I needed a plastic sleeve the other day to give someone some documents. The only one available (and decent-looking) was one containing seven sheets of pretty writing paper. This was a gift received seven years ago from a friend with whom I used to correspond frequently via snail mail. I appreciated the gesture very much.... Continue Reading →
Rude comments collection
The most delightful public scultpure I have encountered is on a roundabout as one approaches Faro airport. It consists of an assemblage of slightly larger than life figures in various postures all looking up towards the sky. Made of limestone, on top of which much of the Algarve stands, they have the feel of being... Continue Reading →
Bananas!
There is nothing so wonderful as coming across exciting news by accident. Little did I know, whilst struggling with a capricious Internet connection as I was researching EU regulations on biodiversity and the like - as translators do - that today I would stumble upon a remarkable piece of information: The banana genome has been sequenced!... Continue Reading →
Recently a friend posted a photograph on Facebook of an idyllic scene at a nearby beach which she captioned, "Where I live": Now, I do not know precisely where she does live, but I do know where she stood to take that photo, and she most certainly does not live there! In her mind perhaps,... Continue Reading →
Fashion Show – Desfile de Moda em Empreita
Photographs are published here with the permission of and acknowledgement to Nuno Santos. His work can be seen on his Facebook page. On Saturday evening, João went out in the car for the first time since she broke her leg on 27 May 2012. The shorter, lighter cast replaced the huge and heavy plaster one a... Continue Reading →
An unexpected treasure
An unexpected treasure.
An unexpected treasure
—This post is the first of two fashion stories. More or less. The second is an illustrated version of an overly long Facebook status update made a few days ago. This story has been written with the assistance of my misplaced notes dated 23 December 1999 referred to in a post entitled, "Miscellany" from October... Continue Reading →
Wright on the button
I have just migrated to WordPress.com! All my previous posts have successfully landed here intact with minimal effort on my part. I have managed in the short space of 30 minutes, however, to create the ugliest possible composition of graphics. Those of you who worked with me years ago on various annual reports will laugh, and know... Continue Reading →
A bright idea
Buying light bulbs used to be easy. Where I came from, British standards were followed in this regard. We had screw or bayonet types (gory name, that last one). For the bathroom 75 watts was ample, 100 watts more than enough for the verandah, and 60 watts if you wanted decent lighting at a desk... Continue Reading →
That elusive pair of jeans 