So 2014, draws to an end. My life here in Portugal has got busier and more difficult in the latter part of the year. I am still very happy nevertheless.

 

The wooden lamparquet floor I was installing ended in dismal failure. It has lifted in several places in the kitchen. It will all have to be removed. I have switched to tiles for the living room area. This together with obtaining Portuguese residency consumed a lot of time.

 

The dog's been difficult as well . He bit me a few times but we have made a lot of progress since then. I can't still touch his basket with him in it. He's very possessive. He needs three walks a day, so I am walking a minimum of 5 km everyday with him.

 

Winter's been cold. I don't have adequate heating and the heat loss of the cottage is horrendous. There is really no insulation to speak of. Luckily the temperatures have only hovered a little below 4ºC on just a few nights. I am using a stove as my sole heat source. I also use it to boil water for bathing. It's too cold for outdoor showers now.

 

Trees. I have planted quite a few trees! Mainly fruit trees. I have a small orange grove in the making but it will take a few years for them to grow. I planted them on either side of the swale. Green peas and lettuce are growing really well. I can also say cardboard layering works brilliantly as a weed supressant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got the wind turbine up. It's only a 300 Watt one but I like it! At the moment it's not charging my batteries as I have to build the charge controller.

 

Bring on 2015. It will be the real test for me. As someone told me, 2014 has been my watershed year.