Where we live, where we want to live, where we grew up, where we went to school or fell in love for the first time – these places shape us. The places we come from, escape from, love, loathe, long for, go searching for, unexpectedly end up: they define our lives. Place matters, and not just in a concrete, physical way. The environments we live in are sometimes the most defining features of our lives. Places have emotional and spiritual heft. For better and worse, in beautiful and heartbreaking ways, they get under our skin.
– Laura Sackton
May was a moody month with the weather fluctuating worse than the moods of a teenager. I ended up switching the underfloor heating on twice after I’ve originally turned it off in April, and although the month started with a daytime temperature of 14.8°C, it ended with 36.5°C. Patches of snow pooled in the distance on the Serra de Estrela until a mere couple of days ago, when a blast of hot air announced the cruel and sudden arrival of summer. Climatologists predict yet another record-breaking summer as El Niño makes way for his little sister, La Niña, plunging the world in what may well be yet another cycle of unpredictable weather patterns.
I find myself already longing for autumn before summer has even properly started. Perhaps it is a reflection of my interior world, which left me exhausted and overwhelmed in the wake of building and quinta chores. After the workshop floor was levelled and compacted during Michael’s visit in April, it was up to me to spread 3m³ of sand to prevent stray bits of sharp stone to puncture the waterproof membrane that had to be rolled out, followed by sheets of insulation, another layer of plastic/geotextile, and finally large rebar meshes.
Interspersed with bouts of strimming, the work felt brutal and tiring, even if it was all done with plenty of time to spare before Michael arrived to lay the underfloor heating pipes with the help of two friends. Although some of the work I did on my own, I spent a delightful day with a friend who helped me do just shy of half the liner and insulation, ending the day with a couple of glasses of wine. It just so happened that someone passed by in search of our neighbour, who later told me this man said to him in a tone of bafflement that “there are two women working really hard over there”. It still makes me giggle, as I doubt it is a sight he routinely encounters.
Even now, in the wake of Michael’s visit, as I wait to get confirmation of when the floor will be thrown, I still have leftover tasks to complete. Both Michael and I are experiencing a deep exhaustion that makes us both long for this project to come to an end. Although the floor will hopefully be thrown early next week, and the cladding done before June is out, there will be many more tasks waiting in the wings for it to become the space Michael has always dreamed of.
As I write this I am hiding inside with the air-conditioner switched on, while the cats are sheltering outside in pools of molten shade. Lily is looking scruffier by the day with bits of dried leaves and seeds burying themselves in her once white fur, while Midnight, despite her short hair, seems to bring in shovelfuls of sand. Gone are the nights with both cats sharing my bed, cuddling close for warmth and love. They tend to disappear for hours on end, but at least still heed my call for a walk when the sun dips below the horizon. Like them, in summer, I turn into a crepuscular being, only really feeling alive during the bookends of the day.
Moments of Joy:
Although I mostly felt overwhelmed and exhausted, amidst a relentless wind blowing for the last two weeks, I never fail to notice the charms and seasonal beauty surrounding me – bee eaters swooping low for tasty morsels, the cheerful songs of nightingales, Griffon vultures effortlessly riding the thermals, the tinkling of sheep’s bells, the grunts of a wild boar so close to the house it made my hair stand on end, and Michael calling me to see, for the first time, a corço (roe deer) on the land, following its trajectory through the long grass, as it crossed our land.
As Michael once again flew into Lisbon, and a dear friend from my UAE days was passing through at the same time, I managed to not just catch up with her and her husband, but also met her sprightly 91-year-old mother and a cousin who were travelling with them. Spending two nights in Montijo, I made use of the ferry to hop over to Lisbon, where the throngs of tourists already clogging the streets made me grateful that I booked the nights outside the city. I did manage to secure a spot to visit an off the radar museum, which is a true gem, completely free to visit and guided by an archaeologist. A quick visit to Salsa jeans for much needed shopping, lunch at Honua, and one of Bizarro Gelato’s inventive creations after my museum visit later, and I was relieved to be heading back across the river, away from the congestion and masses.
Notes:
# I managed to find a cat and quinta sitter on Trusted Housesitters, which meant I could finally plan and book a ticket to South Africa. The whole process to register my listing was quick and easy, and although my trip is still upcoming, I am impressed with the quality and support from the platform. If you know someone who would like to become a sitter or need one, you can get a 25% discount, while I get two free months if you sign up via this link.
A Portuguese Expression:
À sombra da Bananeira – this literally means sitting in the shadow of the banana tree, and depending on context and intonation can mean that someone doesn’t have or doesn’t want to do anything. It can also be used as a criticism to call someone lazy.
No wonder you are worn out. It’s such a big project. Hope the weather is a bit kinder.
