About a month ago the puffy coats started making an appearance. The temps were in the 60s and it was often raining. BAM! Puffy coats were everywhere! Puffy coat season is a little strange to me, especially when I’m wearing a t-shirt and everyone else is wearing winter coats. My hunch is that it’s how Lisbonetas cope with the damp
It's strange to think that the norm of having clean, dry skin and dry clothing against it must be pretty recent. Before the age of near-universal air conditioning... even as recently as the 1950s... middle-class men, at least, wore suits in summer and sweated into them. A daily change of all the clothing touching the skin wouldn't have been common until the era of electricity, piped water, and washing machines. And daily bathing didn't become a cultural norm until the mid-1800s. George Orwell writes about there being opposition to providing bathtubs in lower-class housing because it was commonly believed that if you gave the lower classes bathtubs, they would just store coal in them. I am not entirely sure of the balance of health benefits to allowing a thin coating of natural grubbiness on the skin versus washing it off. Anyway, for most of human history and much of the world, grubby skin and seasonally-damp clothing and bedding must have been the norm. It occurs to me that this must have been true for soldiers and sailors, too.
I brought a half dozen $25 Amazon summer dresses to wear during resettlement in Coimbra late July 2023. And the nanosecond the weather turned Autumunal-ish, the Coimbrians parka-ed up for trekking to Mt Everest base camp ... and I, resolutely, still in a summer dress. Finally surrendered and embraced my inner Primark-black pants-sweaters. Sigh. Monday, I sat next to "Jefferson" (his real name), a stunning Brazilian college professor, at the Lavanderia. "My walls are wet, my floor is wet, my clothes are damp and the coffee is terrible," he laughed. Yeah, me too, although both of us glad not to be either too north nor too south: Coimbra is just right.
Love the snoodle! Can't wait to get to the mainland to get one. As recent arrivals from the US Pacific Northwest, we understand that damp! But we had A/C and dryers! Thanks for reporting on the good and (maybe not bad but) somewhat disagreeable. 😏
Chuckled all the way through reading this from up here in damp and chilly Porto! I didn't realize Lisbon has also been rainier than usual. Our Porto native friends have assured us this has been unusual, even for October.
One of our friends is trying a DIY dehumidifier trick and will report back in a few days what her experience has been with it. There are various options depending on the size of room. One I am considering for our laundry room is the dual 5-gallon bucket of rock salt hack. You drill one bucket full of holes and stick it inside the second bucket and fill it with rock salt, drain and replace salt as needed.
We had a couple days of respite from the rain, so I've been taking advantage to get as much laundry done as possible since it's been taking DAYS to dry lately.
I believe you are correct. With the super heat this past year in the southern states and the strange rain patterns in the northern states I have been paying better attention to global warming talk. Times, they are a changing.
Okay ... that snoodie! Lol! Love it. I never even thought about packing blankets. And I didn’t ask our landlord about a dehumidifier but I bet it will be on the shopping list! Thanks for another great post.
I get anxious with climate change too and have factored that into our land search. We have great news on that front but, for now, we are here in the Alentejo enjoying the stillness and scenery. Would have loved to visit with you and Scott in Lisbon but it's not in our itinerary on this trip. Enjoy this Thanksgiving week! So many things to be grateful for, especially friends acquired the past year, albeit virtually. ☺️
Love your posts and honesty in expressing both good and bad. We are spoiled Americans and expectations held rather high for the most part. I've only been in and out of Lisbon on my way to Madeira which I don't think will fall into the too, too rainy category but we shall see what 2024 brings. Keep um coming- I'm enjoying your posts x
It's strange to think that the norm of having clean, dry skin and dry clothing against it must be pretty recent. Before the age of near-universal air conditioning... even as recently as the 1950s... middle-class men, at least, wore suits in summer and sweated into them. A daily change of all the clothing touching the skin wouldn't have been common until the era of electricity, piped water, and washing machines. And daily bathing didn't become a cultural norm until the mid-1800s. George Orwell writes about there being opposition to providing bathtubs in lower-class housing because it was commonly believed that if you gave the lower classes bathtubs, they would just store coal in them. I am not entirely sure of the balance of health benefits to allowing a thin coating of natural grubbiness on the skin versus washing it off. Anyway, for most of human history and much of the world, grubby skin and seasonally-damp clothing and bedding must have been the norm. It occurs to me that this must have been true for soldiers and sailors, too.
That snoodie makes a distinctive fashion statement! It sure looks warm!
I'm ready for cherry season!
Love you!
I brought a half dozen $25 Amazon summer dresses to wear during resettlement in Coimbra late July 2023. And the nanosecond the weather turned Autumunal-ish, the Coimbrians parka-ed up for trekking to Mt Everest base camp ... and I, resolutely, still in a summer dress. Finally surrendered and embraced my inner Primark-black pants-sweaters. Sigh. Monday, I sat next to "Jefferson" (his real name), a stunning Brazilian college professor, at the Lavanderia. "My walls are wet, my floor is wet, my clothes are damp and the coffee is terrible," he laughed. Yeah, me too, although both of us glad not to be either too north nor too south: Coimbra is just right.
Love the snoodle! Can't wait to get to the mainland to get one. As recent arrivals from the US Pacific Northwest, we understand that damp! But we had A/C and dryers! Thanks for reporting on the good and (maybe not bad but) somewhat disagreeable. 😏
Chuckled all the way through reading this from up here in damp and chilly Porto! I didn't realize Lisbon has also been rainier than usual. Our Porto native friends have assured us this has been unusual, even for October.
One of our friends is trying a DIY dehumidifier trick and will report back in a few days what her experience has been with it. There are various options depending on the size of room. One I am considering for our laundry room is the dual 5-gallon bucket of rock salt hack. You drill one bucket full of holes and stick it inside the second bucket and fill it with rock salt, drain and replace salt as needed.
We had a couple days of respite from the rain, so I've been taking advantage to get as much laundry done as possible since it's been taking DAYS to dry lately.
I believe you are correct. With the super heat this past year in the southern states and the strange rain patterns in the northern states I have been paying better attention to global warming talk. Times, they are a changing.
Stay comfortable!
Love you
Okay ... that snoodie! Lol! Love it. I never even thought about packing blankets. And I didn’t ask our landlord about a dehumidifier but I bet it will be on the shopping list! Thanks for another great post.
I get anxious with climate change too and have factored that into our land search. We have great news on that front but, for now, we are here in the Alentejo enjoying the stillness and scenery. Would have loved to visit with you and Scott in Lisbon but it's not in our itinerary on this trip. Enjoy this Thanksgiving week! So many things to be grateful for, especially friends acquired the past year, albeit virtually. ☺️
Love your posts and honesty in expressing both good and bad. We are spoiled Americans and expectations held rather high for the most part. I've only been in and out of Lisbon on my way to Madeira which I don't think will fall into the too, too rainy category but we shall see what 2024 brings. Keep um coming- I'm enjoying your posts x