New specs

We actually managed to leave home a mere 28 minutes later than planned – unheard of. The traffic was quite good at first, as expected in the middle of the day, but ground to a near halt before long. Later, on the Serra, we had a 15-minute wait because of the endless road works. All the people cutting in from left and right to get a few cars ahead would have had Chiara and James, her husband, spluttering with rage. Seems people don’t do that in the UK.
 
We had decided to wait to eat at the golf club – if we’re going to eat out, we’d rather the beneficiary was our dear friend Valério, now in charge of the catering. It was after 3:30 when we got there, but as always, he waved his wand and produced steak and chips and rice and beans. While we waited, and again later, I went bird hunting - they’re so much tamer than at home (I took over 100 photos). There were lots of “Ground canaries” - Canarinho da Terra –
 
Back home at last, we defused the dogs by driving out and letting them follow a ways up the road before we got out and walked too. Even so, Duke caught HH off-balance and he wound up toppling into the gutter (dirt road, luckily), in slow motion. A grazed knee was the only damage (plus a slight dent in his confidence), but I guess I’d better walk the dogs on my own for the time being.