It started with Russia now it's the USA

A little while ago i started to get a lots of views from Russia Thousands and Thousands more than normal. These views lasted for a few weeks and then they almost stopped, now it's back to lower numbers of viewers.

The same has been happening now for a while but it's the USA. From the Statistics i get i only get to see the country. Today i noticed that a number of pages have been viewed by the same amount of people for all of the pages i can see have been read.

As each page has been read by the same amount of people then it can only be it's a school or other institution  so please if this is you please get in touch i would like to know something about the readers.

Scaffolding up in the lounge

Today i managed to get the largest part of the downstairs ceiling up and even got the lights in. I used a scaffolding tower to put the plasterboard up as each sheet is heavy. I have six LED lights for the ceiling but before i installed them i first put them all up in position to check them. I had to see first that six was the right amount for the size of room i have.

I should have took a picture before i put the plasterboard up while it was on the scaffolding tower.

At last the hard part is done i now have the sides to do and after insulating behind the aircon unit i can finish that section. Just a hole to cut now for the ceiling fan

Last insulation and plasterboard done.

After finding in my cellar today a sheet of insulation it was time to get the last wall to be insulated done and finished. Just one more joint to finish on the outside and all the parts of the chimney can be jointed together.

The gap round the hole is because of the possible heat from the chimney.
The pipe as it comes through the wall will also have insulation around it.

Plasterboard up and screwed in position now i need a tub of an adhesive type material like plaster to finish the joints etc.

Fame Fame who wants Fame

It's now been a couple of years since i met a couple in Lidl Arganil who recognized me from my Blog. They told me how they have been reading it from when i first mentioned it on Expats Portugal forum. They like others told me that the reason they moved here was because i gave my opinion of this place i call home.

Friday i was going in to pay for the Euro Millions lottery. As i walked in someone looked at me is if he knew me. I was then asked if my name was Peter again recognized but a bonus and it is a big bonus he is From LIVERPOOL. Again so it seems my Blog has helped someone to find what may be there place in the sun.

That to date makes a total of three couples and two individuals who my Blog has helped that does make me feel proud that is some small way i have been of help.

Roll out the barrel

i recently took a barrel i had in my cellar to get it cut in two. Today due to rain at the market i was forced to come home early so i decided to transplant my orange trees into the barrels.

All i need now is something better for my Lime tree, the Lime tree is the one in the middle.

Stuff what the supermarkets say in the UK

I have just been reading the news on the BBC website i read about Tesco and Unilever in dispute over prices. Unilever say they want to raise price because lots of there product comes in my outside of the UK and because of the effect of the loss in value of the £. Tesco says that they are refusing the increase because they are listening to there customers and are trying to keep prices down

I saw a food program some time ago and a family of farmers who grew Parsnips close there farm due to the supermarkets wanting perfect shaped products.
Well just look at the pepper i got from the market at Figuerio dos Vinhos a few days ago. OK not supermarket shape but tasting amazing, so if you are new to Portugal forget what the supermarkets are like in the UK and enjoy the amazing products available here in Portugal. I have already used the Tomato's but in the UK they would never have seen the supermarket shelves.

This pepper certainly tasted better than it looked but what's better taste or look's?

Today i got these at a market but what would Tesco or Asda say about them?.
Well i know they are fresh and i even know where they where grown and you don't get any fresher then these. One is already cooking in a tomato and basil sauce.

What a difference a day makes

Yesterday i found a place where i could get a short piece of chimney pipe just the length i needed.

Today i cut the hole in the wall and fitted the pipes through . When the outside pipework has been done a collar will go over the pipe and hide the gap round the pipe. There has to be a gap all round the pipe to stop heat causing damage to the plasterboard.








The plasterboard is not yet fixed as the wall behind has yet to be insulated and then the plasterboard can be finished.

Unable to find somewhere to get a short length of pipe the size i wanted i was prepared compromise and the picture i posted a few days ago was the compromise. I had to use a full length of pipe until now when i found a stockist who had short lengths of pipe.

Once i cut the hole in the wall i can fit the last sheet of plasterboard and that's the last of the plasterboard done in my bedroom.

This pipe should act like a radiator in my bedroom and when it's time for bed the room should be warm.

Meet my mate T

Today i was putting up the plasterboad where the chimney for the log burner has to go. To do it on my own would be difficult as i only have two arms.

This is my new best mate T. He may not have any arms but he proved invaluable and i couldn't have done the job on my own.

Chimney in but it needs to have more cut from round the pipe to avoid a fire hazard.

I even got time to cut the hole for the LED light one of six to be fitted  and put the fitting in position ready.

Reinstalling the logburner chimney pipes

It may not be getting to cold yet but my attention must go to finishing the log burner. I am rerouting the chimney pipe out of the wall in the bedroom because when it was up through the roof it leaked. The guy who fitted the original chimney came back but it still leaked so with making a bedroom in the loft i decided to have the chimney out through the gable end wall.

