Apple the dominaters

I have an Ipad mini now quite old but still perfect for my everyday needs. I also have an old Iphone that again does everything i could need. 

So what is my moan first  because of the age of both my Ipad and Iphoone i can't use Revolut to transfer money into EUROS from the UK to Portugal.

Kindle has dissapeared from my Iphone and Whattsapp. A while ago an app i used to measure the amount of steps to took each day you guessed that dissapeared as well.

All that i can live with but now the Ipad started to give a message that the charger was not original and may not work correctly I just ignore that. Now my trusty Iphone ir doing the same telling me that the charger is not original and may not work correctly.

What has my Ipad and Iphone got to do with Apple both devices are now longer under Guaranteeso are Apple spying on my devices. Who knows to that question i don't use Safari and haven't used it for years using a browser of my choice.

A trip to the Notary

 I used the money i inherited from my Mum wisely well i think i did. I have wanted to buy the ruin next door to me for a long time to build a veranda at the side of my house. The thing that put me of was the cost of the Legal fees. A friend of mine complained about the cost of legal charges for a small house he found in the same village as i live. After complaining he got a reduction in the cost of his legal fees.

After this experience and before i asked a local lawyer to act on my behalf i asked what others had done. I spoke to a local carpenter what knows someone who's fee was very reasonable so i contacted the lady. Turns out i have known the lady from before i came to live here.

 A bit about her.

I had the help from a friend called Raquel who i am lucky has been my friend about 10 years and many more to come. Although Raquel is not a Lawyer she performs the act the same as a lawyer would at the Notary. Raquel does all the legal work that a lawyer does by for a more affordable price. Would i recommend her you can be sure i would and i have a good friend in the who is waiting to use her services as soon as he gets over here. 

Her email is raquel1stop@gmail.com for get service in this area feel free to call her and mention me Spicepete

I pinched an idea

 I saw an episode of Grand designs New Zealand some time ago and i pinched an idea from the show. The house owner had someone come all the way from Holland to do some wood work for his house.

What it is well it's a series of squares glued together and they are made from Plywood. To show the pattern of the plywood i used a clear varnish to seal the wood. 

I am going to paint all the side in a nice shade of Black

My Little Bronx is sick

 Today i heard from my daughter that my young Granddaughter was in Hospital with Sepsis. Bronx has her health issues just like most children her age but Sepsis on top did upset me. 

At the moment i am sat here in Portugal and there is nothing i can do. I am waiting for my second Covia vaccine and going back to the UK when i would have to self isolate would stop me from going to see her.

Her older sister will send me pictures and videos so i will get to see her but i can't help but worry.

So what's happened during the last few months

Here in Portugal markets have closed since bout November 2119. So as the Spices man what have i been doing with my time. In a word not a lot to date.

I have been working on my Lathe but as wood run out there was not a lot that could be done. I made a cutting board for one of my sons but soon stopped it because of Brexit i would have to pay tax to ship it to Liverpool. Then the Customs in the UK would want Customs duty on a piece of wood sent to my son.

Now the EU and the UK have a Gift system in place for people to send a Gift up to £45 from the 1st July so lets see how this works.

I made lots of Table lamps, Bowls and platters as well as cutting boards. Some cutting boards are in the shape of countries for example, Africa, Australia and Portugal and Spain.

I used the time to increase my stock of Spices ready for when the markets start again. Because of Brexit i no longer buy from my usual supplier in the UK but i buy from the EU now. I have found suppliers in Spain, Germany and Hungary. Buying from Hungary i am now able to get the best Smoked paprika so i am very happy i just need a market to start selling my Spices again.

It was a great day and thanks to my Mum.

My Mum passed away a little while ago and is very sadly missed.

I like the rest of my family was left some money on Mum's passing. I carefully saved this money because i knew what i wanted the money to be used for. 

Next door to my house in Portugal is a Ruin and a small Olive grove that ruin is now mine and thanks MUM R.I.P

I had the help from a friend called Raquel who i am lucky has been my friend about 10 years and many more to come. Although Raquel is not a Lawyer she performs the act the same as a lawyer would at the Notary. Raquel does all the legal work that a lawyer does by for a more affordable price. Would i recommend her you can be sure i would and i have a good friend in the who is waiting to use her services as soon as he gets over here. 

Her email is raquel1stop@gmail.com for get service in this area feel free to call her and mention me Spicepete

The side of the house will in time have a veranda across the whole of the back of the house. The back of the house gets the sun all day i don't think it will join up to my present veranda i just want them separate.  

My present veranda i did most of the building work myself but i did get a builder to tile the floor and to skim the walls.

 This is my house as seen through the Olive grove.

These Olive trees are quite large and very mature.

Another view through the Olive grove.

Lets get started again

 Hi Everybody i am back but let me explain.

Some time ago i passed a comment how i was the fist in my family to have passed my driving test first time. I was first in my family from my Mum and Dad's children but that wasn't the point of the comment. 

What the comment meant was from my Two wives, four children and four grandchildren this is my family. From my family i was the first to pass the driving test first time.

Sadly one of my brothers and sisters left a rather nasty comment on my Blog. I have since blocked this person and wish not to receive any further comments from them.

Maybe they could have been first in there family but i will say i don't care.