Monthly Archives: April 2014

First Steps

Well, it´s been just over a month since I´ve been in Portugal. The first few days were really hard. I had huge rats crawling all over the place and no light. Fortunately my batteries arrived by the end of the first week so I got my solar panels  and led lights working.  They are working really well out here.  DSC_0073_sBlew up my cheap Chinese inverter a couple of weeks a ago though - by connecting it the wrong way round.

I splashed out and got a 1200W Victron. I have as yet to test it properly to see that it does what it says on the tin. But I´m confident as Victron inverters have pedigree. I plan to use it to run a fridge,  pump and electronic equipment. I´m running most lights directly off the batteries.

I had week of dust bowl hell. The floors were not sealed. The dust even killed the keep pad of my mobile phone. I couldn´t deal with the floors uni I finished my uni assignment.

Toilet - as there is no water in the house I have a composting toilet. It works really well. potty It separates the poo and wee so there is really no poo smell, once you cover it it with a bit of hay.  I have got to pipe the wee outside though as it gets a bit smelly if kept indoor.

Don´t know when I´ll get the water sorted out. I still haven´t worked out where the pipes go.. .

first_plantingsPlanted a few things. Green peas, yellow peppers, onions and garlic. Two tomato seedlings sprouted but they don´t look too sturdy.  I´ve got a compost heap going as well. Works great for recyclign all organic waste. green_peasMy perennial fusia seems to have recovered. I´m pleased about this as it flowered in England every year without fail.

 

Senhor_Panadero

Bought and installed a stove. Eustfas Juan Panadero No.3 . It´s a top loader so a bit tricky lighting and reloading it but it works well once it´s going. I also love my WROX rotary drill! It the first time I´ve used one. Brilliant! buraco

 

 

 

Well that´s all for now. The battle with the rats with be drawn out. They are determined and intelligent. They avoid the rat traps. Outside is absolutely crawling with them. The air is also thick with bees but this is a good thing. I never saw a bee in England in my garden going back a  good few years.  It rained really heavily this week. I mean absolutely poured down. But I´m not complaining. The wild flowers are loving it.wild_lillies