While driving down my well-worn trek, to and from the base, I stuck my camera out the window and took some pics.  Not trying to get the "best" picture, just point and shoot through the windshield.  Some of them turned out pretty darned good if I do say so myself.

And of course the obligatory cow picture.

I think the cows must like the rain, but it always makes me sad to see them.

Especially when there is only one chained in a remote location.

Poor wet cows.

Wet cows don't smell very good either.

That was a beautiful day.  It had rained buckets the day before and everyone was outside, soaking up the sun and drying out.  We spent the day at the park.  I forced the girls the play for a few hours because it was forecasted to rain the next day.

Fun in the rain

It is impossible to predict the weather.  Sometimes I can catch the Portuguese news, but unless he has pictures, I'm clueless.  There are nine islands.

 And the air-force radio seems to always be wrong.  Go figure, something government run being wrong.

So there is no planning.  I just have to be prepared.  

We have an umbrella and boots at the door and they go into the car when traveling.  A jacket or sweatshirt along with it, which always get left somewhere or other.

It rains every other day, but the sun will shine in between downpours or during.  I have never seen so many rainbows.   And most of the time they cover the whole sky.  Its very inspiring. 

 One rainy day activity is bowling.  Oscar is on a youth league and has improved quite a bit.  Our friend Justin is also on a league, so the competition is on when we go together.

Here is Oscar, 

Mark,3 (hidden),

 and Taylor,2 years. 

 Oscar likes to be the teacher.

Mary had to be pretty competitive.

We always have a good time with the Walkers. 

Now I'm back to the underlining problem.  HELP!!!

The death of BELOR!

My nemesis.  It's a constant battle in most homes.  I even have a Portuguese housekeeper come twice a week and still...

... IT LIVES. 

 Mold. 

 Belor in Portuguese. 

 The weather is so unforgiving right now, I can't fight and expect victory.

Some of our windows aren't very secure and the rain seeps in.  Because there is no heat, hot showers are a must.  Most days lately, the wind has been too strong and cold to open the windows.  

Moisture, cool temperatures, and no moving ventilation;  all needed for Belor to flourish.  

So most days of my cleaning are spent seeking out Belor and killing it!

Poor Sarahjane, when she chose her room in the summer, it was because of the window facing the beautiful grape vineyard.  Now her nights are hell, and my days busy. 

 The last renter kept his dog in her room.  "Jack"  had learned to open the window with his paws, evidently breaking the seal.

  On high wind days it screams in pain, and on rainy days it cries. 

 I keep moving her bed further and further away from that wall, but the room is not very big.

  And belor knows no boundaries.

I know part of my haste in moving is the misery in our quarters. 

 A new home!  At least there I will have a fighting chance.  The odds will be better although still not guaranteed.   I will prepare myself with the tools of extermination. 

 My garlic will be "dehumidifiers", my crosses "damp-rid", all placed strategically throughout the house.  With a bottle of Clorox bleach holstered on my hip at the ready.....

.... I will fight a good fight.  Nao esconderes Belor!

LAJES MILITARY BASE

It occurred to me that I haven't explained our military existence in detail.  And I'm in the mood to write.

 Lajes air force base was created after WWII with special permission from the Portuguese government.  In other words, this base is not American.  It is a Portuguese base that Americans are allowed to be a part of.  The gates are manned by Portuguese military.  The MP's are Portuguese and American together.  The BX,(K-mart without tax) which normally is only for American military, also allows for Portuguese with ID.   

All the buildings are brandished with a letter T for "temporary".

 We have to be on our best behavior or daddy will take away the second largest runway in the world.  

That's right kids, Lajes is where the Space Shuttle is to crash land if they develop any problems while flying over the Atlantic.

Over the last Shuttle flight, everyone was on stand-by, just "in case".  Not that I stayed up, but if the sky is clear, we can watch the orbit with the naked eye.

The school and base housing is actually outside the base perimeter.  So there is a walking gate with a Portuguese plainclothes (not sure of his status) to look at ID's.  Its funny listening to some of the stories of kids and adults holding up something to pass by.  Depending on the person, most anyone can pass through the gate.  Hopefully I won't cause a national incident, but someone went through after holding up their shoe. 

 But on the main gate, there are some uniformed that practically twang after a salute.  And they are saluting all day long.

We live about 15 minutes away from the base.  Some days Mary and I hang out in Porto Martins, but others are spent being saluted over and again. 

 Bonnie likes to salute back.

 Sometimes the base has a lot to offer.  We had a movie theater, it's being re-vamped.  There are a few playgrounds, but they are usually wet. 

 The library is small but well stocked.  Somehow they got all new, hardback books.  I've not seen any paperbacks as of yet.  But the video selection, not so hot.  A lot of discarded vhs tapes, of the Barney and Rugrats variety.

  Bowling alley, craft center, thrift shop, and in the summer there is a pool.  Supposedly there used to be a Burger King, and many Portuguese civilians would pay for the yearly ID fee just for that use.  But now the only fast food is Subway (if that even counts as fast food).  The largest island Sao Miguel is home to Taco Bell and McDonalds.  That unfortunately is a two hour flight.  

I am simply rambling, so I will end on the subject of me being stupid.

It makes me feel pretty stupid when practically every Portuguese I've met is bi-lingual and I don't feel comfortable saying "Bom Dia"(good morning).  Not only can they speak English, they speak so fluently, you wonder their nationality.  Most Europeans are bi-lingual which makes me wonder if the English language itself is a block in learning other languages.  Is it harder to learn other languages when English is the native tongue?  That's my hypothesis.  It's thrown out, I can't take it back.

The language is a cross between Spanish and French.  If you know Spanish (as I've learned), then its easy to pick up on the written language.  But if you know French (which I do Not), I think the sounds may be easier to pick up on.  Like French there are many letters that are not heard.  And others that sound completely different that you would imagine.  

Yes, for example is Sim.  It's pronounced "sing".

No, is Nao, with the squiggly over the a.  Its a nasal "now".

Sarahjane and I are taking a class.  When I write down notes without looking at the board, just listening, I'm screwed.  It just doesn't sound anything like it looks.  When watching TV, everything ends with 00 or sh.  There is a lot of shushing going on here.

And evidently, we live in hillbilly Portugal and have the added bonus of a peculiar accent.  

I'm done.