Freezee-Jet.

Last Thursday (21st March)finally saw the day arrive that Joan and I departed the UK for our new life in Portugal and the beautiful village of Santa Luzia.
Arriving at Leeds & Bradford airport along with our three large suitcases and two smaller hand luggage cases we were about to unknowingly experience a portent of what was to befall the UK over the coming days.
 Having already checked in for our Jet2.com flight online we sailed through baggage drop without a hitch even managing to secure free in hold stowage of our hand luggage.
The gate was announced and opened pretty much on time but then boarding the buses which were to transport us to the aircraft parked on one of LBA's "remote " stands proceeded painfully slowly.
We were eventually deposited on stand twenty four at eight twenty, a full ten minutes past our scheduled departure  time.
Those of you who read this blog regularly will already be aware that I was employed by Jet2.com at LBA in various roles for almost two years and spotting one of my old baggage handler colleagues I sidled over for a chat.
 It was during this conversation he revealed that our Boeing 737 had been de-iced as is normal at this time of year some forty five minutes prior to our scheduled departure time but the Arctic wind blasting up the Aire valley had caused it to require a second treatment thus delaying our boarding and eventual take off by some forty minutes.
Over the next few days we had good reason to be thankful that we had selected the Thursday flight instead of the Saturday as we watched the English news bulletins in our little house in Portugal. The Siberian conditions, snowstorms and blizzards, which swept the country from Friday onward caused LBA to close on more than one occasion and resulted in many extended delays and cancellations.
Now though the weather here in Portugal has been far from perfect with temperatures some four or five degrees below average for the time of year and rain clouds making an almost daily appearance it is smugly satisfying to be able to say we got out just in the nick of time.
The weather prospects for the UK remain distinctly bleak right into April with the probability of more snow and forecast temperatures belying the start of British summer time this coming weekend.
Meanwhile here in Portugal, where the clocks also go forward this Sunday, we eagerly anticipate the steady rise of the thermometer to the mid twenties over the coming weeks.

Tia Zeta

Only two weeks now before Joan and I make the move to Santa Luzia and we are both eagerly anticipating the start of our new life. We are also looking forward to meeting again our old friend Donna Zeta. ((above)

Zeta makes a daily excursion around Santa Luzia calling into shops or friends houses often for no more than a chat.
With her thick algarvian/Santa Luzian accent it is often necessary for Zeta to repeat what she says several times in order to understand her.( Imagine an English speaking foreigner conversing with a broad Glaswegian and you get the picture.)
 Over the years we have befriended Zeta and, missing nothing that happens in Santa Luzia, she is usually  knocking on our door within hours of us arriving in town. It is a joy when that face breaks into a huge smile. She is truly a beautiful old lady from a beautiful old village.