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Some High Stuff: Arouca 516
After moving from Minnesota to Oregon it was darn near impossible to avoid adding hiking as a hobby. The state is known for amazing trails and we could get to the Pacific Crest Trail in 30 minutes. Our normal routine was day hikes in the 5-10 mile range. Our longest hike was 39 miles which…
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Some Old Stuff: Citânia De Briteiros
My cousin John visited a few weeks ago and in planning his visit he said he was interested in seeing some Roman ruins or a similar attraction. Lucky for him we live less than ten miles from an amazing archaeological site. Citânia de Briteiros is an unearthed “urban” community which actually existed in pre-Roman times…
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My Tiny Oasis
When Andrew and I started house hunting back in 2024 one of the most important things we considered, other than geographical location, was how much space we needed and how best to utilize a given floor plan. Our house in Medford, Oregon had plenty of space, arguably too much, since several rooms were rarely used.…
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Farming (Game) In Portugal
My grandpa Finazzo was a farmer in Minnesota, he had a farm and a tractor and the whole shebang. Like most farmers he supplemented his income in a variety of ways but his core identity was related to tending to his crops. I imagine sometime around 1979 someone saw the new board game The Farming…
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Spring Has Arrived!
We have emerged from an especially long and wet winter season into the beginning of spring. The temperature has snuck up into the 60’s and plants are springing up everywhere. We can finally dry our laundry outside! I even snuck in a quick R&R session in our hammock out on the terrace this morning before…
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I Want To Be The Head Wizard In Charge!
Today I’m going to talk about one of our favorite board games, Argent: The Consortium, in which players battle to win the most votes and become the new chancellor at the magic university where you all work. Don’t run out and buy the game yet, I have a lot to say about Argent and depending…
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Love Is Blind: A Trainwreck I Can’t Stop Watching
We have watched Love Is Blind since its inception in 2020. The general concept is a group of people speed date each other while sitting in pods and don’t see each other until they are engaged. Once engaged (some) of the couples are whisked away for a grand vacation, then they move in together, and…
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February Decor
We have made it through one of the rainiest seasons in Portugal (and much of Europe) in decades. Thankfully we didn’t have any water related problems of note, but it did mean we spent a lot of time indoors January and early February. Back in Medford our house had, over the years, slowly gained specific…
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Rainy Season Comfort Food
Winter and the rainy season have undoubtedly arrived in Northern Portugal. We have been spending most days indoors with video games, board games, and movies to keep us entertained. We have been playing the heck out of a new video game, maybe we’ll cover that topic in a future blog. When rain is pouring down…
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December Viewing: Baby Don’t Hurt Me
Way back in 1993 Haddaway asked us “What Is Love” and every December Michelle and I sit through a bunch of films trying to see if his answer, “baby don’t hurt me” is correct. Technically this month is my romantic comedy counter to Michelle’s fear filled October, but every year a few other genres sneak…