We have been held up here in Portugal for the month of January. A small fishing town called Olhão , a few miles from Faro Airport. We have had some very good weather where one could eat outside, wearing a sweater. But more often it has been overcast, windy and unpleasant. Swallows are here today and gone tomorrow, making their early reconnaissance flights out of Africa. January is the month to get the hell out of Ireland and shorten the winter, but Portugal is not the destin

Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year! Last Christmas I bought oysters which I ate on the day. It is still my favourite. This year, a couple of nights ago, we went to Ferrycarrig Hotel in Wexford and no oysters were on the menu. However, I ordered mussels the first day, and they were delicious. So I ordered again, twice, from their menu during our two nights there. Mussels are bigger and the sea is much colder which suits them.