I am writing this a few days later than usual so I can make a record of it in the New Year. 2024 was, for me, the most challenging year of my life health-wise, and that was after thinking that 2023 had been tough. Despite this, I know next year will be better, as all farmers do, even us ex-farmers; otherwise, what is the point of carrying on? We always think things will get better. Better rains, better prices, better yields, you name it, even fishing and perhaps compensation. It is not bad to be reminded this is not always strictly true, but this should not remove the hope of their possibility at the start of each year. The one thing I no longer do is make New Year Resolutions.
“By not making New Year Resolutions, I have removed the guaranteed feeling of guilt that follows when I habitually break them within a few weeks.” - Peter McSporran
This year, although older, health-wise, I am feeling a lot better off than I was at the end of last year. Thanks to the surgeons and medical staff at the University Hospital of Coimbra, and my family. Early on Monday, I was on my way to the hospital once more, this time for a regular eye review. They say my eye has deteriorated, and I need yet another injection in it. I had only been telling Rozanne on the way to the hospital I thought it had improved, and she retorted beware, every time you say that, the doctor finds it is worse. I hate it when she is right. The treatment is not to cure but rather to slow down the deterioration, which they have achieved. This next injection will be my fifteenth over the last five years. It was a new doctor to me this Monday, and as I left, I picked her out for being so polite and patient with me. My Portuguese is like my eye; it has not improved, so it took a lot of effort to inform me about the status of my eye. The simple is easy, but the technical terms are not so. Many doctors do speak English, but unfortunately not this lady.
Parking availability has improved at the hospital, achieved simply by introducing parking charges. The one nightmare at the hospital was finding a parking spot and despite providing a shuttle bus service, which we rarely saw operating, things were getting worse, not better, in traffic congestion. To relieve this over the past four years, the authorities have been building the infrastructure to introduce a tram service within Coimbra and the satellite towns in the surrounding areas, including a line to the hospital. It is meant to be completed this year, but like all government infrastructure projects, there is some doubt about this. Meanwhile, parking slots are now available, despite the fee being very low. Being poorly paid and as frugal as the Scots, the Portuguese would rather walk than pay. In fact, a few of the toll roads, the quieter ones that is, will have the tolls removed as they are hardly used. They say they do not comply with EU motorway standards to enable the imposition of tolls, but maybe the real reason is what is the point of having infrastructure to collect tolls from non-existent traffic? Of interest the minimum wage in Portugal is being increased. It has just been raised by €50 per month, to €870, this year with a target of €1020 by 2028. It is presently less than half the UK minimum wage, so no wonder the Portuguese are reluctant to pay tolls and parking fees.
“There seems to be a seismic shift in the Scots hardiness with New Year Celebrations in Edinburgh cancelled because of a spot of rain and wind. Health and safety, they said. It would have not happened in my youth.” - Peter McSporran
Once again, we brought in New Year in Nazaré for the third year in a row with the Tideys. My daughter Storm and her partner Duncan preferred the Serra da Estrela to the beach, so they did not join us for New Year. This year, I could stand and watch the fireworks display without the need of the use of a camping chair. Being people of habit, we stayed in the same hotel and had our last meal of the year in the same restaurant. On the way down, we stopped for lunch at a seafood restaurant, the Estrela do Mar, on the cliff face in Marinha Grande, which we had first visited long before we bought a house in this country. I ordered crab, as I had done way back then. It proved to serve spectacular seafood still some fourteen years on. Unlike what I am hearing about the weather in Scotland, which can only be described as ‘dreich’, here in Portugal, we brought the New Year in with a clear, crisp, bright night, which has continued into the day turning into a windless sunny day. We also had our first frost for the year this week, with the pastures white on our early morning drive to the hospital. We cover our young fruit trees to protect against frost; an avocado tree remains the only vulnerable one.
I have been made aware of two Portuguese New Year customs. One, you should eat twelve raisins one at a time just before midnight and make a wish for the New Year with each. I got to three, then swallowed the lot. The other is that just before midnight, you should raise your right foot, only placing it after midnight to represent stepping into the New Year. I remember well when I used to fall into the New Year. The Scottish tradition of a dram and some black bun is better, in my view, than a few raisins. This year, we drank wine instead of whisky. I am afraid I have become a heretic. I remedied this by having a whisky in the evening of New Year's Day. It is never too late for a dram, and it makes me feel more optimistic about the future. After all, in Scotland, we offered each other drams for up to two weeks after the event to celebrate the New Year.
As probably many are aware, especially those who have survived serious illness, no matter how bad your health or wealth circumstances are, there are always those worse off than yourself. One such is an American friend of ours in the next village who has recently been diagnosed with advanced cancer. Unlike me, he is having chemo treatment, which is making him feel awful, coupled with some unpleasant side effects which interfere with his regular living routine. After returning from the hospital, we decided to walk up and see him on Monday afternoon. Yes, a walk some two kilometres there and back. It was gratifying to see him perk up during our visit. In fighting cancer, the medical staff and your loved ones are always on your side, offering support. However, the one time you have to do it on your own is when you fight your personal demons that come in the night, keeping you awake, often supported in this horrible endeavour by pain. That is the hard fight, mostly fought on your own, after all the demons are in your head.
“Fighting a serious illness is as much mental as it is physical. Having a positive attitude is a great tool to have during your struggle to regain good health.” - Peter McSporran
I have found that some people are shy, or at least reticent, about visiting seriously ill people. Also, although many of the ill will deny it, this is when they need the most support and encouragement in their fight against these demons. To put it crudely, even if you are not a close friend, your presence helps take their mind off their real or imagined worries for a while.
I received lots of comments and messages following last week's blog. Thank you. The blog is most read when it is controversial, especially about compensation. The ladies in our community would appear the more aggressive. One was in particular, but she made a good point: we need to become more visible. Not only be in the face of Government and also people of influence worldwide who may assist us in our endeavours. She even suggested we act like Trump. I said that was maybe a step too far. But perhaps we should try and raise our profile like having someone chat with the likes of Farage to remind him of the British government's duty, which is to bear some responsibility for our predicament; after all, he will use anything to irk the UK government. Musk, South African by birth, is listened to by millions on social media, a tweet by him on our behalf would reach millions. We need to raise our profile. When was our plight last raised in Westminster? I am afraid we are in danger of fading away by default.
“We need to be seen as a necessary and visible hurdle to be overcome when Zimbabwe commences the return to normality. If we remain silent we will be forgotten.”- Peter McSporran
Disclaimer: Copyright Peter McSporran. The content in this blog represents my personal views and does not reflect corporate entities.
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