Sunday 12th December 2021Blog from the Edge, 18

Here’s Alison’s new blog, as we enjoy the build up to our first Christmas in Madeira.

Poinsettias, Paintings and the Pool

Well Christmas has arrived, Madeiran style. Madeirans certainly go to town on their lights - and nativity scenes!  We haven’t yet ventured into Funchal to see the lights there, but Ribeira Brava is definitely bright!  We have our own cheerful patch of poinsettias in the garden, interspersed with red roses and lots of herbs.  It does seem a bit incongruous viewing of all these Christmas images against a backdrop of blue sky and warm sunshine 🌞 although there have been a few cold days and some rain, resulting in masses of weeds sprouting up overnight (my job!).

Work on the pool continues. Jose decided not to work in Funchal 🤗. After a mishap with the chute for the concrete, which led to wet concrete spilling everywhere, the chute is now in working order: the floor to the pool is in, the pipe work is there for the pump and shuttering is going up for the concrete sides.  It is very much a building site!

Paul has been extremely busy working on my sister’s two commissions and they are almost completed.  They are stunning and will look beautiful in situ alongside ‘Brides Veil Waterfall’. Read here to find about about visiting Madeira - from Love Holidays - https://www.loveholidays.com/holidays/explore-the-best-of-madeira/

We managed to get our booster covid jabs, and a flu jab for me, yesterday at the local health centre in Ribeira Brava, but we still await our residency cards 😳.