The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
I've been fortunate as Portugal has only had two sets of lockdown ( confinement they call it here) the first at the original outbreak and the second from January. In between restrictions but bars, cafes and restaurants open which is where I do most of my socialising tbh when they are open. We don't have bubbles here but I tend to only go to one neighbours house when we have confinement anyway. I see other friends when I'm out shopping or walking and stop for a chat. My other neighbours have been good. They've brought round some food for me on occasions and they always say hello and ask if everything is alright. Obviously communication is a bit limited as my Portuguese isnt good to say a great deal, and nothing in depth.
I sometimes get a little anxious about the huge barriers ( very few if any direct flights, two covid tests and 10 days in a quarantine hotel and the nearest one is in Birmingham) in returning to England for my cancer check but the positive side is that Ive never had any signs in the previous five years and show no symptoms ( its bladder cancer so normally it would be blood) . I haven't seen my eldest daughter for well over a year , my youngest for just over a year although I was lucky that my son came over in June and he visited me twice when I was self isolating in the UK after a minor op in November.. I have to put all these on one side as they are not negotiable . I chat on the internet or on the phone with friends in and family in the UK and watch films , TV and football, now the weathers better I do some gardening, a few walks .Obviously the bonus here is that the weather is picking up slowly so some days you can sit outside and I have a garden. Next month I might even make it to the beach for a mooch around. I don't feel too isolated tbh and I've got dogs which are always company of sort but do miss catching up face to face and finding out whats happens locally. in all those random encounters you have when the bars etc are open. To be honest I wouldn't swap here with England although I did like the situation where I could have the best of both worlds.
I stopped full time work five years ago and the last part time work I did was online ,with the exception of three meetings in the UK, over a year ago. I do dodgy Tv boxes and firesticks for some beer money here but the confinements and restrictions have reduced that to a trickle as my main customers are English and a lot of them have stopped coming over or have gone back . So I'm used to finding things to do and have a little routine that I stick to and I'm happy with that. In the first confinement I used to listen to a Portuguese langauge skills thing everyday and practised on Dualingo but I havent touched that this time. I was reminded to go back to that when I met this Portuguese woman I know in the supermarket this week that i like and just didnt have the words to say anything apart from 'how are you ,I havent seen you for a long time, its cold, I am in the house everyday' which didnt quite make thegame changing impression I hoped our unexpected encounter might bring. . Hopefully my new intention of trying to improve my Portuguese wont go the same way as my other one of improving my baking skills which set a new world record of repeat failures.
I'm not bothered about a relationship , the last one I had was three years with an alcoholic, emotionally draining and very destructive. Wouldn't mind a bit of female company , which I have when women friends come over and visit but that's off for a good few months unfortunately. Think I probably ideally want a situation where I am fond of somebody and vice versa more than anything .
I sometimes get a little anxious about the huge barriers ( very few if any direct flights, two covid tests and 10 days in a quarantine hotel and the nearest one is in Birmingham) in returning to England for my cancer check but the positive side is that Ive never had any signs in the previous five years and show no symptoms ( its bladder cancer so normally it would be blood) . I haven't seen my eldest daughter for well over a year , my youngest for just over a year although I was lucky that my son came over in June and he visited me twice when I was self isolating in the UK after a minor op in November.. I have to put all these on one side as they are not negotiable . I chat on the internet or on the phone with friends in and family in the UK and watch films , TV and football, now the weathers better I do some gardening, a few walks .Obviously the bonus here is that the weather is picking up slowly so some days you can sit outside and I have a garden. Next month I might even make it to the beach for a mooch around. I don't feel too isolated tbh and I've got dogs which are always company of sort but do miss catching up face to face and finding out whats happens locally. in all those random encounters you have when the bars etc are open. To be honest I wouldn't swap here with England although I did like the situation where I could have the best of both worlds.
I stopped full time work five years ago and the last part time work I did was online ,with the exception of three meetings in the UK, over a year ago. I do dodgy Tv boxes and firesticks for some beer money here but the confinements and restrictions have reduced that to a trickle as my main customers are English and a lot of them have stopped coming over or have gone back . So I'm used to finding things to do and have a little routine that I stick to and I'm happy with that. In the first confinement I used to listen to a Portuguese langauge skills thing everyday and practised on Dualingo but I havent touched that this time. I was reminded to go back to that when I met this Portuguese woman I know in the supermarket this week that i like and just didnt have the words to say anything apart from 'how are you ,I havent seen you for a long time, its cold, I am in the house everyday' which didnt quite make thegame changing impression I hoped our unexpected encounter might bring. . Hopefully my new intention of trying to improve my Portuguese wont go the same way as my other one of improving my baking skills which set a new world record of repeat failures.
I'm not bothered about a relationship , the last one I had was three years with an alcoholic, emotionally draining and very destructive. Wouldn't mind a bit of female company , which I have when women friends come over and visit but that's off for a good few months unfortunately. Think I probably ideally want a situation where I am fond of somebody and vice versa more than anything .
the rottie was superb as was the owner (several sizes larger than me), both just stood and looked at her hanging off his ear. Owner remarked that his dog shouldn't have stolen her ball.
