Things I’m doing this weekend: 26.05.2018

– Go grocery shopping;

– Food prep for the week, which includes cooking;

– Laundry, always;

– Buy concealer, new reusable bottle and coffee cup/tea cup for work, hand sanitizer, makeup sponges, nespresso capsules (we have a machine we can use at work, just need to buy capsules, which is great and so cheap), gum;

– At home pedicure and manicure;

– Organize some notes/documents from work, because everything is new and there’s so much to learn and information coming from everyone and everything; I got a cute folder and I’m going to file everything and get it to look neat and pretty;

– Check up on a few friends;

– Tidy up a bit around the house;

– Get 3 gym bags ready for next week so I can just grab and go to the pool;

– Pick my outfits for the week and get them ready;

– Watch some episodes of a few shows, maybe a movie, listen to a few podcast episodes;

❤️

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Plans and Goals for March

Good afternoon and happy Thursday! I’m sure you’re all happy it’s almost Friday, aren’t you? So am I. I’m kind of tired.

Although I love to make plans and to set goals, I’m not as keen on it as I have been before. Why? Well, only because I don’t want or feel the need to push myself to do too much at this time of my life. I do push myself a little every day, of course. I make sure I drink water, I try to read more, to be organized, to blog and so on, but only because life is so busy and fast-paced these days and we’d never get anything done if we didn’t make sure to make it happen. However, I think I’ve lost the my lifelong tendency to be mean to myself, so I make sure not to push too hard or expect too much, which is huge for the girl who once asked her doctor what’s the absolute minimum you need to sleep to function, so I could fit more into my day.

All of this to say I do make plans and have goals, I just don’t care too much if I don’t accomplish them. I try and like to be productive and crazy busy is my favorite mode, I mean, I’m still the same person, but I understand that’s not always the best for me.

If you are one of those people who like to keep adding to their plate and pushing themselves too hard, I strongly advise you to take a step back and take it slow a little. I’m speaking from experience here, trust me. You could be seriously damaging both your physical and mental health. Be kind to yourself.

Plans and Goals for March:

  • Celebrate our 5th anniversary. We’re planning on maybe taking a little trip to a city I’ve never been to, here in Portugal. We have friends there too so we’re probably going to visit them.
  • Plan a little getaway trip.
  • Paint our house. We really wanted to have done this last Summer but ended up not doing it. I think we’ll do it this month instead of waiting for the Summer. We really need to paint all of our inside walls and our patio walls too.
  • Spend Easter with Rui’s family. Although they’re catholic my family don’t celebrate Easter so we always spend this holiday with Rui’s side of the family, traveling to his hometown and spending the long weekend.
  • Get little Easter treats for everyone, on a budget. I hate this time of year because we always spend so much on chocolate. I hate giving presents that people are just going to eat and be done with 😂
  • Have my sister over for a few days.
  • Watch the Oscars.
  • Make sure the kids finish this term with good grades. Please, God! Put some sense into their little heads. They can be so lazy and careless. I try to do my part but I cannot study for them or force them to work.
  • Finish my freelance work project until the 15th.
  • Blog every day. There are a few things I really want to post this month:
  1. Guest Post Sunday
  2. Freelance Work and how I make money online
  3. How we save money part II
  4. Question of the day
  5. The loveliest quotes
  • Get our garden ready for Spring.
  • Lose 10 pounds.
  • Go to the pool at least 3x a week.
  • Keep on decluttering.

What are your plans for March?

❤️

A Week in The Life Kind of Post – Updates

Last time I posted any kind of planner and journal was on Wednesday morning. As usually, I didn’t follow through with everything I had planned, but I think I got quite a few things done.

On Tuesday Evening, I promised I would show you how our dinner experiment would go and if it was tasty. Remember? Trying this Indian store bought sauce for the first time?

img_2853

It was really good. Not too spicy at all. Really yummy!! Would definitely buy again. We ate it with broccoli and rice. That’s sparkling water with lemon and red currant syrup.

