Second shot- so far, so good

Hardly any pain in my arm, feeling mostly normal.

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Six word Saturdays

Tourists are back. Having mixed feelings…

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Vivian Maier: what an inspiring photographer!

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Didn’t even know she existed until a few months ago, when I bought an online illustration course and the teacher mentioned her as one of his artistic influence.

I hadn’t even realized there was an exhibition of her work near Lisbon and I almost missed it, but luckily it was extended until next Tuesday.

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Weird, they are not in boxes…

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Today, after over a year, our theatre group met in real life.

We arranged to have a rehearsal in a park that is normally quite empty. It was so good to see them in 3D, plus 2 company members who hadn’t rehearsed with us since we started the online rehearsals.

But at the same time, we all had a feeling of awkwardness and unreality.

Still, a lovely afternoon.

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One thing to look forward to

One of my colleagues gold me this week about this virtual travel website, and since Thursday I have lined up one or two tours a day, so I have something to look forward to everyday.

Beats “travelling” via Google maps. Here you see the country through the camera of the tour guide and you can ask him questions. You can even take photos and they are saved as postcards on your profile.

I leave you with a picture of plum blossoms I just took during a beautiful “walk” I just took in Koganei park near Kyoto.

One moment… Are you old enough?

We need the assistant to check your age.

That was the message that appeared on the screen of the self checkout machine as soon as I scanned my wine bottle.

The assistant was nearby and typed in a random birth date just to confirm I was over 18.

I get it, they want to avoid kids buying alcohol but it was the first time it happened to me.

Couldn’t help but laugh.

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

One year since my father died

A year ago as I was getting ready to go to work I saw I had several missed calls from my stepmother.

And a voice mail from her telling me that my father had died that morning, around 5 am.

Luckily I had gone to Paris, where they lived, the week before, so I was able to say my goodbyes.

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Saturday afternoon. The city is quiet

Curfew from 1 p.m to 5 a.m on weekends.

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Fare thee well, my dear Eduardo

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I knew Eduardo Salavisa was very ill, but it still came as a shock when I saw the announcement of his death on the Portuguese urban sketchers’ blog.

His last project had been to draw the people that had been important in his life sitting in an armchair in his apartment. The portraits were published as a book and were also on display in a museum. They had moved the armchair to the museum and he would sometimes show up and draw some more friends and other people who came to visit the museum. So I guess he was drawing until the end.

Surely fitting for someone who had encouraged so many people to draw.

Posted as part of Six Word Saturdays