The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

Portugal Days Thirteen – Fifteen: All Good Things Must Come To An End (Lisbon, Canada)

After debating the pros and cons of various modes of transport, we opted to take the train from Porto to Lisbon. Everything went smoothly in terms of logistics. We travelled with Intercidades which was…

Family, Portugal, Travel
Sep, 12, 2024
16 Comments

Announcing the Next Cool Bloggers Walking Club

It’s almost here!

The last time I decided to do a month of walking at least 10 minutes/day, I didn’t give much advance warning. In fact, it was a single line item at the end…

Cool Bloggers Walking Club, Exercise, Friendship, Habits, Mental Health
Sep, 11, 2024
68 Comments

Portugal Days Eleven – Twelve: Night Sky Magic, A Hole in One and The Best Pastel I Ate in Portugal (Porto)

Another day in Porto and again we made our way to the waterfront by taking a new route down tiny Portuguese side streets. Much to L’s delight, the boardwalk was lined with fisherman. He…

Family, Portugal, Travel
Sep, 10, 2024
16 Comments

Top Five/Bottom Five: The Clothing Edition

Clothes. I love ’em and I hate ’em.

And I figured it was time to rank the top and bottom contenders in my closet.

TOP FIVE CLOTHING ITEMS

Dresses. If I could live in dresses I would…

Happy Things Friday: 6 September

It feels bizarre to be writing “September” on anything. We’ve officially reached the “ber” months – there’s no turning back! – which culminate with literally saying “brrr”. I’m not ready for winter, but I…

Portugal Days Nine – Ten: Bridges, Sunsets, and Even More Hills (Porto)

Next up: Porto. We debated the various modes of transport to get from the Algarve (far South) to Porto (far North). We looked at flights, trains, and buses before ultimately opting to rent a…

Family, Portugal, Travel
Sep, 05, 2024
30 Comments

Portugal Days Six – Eight: Beaches, Boat Tours, and New Best Buds (Algarve)

And we were off. This time on a high(ish) speed train bound for the Algarve. While we were staying in Armação de Pêra – thanks to the enthusiastic recommendation of Daria – the only…