Olive Trees on a Slope

Mike has finished the tax returns, yay. In the days when we had an accountant, he used to say we had the most complicated tax situation for the amount of money involved of any of his clients. 

I read about someone making macaroni cheese slowly. Ever since homeschooling our kids in Brazil, I've mostly speed cooked, so looked up a recipe that didn't involve flour in a sauce, and made it slowly, it was delicious. Didn't have macaroni, but used a ribbed rigatoni, just as good. Broccoli and carrots on the side.

Have decided to make at least one phone call a day to someone here in Portugal who we can't see, the restrictions have really tightened up, no school, no church. Both folk I've phoned so far not well. Two more have died in the Care Home here, but 48 have recovered, so that's good news.

Gratefuls:
- walk at end of day with Mike, Lake the colour of pewter, light between the dark clouds
- finishing The Return by Dulce Maria Cardoso, a novel based on her own experience of being a retornado, one of the half million Portuguese who had to return from the African colonies after the 1974 Revolution. The first friend Mike made in Portuguese, Quim, was a retornado, so I'd bought it for him for Christmas. She writes in a distinctive style, which I think the translator has captured well. Review in case interested. 
- good food and a warm fire and someone to share them with