Category: Uncategorized

Mum, do the boats have legs?

View on Instagram https://instagr.am/p/CPv9Lh8n9G7/

This morning we had a drawing class at the artificial lake in Campo Grande.

We were actually drawing the scenery/people from inside the boat. Which was quite challenging because when you are not rowing, the boat starts drifting so the view keeps changing.

Still, a lot of fun, plus I was in a boat with 2 women I have grown close to.

And then this little french song from when I was a child came to my mind:

Mummy, do the boats that move in the water have legs? Of course, silly, if they didn’t, they wouldn’t walk!

Posted as part of six word Saturdays

Microblog Mondays- first shot!

via Instagram https://instagr.am/p/CPd-m6UHHlz/

Finally had my first vaccine shot on Saturday, and as a good urban sketcher, I had to do the mandatory recovery room sketch.

I was pretty impressed with the organisation: there were columns of different colour chairs, I was told to sit on a green chair, then they called the people on the yellow chairs to go to the next waiting room, and afterwards they called the green chairs. There was also a row of pink chairs.

I told a lady who was rearranging the chairs that the colours idea was great and she was really happy because she was the one who had thought of it.

I hardly felt the needle. Actually a Brazilian lady who left at the same time as me said she didn’t even fill the prick because she was taking a selfie, and her daughter was wondering if they hadn’t faked giving her the vaccine.

And I felt quite ok afterwards, just pain in my arm and not being able to lift it but then yesterday after lunch, bang! The fatigue hit me.

Good thing I didn’t have to go to work!

Anyway, psychologically, getting this first shot was a huge relief.

Microblog Mondays- now I can boogie!

I fell in September and had a partial tear of a tendon in my ankle and I have been in physical therapy since December.

And what with the lockdowns and work schedule alterations it was hard to get a continuous treatment.

But 2 weeks ago I finally managed to get on my knees without even thinking about it ( it was pretty hard before, I had to figure out how to place my left leg because my ankle wouldn’t rotate enough).

And today I had the doctor’s appointment after this last series of 12 treatments and I am free!

I am allowed to dance again, in fact I even have to exercise!

Something to feel grateful for…

Posted as part of Microblog Mondays

Microblog Mondays: adventures in coloring

View on Instagram https://instagr.am/p/CM96qmQn5i4/

I normally feel very comfortable with my grey hair but life felt so grey with lockdown ( though in my line of work we can’t really work remotely) that I felt the need for a bit of colour to cheer me up. So I decided to try and dye my hair at home. I was a bit worried because my hair is so curly, I wondered if I would be able to cover it evenly.

The day after I bought the dye, they announced the hairdressers were going to reopen the week after, but you have to make an appointment and hairdressers are fully booked until July.

So this Sunday I managed to make some time for experiment and I am quite happy with the result.

Plus the red colour lifts my spirits up.

Posted as part of Microblog Mondays

Microblog Mondays

View on Instagram https://instagr.am/p/CMaexQhnyvI/

One of the best moments of my Sundays lately has been watching the urban sketchers USK talks in the afternoon. And this Sunday, it being women’s month and all the show was about 19th century women sketchers. It was fascinating, these women who chose to do what only men did at the time.

And they were also amazing artists. Couldn’t help remember a sentence from “the woman in white” which annoyed me immensely ( even if I kept telling myself it was just the views of the time): ” women can’t draw- their minds are too flighty, and their eyes too inattentive”.

I leave you with the link for the show.

Enjoy!

A coffin sealed with duct tape

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My aunt died yesterday, having caught covid-19 in her nursing home.

She was 91 years old and she didn’t resist.

Traditionally, in Portugal, the coffin is exposed in a chapel until the funeral so family and friends can say their goodbyes and support the family of deceased.

But now, in these strange times, there is no viewing of the body, only 10 people are allowed at the funeral, and the coffin was not only closed, it was sealed with duct tape.

Posted as part of six word saturdays

Microblog Mondays-the circle is tightening


We are back in lockdown since Friday but since I work in a lab, I can’t do much from home. So we work 3 days a week, alternating days between us.

And lately every day someone around us is infected or has had contact with a positive case.

In my aunt’s nursing home, great part of the staff is infected and she got infected as well, but so far, luckily, she doesn’t have symptoms and is responding well to medication. She is a tough old lady but she has very advanced dementia and is unable to speak so it is a bit anguishing.

Boy, this is a bit of a dark post…

Posted as part of Microblog Mondays

Microblog Mondays – an unexpected new year’s eve celebration

Lockdown restrictions were less strict around Christmas time so families could get together to celebrate (I was so happy to be able to see my family again) but new year’s celebrations were cut.

We did not go into full lockdown, but restaurants had to close at 22h30 and there was a curfew from 23h00 to 5 am.

Since I was on my own, I decided to go out for dinner and went to a restaurant behind my house that is owned by a woman I know. The place was almost empty and the owner had invited a friend to celebrate with her. They were sitting at the table in front of mine. As I was leaving I started chatting with them and they invited me to join them. So we spent the rest of the evening talking while sharing a bottle of wine.

The best part was the spontaneity of it all.