Estava a tentar manter isto de uma forma cronológica mas os desafios trazem dificuldades e quando estas existem a vontade de partilhá-las é inevitável.
O maior desafio que esperava aqui nesta altura era o frio mas as temperaturas têm oscilado entre os 8 e 11 graus e acho que me tenho habituado bem. O problema tem sido mesmo a humidade.
A meteorologia previa 50 mm de precipitação. É muito, dado que desde que cá estou, o máximo ocorrido tinham sido 30.
Acordei com três projectos pela frente, fui tomar o pequeno almoço e realmente estava a chover bem.O que vou fazer? Escrever um bocadinho. Deixei uma janela aberta e enfiei-me na tenda, onde tenho a cama. Mas no quentinho, os pensamentos começa a vaguear e acabo por entrar no sono. Não escrevi nada e acordei já perto das 14! O casebre mantém-se seco mas a cozinha... pela chaminé entra água e do tecto também pinga alguma. Nem pensei em aquecer a comida. Reguei o peixe, a couve-flor e as batatas doces com azeite e mostarda e assim me alimentei. Pensava: pelo menos ainda não tenho que comer bichos. Mas mesmo bem agora era um cafézinho quente. Aquecer um pouco de água não custa assim tanto. Lutei, lutei e lutei e lutei e depois de aí uns 30 fósforos e quase todo o cartão que tinha lá fiz um lume razoável por 5 minutos que deu para aquecer a água.
Estava na hora de calçar as galochas e fazer uma vistoria. A cave também estava com poças. Uns buracos que já tinha decidido tapar com cimento estavam a verter como de pequenas nascentes se tratassem. Lá estive a tirar baldes de água com a esfregona. Um saco de cimento à vida e estranhamente os corta correntes dos fusíveis estavam abertos. Não me lembro de o ter feito. Fechei-os e o sistema não parecia estar a carregar bem. Desliguei tudo. As paredes das baterias tinham uma cobertura de humidade. Já houve merda e pensei que o fusível estivesse rebentado. Bonito.
Fui dar uma volta pelo terreno. Nunca tinha visto tanta água por aqui. Todos os caminhos eram riachos, os terrenos estavam encharcados, a ribeira corria com uma força nunca vista e transbordava um pouco e, as valas que tinha feito estavam cheias. Haviam riachos a entrar de todas as formas no meu terreno e eu só pensava: esta água não pode ir embora (princípio da permacultura que explicarei noutra ocasião). Continuei a cavar as valas e já só restavam duas horas de dia. Queria agarrar a água como de ouro se tratasse. Espera aí! Tu enlouqueceste?! Não tens comida, não podes fazer lume, não tens luz, não tens saldo no telemóvel, não podes ir de carro a lado nenhum e estás a cavar uma vala?! Foca-te. E lá juntei alguma lenha para secar, peguei no computador e na carteira e fui à padaria (e uma espingardaria são os únicos estabelecimentos a que me posso deslocar a pé). Comprei pão, carreguei a bateria do portátil e o saldo do telemóvel. Também fiquei com um contacto de quem me poderia arranjar um fusível. Voltei já de noite, e ainda sob chuva, estava agora a entrar no vale tenebroso (outrora encantado).
Tirei mais um balde de água da cave e umas vassouradas, também de água da cozinha. Percebi que afinal o fusível estava bem e, pelo menos, tinha um pouco de luz.
O banho ficaria para outra altura. Fiz um patê de atum com abacate para pôr nas mealhadas (o pão) mas ao cortar a primeira, o canivete que tinha tantas vezes elogiado pela sua eficiência, desta vez qui-lo demonstrar na palma da minha mão. Saí sob forte chuva de encontro à torneira dizendo todos os palavrões e mais algum que me lembrasse. Como é que vou estancar isto? E não vou ficar aqui à chuva. Na cozinha só lá tinha uns toalhetes que devem estar impregnados de tudo menos de algo bom para cicatrizar. Usei a minha língua. Felizmente não acertei em nenhuma veia e mesmo profundo, o corte estancou depressa. Consegui ainda saborear da iguaria com uma cerveja.
Mas acho que está na hora de ir tirar outro balde de água da cave.
I was trying to keep this in a chronological way but the challenges bring difficulties and when they exist the willingness to share them is inevitable.
The biggest challenge I expected here at this time was the cold but the temperature range is being between 8 and 11 degrees and I think I have got used to it. The problem has been the humidity.
The meteorology predicted 50 mm of precipitation. That's a lot, since I've been here the maximum was 30.
I woke up with three projects ahead, I went to have breakfast and it was really raining a lot. What am I going to do? Write a little. I left an open window and went into the tent, where I have the bed. But in the warm, the thoughts begin to wander and eventually I fall asleep. I didn't write anything and I woke up already at around 14! The hovel remains dry but the kitchen... the chimney invites the water and also drips from the ceiling. I didn't even think about warming up the food. I watered the fish, the cauliflower and the sweet potatoes with olive oil and mustard and so I fed myself. I thought, at least I still don't have to eat bugs. But what it would be nice now was a hot coffee. Warming up a little waterisn't so hard. I struggled, struggled and struggled and struggled and after about 30 matches and almost all the cardboard I had, there I made a reasonable fire for 5 minutes that was enough to heat the water.
