Keeping it simple

Sources of Joy – Days 52 and 53

Day 52, a Friday, brought with it the joy of clearing a debt just in time, and of giving a few smiles to the woman at Social Security (a published poet) while I described looking at the sea as an opportunity to “look at all possible dreams on the horizon more clearly” – or some such.

Thanks to the head office of the above mentioned not answering the phone, and the computer being slow, I had to wait for two hours spanning lunchtime. The joy part of it was the two hours I spent in the nearby library in the periodical reading room, which is also a cafeteria. It gave me time to review my all-important “day book” – my notebook – and write a few more things down.

Later in the afternoon, I came face to face with some long-held latent anger, and asserted myself in a way that even I found surprising. I literally kicked some butt. Although entirely justified in my view, I still feel a bit ambivalent about the action itself, but it was good to make my point so very graphically as I move down the path of sorting out what I want and do not want in my life. Ha!

Day 53 was spent working for the most part, and after two weeks of being on my own, with João in respite care, I finally managed to get everything  – except my office – neat as a pin, the way I like it. That’s a source of smugness, really. And not quite as delicious as the moment when I bite into another fresh fig – one of many which was a traditional annual gift from a friend.

In other news, a Macdonalds has recently been revealed although not yet opened near a popular supermarket in the historic town of Loulé. While in the supermarket I noticed a preponderance of teenagers with pizzas from the in-store take-away. “Just like Lisbon – kids eating rubbish”, I thought. Competitive marketing at its best.

I have waited most of the day to no avail for my smart phone to pick up enough of a signal to send a recent picture of my feet at rest. The cheeky minion will have to do – and the latest in the coffee collection:

Allison