Apple muncher's number crunching

apple_muncher

Thanks to the YMCA, dd is sleeping on the floor tonight! They took most of what we offered them and will be back in a fortnight for the suite and wardrobes. Yay!

apple_muncher

I am always wiped out from a trip to see mum. You'd think I'd be used to it by now...

I did zcut kb #1 this morning, before my brain could wake up and stop me. 18mins with the 8k kb = 2r and all the sumo squats.

The weather broke down here yesterday and today I have worn trousers and socks and shoes :eek:. Had to buy dd some leggings from a ch shop on our way home from bham yesterday as we only had shorts and the wind was blowing hard. There is nothing to her and she was all goose-bumpy!

We are all packed for tomorrow - the taxi is booked for 3.45am. Ugh. Best set several alarms... But we're not going to bother with an early night as we'd prob not sleep anyway!

It'll be rather roasting out there, esp the latter half of the week. Now that it is wet and windy here, it is hard to imagine being hot all day! But we are all looking forward to it, and to seeing my friend and her family on their home turf - up until now, we have only seen them when they come over here to stay with her mam up north.

greent

Have a lovely time! xx

apple_muncher

3am is so not a good time to get up! But the journey all went so smoothly and we were at the flat by 11.50. In the rain:eek:. Yep. Rain. Sigh. We have nowt for wet weather with us! It was not forecast!

Anyhow, met up with my friend and did a load of walking around. But it really helped to orientate ourselves. And we were all in bed at 8pm - much needed. Dd slept for 13 hours!

This morning, we walked around the roman walls - about 2k I think - my friend came here for a coffee in between teaching, and this afternoon, we've done a long walk to Carrefour as it's simply the best place to get gf/df stuff. I'm on 16k steps already...

This place is hilly! I'd completely forgotten it was. But I love it!

apple_muncher

Over 18k steps today. And a workout - jelly legs!

We pottered in the old town this morning and dd found a couple of toy shops to mooch in. We were surprised to find one of them was cheaper than c'four. And dd is planning to return there tomorrow with her bag of coins to spend. She has about 10 euros in shrapnel that we'd had laying around at home for yonks, so it is 'free' money.

My friend came for lunch and then we wandered up the Minho riverbank, found a spot and went in the water. Well, dh put his feet in, I went up to my middle and dd did some kicking whilst holding on to me. Friend had more sense! But she was canoeing later on and spends more time in the water than in the boat, so that was her excuse...

Dh and I have taken the mattress off the bed. The base is so creaky and noisy and wobbly that we are not sleeping well. So tonight, we are on the mattress on the floor.

apple_muncher

We slept much better with the mattress on the floor. But dd fell out of her bed at midnight and again at 4am! (She has a high-up bed at home, so has no need to control the duvet or herself during the night.)

We had a lazy start and did venture back to thetoy shop where dd spent aaaaages finding something that she a) wanted and b) had enough - or nearly enough - money for.

The temperature rose and we went out at 6pm to walk along the river and try to spot my friend's kids at their canoeing club. We saw one of them, so dd was pleased. It was 35 when we went out, and had cooled to a mere 32 when we returned over 2hours later. It may go down to 22 overnight... Fortunately, the appartment gets absolutely no direct sunlight which keeps it nice and cool so long as we don't open the windows!

Tomorrow it is forecast to be even warmer...Oh for a swimming pool...!

apple_muncher

It has indeed been warm!

Friend's kids were 'released' from their dad's yesterday afternoon so we had lunch and spent the afternoon with them. It was waaaay too hot and muggy to be outside, but when we walked them to their canoeing club at 6pm and carried on home, twas down to 36. We put the air con on for a bit in our flat!

Today we have upped the culture quotient of our visit - Casa dos mosaicos, a roman mosaic floor and rooms; and o museo provincial which had a host of roman stuff and a mosaic floor too. Both were FREE, both had lovely people on reception who chatted with me and explained things.

We then went shoe-hunting for dd and found her some he110 k1tty ankle-high pumps for under 20 euros. And I found some lovely sandals for me for 19 euros.

We randomly bumped into my friend in townand arranged to go for a walk this afternoon, meeting at 3pm. (Mad dogs and Englishmen, and all that...) We walked for about 3+ hours, along the Minho and up the Rato before cutting up back to town. I'm on ~22k steps! And the temp was 'only' 34 or so...

We have flopped for the evening!

apple_muncher

Our final day. No-one woke before 9! Went around the walls again, but went in the opposite direction from last time.

Friend called and she came up here for the afternoon. We had a great talk - about her kids, mil, stbexh. Stuff she wouldn't usually open up about. So that was good. And she brought her laptop, so dh had a good session sorting it out.

I walked her down to the bridge - which meant a big uphill to get home. Hey, I need the exercise! And it was another chance to talk.

Dd made more sy1vanian clothes, and did a photo play.

Tomorrow, we go home. We're hoping that a) the bus we plan to get does still run, and b) we get to the airport in time to catch our flight! We are all packed, as it is an early start. Not as early as when we came out here, but still a 5.30am alarm.

apple_muncher

Phew!


The bus got us there just in time. But we were in time. And the rest of the journey went super smoothly and we were home for lunch.


Dd has spent most of the time since then outside, playing with the gaggle of local kiddies. And her best friend has been allowed out so she is well chuffed!


Have sent a couple of emails I needed to do- I do tend to put things off even though I know that doing them sooner would be best.


Have stufffed and stitched up a few penguins - didn't make me feel any cooler though!


Got a bunch of yummy fat raspberries off the plantation in the garden.


Dh has some extra work this week, which is good.

apple_muncher

Up and at 'em! Well, ish...


Had the best night's sleep in a week. The bed in Spain was awful - wobbly, creaky, I moved every time dh moved. After the first night, we took it off the base and slept on the mattress on the floor. Not much better, as the mattress was pants, but much quieter. Anyhow, it was SOOOOO good to be in our own bed!


Dh has gone to do a few hours of work. I have done a workout. One that looked deceptively simple. Oh yes, it was simple. But simple doesn't always mean easy... :rotfl:.


My friend in Spain had a whizzo idea to help me lose weight - I could go and live with her STBEXMIL for 15 years, as that would curb anyone's appetite. I told her I'd put it on the 'one to think about' pile :rotfl:!


We took about 550 euros and have come back with about 350. We spent about 60 on the bus to and from the airport, and about 40 on footwear for dd and me. The rest was food, I guess, as the only entrance fee we had to pay was 6 euros - and that was a concessionary rate. So, even allowing for gf and df food, we are cheap to take away! Btw, we didn't eat out, and only went to one cafe/bar when friend took us on a 'little jaunt' that took 3 hours!


It is now after 9am and dd has slept for 12 hours. We are off swimming today so I'd best get her up as it opens at 10...