Life lesson #1 from orchids

You can't rush things and you must be gentle. Otherwise, you mess it all up. 

Oops...

Try and try again

My week of vacation (Carnival/Mardi Gras holiday here) started off just as all vacations at home should start: a sunny day, a clean house, freshly baked bread and a failed attempt at making Milano cookies. It was my first time so hopefully with ajustments it will turn out perfect at the end of the week... 

 

When life gives you lemons...

...make lemonade. Today I was lucky enough to have lemonade with my chili. My coworker gave me organic, homegrown lemons from her sister's farm in the north of Portugal. It is so inspiring to hear there are people that leave their city jobs, move into an agricultural area and roll up their sleeves. And apparently her sister has lots of (young) friends up there also. I heard a Portuguese author, Jose Luis Peixoto, talk on TV yesterday about Portugal and I was super impressed. (I'm actually running out to buy his books) He said he thinks (old) people that live in the country and closer to nature are also closer to the essential things in life. They can't hide from them like us city folks do, things like death. They don't waste time with non-essential things.

Beach buds

This weekend D and I were beach buds and had lots of "business meetings" and time together. It was wonderful. I am savoring the last weeks (or months) I will be living so close to the ocean.

Superbowl sadness

Defeat is so hard to deal with. I only just painted my nails especially for the occasion and stayed up until four in the morning (with work the next day) at my sister's house to watch the superbowl... for the 49ers to lose. Better luck next time, 49ers.