Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - Hot afternoon

It was a really hot afternoon. We, the four brave sailors, decided to search for fresher places. We fulfill the swimming pool, which has less more than 1mt diameter, in the grand-pa's house and dove (the feet, of course) into the water which came from the well. Cold! But my son didn't say no and neither did I. Only my husband and his father got out of the water. Weak!


After many jumps, screams, laughs, jets of water flying out the swimming pool, we went inside to eat cookies. What a nice afternoon. It seemed that it was not as hot as it was. We even could stand at the door looking to the reflex of the sun coming through the graves leaves, over the water. It seemed like small points of light over the ground and the water. So bright. So quiet.

But don't get me wrong. Inside the house, the chaos was the king. My son, always full of energy, was performing his show. But I remember now... there was no music or songs today. It was really quiet.

Monday, July 26, 2010 - Dusk in town

A fantastic afternoon in one of the most central and beautiful places in town. We got there and sat at the table where our friends were waiting for us. Three generations at the table. "Mom, did you see that?", Dad, look!", "Mom! Mom!, do you know...", "Grand-ma, can I sleep in your house tonight?" The third generation in its best, making almost impossible a following conversation of five minutes, while running to the ball, to their friends, to our table.


I love my town. It's so beautiful, so pleasant and full of nice places to be. I couldn't contain myself any longer and said: "It's really good to be here, isn't it? Just imagine a tourist coming here for the first time. I'm sure taht he will think that this is the ideal place to live in. Look at this: a folk dance group performing, a pacific square, a beautiful church, this colourful evening." And F. answered: "Yeah, he might think that. But he has nothing more than what you've just said, because there isn't anything else to be seen..." Oh my friend, I understand your perspective, because everybody lives unsatisfied under these economical conditions, but this situation is spread everywhere. It's not an exclusive characteristic of Tomar, I'm sure.


I'm used to hear these kind of comments since I was a little girl. Town is small, nothing to be seen, nothing new happens, there is nothings to be done, nowhere to go... Un infinite number of "no", and I think there is an infinite number of "yes".


Yes to well being, yes to the beauty, yes to the slower rhythm, yes to the possibility of playing with children in the gardens, yes to the possibility of visiting monuments, yes to the possibility of participating in events, yes to walk around with no fear, yes to lunch with family, yes to arrive home soon and cook a delicious dinner and eat it slowly, yes to ride the bike outside, yes to see the different tons of light all day long, yes to compliment people in the street, yes to the time to do all this.


And yes to the availability of having a spirit to do and appreciate all this. As far as I observe, only just a few have a soul which overflows with joy and gratitude for those small things we can do. And they satisfied themselves this way. It's a privilege. In this daily renewal ability, which allows us to see a new beauty in the old things of life, is the charm of living the novelty that the majority considers boring. Otherwise how can marriages last 30 years?

Sunday, July 25, 2010 - Finally

After such a long and complicated pregnancy which lasted several years, and a difficult labour which lasted several months, this blog came up. It was difficult to get pregnant, but the motivation and competence of the obstetrician made all possible. The exams were not clear most of the time, the analyses gave some bad prognosis sometimes but fortunately, the labour, although it was long, gave this blog to a birth. It just cried a little bit, I think it was eager to born.

There it is. Margarida is its name. All brand new. Without knowing what to do, without knowing if it laughs or if it cries, but full of willing to live and to show the value of life. The most precious thing.

Welcome to those who share life with me and to those who, by chance, pass here.

P.S. - I decided to translate this blog into English, in order to make it understandable to a larger amount of people. I recognize that my English is out of practice, but at least I consider it better than the Google Translate!