I had to go to work for two hours on Wednesday morning and then I came home to this:

(I mean before being folded)

And this:

Nap hard, play hard.

I then worked for a few hours and got a few other things done, before taking a break and watching an episode of a show before they boys came home.

I can’t really remember what I did on Thursday but I obviously had to work so I did that for sure. I went to hydro gymnastics on Friday morning, worked and then we went out to dinner with my friends. My pregnant friend is already showing and I’m so happy for her. We had a good time.

On Saturday, we had to get up earlier than usual because I had an appointment with my psychiatrist at 1.30. I talked about it here:

I Have Great News

I looked like this:

That evening, we had dinner with one of Rui’s friends. I should say our friend, otherwise he’ll get pissed at me for saying he’s only friends with Rui, although they have known each other since high school. There was a game on and we watched it while having dinner.

On Sunday, we invited that same friend for coffee at our favorite cafe. Rui’s brother, Tiago, came with us this time. Rui’s friend really wanted to buy us a drink so we drove to the beach (10 minutes away) o have something.

It was a beautiful afternoon. We went grocery shopping and I making dinner while looking like Hulk.

It was really yummy!

Oh, I forgot to say, I made some spaghetti with the store bought sauce for the boys lunch and they said it was pretty good. I didn’t eat lunch so I have no idea.


Monday – I started this post, and wrote this:

I am in a good mood and feeling positive despite not sleeping a wink and having had a bad day tomorrow. My mom had to take my grandmother to the hospital yesterday. They called an ambulance and were there from 7 p.m to about 1 a.m. I wanted to go there but my mother said there was no need because only person would be able to get in and we would just be waiting outside for hours, having to get up early for work today. So we stayed home and I went to bed but I kept waking up and texting my sister and mother. My mom finally texted me saying she was home at about 2.30 in the morning and I fell asleep, but woke up several times after that.

So, about my grandmother. You know she suffers from dementia. Most of her brain cells are dead and it’s simply getting worse. She was also somewhat dehydrated. She is really thin because she has no appetite and doesn’t really feel like eating. That’s why my mother took her to the hospital. Unfortunately, there’s no getting better for her and we all need to make peace with that which is really sad. Heartbreaking. If she were to see herself now, God. But she doesn’t,  which is a good thing, I guess. She can’t tell how bad she is. But we do witness everything and it hurts.

My grandfather passed away when I was 19, a week after my birthday. He was old and sick but I wasn’t expecting it. No one had ever really died. Not my people. But then he did. It was pretty traumatic, let me tell you. My family pretty much fell apart and was never the same after that. I guess he was the glue and we had never realized it.

I met my father’s mother but she was very old. She used to visit me when I was little and I think she was in her seventies. Then she passed away. I don’t remember that much about her, other than she would visit me. I never met her husband, my grandfather. He died before I was born. Everyone tells me he was extremely violent towards his wife and children, so may he rest in hell, I hope it’s warm and cozy there.

I’m closing the sad subject here.

Thank you for reading.


I was able to wake up earlier on Monday and go to the 9.15 a.m hydro fitness class. It was a lot of fun and harder than usual, which I like and my lower back didn’t.

Well, let me tell you, I’m 90% sure the teacher was high as a kite. Oh yeah. He was looking at the horizon rather than looking at us, he would smile and laugh alone and close his eyes for way too long. He was also enjoying the routine way too much. It was so funny. I’m going again next Monday to confirm if he’s a stoner or if he just looks like one.

I had plenty of veggies for lunch:

I worked, worked, worked, got home and went to sleep.

On Tuesday, I wanted to go back to the pool but was still sore so I just went to work and decided to go back on Wednesday, which I did. The class was pretty intense but with a different teacher. Because it was Wednesday, I had to wear pink:

Joking. It was a coincidence.