The problem is that as the floor has been raised even though it was only by a little bit it made fitting the pipes with the bend in them impossible to refit without having a fire risk. The picture below shows the option i have decided on and this gives me more surface area for the heat from the pipe to help heat the room.

The chimney pipes going from the log burner up to the bedroom above are now made from stainless steel. The original pipes where just in mild steel and due to the rainwater leak the had rusted badly and where a hazard from leaks in fumes.

 To move the bend in the pipework would have created to many problems so i will just have to live with it as it is. The black pipe will be cleaned to be the same as the rest of the pipework.

I can then look to put up the last sheet of plasterboard and get this job finished.

Nice shiny chimney but it will soon show signs of the heat that goes up and out after giving me a nice warm living room.

R.I.P Jose Alves

I came back from shopping in town to find a notice pinned on a tree by where i park my van. I went to have a read only to find the it was the first person i saw the day i moved into my house.

R.I.P. Jose Alves 91 anos

Whole meal bread

It's now over six years now that i have been making my own bread. I admit to be using a Panasonic bread maker and it's about the most important gadget i have and won't be without it.

I treated myself to 12 kilo of Allinson Wholemeal flour. The recipe I used was for a 50% mix of white flour and 50% Wholemeal because i don't really like brown bread but as it's good for me i have to give it a try.











I used the recipe that comes in the Panasonic manual when you buy a bread maker. Each loaf was life brown bread and not as good as i am used to. Today i used the recipe that is for white sandwich bread and it worked perfect just like white bread but brown. After cooking put a damp cloth over the top and it makes the crust as little softer.

Iberianspices Mail order

For those who don't know i sell Spices and most probably i have the best selection for sale at any market to be found in Portugal.

After being asked a lot about mail order i have decided to give it a go. Over the next few days the Iberianspices Blog will change.  A complete stock list with product pack size and price will be displayed.

I have a Paypal account and all i need to do is send via email a Paypal invoice and you can make payment from your card to Paypal. Please note you don't need a Paypal account to make payment.

As they say watch this space for news.

The market

Today was my first day at the markets since i returned from the UK. As a little treat i brought back a few treats for those English who can't do without English food.

This market is great undercover so no chance of rain or even wind as it's under cover and protected on most sides. 

As a bonus the market now has Wifi

The Reunion

While in Liverpool on my last trip i went to a school Reunion for those who attended Rosco Garsfild road school.

The night went well in fact a little to well but nobody got drunk after all we are all in our late 60's. The surprise to me was a number of ladies turned up, our school was in two halves and a fence between the two. The only disappointment for me was John Wild never turned up, i wasn't told till the end was that he passed away the week before. John and i used to help each other with homework and generally where good mates at school.

Seeing Steve after his accident was good he has made great progress and is now able to walk but not unaided.

I took loads of pictures on my digital camera and put the memory card in my wallet. The next day while i was in town my wallet was stolen and all the photos have gone i can only hope some of the others there on the night will have some pictures they can let me have.

Back and settling back into life in the Sun

It's only a couple of days and i am back and waiting for my first market. The highlight of the trip was seeing someone special apart from my Mum. We enjoyed some nice nights out together and i look forward to a trip over soon to see her again.

I got to see my Mum a lot and even cut her grass, i can't even remember the last time i cut grass. Of course i got to see my grandaughter always a highlight of any trip back.

Two thousand kilometers is a long drive but this time i had someone who wanted a lift back to the UK so it was nice to have company.

I have a new Spice supplier who also sells Organic Spices, i have found they have 12 Spices that i can but and sell for the same price as i did with normal spices. After speaking to both my suppliers they both tell me that over 90% of my Spices are in fact Organic. The difference being that most growers can't afford the fees to register as Organic. For four years the growers have to hae there land surveyed and certified as organic. After four years they can claim to be Organic but the cost is the prolem so they just sell there Spiees 

getting ready for the drive back

It may be a few days early but I have to get ready for the journey home some time so I stared a few days early. This time I am bringing loads of Organic Spices and I can sell them for the same price as my none Organic spices. My supplier tells me that most of the Spices I have been selling are in fact Organic it is just the cost to register and have yearly inspections that stop the growers from declaring they are Organic.

As I have room in my van I am also bringing back to sell at the markets English food. There are loads of people who don't or won't accept the fresh Portuguese food on offer and would rather pay extra for English food laced with all kinds of additives. Last trip the most popular thing I had was Custard creams and Cloudy lemonade and I have an order for 6 bottles of lemonade. I picked out only a small range of goods for sale and hopefully after two or three markets all should be gone till my next trip to restock.

Who said Scousers don't work

After seeing English workers during my time in business I was so surprised at what I saw while sat outside my daughters house. I arrived from Portugal at 6am in the morning and instead of waking her I stayed outside in my van.

My granddaughter is always excited to see me so I wanted to surprise her before she went to school. I told my daughter not to answer the door on the morning I was due. I knocked on the door at the agreed time and my granddaughter opened the door. It was worth waiting outside just to see her face she seems just as excited to see me as she always is.

