Its October already?

Summer left Portugal a couple of weeks ago. I had to drive to work every morning last week peering through the morning mist, trying to work out whether my ute had a foglight, again splashing throught the river at the ford. But on Friday there was no mist, just a rich golden sun low in the sky, rays reflecting off the low clouds, the sun not strong enough to banish them completely and a light golden haze covered the fields instead. I bounced along to happy music while to my right a goat stood on a rock, as if to check that the sun was really there, a bit later on my left the leaves on the vines were turned into golden lamps by the light, and the grape pickers in the fields seem to belong in a painting rather than the real world.

Its been a week or two of animals - the other day a small marron waved a claw at us from a puddle, one the next day was a little more aggresive and decided to attack my shoe. In the ford last week I had to slow to avoid a tortoise who had found that the river wasn't quite passable despite the rain. I would've made my vet nurse cousin proud as I stopped, carried it across the road and left it safely in a puddle (pausing only to take a photo and dodge a few cars, who either slowed to look or sped up to hit me!).

No posting since I returned because the world has been very busy. Not just unpacking and resettling, at work we've been trying to start drilling again and trying to start a new project plus touring a series of prospective investors around the projects/country. Also my parents have been visiting and it's nice to show them around both the sights and the cafes, although perhaps the best meal was the BBQ out the back after work last Friday.

To complete the set my brother came for a visit with his wife and baby and I got to experience first hand a taste of baby life and meet my niece. The photo above should deter anyone from suggesting that Bry and I should get one of our own or that I can baby-sit theirs. Steve and Kim, Marty and Jo take note!!! (and public congratulations too on the birth of William and Jo's pregnancy)

As if life couldn't get any better on Saturday the West Coast Eagles managed to be on the winning side of this years AFL grand final thriller. For the first time in 18 years I couldnt watch any of it on TV so I listened to the radio through the net, lying in bed at 7.30am having heart attacks as the boys held on, then watched it again Sunday night when the match replay FINALLY appeared on afl.com. No internet streaming of the GF, crap highlights packages then they can't even upload it 10 hours later even though they can sell the DVD in Perth on Sunday. Dont get me started - well I did as in my old age Ive become a letter writer so Telstra, the AFL and 6PR all copped emails at 6am. A bit of emotion watching the celebrations and half a thought of whether I could pull the boots on again to try and get one myself. I could go on about the game a lot longer but I'll restrain myself and just observe that its great to see Beau Waters has decided to prove that footballers havent turned into elite athletic machines.

More emails with pics of some new and different places soon. I promise. Just have to finish a release, model two deposits, design a drill programme or three and work out a project for a student :)