So, today is Thursday and I’m still sore from yesterday which feels pretty good. I stayed home and tried to sleep in because I haven’t been sleeping at all. I couldn’t get more than 30 minutes to 1 hour of uninterrupted sleep. Don’t know why.

I’m about to get to work, I’ll work from 5 to 8 and then head home.

Tomorrow I plan on going to a hydro gymnastics class and then a swim class as I’m trying to improve some techniques. I have to dedicate some hours to freelance work and then work from 5 to 8 again. We’ll have dinner with friends after work.


As promised,

Here are some pictures of my planner:

Would you be interested in a post on how I organize it? I would love to do one.

To finish, I’ll leave you with some Springy pictures. Thank you for reading.

Daily Planner and Journal – 05.02.2018: Trying to bring it back (about 8 hours late) + weekend

Good afternoon guys,

How are you facing Monday?

It’s a hard one right?

  • Hangover from drinking while watching Super Bowl?
  • Depressed because of THAT This is Us episode?
  • Shocked/ecstatic because Kylie Jenner has given birth?
  • All of the above?

Right.

May your coffee be strong and your chocolate be plenty.

I’m actually fine. I don’t care for the Super Bowl, I haven’t watched THAT episode yet (Lord help me) and I’ve been googling “Kylie Jenner pregnant” every day since September, waiting for news so I’m pretty satisfied. I’m not joking about the google part.

I really want to go back to my early morning planning and before bed journaling and update on how my day went and how I tackled my to-do list. I know you guys enjoy it and I feel more organized when I do so.

I would like the planning to be published at about 8 a.m and the update to go up at about 8 p.m. it would be nice to have somewhat of a schedule. I hope I can pull it off.

About the weekend: I did nothing. I was expecting it so I am fine with it. I needed a break. For real.

I have this huge freelance writing project to finish until the end of the week so I’m working on that.

I’m so much better than last week, thankfully.

See you soon, guys.

❤️

Not a nice week + plans for the weekend

Happy Friday everyone,

I’ve never been happier too see the end of the week. I’ve had the shittiest week and I can’t wait for it to be over (still need to work 4.30 hours). I have some freelance writing work to do over the weekend but I don’t even mind because I can do it at home, alone, quiet and comfortable, wearing pajamas.

Because I had this huge family crisis on Monday, which turned out to be solved by Rui on Tuesday (as I’ve said, that guy could have stopped both world wars), the rest of my days were affected by that bad start. I didn’t go to the pool at all, not even once. I barely ate or ate too much, depending on the meal, I didn’t drink as much water, I didn’t walk, didn’t worry about my step count, taking care of my skin or anything else, for that matter. It was a “barely surviving week” and I’m so done with it. My energy levels were extremely low, my sleep was not good and my body ached all over. I was not patient with the kids at work. I ate a whole chocolate yesterday before dinner.

I should say that not everything is bad and that that huge issue that broke my heart and made me cry for 24 hours straight is now over and done with.

I had dinner with my friends yesterday and it was nice. I was finally brave enough to meet their big dogs (after 3 years) and they’re just huge pups looking for belly rubs. Their paws go up to my shoulders so I got a few stolen kisses while standing up which was pretty funny. They’re not scary at all, I feel so silly.

My pregnant friend is now showing! I’m just so happy. She took most of the clothes I got for her, which makes me happy to help. She’ll be able to wear it for a few months. Pretty great to have a friend who wears a bigger size and likes, flowy, empire waist, tops, tunics and dresses, right? A few leggings and she’s fine.

My brother-in-law is staying with us for a few days and not sleeping on the couch. We’re finally using our tiny guest bedroom. Still sleeping in a foldable guest bed but it’s better than nothing, I guess.


