“Without a Song or a Dance (or a Dream), What Are We?”

Back again to resume and conclude the description of our trip, struggles, and finds as we tried to decide the future of our long time empty and “abandoned” house in Azores…

In order to avoid the concentration of mildew and simplify the cleaning of the house in our future trips, the house was decluttered, cleaned and organized… hundreds of books were donated to the church and friends to preserve them from the inevitable decay they would be subjected in a closed house… the most valuable antique pieces of furniture were sent to the craftsman shop for restoration while other pieces will wait for their turn… the not-antique pieces of furniture that needed repair, were restored in location…

 

In the gardens and land surrounding the house…well, the Morning Glory joined forces with the Bamboo! They teamed up and invaded a large amount of the property: the Bamboo infesting and taking over the land, and the Morning Glory taking advantage of the Bamboo’s heights to engulf the top of the trees, walls of the property, and roof of the house.

Morning Glory invading the top branches of the Fig Trees.

Bamboo and Morning Glory teaming up on the roof.

In the war against this infestation we bought some weapons and tools, and tried to save as much of possible in the short time available before our departure of the island. We focused in removing its access to the roof of the house, and saving the most endangered fruit trees… specially the fig trees.

My warrior (and husband) freeing from the vines, branch by branch, his beloved Fig Trees.

We also had to cut and remove from the property several very big trees that had fallen during some rough Winters, blocking the gardens’ paths and bringing down a few rustic stone walls.

We literally worked every day from dawn to sunset… it is a very big property ! But we left the island with a sense of accomplishment and relief. The urgent matters were taken cared of; we had a clear notion of what was needed ahead; and we are better equipped, and prepared, and motivated for the DREAM. A dream that started with an Abstract feeling, but it rapidly gained strength and form, day after day of our laborious days.

Oh… and if any of you has tentatively followed this story in my previous posts, and is wondering “what happened to those over two hundred vinyl Records??!”… Well…

…those were gently cleaned, one by one, and stored in a much drier cabinet, in a much drier room, and are waiting for my return. Next time I’ll be equipped with a new record player.

I hope and Wish that one day in the future, our Future Guests, of our Future “Bed & Breakfast”, will have the pleasure of playing the records, sing, or even dance to the sound of it! …as I used to do over 30 years ago to the sound of ABBA. I was 10 years old.

If you are anything like me, you are right this moment humming some of their tunes… as I am now. What songs are you humming?? I’m with “Thank You For The Music”…

As I sing away out loud, as loud as I used to be,  here are some pictures of how I imagine now our silent house awaiting. Farewell and until next time…

Thank You for the Music

I’m nothing special, in fact I’m a bit of a bore
If I tell a joke, you’ve probably heard it before
But I have a talent, a wonderful thing
Cause everyone listens when I start to sing
I’m so grateful and proud
All I want is to sing it out loud

So I say
Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing
Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me

Mother says I was a dancer before I could walk
She says I began to sing long before I could talk
But I’ve often wondered, how did it all start?
Who found out that nothing can capture a heart
Like a melody can?
Well, whoever it was, I’m a fan

So I say
Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing
Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me

I’ve been so lucky, I am the girl with golden hair
I wanna sing it out to everybody
What a joy, what a life, what a chance!

So I say
Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing
Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me

Living Room panoramic window.

Another window’s view…

…another window…

THE END  …and just the beginning.