Yesterday we went for coffee with friends Sue and Dave.  The heat demanded that it be a beerfest instead so we had a jolly time. It was a fortuitous visit for us as their pool technician Manuel visited and we asked him if he could include us on his rounds.  He knew of QV and gladly agreed with a big smile!

And then today it was packing and off to the airport for our trip home.  The month seems to have gone very slowly and it seems ages since we arrived.

We have left irrigation on the fruit trees to come on 20 mins every other day and also some plants in pots are being watered for 5 mins every other day.

We are due to return on 5 August to see whether the pool people have kept their promise and done the work on the pool.  We live in hope!!

Another hot day. We had arranged to go out for lunch with friends Jane and Alan but when we arrived at their house we discovered that Jane was not too well so we decided it would be better if she did not go out in the heat. They recommended a nearby restaurant and just the two of us went there for lunch. Then home for a cuppa and snooze.

The July/August heat has hit now and it is why we do not spend those months here.  It is not much fun sitting indoors with the blinds down for most of the day although the car is air-conditioned thank goodness.  So we shall be quite glad to be back home on Tuesday evening.  

We had another dip in the pool to cool off but we cannot sit outside so it is a quick in and out.  The pool still has debris at the bottom and we are coming here again for a few days in August to make sure that the pool people have kept their promise and have done the work so that we can vacuum it.

The good thing is that we are far from being short of electricity as the sun is on the solar panel for a full 15 hours a day.

Agapanthus - star plant

The shade temperature is consistently 36 deg in the afternoons, the pool temperature is the same and we are managing to reduce the indoor temperature by 12 deg by using the ceiling fan and keeping the doors, windows and blinds closed. The well water is flowing more slowly now so we are having to be careful.

We have not been using the pool because we cannot hoover the debris on the bottom until the pool company have been to dig up some of the surround and find the blockage/leak.  The water is perfectly clear however and today we did take a dip anyway which was very cooling.

We are into our last few days now and have a full social weekend coming up.  This morning we called into Cath and Dave and sat on their terrace for coffee.  We are seeing them again for a meal this evening at a local restaurant as Cath and I agreed it was too hot to cook.

Barbeques are out of the question as no fires are allowed between April and October.

Scarce Swallowtail on Verbena

We had another visitor this afternoon.   The Swallowtail is found in all Europe and East Anglia and the Scarce Swallowtail is found in S. Europe only.

Swallowtail on Agapanthus

When I opened the door first thing this morning this is who greeted me !

This is what happens here.......

I was in the queue in Continente and had loaded up from my trolley. A lady came behind me and did the same when I noticed she had the local weekly English newspaper.   'Oh,' I said, 'is that the latest?'  She said she thought so and went to the stand to get me one.  'That's kind' I said and she said she was called Barbara and lived at Paderne not far from here.  She asked me if I ever went to Montechoro and I said yes because that is near our timeshare.  She said she volunteered in the cat charity shop there and I mentioned Lesley.  She knew her of course because she runs the shop and I have been supporting her for at least 20 years !   Barbara said that she works in the shop on Monday afternoons and it so happens we are going to call in then with some items for donation.  So as I walked away I was able to say 'See you on Monday then Barbara' and I have made a new friend !

This was how the three recent water deliveries arrived

Not for drinking I hasten to add !

Alentejo fire that brought huge clouds of smoke to Algarve put out last night

A fire that broke out in a rural area of Odemira in the Alentejo yesterday afternoon (June 28) – and brought huge clouds of smoke to the Algarve – was put out during the early hours of this morning, Portugal’s civil protection website has revealed.

The fire started at around 1.30pm in Malhada Formosa near Sabóia and was fought by 287 firefighters from Beja, Évora, Faro, Lisbon and Setúbal, assisted by 99 vehicles – including two aeroplanes and three helicopters.

Only when the night came were firefighters able to bring the fire under control and put it out.

Vast areas of forest and scrubland have been consumed by the flames, while farmland, beehives and agricultural equipment have also been destroyed.

Devastated farmers told reporters that they have suffered huge losses to property. No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Meantime, Portugal’s Sea and Atmosphere Institute (IPMA) warns that 20 municipalities across Portugal face a “maximum risk of fire” today in the districts of Santarém, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Leiria, Guarda and Viseu.

A smoky sunset to the NW of us

It was a sad farewell to Louisa and Beth at the airport on Friday evening but they had such a good time they are sure to be back.  And we shall be seeing Louisa soon at home anyway.  

It is very hot here now with 41 deg in the shade but thankfully it is a dry heat so it is more bearable.   We are not doing anything outdoors in the afternoons and keeping all the blinds down, windows and doors shut and all fans working full time.   

