human food shopping.
We met Andy in Mini-P car park (prearranged) and I gave him a huge jar of water kefir grains for Clare to distribute amongst the Red Tent ladies tomorrow.
Then we met Josh to show him Jo's quinta (which he's selling for her).
A quick coffee with P&M (to pick up the material she bought me from the Spanish market).
Phew ..... lunch at home, then Brett laid the mezzanine floor in the studio/workshop. While I planted out lettuce plugs and sowed lettuce in a polystyrene seed tray which I have floating in the irrigation tank (an experiment that Wendy told me about).

18th June
27C in the shade (temperature is climbing).
I want to try making Chevre again, but I'm waiting 24 hours while I test the viability of my culture (just add to milk, leave in a warm place (68-72F) and wait).
Brett started making a staircase for the mezzanine; once he's completed that all that's left is putting on the roof and building a partition wall (so no-one can fall off), then it can be slept on.
I weeded tomatoes, tomatillos, aubergine and peppers before lunch, squash after lunch.
For lunch we cut into my first matured cheese (only three weeks old) - it has made a thick rind in that time.

I booked my plane ticket (Rebecca & Paul's wedding), I wish Brett was coming too.
Our bird net is ruined ..... a snake got caught up in it and Brett had to cut it out (the snake survived).

19th June
The hot weather is back ....... and we don't have a pool (hopefully we'll get one this week).
Hmmm, the culture did nothing to milk, it's supposed to set like 'pudding', mine was still milk-like (but it does taste sour); this could explain our lack of success with Chevre (maybe Debbie's bringing a culture that will work?). Having said that I did use goat's milk, so I'm repeating the experiment using (pasteurised, skimmed - it's all I have access to) cow's milk.
Brett is racing against the clock; today he finished the staircase; it looks fantastic.

20th June
Happy Birthday Mel. Xxx
Yes, the cow's milk worked, I have cultured buttermilk; this evening I will try making chevre again (setting overnight to avoid the excessive heat in the daytime).
Oh bloody hell it's hot!!!!!! And we don't have a pool ........
Brett carried on with the building (I don't know how he can work in the heat), I started cleaned and tidying in preparation for visitors (it's so dusty here and the main culprits for bringing it in the house are the dogs!).
This evening we went to Bar do Club, with friends, to watch England v Slovakia football match. Before we left I made my Chevre (fingers crossed).
Despite another boring football match it was quite a social evening. We paid our tab at gone midnight and then we get given another round of drinks on the house (we really didn't need them).

21st June
39C in the shade .......
At first glance the chevre looked like it was fermenting like last time

(I was scrupliously clean) but it was just scum on the whey, there were perfect soft curds sunk to the bottom of the pan;

Lovely soft curds

hoo-bloody-rah, I was starting to think I'd never get it right. As it was so hot today I hung my curds to drip

in the oven (tip found on the internet) as it's insulated and therefore cooler than the ambient temperature. 5L of milk yielded 21.5 oz's of cheese.

Chevre logs flavored with fresh chives

After giving away all my surplus grains (4 days ago), I now have more to get rid of .....

Brett fixed the roof joists in place, now the roof can go on! Tomorrow, however, we are going into CB to buy a (much needed) pool; we're going to have it quite near to the house (so we'll be able to run a pump and filter) and, when Brett has time (Haha), we'll get decking built around it.
I spent the day inside cooking and cleaning -two of my most unliked jobs (1) cleaning the oven; which will soon be smoky and dirty again (a thankless task) (2) washing everything on the dresser; but it does look lovely and sparkle now with just my favorite things on it

(too soon it'll have milking paraphernalia and animal buckets back on it - I'm quite good about not being too precious about it).
Once the workshop has a roof all the sacks of animal food will be out of the kitchen and Brett's tools will be out of the living room (happy days).
We had a totally home produced meal this evening; goat cheese omelette, new potatoes and cougette (our first one) sauteed in olive oil - pretty dam tasty!