As for the weekend,

I would like to:

(I say I’d like to because I’m feeling very lazy and not expecting much)

  • Clean our bedroom/my office
  • Clean our living room/Rui’s office
  • Clean the kitchen
  • Decide where to store a few things. The house is small, the bedroom, living room and kitchen are big, but it seems like we have nowhere to store random things, even thought we have and outside storage and garage. I also think we have too much stuff. I’ve been getting rid of so much and being pretty strict about it (donating, giving a few things to my mother and trashing a bunch, which includes burning old collage notes), but I think I might need to go for a second round. I know I’m losing weight but why keep a pair of 10€ jeans that I’ll fit in again in about 3 months when I can buy a new pair for 10€ in 3 months and reward myself for losing weight? I am keeping things I might use when I’m pregnant one day. My friend had them now and the idea is for them to get passed around all of us, but that’s just because pregnancy clothes are expensive and only last for so long.
  • I need to clean the bathroom which I feel like I’m always doing.
  • Put away some laundry and do another load or two.
  • Pay for my Kindle Unlimited subscription and go back to reading again. January was not a good reading month.
  • Take care of some receipts.
  • Do some self-care.
  • Watch some of the Oscar nominated movies. So far I’ve watched Get Out, Dunkirk and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri. We want to watch The Post and Lady Bird.
  • Cook something.
  • Go grocery shopping.
  • Get ready for the week, I really want to make up for this one.

Do you wanna share your weekend plans?

xx

This time last year: The looking back series (30/01/2017)

WEEKEND RECAP AND PLANS FOR THE WEEK

First of all, and before I share my plans for this week I should give you some sort of weekend recap. Bloggers do that, I guess.

So, what happened this weekend?

Nothing much and nothing too interesting. I washed and folded a ton of laundry, which we had to take to the wash station to dry since we don’t own a dryer and it was a rainy weekend. My boyfriend washed a ton of dishes from last week and cleaned the kitchen. We cleaned some more and took care of a few things around the house and thought about changing the position of our bed but decided it wouldn’t work, so we kept it the same way. Saturday night we ate pizza for dinner and watched American Horror Story.I think we only have an episode left from the third season… now that it was finally growing on me. We also watched a movie “keeping up with the Joneses“, which was okay. I’m not a big fan of comedies. I slept a lot and after that I took naps. We did some grocery shopping and on Sunday night I cooked for the week. Boring, right?

• Put away all the laundry that I folded and iron a few things;

• Find a new psychiatrist and therapist for a second opinion and to try a different approach. I think that I should be feeling better by now and I am not, despite taking so much medication. I take anti psychotics to help with my nightmares but I have them anyway. Bad ones. I take sleeping pills but I don’t sleep that well. I sleep many hours but I never feel rested. I take something that it is supposed to help me with my energy levels and well, did I tell you about the sleepy and exhausted part? I also take mood stabilizers and antidepressants but I think that those actually help, so no problem there. My therapist… I love her but we just… talk. My psychiatrist suggested that I should try some kind of therapy that goes a little deeper and makes a bigger impact, otherwise I’m just paying to talk about my problems, something I could do with a friend. I will do some research and schedule an appointment with someone else for a second (or third) opinion.

• Sign up for a gym membership or at least decided what kind of option I want to go for. I’ve been wanting to do that for a while but lately I almost feel the need to move and to do something… sporty? I don’t know how to explain it. It is as weird as my Brussels sprouts craving from last week. Am I getting “healthy” with age? Ewww. One of this days you will find me doing a whole-30 and crossfit. Just kidding. that would never happen, right? Right??? Anyway, I want to do something and I definitely need it because 1. depression makes you gain weight; 2. depression medication makes you gain weight; 3. I sit all day; 4. I have back issues; 5. my knees hurt most days so I guess I also have knee issues; 6. It helps with depression and anxiety, they say; I love swimming and I love yoga and Pilates and anything that is kind of slow and does not require running, so that’s probably what I should sign up for. And find time for. Before my boyfriend kills me. You guys, he’s the sweetest, most amazing man in the world and keeps telling me that my health is the most important thing right now and that I should focus on trying to get better, no matter how much we have to spend or sacrifice. Love you, babe.

