The post with no name!

Wow, I have thought many, many times about this post.  The returning post after a long absence.
It difficult to know what to say, do you explain where you have been, why you have been away?  As one of my blogging buddies recently wrote after a similar long absence, is anyone still out there?  Does anyone care anymore about this blog, aside of me, who knows....

It's true, at times I have missed my blog, I do like to write but as life changed, my blog and I seem to drift apart.  Moving in different directions, time was an issue, as was some other occurences.  I have thought so many times to start again, but struggled to find the words, to come out of my head. Having ideas but not able to move them into something else. Not even managing to log on to start until now.

I started this blog as a link to other expats, while I was living in another non-english country, now I am back in England making a new life and somehow my blog no longer seemed relavant, left behind with my former life, but Im still here.  Albeit with less time and more to do but Im going to try.

Dearest blog, how I have missed you

Now I hope to find the desire to carry on, even if sporadically.

The Gallery: Boys

This week on the Gallery over at Sticky Fingers is Boys.

So in this case I would like to introduce the new boy in my life and I am totally in love with my new boy!

Our boy Thomas arrived to join us on 30th January 2012 and what a sweetheart he is!  We are all adoring of our new boy!  It took a while but third time lucky he made it!

Hello world!

I have been gone for a while, where have I been, well for those who follow my blog will know we have returned to England from Portugal.  After several difficult years there we made the decision to return.  So many times I have wanted to blog it but there never seemed enough time or I didnt know where to start.

So where to start, well am I glad to be back?  Oh god yes, so happy to be 'home', it is strange at times and has taken us a little while to adjust, well we still are!  The first few days especially felt like we were here for the first time ever!  I felt like an alien in a new world trying to figure out these new ways of doing things and the differences in people's ways and manners.  It is like a whole different world for where we were in Portugal, everything seems different and generally better and busier!!  Much busier than what we have been used to, something which I think has taken our children most to adjust to.  But the increased choice and movement in life is refreshing.  I love to see the countryside, the trees, fields and streams that I so missed.

Do I think of Portugal?  Of course, but quickly remember the reality that we lived and put my mind firmly looking forward to creating a new life here.  Life is faster and more active, but that's good as life was too slow there, the weather was good but I enjoy the more variety here, too much sun can become boring!  I am glad in many ways we have moved to another area, to give us a completely fresh start, instead of trying to step back into a 'past' life.  We are finding new things and places and its great.  We left england when our daughter was barely 2 and half years old and therefore didnt really get to experience a 'family' life here but now we are back with older children and a new baby on the way, our perspective is very different and the area we are in is great with so many things to do.

So we are on a new path, a better path.  Its not easy but it is easier!

Adeusinho Portugal

So after much umming and urring, changing of minds and a lot of effort, we are leaving Portugal.

For those of you who regularly read my blog you will know that we have been through difficult times whilst living here, mostly brought on my the Global Financial Crisis.  We have been here 4 and a half years and tried to make it work, probably we didnt always make the best decisions which led us to the wrong place but that's life right!  You cannot see what is ahead so you make decisions with the information you have at the time, things havent turned out the way expected and led us down some hard roads.

So now we have the opportunity thanks to some very supportive people to make the move and a fresh start. Although sad to be leaving and disappointed at how things have turned out.  In truth it has taken me a while to get my head around leaving and the hope that we could find a way to stay, but now I see there is no way forward for us.  The situation in portugal is grave and will take several more years to improve.

So now instead of looking back, I can move on firmly looking forward, something I feel essential to creating a new and better life for ourselves.  It is a fresh start in a new part of the country with new opportunities to seize.  I know things wont be easy, but they cannot be as difficult as they have been!

This move has been on our minds for several months, while waiting for opportunities to come and most importantly a passport, without which we could not go anywhere, something so simple can be the key to a big decision.

So with a tinge of sadness but a heart full of hope, we say goodbye next weekend.

I believe!

I believe in many things, sometimes to believe in something is all you have.  We find comfort, strength and security in our beliefs.  Whether they are religious or destiny or to believe in someone or something.

