@veganostomy Thanks Eric! I’ll gladly take one for the team.😄 We’ve been getting the weather reports from home - I’m sorry for all of you who are digging out from all that snow. It has been consistently 16-17C here, and mostly sunny. We’ve booked for next year already.

Irrigating has been perplexing. I only get about 24 hours relief from output, whereas I get 2-3 days at home.🤷‍♀️ Maybe it’s the change in water, or diet. It’s enough to get me through a day tour - we’ve done a couple of them - but that’s it. I have to remember to drink lots of water. We’ve been doing a lot of walking, hiking (everything in Portugal is uphill both ways) and I have been getting dehydrated. I’m not very good at drinking when I don’t feel thirsty. 

Heading home March 1st. Eric, please do something about the snow!

 Laurie 

Posted by: @tigerlily

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I only get about 24 hours relief from output, whereas I get 2-3 days at home.🤷‍♀️ Maybe it’s the change in water, or diet

Yes, I'd bet on it. When you think about it, you basically change your entire diet overnight when you travel, so even your microbiome has to adjust. I'm sure that over the coming weeks, things will normalize.

Be prepared that when you come back, there may be the same adjustment to your gut as the food changes again.

Oh, enjoy that warm, sunny weather 🙄😂😂😂

Good Morning everybody 

Hi Lk thanks for the advice about the long johns . I actually do have a pair but don't need them around here much . Do use them to ride my bike in winter in the mountains though . Most of the time even in winter I'm wearing shorts so they might look a little funny with  shorts on Lol . Lowest temperature here so far this year was 39° F . It snows in the mountains around us but that's an hour drive then we're back down here with shorts . Did get some rain last night maybe around 1/4" but that dosen't happen very often around here . 

Happy Valentines Day everybody ! 

another nice day here today , 12C with mostly sunshine and no wind , did my good deed for the day , neighbour called and said her sat dish was not working , so found a spare lnb I had and changed hers out and all working again  , all sorted in 20 minutes , feels good to do something nice .

another dreary damp day , 12C but misty and foggy , cleared for a while so got out for a small walk with the puppy , looks like a wet few days in store for us , will have to suffer inside with a good book and some tasty food .

Goodmornin'! I can't seem to relax enough to fall asleep so, I'm done fighting it.  It's 12:36 a.m. still cold outside at -4°c & still snowing. It's been falling steady since late yesterday.  It is so beautiful to watch it coming down the way it is. 

Eric, we've heard & seen the pics of your snowfall . the 6:00 p.m. news.  It's a little different at this end of 🇨🇦 Canada,  so far anyways.  In British Columbia in the Okanagan,  it's starting to accumulate, it's not the depth that you guys have & are getting..  yet, lol!   Though I know a few kids who would just love that! 

Hello GARDENERS' !!  Im wondering if anyone has planted Garlic & red onions, I think they are called  "shallots" with the long stems & a big white-ish flower on top?  Last year I saved seeds from it & am wondering if any of you have planted these black seeds? Is this the only way you can grow them, by seed?  What came of them ? Also, I've never grown them myself, I was looking after a neighbour's small garden & I was told just to take anything that grew back.  These onions aren't your big round purple ones, but small. When should I plant the seeds & should I start them inwdoors? They have such a nice almost sweet taste to them when eating them raw. I have no idea why I've never used them before.  But I do love the taste of regular onions.  

Also, Garlic!! I got mine planted for the first time in late fall. But at least I got them in the ground this year! Lol!  This is another veggie I've never grown & I'm excited about these 2 new ones. 

If you have any experience growing either or both of them, please share with me & maybe others maybe, what you know. 

I have no idea when to harvest either of them & though these onions were the size of a childs clenched fist, I want to know more.  My vision issues prevent me doing a lot of reading on screen. 

Thank you in advance of this is if you can help!! 

All this being forced to bed with my wacky  iron & Potassium & B12 issues is making me very restless, so I'm doing a lot of thinking about and planning my gardens for this year.  It sure does help with the restlessness!! Lol! 

Robert... I have to admit that I really enjoy wearing long johns.  They just provide that extra layer of needed warmth esp. when walking Missy.  I have failed to do that myself in these temps simply bcuz my liver is not enjoying the last iron infusion and causing all sorts of difficulties from it. My Potassium has finally stabilized, but I'm still using my cane due to the shaking & need the extra stability, sonedays its my walker.  I found out last week that the Potassium capsules,  prescribed, are no longer covered by B.C. Medical. This is now infringing on my grocery budget.  There is no place on "special permission " forms for "malabsorption" to be placed. The other option may be infusions, but they burn the veins like crazy going into me.  I do eat foods high in Potassium,  like avocados, bananas.... but they go thru me too quickly & are also becoming very costly as they cross the Mexican/ Us/Canada border & well, I'm sure you've heard who is in power in the US over these laws/taxes & tariffs. Very deep sigh!... 