• Find time to take my dog to get her vaccine. Which is a huge drama. Our vet described her as a “difficult patient” because last time she broke two muzzles, bit me and my boyfriend, ripped his jeans and 4 people were needed to complete the task of giving her the shot. I’m getting nervous just thinking about it. She also needs a bath, ideally before going to the doctor. I like a clean, good smelling pup.

• Meet up with one of my besties Rita for coffee. She used to have a job that allowed her to meet me during the day when I had a break or when some student cancelled the class and I had a little time to kill. Now she has a new job (that she loves, congratulations honey!) and is only available maybe after seven, which is difficult for me because I’m rarely done before nine. But I love her and miss her so I need to do some magic and find the time!

• Answer the emails from people asking about English lessons. I don’t know if I can take anyone else so I need to check my schedule and maybe do some adjustments to see if I can fit in more people. Again, boyfriend will murder me.

• Bake a cake that actually grows!

• Cut the sugar!

• Drink more water. During the Summer I am great with my water intake (1,5 to 2 l each day) but in Winter, I forget to drink water and only drink it when I’m really thirsty or when my throat hurts from speaking for many hours while working;

• Eat a ton of fruit and veggies. This will be easy because I grocery shopped and cooked with that in mind;

• Start a book; (reading one, not writing one. I can barely handle the blog)

• Watch some of the Oscar nominees. Please! I need this.

Plans For the weekend – 20/21 January (update)

  • Remember to drink water (1.5 l)

Not quite. I did remember to drink more but I’m not sure I got to 1.5 l.

  • Remember to take my medication on time

Done.

  • Remember to eat fruits and veggies

Did eat plenty of fruit (mostly pears) but not veggies.

  • Make the changes we’ve been meaning to make around the house (bedroom will double as office, office will become closet and guest bedroom), we’ve been talking about it for weeks and postponing every time. We need to do it together as it involves moving heavy furniture.

Oh yes!! It took us 2 days but we got a lot done.

  • Take Rosa to the vet, she might have some ear infection. It’s a nightmare. She turns into a pit bull with the strength of a friggin horse and it takes 3 people to hold her. Those three people end up being bit, scratched and traumatized. Gosh, I’m nervous just thinking about it. My sweet god turns into hulk when she goes to the vet.

Didn’t happen but we’re scheduling for this week.

  • Eat whatever we have in the fridge, I think there’s some frozen soup. Maybe try to meal plan for the week? We haven’t done it in ages, Rui would be pretty happy.

We have found a way to use some leftover chicken, Rui is cooking some fish.

  • Sleep.

Yes. We took about 2 naps together as well.

  • Read. I haven’t been reading at all since Christmas.

I didn’t.

  • Maybe watch a show? I’m behind on a few.

We began watching American Crime Story but I wasn’t very interested because I’m familiar with the “O.J. Simpson probably killing Nicole Brown Simpson and getting away with it” case and the outcome so…

  • If we have time, Rui and I can watch a couple of the movies I’ve been meaning to watch (Oscar nominees predictions), light the fireplace and have popcorn.

There was fireplace for the show but no movie.

  • I tried flannel sheets for the first time (Rui’s grandma Christmas present) and I’m in love, so I think I want to wash them and put them back on the bed as soon as they’re dry, instead of some of our other sets. They’re so comfortable and warm.

They took longer than I thought to dry 😔

  • Cut my hair. Literally. I do cut my own hair and it needs a trim.

Nope.

  • Go and get my eyebrows done.

No. Caveman it is.Plan what I’m going to wear next week, as I’ve been doing for a few weeks.

Nope, but can do it tomorrow. It takes me 10 minutes to pick 5 outfits.Do a 15-minute exercise video and some yoga. Now that I’m working out, I don’t want to slack off on weekends. I really need to do something every single day.

