Vitamin Sea

Got to go on an outing for my 65th birthday. We chose Alcácer do Sal, which is on the Sado River, but it was really cold and grey. Still, amazing to see literally hundreds of black storks feeding in the flooded rice fields. And a kiosk swamped in pigeons. And we had a good lunch.

But very glad we ended up going the further half hour out to the sea at Comporta. We've been there in the summer when it's full of people; rather different today, but the colour of the water was breathtaking, I thought, and some of the miniscule shells were a beautiful pinky orange - I brought a few, and a perfect tiny white feather, to stick in my diary.

Gratefuls:
- 65 whole years of life on this earth, most of them in good health
- parents who loved God, and me, and brothers and sisters I still love today
- my years at Leeds Uni, the privilege and the way that formed me
- being a member of a brilliant, supportive church for over forty years now, what stability that has given me
- the places I've been and the beauty I've seen
- marrying a good man, and our marriage lasting 37.5 years so far
- our three great kids, their spouses, and three gorgeous grandkids, hugely grateful for every one of them
- amazing people we've met, some of whom have become friends
- the huge privilege of our 24 years in the community of Sítio Trapiá, in the Sertão of NE Brazil, and all that has meant to our family, and all the folk who made it possible for us to live there
- and much, much more, including Blip, of course, but my hands are freezing...

(Mike is making adjustments to the wood burner, so it's mainly stars and hearts for your journals, I need to get into my warm bed!)