Hey Folks!!
So, the nicest lady in the world works in the bread shop down the road. We were 'talking' last week (as much as you can with a vocab of 50 words) and it turns out she's from Brazil; she said Brazil was beautiful.
Had a fab evening with the Codebreakers. They said I was to 'sing for my supper', so I read Gilt to them (the short story that won the Fish-Knife award). They seemed to like it, although they couldn't fathom why I bothered to translate latin words, or explain things like grisaille or de casibus - they couldn't imagine anyone not knowing such things. On behalf of the rest of the known world, I tried to set the record straight.
What a lovely day! I woke super-early, and was up sipping coffee-with-coffee-liqueur by the first family phone call. Later in the morning the folk in Dublin conglomerated, and we had an hour's session on webcam featuring the opening of the presents (their presents, as I had opened mine with coffee, accompanied by John Denver and The Muppets: A Christmas Together). They opened some red wine; I sipped some cava; cherubic Jack looked... well, cherubic, and darling Molly kept hugging the laptop, which meant that we were disconnected a couple of times. Too cute!!
It was a really still, quiet day today - more like New Year's Day than Christmas Eve. Funchal closes up shop at lunchtime, so there's none of that manic last-minute desperation you usually find in cities.
So I spent yesterday thinking it was Thursday, for no particular reason. I've figured out the days now, but it means that I have some catching up to do.
Gorgeous day here; just about to do my beer-in-the-sunshine thing out on the terrace.
There's a fleet of people cleaning the windows with power hoses - it kind of feels like being inside a car wash.
I'm just about to leave Madeira, having visited my charming daughter for a few weeks, and thought I should do a little blog for my other offspring. We've had marvellous weather, great meals, hilarious fun and some experiences that we can't share with you!
Had a funny Saturday evening: me and a florist running up and down the street on our mobiles, trying to say enough words in the other's language to communicate our position. I really should make more of an effort to learn Portuguese.
It was a really beautiful setting :)
We saw him again later on in the day, doing a three-point turn in the main street. Everyone was pretty laid back about it. Ho ho ho.
Days later: photos added, including me trying one of mom's ciggies...
My spidey senses tell me we're inching closer to Mom writing a blog. Baby steps...
Well, Mom was going to do a guest blog today, but she's stretched out on the sofa guffawing over the first issue of Preacher, so it's me again.
So, the fridge-that-time-forgot was being replaced today, which coincided with 4 cable guys arriving to do something or other. Landlord was standing in my bath fixing the shower when Landlady exploded into the apartment very upset (I just leave the door open on days like this). German Porn Man and his wife (who knew!) had shouted at her and had threatened to phone their lawyer about the cable folk.
Despite trying not to give stuff from Amazon, man do I love receiving stuff from them!
We braved the Christmas crowds in Funchal today - managed an hour or so before mom and I claimed sanctuary in a cafe with brandy and beer respectively. There will be one further attempt before I resort to Amazon.
Like I said, keeping the purdy whales in a big swimming pool is not the cleverest idea.
Day in the life November 22nd-23rd.
being much more thankful. Walkout to the living room to see my friend Joe and our dog Chyla curled upon the couch.
normal Thanksgiving day I have to make 2-3 stops with a Turkey meal at each, But this year we only have 1 stop which is great.
A boy, a girl, a slaughtered carcass... thanks Art!!
Just woke from an afternoon nap (plenty of wine for lunch) - Mom's still snoozing in front of Without a Trace.
It normally takes Mom a few days before she starts trying to sell me to passers-by at random. She's into the full swing of it now: the scale of fees is worked out and she's designing a 'VENDE' sign.
Fab looking sea today.In other news, Mom has found the perfect consulate substitute. Cigarettes are so cheap here it would tempt anyone to take up smoking just to save money!
We spent much of the afternoon chatting over wine in a local restaurant. When they came to close up the owner said we could stay as long as we liked, which we did. Then home for a nap, followed by the arrival of Mrs Codebreaker bearing avocados. I am so spoiled...
NASA runs a website of daily astronomy pictures, and I caught up on recent images today. Yesterday's was pretty phenomenal, but if you go back further there's also a shot of a car that's been smushed by a meteor, with some handy advice on what to do if you're lucky enough to come across things that have fallen out of the sky..jpg)
We've spent days chatting over various drinks and meals. There's a certain 1970s feel to the afternoons - given consulate ciggies and a campari & soda, my Mom is one happy lady!
Mom is becoming Super Tech Girl, making webcam 'postcards' to email home to Dublin. I bought some of her favourite music from iTunes: she's currently swinging her teeny iPod shuffle to 'I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair'.
Well, all is bright anyway. We went in to Funchal for the turning on of the Christmas lights, which we finally got around to after beer, shopping, movie, meal, wine. There was a fair crowd gathered in front of Sé Cathedral, with some music, miscellaneous dignitaries, and a lovely atmosphere.
I'm fascinated by regional word usage & slang (like the way "where is it?" becomes "where's it to?") in Devon. Mom brought me over a Dictionary of Cork Slang, which is good fun.The pawny was down all afternoon, and the place was fierce shlowny. The old wan is a dooshie little thing, but had a great lip on her for drink, so we had a gwall of wine, and then had wagons more. It's fair to say she wasn't far off rotto. We razzed each other loads, and then she had a good stroke so we vamped across the road for dinner. We had great taspy on us, and caused ructions in the restaurant - it was great hack. She's getting used to having her steamers indoors here, which is a change from Dublin. Anyway, she was flahed-out pretty early. Today she's had a gander around doing her traditional knawvshawling. She's cut the tripes out of me already regarding a variety of transgressions, involving the fridge, towels, coffee, bed, hangers etc., and she gave me down the banks for not having an extractor fan.
Still, it's me daza to have her here!
Martin's on his way back to London, and Mom is on her way here. She just texted from Lisbon to say she's been upgraded; her new flight will be getting in 90 minutes earlier.
Broadband on the blink most of yesterday, so we missed Martin's last guest blog.
Martin is off playing on the buses again, scenes from The Italian Job in his head as he zooms around corners.
I am currently winning 2-0 (yes I know shock horror... Orlaith is losing again) in my attempts to get out of bed after her. Deep down I know that she is upset, but she is pretending that she's not competitive - she can't fool me). Today I had another two journeys into Funchal courtesy of the suicidal municipal bus drivers of Madeira. If you have yet to experience the death-defying mountain roads of this volcanic Island these journeys are a essential part of any visit to this fair isle. Picture the scene; state of the art 1970s vehicular technology, together with 1950s design, complete with fake plastic leather seats (no expense spared) combined with a near Hindu belief in the virtue of death - a bargain at one Euro forty.
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