No. I was sore from my intense Friday workout (which means 45 minutes of water aerobics followed by 45 minutes of moderate swimming classes) and I moved a lot around the house so I don’t feel like I slacked.Decide whether I want to delete my Facebook account or not.

I’m pro deleting.Hopefully read a few blogs.

Just a few. Not nearly enough.< strong>How was your weekend? Productive, lazy or both?<

Plans for the Weekend – 20/21 January

  • Remember to drink water (1.5 l)
  • Remember to take my medication on time
  • Remember to eat fruits and veggies

(These are the things I tend to forget when I’m not in my typical routine, usually on weekends or vacation)

  • Make the changes we’ve been meaning to make around the house (bedroom will double as office, office will become closet and guest bedroom), we’ve been talking about it for weeks and postponing every time. We need to do it together as it involves moving heavy furniture.
  • Take Rosa to the vet, she might have some ear infection. It’s a nightmare. She turns into a pit bull with the strength of a friggin horse and it takes 3 people to hold her. Those three people end up being bit, scratched and traumatized. Gosh, I’m nervous just thinking about it. My sweet god turns into hulk when she goes to the vet.
  • Eat whatever we have in the fridge, I think there’s some frozen soup. Maybe try to meal plan for the week? We haven’t done it in ages, Rui would be pretty happy.
  • Sleep.
  • Read. I haven’t been reading at all since Christmas.
  • Maybe watch a show? I’m behind on a few.
  • If we have time, Rui and I can watch a couple of the movies I’ve been meaning to watch (Oscar nominees predictions), light the fireplace and have popcorn.
  • I tried flannel sheets for the first time (Rui’s grandma Christmas present) and I’m in love, so I think I want to wash them and put them back on the bed as soon as they’re dry, instead of some of our other sets. They’re so comfortable and warm.
  • Cut my hair. Literally. I do cut my own hair and it needs a trim.
  • Go and get my eyebrows done.
  • Plan what I’m going to wear next week, as I’ve been doing for a few weeks.
  • Do a 15-minute exercise video and some yoga. Now that I’m working out, I don’t want to slack off on weekends. I really need to do something every single day.
  • Decide whether I want to delete my Facebook account or not.
  • Hopefully read a few blogs.

Daily Planner and Journal: 26.10.17″ CT Sca(n)red Shitless” Edition

Hey everyone,

So, I didn’t post yesterday at all…

I began writing a post and then I had to stop and forgot all about it. I’ll show it to you, just because it took me a while to write it and I don’t want to waste a few paragraphs.

I am writing this post at 6.30 p.m. I usually write in the morning but today I started work at 2.30 p.m and my morning just flew by. They just do nowadays.

I am in front of the computer by 9.30 a.m or 10 a.m and don’t have to be at work before 4 p.m or 5.pm. It seems like I have a lot of available time for my other work related tasks (job), blogging and other things I need to do, right?

I do, in theory, but my mornings and early afternoons go by so fast. I have this list of things I want to get done and then I’m unable to actually do them all, because when I look at the clock it’s 3 p.m already.

Does this happen to you?

Then, in the afternoon, the time I spend with the kids, between 2 and 5 hours each day, never seems to be enough for all of the materials I want to work with them. We do homework support and test preparation, organizing notes, picking worksheets and exercises. They never seem to finish them, mostly because they talk too much and get distracted all the time but, for me, the classes feel like minutes instead of hours.

Anyway, this is pretty useless talk lol

I just wanted to share this feeling and ask you if you ever feel the same, like you need more hours in your day.


Yesterday I got home to a few online order deliveries, which makes me very happy because I love getting stuff in the mail.

Some things are for customers but I also received a watch and a ring I had bought from Ebay. I’ll take pictures of them and post here tomorrow.

Damn, I’ve just realized I forgot to order a watch to my friend Lyz, as I had promised her! Shoot, I’ve also just remembered I have yet to order the gift for Amanda, as she won the Best Love Story Giveaway. OH MY!! I remembered I haven’t mailed some postcards for my friends. I mean to send them about 2 weeks ago.