Thanks, Peggy. Yip, it feels like a never-ending project, but we will eventually get there. – Jolandi
It’s incredible how in just one month the daytime temperature went up by more than 20°C! I love how Midnight seems to be inspecting the workshop floor. But Lily looks really cute taking a nap in the bush! The cats will surely stay busy watching you and Michael finish this long project. How much longer do you think this will take? I hope the coming summer will be kind to you and your quinta. And I’m really excited for your trip to South Africa!
The weather really has been crazy, Bama, but thank goodness after that ridiculous high, we are back to just 30C, with a cool wind. I still have so much strimming to do, and it is really not ideal in the heat. We are hoping that the floor and cladding will be done by the end of June. Fingers crossed it is a realistic goal and not wishful thinking. It is always tricky when one has to wait for people, so who knows. – Jolandi
One day, when all is done and you look back on these difficult, tiring and overwhelming days, there will be a smile on your face as you appreciate the energy, love, patience, frustration and anticipation that you poured into this project. I am just in awe of your grit and determination. It’s a wonderful example of a life lived with passion.
Take care my dearest friend.
Veronica
Such wise words, my friend, and I know you are right. Some days I wish I could fast forward it, but I guess that would be cheating and perhaps make me appreciate the end result less. There is something very rewarding in knowing how much of one’s own life force has gone into projects, and my hands are certainly touching things on this land that I never thought I would. – Jolandi
Just as the cycles of the seasons never stop – nor do your projects. I can feel your exhaustion coming through the story. At the end, only a few people will know all the work that has gone on underneath the workshop floor. But it will pay off, you know that. How amusing your neighbour and his visitor commented on your hard work without offering to help 🙂 Probably a valid reason. But I can imagine four people laying out and stretching the various materials would have been so much easier.
Interesting link to home sitting. I was already considering joining one called Mind a Home, but it hadn’t come top of my list yet. I am in the last week of a seven-week dog sit. The house is so huge that my girlfriend and me, who are doing it together, have a self-contained level each. We share Raven, end up walking him for 60-90 minutes each, and compete for his affections. I cooked Osso Bucco recently, and with his owner’s permission, he is eating the bones. There is no moving his bone! If you try, he grabs it and runs under the table or somewhere you can’t get to him easily. Too cute. Right now he is asleep on a couch beside me and it is safely tucked under his ear.
We are both here to write, and I have just about finished yet another version of my “Louisa” manuscript. A publisher showed interest if I would recast it as a historical novel. Heaven help me – it’s going to end with a church wedding scene, a la 1886, suggesting happy ever after. But I agreed, as I have the real story as a nonfiction manuscript in the wings, and the indication is they will work with me on that also.
We are now officially winter, although it won’t be like Portugal. But we have had so much rain in the last six weeks! And this house is perched on a clifftop almost ready to slide into the Pacific Ocean crashing about on the rocks below, so exposed to both rain and wind. The place is called Coalcliff. Very picturesque, with a dense bushland escarpment immediately at our back, but as the name suggests, has been mined for coal which only finished recently. So in my opinion the ground is unstable, and this becomes very apparent with sustained heavy rain. Lots of old miner’s cottages being demolished or renovated. Huge money going in; but I’m not tempted to own one.
All the best for surviving June. Oh! By the way – our media is full of stories on olive oil shortages because of the weather in Spain & Portugal, and Italy to a lesser extent. Our home grown production is insufficient to meet all demand.
I am so happy to hear that your mentor is now happy with the direction your novel is heading. Good luck for that final push. It certainly has been a labour of love, and although it may not be quite the way you envisioned it from the beginning, I hope that you will be happy with the end result. And if all goes well it seems that you may well also get that nonfiction version of the story published. How fantastic that would be, Gwen.
Your house sit sounds amazing, even if it must feel a bit precarious perched on the cliff like that with all the rain. And your dog tales are so cute. This house sitting idea is so wonderful for both parties. You should definitely check out Trusted Housesitters. So far, I am really impressed.
As for my neighbour and his visitor . . . it was the guy who will be doing the floor on his workshop project who passed by and asked for directions, which, like ours, is taking up all his time and energy, so even if one wants to lend a neighbour a helping hand, it is just not practical. He did, one evening quickly came over to push some heaps of soil flat and out the way, so he has a good heart. We also managed to have some beers with him the evening before Michael left. Not something we often do, as we are all just so busy. Work on the land, even without big projects, never ends. – Jolandi
So good you met up with Patou et al; she was excited to be catching up too! I admire your hard work and can only imagine how fit you must be! Well done Jolandi; you have taken on a huge project which I hope will give you much joy.
It was so wonderful to have seen Patou, Christina. I hope you are well, and please remember that if you are ever in Europe to let me know. Maybe we can also do some sort of quick catch-up. It would be so lovely.
