Sunday morning

I love the quietness of a Sunday morning.

Like today. It’s winter, if not at its peak, certainly at its worst.

Outside it’s raining, even stormy, and I wake up late – what luxury- and I enjoy the warmth under my duvet and allow myself to daydream. “All is well in my world”, as in one of my favourite Louise Hay’s cards.

The boys are home, safe and sound after a rugby afternoon and night out. They must have come home around seven am – an evening out these days only ends in the morning, and there have been times when together with their friends they still go on to have breakfast together – but as long as they text me before it’s fine, after all they are young and hard working, they passed all their tests, so they must have some fun. I remember well how it was when I was their age, and I went out so much more than they do, in fact!

I think of yesterday evening, a pleasant one in spite of the heavy rain and wind. I had to do some shopping at El Corte Ingles (not for me but for the men in my life, as they all hate shopping!), and then Nuno joined me and we had dinner at “O Talho” (meaning “the Butcher”), a fashionable meat restaurant of one of our most well known chefs, chef Kiko. We relaxed with a gin tonic and then enjoyed chef Kiko’s delicacies.

A “must see” film

Afterwards we went to see “Darkest hour“, a film that depicts the difficult moments Winston Churchill went through when he was appointed Britain’s prime minister in 1940 under threat of an imminent invasion by Nazi Germany, who was wiping out of the map free countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands; Gary Oldman plays Churchill in a brilliant way and I remember reading somewhere that he’s one of those truly “chameleonic “actors, who totally impersonate the characters they are playing. If you remember him in yet another remarkable performance, that of  “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” by Coppola, I’m sure you’ll agree with me. With all of his party against him, and even the King doubting him at first, he has the courage not to give in to those who wanted to sign a peace treaty with Hitler, even in the darkest moments when it seemed there was no other way left. This is a “must see” film, the story of a man who followed his convictions against all odds and thus gained a unique place in history. A film I shall certainly recommend to the boys, as they are always avid to learn more about World War II.

Writing, reading and other things that make me happy

 And my daydreaming takes me elsewhere now. This afternoon I’ll be working on my book, something I truly enjoy – what writer doesn’t? This reminds me of a pleasant surprise I had yesterday; I received a message from one of my readers, a lady from Canada, saying how much she loves my writing and my stories. It feels so good to know my writing is appreciated. Of course many of my friends follow my blog but then it’s completely different to be able to establish a connection through your writing to someone who lives so many miles away. She is travelling in Portugal so we’ll certainly have the chance to meet. It feels incredible and I’m so happy about it.

I believe I have to get up now. It’s wonderfully warm under the duvet but then a nice, relaxed, peaceful day awaits me. I’ll have a late breakfast and then finish a very interesting book I’m reading in French, called “Vicilisation” (I’ll tell you about it later on). Then I will have my indispensable cup of Nespresso coffee and I’ll cook lunch for me and the boys, who’ll be sleeping late of course. And then I’ll write and enjoy their company and then it will be evening and the weekend will be over much too soon.

But then, even when it is over, it will be part of the good memories of those days when happiness is made of simple things. Such as today, when I have the privilege of having some time to myself and daydream. In the quietness of a Sunday morning.