A normal day

Meanwhile we have established a routine, so I can tell you about my days here.
(I have my watch still on Spanish time, which is one hour ahead of Portuguese time)

• 8:50 wake up - don´t stir or make noises, unless you are really awake and willing to get up. Otherwise there will be a very excited dog hopping up and down and barking, trying to climb into bed, which invariably rises the other dog downstairs - more barking.
• leave the door to the bathroom open, don´t be shy to have Pancho watching you; it´s better than having him scratch at the door.
• 9:00 go downstairs, fall over the other dog Sinsa, which is very pleased to see you, and wants to have a cuddle, while you are trying to get your boots on.
• Fluffy, the cat, comes and asks for food. Put her little dish on the bench next to you and take care, that Pancho doesn´t get his nose into it. It is easier to leave the dish on the table.

• With Pancho dancing all around you, fasten the lead to his collar and out the door. Sinsa runs ahead, barking, Pancho tries to follow and nearly strangles himself in the intent. 
• (Yesterday morning I found Spots, the salamander with the few yellow spots, in the dog dish, unable to get out. No idea why he wanted to get in there in the first place.)
• The little morning round goes down the driveway, up the slope, out the gate, over the stone wall and on the walking track back home. I am relieved to see the reason for the walk being fulfilled and equally happy, that I don´t have to carry plastic bags with me to collect the deposits. Afterwards Pancho usually leaps a few steps further and then starts scratching vigorously; earth flies in all directions (like in my face), but hardly ever hits the heap.
• 9:30 back home; Walter has prepared the breakfast. And I even get freshly squeezed orange juice!
• Mimi, the little tiger-cat comes and asks for food. I put her dish on the stairs in the other corner of the house, since the two cats don´t like each other.
• 10:00 time to feed the horse and donkeys. Remember to bring the goodies, that I saved for them: I am dividing the bio-garbage into things for the compost and things for the animals. This morning they got potato peels from making the potato salad yesterday. Golosa is very careful to pick up food from my hand, but Burra, the old donkey, does not notice the difference between food and fingers. My left index finger is still swollen and blue...
• Walter helps me filling the buckets with straw and carrying them to the paddock. I have already posted some photos a few days ago.
• 11:00 free time for blogging or writing for my tile book - Walter does the washing up
• 13:30 depending on what we are having, start preparing lunch. If we have left-overs from the day before ( I usually cook a two-day meal), I can start half an hour later. Today is easy too: fried salmon with potato salad, which is already prepared.
• 15:00 Walter has siesta; I go with the dogs again. This time in the other direction, over the jumping stones and up this walking track. Bring the camera, make photos of trees, lichens, mosses, mushrooms etc.

• 16:00 back home. Walter has prepared tea - and there is the good Christmas cake, that Eva gave us! More free time until
• 17:30, when its time to feed the horse and donkeys. Eva told me, where they could be in their paddocks, but they are always standing at the gate/ creek, waiting for me.
• 18:30 short round with the dogs again.
• 19:00 dog feeding time. They get dry food with some liquid - gravy or flavoured water. Yesterday I even gave them some chicken bones! Well, it was Christmas!
• Walter gets the fire in the living room going. He is switching around in the TV, I bring a book. There are so many books, that I would like to read - you can see my actual choice in the bars on the right-hand side. At the moment it is: Eric Newby:  The Last Grain Race. The author sailed in 1938 on the 4-mast barque Moshulu around the world.
• Quiet evening with Fluffy on the lap, Pancho on the sofa, Sinsa at our feet. 
• 0:00 tiptoe upstairs, try not to disturb the dogs, but in vain. Sinsa wakes up and takes her duty as watch-dog seriously, so starts barking. Pancho follows upstairs.