This afternoon we noticed the hills to the north of us had become very misty and we smelt smoke.  We phoned the local police and were told that there was a fire at Odemira which is 20 kms to the north west of us.  There is no wind so I hope it can be contained quickly.  It is not surprising because the hills are tinder dry and I am sure there will be more fires  before the summer is out.  

Sunday was changeover day!!  Lorraine and Dave left in the morning and we collected granddaughter Louisa and her friend Beth in the evening.  Both 18 they had just finished their exams and came over for some R and R. 

Monday was a rest day for all and on Tuesday we left them at the beach for the day.   They had a fun time and went paragliding.  (Photo of that to follow when Louisa gets round to sending me it) When we met up again in the early evening we had a Chinese overlooking the beach and a jug of sangria or indeed a couple of jugs.

On Wednesday morning we chilled out before taking an afternoon tour of the surrounding countryside (all on tracks) and visited the unhabited village.

Thursday was their day at the water park and we visited a retail park where Ann found plenty to interest her in the sales!

The girls have been lucky with the weather.  Last week it was very windy from the South but now no wind and pleasantly in the mid thirties.

The scene today

Yesterday was the day when the swimming pool engineer was due to come here in the afternoon.

Again it was hot and also very windy from the south west which is the worst direction for us and this dry wind does more to kill plants than lack of water.

We had a chilling out day to day - well except the tension built up during the afternoon when the swimming pool man failed to appear.   I telephoned him about 5 pm and he said it would have to be tomorrow!!!!! Well, as we've said before - this is Portugal!!

Today was just as hot and windy.  33 deg outside in the shade and 29 deg indoors.   So I am still sleeping outside.  The pool man arrived around 4 pm and set to work.  In the end a blockage under the tiles seems to be the problem so he will arrange for his workmen to dig up the tiles and find out what is going on before we return on 5 August.  

By this time is was 5.30 so we rested a bit then headed out for shopping and a meal at Chrissie's (favourite restaurant)

It is getting hotter every day and yes I have taken to sleeping out at night again. 

On Wednesday Michael had booked our car in for an MOT.  When he booked it in the man wrote the date in Michael's diary but not in the garage diary which Michael thought odd at the time.  We delivered the car at 10 am and then went in Lorraine and David's car for a day's ride out.  We first went for coffee in a cafe at the foot of the Rocha da Pena meaning Rock of Pity a large rocky outcrop in Central Algarve.  We are known at the cafe as we have been many times and Horatio the owner is friendly and chatty.  When we first used to go we could speak no Portuguese so it was sign language only.  Now we can have a reasonable conversation which is very encouraging.  We drove on north to a mountain village Cachopo where we stopped for a beer as it was getting very hot.   Eventually we came to Alcoutim a town bordering  the Guadiana River which separates Portugal and Spain.  It is a wide tidal river and after a picnic lunch by it we took the road south which runs alongside it and makes for a very pretty ride.

We all enjoyed the day out and at 5.30 pm we arrived at the garage ready to collect the car.  But no, we had forgotten that this is Portugal!!!  When Michael booked the car in the man thought it was for a service not an MOT and they had not booked it into the test centre so absolutely no progress had been made but they were going to take it over there and then.

We agreed to collect it in the morning and headed home.

So on Thursday it was off to Messines and the garage and then a bit of shopping because Rosi and Bob were coming for lunch.  We had a jolly fun afternoon and after they had left we headed to Silves to a fish restaurant where for some quirky reason we all ordered meat!  However we all enjoyed our meal and we were glad to get home after a long hot day.

On Sunday our friends Lorraine and Dave arrived for a week's stay.  They had come over on the ferry to Santander, N. Spain and had driven down taking 5 days on their journey visiting places of interest.  So they were pleased to get here and settle down for a bit. It rained in the afternoon and the water off the gutters put 3 inches into the swimming pool tanks which helped a bit but not nearly enough.

Monday came and in the afternoon we went out for some top up shopping and chicken piri piri in the evening. It was a better day but still cool. 

Today was a gathering of the other Garden Club I belong to.  This time in a member's garden who specialises in grasses.  There was a brief AGM and then we headed to a local restaurant for lunch followed by a short visit to a local nursery   While I was out Michael received three deliveries of water from a tank towed by a tractor.  We think that he filled his tank from the river.  These three deliveries filled our swimming pool water tanks completely.   

The swimming pool people rang to say they would be coming on Friday to see if they can solve our problems now that we have sufficient water.

Today it was significantly warmer and by tomorrow temperatures are expected to be normal again in the lower 30's with overnight temperatures being above 20.  I think I will be sleeping outside again by the end of the week.