As many of you know, I have been having a difficult time lately, struggling to find a way through this crisis.  Lately has been particularly tough for several reasons, leaving me feeling trapped and like having no way forward, as though we have fallen too far to come back.  Everytime it seems like we are moving forward something comes in our way, usually that we were not expecting, throwing us off track again.  But we try and try again.  I believe we will get there somehow, and I know I am trying everything I can to do that.  Im not the world best problem solver and am a terrible procrastinator at times, two things which can heavily go against me but I try and I believe there has to be a way.  Somehow I hope if I believe enough in the possibility, it will happen, because the alternative is not an alternative.

Someone said recently, 'no-one has to help you', and that is true.  No-one has an obligation to help you but sometimes, if you're lucky there are very kind and special people who will go out of their way to help.  We have been blessed enough to have been given that kind of help and are so so grateful.  It also changes the way I see things, in that I could not imagine someone giving such help, and that if I have the opportunity to repay that kindness or pass it on to someone else I will without a doubt.  Especially in these times, when many are struggling, it can cause us to become selfish and only think of ourselves and our problems.  But there are people who will help, and go out of their way to do that.

The Gallery: Eyes

This week's theme on The Gallery is Eyes.

This is my youngest daughter Grace who has amazing eyes, this photo was taken quite a while ago but now she has these huge, and I mean huge eyelashes, that a supermodel would be envious of and a little speckle of brown around the iris, as does her mother.  

Pop over to the Gallery to see more!

More strikes!

Today here in Portugal, there is yet another workers strike.  Firstly, dont get me wrong I am not against people having the right to strike but at the moment, it is seems to be every other week.  The workers unite to show their dissatifaction at how things are, lack of jobs, increased hours, increased taxes, reduced wages, but every other week!!  Striking every other week, will not make any difference.  It would be more effective to all combine for one moviment, after all arent they all striking for similar things.

And what they need to remember is everytime they take a day to strike, production is heavily prejudiced, putting this country further back in its efforts to pull itself out of this financial crisis.  Things are not easy, nor are they very fair, but you should be grateful for having a job.  Especially for all of those who are not in a job and for every time you strike a day, that is potentially another job in danger as companies struggle to survive while output is reduced through striking.

The strike which took place two weeks ago, caused some big problems for several people and businesses and was reported around the world, as I heard from several family and friends.  The leader who planned this strike was seen encouraging the crowd, which then turned to chaos causing injury to both protesters and the police.  It was awful to watch as it seemed like complete social breakdown, which went on for several hours.  Making Portugal and Lisbon especially, look unsafe and out of control.  I know of one hospitality business which lost several thousands euros of business, due to these events, as the clients pulled out due to the events of this day!  How many more businesses had the same problem.  We are desperately trying to bring people into the country and these events just put people off.

People need to see the bigger picture, striking every other week, only damages the country further and makes the struggle worse.  We need to work together, except the situation and build a better future!

Silent sunday

No lunch for you my dear.

Here in Portugal as is well known, things are not good in terms of economy and crisis.  This recent event to me is the complete reality of the situation.  Obviously these things dont happen on a daily basis but this is an example of things happening.

A few weeks ago here in the Algarve, a little girl was left to go without her school meal.  The issues surrounding this is conflicting and I am not sure exactly what the situation on the day was, but this is what I understand to have happened.  The girls mother was behind in paying for her daughter's school meals, anywhere between 75cents or 30 euros, the mother had been asked to pay the backdated fees, which were payable direct to the school.  The mother works during the school office time and could not get there in time on this particular day.

So the school made the decision not to feed the child, a primary school age child, even a dinner lady offered to pay for the meal but was told not to.  So this child went hungry!!  In a modernised country, who lets a child go hungry for 30 euros!  The school's reason was that they have debts in terms of their food costs, and this is understandable, but they surely should have alerted someone to this particular child's situation, rather than just not to feed the child?  I think for an educational facility where the child's welfare should come first, this is completely unacceptable and the school has failed in its role.  If a child was potentially being neglected or hurt in some way would they not have a duty or conscience to do something, make someone aware, is this not a similar thing?  I know everyone is under financial pressure, but this is too much.

I love Portugal, but am sad to see how things have changed, time to move on!