1. December 2017
Today is a cold day here in my land. I woke up in the morning, looked out the window and there it was! There was frost on the grass. Frost on the cars. Now the sun is shining, the frost has disappeared from the grass when I look at the view outside my office. A beautiful day it is.
The first day of the last month of the year is on.
What a year!
I am grateful for everything that has happened during this year. It has taught me patience, gratitude, empathy and to be optimistic, ALWAYS.
I have been blogging in Icelandic and I found my way to WordPress for my English blog. I quit the Icelandic one but continue my English one.
Last month I began my new life. I was well enough to travel around my country.
I like it when I just get out of my house, into my car with my GPS and fly somewhere. Sometimes I have decided and even planed where to go, but there are times when I suddenly decide to go north or south. Just on the spot.
Even though my heart does not allow me to get into a plane my life is not over. I might even be able to travel by air next year. Who knows? I don´t and I just enjoy the now. The now is mine and tomorrow will be.
Next year I am going to spend a month, I hope, in a wonderful place up north. Peace and quiet, enjoying the land and visiting new places in the spring. Even though my little land is small, just like a slice of Spain, it is beautiful and has lots of small villages and the people are friendly and willing to talk to a strange foreigner. It will be a joy.
Today is the 1st of December and then the castle in Penela opens the December event. Every year in December there is a market and different happenings inside the castle. People from outside Penela come for a visit. The village is full of cars. There are cars everywhere and people walking up the hill.
Penela is a village of hills. Sometimes, when foreigners move to the country, they find out that their physical shape could get a little bit of overhaul!
Although after few weeks in the village they do get used to the hills, or at least know where not to go on foot!
Many foreigners do have high blood pressure and the hills are good exercise for them. Perhaps they might cut down the intake of alcohol and salt but who cares. They can go to the hospital if needed, or can they?
The urgency doctors in the hospitals know the foreigners in the land. They see them coming after a fall, while perhaps drinking too much.
Now it is December and perhaps more foreigners drive their cars in my land after drinking the vine in the restaurants or even after a party in the fancy houses. Should they drive? I think that would be drunk driving.
When I had been in my land just few weeks a foreign couple invited me to have dinner with them. They picked me up, took me to the restaurant where we met another couple a Portuguese one who also came by car. We had dinner and they drank a lot, A lot. Before we left the restaurant the manager invited the couples for drink and there was more vine and everyone got quite drunk.
I was new in the country.
I did not know where to get a taxi.
I had to get home.
I went into the car with the couple that invited me. The driver, the man, was quite drunk. I was scared to death.
I never drink vine. I usually don´t get into a car with those who have. This time I did not see any other solution.
We got home unharmed. This was the first and the last time I ever got into a car with someone who had been drinking. I drive my own car and am safe.
Perhaps there are road accidents in my land because of the drunk driving. It may be but it’s not just the Portuguese drivers who get into their cars after several bears or many glasses of vine.
I hope everyone will be safe during this December but just remember not to drive after drinking vine or bear. Please!
Hulda Björnsdóttir
My thoughts shared with you 