+ + DATELINE + + late September 2012 ……..

                      

When in ... where was it?  ...  Rome?

Well, we`re not even in ITALY, but one thing we have learned is that watching, listening and mimicking our indigenous neighbours may be time (not to mention patience,      and language skills!) -consuming but invariably also offers pointers to more productive ways forward than anything we would ever have come up with.

Perhaps there are simpler explanations, but reminding visitors that “No we don`t get such-and-such here, but the locals use ……” or “Well, we wouldn`t do it that way, but by all means …”  just re-emphasises to us the importance of setting.  Here, for instance

People don`t have any great tradition, and consequently little respect, for animals – especially dogs, whose role, if at all, is seen as hunting for their masters or end-of-chain yard guarding

Officialdom, and bureaucracy, are local rather than top-down orientated; often creating an inaccurate impression of, at best, inconsistency, or worse, racketeering.

Yet people live, people survive –and on monetary pittances, though possibly backed-up with home produce- so there is -there has to be- sufficient food, drink etc., to permit said survival.

The Portuguese have their way of doing things. Or ways, since they too not only have differences but remain stubbornly and sufficiently non-homogenous to preserve regional customs and habits. And it works; without the ignorance, intolerance, selfishness and unnecessary greed that so epitomises the so-called `advanced` European economies.

It is all too familiar an experience for us to have to try answer the Why? Question; Why do they do this? Why don`y they do that?  Haven`t they twigged the importance / value / worth of the other?

Maybe they have; maybe they`re content with their own progress. Just happy.

Another year..

That`s not to in any way bemoan our situation. `speaking with G this afternoon and the summary goes something like:-

            Q. Would we be anyone else?

A.  NOT BLOODY LIKELY.

            WE`d both finished with work by our early 50`s. We`ve retained our independence; no onerous responsibilities (sum total: two children, absolute apples of our eyes, and two grandchildren, to whom sufficient of our own estate should ultimately filter down.) and no reason to imagine we won`t have enough to survive our own futures without any great hardship. How could we be other than well pleased?