Joy and Grief

Two main parts to a long day, with Mike doing lots of driving either end - us and Cecílio and Ermelinda, plus Delfina and Gestrudes.

First part. Stopped for coffee at Continente, where Ricardo was working. Then the service at one of Padre Luís's new churches in Vendas Novas, the theme for this 32nd Sunday in Common Time was life after death, which felt relevant. Then he took us all, as well as Padre Mário, out to eat in his new regular restaurant, amazing how folk fall in love with him. They couldn't do enough for us, heck, it was good to sit there eating and talking and being friends for hours like we used to. And when we'd finished eating like royalty, the owners, António and Matilda, brought out freshly roasted, salted chestnuts for us, with vinho abafado - that's a homemade sweet, strong wine, made by interrupting the fermentation of the wine (so that not all the sugar has been converted to alcohol) by adding a load of wine distillate.

Second part. Drove on to Almada, this side of the river from Lisbon, where we sat with the body of Ana's father, who died very suddenly from a bacterial infection. Lots of tears and shocked people, but glad we made the effort, though was the only person there not wearing dark colours.

Gratefuls:
- getting home safely, thanks, Mike
- the comfort of good friends
- the hope of resurrection