Vocal Voices

Grumpy and I are driving along this country road, miiiiiles from anywhere, but we do know where we're going.

Past the old school house, then you come to a crossroads. Just before the crossroads, on the right, a tiny little woman has chickens, fenced in - oh no, they're not, they're having a little wander along the road

On the opposite side of the road, there's a small ditch and the old wash rooms - for those who do not have their own well or bore hole. And there you can see sheep, goats, ducks and the odd chicken

And in the ditch - which you need, to get rid of rain - when we get it - is a teeny tiny man, clearing it out of straw, chickens and ducks

At the crossroads, there is a small bar, so you stop, as we'd arranged to meet Tom, the estate agent, there. Three coffees and a glass of water(free, from the 5 litre container) later, at the princely sun of 1.40, we're off to see the house.

See the house, like it, see another house, like it, but not the state of it (new roof needed, even though it's only 8 years old ) come back down the land to the crossroads and the chickens and a dog are now wondering around in the road - as well as a couple of sheep and the odd motorbike

But what was really really lovely and made us feel so much at home., everyone, but everyone who went into the bar said Boa Tarde and either did the little Portuguese bow or doffed the cap. And the women all smiled.

As we said to Tom, it's just how it should be, and we agreed, just how it was back in England and Holland (where he's from) many many years ago.

but so lovely

So what was free from the 5 litre container?

Aaaah...water.

Lovely, but that way of life would never do for me. I'm such a townie - well I reckon I'd like a market/seaside town kind of life, but that's as rural as I could go. I lived in the country once for a couple of years, it nearly sent me potty

Sounds like rather a lot of chickens .......

It does sound lovely, but although not a townie really, I'd want a bit more in the way of civilisation.
After all, if there was one person you didn't get on with, that's tough, you're stuck with them.
It's quite traditional and polite around here, but with little supermarkets, bars, cafes and restaurants

Go past the bar, for about another 3 kms, past a few houses and ruins.

Then there are three houses together ish. Up a track, through a gate, then 250 meters away, there's the house. The one we like is at the top, looking down on one, over at another and views of the countryside (and your very own land) everywhere

Only in the last couple of years has this new fangled eleckrickery made it that far, so all the houses have the most splendid motorised solar panels, so you use only a small amount of the bought for lecky. And you have your own water supply and fossa, so a very cheap way of life

It sounds fun and mad and right up your street, in the nicest possible way

miasmum wrote:It sounds fun and mad and right up your street, in the nicest possible way

Bonkers, you mean

Sounds idyllic, but hard work x

It all sounds fascinating to me, Ton.

That's how life used to be when I was very young.

Enjoy.