Oh my, 3 things I forgot to do in one paragraph. Need to take care of them ASAP.


What have I done today?

Nothing unusual. I have worked a bit on a few things, managed to watch 2/3 of the latest episode of This is Us. I have also worked 5 and a half hours with the kids. Two hours of overtime.

Okay, so you get the idea.

It is now 10.04 a.m and I’m already at work. I don’t have to work until 5 p.m but I come earlier to catch a ride with Rui and spend my day working online either here or at the library. My boss knows I come so early and that I used to stay and the library and she insisted I was welcome to stay in a classroom of my choice, instead of the public library, and she gave me a set of keys. She’s just the best.

I’m leaving work 30 minutes earlier today because I have 2 CT scans and an x-ray scheduled for 7 p.m and I need to get to the hospital on time, so Rui is picking me up at 6.30 p.m. Have you ever had a CT scan? I’m a bit scared because it looks extremely tight and white and loud and claustrophobic. I may have watched way too many episodes of House, which doesn’t help at all because people would often crash while having one of those scans lol

I have to get it done either way so… yeah.

giphy (19)
Oh, my crush…

 


Things I need to get done today:

  • Get my scans done.
  • Work from 5 to 6.30 p.m.
  • Harass Amazon customer service because they are definitely screwing me over.
  • Talk to a couple of clients.
  • Write everyone’s grades on our grade wall.
  • Organize some papers in our classroom and take a few copies.
  • Write a list of things Rui and I need to do for my party.
  • Confirm who’s coming and get a final guest list.
  • Bake a cake to bring to work tomorrow.
  • Answer comments.

Does it sound like a lot? I hope I can get everything done.

What about you?

What do you have going on today?

A lot on your plate?

See you soon, people.

xx

Desenho sem título (4)

Daily Planner and Journal – 17.10.17

Good morning everyone!! (It’s 10.33 a.m here)

How are you? I hope you are having a good, stress-free week.

As I’ve told you, I’m trying to get into the habit of writing every day and sharing my to-do lists. I just miss blogging and my fellow bloggers so much.

I feel like I should first update you on the fire situation. We are living a nightmare.

Thankfully, by 5 a.m today, all fires were put out. It finally rained last night (we were expecting it, according to the weather forecast but it wasn’t raining at all and we were getting desperate) as we had prayed for, which helped immensely with the fires, as the drop in the temperature did.

I’m lucky to say that, thank God, all of my family and friends are safe and that we didn’t personally experience any consequences of the fire (there was some fire in Rui’s hometown but it was not threatening the houses or our family). It is still very sad to see so many people struggling. It breaks my heart, honestly. I couldn’t help but cry when they were playing a conversation between a fireman and the fire central on TV. He was pretty desperate and explaining they needed another fire truck and more water because everything was burning. The lady on the radio answered, very sadly: “But we don’t have any”. It broke my heart.

So far, there are 36 reported deaths, 63 wounded and 7 people missing. God knows how many have lost their homes.

Foto mostra cenário dantesco em Vieira de Leiria

It looks like there was some Photoshop involved in this picture, does it not? Unfortunately, it is a real photo of a very scary scenario in a Portuguese city. I wish it were fake.

Let’s hope we’re done with fires for the year. Today is the first of three days of national mourning. Some people are not happy at all with the way our government has handled this catastrophe and there might be some manifestations, which is also a bit scary.

We’re hoping for the best and feeling so sad and defeated because of what so many of us are going through. God help those who have lost family members, their lives and their homes or businesses.


For me and my family and friends, life goes on as usual.

I work from 4 p.m – 8 p.m today. I’m currently at the public library writing this post and tackling some of my online work tasks. This library is very small and very peaceful and I really like coming here to work.