Tony H... I'm sure your service to your neighbour was very appreciated. That was very nice of you!  Our cable service went out last night & never came back on. It could be that at 10 p.m. here, in Quebec they were doing repairs or updates of some kind at 2 or 3 a.m. there, or someone here took out a telephone pole! I'm really hoping it's updates. In small towns you just know too many people & car accidents are often troubling.  Snuggle down & enjoy a good book & your fav. Hot drink! 

To anyone reading along, who are your favorite authors & what do they write about? Or what do you do to pass time in winter? 

@tigerlily ... hey Laurie,  if you have trouble drinking fluids on tours, have you considered taking a fruit or veggie smoothy along instead.  There's a lot of flavors involved & it may just help.  

When my Grand-D has a cold or sore throat and won't drink anything, we can always get her to drink a fruit smoothy & without her knowing I've tossed in veggies to help as well.  On picnics,  I'll place it in a glass  bottle or jar with a screw cap lid & it keeps it colder longer. 

Do they have any beaches? And with sea shells in Portugal ?  Do you ever bring sewing fabric back from a different country??  Erics right!  From here even, you may want to plan an extended holiday... winter has LANDED! lol! 

@dlkfiretruck Hi Linda, thanks for your suggestion. My problem isn’t so much what I’m drinking, it’s remembering to drink when I’m not thirsty. I often have a water bottle with me but I don’t remember to use it as often as I should. Duh. I need to get with the program. And yes, the beaches here are gorgeous with their caves and rock formations. Friends and family are keeping us informed about how they’re suffering from the abundance of snow. I think we picked the right time to get away.😊

I tried to attach a photo but it’s too big; not sure how to reduce the size.

Laurie

@dlkfiretruck Linda shallots can be grown from seed bit much easier to grow them from sets like these

https://www.thegardenshop.ie/red-shallot-sets/

They are lovely ,nice mild taste perfect in a sandwich with tomato and crunchy lettuce and some home made mayo,

Posted by: @dlkfiretruck

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To anyone reading along, who are your favorite authors & what do they write about? Or what do you do to pass time in winter? 

I mainly read sci fi and fantasy,  at the moment I'm reading a series called "Expeditionary Force " and I'm listening to a series called "Dungeon Crawler Carl " which is hilarious,  like thrillers like Jack Reacher series and Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp series 

Maybe a good idea for a book recommendations thread ?

A dry day today with some sunshine 10C ,just missing the rain 

another miserable day here , 10C wet and windy , but was dry for a while so got out for a walk with our furry golden girl ,

https://photos.app.goo.gl/AitdSnMjx35UU8nP7

just a photo to make you smile

We had a dumping a few days ago. Well over 30 cm from what can tell, and we're running out of room to put all this snow!

Temperatures went to -15c last night, but it's supposed to be on an upward trend to +4 in the next 7 to 10 days. Really looking forward to that.

Still, I've been trying to get a daily walk in, and it's been nice, despite my disdain for winter in general 🤣 Amazing what warm boots, gloves, and layering up can do!

@veganostomy Eric I think ye (Canadianians ) have evolved into a tougher species , being able to deal with these temps for months really takes inner strength, 

Honestly don't know how ye do it ,

Eric I have to agree with Tony . I don't know how you can manage all that snow and freezing weather . I'm sure it's beautiful to see though . We enjoy seeing snow up on the mountains here and it's nice to drive up to see it . But I don't know that I could handle dealing with it day after day . Lol . 

And Tony you guys . Lol . I don't know how you can handle all the wet weather.  Although I do like to see it rain . And I'm sure you're countryside is a beautifully green and great to see . Maybe some day I'll get there to see it . Here where we're at our rainfall average is 2" to 4" annually  so quite a difference I'm sure from what you get . 

We are having warmer than normal weather right now . Looking for 83° F today and 91° F in a couple days . It's way to early for these temps here for February . Hoping it cools back off . 

@tony-h, @njewell1 I generally really dislike winter. I don't enjoy the cold, or the snow, or the lack of sunshine, not seeing wildlife, etc.

It's not easy unless you're a winter sports person, which I'm not.

But I've decided that I really don't want to spend my entire winter indoors, so I'm trying to make the best of it.

nice day here today , some sunshine through the cloud , very blustery , but its dry so time for a walk with the dog , all is good with the world , the simple pleasure of a walk .

It has stopped snowing, the sun is out and we are above 0 (F) this morning. 

Yesterday my car battery finally couldn’t take the cold and gave up - a nice guy from the car shop actually came here to give it a jump so it would have enough power to get to the shop. Lucky thing is, the car died when it arrived at the shop, they had just one battery in stock, and another jump got it enough charge to drive it inside to do the battery placement - now the old girl (the car, I mean) has a new battery and new energy!

@tony-h 

I think a book/author thread is a great idea!!  I love to read and have been reading a lot lately. My dad loved Jack Reacher books. I think I might have a box of them somewhere from when he died. I haven’t read any yet because I already have so many books to read, but loved hearing his enthusiasm for them and plan to read one soon. 

@tony-h Gorgeous puppy, Tony. 

Laurie