Safeway delivered 4 
huge russet potatoes a couple of days ago. They look like they are this year’s crop, at least. I decided with one I would make a soup. With another I will be making Colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes) and the other two I am going to dice up and dehydrate for the coming winter. We can’t eat four huge potatoes before they go off so drying is my go-to method for preservation (although freezing comes in second, only due to space in the freezer which is full to the brim from our summer gardening bounty). I admit I am looking forward to just cooking with all the yum-licious foods I have been preserving since last Spring. However, I am growing weary of the preservation jobs. Continue reading “Creamy Potato Soup”
A few years back we started discussing the retirement options. We decided I should take social security at 62 while Mike continued to work. After he reached 66, we began to revisit the questions again. Since most of his work is performed as a contractor (i.e., not FTE) in 6 to 60 month gigs, it is easy to put off the retirement decision each time a contract expires and a new one starts. 
When we went to Sintra, not long after our arrival in Portugal, we wandered the village, looking at the houses, homes, Airbnb and shops near the train station. I was not as on top of my game as I would have liked in order to be able to enjoy the town. But I was hungry and thirsty. We had a late start on the day as well. 
This whole time of our vacation, all the festivities seem to be leading up to the 12th of June – St. Anthony’s day of honor. I have been reading up on this since we came here not knowing about it. St. Anthony of Padua (12 th Century) is the patron saint of Lisbon. He was originally from Portugal but spent most of his life in Italy. However, the Portuguese are proud of his heritage.
Saturday we queued up for Remodelado Tram #28 at Martim Moniz to Campo Ourique (Prazeres). The route goes through Graca and Alfama, as well as connects Baixa to the Estrela District. We took it both ways. Fortunately there are trams every 15 minutes and sometimes more frequently. Seating will accommodate about 30 people, but there are people constantly getting on and off, so at times the tram probably held twice that many people standing as well as sitting. We timed our entry into a tram to be one of the first 12 people on so we got great seats.