I have a dentist’s appointment at 3.20 p.m for a much-needed cleaning. I’m not afraid of the dentist, I don’t mind blood tests or IV’s. My phobia is the gynecologist. It’s so invasive and I’m not comfortable with being there, legs spread, while someone looks at my lady bits and inserts various objects to check on everything. I went last week and it was not as bad as I remembered, but it was still very uncomfortable. I got a pap smear, and an ultrasound. The ultrasound is not mandatory but you SHOULD ask for it. Why am I talking about this? Well, I have no taboos, I’m talking about a medical appointment and we should talk about it and remind women to schedule their annual appointment. So girls, if you haven’t had your lady parts checked in a while, please take care of it. You will feel so relieved once it’s done.

I felt so grateful for my health insurance. I paid 35€ for the appointment, smear and ultrasound which would cost me over 100€ if I didn’t have insurance.

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Beautiful Autumn

It’s time to check my to-do list from yesterday and see what I have accomplished.

I’ve noticed that my days are going by so fast, which is very frustrating. I sit at my computer before 10 a.m and, before I know it, it’s 5 p.m and I must go to work, having done about half of what I was supposed to. Then, very soon, it’s 7 or 8 p.m and class is over, and I feel like I haven’t done all of the work I wanted to do with the kids.

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Beautiful Autumn

TO-DO LIST – 16/10/2017

 

  • Review and send my book to the publisher. It isn’t really my book, it’s more of a book order. I is a cannabis dessert/candy recipe book. No, I didn’t taste any of the recipes. I do drugs, but only if they are prescribed to me lol; – Done. Finally.
  • Talk to a few of my clients, check in on tasks and deadlines; – Not all of what I expected, but I managed to take care of some things.
  • Finish an article for a website (on passive income); – Haven’t touched it and my client will probably kill me. 
  • Talk to Amazon customer service, motherfuckers are slow and inefficient; – I have, about 3 times, they still haven’t fixed my problems. I am very close to filing a complaint.
  • Change my dental appointment from tomorrow to next week; – I was going to, because I have spent quite a bit of money on check-ups and medication last with (Dermatologist, Psychiatrist, Gynecologist, medicine and skin care) but we decided it would be fine because a cleaning is not expensive at all. 
  • Schedule my orthopedic’s appointment, my back are KILLING me. Every single day. – I didn’t and I might wait until after our paydays. Just to spread expenses a bit.
  • Check on my orders (I sell a few things on Facebook); – Checked.
  • Maybe answer some comments and read a few posts (please, please!); – I wish.
  • Watch Outlander with Mr.R. (It’s honestly so good right now); – I was deceived. They had this amazing episode which ended before a very important event and I found out the next episode was not available yesterday but on the 22nd. Bastards.
  • Check my grocery budget and to see if I’ve been naughty or nice this month; – I asked Mr.R for it, as I’m responsible for the shopping and the grocery budget but he is the one who gets all the receipts together and into an app. He said he needed to check it. I have asked again today. Men.
  • Check who’s coming to my birthday party on the 28th (my birthday is on the 23rd); – Sadly, I know who’s not coming and it breaks my heart, even though she thinks I’m a bitch who hates her. 
  • Work from 5-7; – Obviously done.
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Beautiful Autumn

TO-DO LIST – 17/10/2017

 

  • Write the damn article and apologize to my client because I’m late;
  • Tell my sister she’s getting all of my skin care products I was using before. Her skin is dry and sensitive so they will work for her;
  • Make a few work decisions;
  • Talk to Amazon customer service AGAIN;
  • Check our grocery budget;
  • Plan a trip to Starbucks to try the famous pumpkin spice latter;
  • Continue to read Dragonfly in Amber, book 3 from the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon;
  • See if IT is already available to watch online;
  • Pick up book number 2 of two series I started in the last few weeks;
  • Read a few posts and comment;
  • Work from 4 p.m to 8 p.m;
  • Find reviewers for a book;

And… that’s it.

Desenho sem título (4)

*You het fall pictures because it is my favorite season and I love them.