6 weeks

June 10, 2008

Our 6 weeks in Portugal are nearing completion. We have 9-days left. How did it pass so quickly?

It seems that it takes too long to slow ourselves down enough when we arrive to Portugal. Our grumpy, complex lives in State College remain with us until mid-stay and then as we realize the time is passing we grasp tightly the hours we still have. We’ve had wonderful days but it is only now that I am remembering to savor each moment. Life is moving fast.

The first week: mountain biking, cold, rain, EATING, feira, time catching up with family, listening to the church bells and remembering really special times from the year before.

Week 2: A beautiful week on the Alentejo coast of Portugal, a visit from my mom, surfing, kayaking, touring, playing with the kids, EATING, a day in Lisbon, a ferry ride

Week 3: Back to Chaves and to Quinta da Mata, mountain biking, swimming, playing with the kids, still too damn cold and rainy, EATING, a date, an afternoon at the circus

Week 4: getting bored, EATING, playing with the kids, hey, the sun is out, it’s warm,
swimming, mountain biking, exploring, a beautiful hike, a visit to Lisbon, laying by the pool and reading a book, a day trip to the beach

Week 5: A funky haircut, visits from friends from State College, feira, touring, touring, touring, drinking, touring, EATING, not exercising, laughing, celebrating our anniversary, causing a lot of conflict in our village because we put in a window, and hey, I think I understand about 80% of what people are saying around me. Could it be that I am learning Portuguese?

Week 6: my plan is to EAT well and savor the wonderful food that someone else has cooked, mountain bike for 3 hours each day, play with my children, drink good wine, watch sunsets from our new window, catch-up with my much missed ex-sister-in-law, enjoy family and breathe easy.

And at this very moment, I am gazing at the orange glow, from the sun that set hours ago, above the mountains far across the valley. I have a glass of fine port wine beside me. My children are asleep after another very full day of play. Duarte is enjoying an evening out with his brother. I am peaceful. What a wonderful feeling.