I suspect once the workshop is done, it will be a space we spend many happy and productive hours in. We have so many plans for it. – Jolandi
May was a brutal month in terms of weather, work, and home, so I’m more than happy to see the end of it. But, I hope it doesn’t spill over into June! My goodness, you’ve been busy with some backbreaking work. I hope the weather predictions are wrong and we can enjoy some milder temperatures. The hot season in SEA was brutal. Happy you found a cat/house sitter! YAY! Glad to see all is well, xo
Fingers crossed June will be better, Lani! For both of us. – Jolandi
We could do with a bit of warmth and some dry weather. The forecast for June is changeable weather which means more rain. Everything here is looking very green and lush and we have only to turn our backs on the garden for a moment and the grass and thistles are waist high!
I am sorry you have had such a stressful time recently and have had such a lot of heavy manual labour to do. Thank goodness for friends who are willing to help and make the task more palatable!
Take care, Jolandi xxx
I’ve heard from friends that the UK has been exceptionally wet this year, so I can also hear your pain in having to deal with all that lush vegetation growing far too quick. I hope you get the warmth and dry weather you long for, Clare. – Jolandi
Ouch, I feel your exhaustion just reading your description of all the tasks at hand. It’s hard to keep your eye on the big picture when you’re grinding away at some project that never seems to end, and yes, I know that feeling when you want to just lie on your back in the cool air conditioning, no matter how long that to-do list is. The heat certainly doesn’t help. It hit 100 degrees F. here in Central California today, after what was a relatively mild spring with even a day or two of hard rain. Now it feels like we’re living in an oven, but with no pastry or cake to look forward to! (I certainly wouldn’t bake on a day like this. It makes me realize how smart the early settlers were to have clay oven outdoors, in the shade, so they wouldn’t heat up the house while baking bread.) I hope you get to enjoy cooler days and some leisurely weekends again!
So true, Hangaku. Ouch, regarding the temperature. I find it utterly unpleasant when it goes above 32C these days, so summer is my least favourite season. You know, outdoor ovens also make a whole lot of sense to me. I also avoid using my oven in summer, as it pumps so much extra unpleasant heat into the house, and on the odd occasion that I do, I use the air-conditioner to cancel it out. Thank goodness June has actually been very pleasant so far. Fingers crossed the cooler weather will continue for a while longer, and that the extreme heat will stay away this summer. I hope it won’t be a brutal summer for you, and that temperatures have dropped again. – Jolandi
Yes, the most pleasing thing to me is the fact that you found a Quinta-and-Cat-Sitter so that you can plan your first trip out of there! It’s a priority. A priority, of course, after working on the shop. What a beautiful space it is going to be. I am delighted with your story about surprising the local man that you two women would work so hard on it! I would giggle too. Pedro is particularly interested in the heated floors, as our new home had them installed but never connected. We are somewhat overwhelmed with completing a task that was begun beneath the floors and has no external signs that we are aware of, haha. When we make it out in the future, we will be bending your ear on that. As Bama said, Lily sleeping in the shade is the cutest photo, and Midnight inspecting the flooring caught my eye as well. You do manage to capture excellent photos of those two. I hope they are tolerating each other more peacefully these days.
What kind words, Crystal. It really is a relief that I can now just focus on planning my trip without worries, although that said, there is also quite a bit to think of to get everything ready the a quinta and cat sitter.
Both Michael and I are super passionate about the delights of underfloor heating, and we certainly have learned a lot by doing it, so you guys can bend our ears with questions at any point in time, so shoot us an email if you don’t want to wait until we can finally meet in person.
Midnight and Lily definitely go through better and worse phases. I often see them wandering towards the house from somewhere else on the quinta. Usually with Midnight at the front, and wonder what they’ve been up to, as clearly they wouldn’t do that if they were fighting, which definitely must mean that sometimes they actually get on well. Oh, the mysteries of cats, as I doubt I will ever know what happens where I cannot see. – Jolandi
I love the feeling of physical labor in my bones and in my psyche, but I can totally relate to the sheer exhaustion after the work has gone on for so long. I hope the (slightly) cooling weather helps rejuvenate you and that getting the floor in will be a shot of energy as well. I wish I could take advantage of a housesitting site like the one you have found. I have another blogging friend who uses a home exchange site, and it always seems so efficient and rewarding. I guess we are just not that flexible at this point although someday when fixed work hours are done, perhaps we can try it! Like Bama, I love that photo of Lily chilling out under a bush!
Thank goodness June thus far had fairly pleasant weather, AND the floor is done, Lexie. It is such a relief.
Yes, Lily loves to sleep under bushes in summer, even when it is hellishly hot outside, and much cooler in the house, so I guess when I can finally design a permanent garden, I will have to plant some shrubs she can make use of during summer.
Our needs shift constantly depending on our circumstances and phase of life, don’t they? One of the best things of the Internet is definitely connecting people in ingenious, yet simple ways that benefit everyone. Before you know it, fixed working hours will be a thing of the past, and you will be able to make good use of all these creative ways to travel. – Jolandi