Foggy dew

This morning reminded me of an Irish folk song, The Foggy Dew. Not that the song itself has anything to do with what this Portuguese morning presented to us today; a foggy valley, the houses all around as far as the eye could see covered in a white film that looked almost like dust. A cool breeze had draped itself around the houses. The trees, ´the forest´, about 300 meters away from the window I sat down at to work, that form the only vestige of green left in what is otherwise a world of concrete and stone, were invisible. A cold winter´s city morning but a crisp, dry cold which is always nice.

I have just finished reading Dan Brown´s The Lost Symbol, and can heartily recommend - having reluctantly ventured past the first chapter , thinking ´This is much the same as his previous books, same formula, same people, same world´, I must admit to getting sucked into the story and being fascinated by the secret and hidden mysteries that form the backbone of the book. If anything, if not exactly challenging me to become a Freemason, at least I find that I want to go and see Washington DC which, if the book is to be believed, is filled with fascinating art and historical treasures and built on enlightened ideas ... If only the governments that were and are would be able to carry this Enlightenment towards positive energy ...

Niki´s away doing examining work at the British Council this morning. She´s very much looking forward to Christmas time when The Girls will descend on us. I can see Christmas Cards on the desk in the living-room and I believe a Christmas letter has been written ... We´re going to have a good think about all the things we can go and do when Anjes, Tess and Yarrow arrive here in Povoa St Adriao - look at the things we can do together, what hidden treasures we can find in Lisbon and surrounding lands. Bring jumpers, girls! It´s cold ... Living in a country where Winter Clothes are a bit of an anomaly, the idea of wrapping up one´s body to protect against anything else than UV radiation, seems a bit foreign and far-removed from reality ... until you venture outside ...

Ive chatted with Denise in cyberspace a few times. Denise´s kindly Minding Myth and enjoying the lush temperatures, the views, the endless spaces, but I have not yet been able to touch base with Tess and Yarrow - The Grange is, as yet, Internetless. Just now Denise Skyped me again wanting to know where the torches and candles were, as apparently (and Skype cam confirmed it) a hefty storm was brewing. Flashes of light could be seen striking in the dark behind her and sound-drenching rain on the colourbond roof of the outside deck made a conversation almost impossible. Here´s hoping she found the torches ...

While I´m away Red, the builder, will be overseeing (and doing) work on Anjes´room downstairs which will get its own bathroom, sliding doors to the gardens, wall-cladding and a beautiful Jarrah floor like in the rest of the house so that in future guests can have their own private space entrance and exit if they so want. The main house will also be fitted with a new solar hot water system which should make a difference in the need for electricity.

And so ... on to a new book, I think, but which one ...?