I Admire Those Who...
blog every day. Or two or three times a week. Or once a week, without fail. At the present time, I do not qualify.
I have a couple of draft posts ready, and tried to upload one of them with pictures, but right at that time, on that day, my internet connection failed me. I have to find the pictures again that I was going to post.
In the meantime, besides faced with constant translation work, I had to help prepare the visit to Madeira of the US ambassador to Portugal when he came on an official visit a week ago. It was the culmination of months of preparation and programming and was actually called off the week before his visit---for about 24 hours. Fortunately, the cancellation didn't stick, and the visit went ahead as planned. Otherwise we would have been having to do all the preparation all over again. So the last couple of weeks before his visit and the two days he was here were fully occupied.
Last Thursday (the 15th) was a holiday here in Portugal, and the church took advantage of the opportunity to go to the mountains for a day. There were about 50 of us up there enjoying the clouds, drizzle, fog, and a moment or two of sun. Actually, we enjoyed the food and activities planned by Marcia and Gil-Lene more than we did the weather.
On a cultural note, Abbie and I attended a concert on Friday night. An Austrian trio, playing guitar, harp, and zither made beautiful music together. Abbie studied the harp for a year and marvelled at the ease with which the harpist produced beautiful music on the harp. That's not easy at all, she said. I, who have been attempting to learn to play the guitar on my own for a couple of years, observed the lady playing the guitar. She made it look easy, but I know better. Looks are deceiving. And the man playing the zither! Since neither of us has ever tried to play one (nor had ever seen one played for that matter), we could sit back and enjoy the music without feeling the sort of personal frustration we sensed watching the other performers play instruments we have done battle with.
But all that is in the past. The early hours of another Sunday are upon us, and we look forward to what this day will bring. As for the blog, I still aspire to be counted among those I admire, if only for writing at least once a week.
I have a couple of draft posts ready, and tried to upload one of them with pictures, but right at that time, on that day, my internet connection failed me. I have to find the pictures again that I was going to post.
In the meantime, besides faced with constant translation work, I had to help prepare the visit to Madeira of the US ambassador to Portugal when he came on an official visit a week ago. It was the culmination of months of preparation and programming and was actually called off the week before his visit---for about 24 hours. Fortunately, the cancellation didn't stick, and the visit went ahead as planned. Otherwise we would have been having to do all the preparation all over again. So the last couple of weeks before his visit and the two days he was here were fully occupied.
Last Thursday (the 15th) was a holiday here in Portugal, and the church took advantage of the opportunity to go to the mountains for a day. There were about 50 of us up there enjoying the clouds, drizzle, fog, and a moment or two of sun. Actually, we enjoyed the food and activities planned by Marcia and Gil-Lene more than we did the weather.
On a cultural note, Abbie and I attended a concert on Friday night. An Austrian trio, playing guitar, harp, and zither made beautiful music together. Abbie studied the harp for a year and marvelled at the ease with which the harpist produced beautiful music on the harp. That's not easy at all, she said. I, who have been attempting to learn to play the guitar on my own for a couple of years, observed the lady playing the guitar. She made it look easy, but I know better. Looks are deceiving. And the man playing the zither! Since neither of us has ever tried to play one (nor had ever seen one played for that matter), we could sit back and enjoy the music without feeling the sort of personal frustration we sensed watching the other performers play instruments we have done battle with.
But all that is in the past. The early hours of another Sunday are upon us, and we look forward to what this day will bring. As for the blog, I still aspire to be counted among those I admire, if only for writing at least once a week.
posted by EP | 1:19 AM | Permalink
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