Now back to waiting in the van. A little before 7am I saw someone walking fast with a long ladder and at first my first thought was he had stolen the ladder. Until I saw him put the ladder up to someone's window, then Oh is he going to break in but no another two guys came with ladders came and started to do the upstairs windows of a number of houses in the street. As quick as they came 2 more came to clean the downstairs now remember what I said about time it still was before 7am in the morning.

I do have a photo but the IPad won't let me download it so I have to wait till I get home and have access to desktop computer whe I get home.

Turmeric new Wonder Spice

After reading about the new wonder Spice Turmeric i had to have my say. I stock Turmeric but i am probably the only person selling ORGANIC Turmeric here in Portugal. So look out for me at the markets and get this wonder Spice it's certified ORGANIC.

Turmeric - Nature's wonder drug! The healthiest herbs & spices

• Herbs and spices have more antioxidants than any other food group
• Can help prevent the initial triggering of mutations in your DNA
• Taking a moment to spice up your life can have far-reaching consequences

By Dr Michael Greger For The Daily Mail

Published: 00:56 GMT, 1 March 2016 | Updated: 09:02 GMT, 1 March 2016

Ounce for ounce, herbs and spices have more antioxidants than any other food group.

This means they can help prevent the initial triggering of mutations in your DNA that could lead to cancer or other diseases.

So taking a moment to spice up your life can have far-reaching consequences. And the truly amazing properties of turmeric make it something we should sprinkle on our food every single day.

TURMERIC

What if someone could invent a magic pill that protected us from some of the worst diseases on the planet? Imagine the joy of the pharmaceutical companies - and what they'd charge us to buy it.

Ounce for ounce, herbs and spices have more antioxidants than any other food group

Well, I have news that Big Pharma doesn't particularly want to hear. The ingredients for that pill are probably already right there on your kitchen shelves: in a packet or bottle labelled turmeric.

Since the turn of the century, more than 50 clinical trials have tested curcumin - the pigment in turmeric that gives it that bright yellow colour - against a variety of diseases.

These show that the spice may play a significant role in preventing or treating lung disease, brain disease and a variety of cancers - including multiple myeloma, colon cancer and pancreatic cancer.

Curcumin has also been shown to help speed recovery after surgery and effectively treat rheumatoid arthritis better than the leading drug of choice. It may also be effective in treating osteoarthritis and other inflammatory conditions, such as lupus and inflammatory bowel disease.

In the latest trial for ulcerative colitis, a randomised, double-blind study found more than 50 per cent of patients achieved remission within a month on curcumin - compared with none of the patients who received the placebo. And consuming turmeric with soya may offer a double benefit for osteoarthritis sufferers.

So how much do you eat - and how do you eat it?

'Turmeric is potent stuff. If I gave you an eighth of a teaspoon of turmeric to eat once a day for a week, then exposed your blood to an oxidising (bad) chemical, the number of cells with DNA damage could be cut in half'

Turmeric is potent stuff. If I gave you an eighth of a teaspoon of turmeric to eat once a day for a week, then exposed your blood to an oxidising (bad) chemical, the number of cells with DNA damage could be cut in half. All because you had a little bit of turmeric onboard.

Because this spice can have such powerful drug-like effects, I'd advise everyone - including pregnant women - to take just a quarter of a teaspoon a day.

Ultrasound studies show that even this small amount causes the gallbladder to contract, squeezing out half its contents. In doing this, it may help to stop gallstones from forming. But be warned: if you already have a gallstone, that turmeric-induced squeeze could be painful.

And here's a good tip. Try to have your quarter-teaspoon with black pepper.

There's evidence to suggest raw turmeric may have greater anti-inflammatory effects, while cooked turmeric offers better DNA protection

About five per cent of black pepper is composed of a compound called piperine. And one of the things this does is to prevent your liver from actively working to get rid of the curcumin you've just eaten.

Even the tiniest pinch of pepper can significantly boost curcumin levels in your blood.

You can buy turmeric from any supermarket - or get it raw from Asian shops and grate a quarter of an inch of the root into your food. There's evidence to suggest raw turmeric may have greater anti-inflammatory effects, while cooked turmeric offers better DNA protection.

I find that turmeric of any kind goes particularly well with brown rice, lentil dishes and roasted cauliflower.

But wouldn't it be easier to take a curcumin supplement?

No - because curcumin is not equivalent to turmeric - it's just one of its ingredients. The few studies that have compared turmeric with curcumin have suggested turmeric may work even better.

Against breast cancer, for instance, curcumin kicked butt, but turmeric kicked even more butt. The same was true against pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, multiple myeloma, chronic myeloid leukaemia and others.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3470432/Turmeric-Nature-s-wonder-drug-healthiest-herbs-spices-revealed.html#ixzz4JEEXMxwZ
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Figuerio dos Vinhos

This is just one roadway out of five at the Munucipal market in Figuerion dos Vinhos. I had to take three photos to give an idea of the size of the market.

If you look at the three pictures you can get an idea of the size of this place and this is only one roadway out of five.

Me ever the show off at my market stall.

This is to my left.

Directly opposite me.

This is down to my right.