You lot certainly have me sussed.
First off, Jan and Keith (Grumpy) met me in Faro and on the way back laid out the rules: I was to chill, do my own thing, and relax... they would do the same. So we did, and a much needed chill-out session for me was just what the doctor ordered.
Yeah we went to the Castro Verde for half a day, and to the bar a few times, and shopping at the supermarket, but most of the time it was strolling the grounds and letting the world pass by in perfect peace... except for the damn cuckoo, dogs and strimmers, but most of the time it was just relaxing.
J&K have a triangularish plot in the middle of nowhere. It's on a bus route but the last one was in 1957 and the next is in 2043. At the pointy end you find the carport, bottle store, house and pool. The grounds are laid to weeds inter spaced with flower beds with things in I have never seen before. The fat bit is mainly lupins for the sheep to graze and it has an old ruin... he sometimes comes up for a coffee or a go on the 'puter.
We didn't do TV except for the Real v Bayern game. Jan got fed up after 20 mins or so and was going to bed when she heard Grumps snoring, "You got till half time and then bed". Come half time Grumps got up and followed orders....
The journey.
Jan mentioned a few things they could not get in Portugal so the trip out was my chance to surprise them with gifts! I did a number of packs till I got the size and weight right then set of... Ripoffair and Mancbastard Airport had different ideas.
"They can't go in the cabin"
"I know, that's why I have this small bag and this one goes in the hold"
"Rynair problem. Next!"
"Hi, security will not let this bag through, but it is going in the hold as I am taking this (small bag) in the cabin"
"What's in it?"
"Beans Hoisin sauce, Worcestershire...."
"They are not allowed in the cabin"
"I know, but this bag is going in the hold and they are OK there so can I get it in the hold here?"
"Yes, £40"
"But it is a hold bag!"
"Through here it's £40"
So I had to go back to bag check and ditch all the beans and sauces.
Got to Faro with an almost empty backpack and a full shoulder bag so when the bag came off the carousel (it had gone in the hold buckshee!) I decided to merge the two and plod on. That's when I left my jacket with phone, camera, monoscope, glasses (sun and reading) earphones and spare batteries. It was only when I was unpacking at Jan's that I realised. A quick phone call and all was found safe and well and ready for me to collect on my way home. But because of me being a prat (Di's description
) I have no photos...nothing!I got all my timings wrong for coming home. I was convinced it was 15:35 and we worked on that to sort the day out. When online check-in was available it turned out to be 17:05 so the day was rearranged. I caught the train down ro Faro and J&K went off to the west Algarve to Iceland and the Portuguese equivalent of B&Q. Such exciting lives!
Flight back was OK, I recovered my jacket and things at the airport, but I just missed the Leeds train by a few minutes on landing. The one I eventually caught was held up in Manc Piccadily as there had been a derailment at Staleybridge. I eventually got home at 00:20 and to a rotten smell!
While I had been away the fridge/freezer packed up so today I have been getting a new one and then stocking it up - call it shopping!
That's why I have been a bit quiet, but I am home now and everything is back to MY sort of normal.
Frank it all sounds great, even the mishaps 
XXX
