When I used to walk...

This weekend, back before my ankle was sprained :(, I went on a day-long hike with 30 other Lisbon youth group leaders. At least I used to have a youth group... I'm not really sure what happened there.

 

Portugal might have lots of bad things, but at least every inch of it seems to be beautiful and green and on the coast.

Roommate

I am temporarily living in my sister's house, while my new house is being prepared, and I have a new furry roommate. She is the real star of the show and I can't imagine life in this house before her. Inside cats or dogs are so much fun. Koshka ("cat" in Russian...she is a Russian Blue) has a wide range of hobbies: looking out the window and wishing she could catch some pigeons, intently watching people cook, hiding behind the curtain and attacking your feet when they pass by and rolling around and purring loudly for you to pet her when you get home.

Moving

I moved out of the house I've been living at for three years now. Even though I was tired of living there and am very excited about the near future, changes involve this sense of weirdness, discomfort and a lot of work.  

Groceries

My new grocery bag... 

It made me happy, walking home in the cool shade with a bag full of food. 

It's a traditional pattern from the north of Portugal, "Lencinho dos namorados" and it says (in rhyme), "Go bag in my hand, go run to the village. Go show my love his filling/parcel of joy."

Woman

A woman ought to have an immense capacity for acceptance. 

Be able to integrate everything...

floods of emotions, 

broken, shattered dreams, 

human frailty. 

Be adaptable, 

create and dream using unexpected materials. 

Make beauty out of the impossible. 

A woman is an endurance athlete, 

an artist with recycled materials, 

the last living survivor in a train wreck, 

the last standing spectator on the sidelines. 

A woman knows all, feels all, integrates all. 

Rest in Harvest - William-Adolphe Bouguereau