It was time to put on the rain boots and make an inspection. The basement also had puddles. Holes, that I had already decided to cover with cement, were pouring as if from small springs. There I was taking out buckets of water with the mop. A cement bag lost and strangely the circuit breakers were open. I don't remember doing it. I closed them and the system didn't seem to charge well. I turned everything off. The walls of the batteries had a moisture cover. Shit! And I thought the fuse was blown. Beautiful.
I went for a walk around the land. I've never seen so much water around here. All the roads were brooks, the grounds were soaked, the stream running with a force never seen and overflowed a little and, the swales that I had made were full. There were brooks entering in anyway on my land and I just thought: this water can not go away (principle of permaculture that I will explain on another occasion). I continued to dig the ditches, and there were only two hours left of daylight. I wanted to grab the water like gold. Wait a second! Did you freak out?! You have no food, you can't make fire, you have no light, you have no money on the phone, you can't go anywhere by car and you're digging a ditch?! Focus. And then I gathered some wood to dry, I picked up my computer and my wallet, and I went to the bakery (and a weapons shop are the only places I can go walking). I bought bread, I charged the laptop battery and the balance of my phone. I also had a contact from whom I could get a fuse. I returned at night, and still in the rain, I was now entering the dark valley (once enchanted).
I took another bucket of water from the basement and some sweeps, also of water from the kitchen. I realized that after all the fuse was fine and at least I had a little power.
The shower would be for another time. I made a pate of tuna with avocado to put in the mealhadas (the bread) but when cutting the first, the knife that I had so often praised for its efficiency, this time wanted to show it in the palm of my hand. I went out in heavy rain to the tap saying all the bad words and some more that I could remind of. How am I going to stanch this? And I will not stay here in the rain. In the kitchen there were only a few wipes that should be impregnated with everything but something good to heal. I used my tongue. Fortunately, I didn't hit any vein and even deep, the cut stalled quickly. I was able to enjoy the delicacy with a beer.
But I think it's time to get another bucket of water out of the basement.
I was trying to keep this in a chronological way but the challenges bring difficulties and when they exist the willingness to share them is inevitable.
The biggest challenge I expected here at this time was the cold but the temperature range is being between 8 and 11 degrees and I think I have got used to it. The problem has been the humidity.
The meteorology predicted 50 mm of precipitation. That's a lot, since I've been here the maximum was 30.
I woke up with three projects ahead, I went to have breakfast and it was really raining a lot. What am I going to do? Write a little. I left an open window and went into the tent, where I have the bed. But in the warm, the thoughts begin to wander and eventually I fall asleep. I didn't write anything and I woke up already at around 14! The hovel remains dry but the kitchen... the chimney invites the water and also drips from the ceiling. I didn't even think about warming up the food. I watered the fish, the cauliflower and the sweet potatoes with olive oil and mustard and so I fed myself. I thought, at least I still don't have to eat bugs. But what it would be nice now was a hot coffee. Warming up a little waterisn't so hard. I struggled, struggled and struggled and struggled and after about 30 matches and almost all the cardboard I had, there I made a reasonable fire for 5 minutes that was enough to heat the water.
It was time to put on the rain boots and make an inspection. The basement also had puddles. Holes, that I had already decided to cover with cement, were pouring as if from small springs. There I was taking out buckets of water with the mop. A cement bag lost and strangely the circuit breakers were open. I don't remember doing it. I closed them and the system didn't seem to charge well. I turned everything off. The walls of the batteries had a moisture cover. Shit! And I thought the fuse was blown. Beautiful.
I went for a walk around the land. I've never seen so much water around here. All the roads were brooks, the grounds were soaked, the stream running with a force never seen and overflowed a little and, the swales that I had made were full. There were brooks entering in anyway on my land and I just thought: this water can not go away (principle of permaculture that I will explain on another occasion). I continued to dig the ditches, and there were only two hours left of daylight. I wanted to grab the water like gold. Wait a second! Did you freak out?! You have no food, you can't make fire, you have no light, you have no money on the phone, you can't go anywhere by car and you're digging a ditch?! Focus. And then I gathered some wood to dry, I picked up my computer and my wallet, and I went to the bakery (and a weapons shop are the only places I can go walking). I bought bread, I charged the laptop battery and the balance of my phone. I also had a contact from whom I could get a fuse. I returned at night, and still in the rain, I was now entering the dark valley (once enchanted).
I took another bucket of water from the basement and some sweeps, also of water from the kitchen. I realized that after all the fuse was fine and at least I had a little power.
The shower would be for another time. I made a pate of tuna with avocado to put in the mealhadas (the bread) but when cutting the first, the knife that I had so often praised for its efficiency, this time wanted to show it in the palm of my hand. I went out in heavy rain to the tap saying all the bad words and some more that I could remind of. How am I going to stanch this? And I will not stay here in the rain. In the kitchen there were only a few wipes that should be impregnated with everything but something good to heal. I used my tongue. Fortunately, I didn't hit any vein and even deep, the cut stalled quickly. I was able to enjoy the delicacy with a beer.
But I think it's time to get another bucket of water out of the basement.
Estás a fazer isso ao contrário, devias investir todo o teu esforço em melhorar o conforto no casebre, para depois teres energia suficiente para tratar da terra. Abraço e quando precisares, já sabes o caminho!
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