Today it was up and off quite early and we treated ourselves to Full English and Coffee in the cafe in Messines before setting of to Guia to buy the plants for the pots which I didn't manage to buy the other day.  We dropped off some bags at the charity shop and shopped in Continente.  

On the way home we called in at Welsh Peter and went with him to see Luis who delivers water.  By good fortune we found him at home and he said he would deliver on Thursday.  Hooray!

Then home for quick lunch and a quick tidy of the garden and planting of the pots while Michael did a bit more work on the swimming pool.  But there is still not enough water to do a full clean.

Spaghetti bolognaise for tea and we called it a day.

A shot of the garden I visited.

On Tuesday it was the Garden Club AGM and as I am a new member I thought I should go along to show my face.  Although the meeting was going to be dry it was being held in a lovely garden I had not seen before so I was looking forward to it.   It took an hour to get there and I found it easily.  My prediction about the meeting was correct but the garden was inspirational and I felt in need of inspiration as I am going to have to rejuvenate my garden in the autumn.

Wednesday was a total disaster as far as I was concerned.  I went out intending to return with some plants to put in pots to cheer the place up a bit and some fruit but mainly a lettuce.   I found two nurseries closed so gave up on the plants and when I checked out at the supermarket  the lettuce would not register at the till so I gave up on it and just came home with fruit.  A wasted 2.5 hours.  Then I discovered it was a Bank Holiday - Portugal Day!

Michael has been spending hours trying to get the pool swimmable but things have not gone his way.  Firstly the lack of water has been a problem but also the system did not seem to be working properly at all so we decided we had to call in help.   Most if not all of the swimming pool companies are near the coast and four of the companies I called said we were to far for them to come out.  Only one said they could come over tomorrow and that they would ring.

Meanwhile Michael had been out and called on a friend we call Welsh Peter who has a neighbour who delivers water.  They went to his house and could get no reply. We have enough water for household things (although there is loads of washing waiting as we have to be careful) but not enough to top up the swimming pool.

On Thursday morning David the pool man did indeed ring and said he would be over in the afternoon.  Great! He got lost of course trying to find us but he did arrive about 5.30.  He found all sorts of things wrong and was able to put some of them right there and then.  He advised Michael how to deal with the other problems but the most important thing was to get water.

Today we drove to our friends Pauline and Alan about an hour away, had coffee with them and then set off to Monchique (the highest point in the Algarve) for some lunch.   On our return home we have decided that tomorrow we will call on the water man again and hope for better things.

More to follow.......!

Burnt up 'lawn crispy to walk on

On Saturday afternoon we went to the Algarve Fair which was really a trade fair promoting local business plus a dog show and music.  Then we went with Rosi and Bob for a meal at Chrissie's a restaurant we have all become partial to.  It was a quiet Sunday and on Monday we set out to shop for four days and to call in at the garage to pay the insurance and book an MOT.  As we drove down the track Maria was returning from her land with a bucketful of fresh veg. She invited us in and there we found two gorgeous Siamesey kittens.  The last time we had seen her she was very sad because her beautiful Siamese had drowned in a ditch as far as we could understand. So it was lovely to see her happy again with her two new kittens.  She offered us medronha and cake and gave us a bag of fresh veg and we were on our way.  Soon we saw Louisa on her land and it was a cheery wave and hello.  So we were somewhat delayed with our errands which we then did and were home for a late lunch. It is very hot and close and we haven't acclimatised to it yet so I slept out on the outside sofas under a mossie net which I had bought in Egypt and had a comfy night awoken from time to time by owls hooting very close by.  

We arrived at Faro on Wednesday evening and we followed the usual pattern.  Peter was there to fetch us in our car, then a quick shop for overnight and on to chicken piri-piri.  We were at QV by 10.30 opened all the doors and windows to get some air through and settled down for the night.

Yesterday we had a slow start and took our time looking around.  There has been no consistent rain here since last December just showers and thunderstorms which quickly dry off so everything is burnt up and crispy much earlier than usual which is worrying.  Not only because it is a huge fire risk but there are sure to be fatalities among the plants.

We keep the trees watered but the rest of the garden has to cope.  We have used plants that are adapted to this climate but this summer is going to be very harsh for them.

We went to Silves for shopping and started at Lidl for the basics and amazingly we met some friends there who we hadn't seen for a while because our visits here had not coincided.  So we agreed that it was high time for a evening out together.   We chose the  venue for a meal last time and they are going to choose this time.

Home for late lunch calling in to Peter on the way and crashed out for the afternoon.

It is 37 deg in the shade in the afternoons and today Michael mowed the 'lawn' early while it was cool and then we attended to inside jobs and general unpacking.