A Creative Spirit
Waiting to be served at our local butchers for "home-made" beef, and hopefully horse-free, burgers gave us the opportunity to study the array of "unmentionable" delicacies on sale. The dubious identity of which even made Mr. Piglet's toes curl in horror. However, our debate is quickly forgotten when I whip out my camera and start... Continue Reading →
If you're a porker like myself, you may be in denial by genuinely believing as you take a cursory glance in the mirror that you're really not that fat. Like me, you probably hold your breath as you turn sideways and "suck in" your bulges. But the camera does not lie - Oh no! Caught... Continue Reading →
Piglet put the kettle on Piglet put the kettle on, Piglet put the kettle on we all want some tea... Except we won’t have some tea because the pigging thing won’t work. A couple of months ago we had a problem with our kettle. Now in the grander scheme of things a dodgy kettle is... Continue Reading →
A few weeks ago I broke one of my back molars on some crusty Portuguese bread. For the uninitiated the crusts are rock hard so lethal if you have crowns, false teeth or indeed any other form of dentistry! Despite my aversion to dentists, the noise of the drill and that enormous needle they inject... Continue Reading →
When I bought my Blackberry, I thought about the 30-year business I ran with 1800 employees, all without a cell phone that plays music, takes videos, pictures and communicates with Facebook and Twitter. I signed up under duress for Twitter and Facebook, so my seven kids, their spouses, 13 grand kids and 2 great grand... Continue Reading →
The first time I tasted Bacalhau à Brás I spat it out in surprised horror, downed a glass of water and swore at the assault on my taste buds. My tongue reacted in much the same way as that of a slug when you pour neat salt on it. I realise a tongue and slug... Continue Reading →
Beginning to feel faint from the intense heat I paused in the shade of a large tree to people-watch. I smiled as tourists, oblivious to the scorching sun and their already lobster-red arms and faces, rummaged enthusiastically through the clothes stalls. Brightly coloured tie-dye dresses and tops at just two for €15.00 were waved in... Continue Reading →
Inspiration for today's post is courtesy of the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge. This week's theme is Today. I had scheduled another post, but could not resist posting the photograph of this handsome bug! While watering my vegetable garden today I was suddenly attacked by this enormous bug. Yes, it was GINORMOUS! Deep in thought and... Continue Reading →
A year or so ago we went to a brilliant Italian restaurant in a seaside town near Portimão, in the Algarve. The staff were efficient and friendly, the pasta was perfect, the sauce delicious and the desserts outstanding! Even the decor and ambience were welcoming, so we vowed to return next time we were in... Continue Reading →
The Ugly Bug Spring Jive by PiP With the Herald of Spring the bugs start to arrive in my Garden of Eden for the "Ugly Bug Jive". The weird and the ugly they give me the jitters who may I ask created these critters? There are black bugs and green bugs and stripey ones too... Continue Reading →
Every now and again something unexpected makes you stop dead in your tracks. "...errrr...WHAT?" you think as you press your rewind button because you can't quite believe your eyes. You rub them, shake your head and then take a third look just to make sure. You then burst out laughing. I experienced one of these "...errr... Continue Reading →
One of my subscribers sent me this recipe...Cherry Mistmas! Christmas Cake Ingredients 1 cup butter 4 large eggs 1 cup dried fruit lemon juice 1 bottle brandy 1 cup brown sugar 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt Nuts Method Sample the brandy to check for quality. Take a large bowl. Check the brandy again... Continue Reading →
Well folks, my oven saga continues and it's time for a real good pigging rant! "What?" I hear you say. "Ah, but I was only warming up in my earlier oven post" I Only Want My Oven Mended…please I'm "chilled" most of the time...honestly. I was sceptical that the oven technician would even come today,... Continue Reading →
Do you remember this picture? It was my interpretation of the theme "Broken" for the “Wordpress Weekly Photo Challenge on the 6th August. It was my “Broken” oven and guess what folks? My oven is still broken! Initially, I was very impressed when the appliance engineer actually arrived on the agreed day and more or less at... Continue Reading →
For many years I believed the clay dishes sold by the Artesanos in Portugal (Pottery shops) were toast racks. Yes, toast racks! I pondered over the design of these strange dishes, as you would, and decided Portuguese “toast racks” were extremely impractical as they would not hold many slices of toast. Well what else could... Continue Reading →
The "foodie" highlight of my trip to Devon in England last week, to visit my Mother, was to disappear for an hours peace and quiet and seriously indulge myself with a "Devon Clotted Cream Tea". I had not intended to succumb to temptation due to my expanding waistline, diet, sense of guilt etc, but as... Continue Reading →
Living in a country where English is not the first language certainly takes you out of your comfort zone, especially when it comes to food shopping. Imagine walking into a supermarket and suddenly there are none of your favourite foods and familiar brands; throw the added complication of language into the mix and you may... Continue Reading →
I am rarely lost for words but on this occasion I was almost speechless. To set the scene we had been walking around Lyon (France) taking numerous photographs in sub-zero temperatures and I was desperate for a hot cup of coffee and the loo (toilet). Frozen to the bone we decided to stop at a... Continue Reading →
Mosquito Tennis Have you ever been woken from a deep slumber by a high pitch zzzzzzz ? You lay motionless not daring to breathe; just praying you were mistaken and that it was not the dreaded mosquito. Minutes pass, nothing, so you roll over and go back to sleep relieved you must have been dreaming. Not... Continue Reading →
Piglet in Portugal 